The Palace Beast
Chapter 2 - Dare to be Secretive

"We need to leave at once lest we be compromised."

Prince Damon wasn't going to take chances. He couldn't risk losing Princess Bonnie. The princess replaceing the truth about them would change everything. The time he had spent with her in the past would become a memory of deceit to the princess.

As he turned with haste to take his leave, Prince Eliot gripped his arm and pulled him toward him. "No, brother," he said. His gaze at the crown prince was mean and furious. "We can't leave until we replace our brother Oswald and take him with us."

Prince Damon grunted. "Unhand me." He stared back at his brother with an evil look. "He knew what we were doing when he transformed." He pulled away from Prince Eliot and shove him backward.

"Do you know what will happen to him when they replace out it was him?" Prince Eliot furrowed his brows. He gave a wild weird scowl gaze at Prince Damon. "Don't make this mistake by leaving us..." "I don't care," he gnawed, interrupting his brother. "He brought this to himself and should face the consequences alone."

"But you..."

"Silence, brother! Silence!" He bit his bottom lip. "Don't draw me back again."

As the crown prince of the kingdom of Wex, he has always known he would be king someday and a king needs a queen. He's not ready to risk that. Not ready to have Princess Bonnie know his dark secret.

Prince Eliot stood spellbound as he watched his brother, Prince Damon, walk out on him. He is short of ideas on how to convince Prince Damon to go on a search with him. Leaving Prince Oswald behind in the kingdom of Maxis would just put them all at risk.

"I wonder what will become of Wex if he becomes the king," he finally spoke up. His voice was filled with resentment towards Prince Damon.

'If he can leave our brother behind, then he could abandon our kingdom in time of need,' his mind raced with unforgettable thoughts.

***

Prince Damon mounted his horse. He steadied the horse, casting his gaze on his men, he said to them, "Knights of Wex, are you ready to ride back home?"

A chorus of "Yes, Lord!" escaped their lips.

They had been waiting for this moment. None of them liked riding to the kingdom of Maxis. They preferred staying in Wex as a result of the rogue creatures attacking travelers. They too were beastly creatures but prefered to maintain the rule of the king or he would have their heads on a platter.

"Where, my Lord?" one of the knights spoke up. He needed to be certain if they were riding back to the capital of Wex or to the Northern Kingdom, Weslex, where Prince Damon reigns as the Duke.

"To Weslex, of course," he answered with haste, kicking the sides of his horse with both legs. He held the rein firmly and with it, he directed the horse in the right direction to go.

With a soft by fast draw of the rein toward his left side, the horse quickly followed the direction of the master.

The rest of the knights with him followed his cue as they started riding toward the main gate of the palace. **** SOME MINUTES LATER ***

"My Lord," an imperial guard echoed down the hall as he approached Prince Eliot. Standing in front of the Prince, he greeted him with a bow. "You have a guest." "Guest?" he inquired with haste as his eyes widened with curiosity. "What guest?"

He's never expecting anyone and he's certain the imperial guard of Maxis won't refer to Prince Oswald as a guest.

"My Lord," said the imperial guard as he made a slight bow. "A messenger came from Wex, seeking audience with any of the princes of Wex."

"Oh no," he grumbled. "This can't be good."

"What my Lord?" he inquired to make sure the prince was speaking directly to him.

"Nothing, send him in."

Without saying a word, the imperial guard made a slight bow once more and went on his way to fetch the messenger.

Prince Eliot waited patiently for the arrival of the messenger. He continued to tap his left foot on the concrete floor and biting his lips repeatedly, ex\pressing frustration.

Finally, the messenger approaches with the imperial guard leading him toward the prince. Getting closer to the prince, he greeted him with a bow. "Greetings, my prince," he said. "I came bearing news from..."

His words were pushed back to his throat. The prince interrupted, casting his gaze at the imperial guard and making a hand gesture. "Can you leave us?"

"My Lord," he bows in reverence and then takes his leave.

Seeing that the imperial guard had left their presence, he turned toward the messenger. "My father sent you?"

"Yes my Lord," he answered with haste. "He demands you and your brothers' return to Wex."

"Oh no," Prince Eliot mumbled. His eyebrows lowered and pulled closer together as his lips drew in tightly.

He knew what they would be up against in Wex. The fierce anger of their father would burn like a furnace against them. None of them could stand their father, King Charles, in his fierce rage.