The Runaway Prince

Chapter 1

"Stop,please!!Please don't take him!He's just a child,he can't rule a kingdom!!"Alex could hear his mom shouting at the palace guards as she tried to pull them away from him. Tears fell from both of their faces as Alex tired to escape the man's grasp.The armor on his hand began to scrape his skin as he tried to pull away.
  "Let me go!I want to stay home!Please,don't take me away!!"He screamed.The guards got a hold of his mother and pulled her back, keeping her at a far distance.Soon enough,the guard shoved him into the chariot,and tied him to the seat. He kept screaming and crying during the entire journey to the palace.That was the most awful experience of his life,and he had been determined to get home ever since.
  It had been six years since the day he was taken away from his family. He was only a little boy back then,but no matter how far time passed, he could still remember it clearly as if it was yesterday. He never wanted to be a prince,and even now, he wished he could have avoided ever stepping foot in this cage of a palace. He was ten years old when he came,but today, he is turning sixteen.
  "Excuse me your majesty...but...are you alright?" Alex immediately snapped out of his train of thought and turned to answer his maid."Oh,yes I'm fine.I just have a few things on my mind is all."
  "Oh,alright your majesty." Alex smiled at her for a second as she said in the most gentle voice possible,"Mida,I told you,you don't have to call me that.Call me Alex,don't be afraid to treat me like a normal person."
  "Oh...of course your ma...I mean...Alex,"She gracefully bowed and set down his clothes for the day on the table near his bed as she always did.
  "Is there anything else you need?"
  "Nope that's it.Unless you could tell me a way to get around the castle,then there's nothing else you could do for me."
  "No I'm afraid not.We need a map just to figure out where our rooms are.But are you sure you don't want anyone to dress you?"
  "Yep,pretty positive."
  "As you wish Alex."She then bowed and left the room.Alex looked outside his window,and resumed his thinking process again.
"I will come home someday mom,I promise,"He whispered.Just then,he heard a knock on the door and voice from one of the butlers.
"Your majesty,the king has sent for you,"He called out.
Later that day,Alex had sat with the royal family in the dining hall eating breakfast.Everyone seemed very quiet, and no one dared to say a word. He wondered why the King would send for them if he had nothing to talk about. It was in that moment the king put down his utensil,and started to speak.
"So,I'm sure you are all wondering why I called you here for breakfast so early in the morning,"He said in a very calm voice,"Well,I figured that you may want to be prepared for what is taking place later on."Alex was half paying attention and half stuck in his own thoughts.He never really cared much for what went around in the castle,exempt for it's "maze".But he did notice princess Ashly giving the king kind of a I already know face.But it seemed a bit more troubled then that though.
"Is...is it her?Is she coming to the palace?"Ashly asked.The king nodded and continued,"Yes,it is her.She's the only person who knows anything about all the routs in the castle.She could get around it without a regular pattern or small portion of a map."That immediately sparked Alex's interest,he lifted his head and began to speak surprisingly loud and fast,"When is she coming?!Who is she?!How is that possible?!"
Everyone looked at him surprised, shocked at his sudden outburst."Relax boy,you act as if she's the key to the world or something,"The queen calmly said.Alex then began to calm down a bit and relax.The king stood up and resumed speaking again,"Her name is Saphire,she is the former princess of the kingdom Yainqin.She will be here at 12:13 in the morning today.But please,when she gets here,try to be a little less...overly jumpy."
  Alex nodded,and continued eating his breakfast.He couldn't believe it,finally,he was going to find a way out of the castle,and make it back home.Don't worry mom,I'm on my way,he thought.