I had always been uncomforted by large gathering of royal families. In all truth I'd rather go against an army any other day then face a room full of power hungry distant relations. I glanced around the as I followed Tus in, my head held high as I looked around at the purple clothed room, catching the eye of people from all corners of the world, young, old, bitter, excited, you name it and you probably would have found it here in this room.

After our introduction father gave us one last glance before he was plunged into the usual political world of foreign affairs. Not waiting to see if Tus or Dustan would follow I took off towards no direction in particular. I parted the sea of purple, walking with my hands behind my back and my chin proudly held up high.

"So usual of a Persian prince." A cool voice said from behind me. Stopping I turned and looked at the boy who stood behind me. I did not recognize his face but he wore the royal emblem of the Scythian family. He held a glass of wine in his hand and he walked toward me with confidence swaying in his step. He was younger than I, but from the way he walked and talked, I assumed he thought he was older, wiser.

"And who might you be to insult me?" I asked my voice creeping with annoyance. He took a sip from his wine glass and swirled it around as if he had all the time in the world.

"I am Cambyses; my father is brother to the King." Cambyses replied after a moment of pause. I scoffed at him, causing him to turn bright red. "What?" He asked accusingly.

"Oh nothing." I attempted to hide the smile on my face and I glanced downward at my feet to keep myself from laughing.

"What?" Cambyses asked once again, this time more coldly. "I implore you to tell me what you find so amusing." I looked up at Cambyses again.

"I find it…entertaining that you hold such a high opinion of yourself despite the fact that you shall never have the throne." My remark had clearly upset the delicate balance Cambyses' self, but before he could retort Dustan came running up from behind him.

"Garsiv." Dustan said my name and grabbed my arm. "The king and queen are about to enter. We must be in the front to greet them." I followed Dustan back into the crowd and cast a glance back to Cambyses.

"Another time then?" I called back to him.

"Yes. Another time." Was his response, and I could have sworn I saw something in those cold black eyes that made even me shiver.

As Dustan brought me to the front I only had a second to fix my crown before the trumpets began to call once again. The crowd turned and glanced back at the halls giant doors swung inward to reveal the royal family. Ateas walked slightly ahead of his family, with the queen walking behind him holding a bundle in her arms, the princess, and Cyrus pulled up the rear of the group. I had seen Ateas and Cyrus before, but the queen was a sight to behold. Her long blonde hair fell effortlessly into beautiful tumbles stopping just below her waist and her hazel eyes seemed to go on forever, ensnaring those who looked into them in their beauty and kindness. This was Queen Katherine. The crowd of people split and bowed deeply as the beautiful family seemingly glided by. As Ateas grew even with my father they bowed to one another and he walked up the steps to his throne. Katherine after bowing to our father gave Dustan, Tus and I a quick glance of unreadable emotion, then followed her husband up the steps with Cyrus quickly behind her. Katherine placed the Princess in a cradle that lay next to her throne carefully and as she pulled her hands out smiled at the girl within. Then in cession they all sat down and glanced over the crowd of those gathered before them.

"My dearest friends, and esteemed guest, we have gathered here for the first of many visits from the Royal Princes of Persia to meet my fairest daughter, Selene. And on her eighteenth birthday she shall choose one of these Princes to become her lawfully wed husband there by binding our two great empires." Ateas called over the crowd getting both applause and muffled whispers. I cast a quick glance from the corner of my eye to the crowd behind me, glaring at those who casted dirty looks at my father. I had half a mind to challenge them all to a duel, but Tus' placed his hand on top of mine as I reached for my sword and shuck his head no. Locking eyes with him I nodded and turned back to Ateas, trying to subside my anger.

Ateas looked down upon my brothers and I, extending his hand out to us.

"Prince Tus." Tus walked forward stiffly, as if uncertain in his own actions. He began his ascension up the stairs and bowed to the king and to the queen then cast a glance inside the cradle. Suddenly all the rigidness in his body seemed to melt away as he gazed inside at the tiny girl and a smile came upon his face. From the bottom of the steps I saw him introduce himself and in his eyes there seemed to be only kindness. Reluctantly, Tus pulled himself away from the cradle and back down the steps with new vigor, but still remained princely about it. Once he had taken his place back among Dustan and I we glanced upwards again at Ateas.

"Prince Dustan." Dustan slowly began up the stairs as well. The same thing happened to him as he gazed at the Princess, and my curiosity began to grow about what she might have looked like to cause these effects upon my brothers. And as Dustan came back down and stood next to me, I could fight the butterflies in my stomach any longer.

"Prince Garsiv." When Ateas called my name it was like a knife piercing through a fog and I glanced upward at him he moved his hand toward the cradle. Without even realizing my feet began to move by themselves slowly step by step up the stairs. I kept eye contact with Ateas till about half way up then I turned and looked at Queen Katherine. Her beauty shocked me out of my trance and I gave her a respectful nod of my head and she returned it a small smile placed upon her lips. I glanced at the cradle and felt my heart beat begin to rise and my palms become sweaty. I closed my eyes and as I came up to the edge of the cradle I slowly opened them and look at Selene.

