(See author's note below)

Anyone whom had the chance of entering the Astra Palace's garden would be able to personally see a simple marble gravestone erected there, underneath the white Cherry Blossom tree. No one could explain why it was there and whom the grave was dedicated to. No name was craved but instead the crest of royal house mark the pale marble stone. Many theories were made. Some say it was the grave of a pet most beloved by the royalties that it was given the honour of resting there eternally. Some would spin a tale of a loyal soldier whom dedicate his life bravely to the royal family at the cost of his own that his ashes rested there as prove for his valour. Yet one can only speculate and none can confirm the truth for the truth is only known by the king and his family and no one else.

However at the eve of a night, a silhouette makes its way towards the sole grave. With the moon covered by the dark clouds, his identity remained a mystery as he stopped before the unmarked grave to kneel down as he moves to sit before leaning against the headstone. The person then closes his eyes and envisioned another body leaning against his back, ignoring the cold reality of the stone pressed on his back.

"I'm back" He started.

The silence greeted him and the person sighs heavily as if burdened by something.

"I met a girl. At Princess Samantha's ball." He paused looking down at his fingers numbly.

"She was the most enchanting lady I've ever laid my eyes on. Heck, I bet you would agree with me here." He chuckled as if trying to share a joke. He, again, licked his lips as if trying to come up with what to say next before he continues.

"Her name is Clovera" He started. "She was the princess' best friend and daughter of a nobleman there. When we danced, she seriously enchanted me in a way no ladies have ever made me and you know how serious I could be, right?" He chuckled, recalling his amorous ways.

"I asked her parents for her hand in marriage earlier. They said they would consider but I have a feeling that they are going to accept my proposal. I. . . I think I'm in love with her." He then clasp his hands over his face and he whispered. "and that is what scares me the most"

"What am I going to do. . ." His hands dropped away from his tear-streaked face as his fingers then clenches the grass below him as he whispers the name of the person whom he had been soliloquising with. The person who rests eternally upon the unmarked grave at the gardens of Astra Palace.

"Brandon"

"Clovera!" A gasp came from Lady Stella as her daughter unexpectedly crushes her in a hug, thanking her in her excitement over what her father had said.

"Clovera, calm yourself! This is not how the intended of a prince should behave." Her husband and Clovera's father, Lord Frank points out, silently looking at his daughter with one eye as he reads the letter which had arrived from King Stephan.

The search for Princess Samantha has been dissolved by Queen Gabriella's orders. . .

Lord Frank narrows his eyes at the content of the letter before folding it, carefully contemplating the message as he casts a quick glance at his daughter. As current Lord of Manchineal, he was taught to be able to read on others' body languages and just like the flower his house represent, he can spot on deceit and if necessary, reveal them. As he stared at his daughter in suspicion over her involvement in the matter, Clovera notices her father and turn to him with a frown, knowing that her father is suspicious.

'Well, too bad. He'll never get me to reveal anything', Clovera thought smugly; thinking of the clan training she went through to render her incapable of revealing any sensitive information under interrogations. Lord Frank on the other hand, had already seen her daughter's smug smile and knew already that she DOES have a part in the plot.

'Oh well,' he shrugged. 'If Clovera is willing to put her head on the block then there's no harm in playing oblivious.' If there's one thing Frank had never doubt on, it is Clovera's heart and loyalty and he, as a father would respect that. After all, Clovera would not as much as lift a pinky if it would not benefit her so helping Samantha is, in a way, very selfless of his usually selfish daughter. He concluded with a hidden pride.

~ 17 years ago

Queen Bernice looks up from her letter from her family in Ireland at the sound of her children's merry-making. Looking out at the windows she watches as her son makes his way to his adopted son.

"Blaine!" called out a young 5-year old boy as he came running towards the other boy and tackle his look-alike down. The other boy, Blaine pushes his assailant away and the two began their usual rough housing in the gardens, incidentally making the daisies the queen had planted only three days before part of their endless list of casualties before pushing each other apart in fits of giggles.

"We're doomed!" said Brandon, heir presumptive of Galaxia as he sends a cheeky grin at his half-brother, Blaine who tosses the crushed flowers in his direction, causing yet another round of silly siblings bantering.

