The Broken Prince's Love

Cedar had to admit that he wasn't a good person. He would never have claimed that anything else was the case, but he would also argue that most of the things that had happened weren't truly his fault.

He hadn't asked to be born as the second prince of the royal family of Artias. He also hadn't asked to be the son of a mother who was slowly decaying because of her boundless jealousy directed at her husband's mistress and a father who didn't look at anything but his work.

The worst thing about his family had to have been his brother though, which Cedar obviously hadn't asked for either. Everything that he lacked had been handed to Theodore on a silver plate ever since his birth. Theodore was the firstborn. Theodore was the heir, the future emperor, and thus the only person who had ever gained their father's interest. Theodore had been raised by the emperor's mistress, who had loved him like any normal mother would love her son, which meant that he had been granted the attention of two wonderful parental figures.

In the meantime, Cedar had been forced to live in his perfect brother's shadow while enduring their real mother's anger issues. He had pointed out that this was unfair countless times, but it was clear that no one would listen to him.

By now, he had given up on it and stopped struggling against this fate. Even if another person told him that he could dig up the riverbed to change the flow of water, which was a metaphor for his life, he didn't believe that. He could dig as much as he wanted, but the stone would still keep its original form. He couldn't help but be jealous of Theodore and hate his brother when he had been raised to do that. Likewise, he also couldn't change that his personality might seem a bit twisted to others.

In the end, none of this was his fault, and Cedar would also apply this to the situation he was currently in. There hadn't been much he could have done differently, but right now, he didn't truly care either. Cedar let out a small sigh and lifted his hands to signal the knight that he didn't mean any harm, but that didn't seem to calm the other man down.

Instead, the guard stepped closer and hissed in a voice that was probably supposed to be intimidating. “I told you to get away from the wall, didn't I? Do you want to be hit so badly, huh? If you come closer even one more time, I will make sure that you won't ever try it again.”

Cedar hadn't even done anything that upsetting, so he had no idea why the knight was this aggressive. Maybe it would be better to let that man calm down instead of doing anything problematic any time soon. He might really end up with a sword in his stomach if he provoked the wrong person. “I understand.” The prince gave the other man a bright smile and took a step backward. “I won't bother you again. Would you mind lowering your sword then? I don't wish to get hurt on accident.”

The knight's face scrunched up as he stepped closer. “If I mess up your face, it certainly won't be an accident. Go back inside. I won't repeat myself.” His words might have sounded a little less like a threat if he had said them in a nicer tone, but apparently, being polite wasn't this man's strength.

Cedar didn't have any desire to get this person to explode, but he couldn't back away like this either. “Please calm down, Sir. I did not have any bad intentions. I merely wished to take a look at the pond. I planned on going a bit closer for that. If it's too close to the walls for your liking, I won't go there again. But maybe you should stop threatening a member of the royal family if you wish to keep your position here.”

The guard let out a snort and held his sword forward. “Do you think anyone would care enough to actually deal with any matter that is related to you? No one here would bat an eye if you died. I would actually do the world a favor by getting rid of the murderous prince who dared to attack the royal palace. His Majesty would be happy to have you slayed right here.”

Cedar had to hold back from giving a snarky response at that. He was sure that he had begun this discussion with at least a dozen servants by now. Being a prince truly didn't pay off when everyone around him seemed to hate him.

Even though his title granted him some amount of power, he had never been seen as an influential individual by most people in the first place. This had only gotten worse after his mother, Camille Estien, the current dowager empress, had attempted to kill Theodore right after his coronation. Cedar had spent six years in confinement by her side before being released. Instead of using this chance to gain power to slowly undermine the emperor, his mother had just started a direct attack on the palace three months ago. Naturally, she had sent Cedar in first with a bunch of mercenaries.

As expected, waltzing into the royal palace with some warriors didn't do much against the royal guards that protected the palace. The mercenaries had been defeated swiftly, and the perfect Theodore had once again been successful in winning every single fight in his life.

Cedar had been put back into confinement with his mother and a wound on his head, which was thankfully almost healed by now, by his dearest brother. But that didn't make his situation much more pleasant. After all, he was surrounded by a group of people who thought that it was fun to disrespect the fallen members of the royal family. The other half of the staff members were trying to flatter Camille until they got her favor in an attempt to gain a little bit of power like this, but most were similar to the guard Cedar was up against right now.

That man just glared at him and became even more aggressive at the other's silence. “Well? Can't say anything about that, you arrogant bastard? At least you know your place. Now go back, or I will show you what happens to people that disobey the emperor's order.”

By now, Cedar would love to just go back, but that would be a hassle. He had prepared everything, and hiding all of this while waiting for a second chance would be annoying. So, he would have to use this opportunity. The only thing that could help him here was doing what he had always been good at. Talking and infuriating people. “The thing is... Even if my beloved brother put me here, he wanted me to be alive. So, you killing me wouldn't make him happy. If anyone is disobedient right now, it's you. The only question is whether you will accept that or keep making comments about how I'm powerless. Would you please lower your sword now? I am only trying to enjoy the view of the pond. I won't do anything reckless.”

