The Misplaced Prince[COMPLETE]

The Long Awaited Answer

Sebastian slowly stepped down the throne, walking towards the boy who had produced the inferno. Even as he lay on the ground out cold, a heated essence fair blazed from him, a stamp that so blatantly claimed who he was that a human should have been able to feel it. "Mine. My essence." Sebastian whispered, and a for a moment he felt moisture well in his eyes. He hadn't given to tears since the day his children had died, "He's my..."

Unable to continue, he lowered himself on his knee, reaching forward to gently place his thumb on the chin of the boy, studying him intensely. He looked nothing like him, Sebastian gleaned instantly, or like his fair daughter. His features were strongly formed and fairly ridiculously handsome. A long face that supported a strong brow and a tall nose. Long eyelashes that had slid shut over light brown eyes. The hair though...those thick black locks...were all Kohl.

Sebastian had always prepared to not feel any recognition for what that baby would become, yet looking at the face of the young man, he felt recognition down to his bones. It was the child that had playfully lit fire on his fingertips as Sebastian had discussed his fate over his crib. He had reached up with plump little fingers to study his beard as Sebastian had carried him to the fairies to be sent away. When they had plucked him from Sebastian and the child had realized he wasn't taking him back, he had erupted in tears that had created little infernos on his hands.

And that was the last Sebastian had seen on him. The image had haunted him for decades.

The essence was receding...blinking out...

"What's happening to him?" Sebastian broke out, alarmed, "Is he dying?"

"What are you talking about?" Shrader asked roughly. He came to stand beside Sebastian, bending down to examine the boy. Sebastian resisted pushing away the soldier after the stunt he had just pulled, but reminded himself that he was one of his most trusted men.

"He isn't dying." Shrader finally muttered after studying the boy by gently tilting his face this way and that, "Just weak. He looked ill on arrival, and the magic just now must have been too much..."

"Why was he ill?" Sebastian demanded.

Shrader let out a snort of disgust, "I'll deal with it. Don't worry."

"I shall worry about my grandson. Tell me who has mistreated him and I will murder him on spot."

"You  need to get a handle on your emotions, Sebastian." Shrader said calmly, "You're the king."

Sebastian growled. Lying in front of him was the only member of his family remaining--his daughters son. He wasn't going to be rational when it came to his safety.

He turned around, barking orders at his doorman peaking through the door to get a healer. A soft sound distracted him. There was an unknown man whimpering near the door, having collapsed to the ground in shock.

"Who is that?" Sebastian asked irritably, "What's he blathering about?"

"The man grew up believing to be his brother." Shrader said, nodding towards Joshua, then raised his voice to say calmly, "He isn't dead. You may rest assured."

The man seemed to realize he was being spoken to and straightened, his fear slowly transforming to harsh disgust, babbling, "It's true. What Mother said! The son of a bitch burned her the first time she picked him--laughing while he did it! He's a monster! He needs to be put down!"

There was a moment of deafening silence. "Did you just call my daughter a bitch?" the king asked softly.

The man realized, too late, that he had made a mistake. He straightened, bleaching in fear, but still seemed to have found the strength to utter, "I'm the Earl of Rochester. If you dare hurt a hair on my head--"