Roland had posted a regular guard outside my room for the rest of the evening but just as I had finished changing into my common clothes he knocked on my door. I eyed him over as he presented himself with a nod, and appreciated his simple look. No one would take us for a knight and a prince if they spotted us in town.

He led the way through the castle, and he surprised me by knowing the shortcuts and secret doors that led us outside without anyone noticing. "I'm impressed," I mouthed and he raised an eyebrow.

"I don't have to agree with what you do, I'm only here to protect you, and I appreciate that you invited me because it makes my life easier."

"It might have been fun playing hide and seek though," I chuckled but he gave me a firm, "no," in response.

We soon entered the streets of the city which lay closely beneath the castle grounds. These streets were quiet but the closer we got to the citycenter the more people we encountered. I pulled a hood down over my face knowing I would be instantly recognised and even though I knew I was out of danger here I didn't want the court to hear of my escapades in the city.

"Afraid?" my companion chuckled and I sighed at him.

"I can handle myself in the city, it's the court's eyes I'm hiding from."

He glanced at me and nodded, "you hate them just as much as I do," he confirmed to himself, "why?"

"Why do you hate them?" I countered but didn't get a reply so I decided to answer his question. "Because I'm different and they don't like that, so they treat me like shit. Always has, even when I was a kid."

"Because you question them, men with power don't like to be questioned," he said.

"Men with power should be a bit more careful about what they say and do, because power can be removed," I muttered and led us towards the brothel and I instantly noticed how uncomfortable that made him.

The cobblestones here were filthy, a group of drunk men sat in the street corner singing and shouting, others were playing a game of dice and a bit further down the road a man was fucking a whore for everyone to see. She was not one of the girls working in the establishment, but one of the poor bastards who did desperate things for a meal. I looked around and sighed, these people were the scums everyone avoided, the ones who lived in the slums of the city, they who weren't allowed into the brothel because they couldn't afford anything inside. They were the poorest of the poor and they sat here only because of the lanterns that hung from the roof and spread a welcoming light in the dark street and with hopes that someone merciful would spare them some change. That person was me.

"It's been a while Good Prince," the toothless man said as he grinned at me while I handed him and his friends some coins.

"Yes, I've been busy, Lee," I said and patted his shoulder, "how's the missus?"

"Alive and very much pregnant," he sighed. "It's our fourth."

I nodded and handed him a few extra coins, "better not use them for drinks then, ey?" The fellow grinned and nodded as he hid the coins inside his vest. "And by the way lads, you haven't seen me here, all right?" They all nodded and turned their attention to the game again as if I've never even been there.

"Their wives and kids won't see a penny," Roland muttered as we walked up to the brothel doors and I greeted the bouncer.

"Maybe, maybe not, but they were given the chance to do better, everyone deserves a chance," I answered him and looked around the open space that was both a bar and a lounge area, spotting the one I was searching for instantly. Her dark skin and curly hair stood out from everyone else. My feet moved quickly towards her through the crowd, my fingers circled her wrist as I walked past her and gently pulled her with me towards the stairs.

"You came," Gabrielle whispered as she walked closely behind me, then turned to eye Roland who followed us. "Who's the friend?"

"Not a friend, and he's not joining us so keep your panties on," I chuckled and got a frown from the female.

"So if he's not here to fuck, then why come at all?" she asked me but she looked at Roland.

"None of your business darling," he muttered as we neared the door to her bedroom.

"He's my protector," I grinned and gave him a wink and my comment made Gabrielle's eyes move from me to him and then back to me again.

"A lover then?" She snickered before opening the door and I could see how utterly uncomfortable Roland got.

"Sadly no," I answered and it made his eyes widen slightly, "I don't even know if he fancies men," I added as I peered thoughtful at him for a while. "This will take a while, you don't have to stand outside, go enjoy yourself Randy," I addressed him before I closed the door in his face.

Gabrielle fell backwards on the bed and sighed as I sat down beside her, "so, Joseph delivered my message?" she asked though she must have known the answer since I was visiting for the first time in weeks.

"Yes, well it wasn't much of a message, he told me you missed me," I said and lay down beside her to pull her body close to mine.

"Not really," she teased, "but your visits give me a break from the other men in this shit town."

I nodded slightly but didn't encourage her to talk more of it. Gabrielle owned a piece of my heart, not in a romantical way but she meant a lot to me and knowing what she had to endure for a living made me hate this world even more. I had offered her other jobs but she refused, saying she could handle herself and didn't want my money or my pity. That was when I started to pay her for my visits, saying it was beneficial for my reputation if people thought I was fucking women.

