2 The Uncrowned Prince

Chapter 2: The Uncrowned Prince

"No one can break my heart like my father did!"

-Lucian the uncrowned prince (LS 1215)

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Lunar Severance Calendar Year 1212- Banquet Hall

"From this day forth Lucian Vince Franzer has been stripped of his title and Geovan Vince Franzer will inherit his title as the new crown prince!" He breathed heavy, then looked determined, "And This Decision is Final! This King will hear no opposition. Or,… THEY WILL BE EXECUTED." Shouted the king.

*Gasp!!*

Astonishment and bewilderment can be seen on all the faces present. People were looking at the direction of the young prince, who was looking intently at his father…

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[Lucian]

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'What? What does he mean by that?' staring at my father, I can't believe my ears. It's all too sudden. 'No, I need to calm down and think about this first.' Taking a deep breath I use my brain at optimum capacity, trying to make heads or tails about this situation.

'It's not that I never believed they will not do this to me… But this? This is way too sudden…'

Yes, I always knew there was a possibility that I will be contested against. I mean the Queen will burn and roar if I sit on the throne. But I imagined that, it will happen once my father dies… This is really strange, and... my father acting without the counsel of the nobles too.. And that threat earlier. It's all too unnatural.

'Unless….' I glanced at my father then at my little brother who appears as astonished as the rest. I then looked towards the Queen who has that unpleasant smirk on her face. Then I looked at all the faces present in the hall. Some are astonished, some are shocked, I noted a few who have tears on their eyes. Sigh, I no longer know if those are fake or real. Finally, I looked towards the Red haired Gentleman on the far side of the room. 'He.. He is smiling and looking directly at me.. As if mocking me to make my move, telling me to cause a scene, so they can plant proof of my mental state. Sigh. Feels kind of childish.'

Then I turned towards my uncle, who has unhidden wrath on his face looking towards my father. 'Dear Uncle, I do hope you will not make any rash moves.' All I can do is pray. Finally, I glanced at the girl behind me. "Sigh!!!"

I sigh audibly, which in turn impels everyone on the hall stare at me. There is total silence. Time seems to have stopped, waiting for me to say the first word to start it again.

'I have some ideas what might have happened and why they are pushing this decision. My best guess is...my father the king's,.... days are numbered...'

I take one more deep breath and make up my mind. Glancing at the girl crying silently behind me and my astonished younger brother one last time. I faced the king. '10 years isn't too late to get revenge for you, dear father.'

"Lord Father I.." Before I could finish my sentence I heard a loud roar.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT ORION? HAS DRINKING TOO MUCH CRACKED THAT TINY SKULL OF YOURS, HUH!!?" My uncle roared loudly at my father. The thing I was scared of happened. 'Sigh!! Well they do say, what you fear will always happen.'

"STAND DOWN!" The king shouted towards the king's guard, telling them not to draw their sword. He sighed and looked at my uncle, "Lord Alvarez, This king will ignore your previous statement. As momentary insanity might have caught upon you. Because of your complications...." Father tried to defuse the situation. I am pretty sure he doesn't want to do anything unnecessary towards my uncle. As he is my father's best friend, and furthermore War companion.

"MOMENTARY INSANITY? I WILL SHOW YOU MOMENTARY INSANITY." Uncle started to move towards the king and all the noblemen around him does their best to hold him back. Cold sweat could be seen dripping from their foreheads.

My uncle is a giant of a man, people used to tease him as a spawn of Gigatun. When he was young he was already a huge man. Now standing almost 8 feet tall, he deserved that statement. His physical prowess was well-known throughout the kingdoms of the known realm.

Suddenly, Sir Julian the Lord commander of the King's Guard, moved from his post. He is the king's strongest bodyguard. He started to go near my uncle and then stood right before him. The nobles noticing this let my uncle go, and he stared at the elderly knight with a hateful gaze.

"Julian, don't tell me you are going to STOP ME!!.. BECAUSE EVEN IF IT'S YOU..., I WILL CRUSH YOU RIGHT NOW! MOVE!" Uncle shouted, his veins showing on his neck. But the 7 feet tall Knight commander didn't even move an inch. Calmly looking at my uncle, he said, "Please stand down Lord Alvarez. Don't make me draw my sword. It's the last thing I want, at my old age, to draw the blood of a long, hard-earned... friend."

My uncle wanted to say something but then I, "Enough! Uncle, please stand down and let me talk! You as well Sir Julian." Hearing me they stand back with a bit of surprise on their faces. A few other nobles also seemed to have noticed something.

I could clearly hear my father, taking a sigh of relief and staring at me with a complicated gaze. 'Surely waiting to hear what his dear son would say to him right now.' I chuckled. Which put him in a more awkward siting posture.

"Your highness, King Orion Vince Franzer. I have something to say..." Addressing my father not as I usually do, but as the lord of the kingdom I look straight into his eyes.

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[Sir Julian]

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'What has the kingdom come to…' I sigh to myself as I look at what my liege just announced. I am horrified a bit disgusted so to say. I look towards the young shining star of our kingdom, whom I have known since he was a child. 'I remember all the days I taught the child how to hold a sword properly till he can beat the squires black and blue.' A chuckle escapes my mind. Then I looked at my war companion of so many years raging and being restrained by a few nobles whom are having trouble barely keeping him at bay.

