When you have everything in life, what more could you ask for?

There is one thing I have in mind: FREEDOM.

The freedom of speech, of expression. To be able to enjoy life as it is, to meet interesting people. Most importantly, the freedom to love. Freedom of finding someone you want to be with for the rest of your life. To be able to marry the one you love.

In my life, however, the hope for finding true love is a luxury.

Being the heir to the kingdom of the Western Wind, I have everything a person could ever want and ask for. Yet, my life is also a prison and one thing that keeps me shacked is my marriage arrangement. Somehow, I've learned to accept the way of daily living that I have. But not a day has passed where I wished I could marry the person I'm supposed to fall in love with.

The reason why I'm in an arranged marriage is for an alliance with the kingdom of Middle Earth. My marriage to their princess is a way to show the world that our kingdom is growing; something to watch out for.

Marrying a person I don't know isn't the worst part of it all. Although we're arranged to be wed, we haven't met. Our parents agreed not to let us see each other until the official announcement of our engagement. They said it's to challenge our patience and loyalty to one another.

We have been sending letters to one another and through her words, she seemed sweet, kind, a gentle soul. But I can't stop asking and thinking: could her beautiful tone be the same as her face?

I'm not one who bases one's true colors by their physical attributes, especially in one's way of writing a letter. But as a future king, having a hideous queen would be embarrassing, don't you think? Especially, when the realm of Immortals will be expecting for an heir.

Lastly, at the age of twenty thousand years, marriage hasn't crossed my mind.

My ocean of thoughts was disturbed when someone knocked on my door.

"Who is it?" I asked as I sat up on my bed.

My page entered and bowed. "It's Sir Gonzalo, Your Highness."

"Let him in."

My page nodded and fetched for Gonzalo. I'm not quite sure what Gonzalo's role is in the castle. He does almost everything, from entertaining guests to handling my needs. My father has instructed him to focus on me for reasons unknown.

Gonzalo finally entered my room and walked directly towards me. He stood by the foot my bed, bowing as he greeted, "Good morning, Your Highness."

"Good morning to you too, Gonzalo," I nodded slowly.

"Your breakfast is ready, young prince."

"I would like to have my food brought up here as we usually do," I stood up from my bed. "I have a lot of reports to go through and I need to do, somehow, half of them today."

Gonzalo replied, "Forgive me, Your Highness, but I'm not allowed to do that."

"What do you mean?"

"Her Royal Majesty has requested your presence," Gonzalo answered. "She said she would want for you to join them for a family breakfast. She has forbidden us to deliver food outside the kitchen and dining hall."

"Gonzalo, you do know you can always use the dumb-waiters in the kitchen to bring food up to my room. My mother wouldn't even concern herself about them," I smirked.

"Unfortunately, His Majesty has guards placed by every dumb-waiter for Her Majesty's request."

I let out a sigh as I shook my head. "They're forcing me to go downstairs, aren't they?" my mood shifted.

Please don't be mad at me, Your Highness," Gonzalo immediately bowed his head, his hands stiff by his sides. "I am only following orders."

"I'm not mad at you, Gonzalo," I reassured him as I sat on my lounge chair. "Please tell them that I'll be joining them in a while."

"Of course, Your Highness," he bowed.

"Thank you. You may go."

He bowed once more and went on his way.

My parents, on a daily basis, would leave me on my own since His Majesty implemented independence in the castle. But once my mother gets involved, they do get on my nerves. As much as possible, I don't want to see them when I'm not in good shape - both physically and emotionally — for I fear that I could lose my sense of respect for them.

I stood up with a sigh and started preparing for breakfast.

"Elizabeth, I'd like for you to go with your mother to her activities today. After all, it's her responsibilities that you should be learning from," I heard His Majesty spoke to my sister as I put an ear on the door of the dining hall. This habit of eavesdropping is something that I do to gauge the kind of atmosphere that I'm about to get myself into.

"I'd be more than happy to do that, Your Majesty," my sister replied with her usual cheerful, soft voice. "It would be wonderful if we could spend more time together."

