Nicandro's POV

"I'll still be here if you still have your royal title or not. Good luck."

"I'll talk to you after all this." And I hung up the phone, because there were a bunch of people outside the door waiting for me.

I opened the door, and all eyes were on me. Efren was just standing right on the other side of the door so I discreetly passed the phone to him. My father was talking to our lawyers and my mother was talking to Aunt Reina. Apparently, everyone is acting oblivious to the fact that my family could lose our royal titles in a matter of a few hours.

The doors then burst open, revealing Perez with some parts of his suit unbuttoned and his dark grey suit looking a little crumpled. His hair was all shrivelled up and I don't think he has the ability to stand straight judging from this posture.

But there's no point in that now.

"Everyone! I need your help with something." That got everyone's attention. He held up two ties. "Should I wear this bright blue tie with polka dots; you know, with some style, or the plain old black tie?"

I wager he's drunk.

"No answer, really? Well then I'll just go with the blue one. If I'm not going to be a prince in the next two hours or so, I might as well make one last impression. So-" Before he could finish his sentence, Aunt Reina pulled on his arm and dragged him out of the room.

I looked over to the end of the big room that I was in, which was where all the children were at. Pazel, Pascul, Filia and Filis were talking amongst themselves, unaware of the gravity of the situation. They knew about losing their titles, but not about the process afterwards. Our family would most likely be shamed for the next two generations.

A few minutes later, it was time to go to the court and my entire family made our way outside the castle and into our respective cars for each of the families. I went into the first car with my mother and father, along with two of our advisors. My father was seated in the front role discussing some last-minute preparations while I was seated in the back row with my mother, and there was undeniable awkward tension between us.

"How are you feeling, Nicandro?" She finally broke the silence after a good ten minutes.

To be honest, I wouldn't have any objections if all of us were stripped of our titles, since most of us are just comfortable with the power and don't really care about what has happened to our country in the past few months. But if that were to happen, I'm afraid of how others will view me; especially Alveanea, Miguel, Azul and my other friends. Will they finally decide to view me as they do grandfather and will I ever be free from his doings?

"I just want to get through this." I looked away from her and looked outside the window to see the courthouse in view.

Five minutes later, we made it to the front of the courthouse, but we had to go in through the back entrance as even the twenty security guards from all three families couldn't shield us from the number of people waiting outside the courthouse. I estimate around fifteen thousand people crowding around all the way from the entrance to the shophouses across the streets, even that the roads had to be blocked off from more people crowding. I can tell from the underestimation of security assigned as they barely held off the people from us making our way through.

Most of their faces were a mixture of anger, frustration, resentment and disappointment. All I can think about is that I completely understand what they were feeling and that fueled a little of my anger towards my grandfather for how he handled himself as a leader in his almost twenty years of ruling the country. But I put that anger away for now as if there was any chance of my family staying in power, it wasn't about my grandfather, but how we can improve the future monarchy in Spain.

As my family made our way into the courthouse and to the courtroom, it was quite empty as they probably cornered this part of the courthouse to only certain people. Everyone whom we walked past gave us a hard stare, and I avoided all of them, not wanting to get any unnecessary thoughts before the trial. When we finally went into the courtroom, we were greeted by none other than grandfather's brother and his son, the people who will be in power if my family loses the case today. I don't see them very often, only a few times per year and I don't get the impression that they were nice people. Both of them were seated at the back of the room, and the other people with them were probably their advisors and lawyers.

I saw that the government represented lawyers were already seated, and our lawyers went to sit at the other side, with me, mother and father directly behind them. Aunt Reina's and Uncle Naldo's family sat a few roles back from us. The remaining people in the room were government officials, security guards, clerk, bailiff and court reporters.

Before I knew it, the bailiff asked everyone to rise for the seven judges who have decided on my family's fate. I knew their names all too well from every time there was a discussion with our lawyers regarding the case. Judge Abril, Bello, Navarro, Serrano, Ortega, Delgado and Lopez walked up to the bench and sat in that order. Judge Serrano was the head judge for this case and I observed her eyes wandering around the room, observing and taking everything in. All of us sat down as the judges sat down.

