Birthright

By- An Unknown Foreign Beauty

Chapter 3- The Assassination

Eugene blinked.

Things were really getting interesting. Only three years earlier he found out that he had not only a father but was also prince of a fallen kingdom. Now he had a cousin. What else he had to know about his family?

"So, Prince Fitzroy…" Eugene took Fitzroy's outstretched hand, "We are cousins, right?"

"Of course, we are, Horace." Fitzroy quickly checked his grin in a hand mirror, "What else can explain our once-in-a-generation good looks?"

Eugene grimaced at the name Horace, but couldn't ignore the same quirk they both shared. He found that he really began to like the other man. "Ah, don't need to mention it, cousin." He grinned back. Even their grin looked kind of similar, even more, similar than Brock Thunderstrike. Good looks really ran in his family. "By the way, please call me Eugene."

"Eugene." Fitzroy repeated back, sounding thoughtful, "That's nice. It really sounds better than Horace. But I like Flynn better."

"You know about that too?" Eugene's eyes widened.

"Of course." Fitzroy nodded, "Your father didn't spare us of any detail. You have made quite a buzz among the returning people of the Dark Kingdom. It seems you are already quite popular among them. And your father seems very hopeful of your future reign. " Then his gaze met his eyes, "So when are you planning to come back home?"

Suddenly, Eugene felt a pang of guilt. While he was enjoying a party, his father was lying ill, waiting for him to relive his burden. He needed him. But, what else he could do? He had sworn his loyalty to Corona…. this was his true home, moreover, Rapunzel needed him. He could not leave the life he built here all these years for a suddenly found identity.

He was about to shot down the topic like he did to Adira, then he noticed some shadows moving in the bushes. Something was not right. "Shh…" He placed his hand on Fitzroy's arm and shoved him behind him. His grip tightened on his sword handle. Suddenly an arrow flew from one of the bushes; Eugene pulled out his sword in time and deflected the arrow.

"What is it?" Fitzroy asked peering over Eugene's shoulder, blue eyes wide in shock.

"I don't know." Eugene squinted, noticing another bush moving behind them, "But someone is trying to crash the party." He looked over his shoulder, found Fitzroy shaking behind him. His mouth was wide open, and tears gathered around the corner of his eyes.

Eugene sighed. His cousin was nothing but a pampered prince.

"Do you have a sword?"

Fitzroy nodded. He didn't have one. Right then another arrow flew and lodged itself into a tree, just above his shoulder. Fitzroy gasped.

"Take it." Eugene handed his sword to the frightened prince. "Try to deflect any arrow that comes in your way."

Fitzroy nodded but didn't look so sure.

Eugene made a mad dash to the ballroom door. The door was open, and the balcony was jammed with people. Some royal guards were trying to control the crowd, but nobody was listening to them. Some were trying to push past the guards.

Their panicked whispers made Eugene nervous. All those people…what was happening? He scanned the crowd for Rapunzel, hoping he was not too late. Fortunately, he saw her in front of the crowd, flanked by Adira and Quirin on both sides, Pete and Stan in the back, and Varian in the front. The young man was armored with multi-colored alchemy balls. Eugene balled his hands in a fist, trying to remember to breathe.

It took him fifteen minutes or more to fight through the crowds, but finally, he reached Rapunzel. Before he could run and hug her, an arrow shot through the sky. Eugene pushed Rapunzel on the ground so hard that he could hear her faint moan under him. Before the arrow could reach its target, another body jumped in front of them, catching the arrow in the midair.

"Interesting," A familiar voice said. Eugene looked up from the ground to find Adira inspecting the arrow. Her purple ball gown was gone, replaced by her usual leather clothing. Rapunzel still had her arms around Eugene's neck, looking terrified.

"Look for the assassins." He commanded the guards. The guards scrambled and saluted and then scattered in the garden looking for the attackers.