"Focus on what you can learn, not on what pleasure you can get," his tone became firmer, immediately dismissing her tone of hope, of delight.

Mother entered the conversation, "James, let's not overwhelm them with matters of the crown. They're still young, after all. There's plenty of time for them to learn."

"Amelia, sooner or later, they will be stepping into our shoes as ruling monarchs in their own rights," His Majesty — James — contradicted Mother's statement. "They need to learn how to handle their future obligations."

I stepped away from the door as I've heard quite enough to know what kind of atmosphere will be welcoming me this morning. I turned to the guard on my right. "I would like to be announced."

He nodded and began after clearing his throat, "His Royal Highness, Prince Robert Edward Dex."

The doors immediately swung open as my name was being announced. As I entered the room, the delicious aroma of food greeted me, the sun radiated through the tall windows. The heavy, red curtains were moved to the side, giving way for the natural light to enlighten the dining hall. Even if James is in this room, the dining hall is giving off a happy ambiance. It could be because of my mother's gentle aura. She always seemed to carry kindness and gentleness on herself.

"Good morning, Robert," Mother greeted me with a smile as I walked towards her.

"Good morning, Mother," I laid a gentle kiss on her forehead when I reached her.

I turned to my sister who was sitting one chair apart from her. "Hello and good morning, little brother." I kissed her cheek.

"A lovely morning to you, my Elizabeth," I replied as I sat in between Mother and her.

"You're late, Robert. I wonder what the reason is," James entered our lighthearted conversation with an icy approach towards me. This is the reason why I hate being in the same room as him. Peace becomes some sort of myth whenever we're near one another.

"Good morning to you as well, James," I greeted as I started to dig into my plate. Calling him by his name is part of the norm within our family dynamic. He told my sister and I never to call him by any salutation that can describe him as a father figure. He explained that he will be gone someday, and he wants us to be independent at all times.

Isn't that just the best example of being a father?

"A future king shouldn't take long in preparing himself for any kind of meal or celebration," he continued with his harsh approach, his tone got firmer. "What took you so long to look decent for a simple family breakfast?"

"James, dear. It's breakfast," Mother intervened with caution.

"What does that get to do with everything?" he answered Mother, sarcasm in his delivery.

"Darling, why don't we have a peaceful breakfast together?" she responded, still being the gracious woman that she is.

"Not after I discipline your son," he answered, looking directly at me.

I threw my utensils on the table. "Mother," I stood up, wiping my face with my napkin. "I'm not finishing my food." I put the napkin on the table.

"Sit down, Robert," James ordered.

"You're not my father," I said as I looked directly into his eyes. "You were never and you never will be." I left my chair and started to make my way to the door.

"How dare you disrespect me!" he shouted as I heard another chair move which is probably his. "I'm the head of this family! I am your father!" he shouted to shout his claims up to the high heavens.

"When were you a father to me? To Elizabeth?" I asked, not even bothering to turn around.

"I'm a Dex and so are you. Thus, you should start acting like one," he replied, frustration can be heard from his tone.

"I'll start acting like a part of this family if you start treating us like your family," I answered. "We're not your servants that you can just give orders to and expect a specific outcome whenever you want to."

Silence arrived in the dining hall and James didn't say another word. I let out a deep sigh and left the room, heading back to my room.

Ah, the slow, gentle morning breeze always has a soothing feeling when it caresses my face. This is why I love spending time here on my balcony. It calms my mind and helps me forget about stressful matters... such as James.

A knock came upon my door. "Who is it?" I asked without turning around.

When the door creaked open, fast-paced footsteps approached me. "Your Highness," my page spoke from behind. "Prince Elizabeth is here to see you."

I turned to him as I heard my sister's name. "Please send her in."

He bowed and rushed to the door. My sister has always been welcome in my room or my study. No matter what kind of concern she has, I never closed my door on her. A few seconds later, Elizabeth entered my bedroom.

