The Five Princes [COMPLETE]

Sunday Part One

[For Mature Audience]

Finally reaching the top of the Iron Gate bordering the palace behind me, I threw my bag to the ground, a panicking feeling rushing through me when I looked down. Ten feet. I hated heights and I spent a good portion of the night unconscious in the garden because my clumsy self fell off the balcony trying to escape at midnight. I sighed, struggling to push through my fear and leave this prison of lust.

I held onto the top bar, closing my eyes as I threw my body over, never once removing my hand until my foot caught the crevasses of the floral design in the gate. My hands trembled, sliding one off to grab a bar below, hoping I wouldn't fall again.

Don't make me fall, I chided the Iron Gate, glaring at it like an i***t. Yeah, Serene, talk to inanimate objects, that's not crazy.

After maneuvering my hands and feet for a while, my toes found solid ground I sighed in relief, feeling safe enough to jump down. I leaped to the ground, almost tripping over my bag in the process before catching my balance. I know, I'm one clumsy princess, but I've never ran away before, give me a break.

Why am I running away, you ask?

I just turned seventeen and in Dominic, the kingdom of Concord, that means I must choose a husband during the Coming of Age. And for a good week and a half, men have been throwing themselves at me to choose them as my V-consort, someone who takes the heiress's Virginity, a very prestigious honor. Except, I wanted nothing to do with it and my father demands I find someone or he'll choose for me. The bastard. I know who he'll pick too. His advisor, Avant, who's been giving me perverted signals since I turned fourteen, him ten years older than me.

So I decided to run away.

"Ouch!" I winced when I threw my bag on my sore back. I injured it when I fell off the balcony, hitting my head. Don't worry, the headaches still there to haunt me. "This is going to be a long day," I grunt, starting on my journey. There was a cobble path leading into town and I decided to go through the woods beside it, keeping close but out of view.

They'd be looking for me eventually when the maids go into my bedroom and see it empty. I laughed, thinking they'll be running around like chickens with their heads cut off. But a ping of guilt swept through me when I thought of one particular maid, Trinity. She's been my only friend in the palace, one of the maids' daughters my age. I'd planned on making her my advisor when I succeeded the throne but now that was just wishful thinking.

Sorry, Trinity, I promise I'll return when things die down.

In my train of thought, I lost sight of the cobble road, pushing through the trees hysterically only to fall deeper into the woods. Oh great! I wacked a branch out of my face bitterly, crunching dead leaves beneath my feet while I walked, now ticked off. That's why I was so wrong for being a Princess of Concord, I have anger issues, and I get angry more easily than most of my people.

"Hey, girl!" a voice called. I swerved around hectically, wondering where it was coming from, fear settling in my chest. Marching on when only the chirping of birds could be heard, the voice interrupted me again, this time closer. Looking around, I squinted to see three men on Concord white heading towards me. "Girl!"

I paused, heart beating rapidly, my breath hitching in my throat, staring at them meekly. Conjuring a smile, always taught never to assume the worst of people, especially those of Concord, I greeted them.

"Hello," I smiled politely, concealing my terror when they hastened their pace towards me. "Do you know which way the road is?" It never hurts to ask.

A man with a receding hairline, only an inch taller than me was the first to approach. He gave me a wicked grin that reminded me of Avant, sending me shivers I attempted to suppress. His yellow teeth made it worse, gave me the creeps. "Well, well, what's a little chickadee doing out and about on the princess's Coming of Age?" he asked with a slither of amusement, his eyes obviously roaming on me.

Another man who cornered me against an oak tree licked his lips seductively, younger than the first man, hair in a ponytail. He towered over the both of us, the piercing in his brow shimmering in the light penetrating through the branches. "Don't you know the people get horny during this time," he mused matter-of-factly.

The bag on my back pushed me closer to them when I withdrew, now feeling their body heat hit against me like a smack in the face, resembling sewage. Regret started to sink in, a small voice in the back of my head cursing my instructors who told me all Concord citizens were gentle, helpful, and kind.

I found the third man on the opposite side of me, his dark eyes boring into me when he stepped closer, his breath hitting my cheek. I flinched back. "Maybe we need to show her what the Princess will be doing tonight."

"Um..." I chocked, a burning in my ribs causing jitters to spiral down my legs. It hurt to breath, their scent making me dizzy every time I inhaled. Maybe if I didn't breathe—

I jolted when I felt the third man's finger skim over my bare shoulder, his rough fingers doing nothing pleasurable for me. Out of instinct, I slapped his hand away, glaring at him. "Don't touch me," I ordered.