Anyone who looked at the two boys would never had guessed that they are half-siblings with the way they look-alike in appearance and how they act so close as siblings do. But for those who knew the late King's concubine, they could see that Blaine possesses her unique facial structure compared to his other half-siblings. Their colourings are from their mutual father but the facial structures of Princess Britney and Brandon resembles that of Queen Bernice of Ireland-Galaxia whilst Brandon took after his mother, Lady Eirwin of Haldas.

"Brandon! Blaine!" Heiress apparent of Galaxia, Princess Britney rushes towards them, her azure blue dress fluttering with her movement as she leaves her champion, Sir Dean's side and joins the two in their merry-making, oblivious to a pair of malicious eyes watching from afar.

~ 16 years ago

"Britney?" The two 6-year-old-boys opens the door to the princess' room and shuffles as they watches their sister struggle to breathe and being fussed by her personal nurse maid. Even so, they did not made a move to enter the room and when the maid present was finally aware of the boys, she seems flustered and was about to reprimand the boys for trying to come in when Britney cuts in.

"Blaine, Brandon go away" she coughs hoarsely.

"Sister, Sir Dean won't make it in time" Brandon sniffled. Britney closes her eyes in acceptance as she call forth the image of her beloved champion who was on his way to get her antidote for the poison spiralling through her blood.

"Do me a favour boys," she rasped. "Give him my amulet. Tell him. . . I'm sorry. . And that I truly-" Britney's voice began to waver as she breaths her last whisper "-love him"

Brandon and Blaine watches as the maid cried at the Late heiress presumptive. Looking down at the corridors where Queen had run off with tears streaming down her face, the boys held each others' hand in silent reassurance and strength as the palace occupants mourned over Princess Brittania's passage.

~ 15 years ago

"Madam Myrna, what are you doing?"

Myrna reeled back in shock as she turns to see Blaine standing in front of the hidden door separating his room; looking at her with wide terrified eyes. Brandon then chooses this moment to wake up and looked up to see their nanny holding a knife in her hand.

"You brat!" She hisses, making her way to Blaine and smacking him aside from the door before locking the door so that they boys won't be able to escape her. "You should have slept while I finish off your brother but you just had to wake up and nose around didn't you? Well you both won't be leaving this room with your lives intact any time soon." she sneered.

Brandon took the chance to escape his covers to rush to his brother and hold him as they looks warily back at Myrna.

"You okay Blaine?" Ever the caring older brother (even if it is by several months), Blaine looked at the slight cut on the neck as Brandon nods stiffly.

"I'll be fine" He assures the younger one. Just as Brandon sighs in relief, Brandon's eyes widen and he quickly shoves his elder brother away, shouting "Look out!"

Blaine crumples to the floor and turns his head just as the knife strikes through Brandon's ribs, spurting blood everywhere. With his eyes wide in shock and horror, Blaine looked at the grinning Myrna and with a sinking realisation, he could feel himself sink into darkness as pure fury began to overtake his consciousness.

"What have you DONE!" Blaine leaped forth and caught the wrist holding the knife before twisting it as hard as he could. Hearing the satisfying sound of a crack and Myrna's scream, Blaine began delivering kicks and blows he'd seen the palace soldiers done from long ago with such perfect accuracy which shocks the covert assassin-turned-nanny.

'I have to take him out now!' Myrna thought darkly, taking out her ninja shurikens and flings them at the young prince, hoping it would delay the boy and watch with surprise as the boy dodges them with astonishing speed which left her unprepared for the well executed back-flip kick aimed for her head, sending her flying and through the locked door, leaving a panting Blaine in the room as he stood watching the nanny blacked out. Just as the queen enters the room, Blaine was able to see her horrified look and hear her wail of grief before he crumpled down and passed out, oblivious to the chaos all around him.

"From now on Blaine is dead"

Looking up at the king, Blaine realises with dread that the king had spoken and the arch-bishop nods solemnly as if in acceptance as he holds the urn containing Brandon's ashes which should be buried at the cathedral tomorrow.

"But I'm not-!"

"Yes he is!" The King lashes out. Gripping the boy's shoulders tightly, he hissed. "You're Brandon! Blaine is the one who will be buried in the gardens tomorrow. You, on the other hand, will start your royal training next week."

"You can't do this! The queen will-!" Blaine realises what the king is about to do. He's going to alter the detail of the incident two nights ago. The queen would never agree to this! She has more power than the king anyway.

"The queen is mad with grief. No people will listen to her commands any longer! I'm the one is control here now!" The King laughs. Blaine stood, terrified and horrified at the same time at the man before him whom had sired him. He tries to recall his history lessons when Galaxia is ever ruled by a King absolutely but he could not come up with no one.

