Rise of an emperor: The seventh prince

Prince Arthur stands tall with an aristocratic poise, glazing outside the window, as he admired the beautiful scenery below.

He was a very handsome man, in fact he was considered to be amongst the top ten handsome men in the whole kingdom.

His fair, porcelain skin glowed softly in the light. His dark blue eyes, like sapphires set in moonlit stone, exude a piercing yet thoughtful intensity.

Framed by a sharp, chiseled jawline, they draw attention to his striking features.

A pointed nose adds an air of refinement to his face, balanced by full, sculpted lips that hint at a quiet confidence.

His blonde hair, golden like sun-kissed wheat, falls in effortless waves to his shoulders, lending a touch of youthful wildness to his otherwise dignified demeanor. Broad shoulders and a lean, athletic build speak of a life spent in disciplined training, while his graceful movements echo the elegance of a royal bred to lead.

He was dressed in a black tunic shirt with white trousers and black riding boots.

On his right hand was a golden bracelet and on his the forth finger of this same hand held a ruby ring which was his signet ring.

On his left hand held a book of history of the kingdom of Naviel, which he was probably engrossed in earlier in the day.

He was still busy admiring the beautiful scenery below, when Martins the Chief guard burst into his chambers with two guards unannounced.

"Am sorry for barging in on you like this your highness but your father the king request for your presence in his chambers right now" Martins said to him.

"Go tell him that I would be with him shortly" came the Prince's reply.

"Your highness am sorry but the king asked me not to return into his presence without you coming with me"

"Okay just give me a minute"

Arthur said with a sigh as he began to tidy his table, but he couldn't help but ask himself what would have made his father call for him because as far as he can remember he had been in check for the past one week trying to avoid all the foul play and traps that his step brothers and step mother had all been setting for him, because they always want to implicate him in all their shady dealings, and that he can't account for.

Prince Arthur finished tidying his table and followed Martins and his boys to his father's chambers

....

King Alfred sat in his bed chambers waiting for his son Arthur.

He was thinking of how best to handle him as he always receive reports of his bad behaviors within and outside the palace.

That boy was a hell of a trouble maker.

Sigh!

If it's not about him fighting with someone, it would be about him insulting on of his Ministers or cabinet members and so on and this was getting him worried.

Left alone to him, he would have sent him far away into one of the cities in Naviel to reside and take up official duties he should have done that a long time ago, but the thing is that his second wife and his only true love Queen Cordelia wouldn't hear of it as he(Arthur) was her only son whom she doted upon.

Knock! Knock!!

"Yes come in" King Alfred said with a sigh, as if he knew who it was at the door.

Just then Martins walks in with Prince Arthur.

"Your majesty" Martins bowed down with respect then left the chambers so as to give the king and his son some privacy to discuss their matters.

"Father you sent for me"Arthur said respectfully.

"Yes I did, seat"

"Thank you father"

Prince Arthur said as he sat on the couch opposite his father.

"Is there something you need my prompt attention to?" Arthur asked once seated.

"Yes. I want you to explain to me why you beat up Maxwell Kent the son of James Kent and when confronted by lord Kent himself, you splashed mud water on him?"

The king asked calmly, trying to hold back his anger so as not to do something disastrous.

But Prince Arthur, being a calm but just person would not buy the façade being placed in front of him as he had a principle of not covering up for his step brothers wrong doing which was calling "a spade a spade and a sword a sword".

"Father I did no such thing" he said to the king calmly as he would never disrespect his father no matter if he was wrong or right in the matter being discussed.

"Rather it was Prince Frederick who committed the crime you just accused me of doing. I tried to talk to him against what he was doing, but he wouldn't listen to me. Instead he tried to pick a fight with me"

"Are you sure?" King Alfred asked.

"Yes father" came Prince Arthur's reply.

The king said nothing more, instead called for his guards.

"Who's there?" he asked looking at the direction of the door

Right on cue, Martins entered the room immediately.

"Yes your majesty" Martins said as he entered the room.

" Go and call me Prince Frederick"

"Yes my king" Martins said as he makes his exit.

...

Meanwhile in another chambers, inside the royal castle, sat a young man about 25 years old.

He was dressed in a nice royal regalia.

He was no other person but Prince Frederick himself.

Sitting across from him was a young man with his head bandaged.

He was no other person but Maxwell Kent, the son of Lord Kent whom King Alfred and Prince Arthur was discussing about in the king's chambers.

Prince Frederick threw a purse at Maxwell's feet.

"I believe you know what to do?"

"Yes your highness"

Maxwell replied smiling as he opened the purse which contained gold.

"I won't let you down"

"You wouldn't dare, as you should by now know the consequences of crossing me"

Gulp!

