His Royal Highness

Chapter One

Sebastian sighed, dreading to go back to that glorified hell also known as court.

But here he was, standing outside the city gates, golden and shiny like court's faux appearance. At least the exterior wasn't as rotten and brutal as politics truly was. It made him question why he went there in the first place, at least, last time.

He had been naive that time. But more guilty, after what he did to his brother, Kaiden. Sleeping with his brother's would-have-been-fiancée was something that made him feel guilty and vicious. Which meant that he would fit right in.

And really, it was the only place he could turn to. His father was the king, despite Sebastian's illegitimate status. And that was also the reason why he was here now.

The guards at the gate demanded for his identity. Sebastian sighed.

Last time he was at the palace, his true identity had been a secret. Only a select people knew that he was the son of the king, and he had also gone by a different name: Felix, in honor of the man who raised him, the one he thought of as father. The one who was dead because of complicated matters involving him, his mother, his brother, and his biological father.

"I am Sebastian Hunter, here because I have been summoned," he announced, almost in a bored tone.

It wasn't too hard to get in, considering how he showed the letter in which the king had summoned him. The guards were only there to make sure that no one with ill intent could penetrate into the city.

He rode the horse on the cobble streets, remembering the way to the palace stables. There was still some daylight left, and he was planning to use the most of it. Sometimes, the streets were hard to navigate at night, especially with festivities.

Once he arrived at the stables, he saw that there was a young stable boy already there.

He looked about sixteen, and had sandy hair and friendly brown eyes. Like other adolescents, his limbs looked gangly and awkward. His posture stiffened slightly at the sight of him.

"Relax, boy, I'm just here to leave my horse," Sebastian tried to help the boy relax. When that failed, he tried being friendly. "What's your name?"

"Markham. Griffin Markham, sir," he stuttered.

Poor boy must have been treated like dirt by the other people who went in the stables. There was a reason why he had learned to hate court. People were vicious here, whether they were subtle about it or not.

"Well, Griff, feel free to call me Seb," he responded. He really did like giving people nicknames. For example, for a young woman named Belle, who was his friend, he called her darling. Although, the one dearest to him was called Lottie.

He missed Charlotte Blackwell already. When he stayed at his childhood home, he had found out that his brother had been cursed and the only way to break it was to have a woman kiss him at the end of the year. Like the idiot his brother was, he had tried to figure out a way to find that woman by having a competition.

One that his Charlotte had been in. And then during the masquerade ball, they had realized they had feelings for each other, after the comfort he provided her when she had been spooked by Kaiden's cursed other half.

Alas, their relationship was cut short when the king summoned him. And now, here he was.

"Alright, sir, I mean, Seb?" Griff sounded unsure.

Sebastian grinned at the poor boy. "Thanks, Griff. I'll be back soon, just you wait," he said. His prediction would probably come true. Griff seemed like a decent person, a stark contrast from the power-hungry courtesans who were always roaming around.