Dethroned.

My name is Adonis Orlean Windsor, and I carry the responsibility of being the righteous heir to the throne. The kingdom of Sylvaris relies on the labour of its impoverished citizens, while socialites profit from their hardship. I live a life of luxury, far from the burdens many experience. My surname precedes me. It is a symbolism of royalty, responsibility and privilege.

As I sat at the edge of Nikolai’s bed, he pressed his head against the silk material of his pillows. He refused to eat anything despite being offered a tray of the richest food. A respiratory infection had left him severely fatigued, which resulted in him becoming bedbound for the last two weeks. 

“Are you certain about your retreat to the slums, sir?” She inquired after a slight hesitation. “I am sure we can find someone with the availability to do so.” I shook my head, standing from my slouched position.

“There will be no need. I won’t be gone for long.” She nodded, straightening the apron she wore over her cream-coloured dress. Shortly after, I left the castle with nothing but two dozen shillings. But of course, with my face being so familiarised with the public, I couldn’t leave without a disguise. A façade would provide me enough protection as I left the castle with no security to prevent any potential altercation that could occur.

I threw some dark rags over my shoulders that would allow me to blend in among the throng of people who casually walked through the slums. There were small stalls in every corner of the streets with beggars who spoke to anyone who gave them attention. I swallowed hard as I moved through the crowd that stank with a foul smell of pollution and chemicals. I had no knowledge of where I could find medicine or if that was even sold on this side of the kingdom, but I continued walking in the hopes that I would find someone who sold the antibiotics Nikolai needed. 

Most of the stalls were open with giant signs they used as advertisements for their businesses, yet there was one specific area that had drawn my attention. It was simply one long maroon-coloured curtain that brushed against the cobblestone as the wind increased.

Driven by curiosity, I slightly pulled at the fabric, which revealed a small room that was hidden behind the veil. Inside, there was a girl who appeared to be around my age. Her complexion was olive toned with freckles that were blotched across her face. Her jade coloured eyes looked pristine alongside her auburn hair. 

With my presence, her eyes met mine almost instantly. “Hello, can I help you?” she asked, standing from her seat, her hands resting against the table in front of her. “Oh, sorry, I was just curious what was behind the curtain. What is all of this?” I responded, my voice hoarse as I looked around the small den she had created. There were amber lights that hung from the wooden walls and little decorations on her desk that fit the dark colour scheme. 

“It’s just a small business that I have going on at the moment.” She began, gesturing for me to come closer. “I am a seer, or commonly known as a fortune teller. I offer to read people’s minds for a few shillings with the power of magic.” My eyes widen at the mention of that. Magic had been banned in the kingdom long before my father’s reign as monarch. It had always been that way. Local newspapers always featured at least one story about someone’s execution for practising magic. It was considered one of the worst crimes that could be committed. And my father had no tolerance for it. 

“What, you’re not a spy, are you?” She teases my silence as I sit in the chair opposite her. “No, no. Sorry, I just space out a lot.” I shrug off the heavy cloak I had been wearing and place it on the back of my chair as she studies me. “I can tell you’re intrigued. Are you willing to take part?” 

“Depends. How much does it cost?” Strange, that was something I never thought I would ever say. “3 shillings. That’s all.”

 I toss 10 towards her. Her eyes brighten at the sight of it as she quickly collects them and places them in a small compartment in her desk. “Are you sure? You could buy a fortune with this at the market.” 

“It’s okay. Consider it a tip.” She smiles a toothy grin that reveals her excitement. “I forgot to ask you for your name.”

“Adonis Windsor. And yours?” I forgot that ordinary people don’t necessarily refer to themselves by full names. It was just something I was still in the routine of doing. She lets out a loud chuckle at that, but I don’t recall saying anything humorous. “Okay, what’s your actual name?”

“That is my real name.” 

“So you’re telling me you happened to share the same name as the prince?” 

“Maybe I am the prince. Have you ever considered that?” 

“Well, where’s the scar on your neck then?” My eyebrows furrow with confusion. 

“My sister has a magazine that has facts about the royal family, and it says that the prince has a scar on his neck.” My fingers began grazing the skin of my neck until I found a rough mark that I had never noticed before. 

