In king  Dre's castle, love isn't a regular language. The huge castle was separated into seven different palaces, thus everyone had their own palace, living separately to avoid conflict.

All four children were already grown. Prince Logan and Prince Xander were said to be twin sons, while Gavin and Seraphina were the last children of queen Zenith.

Queen Zenith's children had amazing looks, but Xander is the only one you can call ugly. People mocked him saying his twin brother took all of the beauty and left him with nothing. 

Logan's look was something to be awarded for. He had pretty blue eyes and very dark long hair. He was so beautiful, just like a lady.

Seraphina was very close with her brother Logan, he was her favorite. Her twin brother, Gavin, didn't like Logan cuz of all the negative words his brother, Xander feeds him with. Saying he's a traitor and an illegitimate son.

Logan grew to be  a cold, and isolated person, thus he cared less if his brothers spoke to him or not.

..

" Seraphina dear," Queen Zenith's voice wasn't above a whisper as she gently knocked on the door.

Seraphina, who was busy applying her usual night routine, paused to open the door for her mother.

"How are you sweet?," Queen Zenith asked, holding the lower part of her long dress as she walked in.

"Fine," Seraphina replied with her focus still on the mirror.

"How did your day go?".

Seraphina paused to stare at her mom before she grumpily replied. "It was fine".

"I came earlier but you were not here, I don't want to think that you were still out at that hour".

"I was at Logan's palace," Seraphina blurted. 

" You always go there. When was the last time you visited Xander?," Queen Zenith asked, with a stern face.

"Mom please! Just go straight to the reason why you're here".

Seraphina was rude, and everyone had already gotten used to her demeanor. Logan and the king were the only ones she was ever polite to.

"Seraphina, I just came to inform you that another suitor will be coming soon," The queen spoke, with a dreadful look on her face. 

Seraphina's hand paused on her face for some seconds,  then she turned to her mom slightly and asked. "When is he coming?".

"Friday. Don't you even want to know who he is?".

" I don't care. I'll get to know when  I meet him. Won't I ?". Seraphina fired, walking up to her bed. "I'd like to retire to bed now".

Queen Zenith stared at her daughter for a while before she got up, ready to leave.

"Mom less I forget, I changed my wardrobe, thus I'll be giving out my old dresses," Seraphina recalled her mother's attention.

Queen Zenith listened to what she just said, and nodded her head. She walked out of Seraphina's room, without another word.

"What will I do with her," Queen Zenith muttered, strolling back to her palace. 

She could just pray Seraphina accepts this one. Queen Zenith was worried because obviously, her daughter wasn't getting any younger.

***

"The meeting with the troop members has been scheduled to be held tomorrow, also the head soldier of Algae kingdom has an appointment with you, also..."

"Leo!" Logan interrupted his head soldier, Leo. "It's late, you can tell me all these tomorrow".

"My lord, tomorrow is really busy, you need to be ready and....."

"By tomorrow I'll handle everything," Logan gruffly said

"Alright, but there's something very important..."

"Leo!," Logan interrupted for yet the second time.

At this point Leo knew he had to stop talking. Reluctantly he bowed his head, and strolled out of Logan's chamber.

"Turn off the candles ," Logan ordered the butler, who hurriedly obeyed before he scuttled out too.

Immediately Logan heard the sound of the closed door, he held his head tightly. 

His head was aching so badly, causing him so much pain. He had asked them out, because he didn't want them to see his situation; his brain couldn't accept any more information.

**********

Xander's head kept moving up and down, as he listened to the information from his butler.

"Why will dad call for a meeting with such an urgency?," Xander muttered.

"You can leave,"  he ordered the butler.

"Meeting," he muttered again and scoffed.

***

 Out of the palace; in a small community in Rafera. ✍️✍️

"Good morning father," Peggy greeted the man who was about to leave the house.

"Morning dear. Are you carrying that alone? Where's Lashonda?," he furrowed.

"She's still asleep," Peggy responded, chuckling slightly.

"What rubbish," the man thundered, dumping his stuff on the floor, heading towards the room.

"No, no dad. It's fine, allow her. She must be tired, she stressed a lot yesterday," Peggy coaxed 

"Listen, you can't always pamper her, she's no child," he grimly chided.

