12 No dancing.

In Avalo camp.

"Your highness, there is a bird from his majesty," A voice said outside the cursed prince tent.

"Enter," the cursed prince said from inside the tent. He had expected his father to send him a message, to summon him to Avalo. After all, he did make a decision without his permission.

The man outside the tent stepped in. He was among the few people that could interact with the cursed prince. The rest of the Armies were scared to death.

"Here your highness," the man bow holding out the piece of paper that was sent.

"What does it say Jeffery?" the cursed prince said without looking at Jeffery or trying to take the paper from him.

Jeffery took a deep breath and opened the paper. "The king summoned you to return to the royal city of Avalo" Jeffery informed him after reading the paper.

"As expected," the cursed prince said without looking at Jeffery.

"My prince should I go in your stand. Your wedding to the princess is the day after tomorrow and it is already late at night," Jeffery suggested.

Jeffrey has been the prince body doubler since he turned fourteen. Not even the king is aware of this. As of that time the prince got tired of going to royal balls and celebrations. He found them boring and a waste of his time. Besides he could feel the hate coming from the surrounding people on those occasions.

Although everyone tried their best to hide it, he could still tell. Nobody ever dared to voice out their opinions about him because they were scared to death.

So when the prince met a boy with the same body structure and identical hair color as his, he had a wonderful idea. He made himself a mask and decided to hide his face from everyone.

This way Jeffery could appearr in a royal ball or any ceremony he did not wish to attend. This really solved the prince problem but unknown to him, he created more fear in the heart of the people.

Before he started wearing masks they could look at his face and remember he was human. But when they could no longer see his face or any part of his body, apart from his hair, eyes and lips. A lot of people conclude that he has indeed turned into a beast.

"No Jeffery, you will stay back and pick up my bride. I want everything to go as smoothly as we have planned " the prince refused.

"But your highness..." Jeffery was trying to argue.

"No buts Jeffery, the king is going to throw a fist, I just defile his order," the prince cut in.

'Exactly my point, you are going to make things worse, if you go. I am a better smooth talker, let me talk to the king and smoothen his angry' Jeffery murmured in his head. He knew better than to voice out those thoughts. For years the king and the prince have been on each other throat but the prince is so dam stubborn. He said whatever was in his mind without minding the fact that he is speaking to the king.

The prince looked at Jeffery and saw his worried face. "I will be polite" he decides to ease the worry on Jeffery's face.

"Thank you, your highness "Jeffery said. "if only you knew how to be polite, I would have felt more relieved" Jeffery muttered the other part in his head.

"Your highness, you don't really mind me dancing with your bride," Jeffrey decides to change the topic. Although he has been the prince's body doubler for years, he still felt there were thing he should not do on  behalf of the prince.

The prince paused for a moment. "No dancing," he declared.

"But the dance is a vital part of the ceremony," Jeffrey answered. He did not understand why the prince decided to defile his father and end the war just to ask for the princess's hand in marriage. He was sure the prince wanted the first princess, but he refused to specify when he sent the message. Jeffrey has thought about it since the day he delivered the message to the king of Bozao, but he could not understand how the prince thinks. 'Forget it, the prince is wired, trying to figure out what's on his mind will only give me a headache' Jeffrey console himself.

" Forget about the ceremony just pick her up," the prince replied after thinking about Jeffrey's words. He hated ceremonies anyways so he felt his bride should get used to it.

"Your highness, don't you think that's not fair. You already....." He wanted to say ruined her life, but he knew the prince might caught his tongue before he finished his statement.

He did not really see the prince as a bad person but he knew the man is not ordinary. He could feel the strange and strong power that he possess. A prince like him should be the dream of every woman but unfortunately he was famous to be the cursed prince. Jeffrey could guess that the bride has been crying herself to sleep since the day she heard the news.

"My prince all I am trying to say is that, she is leaving her kingdom to a strange land. You should allow her to enjoy her grand occasion." Jeffrey said.

The prince thought for a moment. "Fine don't do anything, I will send my instructions tomorrow," and with that the prince dressed up and disappeared into the night on his black horse.

....

The journey to Avalo took the entire night without rest. It was already late in the morning when the prince arrived the Royal city of Avalo. He was tired from the journey, but he went straight to the king's court to answer his father's call.

The king of Avalo, king Roderick was already seated on his throne that morning, when the prince walked in.

"Father," the price greeted him while bowing his head slightly. King Roderick looked at his son, and did not bother to answer.

"So you do remember I am your father?" the king asked with obvious irritation in his voice. A king should be proud of his son who has won many wars for him. But King Roderick felt only hate for his son. Which father would be happy having a son they feared.

He was grateful that he saved him, ten years ago from the hands of the four great kings but now as a king he should fear no one. Yet he was scared of his own son.

The king might hide it very well in his expressionless face but deep down he was scared, and he always tried not to get the prince angry. This situation alone is enough to make the king angry.

"Of course father," the prince replied with equal irritation, he did not bother to hide the sarcasm in his voice. 'What father, you obviously don't see me as your son. I am just a weapon to defeat your enemies and enlarge your territory' the prince said the later part in his mind.

If it was any other day he would have voiced out his thoughts and watch the king throw a tantrum. But he decided against it just because he promised Jeffrey to be polite. A prince should be a man of his words.

The two men stared at each other. Each irritated by the other. If one is not aware, one would have concluded that this is a face-off between two mortal enemies, instead of a father and his son.

"Tell me why did you defile your king's order" king Roderick decided to ignore his arrogant behavior and talk about more important things.

The cursed prince :Read author's thought and add to library.