“What, this?” I pointed at the mark with my index finger, at which she gasped. “Wait, wait. Are you actually Adonis?” Her tone was laced with fear. I nodded, a small smile growing on my lips. Her face dropped as she immediately stood up. “What? What happened?” 

“No, it’s just that my entire life is ruined. I’m going to be executed. I should have known better.” She spoke in a hushed whisper, almost as though she was lecturing herself.

“If you’re afraid that I’m going to report you, I’m not. I promise I would never do something like that. Let’s just continue. Let me get my 10 shillings’ worth.” I said, which seemed to have enough of an impact. “You promise?” I hummed in agreement as she slowly sat back into her seat after my reassurance. She grabbed

my hand without notice and began analysing the small lines across my hand, her fingers tracing along them, which sent a slight tingling sensation. She suddenly lets go and leaves me aching for her touch. 

“Now, I operate a bit differently.” She placed her hands over each other until a blue, translucent beam of colour spawned in the space between her palms. I had never seen magic being practised before.

I had imagined it would only serve wicked purposes and not benefit people. It was like a glowing blob of energy that moved along with her. My lips part, but no words leave. I had never witnessed something so…magical? 

“What I typically do is I transfer the magic onto my customer, and an image of their future floats above them. The only issue is that I discovered that I am the only person who is able to see this, as I am the person who controls the magic. So, if you don’t see anything, it isn’t because I am incompetent, it’s just because you don’t have the power to see it.” I nod at every point she pauses, my eyes fixating on her face. 

She took the magic that had formed in her hands and threw it in my direction with a hand movement. I felt a burst of energy come over me that sent waves of electricity through my body.  

As the sensation lingered, her eyes were pulled just a meter above where I was sitting. She didn’t move, only looked longingly into what I assumed was the magic’s depiction of my future. Her eyes darken as time progressed which only heightened my sense of nervousness. I sat there impatiently for what seemed to be a minute until her gaze finally dropped. “So…” I began, “What did you see?” 

“Well, that was definitely a clarification of your royal status.” She states after a long pause. “I saw you being killed by who I presume is Prince Nikolai?” My expression is immediately replaced with one of concern. “What? How?” 

“From what I’m seeing, he places some type of substance in your wine at dinner, and then you collapse.” Her pupils were dilated as she spoke, eyes never meeting mine once.

I am at a loss for words as I felt my blood turn to ice. A whirlwind of thoughts rummage through my head. “Did you see anything else?”

“Next thing I saw was your brother becoming king. What I think it is indicating is that your brother was attempting to murder you so that he could become the heir to the throne.”

When I don’t say anything else, she adds, “I know it’s not the news that you were most likely expecting, but I can assure you that my magical senses are rarely incorrect. I would take this as a warning for the future.” 

“What am I supposed to do?” I say distraughtly, unaware of how my voice has deepened. 

“Well, there are always ways of preventing these future events if you take action now. But I would just stay vigilant of how he behaves around you.” 

I stood up, my body tense from the information she had stated so clearly. “Well, thank you for that. That’s probably going to save my life.” 

As I prepared to leave, I gave her an additional 8 shillings as a sign of my gratitude. “I know it’s not much, but just take it as a thank you. I’ll come back first thing tomorrow and give you twice as much as this.” 

“Thank you so much, you have no idea how much this will impact me.” 

We say our goodbyes, and then I’m down through the streets. Anger seared red in my chest as my fist remained in a ball as I got the necessary medication and returned to the castle. I couldn’t bear to look in his direction. I pace the hallways that led to my parents’ room as betrayal surged through my bloodstream. 

But before I knew it, I felt a cold hand grab my shoulder. “Adonis? I swore you had an archery session with Alexis?” My father criticised, stopping just before me. 

“Yes, I had to cancel it. I have something to tell you and Mother. It’s urgent.” He sighs, his fingers massaging his temple. “Speak, son. Make it quick.”

“Nikolai wants to murder me.” 

“...What?” 

“You have to listen. I went to the slums and I-”

“You went where? You know that I told you to never step foot there! It’s dangerous and not suitable for someone with your status.”

“I am sorry, okay, I am. But I had to get medication for Nikolai and I got a bit distracted and ended up at a fortune teller’s stall. She performed some type of-” I stop myself before the term ‘magical’ makes its way onto my tongue. And at my sudden pause, his eyebrow raised. “You know I hate when you stumble over your words like that. You have a wide vocabulary. You should use it. Finish your sentence.”

