I silently watch Merric from afar, above on the balcony, as he continues to sit alone in the courtyard ignoring everyone who tries to speak to him. I am unsure if he even sleeps anymore. Every time I look for him, this is where he is. He has slowly become more and more isolated as time passes. Winter has begun and his twentieth birthday is approaching. The ground is covered with a fresh blanket of white powdery snow glistening from the morning sunrise beams.

Ever since Mama and Papa became Queen and King last year, the Kingdom has been in a rebuilding state. The Castle has been a safe heaven where families and citizens come to us for food, warmth and shelter as we rebuild from the war. We have a large greenhouse within the Castle walls that we built to grow food while we rebuild what we once had.

For months now, Mama has been using her healing magic to slowly heal the ill back to health with the assistance from the Castle maids but her spells work very slowly. She cannot heal more than two a day and after her spell, there is a recovery time period where the patient is still ill for some time. Merric used to help Mama but about a month ago he has stopped and no one knows why.

He used to get visited by one of the girls from the nearby village temporarily built by Mama and Papa's men for shelter. Many have taking a liking to him ever since we were accepted as the Kingdom's princes, heirs to the throne. As I wander around the town square on days when I go shopping for Mama and Papa, I always hear gossip and small talk from the girls about him.

I get one more look at him before spinning around, speeding through the hallways and down the spiral staircase. I grab my large black coat and pull it on, button up the front and leave through the Castle front doors. The cold chill from early winter swirls around me as small snowflakes dance within the breeze, slowly starting anew. With every step, the snow beneath my boots crunch as I make my way into town just outside the Castle gates, known as town square.

This is the first section of the Kingdom we rebuilt where people gather to collect supplies and meet with Mama and Papa for their daily rations provided by the Castle. Many smile at me and give a short bow or nod as I pass, acknowledging my presence. I smile and wave at each of them, sharing my positiveness with them. I enjoy showing my face around town.

"Good morning, my prince,"

I turn to find the familiar face of the townswoman who runs the small flower shoppe. Her blonde hair is wrapped in a red bandanna and pulled into a bun. Her long dress has the Kingdom's emblem etched on it in a deep blue cloth. Mama and Papa appointed her in charge of their flowers they grow in the greenhouse and she sells them as a job. This is how all of the shoppes around town square operate. As they were rebuilt, Mama and Papa gave the citizens their jobs and shoppes back before the war destroyed them.

I smile up at her, "Morning Madam Carolynn,"

"What brings you to town this early morning?"

I follow her into her shoppe and I lean against the counter, "Do you have any of those red carnations in today?"

She smiles, turns around and I watch her stride across the room to one of her stands displaying flowers. She picks up a base with a bunch of flowers I just asked for in her hands and glides back over to me at the counter. She gently sits them in front of me and I eye them, studying them closely.

These are perfect. I knew Mama and Papa's next batch of them were blooming soon.

She laughs at me, "You knew I had them in today didn't you?"

I nod happily. She studies me for a moment, "It is that time of year isn't it,"

I nod as my smile drops slightly, "I hope he likes them, Carolynn. He hasn't spoke to me in a long time,"

Concern fills her face, "I heard from your mother. Maybe these will lift his spirits,"

I nod hopefully and reach for my sack of gold coins. She types on the cash register and the buttons click clack away as she types up the exchange price tag before looking back down at me. She looks at my hand and her eyes widen in surprise as I hand her more coin needed for the purchase.

"Here, Carolynn, the extra is for your family from me,"

She hesitates before accepting the coin, "Oh, Lance,"

She grasps my hand with hers and smiles sweetly at me, "You kind boy, thank you so much,"

She walks around the counter and offers me an embrace that I happily accept. After a moment, she pulls away, "Our Kingdom is blessed with a kind royal family. I see the kindness of the Queen in you, young Prince,"

I feel pride wash over me with her kind words. My face warms, "I do my best as Prince, Carolynn,"

I wave good-bye to her as she waves warmly after me. I hold the concealed flower basin in my hands as I roam through town, brightening up my people's faces as they see my approach. I hand each of them a single coin, a gift from me, from my stash until my sack is empty, spreading my wealth into the town. They each thank me gratefully and show their appreciation as I take my leave, back to the Castle.

The sun is at its max height for the day as I return to the front doors. I push them open and slowly make my way behind the staircase to enter the courtyard. I enter the doorway and a sudden chill runs down my spine. I take a few steps forward and the place where Merric was sitting is empty.

Dumbfounded, I gently place the gift near the wall of the greenhouse and search the Castle for my brother. I have not seen him anywhere but at that spot now for months. Chills continue flowing down my spine as my search comes up short as I explore the Castle.

I turn a corner into the throne room and I stop in my tracks to my brother staring right at me one foot away from me. His appearance is unusual, like a statue, a shape, and his darkened eyes are piercing right through me.

"M--Merric?"

He hasn't done anything except stare back at me with those darkened eyes.

He raises his hand and I raise my arms in front of my face to defend. I feel something knock me aside and I hit the ground.

Blackness fades in around me.

~~~

A scream fades into my ears and my eyes burst open. I sit up swiftly and find I am still on the ground of the throne room. A loud thud sound forces my gaze up to find Merric slowly approaching Mama while a Castle maid is between them.

The maid is sprawled out on the floor.

She's dead.