Cheng's running feet could be seen as he run out from his room smiling, with his robe flying in the air, he has a charming smile in his face as he ran.
"Your Highness, Where are you running to?" A maid asked.
"Joining my brothers in their game" His little voice replied with a smile. He was just 13 years old, but was so filled with life and extremely handsome too. Among the princes of Maelstrom kingdom, he was the most handsome and beautiful prince among his brothers.
He arrived in the field area of the palace and sees his brothers playing football together with some of their friends who were from Noble families.
Cheng smiles and joins them in the field, he was the smallest among them.
"What the heck are you doing here?" Thiago asked. He's the first prince, birthed by the first wife (Queen Anjali) of King Osvaldo. A typical rude and cruel boy, just like his mother.
"I want to join you all in the game you're playing" Cheng said smiling.
"And who do you think you are to join us in the game we're playing?" Thiago asked, pushing Cheng and he fell to the floor.
"Thiago you didn't have to do that" Waylon said helping Cheng stands to his feet. He's the second prince of Maelstrom kingdom, birthed by the second wife ( Queen Vanya). Unlike Thiago who's mean, Waylon is different from him, let's say he's the quiet and gentle type.
"And why shouldn't I? He came out from no where and joined in the game we were playing" Thiago said looking at Cheng hatefully.
"But is not bad if he wants to play with us, right? He's our kid brother, you should be nice to him" Waylon said.
"I? Nice to him? Hell no Waylon, for all we know he's just a cause child!" Thiago said.
"I'm not a cause child, stop calling me that" Cheng said.
"If you're not a cause child, then where is your mom? For all we know you killed her. You're not supposed to be one of us" Thiago said and push Cheng to the ground again.
"That's enough Thiago!!" Waylon yells at him.
"Don't tell you're taking his side?" Thiago asked. He might hate but he cares for Waylon.
"I'm not taking sides here Thiago. What you are doing to Cheng is cruel. You always pick on him with every chance you got".
"Did you just say cruel? Wait still I become King, then I will show him what the definition of cruel is. Let's go guys" Thiago said and leaves with his friends. Waylon and Cheng were the only ones left in the field.
"Are you all right Cheng?" Waylon asked dusting off the dirt on Cheng's robe and Cheng smiles.
"I'm fine brother. Thanks for standing up for me" He said.
"I won't always be there anytime Thiago tries to pick on you, So always endeavor to stay out of his sight, okay" Waylon said and Cheng smiles.
"Come with me, my mother said she was going to make some tea for me after I'm done playing, you should share it with me".
"Can I?"
"Of course you can Cheng. We might be birthed from different mothers, but we share the same father, which is the King" Waylon said.
"Thank you so much brother" Cheng said smiling.
"Enough with the thanking, let's go" He said going towards his mother's chamber. Cheng smiles cutely running to caught up with Waylon. He was still on it when he bumped into Queen Anjali, Thiago's mother.
"I'm sorry mother" Cheng apologize bowing his head.
"Have you lost your sense of time? Do I in anyway look like your mother" Queen Anjali asked hatefully.
"I'm sorry" Cheng apologize taking in his lips.
"I wonder why a cause child like you is living in the palace with us. You should have just died with your mother" Queen Anjali said.
"Don't you think you are going too far?" Waylon asked pulling Cheng behind him.
"And who is this? Oh is the son of the useless Vanya" Queen Anjali said sarcastically.
"With all due respect, I will appreciate it if you stopped calling my mother names" Waylon said.
"And what are you going to do if I don't stop?" Queen Anjali asked.
"Then You're going to face me" Someone said from behind them, they turned and sees Queen Vanya approaching them with her maids, Queen Anjali snickers on seeing her.
"Don't you get tired of picking on Cheng? Are you that jobless?" Queen Vanya asked.
"Then tell that cause child not to cross my part. His present always annoys me" Queen Anjali said.
"If his present annoys you so much, then leave the palace" Came Queen Vanya's voice.
"W-hat"
"I'm sure you're not deaf. Is high time you and your son stop bothering Cheng. Cuz if you don't I will forget you're the first wife of the king and beat you up" Queen Vanya said.
Queen Anjali glared at Queen Vanya before walking away with her maids.
"Thanks for saving me mother" Cheng said and Queen Vanya smiles and caress his hair.
"You don't have to thank me Cheng. Waylon, are you done with your football game?" She asked.
"Thiago cut the game short because Cheng choose to join in the game" Waylon said.
"He's just like his mother, I'm not surprised. But anyways I made you tea just like I promise. So you and Cheng should come with me and have some tea"
Cheng and Waylen looks at each other and smiles.
*
⟨ QUEEN VANYA'S CHAMBER ⟩
"As usual mother, your tea are always the best" Waylon said and Queen Vanya smiles.
"What about you Cheng? Do you love it?" She asked.
"I do mother. Can I always come over to your chamber to drink this?" He asked.
"Of course you can Cheng. You're always welcome here" She said and Cheng smiles, but his smile slowly turned into a sad face.
"What's wrong Cheng? Why the sudden mood?" Waylon asked when he noticed Cheng's sad face.
"What if I'm really a cause child like Queen Anjali and her son said?"
"You're not a cause child Cheng, so stop saying that" Queen Vanya said.
"But I killed my mother" He said sadly.
"Is not your fault Cheng. Just because your mother died when giving birth to you doesn't make you a cause child" Queen Vanya said.
"What kind of woman was my mother? Was she from a noble family like you?" Cheng asked curiously.
"From what I could remember, your mother was an orphan but yes she was indeed from a noble family and she was so pretty, you got your charming eyes and smiles from her" Queen Vanya said and Cheng smiles.
"So don't think you're a cause child alright" She added and Cheng nods smiling.
Waylon smiles too.
"Where's Narmada?" He asked. Narmada happens to be Waylon's sister and she's in the same age with Cheng. Queen Vanya has two children; Waylon and Narmada.
While Queen Anjali had Thiago as her first son, she currently pregnant and will soon give birth.
"I don't know Waylon. You know your sister, right? She never sits in one place, always wandering around the palace making friends with the maids, which isn't bad though" Queen Vanya said and he smiles.
"Today happens to be the lantern festival" Waylon said.
"What's lantern festival?" Cheng asked.
"The lantern festival is held every New year and is a festival helded to promote reconciliation, peace forgiveness and also to make a wish too" Queen Vanya explain.
"That's seems interesting. Can I participate?" Cheng asked smiling.
"The lantern festival is usually done outside the palace" Waylon said.
"But we're not allowed to leave the palace. Too bad I really wanted to make a wish that I should see my mother in my dream. I really want to see what she looks like" Cheng said sadly.
"Don't worry Cheng, I can find a way for you to leave the palace" Queen Vanya said and Cheng smiles charmingly.