"Do you think we will see prince Elijah during our visit?" 

"It's quite possible, I heard that he's grown quite a bit in the past four years."

"I've tried asking Lady August about bringing my daughter to meet him, but apparently he is still quite frail from the illness that he and his twin suffered from as infants."

"Oh, those poor dears."

I listen quietly as the three noble ladies chatter amongst themselves and make their way to the tea pavilion. So caught up in their own little world they failed to notice the ten-year-old boy watching them from beneath the shady oak tree in the garden. 

"I'm not frail, I don't know what rumours they've heard," I mutter to the figure perched in the tree above me.

"They don't know the first thing about you, Elijah," the boy chuckles above me and jumps from the tree, landing in the soft grass beside me. 

I open my heavy eyes to see him leaning over me, "you should lay down beside me, Tristen, the grass is so soft and comfy," I groan and stretch out across the grass.

"I'm on duty, I can't relax, what if you're attacked?"

I roll my eyes, "you're so uptight."

Tristen Gurarez, his father is the General of the Imperial Knights and a decorated war hero. Despite being only three years older, Tristen has been assigned as my personal bodyguard. I guess some of that was my doing, as I practically threw a fit when they tried to assign Sir Stick-Up-His-Butt as my personal guard.    

"I'm already breaking the code by calling you by your name, Elijah," he sighed leaning against the oak tree, resting his hand on the pommel of his sword. 

I scoff and stare up at the oak leaves, watching the sun illuminate the green and orange veins of each leaf.  I let out a sigh and sit up, surveying the nicely manicured royal garden. Flowers of every colour imaginable grew in rows and boxes, mixed with leaves and other plants I couldn't care to learn the names of.

So bored. So extremely bored.

I look around the massive garden and see my mother and the noble ladies from earlier having tea in the rose-covered pavilion on the opposite side of the garden. For a moment I just watch as they sip their tea and make venomous remarks through bright smiles. 

"It must be exhausting, having to keep up with the noble ladies and their antics," I remarked, nudging Tristen, pointing at the chirping ladies. 

"It's something all the noble women learn to do from a young age," he glanced at me before shaking his head. 

I was about to ask him what he was going to say before I was rudely interrupted by none other than, Sir Stick-Up-His-Butt.

"PRINCE ELIJAH! You must return to your studies at once!" 

All eyes turned to me as I felt the noble ladies and my mother's attention turned to me. I look back to see that scowl again find its way onto my mother's face. Fans snap open as the noble ladies began to whisper amongst themselves, their eyes darting from me to my mother to the knight and back.

"That lousy knight," I mumble and stand up.

I hear Tristen huff a small laugh and push off the tree to follow right behind me. 

"Excuse me, Sir Logurthan, what is the meaning of this outburst?" Lady August's voice drifts across the garden, silencing even the birds. 

Everything seemed to stop when she spoke, the silk-covered venom in her voice sent shivers down everyone's spines. The knight paled as he turned to see the four ladies perched on ornate chairs sipping their tea or peaking curiously over their over-priced lace fans. 

He quickly folded at the waist, bowing deeply, scared to make any form of eye contact with the Lady of the Castle.

"Forgive me, my lady, I did not realize that you were out here, I was sent to fetch the Crown Prince," his eyes darted towards me with simmering rage, "it seems that he did not deign to stay for the entirety of his studies." 

"I see," she muttered returning her icy gaze to me, "Elijah, we've already had this discussion about running off in the middle of your studies, I am extremely disappointed."

Blood flooded my cheeks and I quickly looked to the ground, unable to meet my mother's stare. 

"I'm sorry mother, I'll go back now," I say loud enough that she could hear me.

I glance up through my dark brown curls and watch my mother wave a dismissive hand in my direction before turning back toward the giggling nobles. 

"My little Christopher is the same way Lady August, I'm constantly catching him skipping his classes"

"My nephew James is quite the troublemaker, and he's pulling his sister into his antics now too!"

"Look at how he's grown! I haven't seen him since his big debut a few years ago!"

I straighten and hold my chin high as I make my way across the garden. A prince must always walk with dignity, no matter the situation. I repeat my mother's words in my head as the nobles giggle and glance at me.

"Great, back to the study to discuss borders and etiquette."

Tristen chuckles behind me as he trails behind, just out of reach.  The soles of my shoes click on the granite as I walk up the steps onto the outdoor corridor.  Sending a nasty glare at Sir Logurthan before breezing past him, head held high. 

He bowed reluctantly as I walked by mumbling something to Tristen before following us back to the study. 

"Sir Logurthan, I don't need an escort, I know where the study is," I declare, keeping my eyes trained on the large staircase before us. 

"Are you sure, Your Highness? You seemed to get lost on the way there this morning and wound up in the garden."

My spine straightened and I stumbled up the steps as Tristen tried and failed to stifle a laugh behind me. Blood rose to my cheeks as I quickened my pace to the study.

"You realize that you can't just add 'Your Highness' to a sentence to make it polite."

"Apologies Your Highness, I was merely making an observation."

Tristen burst into a coughing fit behind me and I could practically feel the knights smirk as I stopped infront of a set of dark ornate doors. I couldn't stop the scoff that made it's way out as I pushed open the doors. 

"Thank you for the escort, you're dismissed," I state and walk into the study. 

The doors closed behind me with a heavy thump as Tristen stepped by my side.

"There's no way out now," Tristen muttered quietly, "just have to grin and bear it"

I groan and walk over to the big table in the middle of the study that has been littered with open books and loose papers.

"So nice of you to finally join me, Prince Elijah," I withered voice sound from a stack of books as Professor Rathorn takes a seat on the chair on one side of the table.

I sign softly and throw myself on the chair across from him. He scratches at the curly white beard forming on his face, dark hazel eyes burning holes through me. 

"Sorry teach, what dull lecture have you got planned today?"

An evil grin spreads across his face as he pulls a heavy book off of one of the many stacks piled on the table.

"How about a review on the history of the royal heiarchy?"

I groan and shrink into the chair. Tristen lets out a small "oof" sound before disappearing into the books and shadows. Opting for a nap rather than a lecture. 

Minutes turn to hours as the Professor droned on, an evil glint in his eyes everytime he dropped a book, jolting me awake. 

"Due to the revolt, the decree was formed that women could not hold any form of power over an estate of power," the professor read, "along with that, their access to education was limited to reading, writing, medicine, mathematics, sciences, and very little history."

I could feel the involuntary scowl form on my face, as I rolled my eyes. I had heard this hundreds of times over, and everytime it left a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. 

"Women demanded equal rights, and when they protested, they were immediately punished," I stated trying for boredom rather than anger, "all they wanted was equality."

  "Well, if women are given equality, what's to stop them from demanding more, or usurping positions of power that they cannot handle," the professor asked with a scowl.

"How do we know they cannot handle these positions if we never give them the chance to prove themselves? Why do we assume that men are ultimately superior? Because they are physically stronger? What does physical strength have to do with the logistics and rationality of running a kingdom?" 

I stand up from the table, unable to contain my anger for much longer. I see Tristen slowly emerge from the shadows to stand beside me, his face betraying none of his feelings on the subject.

"I'm done, this lessn is over, I will see you next week Professor," I state, drowning my last word in venom.

"Prince Elijah -" I slam the door shut before hearing another word and storm down the hallway.

"Idiots the lot of them," I mutter, noting Tristen's nod of agreement beside me.