Chapter 4: Falling

The Crown

"What?" I blurt out. Then realize that I am putting on that subtle expression of 'what the fuck' and quickly school myself. "I am deeply apologizing for my inappropriate behavior but Your Majesty what exactly happening here?"

"You don't know?" The emperor raises an eyebrow in amusement.

"No?" I blink. This is my question too, I guess.

"He is lying!" Lilian exclaims. She is looking for at least two shades paler than the last time I saw her at the party last night. And to my even more surprise, She is not wearing her dazzling makeup today that is making her look at least a year older than her actual age. "He came to my room last night after everyone went to sleep and-and…" She trails off and breaks into tears.

Oh for fuck's sake please finish yourself!

Ash quickly envelopes her in his embrace. "Brother, did you…did you really do what Lilian just said?"

"Ash!" I exclaim, "This is all misunderstanding! I don't know anything about it! I have no idea what she is talking about. Lilian, why would you do it? Why are you accusing me?"

You could at least come up with something more…respectable than this.

"May I say something, Your Majesty?" Edward comes to my rescue, "I have just a few questions to ask."

"Please you may." The emperor almost instantly agrees to his proposal.

"Miss Lilian, did you see your assaulter's face?" Edward spins to Lilian, standing on the sidelines and crying her eyes out on Ash's chest.

"No." She answers, her voice raspy. "It was so dark I couldn't see his face."

"Then may I ask what makes you think that His Highness, The Royal Crown Prince was the one who assaulted you?" Edward attacks her mercilessly with his question.

"I know!" Lilian exclaims, a bit caught off guard, "He was wearing the perfume I gave him. That perfume is the only piece in the entire continent. That is not possible that there was someone else."

"Okay. I have another question then." Edward refuses to back down and I have this urge to fall on my knees and worship him as my God. "How did you get away from the assailant, Miss Lilian?"

"I-I hit him with my wind magic and he ran away." Lilian scrambles to pick her words properly.

"Then there must be a scare or a wound?" Edward turns to me, "Your Royal Highness, do you have any of these things on your body?"

"No," I answer firmly.

My head is spinning and I have this urge to throw everything that resides in my stomach out right here and now. This environment is sick. Lilian's every word is making me sick. And other than that my heart is beating so loudly that it's taking all my willpower to punch my chest and make it stop. I don't like where this trial is going.

"I believe then we have our answers, Your Majesty." Edward bows to the Emperor before scurrying off toward the sides.

I just then notice that my mother isn't present here nor my other siblings except Ash and Lance Where are they? But I don't have the privilege to think about them right now. I need to save my ass first. I am about to lose everything here.

"NO!" Lilian yells again, "Your Majesty please do not forget that His Highness yields Light magic. He can heal himself."

White magicians and Green magicians have healing abilities. They can cure anything but they can't bring back the dead. This is why these two attributes are such rare breeds. People who have these attributes are considered blessed. The Royal family of Blade Empire wielded Light magic for generations because it is passed down from generation to generation. Meanwhile green magic is a lost art.

Now I am cooked. Thoroughly. There is no way Edward can save me now.

I grab my shaking right hand with my left and try to calm myself down. Anger, helplessness, and anxiety are gnawing at me from every direction and making me feel like I have fallen into a pit of despair. I am lost lost lost. So lost that I have forgotten how to breathe. My chest tightens and my jaw clenches.

The lines between the Emperor's brows increase as he contemplates what judgment he should give now. Our Empire is not matriarchal but women are highly regarded here. And if any commoner committed this kind of crime then they would have been executed instantly. But I am the crown prince of this empire, they can't execute me.

And other than that, with just the beauty I have, I can get girls crawling to my feet if I just walk by. Why would I try to rape her? It's absurd and everyone present here knows that too well that I need not voice them. I look at my father pleadingly.

"Lush Von Blade, do you have any say regarding the matter?" The Emperor asks, his gaze softening for a split second before they harden again. Right, he is the Emperor, the Empire comes first then me. This is one of the reasons I am unsure whether to take the crown.

"Your Majesty, I know I didn't commit such a crime." I sigh, knowing that anything I say will be futile I let go of my hand and they hang limply by my side. I avert my gaze from the Emperor, "This is all I have to say regarding the matter."

"Very well." The corner of the Emperor's lips twitches slightly so ever and his gaze softens a bit before they turn hard again. He is pleased at my denial but there is a limit to what he can do about this. "The Prince has rejected all the accusations pointed at him, but we can't just let it slide. I will banish The Crown Prince from the palace for two years for this." The Emperor announces his judgment, his expression as hard as stone and his tone as solid as the mountain. "You may leave the royal place tomorrow at dawn."

