Cost of the Crown (UNREVISED VERSION)

Gold

The royal family are powerful. They have powers that could be enhanced once they take the throne. That is why even the dukes and duchesses want to be king or queen.

"Prince Cedric?" A voice from outside his room called.

"H-hng?" He replied, obviously still sleeping.

Prince Cedric slept on the verge of sunrise. He was busy writing on his journal last night.

"Cedric!!!" Another voice called.

"Y-yeah! I'm up." He said, still having his face flat on his desk.

"Cedric!" The second voice continued.

He fell off his chair, still feeling drowsy. He stood up and wobbled his way to the door.

"Coming..." He yawned. When he opened the door, his sleepyness was erased by the sight of a maid with his crying sister.

"Cedric!" His sister cried as she cried on her brother's trousers.

"Maria... What happened?" He asked.

"Mom... She won..." She cried.

"Then why are you crying?" He replied.

"We won... Exchange for mom's life..." She cried more.

He felt his heart skip a beat as a heartstring broke. He could feel the shock swallowing him as he sees red flashing before him.

"Prince Cedric... What did you see?" Lady Clara asked as she approached Cedric.

"I-I... I... I see... nothing b-but r-r-red..." He stuttered as he held his sister in his arms.

"Ugh... Knew it... Prince Cedric, you must take the throne before the dukes and duchesses knew of the loss." Lady Clara said as she held him by the shoulder.

"Lady Clara... I will take the throne after three months. On my birthday, the 27th of December, I will rule this kingdom." Cedric said with conviction.

"Yes, my king." Lady Clara curtseyed then left to prepare.

"Maria, get dressed, we will visit the town." He told his sister.

Maria wiped her tears then was escorted into her room. As for Cedric, he silently cried as he prepared himself to visit the town.

In Maria's room, she smiled to hide her sorrows. A group of shadows following her as she took every step.

"Princess Maria, let me help you." A shadow offered as it tied her hair into pigtails with silver ribbons.

"Your eyes are vibrant red today, Princess..." another said.

The shadows took turns helping the princess as they complimented her. It was slowly brightening her mood.

"Maria, are you done?" A voice outside the door asked.

"Come in, Cedric." She called.

The door opened and Cedric nodded at his sister. He looked at the shadows behind her then smiled at them.

"Thank you for helping my sister." Cedric told the shdows.

Maria giggled then her eyes lost their glow and turned to brown. As the glow faded, so did the shadows.

"You saw red?" Maria asked as they walked the streets of the town.

"Yeah... Don't worry... While I was preparing, I saw gold." He said as he held Maria's hand.

"Extra! Extra! The death of two royals in two consecutive days!" A paperboy announced.

"Give me a paper please." Cedric asked. "How much?"

"It's on the house, Prince Cedric!" The boy said.

Cedric smiled as he slipped two coins into Maria's hand. They walked further and Maria can't take her conscience. She ran back to the paper boy and gave him the two coins from her brother. Cedric saw this from afar then he smiled. "That's my sister..."

"Princess Maria, it's okay!" The boy said.

"No! Take it. It could help you." Maria told the boy.

The boy looked at Cedric, he saw a nod of approval from the prince thus he accepted the coins. He slightly bowed at the princess, then Maria hugged him goodbye. She followed her brother afterwards.

"So, did it make him smile?" Cedric asked, holding Maria's hand.

"Yeah! It brightened up my day." She said.

It was a subtle move, but it was part of Cedric's plan to stay on the throne. He continued to win the hearts of the people against their aunts and uncles.

They sat down on the plaza fountain then Cedric read the paper he bought.

"Oh dear..." Cedric said.

"Why?" Maria asked peeking into the paper.

"The Fall of the Crowns

King Eduard and Queen Victorina lost their lives in two consecutive days leaving their two children to rule the kingdom.

Both are too young for the responsibility thus Duke Henry, the king's brother, and his wife, Duchess Livette, decided to try and rule in the three months that Prince Cedric is not eligible.

According to Duke Henry, "Poor Cedric and Maria, orphaned at a young age and left with so much on their plates. My wife and I can manage the kingdom while Cedric is still young."

The only thing left before they take the throne is the approvals of the Ace, the people of the Orient and Prince Cedric." Cedric read.

"Sweet brother of mine, they need a unanimous vote on this. I know that you are against it, so they have two votes. I also know that Lady Clara wants you to be king so she too will say no. They only have the vote of the people to hold on." Maria said. "So please stop tightening your grip on the paper."

Cedric calmed down as he looked at his sister. Clearly, she was upset. Her eyes were glowing red and her aura is dark.

"Maria, let's go. I must prepare for my coronation." Cedric said, offering a hand to his sister.

Maria took his hand and became silent. As they walked, someone was running after them.

"Prince Cedric, Princess Maria!" A young man called out for them.

They stopped walking and looked at the direction of the caller. They were being called by a young man who seemed to be from the newspaper company.

"Yes?" Cedric answered.

"Your... Highness... May... I... Interview... The... Both... Of... You...?" He said as he caught his breath between every word.

"Sure!" Cedric said.

"Your highness, what are your thoughts about Duke Henry's plan to take the throne?" He asked pointing a recorder at Cedric.

"Hm... Uncle Henry has such the nerve to even try taking the throne from us. He's been trying to do that for years! Are you sure you want a ruler as selfish as him? Well, if he is planning to take the throne, he's got to kill me first." Cedric said. "And one last thing, he'll never see the same gold as I did."

"Who is going to rule while you are still not eligible?" The young man continued.

"I will be ruling. Though I still cannot be called your king, I am to serve and protect while I still can. Must I fail, in which I pray not, my sister must take my place in which I believe she is capable." Cedric said. "If you have no more questions, I must take my leave. Besides, I don't care about the gold, I care about all the lives at stake if I did not take my responsibility."

The young man bowed as the two took their leave. Maria was still upset and didn't want to talk. When they arrived at the castle, Maria let go of her brother then ran towards the two thrones where the royal crowns sit.

"Don't worry Maria, we will take what is ours and it's not only the gold." Cedric said.