She put the microphone closer to her and said, "Case D16202004 is now in session." And she banged the gavel.

The bailiff then proceeded to read the names of the people involved, the nature of this trial and the possible results of the trial. Judge Serrano will then allow each side two minutes to reinstate their case, and the government side went first.

Ms Torres, the lead lawyer then stood up and began talking. "Today, we come here for the accountability of which the royal family has done. King Eduardo Calderon abandoned his own son because he was born with one arm, which resulted in him growing up on the wrong path and becoming an internationally famous drug lord who has cost countless lives during his operation. That action alone was only one of the horrific things which he had done. Because of his corrupt ruling, his son, Rodrigo, also known as Felon was able to intercept the security in the royal palace and commit an act of terrorism. Civilians have the right to be frustrated with the possibility that there could be a threat to our national security. This is why I am here today, representing their voices, asking the judges to make the right decision to allow our country from fully moving on from this."

I remember the time when the police searched the entire castle from top to bottom, finding any evidence that my grandfather knew of the existence of the son which he abandoned. Sure enough, they found his birth certificate in a wine bottle in his bedroom. One of the maids in the castle also came forward and confirmed she was paid a handsome sum of money from this unknown person who was no doubt Felon to deliver threatening letters to grandfather.

She sat back and judge Serrano asked our head lawyer, Mr Alonso to proceed. "It's the sad truth that Spain has not been at it's best for the past few months. The incident which happened on the night of the winter ball last year will be in the country's history books and will not be forgotten. What happened that night was indeed an act of terrorism from an international drug lord known as Felon. The royal family has been cooperative with the police and government officials throughout this period and will continue to do so. Prince Ricardo and Nicandro have done their part well in restoring the peace within the country and relations with other countries. The royal family does not condone those actions King Eduardo has done and is hoping to move forward from this as well as catching Felon to account for his despicable actions."

"Thank you, Ms Torres and Mr Alonso, we will take a fifteen-minute recess for the judges and I to confirm our votes." Judge Serrano banged the gavel and murmurings started to rise.

"Actually your honours, my client would like to propose a change in their motion," Mr Alonso started speaking and all eyes in the courtroom turned to him.

I don't remember this being part of the plan.

"Objection, your honours," came from Ms Torres, as she stood up from her seat turning to face us. "You can't just make a change in the motion right before the judges cast their votes."

"Not if the approval of the new motion is signed by two-third of the senate and the vice president." Whispers broke in the courtroom as I looked around to see everyone with confused looks except my parents.

What the hell is going on?

Even judge Serrano looked taken aback by this sudden statement from our lawyer but quickly recovered and said, "Objection overruled. Mr Alonso, show me the approval papers."

As judge Serrano read the papers, I leaned to my right and whispered to my father, "What is going on?"

He didn't look at me. "Just trust me and be patient."

Finally, judge Serrano spoke up. "This approval seems legitimate, and based on code 236A in section forty-five of the law, getting more than half of the senate's signatures can allow change of motion right before judges' decision. Therefore, I will allow the change in motion. The clerk will now read out the new motion."

The clerk got up from his seat which is in front of the judges' bench and read out the new motion. "The original motion states that if the royal family do keep their titles as decided by the judges, his royal highness, prince Ricardo Velasquez Calderon will be the next king of Spain. The newly approved motion now states that if the royal family do keep their titles as decided by the judges, his royal highness, prince Nicandro Rivera Calderon will be the next king of Spain."

No. No way.

You would have thought the courtroom would have broken into havoc, but there were only bare murmurings and the government officials exchanged pointed stares with one another. I kept my emotions in check, not wanting to lash out at my father for doing this behind my back right here. Judge Serrano banged the gavel and gave a fifteen-minute recess.

Once the judges went into the chambers, I turned to my father and tried my best to control my emotions. "How could you do this behind my back? Without my knowledge at all?"

