Scott was eight when his mother died.

It was steep learning curve.

He had four younger brothers to care for and to be a good example to. John was six, Virgil five and Gordon four, all confused by the sudden disappearance of the one constant parent they had. They all adored their Father, but the man had to be abroad for frequent State visits. To lose their Mother though…so Scott stepped up.

He wasn't alone, of course. Their Grandmother was a huge help, but even at eight Scott was stoically acting like the man in the household while his Father fell apart and his Grandmother did her best.

It wasn't often a Queen was buried so young. The kingdom mourned for 30 days. Lucille Tracy was beloved not only in her own kingdom and tributes poured in from far and wide. Comments were made about how brave the five princes were, how well the Crown Prince bore the weight.

Scott set the example that his brothers followed. The boys made an impressive sight. Jeff had been first, then Scott on his own, John and Virgil together and Gordon holding tightly to his Grandmother's hand. Each one ramrod straight and sombre in appearance, their clothing reflecting their future status.

Royal blue for the Crown Prince.

Gold for the next in line.

Green for the middle child.

Yellow for the fourth-born.

Red for the baby.

Over the next few months some semblance of normal life gradually returned. The kingdom didn't run itself, and Jeff soon found his feet again. If he was more withdrawn and quieter than before, well, his people loved him and understood.

He found himself relying more and more on his Chief of Staff Kyrano and the Lord Chancellor, Kyrano's half-brother Gaat.

Scott and his brothers loved Kyrano like an uncle. He sometimes brought his daughter with him, and she would come to lessons with them. Tanusha was the same age as Virgil but was self-contained in the same way his brother John was, and he often found the two of them sitting together reading.

He had different lessons than he brothers for the most part. While they all had a lovely governess, Miss Carter, much of Scott's lessons was actually training him to become king one day.

When he was nine his father sent him away. At first the pain of being separated from his brothers was unbearable, but his lessons kept him busy and he soon adapted and began to enjoy this temporary life.

Jeff knew Scott needed training for the future, training that would be better given by someone other than him. As he had been sent away at nine for a year for the exact same reason, Jeff sent his eldest to the only man outside of the kingdom he truly trusted.

Lord Hugh Creighton-Ward was a diplomat of the highest order. His wife, Lady Amelia, was the perfect host, and their daughter, Lady Penelope, was the spitting double of her father. She was also the same age as Virgil, and she got on with Scott from the beginning.

They were a mischievous couple, leading each other into deeds neither would have dared to do alone. Hugh was delighted. Parker – their butler-valet-chauffer rather less excited, but he did seem to have a soft spot for the boy.

The year Scott spent abroad opened his eyes to many things, but he was also a dutiful child, ever mindful of the reason he had been sent. He learnt his statecraft at Foxley Heath. By the time he came home Scott could read a room. To read the context clues. To read politics and scheming and planning and people. He was a Crown Prince, it was either that or accidentally drink poison by age 15. Just because the Royal family were beloved did not mean they were beloved by all.

He learnt another set of skills, curtesy of Parker. How to pick locks, how to fight, how to trail a person without getting caught. Some of these he'd begun to learn from Kyrano, but it was Parker who polished him up.

He learnt his statecraft from Lord and Lady Creighton-Ward. He learnt spy craft from Parker.

That first year when he came back home was practically idyllic. Scott revelled in just being with his brothers again, teasing them and Tanusha with sleight-of-hand tricks and other less dubious things – they could all (except Alan) pick a lock before the year was up.

Scott's training picked up that year too. Now he was ten, he was expected to take his place at his father's side, learning how to run his kingdom. When their dad went away on state visits, he would sit in The Chair with Gaat on one side and his Grandmother on the other and listen to the court, leaning on the counsel given before making the small decisions he could. Larger ones would wait.

He was a quick study.

And then their lives were upended in tragedy again.

Scott was 14 when his father and Kyrano went away for a visit and never came back.

The kingdom held its breath. But Scott was by now a seasoned Crown Prince, he knew exactly what needed to be done to run his father's – his – kingdom. With a heavy heart he sat on the throne.

However, he was a still a minor, and as such he couldn't be crowned King until he was 18. Scott wasn't in any hurry. Part of him refused to believe his father was gone, and he was hoping that his Dad would walk in any moment, with Kyrano in tow. That was wishful thinking and wishful thinking didn't run the kingdom.

Days were spent in the conference room with all his father's – damn, that was going to be a hard habit to break – his advisors, thrashing out how to run the kingdom for the next four years.

Traditionally, Scott's mother would have ruled until he was old enough. But with both parents gone the only member of the Royal family who could take up the post was his Grandma.

But there was also some supporters who wanted Scott to appoint Belah Gaat, the Lord Chancellor, as the Regent. He was Jeff's highest and most trusted advisor besides Kyrano, and he was Kyrano's half-brother…but there was something about the man that Scott didn't trust.

He'd asked more than once since the day they learned both men were missing how Tanusha was and could she come over, but Gaat had refused, every time making some excuse, until Scott stopped asking. Quiet enquiries said the girl was being cared for, and running the kingdom soon pushed the matter out of his immediate mind.

The day he was due to announce who would be the Regent the Court was all abuzz. Scott had played things close to his chest, talking to every one of his advisors in length and in private. No one knew who he was going to appoint, but Gaat was confident.

Very confident.

So when Scott, Crown Prince of Mouryn, appointed his Grandmother as Grand Queen Regent, there was no shortage of gasps of surprise, and Scott didn't miss the narrowing of Gaat's eyes, nor the brief flash of yellow.

He didn't know what it all meant, but deep down he knew that he had just made his first personal enemy and would need to be on his guard more than usual.