{The Abandoned Prince}

1. Lathos de Alger Obelia

"Lathos de Alger Obelia. That shall be his name. Let's see him live as a mistake." 

A voice drifted through Lathos' consciousness. He shivered unconsciously when he heard the ice in the woman's voice. He did not know why this mysterious person was so cold to him. Did he do something wrong?

"But....he's your son, Kie- your highness. And a prince at that. Why would you give him such a name? The poor boy will have a lot of trouble in the future, no need to add to his burden." 

Another voice. This one was sweet and refreshing. It made Lathos relax a little. He knew instinctively that this feminine voice would protect him....actually, it did already. Against his own mother, no less.

An exhausted sigh interrupted his thoughts.

"Ceilie, you know that you don't have to use any honorifics with me, right? I am perfectly fine with you calling me by my name." 

The royal's voice softened. 

"I cannot care for this child. He is what he is; a mistake. Now, enough talking. Please. Take him to Sapphire Palace. I need to rest."

".....Yes, Kielle."

Lathos felt himself being lifted up into the air and tucked carefully in warm blankets. The cool midnight air brushed against his face as he was carried outside. All was silent until the one named Ceilie spoke up.

"The Sapphire Palace. A secluded palace specially made for Kielle by his majesty. The perfect place to place her child. I'm sure she does care a lot for you, even if she doesn't show it, little Lathos. She even prepared a nursing chamber for you."

Ceilie chuckled as she walked.She trudged through a bunch of fallen leaves, making a faint rustling sound. Lathos could hear a hint of sadness in her voice when she talked. 

He did not know what to do. He tried opening his eyes. His eyelids felt very heavy; it was hard, but Lathos did not give up. He wanted to see this woman. After much effort, he finally succeeded. It was fairly dark, with only a luminescent glow of a lantern showing the way. He tilted his head up a little bit. The prince was momentarily stunned, before he giggled at the blurry figure above. Even while his vision wasn't clear, he could still see how beautiful the woman was. She had long, black hair and twinkling, dark eyes that shined in the moonlight. Her delicate lashes fluttered when she glanced down at his angelic and innocent face. She beamed at the newborn's opened eyes,  quietly musing about how charming they were.

She continued on before stopping in front of a large, golden gate. The vigilant eyes of the guards scanned her briefly before nodding their heads. The gate slowly swung open, revealing a magnificent sight. A fountain in the middle of the courtyard was slowly spewing glistening, crystal clear water into a koi filled pond. The grass was neatly trimmed, with different types of flowers dispersed randomly on the ground. Beyond it, a giant blue palace stood proudly. With an intricate and detailed silver design etched into its walls, as well as the various lifelike statues scattered around it, Sapphire Palace left a pretty memorable impression on Lathos. 

Lathos originally held high expectations for the palace, after hearing from Ceilie that it was a gift for his mother. Sapphire Palace certainly did not disappoint. He froze. His eyes enlarged as he took in the scene. By the time he snapped out of it, Ceilie was already across the huge courtyard and entered the palace. She climbed up and down, zigzagging through numerous long corridors, before finally stopping before a wooden door that had a small word engraved on it. 'Nursery', it read. The handwriting was simple yet elegant. Ceilie twisted the knob and pushed. The door creaked open. The walls inside the room were painted a lovely shade of pink. In one corner, there was a small crib, while in the other, a wardrobe. That was all. It was so plain, unlike the exterior. Obviously, whoever decorated the room wasn't very dedicated and just half-assed it. Ceilie's face turned a little grim, hating the lifeless vibe the nursery gave off. It felt like someone just died there or something. She would have to redecorate it later, she thought as she gently laid Lathos in the crib.