I really didn't give you guys much to go off with the prologue, so I decided to post the first chapter, too. Ok, I know this is still pretty short, and I'm sorry. The first couple of chapters will be like this, because I just felt it would be a good place to end them. However, I promise longer chapters are coming! I hope you'll try to stick with this story! Hope you like it!

Edited: 5/13/16

Later in the evening, right after Prince Wolfram's ceremony, a man was sitting lazily out in the gardens of the castle. He had an annoyed expression on his face as he listened to the joyous laughs and conversations of the new prince. He growled in frustration as he heard the praise the commoners were giving to his older brother and nephew. The man's name was Adelbert. He and the king only shared the same father, the previous king. He hated admitting that he shared anything with his pompous, overly righteous half brother. Their father always favored him, so he got all of Shin Makoku. While he, Adelbert von Granz, only got the territory his mother, and husband at the time, left to him.

His brother got everything. A whole kingdom, both of his parents love and pride, a beautiful queen, and now a son. He had love once. Of someone who was much more deserving than the queen his brother had chosen. His beautiful Lady Julia, the one he was once betrothed to. She believed in beauty and peace. And was once loved by everyone. But sadly, because of that trust and need to save everyone from themselves, she overused her magic and was killed for it. And it was from that point on that he realized that mazoku and humans couldn't live in peace like Julia wanted. And it was all the Mazoku's fault, and in turn, his brothers. As that was his responsibility.

His brother never deserved to be king. Sadly, he was the only one to see that. With Shinou being their father's favorite son, he never stood a chance. Not to mention his mother was a human. Having a half mazoku on the throne? The self righteous Mazoku could never let that happen. The prideful, selfish species that they are.

"Life's not fair, is it?" Adalbert said to himself, looking out into the garden, as he leaned against a tree. In a perfect world, he would have been chosen to be king. And the kingdom would have been much better off for it. Despite this, people still worship the ground his brother walks on. Quite literally. He growls at the thought. His brother is so undeserving.

"You know..." Adalbert turned around to see Gunter, the King's personal advisor. "You really shouldn't talk and growl to yourself like that. People are going to start thinking you're crazy."

Adalbert just rolled his eyes at him. Honestly, the man was probably more irritating than his brother. He was hardly in the mood to talk to anyone. Especially right after the birth of him. Another undeserving brat ahead of him in taking over the throne.

"What do you want?" He asks, clearly annoyed.

"I came to tell you King Shinou would like to speak with you. He wishes to see you in his office at once. He doesn't seem at all happy with you at the moment," Gunter replies.

"Oh, how pitiful. Whatever could I have done to upset big brother this time?" He says sarcastically.

"Like you wouldn't know," Gunter states, narrowing his eyes at the man. Now it was his turn to be annoyed. "The King is very upset, so you better have a good excuse for missing his son's ceremony."

"Oh, was that today?" Adalbert asked, voice laced with fake surprise. He also tried to feign guilt, but it didn't show over the smile on his face. "I feel so awful. However could I miss my darling nephew's ceremony?" Adelbert questions sarcastically. Then he shrugs. "It must have slipped my mind."

"Slipped your mind? Right. Of course it did," Gunter scoffs, giving him an annoyed and disgusted look.

Adalbert smirked at the response. His brother had such loyal followers. It made him sick. Before Adelbert could respond to the king's annoying advisor, a superior voice came over them.

"Adalbert," said a stern voice.

They both turned to see King Shinuo standing a few feet away from them. Adelbert rolls his eyes. There his brother was, standing there looking at him with narrowed eyes. He treats him as if he's the problem. One that needs to fixed and to keep an eye on. Like some insolent child.

"Why, isn't it my big brother. How are you on this fine evening? Your advisor just told me you wanted me to come see you, didn't he?" Adalbert questions, with a roll of his eyes.

"I knew you would try to get out of it. So I came to you instead," Shiou states. And then narrows his eyes as he accuses, "Cecilia and I didn't see you at Wolfram's presentation."

