The Prince's chamber

Compared to Princess Selene's chamber that was located in the east wing of the Cursed Prince's palace, the south wing, where the second prince's chamber was located, was as gloomy and dark as the gate of hell.

There weren't many guards standing there nor were there any servants, as despite the fact that he was a prince who had won many battles for the empire, people still feared him more than they respected him as their prince.

He was a cursed being anyway, and anything said to be cursed in the Pendragon Dynasty was meant to be killed and feared forever.

And because of his curse, he was removed from having any opportunity to fight for the throne like the rest of his three brothers, who had their mother's backings.

The irony of his existence was a cruel joke played by fate; a prince destained for greatness, yet shackled by a curse that made him a pariah. Hated and abandoned by all.

Inside the second prince's private chamber, it was as dark as the hallways, with heavy curtains pulled together to block the natural light of the sunset. The only light visible was a small lamp on a desk covered in scrolls and maps near a closed window that overlooked the palace grounds.

The atmosphere was somber and cold, just like the prince's aura at this moment where he paced about in his chamber, hands folded behind him, brows furrowed deeply, his jaw clenched tightly, and his lips set in a determined thin line.

At the side of the room, Zane, Prince Lucian's right-hand bodyguard, stood watching as the prince paced around. He could tell by the overwhelming air in the chamber that his meeting with his wife in her chamber hadn't been pleasant. The tension was palpable, almost suffocating.

Zane waited patiently, knowing the prince would speak when he was ready, but even after almost an hour had passed and he didn't say anything, Zane cleared his throat and said,

"Your Highness, you seem troubled. Is it because you didn't kill the princess as you planned when you visited her?" he asked. "You've already decided to end her life if she survived that fall, but you ended up sparing her. You know we can't let her live after what she knows. She—"

Lucian immediately stopped pacing, his back to Zane but his clenched jaw tightened even more. "I know," he replied in a voice devoid of any emotion. "I wanted to snap her head off her neck when I went to visit her, but she... she acted differently from what we've predicted. And she speaks in a strange way." He said the last part in a murmur as if he was talking to himself.

Zane's brows knitted together in confusion. "You mean to say, Her Highness didn't threaten you about what she knows about our plans again?"

"She didn't," he said curtly, then as if remembering his encounter with Princess Selene, he added, "In fact, she acted differently from her usual self whenever she sees me. She also claims not to remember some certain things."

Lucian said, but found it hard to believe that last part after all the tricks the princess had played on him. He recalled the way her blue eyes had held confusion rather than the usual disgust and fear, and it had unnerved him more than he cared to admit.

"And you believed her, Your Highness?"

"No," he said. "She is a big liar and a threat to our plans now, and I won't hesitate to kill her myself if she makes any attempt to give us away. From what I see, she's making up another one of her foolish tricks to deceive me."

"You once cared for her deeply. But what she did—"

"Enough." He raised his hand to stop Zane from talking about his past foolishness of falling for an innocent, flowery woman, who he thought he liked more than anyone but had betrayed him in the worst way possible. A betrayal that should cost her head on the gallows and hang her body in the middle of the village where people should stone her to shame.

She disgusted him to the point he didn't want to see her face. The memories of her betrayal were like a poison that tainted his every thoughts of her.

"If she thinks she can fool me again, she's mistaken." He gritted in annoyance.

"What do you plan to do?" Zane asked, knowing since he didn't kill the princess, he had another punishment for her in mind.

"First, I want her to feel the consequences of her actions. Order the royal kitchen in my palace not to cook for the next two days. Let her starve to near death. No hot water for baths; if she wants to bathe, she can use the cold water or forget about it. The gates of my palace should be closed only to her; she is not allowed to step foot outside my palace without my permission."

Zane smirked in satisfaction at those orders as he thought the princess deserved it. "Very well, Your Highness. And her activities in the palace?"

"Have someone keep an eye on her every movement. Report back to me if she does anything suspicious. I don't want her scheming behind my back."

"Consider it done. Anything else?"

Lucian paused for a moment, then he spoke decisively, "I've also made another decision. When the time comes for me to fight for the throne, I will need a few more strong allies. A wife who can help strengthen my political position, preferably, a princess."

Though rumors about the second Prince's curse was known all over the empire and the kingdoms, many families who wanted to be allies with the all mighty Pendragon Empire, would give anything to have their daughters marry the cursed prince. He didn't want a wife for any reason but to strength his powers in the Empire.

Zane's hazel eyes brightened at that decision, which he'd suggested to the prince a long time ago but had been declined because Prince Lucian had thought Princess Selene was enough for him and thought he liked her.

"A wise decision, Your Highness. Do you have any kingdom in mind?"

"Not yet. But when the time comes, I will choose carefully."

"Understood. I will see to your orders immediately, Your Highness." Zane bowed and was about to turn around and leave, but Lucian stopped him.

"Wait."

"Yes, Your Highness?"

"Remember, I want no mistakes. Keep her under control and away from any weapons that would make her kill another maid in my palace. Make sure she knows her place. I want you to take care of that personally."

"As you wish, Your Highness."

The guard bowed and exited the chamber, leaving the prince alone with his dark, vengeful thoughts.