"Is this a bad time to visit, young brother?" she asked with a gentle voice as she walked towards me, her hands folded in front of her skirt.

"There's no such thing as a bad time for my beloved sister," I walked towards her, giving her a kiss on the cheek as I reached her. "Would you like to join me on the balcony?" I laid out my hand.

She nodded as she clung onto my arm and held my hand with her other hand.

"How are you feeling?" she asked as we reached the balcony.

I sighed as we stood beside each other. "If you don't include that disastrous breakfast scenario then yes, I am fine."

"James isn't that hard to get along with, if you ask me," Elizabeth started the topic as careful as she can. "If you would do what he wants, you two will get along quite well."

"And that's where all our problems start, Elizabeth. I can't do what he wants," I said. "And I don't want that kind of life."

"I don't understand why you find that so hard to do. Look at me, I've been doing it for years," she encouraged.

"Well, I'm not as perfect as you, Elizabeth. But, I do wonder," I turned my head to her. "How come you do all that James wants and never showed any sign of resistance?"

She smiled as she looked out to the view of the garden. "I do it for Mother," she looked back at me.

"For Mother?"

Elizabeth let out a deep sigh and continued, "Long before you were born, she almost left James. She felt he never loved her in the first place. They got engaged when she was sixteen, and she went along with everything until I reached the age of three thousand years." Elizabeth then held my hand, "The only thing that stopped her from leaving is the fact that she knew her children needed a home... a father."

I slowly pulled my hand back. "We don't have a father," I said as I reverted my attention back to the view.

She then put her hand on my shoulder. "Give him a chance, little one. You'll see, he's more than what you think of him." She messed with my hair, always a sign of affection from her.

"Your Highness?" a voice called out into the room, a knock on the door came first.

Our heads turned to see Gonzalo enter the room.

"Yes, Gonzalo?" I asked as we started walking towards him.

"Her Majesty is looking for you, Your Highnesses," Gonzalo bowed. "She said it's time for you to go and visit the school Her Majesty is supporting."

"Is that so?" Elizabeth asked as we finally reached Gonzalo. "Where's Mother?"

"She's currently waiting with His Majesty at the entrance," Gonzalo replied.

After what happened during breakfast, I can't believe that James would expect me to go with them on today's visit. I'm not sure if he already made his peace on the matter, or he's being insensitive towards how I currently feel.

"Kindly tell Her Majesty that we'll be right down," Elizabeth smiled.

"Of course, Your Grace," Gonzalo bowed. "Is there anything I can do for your preparations?"

"Have some maids prepare my things for the trip. That would be enough," Elizabeth answered.

"As you wish, my lady." Gonzalo then turned to me. "And you, young master?"

"Have all the unfinished reports delivered here to my room," I instructed. "I won't be joining my family today. Please tell our mother that I have a lot of matters to take care of."

Gonzalo bowed once more. "I'll take my leave, then." And with that, he left Elizabeth and me to ourselves.

"Are you certain that you're not coming with us?" Elizabeth asked as soon as the door closed behind Gonzalo.

"Dearest sister," I started as we walked towards the door. "James and I made quite a wonderful scene during breakfast. Frankly, I don't want another one especially in front of our people."

She giggled at my remark. "I understand completely." I opened the door, and we walked out of my room with her right in front of me. "I'll go ahead and prepare. I'll explain to them about the reports that you have to sort."

"Thank you, Elizabeth," I smiled as I laid a light kiss on her cheek. "I pray that you have a safe trip, forth and back." For the longest time, Elizabeth has been looking out for me and I always appreciated how she would always have my back. To be able to have a strong bond with my sibling is something that the other kingdoms are impressed at. And we're proud of showing our love for each other in public.

Without her, I think my life as a prince, imprisoned in this castle, won't be as bearable as of the now.

"I will see you when we return, young one," she said as she laid a peck on my forehead.

I nodded in response.

She began her walk to her room and after watching her for a few seconds, I went back inside my bedroom, waiting for the reports to be delivered.