It didn't take long to find out how my brothers had been so enchanted by her. She was so small, yet already she had thin blonde hair flowing from her head. Her small hands were clenched into tiny fist and she slept on her back. I couldn't help but smile and laugh a little at how cute she was. Then something happened I did not expect. Selene opened her eyes. She looked around her settings at first then caught glance of me. Startled at first, her expression changed from one of fear to one of happiness. Her green eyes captured my soul and held me there, I couldn't look away no matter how much I tried, not that I really wanted to look away. A big smile plastered across her face and she reached up to me with her tiny hands.

"She likes you." I turned and saw Queen Katherine standing behind me glancing down at her child with a soft smile on her face. "I've never seen her warm up to anyone outside the family so quickly." Katherine casted her eyes at me and held them there for a moment.

"She's a very beautiful child." I managed to say as I looked back down at the wiggling child who continued to reach for me. "May I?" I turned back to Katherine. She gave an uncertain nod. I reached my hand inside the cradle and was surprised at the strong grasp of the small child as she held onto my finger. I laughed again smiled down at Selene. "Hello Princess. My name is Garsiv." She laughed at me and let go of my finger. Taking that as the sign that I was free to go I bowed to Katherine and slowly began my descent down the stairs and back with my family. The image of the laughing child burned into the back of my mind. I have to be the one she chooses. I swore to myself and gripped my fist in determination that I would make Selene fall in love with me.

It wasn't long after the boys were introduced to the Princess that things in the hall returned to their normal state of political talk and economic trading policies. Dustan, Tus, and Garsiv stood around slightly in a daze at what had just happened, each one thinking about how Selene had impacted them, ignoring the world that moved around them.

"Boys?" Sharaman called to them, breaking the trance. The boys looked to their father who stood with a man with long grey hair and beard, but his eyes were a startling blue. His lean body seemed out of place against those eyes, which rang of peace alongside his polite smile. When Sharaman had the boy's attention he continued. "This is Croesus, brother to Ateas." Croesus bowed to the young princes, a favor which they returned.

"It is nice to meet the future kings of Persia at such peaceful times. You never know when your friends might become your enemies so cherish them while you can." He and Sharaman laughed heartily together.

"Father." Cambyses pushed himself into the group and sent a glare at Garsiv as he stood by his father's side.

"Yes what is it Cambyses?" Croesus looked to his son, placing his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Mother calls for you." Cambyses responded looking up to his father.

"Ah, well, I wish we had more time to talk but, the Misses is calling." Croesus handed his cup to a nearby servant. "And I've found it is best not to keep her waiting very long." Sharaman laughed and held his cup up in agreement as Croesus walked away after giving the group a final farewell. Cambyses didn't waste the moment to shot one last glare at Garsiv before following his father into an adjacent hallway after bidding a goodnight to his brother. It's such a shame that a good man like that has such a son as him. Garsiv thought to himself.

Time continued to pass in the hallway, but Dustan, Tus and Garsiv found it difficult to keep themselves occupied when they were bored practically to death of the whole thing. Luckily for them the Ateas and Katherine had as well. They stood together in unison and the crowd turned and gazed at them, waiting to hear the king speak.

"My friends, it has been a long night and I wish you all an every good rest of your evening. Good night." Ateas said as Katherine gathered Selene and walked together from the hall, everyone bowing as they passed once again, for the final time that night. After their departure Sharaman turned to his sons.

"Alright boys, I think it is time we took leave as well. It's a long ride back to Avrat, and I want all of you to be wide awake for it." Sharaman said leading the boys to the hall's doors, which no one fought. Garsiv casted a single look back at the cradle as he passed through the doors from around his father's cloak's sleeve. As the doors shut the in the side of the cradle Garsiv could have sworn he saw a crack, then nothing.

Once we had been situated back inside our room and getting ready to lie down in our bed, I cast a glance outside the open balcony window and at the stars that graced the black night's sky. Selene's face burned into the back of my mind and the very being of my heart. If I am ever to marry- it shall be only her. I thought to myself holding my arms against my chest, hoping to keep the warm feeling from flowing out. With her face on my mind I slowly began to fall asleep thinking that nothing better in the world than knowing her.

A scream filtered through my dreams and rocked me awake, along with my brothers. Groggily I looked around to find that the moon was low in the sky and the hints of the morning sun mingled with the sky. A chill had crept into the room, but it was not from the morning sun. I looked to my father who stood up and raced to the door, his sword in hand, not caring that his white night gown flowed behind him. Suddenly everything began to sink in. Something had happened. Following my father's example I grabbed my sword which lay beside my bed and ran outside the now open door.

