Billy stood in the middle of his grand princely quarters, a room that felt as foreign as the castle itself. The golden tapestries on the walls, the intricate carvings on the furniture, and the faint scent of lavender—it all brought back memories of a childhood that had been anything but idyllic.
As he glanced around, his mind flooded with images of scornful glares, whispered mockeries, and lonely nights. His fists clenched as he stared at the ornate bed, a relic of a time when he felt like an outsider in his own home.
Suddenly, the faint creak of the ajar door snapped him back to the present.
"Hey, hey… look who just returned from outer space," came a smug voice.
Billy spun around to see Kai leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed and a sly grin plastered across his face. He looked as if he owned the room.
Billy narrowed his eyes. "What do you want, Kai?"
Kai stepped in, deliberately casual, inspecting the room as though it were his. "Oh, just thought I'd check on the long-lost prince. You know, see if you've… adjusted to your kingly surroundings." He smirked. "It's quite the change from whatever little hole you crawled out of, isn't it?"
Billy's jaw tightened. "Get to the point."
Kai chuckled, circling the room. "Relax, brother. No need to get all royal on me. I just came to… welcome you back." His tone was dripping with sarcasm. "It's been so dull around here without you."
Billy held his ground. "Thanks. Now, if you're done playing the gracious host, you can leave."
Kai's smirk faltered for a moment, but he quickly recovered. "Don't get too comfortable, Billy. This place… it's not as warm and cozy as it looks."
With that, Kai turned and strolled out, leaving Billy alone in the heavy silence of his room.
As the door clicked shut behind Kai, Billy exhaled, running a hand through his hair. The air felt heavier now, the weight of his past and present colliding in the silence of the room.
He sat on the edge of the bed, letting his gaze wander across the intricate patterns on the walls. But no amount of beauty could distract him from the storm of memories roaring in his mind—the ridicule, the loneliness, the constant reminder that he was an outsider.
A soft knock interrupted his thoughts. He glanced up as a young servant entered, carrying a neatly folded set of clothes in her hands. She kept her eyes lowered as she approached.
"Prince Billy," she said in a soft voice, bowing slightly as she placed the clothes on a nearby table. "These are for you to wear tonight."
Billy nodded, managing a faint smile. "Thank you."
The servant hesitated, glancing around as though unsure whether to speak. Finally, she added, "Her Majesty, Queen Elara, has requested your presence before dinner tonight."
Billy's brow furrowed. "Queen Elara?"
The servant nodded. "She said it's important."
Billy's heart skipped a beat, unease creeping into his chest. He didn't trust Elara, not even slightly. Her carefully crafted smiles and honeyed words had always masked a sharp cunning that unnerved him.
"Did she say what it's about?" he asked cautiously.
The servant shook her head. "No, Your Highness. Only that it couldn't wait."
Billy sighed, standing up and brushing off his tunic. "Alright. Thank you."
The servant bowed once more before slipping out, leaving Billy alone with his thoughts once again. He stared at the clothes on the table, feeling the weight of the unspoken words that lingered in the air. Whatever Queen Elara wanted, it wouldn't be good.
**********************
The dining table was a simple affair, lit by the soft glow of a ceiling lamp. Plates of steaming food sat untouched in front of Sophie as she flipped through the comic book, the pages crinkling softly.
"Leo, did you find time to read this…?" Sophie asked, her eyes fixed on the illustrations.
Leo, mid-bite, glanced up at her. "The comic book, again?" he groaned, swallowing a mouthful of food.
Dr. Pierce chuckled softly, scooping another spoonful onto his plate. "I have to agree with your brother on this one. It's dinner, Sophie. Not a study session."
Sophie ignored their comments, tapping the page with her finger. "It's not just a comic book, Dad. It's some sort of diary. And if Leo had actually read it properly—"
"I did flip through it," Leo interrupted, grabbing his glass of juice and gulping it loudly. "Just didn't read it."
"Well, flipping through doesn't count," Sophie shot back, a little annoyed. "There's so much in here that...is really sympathetical. And no one cares about finding out his backstory "
" What's Billy's backstory? I've never got time to chat with him about his family and stuff" Dr Gavin Pierce said.
At that juncture, Leo stood up and went for the TV remote. He muted the TV and snatched the comic book from Sophie.
"Hey,"
He resumed his seat and cleared his throat.
"Ladies and gentlemen, let's get this over. No more pending. No more procrastination... So,who wants to hear Billy's backstory???"