Author's POV
Poor Alex, how was he going to answer that now. was he going to tell her that he's actually a runaway prince that left His palace just to escape getting married to a woman he hasn't seen yet and knows nothing about or was he just gonna lie. He had his reasons for leaving the palace and lying to everyone besides his kingdom was one if the minor ones. Not many people know about it and to add to that,it seemed that his disguise was working really well. While Alex pondered on what to answer, he suddenly remembered how it used to be while he was still in the palace.
*
"Son,this is Silvia, your step mother". Alex couldn't remember his mum, his dad had told him that she passed away after giving birth to him but he didn't believe. He felt as if he actually spoke and played with her. Anytime he remembered something, her face always seemed blurry and her voice wasn't clear at all.
" She will be the next queen of this kingdom and you should call her 'mother'". He found it hard to call a woman he knew wasn't his mother, 'mother'. It just couldn't cone out of his mouth."Child,if you're not comfortable, you can just call me , 'Your Highness'".
Who did this woman think she was. She wasn't even married to his father yet she already gave herself the title of a royalty.
"Do you mind if I call you Silvia instead?"
"No problem as long as you're comfortable with it". She acted all nice to Alex or should I say Collins until after her marriage and coronation as Queen. She was devious and she hated him because she couldn't give birth to a child of her own. Once,she broke his video game because 'it was too loud', burnt his favourite T-shirt because 'the sight of it disgusted her'. He always wondered why his father chose such a horrible woman out of the hundred choices he was given.
" Father! Silvia burned my T-shirt ". Little Collins said while running to his father who was in a meeting with some ministers.
" Collins!! Go back to your room now!"
"But dad..."
"I said go back!"
Another time during breakfast, Collins complained that Silvia ordered the maids to throw all his toys away but his father just faced Silvia and said;
"That's actually impressive at least he'll have to study more now". Hus father always praised that witch as if perfection was written on her forehead and that's what made him hate her even more.
" What's it that you see in this witch?"
"How dare you call your mother a witch!?"
"She's not my Mom!!"
"But she's my wife and you have no right to talk to her in that manner, now go read your books, you're grounded". He could see the evil smile in her face as his father shouted at him,he wished he could just remove the mask that covered his father's eyes so that he could see her true side and throw her out of the palace himself.
Collins was academically sound and his teachers loved him but whenever he told his father that he came first, he would just say; " I'm busy, can you tell me that another time?". His father never had time for him. Hus free time was always spent with Silvia and he hated it very much. One time, he asked his father to help him with an assignment but he said;"I'm busy, what's your tutor for?" But the next moment he saw his father outside in the garden with Silvia. He got so angry that he ran downstairs and shouted , "Busy right?"
"Collins, that's no way to talk to your father"
"And who are you to tell me that?"
"I'm your mother, Queen of Daovend and you must respect me"
"Stop it.. Stop calling yourself my mother. I've had enough already"
"Is that how to an address an elder even though she's not your mom?".
" I don't understand why you're always standing by her side?. I mean I'm your son! Do you even remember that today is my birthday? You're always busy... busy..busy!".
Collins has anger issues but he later realised there was no need to get angry at His father, it'd only make him hate him the more. Growing up, he avoided talking to his father and only said few words when it came to matters concerning the kingdom, the manner in which he spoke to his father can be likened to the same way an adviser would address the king. He never told his father if whatever he went through and that affected him as a teenager. When he turned fifteen, his father called him to talk about his 'future'. "You know we are really struggling in this kingdom and sooner it might crash if care is not taken. "
"I know that father, is that what you called me to talk about?"
"Something related"
"Please go on.... I'm listening"
"You've grown up Collins and I hope you address this matter as an adult"
"Of course, I sthere anytime I've acted foolishly?!"
"Okay. I've given some thought and I think it's time you get married "
"Married? Isn't that too soon?"
"Not now, when you clock eighteen"
"18? I still find that too early"
"I know but this kingdom's fate depends on this marriage"
"Who is she?"
"I can't tell you that I'm not sure"
"So you plan on getting me married to a girl you know nothing about?"
"I can't say 'nothing', I know she is very beautiful and her kingdom is very powerful, your mother recommended her"
"I see..."
"Please son do this for your kingdom"
"Don't worry father, I won't let this kingdom down"
Collins obviously hated the idea and the kingdom did absolutely nothing for him. Staying there felt like imprisoned. He wasn't allowed to make friends or communicate with others outside e the palace. He was homeschooled after he graduated from Royalty college. It was a school for children from royal families. Royal children attended that school form when that are able to speak till they reach age eleven. In the school, they are taught goof moral behaviors and other activities such as ball dancing, playing instruments(especially the piano), learning languages, swordsmanship, writing literature and other stuffs which Collins seemed to enjoy very much.He wasn't gokna be imprisoned forever, this marriage was a great excuse to run away. He wasn't going to marry some stranger. He was ready to go as far away as he could. He knee that since it was Silvia that recommended the girl, it would only mean bad news and he wasn't ready to be controlled anymore by his father or anyone else again. So that's when he changed his entire identity right from His name ( Collins Richards to Alex Daniels), his sense of fashion(he dressed more like a geek nerd with large square glasses and the rest.) After all these preparations, he sneaked out of the palace in the middle of the night and took a train to the kingdom of Isopia. He arrived their a week before the Christmas party where he net Princess Eva, it was his first time seeing a princess at such party and he knew that from the way she dressed.
And how did get into school?. Well,the principal of the school was his former tutor who left to find a better job in another kingdom. He discussed with the principal who obviously recognized him and gave him admission into the school. When he turned seventeen, the principal recommended him to the queen to tutor Eva and that us how he got to meet her again.
"Hello...., so how did you get in?"
"Oh that?, I'm a son of a concubine"
"Oh.. I see"
"Let's get back to business"