Maxwell Kent immediately felt uneasy on his seat.

Who in his right state of mind would dare cross the ruthless Prince Frederick?

It was only a fool who didn't value his or her life who would dare gamble with it, the result?.....

"Rest assured your Highness" Maxwell Kent said reassuring the Prince of his loyalty.

Just then Martins knocked on the door.

"Who's it?" Prince Frederick asked.

"Martins, Your Highness"

"Come in"

"My prince, the King demands your presence immediately"

"Where is he?"asked Prince Frederick lazily.

"In his chambers, Your Highness"

"Okay I would be with you shortly"

"Yes my prince" Martins said, but still stood without making any attempt to leave at all.

Prince Frederick then gives him a look of 'Yes what's the problem?'

"The King also requests his presence also"

Martins said, pointing at Maxwell Kent.

"Very well then, we would join his majesty shortly" came Prince Frederick's reply.

"Thank you, Your Highness"

Martins then made his exit, banging the door shut behind him.

"I hope you remember what to do?"

Prince Frederick asked for the umpteenth time, immediately Martins was out of sight.

"Yes I do, Your Highness." Maxwell replied smiling.

"Okay let's go now, you know we can't keep my father the king waiting."

Arthur sat in his father's chambers waiting for his stepbrother's arrival.

Just then Prince Frederick walked in with Maxwell Kent tailing behind him.

"Good evening father."

"Good evening your majesty."

Both Prince Frederick and Maxwell Kent greeted simultaneously.

The king nodded at them and indicated to them to sit.

"You sent for me, father" Prince Frederick said upon sitting down.

"Yes i did. Frederick, Arthur here, when asked not too long ago said he did not commit the crime you levelled against him, do you have anything to say?" King Alfred asked, moving straight to the point.

But it was not Prince Frederick who spoke, instead it was Maxwell Kent.

"Your majesty sorry to interrupt your discussion, but it's just that i cant help it.

Prince Arthur here is lying."

"And what do you mean by that?" Prince Arthur asked, his temper already rising.

"You know correctly well that you were the one who beat me up for no reason, and when Prince Frederick here wanted to defend me you insulted him and also splashed mud water on my father"

"Father he's lying! I did no such thing!"

Arthur yelled angrily.

King Alfred lost his patience and immediately shouted as he pointed at Prince Arthur.

"Shut up!!! What have I done to deserve this treatment from you.You just keep on making trouble for this royal household because of your useless behavior. Am so disappointed in you."

Arthur felt bad when he heard this from his father.

He turned to leave his father's chambers but was stopped by the king.

"And where do you think you're going? Do you think that you can go like that punished as you deserve?" King Alfred yelled at Arthur, forcing him to stop on his tracks.

"Guards!!!!"

"Yes your majesty".

The guards stationed outside the king's door bowed to the king as they entered.

"Take this worthless son of mine to the dungeons and have Varrons keep him in one of the cells where he's to eat nothing till tomorrow morning when I shall deem it fit to dish out appropriate punishments to him as he deserves."

"Yes your Majesty" the guards replied then walked up then bundled Prince Arthur and swiftly made their way out.

Meanwhile Prince Frederick was happy in his heart upon seeing this.

He then decided to play peacemaker.

"Father please forgive him and show him some mercy. He should by now realise his mistakes."

"No way! I need him to learn his lesson."

"But fa.."

"Enough!" Yelled the king.

"Okay father. I would like to return back to my chambers now."

The king waved his hand as a response.

...

Meanwhile in the dungeon Prince Arthur sat down crying and cursing at his miserable life.

He wondered why he was being treated like this because he knew he had not offended anyone in any way to deserve this kind of treatment.

He even wondered whether king Alfred was even his biological father for him to dish out such punishments with through investigation.

He was still thinking like this when his sisters Princess Crystabel and Princess Helena, his elder sisters walked in to see him.

"Arthur why are you crying"Crystabel asked.

Prince Arthur says nothing, but kept on crying.

Princess Crystabel understanding her brother's plight, handed him a bag containing bread and butter with a jar of wine and some fruits and said to him,

"Arthur please eat something while I go talk to father to plead on your behalf so that he can release you because you can't stay here."

Arthur was touched but told her,

"No need to worry about me just leave me because I've given up all hope on this matter."

"No you can't, and neither would we."

Princess Helena said.

"You cant just give up like that. By the way, what happened?" Princess Helena asked.

Arthur then filled them in on everything that happened earlier that day.

"That bastard!' yelled Princess Crystabel.

" I know what to do am coming." said Princess Helena as she walked out to find their mother.

Princess Crystabel followed her also, carefully picking her steps as they had sneaked in while the guards on duty weren't watching to deliver the food to Arthur.