"Are you okay, sunshine?" He asked, gently moving a stray brown hair from her face. Rapunzel nodded, though she looked far from okay. Her fine gown was rumpled, her skin blanched and clammy. She wasn't wearing her crown and had lost her necklace somewhere on the way. She held Eugene tightly and rubbed her cheek on his chest. She was frightened. Eugene had never seen her so distressed in recent years.

"Eugene!" Rapunzel pulled Eugene into a hug, squeezing so tightly that the breath rushed out of his lungs. "You're alive."

"Alive?" Eugene scrambled to make sense of the word. "Why wouldn't I be alive?"

"Pete informed me about some suspicious movements in the garden and told us to run to the safety." She seized him by the shoulders and inspected his face. "Then Adira told me that you are heading towards the garden—but you're here. You're here. You're safe." She clutched him more tightly, and sobbed in his chest, earning disapproving glances from some older royal guests. But Eugene didn't care. He held Rapunzel tighter and buried his face in the mess of her brown hair. "It's alright. I am here. "

Right then Fitzroy stumbled into the clearing with some guards in his tow. His fine clothes were torn, and he looked more frightened than ever. Eugene noted he lost his sword. But he looked unharmed.

"Sire," One of the guards saluted. "We found Prince Fitzroy almost cornered by an assassin. We were able to rescue him. But the assassin escaped."

Eugene cringed at the ever-existing incompetence of the Corona guards in catching the bad guys but was also relieved to see his cousin intact. "Cousin, you are alright." Fitzroy made his way towards Eugene in the crowd and made a high-five sign.

"It's good to see you intact too." He returned the high-five. Rapunzel threw him a questioning glare, and Eugene remembered that he forgot to introduce his cousin to his wife. So he did.

Fitzroy bowed and kissed Rapunzel's hand. "It's nice to meet you, cousin-in-law. Can we have dinner together?"

"Of course." Rapunzel giggled, clearly charmed by the young prince. Eugene didn't feel very happy. He quickly put his arm around Rapunzel's shoulder, and attempted a forced smile, "Of course. But why don't you freshen up yourself first?"

"Yes, thank you." Fitzroy nodded, as Eugene ordered the palace servants to show him the guest room. The crowd began to thin around them. It was clear that the party was over. Everybody looked exhausted. Eugene did too. All he wanted to go to his room and collapse in his bed with Rapunzel in his arms.

Then a thought struck his mind. If the assassination attempt was directed to the new queen, why did they target him in the garden, instead of the queen inside the ballroom?

"The assassins didn't aim for the queen." Just then Adira spoke his mind. Eugene let go of Rapunzel and stared at her. "Then who?" Rapunzel threw a concerned look at the other woman.

"It was aimed at you, Fishskin," Adira's gaze settled on Eugene.

Rapunzel gasped, her grip tightened around Eugene's arm. Eugene couldn't believe his ears. Him? Oh, really? Who would make such a stupid plan? There were far more important people to be assassinated in the party. "Me?" He almost laughed but quickly stopped by a stern glare from Adira.

"There are many people in the Dark Kingdom who are not happy with your return, Your Highness." This time it was Quirin who spoke, "Especially some members of the Dark royal extended families."

"Oh, no," Rapunzel placed a soothing hand on his arm. She looked more terrified than before. There were not many members in the Corana's extended royal family, and none of them opposed Rapunzel's ascension. Great, Eugene thought, besides a crazy father, and a crazy brotherhood, now he had some crazy extend family members who wanted to kill him. Really he loved his family more now.

"Do you have any idea who they might be?" Rapunzel asked.

Adira nodded. She had no idea, but her eyes didn't leave Eugene's face, "But, I have a suspicion about your father's illness too."

Suspicion? Dread settled in Eugene's stomach. "What is it, Adira?" he almost whispered.

"I think someone is poisoning the king."

Reviews? Faves? Follows?

So, the conspiracy is going on. I have some interesting twists in my mind. The next chapter will be set in the Dark Kingdom. So stay tuned and let me know your thoughts.