Cursed With You

The Prince of the Cursed Land

As the eighth son, Raffin never imagined he could become king. So he was stunned when Ames, his eldest brother and King of Ostelux, broke the news to him when he summoned him and his two other brothers to his study.

"They intend the proposal for Arles," Ames said. He sat behind his desk. His serious face stressed the lines on his forehead. "But he had already married first. After all, the Princess of Krazthea is only a year older than you, Raffin. She's twenty and you are nineteen. You met as children when we visited there."

"I remember," said Arles, Raffin's seventh brother, who was also the royal treasurer. He sat in a chair against the wall. "Even as a child, she was beautiful," he said dreamily, stroking his thin beard. "She must be even more beautiful now. If I were not married, I would accept the proposal. You're very lucky, little brother." Arles winked at Raffin.

Everyone said that he and Arles were like twins, because they looked almost identical to each other and somewhat different from their six older brothers. They all had the same fair skin, but only the two of them had blue eyes and auburn hair. Arles once said that they both looked like their mother. Their other brothers, with dark brown hair and hazel eyes, looked more like their father.

"May your wife never know what you just said," Helman scolded next to Arles. Helman was the second brother and Hand of the King.

Arles waved him off. "She will understand that I must carry out the duties of the kingdom."

"And that duty now falls to you, Raffin," Ames said. "The King of Krazthea has promised to cancel all our debts if we accept the proposal. They have no heir, so one day you will be king of Krazthea. As Arles said, you are very lucky."

Raffin sat across from Ames with his head bowed. He knew his brothers' attention centered on him. Raffin knew he had no other choice. But it wasn't the arranged marriage that made him uneasy.

"Are you thinking about that girl?" Arles asked, as if he could read Raffin's thoughts. "You're not serious about her, are you? You're a prince. It's not proper for you to have a relationship with a commoner."

"Not just a commoner," Helman interjected. "But Ferula's assistant."

Arles was wide-eyed. "So your pet girl is working for the dark wizard who almost bewitched Ames?"

"She's not my pet," Raffin argued. "She's a commoner, and she works for Ferula, but she's a good person."

"Whether or not she's good, you must end it soon," Ames insisted. "Nothing good ever lasts long around that witch."

Everyone knew the king hated Ferula. It was said that her late father had sentenced the dark wizard to death. But the Grand Wizard made another suggestion, and the king accepted it. Raffin knew the story from the Grand Wizard, because at the time Raffin was not yet born.

"I'll do it today," Raffin said. He had no choice. "And I will marry Princess Carlein of Krazthea. For Ostelux's sake."

"Good," Ames said. "Because we cannot pay off our debt to them in the agreed upon time. And that's not including interest."

Raffin nodded and stood. "Then I will take my leave, Your Majesty."

Ames allowed with a nod. Raffin left the room with wide strides.

The advantage of being the eighth son was that almost no one recognized his face. People thought Raffin was an ordinary nobleman, and he felt fortunate that his brother allowed him to walk about the city unescorted. After all, as the capital of Ostelux, Stratham had been quite safe in recent years. Ames' efforts to restore prosperity to Ostelux had paid off. There were no more hungry people on the streets.