Ashton's POV

I opened my eyes and blinked a few times to adjust to the blinding deep orange sunlight peaking through my blinds.

I ripped the covers off me, walked to my window and opened the blinds. I looked outside and admired the view. I always found sunrises and sunsets breathtaking.

I turned around and looked at the clock on the wall, quarter past five, it read. I could never really sleep again after what happened. I blame myself even though everyone else says I shouldn't, it's my fault. I should have tried harder to stop her.

I blink back my tears and head into the bathroom to take a hot steaming shower and get ready for the day.

* A few minutes later*

I exit the bathroom refreshed and revitalized ready for the day ahead. I wore black trousers, a white shirt and a black blazer.

I left my hair disheveled which apparently is sexy. I walk out my room and stride through the now familiar hall of one of our mansions, this one is in Crystillion as I'm currently here due to royal business and I used to live here when I was in highschool.

I enter the kitchen and all the servants immediately bow their heads in respect and greet me as I walk pass. I nod my head in acknowledgement and sit on the bar stool.

"Ah morning Prince Ashton, I see you are still an early bird.", Lilith said warmly with a smile making her wrinkles more visible.

"You know what they say, the early bird catches the worm.", I say with a slight smile.

She laughed in response and proceeded to ask me what I would like for breakfast today.

"I would like waffles and cream today, thank you.", I replied as she nodded and turned to prepare my breakfast.

I took out my phone as I heard a ping. I saw a message from Victor displayed on my home screen as I opened my phone.

I unlocked it and read the message.

Vic: Hey don't forget you said you would come over to talk about the situation...

Me: Oh yeah, tbh I actually forgot

+Vic: Ik that's why I messaged you

Me: I'll be there in 30 mins

Vic: Make sure Riveria doesn't see you or know why you are coming for now.

Me: Yeah sure

I came out the chat and checked the time, 06:05, yeah, I am good for time.

I should probably wake Zacharias and Hanna or they will be late for school.

"I will be back in a few, I am going to go wake up Hanna and Zach.", I said to Lilith as I got off the stool towards, my ten years old sister, Hanna's room first.

I got there and knocked on her door, "Hey Hanna, I am coming in!"

I opened her door and poked my head and looked around her bright magenta coloured room and I noticed a small hump under her Barbie themed duvet cover. I sighed and walked into her room and that is when I heard soft snores.

I sat at the edge of her bed next to her and gently peeled off her duvet and called out her name. She groaned slightly and slowly opened her eyes. She stretched her arms and sat up leaning on her headboard.

"Good... morning.", she said while yawning and rubbing her eyes.

I smiled at her; she is so adorable.

"Good morning, Hanna, now hurry up and get ready for school or you will be late."

I stood up and saw how her eyes widened and she scurried out of her bed.

"Oh my God, I am going to be late.", she mumbled as she frantically reached for things in her room.

I shook my head and left her room. Now Zach, great.

I enter his room and instantly see clothes sprawled all around his room and feel as if my oxygen supply had been temporarily cut off as I am instantly suffocated by the amount of cologne in the room. I internally groan, damn teenager.

"Hey, Zach wake up. Zacharias!", I yelled staying as close to the door as possible.

No response.

Roll my eyes, even I was not this difficult at fifteen years...I think.

I harshly ripped the blankets off him.

"Wake up, dumbass!"

He groans and says unhappily, "The fuck, Ashton I don't need your help waking up in the morning, I can do it myself!"

"Yeah, well it sure looked like you were doing amazing.", I retorted sarcastically.

He rolled eyes and stomped off angrily to his bathroom.

I sighed; I really hope he doesn't turn out like me.

I head back to the kitchen to eat breakfast eager to dig in because Lilith's cooking is the best.

.....

I drove onto the Crystillion palace driveway and parked my car directly in line with the dark Oak double doors. I took my phone and messaged Victor informing him of my arrival.

Me: I am here.

I was about to pocket my phone when phone pinged. He replied already, I chuckled at my friend's behaviour, it is so Vic.

Vic: okay, wait for me outside.

I read the message and check the time before I pocket my phone and get out of my car. The  residential valet then entered my car as I walked off.  I'm pretty early, 06:40, we did not have a definite time as to when we would start. 

The doors open and Vic jogs towards me and we do our bro hug.

"Hey Ash, let's go quick. Riveria is still occupied with having to get Nakia ready for school, but she will probably be done soon.", he said as he turned around to the door and waved me over.

We walked through the doors, and I closed them once inside. We climbed the stairs and turned right and passed a few maids on our way.

There was a dead end. I was confused, "Um why did you lead us to a dead end?"

He turned around and had a huge smirk plastered on his face making me feel a bit creeped out.

"I didn't."

A took a step back and raised a brow conveying a ' then what the hell is this' look.

He dropped his smirk and chuckled, "It is an elevator." He said as he flipped a small portion of the wall like a flat switch and revealed a retina scanner in front him. He came closer to it and a thin red horizontal laser line traveled down his eyes.

"You may enter Prince Victor Elijah Crystillion.", a feminine robotic voice chimed starling me a little.

Suddenly buttons appeared and Victor pressed level 3. The doors to the elevator opened, and we entered.