He chuckled, shaking his bruised hand. "It looks like the little darling has a bit of a temper on her."

The first man took a step forward in the center, rolling up his sleeve with the same sinister smile. "After I'm through with her, she won't know what a temper—"

A foot collided with the side of his face from behind before he could finish, the sole of a boot causing me to shriek and turn away at the closeness. Abruptly, my arms shielded my face, peeking through the cracks to see someone in black kick the first man again. The second and third men were startled for a minute before glowering at the man in black, rolling their sleeves up for a fight.

I found myself watching intensely, my eyes following the man in black's movement as he dodged a punch from the second man and kicked the third man in the gut at the same time. He turned around, his back to the second for a moment and I panicked that he'd get hit, punching the third man who was staggering back. But he looked over his shoulder quick enough to c**k his head to the side, catching the second man's punch, and flipping him over to crash into the third man.

The first was still unconscious from the second kick in the head. And now, so were the second and third men.

I clutched my pounding chest, looking up at the man in black who slowly turned to me. His hair was as black as his clothes, deep green eyes gazing deeply at me. His figure was lean, a bit of muscle exposing under his sleeve, a knot tightening in my chest at the sight. When he ran a hand through his hair, I could see the tiniest glimmer of a piercing in his left cartilage, three more piercing visibly cascading to his earlobe.

And then a voice, deep and soothing, ruptured off his tongue. "Are you stupid?" I had to blink a few seconds for his words to sink in, drawn in by his forest green eyes. It finally processed, a prickle of irate that he just called me stupid fuming all of a sudden. He continued before I could rebut. "Why would you be roam about on Coming of Age? Don't you know people go loony during this time?! These guys would have raped you, why didn't you fight back?"

I wasn't used to people bombarding me with question, especially at the speed he was going, mashing his words together. "I was going to!" I shot back weakly.

He snorted, crossing his arms, now a yard away, close enough to see flecks of amber in his eyes. "Didn't look like it. Why are you out this time of day?"

I crossed my arms, not intimidated by his interrogation. "That's my business. Why are you out this time of day?"

"Because I know how to fight back if someone pesters me." He said it in an arrogant tone which agitated me. I wasn't used to being talked down like this.

I scrutinized him for a long minute, absorbing his black attire that didn't go with the Concords white dress code.

Noticing my stare, he raised a brow, a tilted smirk greeting me. "Like what you see?"

Blood rushed to my cheeks, snapping my head away. "Not likely." My eyes flickered at him curiously. "Are you by any chance Enigma?"

I'd never seen anyone from Lux, the Kingdom of Enigma, before, father stating that they are distrustful and manipulative. They didn't fit into any specific category like Concord, Knowledge, Strength, Nature, or Art. They could be everything or nothing at all.

He pressed his lips together, his smile lingering. "Maybe, are you afraid?" There was a hint of playfulness in his tone, awakening me.

I shook my head.

What terrified me was the potential of almost getting raped again if I continued. I disliked the thought of Coming of Age but it was better to go back home if everyone was running around, acting all s****l deprived. Less of a risk. But I wanted to get back at father for making me do this, for making me choose a suitor based off s****l interest when I knew he could turn his back on me. Just like what father did to mother, killing her slowly.

I peered at the man, handsome and most likely two or three years older. An idea sizzled in my mind. "Do you have a place to be?" I asked.

He stuffed his hands in his pockets, thinking it over. "Why?"

"Would you like to go to the palace with me?"

He gave me a skeptical glance. "Why?" he repeated.

I disliked repetition. I was used to 'Yes or No', not why, no one ever questioning me before. "I'm heading there and I'd like to thank you for saving me." And having you there might give father a heart attack.

"You work there or something?" He hadn't budged out of his position yet.

"Sort of." I looked around, wondering where to head home. I scratched my head, childishly grinning in embarrassment. "And I need some directions."

His mouth dropped. "What makes you think I know the way? I'm Enigma, remember?"

I groaned, throwing my head back. "Fine, I guess we're just going to have to wing it." I marched forward, not having a clue where I was going, pushing through the tree limbs that flopping downwards. At a distance, I could hear him moan then the sound of leaves crunching escalated.

"For Pete's sake, come here." His hand seized mine, yanking me the opposite direction through the trees. His hand was large, practically swallowing mine however it was filled with so much warmth and security, I didn't mind.

"What's your name?" I asked after a while of walking. I wanted to make conversation and at the same time, I wanted to know the man who saved me.

