Royally Divine

Chapter 3: Downfall

The next day went fine. Too fine. My dad wasn't an absolute prick, Mr. Hart wasn't overwhelmingly happy, and Astro was just....Astro. I already liked him. He was sweet, charming, and an all around fun person to be around. He still is. We spent the whole day talking about books and what we want to do when we're old enough to choose our lives.

Astro said he wanted to be a writer. He wanted to paint pictures of things no one got to see. He wanted to share his imagination with the world. I loved that for him. I loved that he had dreams outside of the castle. That's more than I could say I had. In a way I felt sort of envious. I wish I had a choice. I wish there were more options for me than this hell hole.

Of course, things couldn't stay nice for long. I was quickly pulled off into an empty corridor by my father.

"Elijah, we need to talk." He told me, not sounding urgent, but yet his words held some sort of importance. As if I didn't have a choice but to listen.

"Do we?" I asked, a little confused and very nervos. I didn't know what this was about, but I knew it couldn't be good. If was my dad. Of course it wasn't good.

"Yes. I need you to do something very important. You will not question or defy me. Do you understand?"

"I don't know, it depends on what it is." I responded, severely suspicious of the dark look in his eyes. This was going to be bad, I just know it.

"I need you to get as much information about the Hart's as you can. The good, the bad, and especially the dirty. The ins and outs of the castle, their weak points. All of it."

I looked at him, I was bewildered that he would even consider asking me such a thing.

"Absolutely not! I will not betra-" I started to protest before he cut me off

"You will do as I say, or you'll be cut out of the inheritance and the family. Do I make myself clear?" He wasn't asking me. He was telling me.

I knew that he wasn't bluffing when he said that he'd do it. The more I think about it, the more I regret refusing. I could've lived without the money, without the weight of the royal family on my shoulders....but I didn't. I hung my head and agreed to this messed up arrangement. The arrangement that's bound to ruin the one friendship I've built.

He sent me off, and I felt my stomach churn. This wouldn't end well. Of course it wouldn't. How could it?

I had to act like everything was normal, as if I wasn't suddenly some agent working against the person who trusts me.

"What was that about?" Astro asked curiously as I walked back to the main room, tilting his head and smiling that crooked little smile of his. All too endearing to not want to smile back.

"Nothing." I responded. "Nothing at all."