The Crown
I went around the palace yesterday to bid my farewells to my siblings and parents. The royal palace of the Blade Empire is really big. I mean really big. There are halls for every prince and princess, including their fiancés. Well, in that sector we can say that only I had a fiancé among all my siblings and now only Ash has a fiancé.
The ruler and his wife have their own halls and they are the biggest ones in the palace. After them follows the hall of the crown prince. And then comes the halls of the royal children and then their fiancés. Servants have their own quarters and shit.
Believe me, I spent all my day bidding goodbyes and now that is why Edward and I are struggling to pack our things in the middle of the night. My mother and my little sisters threw a huge tantrum over my banishment and argued over it. But I know my father's hands were tied.
Lilian is the daughter of one of the most high-ranking nobles in our nation. Her family has a really big influence in our parliament. If we disgrace them or offend them somehow this will lead to a great civil war. And of course, my father doesn't want this. Being a ruler isn't easy, I guess.
My mother, the Empress bawled her eyes off and so did my little sisters. They didn't want me to go. But I have to go anyway. It is a royal order after all. I will become a traitor if I disobey this order. I would rather not want that.
I wanted freedom but I never wanted freedom like this. I feel like something that I can't give a name to is squeezing my heart and making me feel so heavy that I can't explain. It hurts to see my family's gray expression. I sigh.
"Just how many clothes do you have?!" Edward snaps at last.
"So many that you won't be able to count with your whole body." I reply as I pack some of my other belongings, "But you don't have to take them all. Just a few will do. And don't pick too gorgeous ones. Keep them as plain as possible." I instruct.
What an irony. Edward is the one who has always done this instruction-giving job. And look at us now, knee-deep in a pile of clothes that I don't even remember wearing twice. Why are we doing this anyway?
"Why didn't you tell me this sooner?" Edward sorts through the clothes, frustration evident in his every word and movement, "Why did I go through all the trouble to pack all your most beautiful clothes?"
"How am I supposed to know that your mind is still working as a 'royal servant'?" My upper body twists around to face his side profile, my hands splayed to my sides as I vent my own frustration over him.
"Please take your belonging and be done with this, Your Highness." Edward tries to regain his composure but it isn't working. "You have way too many things to begin with."
"I know right?" I throw another set of my belongings on the pack. "But I am done. I am not taking any of these things. I am done with my packing." I bind the pack's mouth tightly.
"You are done?" Edward raises a brow, "You particularly didn't take anything, Your Highness."
"Edward Millers, I want to remind you that we are banished from the palace for punishment not for a vacation. I ain't taking no shits with me that will drag me down. So are you. Go to your room and repack your things."
The easy it sounds the hard it feels. I am being exiled for something I never even committed in the first place.
"Your Highness…your language… Where did you even learn these words from?" Edward grabs the clothes and stuff that are scattered about my room and tosses them in their respective places. A little messy but this will do.
"I don't know either." I shrug my shoulders, "Maybe from those novels that I read in my free time?" I am gonna miss them. I sigh again internally.
Edward gives me a look and then sighs in disdain, "I should've taken better care of you, Your Highness."
"Maybe. But you have already missed your chance, Edward." I pat his shoulder, my head held high, and a wide grin decorating my face as if this is something I should be proud of. I don't mind either way. I can do anything to hide my gloominess.
"I will be taking my leave now, Your Royal Highness." Edward heaves another sigh before turning away and marching toward the double door of my room, "I will be here before the dawn to get you, Your Highness. Please have a good night's sleep until then." The door slams shut behind him.
It's really so fun to tease him. Especially when he is already frustrated. I am waiting for the day when Edward actually curses. This is the only reason I tease him so badly that it is unspeakable. Honestly speaking, I think that Edward is way more capable than me of inheriting the crown. He doesn't curse. Well-behaved, well-mannered, and compassionate. Other than that he is excellent in magic. His magic attribute is awesome too. He is a great mage and a great fighter. He trained and learned alongside me.
