Chapter 1 - The Sinister Rogue Prince

28th year of King Rupert Gerard Pendragon

Nabuhay ang dugo ni Gareth pagkapasok na pagkapasok niya sa RED– isa sa mga pinaka pamosong night clubs sa Frontera. From the large column pillars that resembled giant lava lamps, up to the different colored lights that ran amok in the air, every corner of the room was simply surreal and hypnotic. Bumabaha ng alak ang buong lugar. Lahat ay walang habas na sumasabay sa saliw ng maharot namusika. And the best part of it, everyone was making out everywhere. Talaga namang hawak pa rin ang Frontera ang korona sa mga pinaka-wild na parties sa buong kaharian. They were the party animals of the Kingdom. But to him, this simple description was an understatement. The place was erupting with booze, sex, and everything in between! Finally, a haven for him!

"Enjoying so far Your Royal Highness?" tudyo ni Jericho, isa sa kanyang mga kaibigan sa Stadtfelt Institute of Higher Learning.

"Nah! nothing that I've never seen before," umupo sila sa isang malapit na settee saka um-order ng tig-isang whisky..

"Hintayin mo ang mga Angels naming dito, pre! Our natives, they are what we call, 'the living Kama Sutra."

He took a swig over his glass.

"Let me the judge of that," then he started to walk into the crowd.

In no time at all, he had already gathered a harem of his own. Women of different attributes swarmed over his already crowded settee. Bawat isa sa mga ito ay nagpapaligsahan para maagaw ang kanyang atensyon. Ngunit bakit siya pipili ng isa, kung pwede namang mapasakanya ang lahat ng mga ito. He can fuck the brains out of every woman here and still give them a hell of a night. That was how he lived his jet setting life, he spent his own money, he fucked wherever and whenever he wants. He was a notorious playboy that painted the whole kingdom of Pendragon red. He was a walking mockery to the Royal Family. He was Prince Gareth Emmanuel Pendragon, the fourth heir to the throne of Pendragon.

"Your Highness, wanna play with us tonight? We'll make you so happy that you'll gonna crave for more."

"So very tempting," He flashed his bone-melting smile that earned him the spot of Pendragon's most eligible bachelor.

"Why play with her? She's an old lady. Try someone fresh my princey," said a woman who's purring like a cat from under the embrace of his right arm.

His manhood started to stir in anticipation because of the continuous provocation and teasing from the local ladies. He gave the woman to his right a big smooch and another one to the foxy lady. Soon after his kissing pallooza, several lewd proposals followed.

"Where are you staying tonight?"

"Wanna go to my place?"

"Let's have fun at your hotel, Mr. Prince."

He was actually dizzy with all the whining, "Hey ladies, you'll have enough for me tonight." So many willing pussies to fuck, so little time.

The girl on his left, Margo, caressed his inner thigh.

"Tell me Your Royal Highness, what looks sexy in your eye? Me spitting or me swallowing?"

Isang buntong hininga ang kanyang pinakawalan. Damn it! Tama si Jericho! These women were professionally trained bed hustlers. Indeed, this will be a one hell of a night.

"Hey bitch! What are you doing talking so dirtily to my prince?" wika ng isang babae mulas a crowd. Lumapit ito at saka kinaladkad palayo ang isa sa mga babaeng katabi niya. Ang mga sumunod na pangyayari ay hindi niya inasahan, the woman directly sat on his bulging arousal.

"Do you prefer entering me from my behind? Or something more adventurous like... Oh! How about fucking me raw and hard!"

Hindi naman nagpahuli ang isa pang babae, "Where do you want to slide your cock Your Royal Highess? In between my cunt, at the backdoor, or would you rather travel in between pout little lips?" she whispered while biting his earlobe.

Napapikit na lamang siya sa sinabi ng babae. He knew very well kung bakit nakakandarapa ang mga ito sa kanya. It was not just about his good looks. Gusto ng mga ito ang kanyang korona. Everybody wanted to be the princess in the castle. So it turned to a lipstick jungle where every bitch fought for the number one spot.

Bahagya siyang nagulat nang tumigil ang mga naglalarong ilaw. Biglang lumiwanag ang paligid habang namayani ang katahimikan sa buong lugar.

Anong nangyayari? Tanong niya sa sarili.

"Lumayo kayo sa daraanan ko!" came a thundering voice of a woman.

