Fire. It's the first thing he notices when he regains consciousness. His quarters are burning. His curtains are burning. He takes a moment to realise the situation he's in and it's not looking so good.

Smoke is filling the room he's in and quickly replacing all breathable air in its stead.  

 He had to get out. He had to find a way to escape. He attempted to gather his bearings and remain calm. His eyes darted around the burning room, but as he searched desperately for a way out, the curtains of fire surrounded him, bombarding him with their relentless heat and every second that passed by the amount of breathable air was consumed. He knew he had to find an exit immediately, or this fire would become turn this accident into an impromptu cremtion and just as he was about to collapse, the exit right behind him . Feeling a glimmer of hope, he rushed to it amidst all the smoke while covering his nose with his handkerchief and within a few seconds he's across the room and in front of the door. He yanks it open and take his first breath of fresh air in an attempt to dispel all the smoke that found its way into his lungs. But this action of his results in a massive coughing fit, he'd been in worse shape before but he was just relieved to be alive.

As he was recovering, he suddenly felt it. A hand belonging to a servant he didn't recognize and just as he was about to admonish this servant for his incompetence his abdomen was struck with a foreign cold object and pierced right through. It only took him but a moment to realise this abnormality in his body and just as he had felt it, it was gone. In its place was unbearable, unimaginable pain. He placed a hand to his chest in a desperate attempt to stifle the pain but it simply persisted.

He turned around to look at his assailant and instead of a servant his sight was met with a large robust figure in a black coat standing a few inches from him with a hood covering his face. His right hand holding a sword dripping with blood on it. The man pulled his hand from his chest and in shock he saw it. His hands were stained in blood, the blood on the sword was his.

As his consciousness faded he couldn't help but ask one thing, "Why?" The assailant remained silent and as the man looked into his assailants eyes he saw nothing but cold apathy and with but a swing of his assailants hand, the man's head was airborne, his body left behind, having lost it eternal bind.

As it rolled on the ground, the eyes on the face of the man revealed a lot of emotions, Indignance at the way he died, anger at his enemies and of course reluctance as he didn't want to die so soon. But who would mind the thoughts and feelings of a dead man. 

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

The black robed figure looked at the scene in front of him with impassive eyes and strolled his way down the corridor made his exit, Leaving a headless body and a decapitated head for the man's servants to find him in the morning. But before he could leave he couldn't help but want to leave them one last message. He wanted to know who did it.

* The next day* 

It was a beautiful day in the kingdom of Fanus. As the sun was rising, it brought with it all the hopes and dreams of countless nobles and peasants alike, Prince Elijah Faun was no different. He had risen early that morning to gaze outside the window to watch as the first rays of the sun illuminate his Kingdom and his people to remind him why he was striving for the throne. 

Elijah Faun was the son of King Eric Faun and Queen Marissa Faun. He and his brothers were all born on the same day, of the same month, of the same year. That's right The three princes of the kingdom of Fanus were indeed triplets. 

This little piece of information might not necessarily be that important if it wasn't for one matter. The right to be named King of Fanus. All three princes had a legitimate claim to be king. 

To make matters worse they were all considered extraordinary geniuses in their own right so no one could put one prince  over the others. One wouldn't know whether this could be considered a blessing or a curse for the Kingdom when faced with princes such as these. 

"My prince, your father, His Majesty The King, requires your presence at the dining table for breakfast. " Said Limpton, the royal butler, whose been serving the royal family long before King Eric took the throne. 

"I'll be out in a minute, thank you Limpton." Elijah said as he put on his cotton shirt and Black trousers along with his black leather shoes to match. He tied his shoulder length hair back in a ponytail. After checking himself in the mirror he stepped out of the room and headed towards the dining hall. 

He made his way through the long castle hallways. His footsteps echoing in the hallways as the sun's rays beamed in through the windows along the walls. 

After a few minutes of walking through the maze-like hallways of the castle he finally arrived at two large wooden doors and two guards standing at each side guarding the entrance. 

As they saw him approach, they gave a salute before opening the doors, allowing him to walk in. 

As he entered the room, he immediately felt three pairs of eyes staring at him, he looked at the direction from which they came and met with two pairs of brown eyes and  the only  differing set of eyes were as bright as the sky on a clear summer's day. These varying sets of eyes were on on the face of his mother and his brothers and he couldn't help but release a small smirk.

The tension was palpable as Elijah faced his two competitors and sparks flew as their eyes met. They knew who they were and what was at stake. Neither of them would back down  from the challenge and he could see the small smirks on their lips as well. 

Oh yes, breakfast today was going to be a very delightful affair indeed indeed.