"When are officially going to be coronated as king? Your birthday was in October, and it is already December.", I asked breaking the comfortable silence.

He sighed and shrugged, "Father said that he would like me to take over in the beginning of the year, so in January, but I don't know the exact date though. Mother is still working on it."

I nodded and said, "Well mine is on the 24th March of but dates haven't been released to the press yet, you are the only one, well excluding my immediate family, that knows."

I was indirectly giving him a verbal invitation and confirmation of my coronation.

"Sure man, I won't tell a soul, I promise.", he said seriously but suddenly, like a switch was flipped, his mood changed.

"I Pinky promise.", he declared cheekily while holding out his pinky.

This guy is unbelievable, people might see him as someone who is closed off and anti-social, but this is what I see and unfortunately have to deal with.

I rolled my eyes a pushed his pinky away.

"Pwease?", he whispered in a baby voice. He put on a pout and tried to persuade me with puppy dog eyes, keyword; tried.

He failed tremendously.

"No.", I deadpanned.

A few seconds of silence and contemplation later ... I mean he would have been heartbroken; it is totally not because I wanted too- because I didn't.

"Argh, fine. Pinky promise."

We interlocked pinky fingers.

"I will never break our pinky promise, okay?"

"Yeah, sure, Vic."

The elevator finally came to a stop, and we got out and continued walking to Victor's office.

We walked in comfortable silence until we made it into his office. It had a large black cedar office desk near the large windows. On the right is a grey plush couch and a short glass coffee table in front of it which had a small stack of coasters, a neat pile of magazines and a newspaper.

Victor went in and sat on his black swivel chair. I sat on one of the black chairs in front of the desk. I rested my arms on the arm rest and looked around the room properly soaking in its features.

The dark grey walls, a small table with glasses and two bottles of whiskey and a small metal bucket of ice. There were a few pictures hanging on the wall and mini library. The opened blinds bringing in natural light is exactly what this dark room needs right now.

I focused my attention to Victor ready to hear what he had to say about our situation...

"Scotch whiskey or Burbon whiskey?", he asked standing up and heading towards the table with the alcoholic beverages.

"Scotch please.", I answered.

"Sure."

"Ice?", he asked as he poured my beverage.

"No thank you."

He went around his desk and took two coasters from the stack and placed one in front of me and the other on his side of the desk.

He held both the glasses in his hands and placed mine on my coaster and sat down. He took and gulp of his and put the empty glass on the coaster.

He looked up at me and put his hands together.

"So, as you have been informed you are going to be Riveria's suitor. I need you to sign your side of the legal documents so they can be sent to the Royal Council as proof of your ... match with Riveria.", he said intentionally using a word as ambiguous as "match" avoiding matrimony and marriage, which I appreciate but we cannot escape it and I have already given up on denying it because I simply cannot.

"Okay, just send it to me personally and I will finish it on Monday and send it to you."

"Sure, today is Friday, right?", he asked glancing at his desk calendar.

"Yeah.", I replied.

I feel like we aren't done here as much as he makes it seem like we are.

"Now with the business and formalities aside I would like to dive into the personal matters.", he said as he stretched his arms.

I knew it.

"Of course, dive right in."

"Riveria is my little sister Ash, and I want what is best for her. I was one of the people that voted for you to be her suitor, I did it because I was confident that you are the only person that can get through to her and take care of her like she deserves. I know you guys have some issues right now, but you guys used to be close before, you know before everything happened, and I am sure you guys will become close again. The connection you had with her was deep and sincere and-"

He didn't get to finish his sentence when I abruptly interrupted him.

"And yet she forgot! If it was so deep and sincere, why did she forget, huh?", I cut in furiously trying to cover the sorrow and grief I was feeling at the moment. He knows that this is an extremely sensitive subject.

"Calm down, Ashton you know as much as I that it is not her fault.", he said lowly trying to remain calm.

"No, do not tell me to calm down. You have no idea what I am going through.", I said through gritted teeth.

"Yes, I do! She is my sister, I'm not sure if you still remember that!", he shouted and banged his hands on the office desk as his calm façade crumbled.

As foolish as this sounds, I forgot, I forgot that he does in fact know what I am going through because he was close with Riveria too.

"I'm sorry.", I said with an emotionless face.

"Me too.", he sighed.

I got up to leave sensing that we both need a few minutes to ourselves.

I was about to touch the door handle when Victor unexpectedly spoke, "Take care of her, please."

I then left the room and sighed.

Why is being a royal so fucked up?

I walked towards the stairs because I don't have the necessary authority to excess the elevator. Before I knew it, I reached the ground floor and on my way to the door I noticed something on the floor. I bent down and picked it up. It was a beautiful locket, I put it in my pocket and my way to the car. I will probably give it to Victor or Riveria tonight.

I got into my sleek black Bugatti Centodiecia, and slightly smirked as it roared to life. I drove out of the gigantic gates of the Crystilion Palace, leaving the magnificent view in my rear-view window. I sighed thinking my life is such a mess. How did I my life get so complicated, being royalty...

It breaks a person.

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A/N :

I hope you guys loved Ashton POV. I don't have experience with male POVs so please bear with me.