The knight narrowed his eyes at him and took a step forward. “You are awfully confident for someone that doesn't deserve anything but to lay in the dirt that you came from. Even your face is disgusting enough to make me want to puke. Get back in the building now.”

Cedar glanced down to check the floor. He took a half step back before looking up again. He had to remember that stone there, or he might trip later, but that was all he had to check for now. Cedar scanned the knight's posture and slowly turned his body slightly to the side while carefully inspecting the environment. They were still alone. Good. Then this might work. “I don't think that you are in any position to order me around, Sir Knight. Aren't I above you in terms of status?” He showed the other man a smirk and waited for a response while almost expecting an attack.

But the guard had a little more self-restraint than Cedar had given him credit for. The muscular man glared at the prince and lifted his sword higher, but he didn't do anything. “If you want to cause problems for yourself, you are on the right track. But I assume that you do not want to get hurt and end up with scars that prove that the traitorous prince is also stupid. I told you to-” He was almost at his breaking point, and that was the perfect time to strike.

Cedar let out a low chuckle and cut the other man off. “Stupid? That's a new insult. I don't think I've ever heard anyone say that.” He spoke with as much sarcasm in his voice as possible. “And you, the most amazing knight in this whole nation, finally told me. I must be blessed by the gods.” Sometimes, he wondered if the gods had truly blessed him with the worst luck imaginable. After all, they were forcing him to meet simple-minded people like this again and again.

The guard's face got red, and the veins on his forehead were puckering as if he was seconds away from getting a heart attack because of his anger. “You...little...” He didn't finish that insult and glared down at the prince before coming a bit closer. “I think someone needs to show you that a loose mouth won't do you any favors here. You will regret trying to pick a fight with me. You had countless chances to get away, so don't complain now.”

That was exactly what the prince wanted.

Cedar tensed his muscles and scanned the other's movement to be prepared for when that man lunged forward. “How about we duel then? If you are such a great knight, surely defeating a stupid prince won't be an issue. Give me a sword or a wooden stick, and you will be able to show me who the stronger person is.” No matter what option the other man would choose, it would end up being favorable for Cedar, especially if the guard acted like he had predicted it.

And unsurprisingly, that fuming man did the prince the favor. “Duels are only for worthy people. You don't deserve something like that. You should get something that shows you how much of a piece of garbage you are. This isn't a playground for you to parade around on, so I guess I will have to prove that to you now.” The knight put his sword into the sheath that hung around his waist and cracked his knuckles. Perfect. That idiot was truly easy to control, and he still hadn't noticed a thing.

Cedar took half a step backward again and glanced at the stone below his feet while turning his head to the side. “You don't put away your weapon while you are facing your opponent. Didn't your oh-so-great royal guards teach you that? You can't underestimate anyone. I should remind you that it would be better to be prepared the next time.” He slowly moved his hand to the side and pulled out the sand he had hidden in his pocket. He kept it in his closed fist and carefully brought it behind his back while keeping an eye on the other man. It seemed like this might work out without any issues.

After all, the knight still hadn't noticed. He just rolled up his sleeves and took a step forward, which made it seem like he prepared to attack. “You are way too confident. I will make sure that you think about whom you offend before trying anything next time. The most experienced fighter around here will make you understand that your title won't protect you from being beaten black and blue.” With that, he cracked his knuckles again, which was as boring as it had been the first time. He probably wanted the prince to be scared now, but he would have to try harder than that.

Cedar had grown up in a family that consisted of people who were able to glare at others in such a manner that the concerned people feared death immediately. He was also rather sure that his mother was much more violent than this man could ever be, so he didn't worry in the slightest. There was no way that he would lose against an idiot like this. The area around them was cleared, and he only needed a few more minutes before everything would be over. If he did it well, no one involved should come to harm either. He slowly pulled out the second item he had prepared and hid it at his side as well. Now he was ready to strike. “I see. Maybe that would be intimidating if I could see any fighter somewhere. But I only see a talkative, bratty boy in a uniform here. That doesn't make you a knight, you know? As you said, this title won't keep you from being hit by something unexpected. So, will you prove that you can fight now, or will you start calling for help soon? I can let you off the hook if you apologize to me.”

It was obvious that the other man wouldn't take that well. The guard's face contorted with fury, and he let out a growl. “I see. If that's how it is, I will be happy to break a few of your bones. Come at me!” He yelled the last part and stormed forward after that. Perfect.

Cedar changed into his fighting mentality immediately so that his body almost reacted on its own. He only needed to jump to the side at the right moment now. He kept watching the other man's movements until the last second and made a small step to the side while turning his body.

The guard, who had expected his fist to make contact, fell forward and stumbled over the rock.

Just as Cedar had planned, he had a small moment to get ready for the quick finale. He moved around the short, thick branch in his hand and gripped it tightly. Surely, the other man would attack again now. And once again, Cedar's guess had been right.

The guard already pressed his hands into the soil and jumped up to charge at the other man. “You bastard!” This time, he yelled even louder, which made the prince worry about whether others would come to check up on them.