His green eyes darted to me. "What's your name?" he repeated in the same tone as me, mockingly. Okay, maybe it'd be alright not to know things about him. But I couldn't keep thinking 'man in black.'

"Serene."

We silently walked for a minute, the cobble road coming into view as well as the glimmering white palace. Through the gates, I could see several guards frantically pacing the front garden. I knew they'd be running around with their heads cut off looking for me. "Did someone lose a shoe or something?" he asked, squinting through the gates the closer we approached.

I chuckled, feeling him flinch and look at me oddly. "No." When we were close to the gate, I shouted for a guard who came and immediately recognized me, opening the gate. But the moment we were inside, the guard took out his sword and it was to the man in black's neck in a flash. His hand grew tighter around mine, his eyes only blinking once, showing no fear to the guard as if prepared for this to happen.

"Stop!" I ordered, my other arm shielding the man in black below the sword. "Return your weapon."

The guard hesitated for a second before obliging, returning his sword in his sheath. He cleared his throat, now looking directly at me and bowing his head slight. "Your Highness, we have been looking for you all morning."

I waved off his words. "Tell father I've returned with my V-Consort." The guard gave him a bewildered expression, examining his black attire. "Now!" Alarmed, he found the will to run inside the palace. I sighed wearily. Home sweet home.

The man in black removed his hand from mine speedily. "You're the Princess?" It came off as annoyance.

I pursed my lips, hiding the disappointment of the lack of his hand in mine. "You ask a lot of questions. Are you sure you're not Knowledge?"

He scrunched his nose in repulsion. "I'm your V-Consort? A complete stranger?"

I grunted, knowing I'd get ask that. I hardly hang around guys, most of them never appealing to me or kicking three men asses, saving my Virginity. "I know but I want to repay you for your courtesy and bravery." I gave him a gentle smile so he knew my words were sincere. "There's never been a man who's fought for me—over me, sure—but not taking down three guys to protect me. And I know what I'm doing and if it's not you then—"

"You have some nerve!" a familiar broad voice called, coming forth.

I rolled my eyes. "It'll be him." I shot a lethal glare at Avant, his normally slicked back hair now shagging over his shoulder, the blond stands catching the sunlight. His beady black eyes that resembled shaded in circles on paper glared back, angrily. He rushed to me and staggered back when he caught the man in black by my side.

"Who is he?" Avant hissed, taking tentative steps towards us.

I gave him a pompous smirk, putting a hand on my hip. "He is my V-Consort."

"Wait, I never—" the man in black stuttered before I put up a finger, silencing him.

"Has father been notified?"

He scowled, the lines in his face making him look older than his age. "Yes. He will be very displeased with your choice, Princess Serene."

I shrugged, unfazed. "It's my choice, not his. Now if you'd excuse me." I grabbed his hand, watching Avant's eyes widen, showing more white than I've ever seen before. Satisfied by his reaction, we walked inside, approaching a not very jolly king. I whispered to him. "I'm sorry for dragging you into this. If you'd like to leave, then—"

"Serene!" father growled tightly, his appearance composed but his voice said otherwise. "Where were you?"

"Meeting up with my V-Consort."

He examined the man in black, wincing discreetly, his blue eyes widening lightly. "He's an Enigma. You're V-Consort is supposed to be from Dominic, a Concord."

I snatched my hand out of the man in blacks, challenging father. "Nowhere did it say that my V-Consort had to be from Dominic or even that he had to be a Concord." I braided my arm through the man in blacks, giving father a sweet smile. "And I think he deserves it. He saved my life earlier."

Now father looked awed, glowing a bit at the news but showing no gratitude in his expression. He cleared his throat, directing his gaze elsewhere but him. "Well, thank you. If Serene finds you suited, then I shall oblige." His eyes flickered into solemnness. "But by tomorrow morning, you must be gone, you understand?"

The man in black gave him a charming smile and I felt my heart halt for a split second. "Yes, your highness. Thank you for this splendid honor."

"I guess we'll get you ready then." Father clapped his hand twice and two maids rushed to his side. "Take him to the examining room...make sure he doesn't have any s****l diseases." He said it like he was a disease himself.

The maids nodded, walking quickly to the man in black, grabbing each arm to lead him to the examining room. But the man in black threw his head over his shoulder, flinging his midnight hair into his eyes. He slowed down their pace since he was obviously stronger.

"Zeph." I raised a brow in confusion, the word not ringing a bell. "My name is Zeph."