"Leave me alone brother, I have had enough for one night," Grace says to James, who is leaning against the door to her chambers, sending daggers her way.

"Clap for yourself, Grace." James' words making Grace annoyed. What is he trying to accomplish here?
"I told you before. You are wasting your time with me-"

"So you think Nicholas will magically forget the death of his lover and child, and run into your embrace of marriage?"

Grace grits her teeth in anger, he is right. She will most likely die by the prince's hand.

"What were you expecting-"

"I DON'T KNOW!" She yells at her brother in anger, before huffing in disbelief. "I honestly do not know," she says in a lower, but depressed tone.

"That's why you should have thought it through! Are you so obsessed with being the future queen that you'd rather-"

"I'm not obsessed James, watch your mouth"

"Then what do you call what you've just done. You knew, for over 4 months, that the prince was in love with someone else. But you couldn't stand it-"

"I am in love with him too!" she cuts him off in anger, tears escaping her eyes as she glares at him. James looks at her in shock...what did she just say?

"You expect me to believe that?"

"You have always hated me since we were young."

"Because you always hated me! You always stabbed Nicholas and me in the back!"

"It was all for his attention," she confesses in pure sadness as she recalls all the times Nicholas has ignored her, all the times he has made it clear that he does not like her. How could the world be so cruel to her?

"Have you ever heard of confession Grace? How about telling him how you feel instead of reporting him!"
"It's not too late"

James lets out a humorless laugh, "What?! You think confessing now will change anything? You have marked yourself for death Grace and there's nothing you can do about it. Seeing that this would probably be your last night, I hope it was worth it."

"James!"

Her brother ignores her, walking out of her chambers and banging the door.

The king furrows his eyebrows, wiping his face with his hand before taking a deep breath watching his daughter carefully...ah, so troublesome.

"Charlotte-"

"Your son has been imprisoned, father!"

"I know, it was the queen's call." Charlotte cannot believe this man! "You're telling me that mother did the right thing?!"

"I know what happened Charlotte. Nicholas knew better than to fall for a slave-"

"She's pregnant!"

"Even worse. What is her punishment? Knowing your mother, it is probably death," he shrugs, only making his daughter angrier. "What is wrong with you father?! How can you allow your wife to kill your grandson-"

"We sent him countless suitors to get an heir from, yet he decides to find solace in a slave?! I heard she even confessed that the child isn't his, anyway. That's not my grandchild."

"How could you let your son, the future king-"

"THAT'S WHY I WANTED YOU TO BE OUR FUTURE!" The king yells at his daughter in frustration. He's always had a special place in his heart for Charlotte and did not even know why. Maybe it is her character and the way she carries herself, or the fact that she did not like consolation since she was a baby. The king wants her to be the future of their kingdom, but it's obvious her love for her brother cannot compare to his wishes.

"I DON'T WANT THE CROWN!" She yells back. "It will not even change a thing! Father, you know Nicholas is mother's favorite-"

"And I am king! I can do whatever I want."

"Then please, do this favor, for me. Release the slave." She says in a calming tone, walking closer to her father's bed.

He lets out a sigh, shaking his head. "It's not that simple-"

"But you're the king."

"This will be going against every tradition of the land. What will the advisors and royals think, if I let her go scot-free?"

"Then how were you planning on convincing them to make me queen instead of crowning my brother?"

"It's too late Charlotte...there's nothing I can do. This event will finally knock some sense into him," he replies, bent on not going back on his words. The princess scoffs, looking at her father with disgust, "I have never seen a castle that has a king and queen, but roles are reversed. You are truly a powerless man."

"You dare insult your father! I led my kingdom to countless wars years ago! We always came out victorious because it was me that commanded the army! I secured this kingdom making it peaceful again. I made it a place where you will not bother about those that will try and steal the crown!"

"The greatest battle for every married man is providing and keeping his home stable...but you have failed."

The king is speechless from his daughter's words. Anger, shame, and guilt fill him as he glares at her, "Get out."

"If that girl dies, my brother will not stay put, and rest assured neither will I. I have lost all respect for you old man, I'll never forgive you." King Alexander watches, as his daughter walks out of his chambers, every step she takes, filled with dignity, respect, and pride.

Nicholas' eyes flutter open as he scans the small cell he has been dumped in. He groans in pain, his head pounding, but instantly stands upon remembering the details of this night. Adelaide! He would've made his way to the gate tearing it down if not for the chains bound to his feet and hands.

"HEY! GET ME OUT OF HERE!" Nicholas yells to the steel gate, knowing full well a guard is standing outside. The prince struggles against the chains, pulling despite the pain from the arrows that pierced through him. The guard behind the door stands there, shaking in fear of what could happen if the prince actually managed to break through the chains. Nicholas yells again, cursing and threatening to rip him apart if he refused to open the gate and break his chains. The prince is only human, he can not break free from these large chains. He tried, dragging them, even slamming his wrists held by the chains against the wall, but nothing was working.

Adelaide had opened her eyes upon hearing her name being called hopelessly by Eli and his family. The cold floor kisses her body as she tries to move but feels pain. Her back had been subjected to the mercy of the guard's whips earlier and the pain was too unbearable that she had passed out. Adelaide's hand slowly goes to her belly in fear, she had not felt her baby kick since she was being whipped. Fresh tears stream from her eyes as she groans in pain, she never wanted her baby to end up like this.

"Adelaide!" she hears again. The woman struggles but slowly sits up, her hands using the bloody floor as support. She turns to the gate straining her eyes to see who was calling her. Her vision slowly focuses and she sees the family that had put their life on the line for a slave like her. "Are you alright?"

She hears Anna call, her voice filled with worry.

"I...I haven't felt...my baby," she says in tears. "God will allow no such thing child!" Eli says to comfort her. "I...I am...very-"

"Stop apologizing Adelaide! We chose to help you and we do not regret it," Frederick says in all seriousness. This woman had just been whipped unconscious earlier and she's apologizing to them?!

The woman nods, moving her hand on her belly, trying to feel for any sign of life, "My love, you can't leave me...please," she whispers through her tears. She rests her head on the wall, the smell of her torn flesh and fresh blood, making her sick. She continues rubbing her hand on her belly, trying hard to get her baby to kick. "Please..." she begs, her hands falling to the ground as she cries silently.

She gasps, feeling a sharp pain in her ribs. Adelaide looks down at her swollen belly, her hand, landing on it as she feels her baby kicking harder. The woman lets out a sigh of relief, her tears of sorrow changing to tears of joy. "I love you so much. God, please, if not me, please save my child. I am begging you. But if it's your will, please accept our souls tomorrow morning."

Charlotte throws everything in her chambers around in anger, James thinking harder about what else they can possibly do in this situation. "BASTARD!" The princess yells in anger, as she paces up and down, unable to control her feelings.

"Have you tried talking to your mother?" James asks Charlotte stopping immediately to look at him.

"If my father, who favors me, could deny my request, why in the world will my mother listen to me when she has even imprisoned her favorite?"

James nods, that was a stupid suggestion, on his part. "Brother has not gotten close to any of the advisors, and the king's army that respects him or the people that love him, cannot do anything, less it turns into a civil war," Charlotte says to herself. "There's only one thing left to do," she says to James, facing him with a serious expression. James arches his eyebrow, waiting for her last option.

"We're busting my brother out of there."

Thank you for reading! I am dedicating this chapter to HahabshsIDK! Thank you for following me!

:)