We both had the same teacher and Edward was his favorite. I trained very hard to be his favorite but ended up causing more trouble and disappointing my teacher. But I didn't give up and eventually surpassed Edward. But to my yes he is still our teacher's favorite. And I still think I can surpass him and become the perfect ruler.
And if you ask me then anyone can be a great mage or a great fighter. It doesn't matter even if you are a commoner. Everyone has the same amount of mana coursing through their body and their generation is the same too. So basically commoners, nobles, and royals particularly the same. The thing that differentiates them are experience, knowledge, training, and most importantly the blessing from the Gods.
The royal family of the Blade Empire is blessed by the Gods. We have the blessing of wealth, beauty, love, and most importantly our battle art and magics. Nobles have the blessing of kindness and beauty. Our whole empire is blessed with prosperity. This is why we are considered the most powerful and prosperous empire in the continent.
Edward has all of the blessings that royals have. But he doesn't share the blood of the royal family and their signature birthmark. Yes, we have a signature birthmark too. It is located on our upper back, just below our neck, and between our two arm sockets. It's a pitch-black blade. But mine are a bit different. There is a red rose in its background.
My parents and the royal priests say that my fated partner will resemble the red rose on my birthmark. Maybe, or maybe not. You never know what happens. And for me, I don't believe the prophecy. How do you know that there is someone for you who will resemble the blood rose mark on me just by looking at it?
My magic attribute is quite different from my other siblings too. I can make things with my Light magic, like swords and other things too. They are useful but they are very rare to spot too. I may be a bit different than my ancestors but I still think Edward would make a better ruler than me. And I still have the fire on me to prove myself wrong.
Or maybe this is not what I think, this is what I want. Maybe I don't want to be the ruler. I just want to be someone who lives. Who lives for himself and the people around him. That's all. Who wants to be an Emperor if you can't even save your own son?
The night passed and just like the other night, I couldn't sleep even a blink. My mind was consumed by so many things that I couldn't put my finger to. When the west sky starts to redden the birds start to sing and do their usual daily routine, I roll out of bed.
I haven't slept for the past two nights and my face doesn't show any side effect from that action. It's quite unusual but I don't pay it any mind and dress myself like a nobleman. Royalty style of clothing is quite inconvenient to move around with. Nobility fashion is quite suited for me. I am not wearing commoner-style clothes because I don't want Edward to yell at me first thing in the morning. It would be a pain in my royal ass.
There is a firm yet polite knock on my double door and a light call, "Your Highness, The Crown Prince, it's time for us to depart." Edward informs.
"I am coming," I reply as I heft up my sack over my broad shoulder and get out of the room.
"Good morning, Your Highness." Edward greets.
I grin, "We are all set to set out?"
My heart clenches but I keep my face straight. As I am banished from the palace it means I am suspended from my royal duties too. It means my marriage and coronation have been delayed too. So will be made the ruler after two long years. As it is relieving, it is concerning too. My banishment is something those nobles will hold on to until they die. It's not good at all for my future.
"Yes," Edward states.
***
"May I know where are we going, Lush?" Edward guides his horse in the direction where I, myself lead my horse.
I look at the map on my hands once again, "We are almost there."
"Where?"
"My mother's hideout."
My mother, The present Empress of Blade used to be a noblewoman. They had a forest house deep inside the forests of the southern borders. Nobody actually knows about the house except for her and my father. She used to sneak around there when she was little. She happened to still have the keys to her childhood hideout. Yesterday, when I went to meet her she gave me the keys and told me to use the house until I find a proper place to live in.
We stop in front of the almost run-down house and I instantly forget my mother's words. Shit. I am staying here as long as I can. I am not leaving this place, in the next two years. I already love it. This house has a cursed vibe. Exactly like the houses described in my novel.
"Lush…where are we?" Erwin frowns, "Don't tell me we are about to live in this murky place."
"We are," I say enthusiastically.
"What? No!" Edward relents.
"Oh, yes!"