These are the unfortunate circumstances of William of Lowless:

Chapter 1: The early years:

Music filled the grand ballroom as all the younger guests picked their partners to dance. A sea of heads bobbed up and down in rhythm as the melody flowed. Those who weren't engaged in dance were either chatting or sampling from the large banquet. The former's parents were preoccupied in the adjacent room either enjoying the same music that was only separated by one wall, or chatting amongst themselves. The wonderful sound of laughter and music filled the air as the nobles and families of the kingdom of Lowless celebrated the young prince's sixth birthday.

Everyone was enjoying themselves with the exception of the prince himself. Prince William enjoyed the party, but he couldn't wait until his Uncle Edmund came home from his trip to the Africas. Besides, sitting on a throne beside your parents for thirty minutes let alone hours wasn't any six year-old's definition of "fun", either. The queen noticed the squirming little boy and had an idea.

"Come, William," the queen said to her son, "let's go greet our guests."

Little William's face brightened. His mother always knew how to make things better. She took him by the hand and led him towards a group of mothers with their children. They bowed as they both approached.

"Oh, your highness, how Prince William has grown!"
"Thank you," replied the queen. She looked down at Will, "tell them 'thank you', William."
"Thank you," came the quiet reply. All the women in the group giggled and commenced with their gossip. Will looked over at his playmates, Edward and Henry. They usually tag along with their fathers when they are on business so they can play with the young prince.
William smiled at Edward and Henry, and they bowed.
"Prince William, Look at what I brought along." Edward whispered so that his mother wouldn't hear.

Edward showed Will and Henry his toy soldiers that he had in his pocket. They each took one and pretended that they were royal knights fighting a war in an imaginary country. They had just enough time to save the land from the enemy before one of the servants announced that it was time to open the presents.

Time passed quickly, as the prince opened his many presents, and after a short while, it was his bed time. The elders would continue the celebration in the ball room to give the adults a time to dance, while the younger children were put in the nursery.

Little Will liked seeing his friends and seeing so many people celebrate his birthday, but he couldn't wait until tomorrow when he would get to see his uncle.

Will took out the African toy his uncle had given him and played while thinking of him. It was his prized possession, a little wooden elephant. Uncle was always thinking of him; always telling him stories. William looked up to Uncle Edmund with awe in his eyes. He'd always sit on his uncle's knees and tell him, "Uncle, I want to be just like you when I grow up," but his Uncle would only laugh and tell him "Willie, you will be King someday. You won't have time to be like me."

Will looked at the elephant once more before putting it under his bed and blowing out the light.
The prince smiled at his memories of his uncle that he hadn't seen in almost a year. He then rolled over and slept.

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The next day, the young prince woke up extra early, barely got dressed and quietly opened the large wooden door to his bedroom.

Slowly he crept down the hall and down the stairs. He had to be silent, stealthy; nobody could know he was there, for how else was he going to sneak some of last night's desert without anybody knowing?

He made his way through the main hall and carefully peeked inside the already ajar kitchen door.

William smiled. Nobody was in the kitchen.

Yet. He had to make it fast. He had just reached the pantry when he heard footsteps! The young prince felt a small panic rise in his chest. He quickly looked for a good place to hide.

There! Underneath the preparing table there was a space small enough for a little boy to fit. He quickly crawled under just in time, for right when he had gotten quiet, the intruder made his way into the kitchen. Will slowed his breathing as he sat there.
'You know,' he thought, 'I am the intruder, here. Why else would I be hiding?'

Will let out a small little giggle; barely a breath of air passed through his lips when intruder stopped rummaging through the pantry and turned around. Will stopped breathing all together and stared at the feet with wide eyes. The pair of legs were making their way slowly towards him. 'Oh no,' William thought, 'I'll be scolded for sure once mum and dad hear about sneaking around the castle.' William didn't think his eyes could get any wider when the feet stopped right in front of where he was hiding underneath the table. Suddenly... the man walked away. Will sighed quietly in relief when all at once a face appeared in his vision and he heard a loud "BOO!"

William's screams turned to laughter when he was suddenly being tickled by this stranger. When he was finally put down, he looked up to see the face of none other than his Uncle Edmund! After a loud "Uncle Edmund you've come!" William was once again recieved into his uncle's arms. His uncle smiled at him and asked him what he was up to.
"What do you think you're doing causing such a fuss in the morning while the guests are trying to sleep?"
"I was getting some desert left over from the ball last night, Uncle." His uncle narrowed his eyes.

"You weren't trying to take some desert for breakfast, were you?" "Yes, Uncle." William prayed that his uncle wouldn't tell his parents of his morning endeavors. Just then, Uncle Edmond let out a hearty laugh.
Will, we are on the same quest.
You mean you came to get desert to eat, too?
"Indeed," chuckled the man, "I was just about to find some when I heard a sneaky little rabbit underneath the table." His uncle pinched his nose, then set him down on the floor. "Let's look, shall we?" Little Will nodded his head.

The uncle and nephew pair were ten minutes into their search when Hill the cook cracked open the servants' entrance and quietly informed the pair that there wasn't enough desert left from last night to preserve, so they threw it out, but that he would be able to prepare some small buscuits to tide them over until breakfast.
So uncle and nephew exchanged stories as they snacked on little bread rolls.

"So Uncle, how's business?" The contented uncle chuckled as his nephew's use of words.

"Most is well," he sighed, "but some dishonest men are trying to take some of my goods that I've shipped to Egypt. That was the purpose of these past few trips, was to catch these men, but they keep getting away."

