When Kurda went back to his cell, the two guards were enraged. They had been given a severe telling-off by the Princes and had nowhere to vent their anger.

"Where did you go?" One of the guards asked, the whip in his hands raining down Kurda with every syllable spoken.

Here, I would like to clarify something. Although a vampire's body is tougher than normal, a vampire's strength is great. When the guard lashed out, the stroke could cut cleanly through a human's arm, but luckily for Kurda, it only caused a deep wound.

"It's none… of… your… business," Kurda said through clenched teeth. The other guard lashed at him as well.

"You have nothing, Smahlt, no status, no dignity, nothing," he whispered menacingly. Kurda bit his lip to prevent himself from talking as he squatted on the floor, suffering in silence, as without clear vision he could not escape.

At long last the guards stepped back and admired their 'handiwork'. They shoved him roughly into the cell and slammed the door shut.

Kurda hobbled to his cabinet and fished out his medical supplies. In addition to his new injuries, his old injuries had also opened and blood was dripping all over the floor. Oh, and did I mention that it HURT?

Kurda shut his eyes and cleared his head. Slowly, he started bandaging his wounds as the medics said that if he used his spit, the wound will close but will leave a hollow space in the body. However, as he measured the length of bandage to be cut, his world went black.

This time when he woke, he saw nothing but blackness. This time, he knew that he had gone completely blind. This time, however, his spirits soared.

"You ok?" a voice asked concernedly from his side.

"Yeah, thanks!" he replied cheerily.

"Are you sure he isn't concussed or something?" Darren's voice asked anxiously.

"Don't worry," the medic reassured him. "He only has a blood clot."

Just then, Mika walked in. he sat on Kurda's bed. Kurda tried to sit up but again, realized that he was cuffed to the bed. Mika watched him with a peculiar look on his face – was it pity? – before opening his mouth.

"So, do you accept or not?" Kurda, upon hearing this question, rolled his eyes. Really!

"Huh?" he asked, feigning ignorance to stall for time.

"If so, then I shall take it as you have accepted, ok?" Arrow answered.

Kurda widened his eyes and shook his head.

"No, wait! Are you sure? I mean, after all I have done, and all the things that have happened, you want me to be your Prince?"

"Positive," A simple word from Larten soothed Kurda's frazzled nerves. After a long pause, Kurda finally nodded.

"Yay!" A loud cheer erupted from Darren as he bounded over and gave Kurda a big bear hug.

"Behave yourself," Larten snapped. "Mika has something to say."

"Ah, I knew there was a catch somewhere," Kurda commented dryly.

"Yes. We have expressed concern over your sentence, and of course, you will not be a figurehead. However, you are not to take a step out of the mountain and even if you do, we will know, as spies will be all around, reporting to us your every move."

"Like I can go anywhere in this state," Kurda muttered.

"I heard you," Arrow said irritably.

"Sorry," Kurda apologized immediately. "I just don't see the point of so many restrictions when I most probably can't break given my current state. I must have made history by becoming the Mountain's first convicted Prince!"

"You know what? I completely agree!" Mika joked.

"Oh yes, I remembered! There won't be an investiture and Vanez wants to see you for… something," Arrow added.

Kurda's mouth fell open. The period of time under Vanez was one of the worst memories in his life, and he certainly is not looking forward to another experience.

As he walked into the Hall of Games with Darren, Vanez came up and gave him a huge welcome.

"Don't bully him, okay?" Darren told Vanez. Vanez just smirked, ushered Darren out and pulled Kurda over to a path with blockages and handed him a stick.

"Just walk straight, but don't bang into anything. Use the stick to help you probe for anything that might be in your way," Vanez instructed.

Kurda started off uneasily. At first he was extremely cautious, but got clumsier and clumsier and before long had landed smack on his bottom, having tripped over a small rock.

"Ow!" Kurda moaned in pain as he rubbed his bottom.

"Get up!" Vanez heaved Kurda back up on his feet roughly. Grimacing, Kurda had no choice but to continue.

After weeks of falling down and clambering back up, Kurda finally mastered the art of walking with a stick without tripping. After he had completed the course that Vanez had set, he was so exhausted that he plopped down onto the floor.

"Oh man, this has got to be one of the toughest times I have ever experienced," Kurda panted, rubbing his sore muscles.

"Save your complaints," Vanez grunted bluntly. "You'll have to get past tunnels, halls and the vicinity outside the Mountain.

Kurda rolled to the floor in a mock faint.