"Sigh." I walked towards the Giant of a man as this might get out of hand. 'I really need to handle him. The last thing I need on this godforsaken day to lose another asset of this kingdom.'

"Please stand down Lord Alvarez. Don't make me draw my sword. It's the last thing I want at my old age to draw the blood of a long hard-earned friend." I looked directly at his eyes and exclaimed while the nobles gave way to me. 'I want to stop this as quickly as I can. I don't want this thing to turn ugly. And I know that if I fail..... It will get ugly.'

I could see lord Alvarez glaring at me and opened his mouth to say something, and then, I and I'm very sure even Lord Alvarez felt it happen. A powerful force stopped both of us and rooted us on the spot. Astonished as I was, I heard him speak.

"Enough! Uncle, please stand down and let me talk! You as well Sir Julian." The prince said. And then looked towards the throne towards the pathetic man sitting on top of it. I sighed of relief and looked towards him. 'I am sure everyone is looking at the same direction as I.'

"Your highness King Orion Vince Franzer. I have something to say." Addressing the king in a formal manner, the prince started to speak. Gazing at his face all I can see is calmness and peace. Which shocked me. I knew this child well. He may not show much of his talent to the world, but I am his teacher. He shared with me a decent amount of his plans for the Kingdom and its people. I never heard him saying he wished to be king but being a king would be very convenient to reach his goal.

Most of the nobles knew of him as he did work around the kingdom from the tender age of 12. The last 3 years he visited half the holds and made a deep impression on the people. I in my long life as a servant of this kingdom never felt so proud as I did when I watched him work. Even my glorious years on the battlefield, I believed all those years of struggle was worth it, to serve this family even if it was for just this heir.

"I request you to take my name off the right of ascension to the throne and if possible also from the royal tree." I was shocked, everyone was shocked. Hearing the young lad speak no one could believe their ears. 'Did he make an error on judgement at this tense situation? No, he isn't that sort of child but this just seems unreal. He wants to abolish his birthright. I can't think of a reason behind this. This feels like a child's tantrum, and I am sure many nobles are thinking as such.' I looked around and saw many disappointed faces. Then I glanced towards the queen who was watching his way with a mocking grin, that disturbed me. Then my eyes went towards Duke Brendenrod, who had rage filling his eyes for some reason, which baffled me. I thought he would be the happiest man here. Him being the new crown prince's grandfather and all... 'I just don't understand.... Well, let's just see what unfolds.'

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[Lord Mavis]

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Hearing the prince say those words, I was very surprised. Not because I thought the prince was being a child but, it completely answered my doubt of the prince's intelligence. Him being very clever on this delicate situation. I looked towards the raging Duke and a smile started forming on my face.

'He is an interesting young man. I think I found the king I wanted to serve. , and he has that blood in him too... heh! How things work out in a mysterious way.'

If he simply accepted his father's decision and lived in the palace, then I can bet all my gold that he will be assassinated within a week. People might blame the young crown prince, but he is only 6 and the other party they will need to point fingers at would be the strongest duke in the kingdom and the second most powerful person in the kingdom, the Queen. No one wants to bring their demise for some royal family squabble.

If he didn't accept the situation and kept on arguing. It would play to show his childishness and incompetence, and he would die even earlier. 'But, oh no, my dear, he not only accepted his 'uncrownment'. He also refused his right of ascension. Hahaha, Now that is a play that I didn't expect! Now he is no longer in the line of succession and no longer considered royalty. He can't stay in the palace anymore, leaving him the chance to run away. And even the Queen and Duke has their hands tied. Because if they attack the child now they will anger a lot of nobles. Now killing the 'young king' will be the same as killing an innocent noble. He who has no right of ascension and the many nobles who have no royal ties. They are all grouped together to protect their interests. They will push the throne if any normal noble dies unjustly and a civil war might break out. It will become very hard for the new crown prince's ascension and rebellions can rise. And we have history to speak for it.' I couldn't help but let my mind wander.

'This kingdom is ridiculous. If a royalty was killed by another, people will simply talk about it for a few days. The didn't have time to think about it, 'it's their game of power after all.' But if you touch an ordinary noble then you bring forth the alliance of nobility. Well, I do understand their sentiment because I am one of them... If you can kill one of us for no reason, then what stops you from killing me the next day? Now the young prince has bought himself a rare immunity that most people haven't even imagined was possible.' looking towards the Duke and the Queen I couldn't help but mock

"Bravo, my liege, You won.... by a technicality." I murmured under my breath. And looked towards the king.

"Your wish shall be granted. Hear This King's Royal Decree! The former Prince Lucian Vince Franzer no longer has any rights towards the throne and his royal blood is hence forth denied." The king declared in a gloomy voice after a long pause.

He looked at the prince with guilt in his eyes and decided on something, "Also this king orders you, Nobleman Lucian.... to travel to the Elven Kingdom and breakoff your engagement with their princess. As you no longer have the status.... to carry on that royal agreement!"

The king dropped another bomb.

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