"You went to Egypt?"
"Yes, I did."
"What's Egypt?"
"Egypt is a country, Will. Like ours, but different, because they live in the desert."
"Desert?"
His uncle smiled. "Do you remember visiting the beach, Will?"
"Yes"
"The desert is a very dry place and sometimes has many hills of sand, and nothing but sand. There's a river that runs through Egypt, it's called the Nile. The people use the water to grow food, and feed their cattle. The further you get from the river, the more sandier it gets, because there isn't any water. Understand?"
"Yes. Lots of people live there, in the desert beside the river?"
"Yes, many people."

"How are you going to find those bad people?"
"I've got to look for them, Willie."
Will knotted his eyebrows in confusion. "The bad people who stole. Will they be angry that you're trying to find them?"
"Oh yes, very. I suppose they will be a little scared, too."
"I'll beat them up for you, Uncle. They'll be sorry." His uncle chuckled as Will showed him his fighting skills.
"I'm afraid they're much too cunning and stong. Even compared to the brave 'Prince William of Lowless'.

"I'll challenge them to a duel and then they'll see who's sorry."
His uncle only grinned and tousled Will's hair.

Edmund turned around as he heard a manservant entered the kitchen. "Excuse me, sirs. His highness requests your presence, Master Edmund."

"Very well, then. Please excuse me, William. I have business affairs I must attend to with your father. Why don't you go back up to your quarters and get dressed?" With that, Will's uncle patted his shoulder, then left.

"I'd better hurry out of here, before anybody notices I'm missing." Will thought he grabbed the last roll and snuck back out of the kitchen.

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William laid on his bed. Several days had passed since that morning in the kitchen.
"Uncle keeps going to Papa's study. He's always bent over maps. I tried asking him what they were maps of, but Papa told me to go to my governess and learn my arithmetic. I hate arithmetic. Uncle says he's going to be going, soon. He's going to go back to Egypt to hunt for those men that stole. Stealing is bad. When I grow up, I'm never going to steal..." Will looked out the window. He felt noble for silently vowing never to steal. Will frowned. "I'm hungry. I wonder what's for dinner." Will sighed and went back to his calligraphy studies when the maid came in to put tea on the table and stoke the fire. "Sir, master Edmund wishes to see you in your father's study." She bowed and left the bedroom.

Will beamed as he hopped off the bed and ran out the door.
"Finally, Uncle calls me to his guest study." Will thought. "I don't get to see him very often. He's so busy with business." He quickly made his way down the hall and stopped short at the door. Just before knocking he heard voices inside. He heard bits and pieces until he leaned in closer. It was his father and Uncle.

"I'll bet Uncle's talking to father about his business." will thought as he eavesdropped.

"Edmund, this set of affairs requires all of us to go. This isn't something we can leave to an ambassador. If the Egyptian government is behind these affairs, we must confront them directly."
"Brother, it's much too dangerous, especially if you go. Please, send an ambassador."
"No. They've gone too far and it's too dangerous of a journey to go by yourself. Besides," the grave king added lightly, "I've always wanted to see Egypt."

Will peeked into the study. He could see his father sitting behind his large oak desk and his uncle standing with his back towards the door, both of his hands on the desk. He sighed, stood up and made his way over to the large wall of books; his face was grim.
"Very well, have it your way, but I don't agree with your decision, brother." Edmund stared at the wall, not looking at anything in particular.
"Good." the king stood up, "We'll make plans to leave tomorrow night. Now, if you will excuse me, I must inform my wife about our plans." Will's father made his way around the desk and to the door, to give his brother some time to think. Will ran to hide behind one of the large chairs in the hallway as his father walked out of the room. 'That was close,' Will thought, as he waited until the coast was clear to open the door to the large study.

"Uncle, what were you and papa talking about?"
"Your father wants to help me catch the men who stole my goods."
"But Uncle, I don't want you to go."
The concerned uncle sighed, "I know, Willie." He looked at his nephew, who had his head bowed. He kneeled down next to him and smiled, "but imagine all the stories I'll have when I get back! It will be just like before. All will be well."

"Uncle, I want to go with you. Can I go?"
"No, Willie, it's much too dangerous. You must stay here and look after your mother while your father and I take care of business."
Will clung to his uncle's vest while he tried not to cry.

Still, the tears came, so uncle comforted nephew as the two shared their last moment together.

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A steady drizzle of rain fell that day. It had rained all morning. The muddy ground was trampled and worn from all the people who came to pay their respects to the dead.
The queen sobbed quietly as the priest laid King Reginald of Lowless and Prince Edmund of Lowless to rest. A much older Prince William looked on in silence. Rain began to pour as the ceremony came to an end. Everyone left, even his mother, after a while. She asked if he wanted to come inside but he didn't answer, so she left him to be alone.

Will didn't need to ask. He knew it wasn't a storm that killed his father and uncle. Angry tears started to form in his eyes as he watched the rain fall on the caskets of his father and uncle. "I will avenge you. I- I'll kill whoever did this" he whispered through clenched teeth. He put his hand on his father's casket and wept.

Things had died down after several passing months. People went back to their normal lives. They stopped talking about the former king and his adventurous brother. Nobody questioned. Nobody confirmed. Everyone assumed that their ship was lost at sea.

But William knew.

He knew the truth.

His father and uncle were killed.

Murdered.

His life had been so simple when he was younger. He was carefree and naive. He knew better now that he saw how dangerous and evil the world actually is. He always watched his back, now. He was careful to make sure who his real friends were. So Will locked himself in the library and secluded himself in his books. Eager to shut out the world that had tormented him and took away what he held most dear.

He was twelve years-old.

(A/N) - This IS a BATB fan fic. It is a very detailed perspective of the beast.

I'm a fan of long chapters (3,000+) so expect longer chapters.

^ ^ Please review, I welcome your comments.

Liscute00 ~ anne.