"So, this goddess has been on your mind ever since?" The Third prince asked Raphael as they both walked together in the hallway that leads to the dinning hall.
"Precisely" Raphael answered.
"My heart bleeds for her" Kal admitted, only to have Raphael look at him, pretending to be shocked by what he had said. "What?" Kal asked, "We both know what you are capable of"
"And what might that be?" Prince Raphael asked.
"You make the poor goddess fall in love with you, and then...you leave her, high and dry" Kal informed.
"Is that what I do?" Raphael asked innocently.
"That's exactly what you do, to all you your so-called lovers"
"Those ones mean nothing" Raphael admitted.
"And, this goddess that you told me about. Does she mean anything?" Kal asked.
"I'm not sure" he answered.
"You are hopeless, Raf" Kal said, and the second prince grinned widely.
Then they entered the dinning hall - everyone was present, expect the great impaler whose seat was empty.
"Good morning, mother" Prince Kal greeted as he kissed his mother's cheek. Queen Katherine smiled at her son.
"Morning, mother" Raphael said almost nonchalantly, as he walked to his seat. Katherine stared at him.
"Raphael" she called him just when he was about to have his seat. The second prince exhaled, "Fine." he said as he walked to the queen and gave her a peck also.
"That's better" she whispered, before Raphael went back to his seat.
"Where is your bastard brother?" The king asked no one in particular. When he didn't get any reply, he then chose the person to ask it, "Kal."
The Third prince looked up, "He...must be tired, father" he answered, because he had no idea where Zander was.
"What could possibly tire him this early morning" the king asked, only for Kal to shrug.
"Perhaps he prefers to dine alone, like a bastard that he is" Katherine said, before she drank from her chalice.
"Or maybe he is dead, rotten somewhere" Prince Ivo said.
"Ivo" Kal called, giving him the 'stop it' look. Ivo looked away after him glaring at him briefly.
"Raphael, I was told that the Red Draconians no longer indulge in their training. Why is that?" the king asked.
"I don't see the reason why they should" Raphael spoke.
"Need I remind you, that armies are to be trained" Thorne said. Raphael sighed harshly before he asked "Armies?" and continued "Their sole purpose is to guard the castle that rarely gets attacked, because the third battalions are always up and fighting for our realm"
"Zander knew that it would be like that, when he created his own armies. Do your job, Raphael" Ivo said, only for the second prince to turn his cold stare at him.
"And, you will do your best to not speak when you are not spoken to" Raphael told him.
"Raphael," Katherine warned.
"Mother" Raphael said, looking at the queen - she always protects Ivo, takes his side even if he's wrong.
"Do not speak to your Crown prince like that" Katherine warned.
"Let me not repeat myself, Raphael. You will do your job as the commanding general, with no excuses" the king said.
The second prince chuckled quietly, before he stood up and left.
Damien exhaled heavily as he looked down at his breakfast - he had not eaten a single food in his sliver plate. He has completely lost his appetite, and he was also aware that he couldn't leave, just like Raphael, even if he so wants to.
"No appetite, huh" Theo said to the Sixth prince in a whisper that only them could hear.
Damien turned to him, "You have no idea" he said.
"Just pretend like you are interested in the meal, it always works for me" Prince Theo advised, before he smiled at Damien and went back to his food.
"The son of Alfred, has he been found yet?" Queen Katherine asked the king as she eat her berries.
"The god has no where to hide, he will be found" Thorne said.
"It will be faster if there was a bounty on his head" Ivo suggested.
"If it tarries too long, there would be" Thorne assured.
Damien listened as they continued to talk about this missing god. He exhaled as he turned his gaze to Kal, who was busy reading the book he held - Damien has figured out that reading books was Kal's own way of blocking out everyone, just so that he wouldn't get annoyed or vexed easily.
Then he looked at Theo, and he was carving a certain shape with his red apple. Theo has always been fond of carving with apples.
"What is this?" Damien heard her mother's voice say. He turned his gaze to her, and she was holding up a small twig in her hand.
Katherine looked over her shoulder and asked the maid, standing behind her.
"What is this that I see?"
Damien could see the maid shaking terribly - she was so scared.
"I-it's a...t-twig, my queen" the maid stammered, her eyes cast down.
"And what, if I may ask is a twig doing inside my berries" Katherine said.
The maid fell to the ground immediately. "I'm so sorry, my queen" she pleaded continually.
"I could have choked, or worse. Simply because you are too lazy to do your job" Queen Katherine stated.
Damien could hear the maid's cry from his seat. He just hope that his mother wouldn't harm the poor maid. But he also knew his mother too well, so he probably shouldn't get his hopes up. "It wouldn't happen again, my queen" she said in tears.
"Oh, it definitely won't" Katherine said, "Bring your hands" she requested.
The maid looked up. And slowly she stood up, and gave her hands to the queen.
"Such pretty hands" Katherine said as she studied her hand. "But what use are they if they can't pick berries properly" Katherine said before her eyes glowed sliver.
"Mother, please" Kal pleaded. But it was too late, as the queen started to freeze the maids hands.
"Ahhhh" the maid shrieked in pain.
'This was pure torture' Damien thought as he looked away.
The maid's hands froze within a minute, Katherine released her and she dropped on the floor.
"Take her away" She ordered, and immediately the guards that stood by carried the maid away.
"Excuse me" Kal said as he stood up and left. Damien watched him leave with a sullen face. He turned back to the table and glanced at Ivo - he was so relaxed as he ate his breakfast. Damien shifted his eyes to Cassandra and he could see that she was a little bit tense, uncomfortable. Even though she was trying to hide it.
Damien then looked down at his food thinking - eating today's breakfast is not a possibility.