He retreated his steps angrily, picking up his stuff from the ground, where he had dumped it. 

"By the way, have you sent the new stocks to the palace?".

"No, but I'll do that today," Peggy replied politely.

"Wake up Lashonda, so she can help you, I already received the payment for this week ," Tom informed.

"Dad, you've already been paid?  When will we be receiving our  own part of the.....

"Peggy, listen, I really need this week's money, maybe next week".

"Dad, what do you mean? This is a job we both did. Why will you take all the money?," Peggy chided.

"Come on, don't be silly. I'm even kind enough to give you shares out of the money. I mean, I do all of the work," Tom fiddled. 

"Dad," Peggy squealed, calling out to him as he walked away.

Peggy was feeling so sad, cuz  she also needed her own money for certain reasons. She couldn't fight the tear that came coursing down her cheek.

"How can he be so greedy?," she cried. 

Her sobbing and sniffing woke  Lashonda up. Lashonda writhed on the old bed as her eyes gradually opened. 

"Sister," Lashonda called sitting up on the bed, ere walking up to her sister. "Why are you in tears, this early hour of the morning?".

"It's dad, he won't give us our own share of the money," Peggy said with a teary voice.

"What money?," Lashonda asked, whirling.

"The money of our regular business."

"Wait. You're talking about the fish? The ones we're yet to supply?". Lashonda questioned. 

Peggy nodded to her sister's question, wiping her eyes.

"What rubbish! How'll we pay Michael?," Lashonda half yelled, peeved by the news.

"That's the reason I'm feeling so pained, Michael will be here very soon," Peggy added.

"Are you done with it?," Lashonda questioned, referring to the fish.

"No, that was what I was about to do".

"That's good, don't touch them. We won't supply these things, else he gives us our share, or better still, he can supply these fresh ones".

"Where are you going?," Peggy tiredly asked her sister, who was putting on her foot wear.

"To dad, to tell him what I just said," Lashonda replied, dashing out.

"At least wash your face, you just woke up," Peggy yelled from behind, but she was obviously speaking to herself.

   Back to the palace ✍️

The throne room was so quiet, it was as if everyone sat still without breathing.

"The king approaches," came the loud announcement, from the royal announcer. 

Everyone in the throne room stood to their feet, watching the king walk up to the throne, assisted by two soldiers. The soldiers held his both arms helping him up his throne. 

The king has been sick for months now, this is his first appearance since his recovery.

"Long live the king, long live the king, long live his majesty," they all recited, immediately he sat on his throne. 

The king waved his hand, instructing them to take their seats. He observed for a while before he began.

"I welcome you all, I won't take much of your time this morning. I'll go straight to the point," the king spoke, with his baritone voice. 

Everyone was quiet, listening attentively. They all wondered what could be so urgent.

"I think it is high time I choose a crown prince," the king unmasked his thoughts. "I received so much advice from my ministers on my sick bed, thus I thought it wise to choose a successor now I'm still alive," the king exhaled, ere he continued. 

"Thus my two sons won't have to fight when I'm gone," the king said, pointing at Xander and Gavin, who were seated close to him. 

The ministers furrowed as they listened to him. "Two sons?"

The closed door went open, revealing prince Logan, he hurriedly turned to his father and bowed.

"Father, I'm sorry I'm late,I.....

The sound of his father's bracelet against the golden throne, made Logan pause, lifting his head to stare at the king. 

"Get out!," the king snarled. 

"Father I just.....

"If I was your father, you won't be here by this time when I instructed 7am," the king interrupted Logan yet again.

"Logan's father just recovered, just leave and don't stress him out ", Xander spoke like he cared, but he was just rubbing it on his face.

Logan stared at his father one last time, before walking out of the throne room. The throne room went silent once again, after the sound of the closed door.

"I'm sorry for the distraction," the king apologized.

"It's okay your majesty," some of the ministers chorused.

"I'll go on. By the power invested in me, I'll like to announce to you; the crown.....

"My king. Sorry to interrupt, " the vice councilor voiced.

"VC," the king grunted, urging him to speak.

"Uhmmmm, I think in the royal law book, if it's a case when it  happens to be twin sons, then you need the help of the high priest to pick a successor," the vice councilor spoke.

King Dre glared at him, with his lips pursed angrily.