Barely being able to keep up with my father's long strides we traveled down hallways and corridors alongside servants and guards who shouted orders around us. I couldn't make out the words they said, for my heart was racing like a turbine as my steps increased their pace. Finally we came to the scene of the scream.

On the ground lay two dead guards, their bodies mangled and twisted with blood in the corners of their mouths and strewn across the walls like paint. Daggers protruded from one of the guard's chest and the other's throat had been slashed wide open. I had seen dead men before, but never enjoyed the sight and I held back my bile as I followed my father past the open doors. Peeling my eyes away from the guard's face which seemed to echo their pain I glanced around the room we had entered, and was shocked to find it was the King's Chambers. Father stopped just after the door way.

"Ateas." He called to the king. I peaked around my father and saw the king yelling at guards, while Katherine sat in on the bed, pale and mute her whole body slowly shaking. Her once stunning eyes now seemed blank and empty as she gazed off into the distance. Ateas turned away from the guards and at my father.

"Sharaman." His voice was unsteady, and his knuckles were white from gripping his sword hilt tightly. "Are you in anyway involved with this?" Ateas hissed under his breath. Sharaman took a step forward closing the distance between them.

"In what? What has happened here?" Sharaman responded, not taking to heart the accusation of Ateas. Father knew the king was frazzled and wasn't thinking straight. Ateas' eyes cleared for a moment and he glanced downward at me, behind my father. Father followed his gaze and found me behind him. "Garsiv, return to the room. Now." I glanced around the room, unwilling to listen to father.

"But-" I stuttered.

"No buts, now do as I say!" He shouted motioning for a servant to take me back to the room. A woman came and gently pushed me toward the door. I cast one last glance in the room and I felt as if something was missing, but couldn't quite figure out what.

The servant brought me back to the room were Tus and Dustan awaited my return. Ignoring their questioning glances I walked over to the bed and placed my sword back on the ground.

"Garsiv." Tus said walking around me. "What has happened?"

"Two guards were killed outside the King's Chambers." I responded crossing my legs and looking into his eyes. Tus became pale and sat down opposite me.

"And the King?" He asked timidly afraid of the answer.

"Alive and well. Shaken but well." Tus let out a heavy sigh and folded his hands across his mouth.

"Where is father?" Dustan asked taking a seat next to Tus.

"He is with the king, but I was ushered out like a child before I could find anything out." I hissed through my teeth in anger. Tus opened his mouth to offer his response but the sound of the doorknob creaking caused the boys to stop conversing and turn to look.

In walked father, surrounded by a group of guards with tense faces and shifty eyes, and even father looked put on edge.

"Father?" Tus asked standing up and taking a step towards him, but father moved past him to the balcony. Once in the open air he gripped the balcony's edge and hung his head down between his shoulders, and then silence. No one talked, but instead waiting for him to say something.

"Pack your things." Finally his words reached them. No one moved.

"Father…?" Dustan finally asked. Father didn't move for a moment then sighed heavily. He turned and walked back into the room. Once in front of us he glanced at each of us individually.

"The young princess was taken." He finally spoke. The words ran through me like a cold blade, stopping my heart and my breathing. I slowly sat down trying to catch my breath of form any type of coherent thought. Then like a flood of water, anger and frustration came over me.

"Who? Who was it father?" I asked standing back my hand gripping my swords hilt. Father looked at me and there was a glance of admiration and something else in his eyes.

"There are no evident suspects, but it is believed to be the work of hassansins." Father responded placing his hands on my shoulders, and looking into my eyes even deeper. The fire didn't diminish in my heart but I knew that nothing could be done at that moment. I shared Father's stare then looked down releasing my grip on my sword, and he responded by gripping my shoulders reassuringly. "This is why we need to return to Avrat as soon as possible." Father released my shoulders and began to ready himself for the long journey back home.

"But Father why?" Tus asked as he watched Father.

"Yes, we should stay and try to help aid Ateas with finding young Selene." Dustan agreed standing next to his brother. Father stopped packing and turned to look at all of us as we stood together for the first time together on something and smiled gently.

"I wish we could stay to help, but at the current state of affairs, Ateas trusts us to not have taken the young princess, but that cannot be said for the rest of the royal family. Retaliation will come just as quick as it will blind." Dustan and Tus stared at Father for a long moment, wishing to continue their insistent that they should stay.

"Father is right," I spoke up, despite my own feelings "we have to go. We can continue to help the search, but it would be best from behind our own borders." Dustan and Tus looked at me as if I had possibly gone mad, but I ignored their looks at turned to start packing.

"Garsiv," Tus walked up behind me "have you already turned your back on the Princess?"

"No!" I snapped frustrated. "More than anyone I want to stay and help, but I know the consequences of doing so and would risk them all, but I won't risk my family's lives as well."

"That is well spoken Garsiv." Father praised. "Now boys please- go pack."