What the! Bigla siyang napatayo, not caring for the woman on his lap. Was his imagination playing a trick of him?

"I said get out of the way! Nasaan si Prince Gareth?" palapit nang palapit ang tinig na iyon sa kanya.

His harem hurled around him, protecting him from the upcoming tyranny. But he knew that they cannot protect him, not from this person, at least.

Nahawi ang mga tao sa paligid niya. At mula roon lumabas ang pinangggagalingan ng tinig. Isang grupo ang mga ito ng mga unipormadong sundalo ng Imperial Army. And on the middle of the group, there stood a woman who exuded beauty, arrogance, authority and danger.

"What are you doing slacking off around here? Hindi ka pa ba nagsasawa sa mga pagpapasarap na ginawa mo?" pinasadahan siya ng tingin nito mula ulo hanggang paa. But he was not intimidated.

"At ngayon, associating yourself with these lowly women?" Napanganga ang lahat sa kanilang narinig.

"Who the heck are you? You bitch," isang babae ang naglakas loob na lumapit rito.

Binigyan lang nito ng isang mapag-uyam na tingin ang babae.

"Move away! A woman of your status does not even deserve to touch my spit. Hindi ikaw ang kailangan ko rito," nilampasan lang nito ang noo'y nagngangalit nang babae.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Why? Not fancy of seeing me here, big..." ngunit naputol ang sasabihin nito nang may biglang bumuhos na tubig mula sa likuran.

He watched as she creased her forehead and turned one hundred eighty degrees towards the insolent woman who dared to challenge her. He saw blood emanating from her amber eyes. It meant war.

"Iyan ay para sa pangmamaliit namin. You deserve that, you bitch!"

"Yeah! How dare you insult us," sigaw ng isa pang babae.

Everything happened in an instant, she immediately twisted the arm of the woman to a lock until she pinned her to the ground. Agad namang rumisponde ang mga kasama nitong militar. Hinawakan at ipinosas ng mga ito ang babaeng nakaratay sa sahig.

"I do not care who you are, or who you're relatives are. What you did to me is unpardonable and is worth a life sentence to Tartarus."

Isang ngiti ang sumungaw sa kanyang mga labi. Kahit ilang taon na silang hindi nagkikita, napakamainitin pa rin ng ulo nito. But he must admit it, her martial arts has greatly improved. It's still the same old Halaena.

"Anong ngini-ngiti mo dyan?" tiningnan niya ito na waring naiirita.

"Take her away quickly, confine her in Frontera's Detaining Station where she will be charge of publicly humiliating a member of the royal family."

Muling binalot ng nakakabinging katahimikan ang paligid. Lahat ay waring nagulat sa sinabi ni Halaena.

She shouted at crowd, "Magsialis kayong lahat dito! Walang makakapasok sa lugar na ito nang wala akong pahintulot! This is a decree from Princess Helaena Pendragon, the tenth heir to the throne and Pendragon's second princess."

Nagmamadaling lumabas ang mga tao sa takot na maparusahan ni Halaena.

"Percival!"

Lumapit dito ang personal body guard nito, o mas kilala sa bansag na Chevalier.

"Yes, My Lady."

"Guard all the entrance and exit. Make sure that no one goes in. Me and my big brother will have a long talk."

"Yes, Ma'am!" Sabay-sabay na sagot ng mga tauhan nito. Then the group dispersed and were now out of sight. Tanging si Percival na lamang ang natira.

And that ended his helluva night with the Fronteraian chicks. Now he was left with his Ice Queen of a sister. Umupo siya sa maliit na settee.

"What brings you here?" panimula niya.

"At amy gana ka pang magtanong sa akin niyan?"

He gave a sigh, "Would you fetch your Lady a seat Percy?"

"Yes, your Highness!" agad na kumuha ito ng mauupuan ni Halaena.

Dahan-dahang umupo ang kanyang kapatid sa tapat niya.

"Still priding yourself too much, I see. But let me warn you sissy, you should be careful with the words you used in front of me,"

"And why should I?"

He chuckled, very amused to his feisty little sister, "I am the Fourth heir to the Throne, technically, my status is a leap above you. That's how the royal etiquette taught us right, not to be oppressive towards our direct superior."

"Anong alam mo sa royal etiquette? You who wreak havoc to the whole kingdom with your immoral actions? Mukhang nagpapatawa ka naman yata."

