1. Crown Prince

Four strangers get off their horses when a servant approaches them "This way my lord, your grace is waiting for you in there". They follow the servant in a bar.

They enter the bar that reeks with alcohol. The people went silent when they saw four strangers wearing black riding hoods that reach near their feet. Anyone who look at them thought, they are some assassin's or some elight knight. The servant leads them through the crowd and takes them toward a small and suspicious room.

After closing the room door, the servant turn toward the floor and removed the red rug that is covering the wooden floor. The room was well furnished that no one can suspect there was a hidden door in the middle of the wooden floor. He opens the secret door that leads to a dark tunnel. The servant jumps into the tunnel leading the way for the strangers.

When they reach deep into the tunnel they saw a mysterious wooden door. The servant opens the door after knocking it for three times and leads them in and saw wall full of luxury wine bear bottles. The room was well furnished a round table with 7 chairs around it was present at the center of the room. Three men were sitting at the three chairs present around the table. When they notice the presence of the four men one at the center whose drinking stops and smirks.

"Welcome Crown Prince i thought i will finish this 3rd bottle of wine while waiting for you" the one at the center spoke again nonchalantly while offering them seats.

The crown prince takes a seat infront of the man while the two campanion stand right and left for his protection. And one sits beside prince.

"Why you call us Arch Duke Jin?" One that sit beside crown prince spoke coldly while eyeing the Arch duke up and down. Jin look at him then said nonchalantly "My dear newborn Duke of north, Duke Elvin Austton you are still the same impatient child" Arch Duke jin said while serving himself another glass of wine and Elvin rolled his eyes.

Crown Prince was blankly just staring at him with no interest "You didn't change Prince Jake I thought you would learn your lesson from the last encounter" Jin's youngest brother Prince Vergo spoke blankly and take a sip of his wine.

Vicount Finral Silvia, Crown prince personal advisor scoffed and spoke coldly "How can we forget that our prince was banished to the border for straight four years just because King Alexender found out our crown prince rebellion plan to get the throne from him? And this is because of these three Austin brothers" he glared at Prince Vergo.

"As we already told you, we are sorry for that your highness. But we don't have a choice, at that time you knew how much your life was in danger. And it is the safest way we would think about, to save your life. I know that Bell Mound Border is not the safest place, but it is a lot better than the palace" Prince Trafalgar the 2nd brother of Arch duke said calmly.

Jake just look at them coldly and still didn't reply. He took the free glass present on table and serve himself wine. "So why did you call us? You know how difficult it is to get here" one of the companions with black hair spoke boringly while stretching his arms its Lord Diego Clark the vice leader of black knight."I am sorry for the inconvenience Lord Diego, but this is an important matter" Prince Trafalgar spoke in a serious tone.

"What is it?" Finral asked seriously "It is related to Prince Julius" Prince Trafalgar replied, then looked at Prince Jake for a reaction but he was just drinking his wine with no expression at all."Jake, I don't know what you think of it, but Prince Julius is going to marry Duke Lector's of west daughter" Prince Trafalgar spoke seriously."So what? You call us here just for this" Elvin yelled at them.

"No there is more of it my child" Jin spoke coldly, making Elvin coldly glare at him."Jake your position as a crown prince and life are on edge now" Prince Vergo spoke while putting his empty glass on the table. "What do you mean?" Elvin ask coldly and tighten his fist. "If his brother gave heir before him then his brother is going to become the king even if you are the crown prince" Prince Trafalgar spoke, making everyone silent.

Jake looked at him coldly but interested then spoke, making everyone stunned "Which daughter is it?" Everyone look at him confused but Trafalgar replied "Its 1st because there is rumor about 2nd daughter that she is not blood related to count so its 1st daughter" Jake smirked and replied " its good that he is marrying 1st daughter" Everyone look at him more confused "What do you mean by that do you know something that we don't?" Diego spoke while massaging his forehead.

His smirked got wider then looked at Jin "I want you to make some arrangements " he said while standing up. "Why?" Jin said while arching an eyebrow at him. " I am going back to Capital," he said blankly. Jin looked at him for a while, then nodded. They were about to leave when Jin spoke "Prince Jake I want to talk to you alone". He stopped on his track, Elvin and Finral looked at him and he nodded. "Leave" jin spoke to his brothers. They nodded and left with jake's three companions.

