Deadly Love

No warning?

Family tradition said that a prince must begin his search for a wife at only fifteen years old. In most cases, the men in the Grace family would find their future wives by sixteen, then would marry by seventeen. The very king of the kingdom got married in front of all his citizens, vowing to serve his country and assured that the kingdom would become one of the most powerful in the world.

And it did.

The kingdom even became overjoyed when the king announced the birth of the first heir to the throne. Julius was the oldest, the first heir to rule to kingdom when he came of age.

Then there was Malcolm. The second born, he was the second heir to the throne. The kingdom was in a slight stage of relief knowing if the first born didnt take the throne, the second surely would.

Then there was Arrow. He was the miracle. Born in a dangerous and terrifying period for the kingdom. Arrow was the child the king vowed to protect during the war (not that he didn't with his two other sons). He was considered the blessing child. The child God gave the queen after losing two babies before him. Not that anyone wanted to point fingers, or make assumptions. But it was obvious, the youngest of the royal children, was the kings favorite.

People couldn't help but notice the delicacy in the young child. He was given more attention. He was showered with gift and love. He was protected by everyone around him. But most of all, he was the beautiful one.

The men in the kingdom could see the boy had such a talent for combat. But the women could also see he had such a feminine touch to him. The way he dressed. The way he walked. Even the way the boy was shaped in body form. He danced like a swan on a lake. He could sing as beautifully as a siren in the sea.

But was everything about him truly a blessing?

Arrow may have been a "blessing". But he felt as if his birth was a true curse. He was overwhelmed by the protection he was put under by his father. His mother never let him leave her side. His brothers simply either laughed at his "feminine" features. Or were basically forced to teach their brother the proper manners and duties as a prince. Which also came with overwhelming protectiveness or cruel comments.

In simpler terms. Arrow felt trapped.

People would believe that possibly, the older Arrow got, the less overbearing the entire royal family and staff would become.

It was quite the opposite.

Protection just became more intense. Arrows mother became more obsessed with his studies and future. His father became fixated on his marriage. Not that Arrow really even wanted one...at least to a woman.

In Arrows kingdom. Being in love, or in a relationship with the same gender as yourself, was a sin. A crime. Just a pure sickening act. Arrow had watched his own father put to death a man who was caught with his own male lover. Kissing, and proposing.

Yet before the man was executed. He merely stated that he lived his life with his lover. That he will forever live knowing he found the one he was meant to be with.

As many young boys will, Arrow began to wonder of his own love life. Whether or not it would be successful or it would be a wreck. Much like his brother Malcolms.

To put it shortly. His brother had almost no experience. Of course he was very handsome. But looks would only get a person a small way. Malcolm was not a smooth talker. If was wanted to compliment someone, he mostly likely end up unintentionally insulting them.