“She said she saw him murdering me at dinner. And how his motive was so that he could become king.” He didn’t respond, but I can hear the thoughts that are most likely rummaging through his mind. The glare he shot my way is his way of telling me, ‘Adonis, you are truly one foolish excuse of a man. What has gotten into you lately?’

But of course, he does not say that. Because as much as my father loved to criticise and point out my mistakes, he would often feel too cruel to do so. But I have analysed my father for long enough to realise how his mind operates. I scoffed, turning my heel to the opposite direction. We don’t speak after that. He walked into his room, and I made my way up to mine, only to be called out for our family dinner not too long afterwards. 

I look down, resisting the visceral urge I had in wanting to tear his face apart. He strode into the dining room and had the audacity to sit in the seat to my right. But as always, I remained silent. Causing a scene at a place like this will only send a wave of consequences coming my way. “Did you get new curtains, mother? These ones seem to block out more sunlight. Not to mention how it’s far better of a design than the previous ones.” 

My mother nods whilst chewing at the steak that she requested at every family dinner we had. A servant took one of the glasses that had been placed next to me and filled it to the rim with red wine that left an earthy scent lingering in the air. That was the exact drink she had described. 

My father had drawn me into a conversation that wasn’t memorable enough to recall; my head turned in his direction as he sat diagonally to my left. In the blurriness of my peripheral vision, I can see Nikolai’s fingers meet the surface of my wine glass, a white, salt-like textured matter slowly dissolving inside my drink, oblivious to the fact that I was fully aware of what he was doing. 

Fully on instinct, my hand lunges for the glass as I toss it towards his face, preferably aiming for his nose or mouth. He jerks backwards as the red liquid spilt all across his freshly washed white blouse. The glass shatters and severs his porcelain skin, causing blood to spill down his face, giving him the appearance as though he had been mutilated. “Adonis!” My mother yelled, gasping loudly whilst Nikolai winced from the pain I had so proudly caused.

His face grimaced as he crumpled onto his seat pathetically whilst whimpering from agony. “No son of mine will display such a violent attack.” Mother hissed, which was the equivalent of someone cursing under their breath. 

“Did none of you see how he so carefully placed some type of narcotic in my drink? Father, from what I recall from my conversation prior to this, I gave you a perfect description as to what would occur at this dinner table. Or am I wrong?” 

My mother stared at him with nothing but confusion that swelled in her eyes as tears streamed down her face. My father loosened his tie, his jaw clenched, and his face began to turn a light shade of red, “he did. I didn’t believe the boy, but he appears to be speaking the truth.” No one uttered a word. The silence that had settled was lethal. The three of us stood as Nikolai remained sunken into his seat as though he was incapable of sitting up straight. 

My father whispered into the maid’s ear, and within a few seconds they began collecting plates and cutlery that were scattered across the table. One knelt down beside Nikolai’s chair and began assembling the shards of fragmented glass that fell onto the carpeted floor. 

I exit through the wooden double doors that led me down to the garden where flowers bloomed above the grassy terrain. But I can instantly recognise the footsteps that attempt to mimic mine. Nikolai. Who else could it possibly be? 

Before I have the time to turn around, I feel the harsh sensation of a sharp instrument being dug into my hip. I let out a loud, audible gasp that perfectly encapsulated the pain that began to spiral throughout my body. It was an excruciating sensation that was truly indescribable. He tilted his head so that he could see my reaction. My struggle, my attempt to grasp onto reality before death had its chance to overtake me. Satisfaction and pride spilt on his face in the form of a wide grin that flashed his white teeth. 

I managed to pull the blade from my hip, despite that only intensifying the ache, and stabbed him violently in his abdomen again and again and again once more. My blood leaked from the sharp end of the blade as I drove it monstrously through him, showing no mercy to that devil of a man. He screamed below me as I watched the life drain from his emerald eyes. 

Guilt. It reminded me that he was still my brother. But that didn’t excuse the fact that he was so willing to watch me die in such an unjustified way. I leave him there. I don’t look back. When I walk back into the dining room, my father just stands there, blinking at me with an expression of shock. My mother’s head was dug into his shoulder as he consolidated her. She wailed because she knew. She heard. She saw through the wide, translucent glass panel. They both did. They didn’t stop me.