"How's the other girls?"

"Matilda misses you," she said with a sigh, "she keeps asking when you'll be here because she wants you to finish the book you read to her."

"I should teach the girl to read," I chuckled and let my fingers brush over a hardly visible bruise formed on the dark skin. "I wish you all could come and live with me in the castle," I mumbled but only got a snicker from her.

"We would die of boredom," she concluded and rose from the bed. "And you need us here, as your informal spies."

"I'd rather have you bored and safe than bruised," I told her but she rolled her eyes and opened the door, only to be met with Roland's questioning gaze.

"Go find a girl called Angela, will you dear, and tell her we have a special guest."

He sighed deeply as he reluctantly left for the stairs, and a few moments later the door opened and my three other girls entered the room excitedly.

"Adriaaan!" Matilda, the red headed girl cried out and threw herself around my neck, "we missed you! Where have you been? Bad, bad prince!"

I stole a glance at Roland who was dragged inside by Gabrielle before she closed the door. He was obviously doing his best not to look at us as some of the new girls were taking turns hugging me and giving me light kisses on my face, wondering what he was doing on this side of the bedroom door.

"I've been busy," I said reluctantly and was instantly greeted with pouty lips.

"Too busy for us?" She complained and I rolled my eyes but didn't have to respond as Angela, the oldest and most responsible of the quartet, removed the youngest of them from my body.

"He's about to be king soon, Matilda, remember? He doesn't have time to come down here every other night anymore."

The doe eyed girl sighed and sank down into a chair with a frown on her face, "so can we come visit you then?"

"Don't worry we'll figure something out," I said with a smile, trying my best to comfort her.

I sat down on the bed looking at the four of them, they all had come from different parts of the world but ended up here for some reason. Matilda was a local, Gabrielle never spoke of her past but I knew she came from a country far away from here. Angela had traveled here by choice because of the war that was going on in the south and her kind wasn't welcome in her country anymore. She was beautiful with her long raven black hair and light skin, but I also knew she was as deadly as a viper. There were some hidden mysteries surrounding her but I had never asked her about the throwing knives in her corset and she never mentioned them. And lastly there was Penelope, a girl who'd been sold to the brothel by her own family, an anxious looking blonde with sad eyes who never ever smiled. But for some reason she kept joining the other girls when I was around even though she rarely spoke to me.

Matilda made herself comfortable in my lap as I sat down at the head of the bed and she instantly started to search my pockets for treats or presents. Gabrielle sat down in one of the chairs next to Penelope who was studying Roland intensely until she blurted out, "who's he?"

"Never mind him," Gabrielle answered before looking at me, "we have things to discuss and he might need to hear it to keep Adrian safe."

As Matilda found my coin pouch and emptied it all on the mattress to start counting them I turned my attention to Angela, "what's going on?"

"It's just rumors, but people are discussing raised taxes and they're not liking it. What do you know about it?" She answered and gave me a stern look.

"Nothing?" I said before I corrected Matilda who was still counting coins, "Sixteen, Love, it's fifteen, sixteen and then seventeen." That girl was so eager to learn I thought and gave her an encouraging smile.

"Well, people are starving as it is, and if you're raising taxes they will revolt against you," Angela continued.

"I'm not doing anything!" I gasped, "It's not like I'm in charge or anything!"

"Then bloody take charge!" she hissed, "your people need you."

"Calm down Angie," Gabrielle sighed, "do we really need to talk about politics right now? This wasn't why I sent for him and you know that."

"So what's this about," Roland interrupted and his voice sounded stern and firm, "you all better tell me now."

Gabrielle nodded and turned to him, "We have all types of men buying our services," she explained, "and we overheard one talking about a plot against the crown."

"It's already been done," I muttered, "my brother is dead."

"Not all are happy about that Adrian," she sighed, "you have enemies now, those who wanted a warlord who would help them gain more lands and riches.You are known and loved by the people and they hate that, they hate you for wanting to do good."

"Maybe that's why they want to raise taxes, to please those greedy assholes," Angela muttered thoughtfully.

"Oh for fucks sake!" I shouted as I removed Matilda from my lap and rose from the bed. "All kings have enemies."

"Sure, darling, but yours live inside your own home, so you better be careful."

I sighed as both Angela and Gabrielle turned to Roland, "you better keep him alive."