The Prince's Suitor ManxMan

Chapter 5

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Chapter Five

"I'd rather die than submit to you," Jaicous said.

The Prince stalked around Jaicous with small predatory steps. His boots made a thump against the ground. "Why?" he said. "You would hand your life over to me without weighing the opportunities first? I can give you glory, riches, friends, but you would rather perish beneath my blade. There is no logic in that."

"There's no glory to be had fighting beside your pompous backside. Riches? That might be true, but every penny from you I would curse to the underworld. Money can't buy my happiness. And friends?” Jaicous almost snorted at the idea. “You delude yourself Prince; there aren't any friends worth having in this place." He desperately fought off the urge to stare at Eiamus in case the Prince noticed; even if Eiamus deserved every dirty look Jaicous could manage. "There are no real friends here; the scroungers in court are only after a title."

The Prince didn't blink an eye and continued his prowling. "Then a title is what they shall get. I see the need in their eyes; those such as yourself want to prove your worth to the Kingdom. In exchange for a measly title I receive a lifetime of loyalty to do with as I see fit. Make no mistake, I am not generous or caring," the Prince's lip curled up in disgust as if speaking the words aloud caused him pain.

"Those words never crossed my mind," Jaicous muttered. Malicious and evil is more like it.

 "Everything I do is for my personal gain and mine alone."

"Yeah, right selfish bastard you are," Jaicous said. The Prince held no affection for his people; he used them as pawns in his vicious game of power and control. In time the Prince would come to run the country and his power game would up its stakes. Jaicous lost all hope for the future of Aishion.

But the Prince would have plans and deals set in motion to manipulate the citizens. He would switch on his charm- of which Jaicous had yet to see, and win them over, one by one. But that wasn't to say there would be no rebels and protesters, Jaicous fully intended to be among them if he was still locked down in the palace and not half way across the country when the time came. He'd ruin the Prince from the inside.

"Yes." The Prince nodded his head in agreement, a thoughtful look on his face as if he took Jaicous's insult seriously. "That would be the best way to describe me."  

"Yeah." Jaicous narrowed his eyes. Even his insults had stopped affecting the Prince, or maybe he was losing the snarky touch he brought with him.

"But enough about me, let's concentrate on you." The gleam in the Prince’s blue eyes was disconcerting.

Jaicous shook his head. “I don’t think that would be a very good idea Prince,” he said sharply. He’d had enough of interrogations from Docetre.

“Ah, but I’m afraid you don’t have a choice, I swore you’d become obedient and I always get what I want,” he said before turning on his heel, leaving Jaicous burning with fury, and shouting at Docetre to collect the bags. Docetre hurried to swipe the sack from Jaicous’s feet- the one the General had brought to him. Jaicous almost snapped for him to stop; it was his after all, but the Prince was the one who ordered it to be given to him and to do that now would be seen as if he was scrounging for the Prince’s attention. He still hadn’t the faintest idea what the sack contained, did he really want to know? It was from the Prince, it couldn’t be anything good. He let Docetre take it.

The Prince looked back over to Jaicous and inclined his head. “Up with you, we have somewhere to attend.”

“We?” said Jaicous, making no move to get to his feet. He was sure he didn’t want to go anywhere with the Prince. Hopefully the Prince had forgotten about his so-called punishment.