"Let's talk privately in another room." He replied before standing up with my mother and walking out of the courtroom. I looked at the rest of my family members, all the adults giving me a undeducable look while Perez was not surprisingly annoyed.

All of them knew about this. All except me.

"I can't believe you did this!" I lashed out at him once the doors closed in the room we went into a few doors away from the courtroom.

"Son, let me explain." He tried to reason with me.

"Don't even bother. My mind is made up just like when you decided to go behind my back and pulled this crap. You made a change that will change the rest of my life and didn't even bother telling me? You just think that I'm weak, unlike grandpa." I noticed my mother and our lawyer standing at the corner of the room, deciding whether to help de-escalate the situation or let it play its course.

"You got it all wrong son, I don't think that you're weak. You have kindness and compassion, which is more than what could be said for your grandfather. That is also what I know will be the thing that makes you a greater king than him."

Anger slowly started to dissolve from within me, but confusion continued to stir up. "Why didn't you tell me you were going to change the motion then?"

He sighed. "Because there's no way in hell our family can keep their royal titles if it meant me sitting on the throne. It would be an absolute disaster for Spain if their next king looks exactly the same as an international drug lord. What assurance would there be to the people of Spain if I wasn't abducted and my twin brother poses as me? Also, if I had told you what I was going to do beforehand, you wouldn't have agreed to it and told me to fight it. Deep down, I knew there was no chance of me ever being the king of Spain when I found out who my twin brother was."

There were a few moments of silence before my mother spoke up. "I know I'm very proud of you, Nicandro."

I scoffed. "Provided that the judges have to agree on that first. Don't get all hopeful just yet, mom."

"I know you're not one to gossip, so let's say your parents aren't the only one who sees the potential in you. When we presented this to the senate and vice-president, there was not much persuasion that was done." Mr Alonso added on.

"This... corruption which started from many generations ago will end with me and start anew with you." My father patted me on the shoulder. "Come on now, let's go back to the courtroom."

As everyone settled down and the judge Serrano banged the gavel once again, nervousness flowed through my veins. I cannot believe that this is actually happening. That I could become the next king of Spain way earlier than I had hoped.

"Upon the change in the motion, the judges and I have re-evaluated our decisions. The vote to allowing the descendants of King Eduardo Calderon to objection is five to two."

We won.

There were cheers and applause from my family, stoic faces from the government side and a very unhappy reaction from grandfather's brother and his son as they walked out of the courtroom.

I noticed Ms Torres whispering to her partner before standing up. "Your honours, if I may propose a suggestion."

Judge Serrano looked over to our side. "If the defence wants to hear it."

Mr Alonso was ready to stand up and shut it down, but I managed to beat him to it and stood up. "Let's hear it."

There was a wave of shock across everyone's faces to my sudden outburst. I can tell Mr Alonso was going to stop me before my father signalled him to stand down. Ms Torres quickly got over it and cleared her throat. "My superiors and I would like to propose the government and the royal family working more closely together. In your royal cabinet seats, we see it best that you open some seats for the government."

Just getting my first gist of being king, answering the hard questions.

"I completely support this idea. We're better working together than apart. And, the royal family still needs the government's help with catching and prosecuting Felon. The people in this country need unity more than ever now." Ms Torres nodded her head in agreement and sat down.

"Well, I guess Ms Torres was thinking what the judges were thinking. The judges and I decided that the coronation of Prince Nicandro will take place next year, a week after he turns twenty-one, so as to hopefully settle everything before then." Judge Serrano announced and I wasn't surprised at all. I know they think even though I may not be as ruthless as my grandfather, my leniency may do harm to the country in certain aspects.

"So do both sides have any objections to this?" Both Mr Alonso and Ms Torres kept quiet, which judge Serrano took as a sign to continue.

"Since there are no objections, I can declare the royal family officially keeping their titles and prince Nicandro Rivera Calderon will be the next king of Spain."

And the gavel banged.