Jake sit in front of King then spoke coldly "what is it?". "Like you don't know, I am offering you a deal," Jin said. He arches an eyebrow at his words. "What do you mean brother?" he spoke cold and in question tone." Do you remember why you call me brother?" Jin spoke while eyeing jake for an answer but he was coldly looking at him.

"Five years ago you saved my life and i told you to see me as your older brother. I am your only friend who knows your all secret? I always help you not because i see you as an ally because i see you as my youngest brother" Jin spoke calmly and looked at him deeply. "What are you trying to say, brother? I saved you but if someone else was there I would have done the same thing" he spoke coldly yet calmly. "You make this cold wall in front of everyone to hide from everyone. But you can't hide yourself from me. I know you better than anyone else and I don't want to lose a brother like you jake and that's why I always thought better for you " Jin spoke and smiled at him.

"I didn't know I was that important to someone," Jake replied with no expression and Jin sighed. Jake stared at him blankly then spoke "you know you are old". "Shut up" jin glares at him. A evil smirk formed on Jake lips and stand up to leave. When jin spoke again "sit down I didn't serve you the main dish yet" he set back and rolled his eyes.

"Just tell me the point" Jake spoke blankly and jin smiled widely. "I want you to marry my sister" Jin spoke calmly. "What?" Jake asked coldly. He looked at him seriously then said "this is your chance jake. If you marry a princess, your chance of getting the throne increases, so I want you to marry Princess Roseanne" Arch Duke jin spoke, making him glare at him.

~ ♛ ~

They left the bar and got back to their territories near the border in the Bell Mound.

"Are you really going back?" Duke Elvin asks while sitting in front of Jake's desk. "Hmm" he replied while writing something on paper. "Are you sure about this? You know your life is not safe there" Elvin said seriously. He stopped writing and spoke coldly making him stunned "My life is not important, the throne is more important. I already told you so many times" he started writing again. Elvin looked at him for a while, then sighed in defeat. He stood up and left Jake's tent. Jake looked at him leaving and whispered, "why do you hesitate?".

He know why he was here. He wanted to know about his answer to the Archduke offer. He was still the same when he first met him, looking back at the time he still remember there first encounter. Jake was five years old when he first met Elvin. He was sent by King Alex to train in soldier's camps after his mother death.

Everyone was afraid to fight with him because he was a royal lineage and above all a crown prince the hier of the throne. But then a seven-year-old kid reached him and said "do you want to fight with me?" Jake looked at him for a while, then smirked and said "let's do it". The eight year old kid beat him to death and won the fight. But his father Duke Drax Austton beat him because he disrespected a royal blood a crown prince. Jake feel happy after lossing so he stopped his father when he was going to slap him again. He said while holding Duke hand " you can't become a king unless you face the reality". He looked at the Duke son and asked "what's your name?" His lips was bleeding because of slap but he smiled and ruffled his hair then replied, "My name is Elvin Austton, Jake".Everyone was stunned that how can he call crown prince by his name but Jake was impressed.

After that incident, they became friends more like brothers. He trained Jake after Duke Drax passed away when elvin was twelve years old and lost everything. Jake have admired him a lot since his childhood. He was the best at everything. Even best at hiding his emotions.That's why he always lost in sword fighting against him until he turned sixteen the first time Jake won against him and never lose after that.

When Jake turned seventeen, he was banished to the border because someone accused him that Crown prince is planning to seize the throne from King Alex. At that time he never leave Jake side. He even follow Jake to the border but Jake tried to convince him not to follow him but he replied "I will never leave your side until I die, Jake, because you are my only family". He was the only person who could disrespect him and he was the only person who could understand him.

For the first time in his life, he was choosing between his brother and throne. And I can't just become selfish to choose the throne. When Archduke Jin asked him to marry his sister, he knew that elvin loved Princess Rose. He told Jake on his 20th birthday when he was drunk that how they met and how it was about to end. He was heartbroken because she told him "love was a mistake and it was mistake that they met". That's why Jake didn't reply to Jin and ask for some time to think about this matter.

"Your Grace" Lord Kaeya the 2nd vice leader of black knight called him breaking his trance of thoughts. Jake looked at him blankly when he said "Your highness, sorry for bothering you, but this is important " He handover the scroll with a tiger seal on it and stands back "We got the reply" he completed. Jake opened the scroll and read it. He smirked and said, "prepare we are leaving for Capital".