I get on one knee and lower my head, "I appreciate Your Majesty's kindness."

"We are dismissed." The Emperor rises from his throne and walks away with the grace I doubt I can ever manage to have.

After the officials scatter away whispering among themselves, I breathe in relief. Things could be worse. I could have been thrown into the cell but thankfully Father gave me freedom instead. I am really grateful to him. But still, there is a lingering worry that stays at the back of my mind. I have lost my right as the crown's heir.

Edward rushes to my side.

"Your Highness! Are you alright?" He scans me with his pitch-black orbs.

"Why wouldn't I be?" I return, and I can still feel my heart pulsing in my throat.

"T-The thing that just happened…" His gaze drops, "I am deeply sorry for my lack of competence and my incapability to save you."

"Why are you still hooked on that?" I pat his shoulder as I beam with a huge smile, hiding the worry beneath it, "I didn't do anything so why be afraid? And other than that I won't have to sit on the throne for the next two years! I am really happy with the punishment!"

I actually have conflicted feelings about this. I am not at all happy with the way I was granted this freedom. But I am not about to tell Edward that. He will worry himself sick. He has been so loyal and dedicated to me for so many years that I have lost count. My mother says that Edward is the one who raised me, so he loves like his own blood.

"Your Highness!" Edward cries and my grin widens.

I spot Ash, Lance, and Lilian leaving the throne room so I approach them, "Lilian, I am really sorry for what happened to you, but I am not the culprit here. So please forgive me. And Ash too."

"No, no! You are the one who did it!" Lilian exclaims desperately.

My eyes round in surprise, "Why do you think I did it, Lilian?" I am actually very displeased with Lilian's actions. She should know me better then this. We had been together for a long time.

"Because you didn't get to marry me! So you tried to rob me of my dignity!"

What bullshit. I scrunch my nose internally in distaste

"Lily, Lily please calm down, brother I will talk to you in a while. And I deeply apologize for her behavior." Ash apologizes and drags her out of the throne room with the help of Lance.

"Edward let's go back to my room. We need to do a lot of packing. I am leaving the palace tomorrow." I turn to Edward and say, not taking any of the things Lilian said to my heart because it's normal. If someone tried to rape you then without any doubt you would react this way. But somehow it still hurts. I feel a numb pain in the left side of my chest and I subconsciously rub the place.

"Your Royal Highness I have a request," Edward says, his tone deadly serious.

"What is it?" My eyebrow jumps in surprise because this is the first time Edward is asking me to give him something.

"I want to come with you." Edward raises his head and his black eyes meet mine.

"Are you sure?" I ask as I tilt my head.

Edward hastily nods, "Yes."

He really does love me as his own.

"Then let's go." I grin widely, "Go pack your things first, and then come and help me out."

"Yes, Your Highness!" His eyes light up.

We take off from the throne room. "Listen, Edward, the moment we are out of here, you are gonna drop your this 'royal servant' act and put on 'my best friend' act, got it?"

"Yes, Your Highness." He nods his head in serious understanding.

"Just thinking about it excites me." I say excitedly, but both of us know that I am just putting on a mask to hide my anxiety, "You and me all alone somewhere only we know."

Edward halts on his track, "Your Highness, with due respect I change my mind. I no longer wish to go with you. I like women."

"Of Gods," My head drops backward in frustration, "I will not do anything weird to you, Edward. I like women too." I grab his hand and start to drag him but I abruptly stop as I spot Ash waiting for me around the corner, "Ash!"

"Brother!" Ash smiles sadly. "I am really sorry for Lilian's earlier behavior."

"Which one are you talking about?" I tilt my head in pretentious confusion. "The behavior in front of father or after that?"

"Both," Ash says, guilt reflecting on his brown eyes. "I am much ashamed."

"Don't be." I pat his shoulder, "Things like this happen. Don't worry about it. And while I am gone try to explain to Lilian this okay?"

"Brother, are you really going to go?" Ash asks with sympathy in his eyes.

I chuckle, "I have the royal orders after all. But don't worry I will return before your twenty-first birthday. I promise."

Ash nods and gives me a strained smile. I smile back and then continue dragging Edward with me.

Tomorrow I am going to start a new life, in a new way. I don't know the outcome but I have a feeling that the journey will be great. I will meet so many new people. Go to places I don't even know exist. Meet situations where I will have to make various decisions. Will find many opportunities to discover myself and many more things to explore. Maybe I will fall in love too? Who knows?

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