Joshua was finally back at the castle. His heart was racing as he made his way to the royal courtroom. He was unsure what the prince would do to him after failing his request. No Joshua shook his head, the prince was more likely to hurt his sister than him. He pressed his right thumb into the palm of his left hand trying to calm his heart. He said a little prayer before opening the large doors.

Once inside he marched his way to the front. Shoulders back, eyes determined, and face peaceful. He would not be afraid and would try his hardest to receive punishment. When he was about five feet away from the throne, Joshua stood at attention.

"JOSHUA AT YOUR ATTENDANCE YOUR GRACE"

Joshua then bent down kneeling on his right knee. He looked up at the prince, who sat laid back on the throne, staring back at him.

"You've been gone so long I thought you fled"

"I AM SORRY FOR MY INCOMPETENCE YOUR GRACE." Joshua bit his lip.

"Well, I'm sure you would never leave your sister behind" Joshua bit his lip harder, drawing blood.

"So where is she? Where is the woman you deem fit to marry me?"

Joshua said nothing and instead kept his head down.

"Don't tell me you were gone this long and yet still came empty-handed?"

"YOUR GRACE-"

"ENOUGH WITH THE THEATRICS! COME HERE AND TELL ME"

Joshua swore under his breath, the prince was in a foul mood. It would take a miracle now for his sister to avoid punishment. Joshua got up and walked to the throne. He opened the solid gold fence that kept commoners away from the throne. He then walked up the stairs and made his way to the prince's side.

The prince watched him the whole time. When Joshua was about an arm's length away the prince waved his hand ushering for him to come closer. Joshua took another step forward but the prince waved his hand again. This continued till Joshua was right beside the prince. Practically touching the gold throne with embedded rubies in it. The prince pointed downwards and Joshua bent down.

As soon as Joshua's knees hit the ground the prince grabbed his neck. He pulled Jousha towards his face, strangling him in the process.

"Do you not take this job seriously?"

"Do you think you still have standing in this court"

"Your parents sold you to us, you belong to me and should know how to behave"

"Are you sure there was not one girl fit to be my queen?"

Joshua was having a hard time breathing, his vision was blurring and he was losing feeling in his arms. Yet the prince's words were loud and clear. Joshua's face flattered as he thought of the foreigner he had seen.

"Ahh, so there is someone?" Joshua shook his head. The prince's grip tightened.

"Really?"

"Should I make your sister an official concubine? If I did, could you have power again?"

"Though I could also just sell her. One of the nobles have been begging me for her"

"THERE WAS A DARK GIRL- " the prince's grasp loosed a bit.

"I was unsure since she was a foreigner but she had no accent. She grew up here and is currently unmarried."

"Foreigner," the prince said in disgust.

"Am I to believe that a foreigner is who you deem worthy of being queen?"

The prince let go of Joshua and he gasped for air and fell onto his hands. He took a few seconds to regain his composure.

"She was really beautiful, dark like the night sky tall but curvy and kind, well-spoken."

The prince listened, more interested in Joshua's affection than the girl herself. In the many years that the prince had owned Joshua, he had never shown interest in anyone. Joshua had tried to hide this girl from the prince. Even though he knew the prince would punish him, he still tried to hide her from him. The prince smiled thinking about this. He had to own her. There was no way he would make the girl his queen but perhaps a royal concubine. Close enough to Joshua but off-limits forever.

"Pack my bags we leave tomorrow."

---

The prince and the servant took off the next day. At first, the prince was shocked that they would be traveling by horse. Then he remembered that he had given the servant the royal seal. Joshua had access to the royal family's finances and could spend it however he liked. For the rest of the afternoon, the prince wore a tight lip grimace and glared at the servant whenever his back was turned.