Among his siblings it was always her that took the title of a princess up to the next level, the feisty and ruthless Halaena. She was always the rowdy and loyal one, a real palace dog.

"So back to my first question, what brings Her Royal Highness to me?"

Huminga muna ito ng malalalim, "Ipinaguutos ng ating Amang Hari ang iyong mabilis na pagbalik sa Camelot para sa kanyang kaarawan."

"So after all this years, he now came looking to his son that gone astray?" Totoo ba ang kanyang narinig? The high and mighty King Rupert Pendragon, the father whom ignored him since birth finally took notice of him? The world must have gone insane.

"Alam kong alam mong hindi iyan ang totoo. Bawat sentimong ginamit mo ever since your self-exile from Camelot came from the Imperial Household."

Isang matalim na tingin ang pinukol niya dito. Everybody from within the palace thought the same as her when the truth was the opposite. Wala siyang ginagalaw sa pera ng palasyo simula nang mas pinili niya ang kanyang kalayaan. Lahat ng perang kanyang ginagamit ay sa kanya. Bunga ito ng kanyang pagsisikap sa kanyang negosyo. Pinamahan kasi siya ng kanyang lolo sa kanya ina ng hekta-hektaryang lupa sa Lyonesse. Ito ang ginamit niya para pagtamnan ng iba't-ibang mga prutas at gulay. He also owned various farms that supply meat, poultry and fish to different corporation within the eastern Pendragon. Ito ang pinagkaabalahan niya sa nakalipas na limang taon and he was god damn successful! He was a self-made business man in his own right. And how dare the palace for insinuating that they had been feeding him for the last five years! But he did not dare to speak that to Halaena for the sake of his farm. Alam niya ang kayang gawin ng palasyo sa kanyang negosyo and he would not jeopardize his prized possession.

"Every member of the royal family is expected to be at the Arondight Palace for His Majesty's birthday next month," she was referring to the main palace in Camelot wherein the Imperial Household took residence.

"At kung tumnaggi ako?"

"Then suffer the consequences," seryosong wika nito.

"Like what sissy?" he taunted.

"Like this," agad itong tumayo mula sa kinauupuan saka bumunot ng kung ano mula sa bulsa ng suot na military vest. He did not have time to retaliate or even have time to defend himself. It happened in a flash. Suddenly a pistol is now pointed in between his eyes.

"The King, His Majesty, said to take you there whether by hook or by crook."

Steffanie hated hospitals the most. There was something in the smell of the infirmary that nauseated her. Mabuti na lang at kasama niya ang nag-iisang taong pinahahalagahan niya sa kanyang buhay, ang kanyang kuya Michael Angelo.

"You can do it princess. Alam kong matapang ka at kakayanin mo ito."

She squeezed his hand more, drawing strength from the warmth of her brother's hand.

"Just do what the doctors ask and be a good girl. I'll buy you a lollipop after."

Tinapik niya ang kamay nito, "Ano ba kuya? Hindi na ako bata. Mukha ba akong eight years old? Matanda na ako."

He gave her an assuring smile, "You'll always be my little princess, Steff. Always remember that."

He was still the same big brother that she adored and she was very happy to have him by her side.

Lumabas na mula sa opisina ang kaniyang Optalmologist.

"Maaari ka nangg pumasok Miss Steff. My assistant is inside to prepare you."

Isa munang malalim na buntong hininga ang kanyang binitiwan bago pumasok sa hospital ward.

She was about to close the door when she heard her brother speak, "How is she doc?"

"The same as always Mr. Sutherland, at this rate, she'll go completely blind when she reaches the age of thirty."

Hindi na siya nagulat pa sa kanyang narinig. She was legally blind after all. She was born with an eye disease called Retinitis Pigmentosa. Because of this, her vision, as she grew up, started to deteriorate. It started with the sudden disappearance of her peripheral vision and just recently, she became night blind.

"Do your best Doc. Money is never an issue."

"Her disease is currently incurable despite the recent feats in Medical Technology here in Camelot. But if you like, I can refer you to my mentor, she is now at her own hospital in Asphodel. Maybe she can help the Miss."

Lumayo na siya sa pinto. Hindi na niya gusto pang margining ang pinag-uusapan ng mga ito. Umupo na lamang siya sa surgical bed saka tahimik na hinintay ang kanyang doktor. She really felt bad right now, not for herself but for the turmoil she had caused her brother. All she could do now was respond to her treatments as earnestly as she could and hope for the best results.