Chapter Three: Prince Powstrava Stravapo.

Nine years ago, a child was born with so much power that he scared even the Gods. Of course, although his birth was unique, he wasn't the only mortal powerful enough to threaten the gods. His ancestors have always been more powerful than the gods. These mortals call themselves Mitchells and they all have deep green hair. The most powerful of the Mitchells usually have lines of white strands of hair in their hair. Okay, according to my intel, there have only been two Mitchells with two lines of strands of white hairs in their hair. Myself and the first Mitchell. I'm only nine years so I'm still learning. But, there is a certain uncle of mine with hair similar to mine. I would have called him big brother if not that I am my father's first son. He hasn't grown even a bit since I saw him six years ago. He wouldn't leave me alone whenever we meet so I've been doing my best to avoid him.

"Mmmmmmmmh!" I stretched my body and yawned upon hearing the usual music that woke me up every day. Prince Mitchell Powstrava Stravapo is my name, the prince of the most powerful empire ever in history. Currently, almost half of all sentient beans in the world are under our rule. At least, so have I been taught. Before I was born the empire was called The Great Empire of Shen but my father renamed it The Powstrava Empire just after I was born. I looked up at the all-too-familiar ceiling that was about twenty feet above the ground. And turned to look around my luxurious room as big as a bed chamber can get. Of course, I was the only one in my room. They would always play music in my music room every morning to wake me up. I rolled over until I got to the edge of my huge ornamented bed. I sat on the edge and started thinking. Leaving a life of luxury is the dream of most kids my age but not me. Perhaps, if I was born the prince of a backwater country things would have been alright. But, I was born the first prince of The Shennian Empire. I stood up and walked to the gigantic door. Before I reached it, it slowly opened for me. I walked through it and ...

"Good morning, Your Imperial Highness." Before I was officially crowned the Crown Prince when I turned nine, they used to refer to me as 'Your Highness'. In front of me were 6 maidservants. Two were just cleaner maids who came to clean my room. The other four, well, you can refer to them as my special maids who would prevent me from doing any work by hand except learning. Standing by either side of my door are my door guards.

"Your Imperial Highness, would you like to take your bath now?" One of the maids asked while the cleaner maids were entering my room.

"I would" I moved to the right and kicked the guard as hard as a nine-year-old can kick. As usual, he didn't budge an inch. I walked forward for a bit and to my left was the entrance to my bath. Two maids were already waiting inside with towels. My bath has a lot of different types of bathrooms in it. Depending on the style of the bath I prefer, I can choose any room. I chose none of them. I simply went downstairs to the hot springs that have been built into my chambers. The moment I went close to the pool, the four special maids took off their clothes. I stretched my hands and they removed mine too. I asked when I was getting into the pool why they suddenly started removing their clothes in the bath when I come to take my bath after was named the crown prince.

"Your Imperial Highness, no maidservant is allowed to see the crown prince's nakedness without showing theirs, and besides it's not appropriate for us to get our garments wet." The only human among the maids answered.

"So you don't mind letting a nine-year-old boy see your nakedness?"

"Of course not, Your Imperial Highness, It's an honour." All the maids nodded simultaneously to confirm what she said.

I don't know why but I feel like it's not the norm. And I don't like it when they address me by 'Your Imperial Highness'.I'd much prefer it if they stopped calling me that. I don't like 'Your Highness' either but I guess it's better than 'Your Imperial Highness'. "Can you please stop calling me that, Carla?"

"I'm sorry Your Imperial Highness, but I wouldn't dare."

"What if it's an order?"

"Then we must obey."

"Then it's an order. Not just you but everyone here can call me Strava."

"Thank you very much for allowing us this privilege, Your Highness."

"Thank you very much Strava."

"Thank you very much for allowing us this privilege, Strava."

"Thank you very much for allowing us this privilege ..."

"Thank you very much for this honour."

"Thank you very much for allowing us this privilege, Your Highness... Strava, but I fear that the higher-ups will envy us if they hear us call you Strava"

It was almost a cacophony but I heard what everyone said. Carla's statement was the longest and it had more to it. (Apparently, calling me Strava is a sin. Hmm, how should I deal with this? I can protect them from their higher-ups but they are still their higher-ups. Damn it! Why was I born on this high a pedestal that I must be called My Imperial Highness.)

"Okay, just call me Strava when we are alone."

"Thank you Strava, for considering our insignificant selves. But, can we please add 'Prince' or 'Your Highness' to it when appropriate?"

"Hmm, as long as you stop calling me 'Your Imperial Highness', I guess it's okay"

A while later, I was done bathing and I was coming out of my chambers with my special maids. I know a lot of boys would be head over hills if they got a chance to bathe with such beautiful maids but, I felt nothing. The human was very beautiful, but the most beautiful of my special maids was the High Elf. She was 282 years old, but she looked like a sixteen years old human. High Elves are supposed to be Elven royalty but I don't know if she actually is. Maybe I am yet to ask her because I am afraid she may say yes and I would have to treat her differently. A royal serving me is not something I would find easy to wrap my head around. The other two special maids were cute rabbit folk girls.