Joshua did his best to ignore the prince. He had worked for the royal family since he was seven. The servant had witnessed many lavish nights of the royal family. He often greeted and escorted guests at their royal parties. Joshua had a boyish charm that the queen and many of her guests took pleasure in. Indeed, he was no stranger to the lifestyle. However, besides a few suits for the parties and afternoon teas, he never partook. He was made to watch with a smile on his face and a rumble in his belly.

Even now while he was serving the prince he was made to watch. If not for his sister he would have taken the seal and never come back. Maybe find him a nice girl and buy a house in one of the more well-off villages. Or better yet throw a huge party that lasted as long as the prince was unaware of his actions. Still, Joshua had starved himself the last few months for a ridiculous quest.

As if to prove his point the royal carriage was stopped by a swarm of villagers. They rushed them and yelled incoherently. The prince rolled his eyes and waved his hand at Joshua and the two guards accompanying them. Joshua got down and so did the guards. The guards pulled out their guns and aimed them at the villagers.

"YOU ARE BREAKING COUNTRY RULES BY STOPPING US."

A few of the women in the crowd screamed.

"MOVE OR WILL BE FORCED TO SHOOT."

Joshua looked at the crowd. It was obvious that they were starving and had only swarmed hoping to be given food. Unfortunately for them, even the royal guards were facing hunger now. Plus this carriage was carrying the prince. The villagers backed up but did not disperse.

"THIS IS THE LAST WARNING, MOVE!"

The villagers still stood in their positions. Joshua could understand where they were coming from. Regardless of whether they were shot or starved, death was near. He wanted to have mercy on the crowd but his sister's safety was the only thing that mattered to him. He was about to order the guards to push them away when the carriage door opened.

The villagers gasped as they realized that the prince was who they had stopped. A few brave men rushed to get near the prince. One of the guards shoot warning shots into the air and they stopped in their tracks. The prince placed a hand on Joshua's shoulder.

"What is going on?"'

"MY PRINCE WE ARE HUNGRY!" The prince looked at the man who said this.

"You dare to speak when you were not spoken to?" The man fell to the ground.

"I AM SORRY YOUR GRACE BUT IF I DON'T SPEAK MY FAMILY MAY STARVE!"

The prince walked up to the man and placed a foot on his back.

"They may starve for your disobedience"

The prince waved Joshua over.

"Are all these people here for food?"

Joshua nodded his head.

"My god, what are the courts doing?"

"AS YOU ARE AWARE THE KINGDOM IS ONCE AGAIN FRUITFUL AND WE HAVE SIGNED A DEAL WITH ANOTHER NATION ALMOST AS GREAT AS OURS."

"I HAVE ALSO CREATED A PLAN TO GENERATE JOBS, WEALTH, AND PUT A STOP TO HUNGER."

The crowd listened to words not saying anything but hope evident in their faces.

"THE PAPERS HAVE BEEN SIGNED SOME MONTHS AGO"

The prince took his foot off the man and walked closer to the villagers.

"THE COURTS ARE DELAYING PROGRESS FOR THEIR OWN GREED."

Joshua wanted to shake his head. The truth of the matter was after the prince gave his approval the courts immediately started implementing the plan. However, the nobles had stopped them as it meant using their land for free. The court had sent a report to the prince but he had not read it.

"I AM CURRENTLY ON AN IMPORTANT TRIP, ONE THAT WOULD BENEFIT ALL OF US."

The prince paused for dramatic effect, he looked about the crowd in front of him. He placed his right hand on his heart and smiled.

"I promise that the first thing I do when I get back is to put a stop to the court's greed. You have my word."

The crowd cheered and yelled compliments to the prince.

"Joshua as a show of good faith, give the people here some food and some seeds. We are almost at our destination anyway."

The compliments continued as the prince walked back to the carriage. However, he stopped just as he was about to ascend the steps.

"Ah, except for the man before the guards take him back to the castle. He must learn some manners."

The people gasped and the man begged for the prince to spear him. Though his pleas were ignored and the guards grabbed him. Joshua closed the door and they were on their way again.