Page 12 of Royal Lies

"Father's sending you away again?" Snow questioned, her lips curling down at the sight of the servants preparing my luggage.

Normally servants would have also done the packing but honestly, I couldn't trust any of these ants. After all, who knows what poisons they could have doused on my clothes? I should know, I've killed a man with that very technique. Multiple times in fact. So instead I packed them myself. Only allowing the servants to place my luggage into the carriage.

"It shouldn't be a surprise by now. You know father doesn't think much of me."

Now would be a great time to pat her head, to give her some form of comfort from my departure. The issue was if I did I would only cause that wrinkle in her brows to crunch closer together.

Against the beams of the suns, her hair looked white but when you peered closer at it for long enough it had a slight turquoise tint. As it should, all Winter Court citizens had the same features. And her eyes, it was just like our father's, cold and calculating. But, whereas our father's eyes held nothing but a void of emotionless steel, Snow's held a small sliver of warmth.

"Why do you let him do this to you?" She scowled up at me looking for the world like she could change this somehow. But, we both knew Father's word was law and that was that.

I shrugged, sighing a little. With her flawlessly manicured nails and perfectly poised posture, she reminded me of something else.

I'll never be, regal. I've never had that formidable presence, and no matter how hard I tried I just couldn't. No room silenced their chatter when I stepped foot in, not like they did for my father and sister.

"Snow, you know I have to," I lifted one of my luggage into the waiting carriage, resigned to my fate as always. What else could I do, he was the king.

My father had always preferred my sister over me. Perhaps it was because she was willing to use that so-called strength I lacked. Despite her slim figure, she could pack quite a punch with both her magic and physical strength. I can't say I'm not a little jealous. I am, but I'm glad he at least can feel some kind of compassion for Snow. She was my precious little sister after all. It would shatter me to see our father treat her just as poorly as he treated me

"He's the king.” Really if I had any choice I would stay. If my father was bad my mother was a whole different mess to handle.

Snow just rolled her eyes. Looking back at the carriage she sighed.

"He's still ourFather, shouldn't he at least have some leniency." She bit out with the word 'Father'like it was poison on her tongue. It was hilarious really. How despite our father's affection for Snow, she loathed the man.

Giving me a small hug and her wishes for my safe travel was the only thing she could do. Because no matter how much favor my Father granted her she too was never able to convince my father to do anything he didn't want to do. I felt the sliver of cold lick at the nape of my neck as I placed one foot atop the small snow-covered step of the carriage. With a slight bow,the coachman sealed my fate behind blue cushions and shiny sapphires.

I watched from my seat in the carriage as we pulled away. My dear little sister waved back her emotionless mask plastered back on her face.

I sighed as I watched my little sister go back through the giant iced double gates because they were gates, not doors. I don't see how anyone can think that the big chunks of carved ice were doors. The intricately carved swirls and curves display two wolves on their hinds, pawing at one another.

I tried casting away the anger, annoyance, and disappointment I felt towards my father. So focusing on something else I cataloged my plan for the journey in my mind. I'll have a week's travel to the Summer Court. That should be enough time to read through the following books I've brought along. Plus, I'll be able to purchase new Summer Court novels when I arrive.

"My dearest child." My mother exclaimed her bright golden hair shining in the Summer Court's beaming sun. It was always hot in the Summer Court, it was theSummerCourt after all.

Her bright blue eyes filled with the warmth my fathers lacked. Sometimes I wondered how in the world they got together. But then I remembered just how many people she'd killed with that smile. For all her warmth and kindness, there was just as much dark ill intent behind every smile she beamed. Perhaps that was where I had learned my sneaky ways from. I wrapped my arms around her, wary of her true motives. Because as welcoming and openly affectionate as she was, she must have known what I was here for. It's not that she didn't always greet me when I visited. But, with my mother, you never knew what you could expect.Most people believe she was an angel, but that was all just a facade.

"How are you? Oh dear, I wish you'd visit me more often and not just because of your Father's dumb 'requests'. Honestly, what did he send you here for now?" To anyone watching, this might have seemed like an innocent question. Simply a mother mourning over not being able to see her son as much. All the while she was painting my Father in a bad light. Of course, I didn't mind that last part.

She might have everyone else fooled but I knew what she meant. She wanted to find out why I was here, to prevent me from completing mytask. The only thing I don't understand is why she was asking me this so publicly in the eyes of the servants at that. Or maybe that was why. To make her look like the caring kind-hearted mother she tries to persuade everyone that she is. She wanted to control the situation. So, if I had told her I wanted to see the prisoner she would try and prevent me from seeing said prisoner for my 'own good'. My mother knew how to twist things in her favor. She would make up some excuse to make it seem like she was protecting me from the prisoner. Who despite being behind bars would still be able to hurt me in some way. Or so she would claim. It's happened before, back when I was too naive to fend off her “good intentions”.

The look in her eyes already told me the rumors of said prisoner were true. Perhaps she already suspected my visit and had stashed said prisoner somewhere I wouldn't know. So, just why is this prisoner so important? All the more reason to be careful. I smiled softly towards my mother. In her high heels, I was an inch or two under her. So, it was a bit hard to not feel like I was looking up at her. She was already tall enough without the heels. Normally in her bare feet, I would be just slightly taller with my five feet and seven inches.

"Well, I'm actually here to just see you. Father's not feeling well as of late, so he sent me." I plastered my best fake smile on my face. Not a lie he wasn't feeling well, he never feels "well" in the sense that he's happy. And he did send me here. This excuse should be fine seeing as how many of my real visits were like this. I either was visiting because of my father's wishes or to escape my father. Sometimes my father's expectations were just too high for me to carry out and I sometimes sought the rescue of my mother's sly embraces. At least the latter was what I wanted her to think.

I had wondered whether I should make up some lie about being here on a different task or not. I decided not to. Instead, I'll just tell her half of the truth. It would be more believable. Then at night, I'll fake out another task I was “sent here to do” while I went to see the prisoner. To do that I'll need to gather more information. I sighed inwardly at the pawing hands I'll have to endure, because we fae, especially the nobles, weren't so selective about our sexual desires.

Same sex or not we didn't care so long as we got what we wanted. I was a guy with needs so I've had my fill of both types. Despite my lack of muscles I was still appealing to both women and men alike. I was the Prince of the Winter Court after all. And nothing was more open to sexual exploits than the Summer Court, second only to the Fall Court.

"Well, your room is already prepared as always. I'll wish to have dinner with you in a few hours." My mother as always already picked up on my habits. She wanted to keep more tabs on me and what better way than to dine with me?

I nodded noting how the sun had yet to set. So after setting my things down, I headed out to the Summer Courts' capital city. I was looking for new books to read when a hair as bright as summer itself caught my gaze. It was covered in masking magic but let's just say my magic or affinity helped me distinguishbetween lies and truths. Even if the lie was a glamour. I turned to catch the small figure but she was gone a moment later.

Her eyes, the small glimpse I was able to see was enough to lure me in like a fish on a hook. I blinked, and for a moment I thought of pushing past the wall of guards around me. But, that would be illogical, not for someone I barely knew. Yet still there was something about her. I shook the thought away.

I... probably won't see her again, right?

Yet, I couldn't help but wish that wasn't true. I looked back again frowning as if I'd missed something very important. The whole day I'd just been going through the motions never truly getting that ray of sunshine out of my eyes.

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