Blaine then began to think. Galaxia's ruling system is different compared to other countries where the King is a figure of appearance to other countries and true power is exercised by the Queen absolutely. If not; by a Queen Regent. The one next in succession should have been Britney by default. Since Britney's death the one who would be next in line would be Brandon's wife and even then she would been dismissed in favour of their own daughter. Blaine have no right to the throne. He was only a bastard of the King. The child the Queen had adopted to honour his deceased mother whom died in childbirth. He was snapped out of his thoughts when a sharp slap stung his cheek and he looks up to his father to see a ruthless gaze aimed at him.

"I would have gotten my right as king long ago had this country followed the proper monarchy succession! I worked too hard to claim my rightful inheritance only for my wife to get it instead! If you speak of your true name to anyone, I will personally cut your tongue out and feed you to the dogs. Now leave my presence!"

Without being told twice, Blaine turns and ran out of the room, straight to the chambers of the queen. As he ran past, he could see servants taking down any of the queen's personal touches and replacing them with a more darker motive ones. The usual open doors and windows are shut and obstructed by curtains making the usual bright nature of Astra Palace turn as dark and solemn, so unlike the famed nature of the 'Asylum of the Stars'. He knew he needs an intervention and the only person who have the power lays beyond the doors of the North Wing. With adrenalin in his blood, he pushes the heavy doors apart and looked at the sight before him.

The once elegant and majestic Queen Bianca was not at all in sight. Instead a broken-hearted woman with the physical appearance of the queen lays on her bed, weeping and clutching the blankets as if the world has crumbled around her. Blaine looked at her hesitantly before squaring his boyish features and walked to the queen.

"Brandy?" She looked up with hope glistening her cloudy eyes.

"No, it's Blainey" He smiled, thinking of the queen's nicknames for her children. The queen looked sullen again and burst to tears as she sobs out words which made no sense to the young boy except for 'betrayal', 'the king', 'Brandy' and 'Arch-bishop'.

Blaine is not a fool. He was the eldest of the two princes and the one who always keeps the younger prince out of trouble with his mischievous ways that drives the Astra palace occupants crazy. This cause him to pay attention to details and keep his mind and wits sharp at all times. So when the queen's words came to his attention, his mind didn't take a long time to connect the dots.

Musing his choices, he then cursed when he recall that since the Arch-bishop have sided with the King, other countries would never side with the usurped queen. None followed Galaxia's traditional female-monarchy succession and they would rather side with the King for most would rather see Galaxia ruled by a male-based monarchy just like their own. The people would be willing to side with the queen if she asks for it but as Blaine looked down at the queen, he knew she was too heart-broken to stand up against her husband and raise her voice to reclaim the power bestowed upon her by the previous Queen of Galaxia after her marriage to the King. In the end, Blaine realises that the tragedies so far have served as a platform for his embittered father to take advantage of and claim the power that should have been passed on to him as the son, instead of to his wife by his own mother.

"Ma. . ." He smiled sadly. Taking her hand, he pull it to his lips and place a gentle kiss before he strokes her raven black hair. Analysing his options, he knew what he had to do and bends down to whisper his conviction.

~ Present Day

"Your highness?" The page frowned as he shook Prince Brandon awake. The palace occupants have grown accustomed to finding him here, which would enrage the King should he ever found out. So far, the servants have been covering in for the prince whenever he would likely end up in trouble. It was after all Madam Carlotta's orders to care for the Prince in the event of the Queen's illness and he had always been a kind figure to the palace help, often disguising himself to help them out.

"Urgh. . ."groaned Brandon. "Alan?" he acknowledged in his drowsy state as he blinked his eyes and blearily looked at the page in question as the said page hands over a letter.

"From the Lord of Manchineal, Fiore." The said-page, Alan reads out the sender's name before simply hands the prince the letter. Hearing the name of the sender, the prince swipes the letter with wide eyes and tore the letter open to read its content.

"Oh", Brandon utters as he fold the letter, frowning as he tucks the letter into his coat. Absent-mindedly, he makes his way to the palace, oblivious to the page's confused looks.

Hello all!

Okay this story is based on TrixieNancy124's The Black Knight. Plenty of thanks to her for allowing me a chance to pull off a spin-off/sequel. I hope you enjoy the story I come up with.

Any confusion? Questions? Reviews please!