The Crown Prince

Prologue

"No, stay away!" Shrieked the woman running through corridors. The scarf tucked to her shoulder, skirt carved with real gems, anklets tingling like gold coins, heavy and expensive jewelleries announced her relation with the royal family. Frizzy hair, fear evident in her eyes, screams of mercy passing through her lips and her disheveled condition prompted the vulnerability she carried that moment.

She tripped a few steps albeit managed to persist with her motion. Heavy, royal skirt worn by her made it difficult for the lady to move fast but she still tried to avoid her death chasing her with a bloodthirsty sword in his hand.

The royal guards, they fled past by, shuddered at their sight. Yet no one did intervene for the sake of their own life. The game of life wasn't a new thing to be played in the royal palace. However, the wife of the Minister of Aparanta Kingdom being a victim was certainly new.

Lady gasped for breath halting at the end of hall. She peered back when she didn't hear the footsteps behind her anymore. Her eyes wandered around apprehending the wing she had ended up while saving herself from the beastly prince. She realised it was the King's wing. A sense of security ran in her veins.

However, the relief was short lived when her death himself spoke, "You entertained me well with a little game of yours." Her body froze with sheer fear, she could feel her dress sticking to her back with excessive sweating.

Her body steadily twirled around. A boy of 13 stood his ground, having a monstrous personality, dark aura and blood thirsty sword in his hand. He lifted his gaze exposing the murderous look on his face. Her fingers fisted the fabric of her skirt at his gestures.

"What have I done? Why are you-" She was cut off by a furious roar.

"Don't you dare interrupt when the Crown Prince is talking to you."

She stumbled back out of perplexity. "When did you become-" before she could complete her sentence a sharp sting on her neck seized her tongue.

With a swift swing of his sword, her head flew high in the air. Blood splattered on the floor and on his face. His eyes flutter close and a satisfactory smirk cracked on his lips at the sight of two halves of her body.

Soon the hall erupted with loud, psychotic laughter. His heinous giggle trembled the walls around him. The curtains and doors of the window blew violently as an outcome of the outraged wind. Even the environment around was frightened of him.

The door of a chamber burst open and he stepped in, leisurely, the sword firmly clasped in his hand was drenched in red liquid, human blood.

"He- he slaughtered her. He killed my wife." A man, probably in his early 40s, screamed fumbling with his words. Everyone else present there looked at the boy.

"What have you done to yourself?" The woman gulped at the sight of her son who appeared no less than an executioner. His own family seemed to be weary of the Prince except for the man standing in the middle. He emitted an aura which demanded respect.

With a hard gaze fixed on the Prince before them he asked, "What made you do, what you did?"

"She said I cannot become Yuvraj." He shrugged his shoulders as if it was no big deal. Well, it wasn't for him.

"So you murdered her?" The minister asked in disbelief. "What ill did she say?"

Fire flamed up in his eyes as he glared at the minister. Before he could lash out on him, his mother spoke, stealing the attention.

"Yes, you are not the heir to the throne." She stroked the hair of a teenage boy near her. "Abhishek is!"

Howbeit, what he uttered the next moment trembled the earth beneath their feet. "Then, he has to lose his life either." He tilted his head with a ghostly simper on his lips which aghast his own mother and elder brother. They stared at the power starving creature in horror, who spared no one not even his own blood for a mere throne of a kingdom.

"Are you in your senses-" The Queen's rambling was halted in midst by the middle aged standing in the centre, The King.

"You will be sent away from this soil until I am alive. That is the punishment of your greed." His words cut through the silence of the atmosphere like a blazing sword. The authority and solemnity he possessed while prompting his decision was taut, that disregarded any queries arising.

And no one could muster up courage to disobey his order. The Minister, the Queen, the elder Prince and not even the younger prince who obeys none, complied with the King's command having no other option.