*Shadow's POV *
It only took a second for me to realize the person is front of us was him. It took me by surprise at seeing him dressed like this and now I had more questions than answers. For just a second his fur changed colors and that's when I noticed.

It now made a bit more sense the way he had been acting when he was back with us at the foxes house. But still, I had to confront him, but I wasn't going to tell Rouge about it. She was already fantasizing about taking one of the gems he was wearing which I reminded her were from the royal family and she now pouted.

"Explain." I said as we were now face to face. He had dragged into a closet room, but looked more like a bedroom from the size of it alone, it only had cleaning supplies.

He remained with the mask on as he spoke. "What do you want?"

"Explain." I growled.

"You can't tell anyone."

"You expect me to believe YOU are the prince?" I chuckled.

"Believe it or not, that's your choice, Shadow. I just want you to leave my family alone and please, don't reveal who I am. I am trying to protect them." My ear twitched, he sounded sincere but I couldn't believe him.

"Tell me the truth." I growled and tried to pin him to the wall but he immediately jumped back and pulled out a sword he carried with him. Standing with the proper fighting form.

"Get closer and I won't hold back. I'll do anything for them." He growled.

Who is this?

I took a step back not wanting to believe it. "You're actually?" He nodded.

"I went through a lot, Shadow. Saw many people die, rescued thousands. I couldn't stay in the castle and watch Eggman destroy homes and separate families, Tails is the only one who knows. I never see my family, scared someone like you will hurt them if they were to find out I am a prince, they'll use them against me, or use me against them. So tell me what you want for you to leave my family alone. You want money? You want me gone? Anything." He wasn't who I thought he was. He removed his mask and saw as his fur changed back to his original azure color. I was in shock, his sword was still pointing in my direction. "You have no idea who I am or what I am capable of." He growled.

"I don't want anything." I said then kicked his hand making him drop the sword. "I'm not going to hurt you or your family." I promised making him look at me in disbelief. 

"But you hate me."

"Yes." I nodded. "But Rouge and I were just trying to figure out your secret, Hedgehog. Nothing more. We were just trying to figure out if you were a threat to the royal family from the way you were acting that night." I picked up the sword then handed it back to him, hoping it would make him relax a bit. "I won't tell anyone. Not even Rouge."

"Why are you doing this?" He asked confused as he put the sword back at his side. "I don't need you to treat me any different now that you know who I am."

"Your family will be in danger if anyone found out. As much as I can't stand you, I don't want your family to take the hit." I confessed.

I didn't need them, but they were important for everyone else and I was now curious to know what his story truly was.

"T-Thank you." He put the mask back on and saw him relax a bit.

"But I'll be keeping an eye on you. It was easy for me to find out, it won't take long before others find out too. Why would you make this an open party?"

"My mother wants me to find a boyfriend." He chuckled and I raised a brow. "She was hoping we would find partners at the party. She wants us to get married soon so one of us can take the crown." I watched again as his fur changed to the darker shade he had before and I asked him confused as to how he could do that. "You don't want to know. We should go, I'm supposed to be present."

I let him go out first then I headed to meet with the others after a while just to make sure no one saw us together.  He looked like a totally different person which threw me off so much and he acted completely different too.

"Shadow the Hedgehog." Someone grabbed my shoulder and stopped me from walking. I recognized the voice so I remained calm. "Maurice told me what happened, I caught him walking out and looking worried. We need to talk." The man said as he guided me into the castle. "Let's take a walk, shall we?"

"I am not going to say anything." I said as I walked beside him. Chuck, I think was his name. He didn't look scary or like he could do much to me but he was part of the royal family and as easy as I could get rid of them, it was best to go along.

"That's not why I'm talking to you, son." We walked down the hallways, guards were everywhere. "Since you know our little secret, I need to ask you for a favor."

I looked at him and raised a brow. "What favor are we talking about?" I asked but he kept looking straight ahead.

"I hear that you hate Maurice, so much as to nearly kill him multiple times." Suddenly some guards walked along with us, behind me. "I assume now that you know who he is, you'll stop treating him so horrible." He hummed. As the wind moved his suit, I could see he was holding a weapon. "So I need your help to keep him safe outside of the castle."

"Keep him safe?" I rolled my eyes not feeling the least bit intimidated.

"He said you don't want anything in return to keep our secret but I don't believe it. What did you want?"

"Nothing." I answered. "Chaos would erupt if something were to happen to you and your family."

He stopped walking and looked at me. We had gone around in a circle and we were back where we started. Right outside the ballroom doors. "So you'll do as I ask?" He asked and I nodded. "Great. Then take Maurice for a dance and let him know, he won't like it and will probably fight you over it, but that's why I'm asking you, you're used to it."

This whole family is crazy.

I nodded in return not even bothering to say anything else. What was I supposed to do? While they weren't as strong as I was, they held a lot of power so all I could do was agree with them or they will probably make my life a living hell.

"Would you like to dance?" I cleared my throat clearly uncomfortable after I reached Faker. He turned around and looked at me, I couldn't see his reaction due to the mask but I knew he was confused. Nonetheless, he accepted.

Rouge was never going to stop asking questions after this.