"Just like I said, it must have slipped my mind," he answered back, with a bored expression on his face.

Gunter glared at him. "As the kings' brother," he said sternly." You should have been first in line."

Adelbert clenched his fists at the statement. Anger boiling off of him at the reminder. He turns to face him, and hisses out with a glare on his face, "Yes, you are absolutely right. I should have been first in line. That is, until that little brat was born."

Shinou steps into Adelbert's line of sight when he utters the comment about his son. He glares at him and says sternly, "That 'brat' is my son, your nephew, and your future king."

"Oh, how wonderful! I'll just go practice my curtsy," he said back, sarcastically and with annoyance. Already being quite fed up talking with his brother, he turned around and started walking away from his king. He tried not to snarl at the thought as he stomped away from his brother and his advisor, completely tense and rigid with anger.

Shinou's eyes narrow dangerously at the sarcastic and flippant comment. At the nerve his younger brother had to speak to him in such a way. He quickly runs up and jumps in front of his brother's path, effectively stopping him. His hand was on his sword as he growled out, "Don't you ever turn your back on me, Adalbert!"

Adalbert looked him dead in the eyes. Annoyed beyond belief that his brother thought he should be put up on some sort of pedestal. He was so undeserving, and that annoyed Adelbert more than anything ever has. Despite this, he just looks at him and replies, "Oh no, Shinuo. I'm afraid it's you who shouldn't turn your back on me." And then he just continues walking around him, towards the gates leaving the castle.

Shinuo turns around to face him, eyes narrowed, teeth clenched, sword now in hand. "Are you challenging me?" He growls out, a glare permanently etched onto his face.

Adalbert turns around partially to look at him. He crosses his arms over his chest, as he replies easily, "You really have quite the temper, don't you big brother? Of course not. Challenge you? That's something I would never do."

Gunter comes up to stand by his King's side again. He crossed his arms over his chest and looked him over. He narrows his eyes as he states, "Well that's certainly a pity. Why ever not?"

"Because...I am only half mazoku, as you know. So as far as brains go, I definitely got the mazoku share. However, when it comes to power and strength-," He continues to walk away from them. And then he glanced back again at his brother and his advisor. Giving them one last flippant comment as he leaves, he states, "I'm afraid I got the human share in that area."

Gunter sighs as they watch Adalbert leave. Looking over, he noticed his king looking after him with a worried expression on his face. He tries to appease him by saying, "Don't worry about him, Your Majesty. I'm afraid every family has one...the ones who always seem to ruin special occasions. Actually, too many in mine, if I'm honest."

"What am I so supposed to do with him?" Shinou says with a sigh, partly to himself.

"Do we really need to keep him?" Gunter questions, only partly joking as he looks towards his king.

"Gunter!" Shinuo scolds, but there's a smile on his face, nonetheless.

"Hey, I'm only saying, your majesty. One can dream," he says with a smile on his face.

Shinou's only answer is a full hearted laugh as they both make their way back into Blood Pledge Castle. He'll have to be concerned about Adelbert later. He has a newborn son and a beautiful wife who need attention right now.

WolfYuu WolfYuu Wolfyuu

Meanwhile, at the temple not too far from Blood Pledge Castle, stood the Great Sage. It was dark and rainy outside, and all the Great Sage could hear was thunder breaking through the night's silence. He walked towards the center of temples blessed room. At the center, stood a large bowl the priestess's used to communicate with the past king's and queens. He looked inside and instantly knew. From where the Great Sage stood inside the temple, he frowned knowingly. The storm is a sign. He knew something was going to happen; something that was going to change Shin Makoku's future forever. What that something was? He had no clue. Except for the simple fact that the future was a dark and bleak one indeed. And he also knew that it revolved around one young and very important prince.

"Wolfram," He spoke the name slowly as he looked out towards Blood Pledge Castle, where the kingdom's only chance peacefully slept.