The lost prince.

Alkmaar.

Horse hooves click on the cobblestoned road, right through the snow covered road in front. The cold and harsh blows passed the carriage, it sways with the motion of the wind. The wind hisses against the carriage, the snow falling in thick layers down. The harsh winter unforgiving to those who don't know how to dress against it or what to do when it's there.

Outsiders should never enter this side of the Hollandian country, it's harsh and unforgiving. Not a layer of clothing could protect a carriage against this type of cold. The passengers of this dark red with gold accents among the wood. Showing of the Monegasque country.

Therefore would not a single soul in these villages surrounding this route to the royal castle of Holland ever travel over these roads, which the royal family of Monaco unfortunately have found themselves in. it wasn't like they had any other option on doing so the more common route to the royal castle of Holland had been blocked by protestants, who were protesting against the king.

All that the crown prince of Monaco could do at this moment was pray that they would get there fast since it's really cold, the royal family of Monaco come from a country where they have never seen snow in years, since it doesn't get cold enough for that. so that this was unaccounted for and a surprise to them all, could be said as an understatement. They have no clothing regarding the cold weather. Only each other and the freezing cold. Chilling their bones.

Charles and his younger brother Arthur had been the coldest, both been to stubborn to dress in proper winter clothing for these areas. Not that his mother, father or older brother had bee dressed much warmer but they had not been too stubborn to think it wouldn't get this cold on their trip.

They were hoping to find a village on this dead silent road, hoping that there would be any place for them to wait this coldness out. But up until now had they not come across any kind of villages or houses that they could find on this road. Like every single soul knows not to come here in the winter.

"it's so cold." Arthur complains for the tenth time in a short while. "how can one country be so freaking cold."

Charles rolls his eyes at his younger brother, he knows that it's cold but there is nothing that could be done about it. There are no more blankets then the ones they have pulled over their laps.

It feels like the gods are mad over something that they had done but have no clue about. A punishment for taking the long road, for visiting a king that taxes his kingdom poor to the point that they rebel against their king but can't get to because he lives too far behind a heavy armed and guarded gate for them to dethrone him.

The hate for their king had baffled Charles, the way that they spoke and threw tomatoes at their carriage for going to see the king of Holland. Like they had instantly hate the royal king of Monaco for this. As if they had hoped that they could insult them for befriending the king of Holland. For being associated with him.

The man that had gone mad after his soulmate had left with his children who would follow in his footsteps of becoming rulers. But she had disappeared with the two children before they even could find her again. the king had gone mad and ruthless, a tyrant that lost the next in line to the throne. It had turned him colder then that Charles had ever heard from his parents and grandparents.

Charles never had any good memories of this king, he had always been rude and cold with them. Just civil enough for his parents to want to be in an alliance with him, just enough that they could tolerate his presence. To want to have a conversation with this man at all. It was always beyond Charles how they could be in the presence of a man that takes so much from his people that they had no penny in their pockets.

There was something oddly wrong with this man, there had been oddly wrong with how this man talked to them or would move around his own home, guards everywhere, afraid to leave without them, which has always been really obvious. Because he wasn't nice to anyone, not even his guards. Hate has always been the main thing about the king of Holland.