Before we got out of my chambers, two more maids joined us at the entrance. Thus, making the six maidservants who would follow me wherever. Out of the six special maids, two would always remain at the entrance to receive any visitor I may get. I don't understand why they should follow me everywhere though. One more thing that I do understand not is why guards would have to follow me even when I am in the palace. I mean the palace is city-sized and has so many soldiers patrolling it. Besides, my father is supposedly so powerful that he could destroy the world if he wanted. Nobody would dare enter the palace of pride to come to cause me harm. I am starting to think that the guards and the maidservants are just here ceremoniously. To show that we are The Powstrava Empire. Also, doing that gives the citizens jobs so I can't complain.

Opposite my chambers is my little brother's. He was been chased by a maid butt-naked but what do you expect from a four years old kid? I smiled and continued walking. On my way to the place where the maidservant's kids play, I saw my Mom. She was no pushover when it comes to the art of combat but she was also having two guards following her along with her six maids. I rushed towards her and hugged her. She bent down and caressed my hair.

"Did my lovely Strava sleep well today?"

"Of course, Mom."

"And where is my lovely going?"

"To the playgrounds."

"To play with the kids, are you?"

"I'm afraid they wouldn't play with me."

"Can't be helped, after all, you are the crown prince. No commoner would find it easy to play with someone with the power to order the destruction of a country if he so wishes."

"I know, I'm just going to observe them for a while."

"Have you eaten already?"

"No Mom, today is Mitchday, so we'll be having breakfast together." On Mitchday, our equivalent of Sunday, the royal family members would get together for both breakfast and supper. Of course, there is no way the proud Powstravian Empire would name their days after Greek and Norse gods. Our days, as renamed after the renaming of the Shennian Empire is; Mitchday, named after us, the Mitchells, Soraday, named after Sora The Pacifist, an ancestor of mine, Dmitraday, named after late Emperor Mitchell Dmitra Jarvis. Zeday, named after Zero, who is actually the first Mitchell, Ravaday, named after my father, Powsday, named after none other than myself and Motoriaday named after Motoria The Scourge another one of my ancestors.

Mom and I wished good day to ourselves and went on our different ways.

There is a saying, that the more important you are the fewer friends you have. I'd say, I got to experience it firsthand. I've tried my possible best to make friends with the kids in the palace, but to no avail. If I ordered them to play with me, they would but they would remain stiff throughout. I thought it was because of my followers so I found a way to ditch them but they still wouldn't play with me normally. Courtesy of my unique hair. A short while after I was named the crown prince, I caught word of a spell that could strip someone of their power. To me, my power was this scary thing that caused everyone to fear me. Besides, I was always having guards around me so I had no need for my power. If losing it would let me get just one friend in the palace, it would be worth it. That was my thought process at the time I cast that spell on myself. Unfortunately, things did not get any better. I am now going to the servants' quarters. I'm not going to watch them play, it's too early for that, but I'll be observing them going about their business helping their parents.

Before I got to the playgrounds, I saw a man with an athlete's body, a little above six feet tall on a horse coming my way. He was a little bit intimidating in his light but unique armour. I'm sure I can intimidate him if I went into my full prince mode but it doesn't change the fact that he is scary. I tried rushing into the playground but he still saluted me when he got near. I just looked at him as his horse galloped away.

The playgrounds gave a nice view of the Servants' Quarters so I sat there and watched the kids and the servants for a while.

About an hour later, I was seated by our dining hall table in our dining room having breakfast with my family. The four people seated by our thirty-six feet long table were my father, Emperor Mitchell Rava, My mother, Queen Mar Belle Monica, my little brother, Prince Mitchell Darlington and myself. My little brother's name is not a typical Shennian name because my father allowed my mother to name him. Mom named him Darlington because of how much of a darling he was during her delivery. Due to how... Erhm... wicked I was to her when she was delivering me, she was expecting at least, half the suffering but, she was surprised as to how easy Darlington's birth was compared to mine. As such, she named him Darlington. Regardless, she still loves me. Maybe, more than she does Darlington. On the table was our banquet. To be frank, the most we can eat would be five per cent of the feast on the table. Thus, if we outdid ourselves. Part of the reason our table was so full was that our empire was wealthy beyond compare and that we are currently monopolizing the best resources the world has to offer. Well, the maids will not let the leftovers go to waste. A few of them were in the hall serving us. And by a few, I mean more than twenty.

One notable thing that occurs every Mitchday during breakfast is our family discussion. During our discussion, my father said General Hildebrandt, the man I saw on the horse had brought to him, a letter from his brother. The letter was inviting us to my cousin's ninth birthday which would be on the thirteenth of the third month of the ninth year of The New Powstravian Calendar. That was eleven days from now. I told my father I would like to go there with him and he agreed.