But Cedar didn't have time to think about that. He needed to act quickly. So, he took a swing with his left hand, which still held onto the sand, and threw it at the man. Until now, everything went as expected, but suddenly, that changed.

The knight only slowed his movement for a moment and reached into his jacket to pull out a small dagger as he wildly sliced without seeing anything. Guards weren't allowed to carry daggers though. Why did he have one?

Cedar had no time to waste. He lunged forward. His body moved on its own at that moment, so he could only pray that his reflexes were enough to save him. He would have to be faster now, or he might end up being slit open at some point. He raised his right arm and brought down the branch onto the side of the other's head. But as expected, his reflexes were more focused on crushing the enemy than on actually avoiding nonlethal attacks. He noticed that he had attacked but not defended himself as soon as he made contact with the guard's skull. He jumped back again, but there already was a huge gash on his arm. The prince already prepared before the pain set in, and when it did, he only took a deep breath and gazed down at the now unconscious knight.

What a useless injury.

Cedar should have expected something like this when he was using the most treacherous attacks possible as well. Well, it wasn't like being injured like this was anything new. At least it was just the slit. It would have been worse if the dagger had been stabbed into his flesh. Like this, no muscles were injured. The slight blood loss was the only issue since it would leave a trail. Cedar pressed his hand on his puckering arm and considered fetching a bandage before he left. But he wouldn't. That would use up too much time. He couldn't risk it. If he wanted to get out today, he would have to do it now.

He crouched down to the unconscious man and held his hand onto the other's neck. He felt a pulse after just a few seconds. Good. At least the guard was still alive and didn't bleed too much. That meant that this man would wake up in five minutes at most. Everything else would have been rather annoying to deal with.

Cedar let go of his wound to rip off a bit of fabric from the other's cape. Apparently, this had been a higher-ranking knight since he had a rather long cape, but Cedar didn't care much. If the other man acted like an idiot in front of the person who was known as the best swordsman his age, this should have been expected.

The prince's outfit alone had betrayed that he wanted to blend in with a crowd. Anyone who had stopped to think would have realized what his plan was, but now it was too late.

Cedar wrapped the cloth tightly around his arm and made a mental note to disinfect the wound as soon as he could. He would need to use up a few of his gold coins to buy some medicine at the next pharmacy. Luckily, he had enough money on him to be able to do that.

Cedar glanced down at the knight once more and gave him a bright smile. That man would be really upset when he found out what had happened. Well deserved. The prince stood up and ignored the slight aching of his arm as he looked around one more time.

The area around him was deserted. This was his chance.

He reached down to steal the other man's sword and tied it to his waist before brushing his clothes off. Then he walked over to the gardening shed, which was rather close to the walls that surrounded the confinement estate. The tree next to the shed had a few low-hanging branches, so it was easy to climb up. His wound didn't hurt enough to stop him, so Cedar only took a few seconds before he reached his destination. From the tree, he just had to jump over onto the roof, and now he could scan the area outside the walls.

Cedar had been able to memorize the walking patterns of the guards in advance, and even if the knights changed it rather often, they were more lenient when it came to this side of the property. As long as he waited for two guards to pass, he had at least two minutes before the next ones would come. That would give him more than enough time to climb over the wall and cross the street. Once he was in the field on the other side, he could easily hide by ducking between the wheat plants. And as long as no one found the unconscious knight, Cedar should have an hour before anyone noticed that he was gone.

For once, it was truly perfect. At least if one didn't count his arm being slit open, but he wouldn't be picky.

Cedar didn't have the time to complain about such a small cut anyway. He kept his eyes directed at the street and lowered his body as soon as a couple of guards came by.

The knights chatted about the women they had seen in an inn rather loudly, so it seemed like no one had alarmed them. That was calming.

The prince waited until the men rounded the corner of the estate and quickly climbed up the wall, where he stopped once more. He would have liked to look around to gaze back at the mansion, but he didn't have time for that. A guard could come at any moment and spot him, so he hurried. He jumped down and didn't waste a second before running toward the wheat field.

The street was broad and sandy, so Cedar took a bit longer than he had hoped for, but those three extra seconds wouldn't change much. He reached the field soon and immediately crouched down to hide for a moment. No one was yelling, so he seemed to have some time left before he needed to expect pursuers. For now, he just made sure that no one was around before he continued to run through the field. Hopefully, his training had given him enough stamina to keep him going when he had a long way in front of him.

Cedar had a destination in mind, and he needed to reach it by tomorrow evening before the royal guards cornered him. After stopping to get some medicine, he would have to hurry to go there.

If that stupid guard hadn't injured him, he could have gone without that extra destination, but it seemed like he had no choice but to accept his fate for now. Hopefully, that guard would have the same headache Cedar had had after being knocked out by his brother during the revolt. Then they would be even.

But for the prince, this didn't make much of a difference. He needed to move forward without wasting time to fulfill his plan. If everything went right, he wouldn't have to deal with any stupid knights anymore once he was done. But before he could win, he would need to start digging up the riverbed a bit. Even if he was almost sure that he wouldn't succeed in changing his life, he had nothing better to do. Giving it a try was more helpful than sitting around.