A late prince walked through the grand halls of the golden palace. The walls were lined with portraits of previous kings and queens, the floor was made of marble, and the ceiling was painted with a mural of the gods. Or at least he thought so, his eyes were fixed on the maids and butlers that passed him by.
“Are you thinking of other women at a time like this, brother?” Isabella whispered to him.
He shook his head and a tear fell down his cheek. “No, Bella, I was thinking of the men.”
She slapped his back and he laughed.
The sound of his laughter echoed through the halls, causing the servants to stare. It was not common for a prince to be laughing in the palace, especially not in the vicinity of the throne room.
The two giant doors at the end of the hall came into view. The guards standing on either side opened them, revealing the inside.
The throne room was massive, with a high ceiling and large colored windows. The king sat on his throne, a golden crown on his head. To his left stood a beautiful woman, her face cold. The queen. The other princes stood in a line before the throne, their eyes on the new arrivals.
His brothers wore silk and house colors. Orias had one set of clothes and they’d been stained brown from dirt.
Orias and Isabella stopped at the entrance.
“Your maid can wait outside, Orias,” The king said, his voice booming.
The prince raised a brow. She was not his maid, but he decided not to correct his father. For the simple fact that he would be executed right here and now.
He nodded and Isabella stepped outside.
“You are late, Orias. Explain yourself.” The king continued, his tone demanding.
Orias took a step forward, his expression calm. “My apologies, your majesty. The journey was long.”
The king stared at him, his blue eyes piercing. The man had blond hair and a beard, his face aged but still handsome. He looked like a man in his forties, but Orias knew the man was older than that.
“Is that all you have to say? No excuses, no reasons?” The king asked, his fingers tapping on the metal armrest of his throne.
The prince shook his head. “No, your majesty.”
The other princes looked at him with disdain, while the queen remained expressionless.
The king let out a sigh and rubbed his temple. “Very well. Now, I have gathered you here today for an important announcement.”
Orias glanced at his brothers. There were nine of them, all different species. His father had a diverse taste.
“Since the founding of our kingdom, the succession of the throne has been a peaceful process, the eldest son inherits the crown. However, I have decided to change this tradition.” The king paused, his gaze sweeping over his sons.
A heavy air filled the room. A magical pressure that made it hard to breathe descended upon them.
The king continued, his voice echoing through the hall, “Ten years from now, only one of you will inherit the throne. Whether it is the last one breathing, the strongest, or the most cunning, it does not matter. The kingdom will be his. Do you all understand?”
Silence.
The princes looked at each other, Mikhail, the eldest among them stepping forward.
“Father, surely you are joking. We are your sons, your flesh and blood. To pit us against each other is... is...” The prince struggled to find the right words. His white hair swayed as he shook his head, his demonic tail twitching behind him.
Mikhail. White hair, demonic tail, warm voice that didn’t match his eyes. Orias filed it away.
The king raised a hand, silencing Mikhail. His face was emotionless, his eyes bored. “The decision is final. The only rule is no bloodshed within the capital. Outside these walls, you are free to do as you please. Now leave, I have no more words for you.”
The princes bowed, their faces a mix of shock and disbelief.
Orias was the last to bow, his eyes never leaving his father. Once he stood up, he turned and walked towards the door but was stopped by the sound of the king’s voice.
“Orias, do your best not to disgrace me.”
The prince smirked. “Yes father.”
He left the throne room, his mind racing. His heart pounding in his chest. The other princes stood outside, their faces much like his.
Nine brothers were blessed with genuine divine powers. And then there was him. A divine womb.
“Swamp rat, why don’t you just die and save us the trouble?” A voice called out.
The speaker was a man with forest-green hair and purple eyes. His ears were pointed, and his body was covered in scales. He was a snake, and his name was Basil. One of the princes.
Orias glanced at Bella who was standing next to some maids. She met his gaze and nodded. His heart calmed and he grinned.
“I would love to, but unfortunately, someone has to fuck your mother.”
Basil hissed and lunged at him, but was held back by his brothers.
“No fighting in the palace, remember?” The oldest, Mikhail, said.
The snake prince glared at the swamp prince before turning and leaving. The other princes besides Mikhail followed, their eyes full of contempt.
“Sorry about that, Orias. They’re just... well it’s been a long time since we last met. Let’s have dinner together tonight.” Mikhail said, his voice warm.
Orias raised a brow. He had never met Mikhail in person, and the sudden kindness was suspicious. But he nodded and said, “Sure, if Bella can come too.”
The demon prince smiled and patted his shoulder. “Of course, the more the merrier.”
After a quick farewell, Mikhail left, leaving Orias and Bella alone with the maids. One of them, a young girl with big breasts approached him.
“Prince Orias, allow me to show you to your room. The king has prepared a special room for you and your maid.” She said, her voice sweet like honey.
He grabbed Bella’s hand and followed the girl. The hallways were long and the palace was a maze that he barely remembered. This place used to be his home, until he turned three—an adult by shapeshifter standards—and the king sent him and his family away.
Orias looked at his sister and squeezed her hand. She didn’t ask what the king announced to them, but it was obvious that it was not good. His brothers didn’t look too happy.
“Here we are, Prince,” The maid said, stopping in front of a door.
The door opened, revealing a simple room. A bed, a table, a chair, and a window. It was smaller than his room back in the Ashfen, which was saying something.
The maid bowed and left.
The twins entered the room and closed the door behind them. Orias sat on the bed and sighed. The room smelled of dust, and the bed was hard.
Isabella sat next to him and leaned her head on his shoulder.
“So, what did the king say?”
He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close.
“Basically, he told my nine brothers to fuck me instead of him.”
She pinched his cheek and he winced.
“Ori this is serious.”
He pouted and rubbed his cheek. “Fine, he said that we have ten years to decide who gets to be the next king. Brother against brother, survival of the fittest and all that jazz.”
Bella was quiet for a moment, her fingers playing with his hair. Then she said, “You’re going to win, right brother?”
He chuckled and kissed her forehead. There was no way he could win against his brothers blessing-wise.
But he wasn’t going to tell her that. No, instead he would lie and pretend he was confident.
“Of course, who else would win besides me? I have a divine womb remember? I can just birth a god and have him smite the competition.”
His sister laughed, the sound like bells to his ears. Yet a pang struck his heart, she had such a beautiful laugh, it would be devastating to lose it. But he knew the reality of their situation.
She climbed onto his lap, her familiar weight on his thighs and kissed him. Her lips were soft and warm.
“I believe in you, brother.” She whispered against his lips.
He would make sure she never had reason to stop believing that.
His hands traveled under her shirt, touching her soft skin. She shivered under his touch, her breath hitching.
“Do whatever it takes, okay? Even if it means offering your ass to the gods.” She said, her giggle filling his ears.
He couldn’t help but laugh. What the fuck is wrong with them? They were in a life or death situation and all they could do was joke about butt stuff. Still, it was a comforting feeling.
A maid came to inform them of dinner with Mikhail. Apparently, it was tradition for the eldest prince to invite the youngest one for a dinner. Back when it was peaceful, they would just talk about the kingdom and future plans.
Grabbing Isabella’s hand, Orias stepped forward into the dining hall. Eldest against youngest. A demon against a shapeshifter.