“A bastard?” The royal advisor, Octavius baulked, “You want to make a bastard reigning monarch?”

“His Majesty specifically used the word legitimate, why else if not to emphasise an illegitimate child as his heir?” Victor, the eldest prince reinstated for the fourth time.

The advisor shook his head vehemently. “A naturally dead illegitimate child. Honestly, my Prince, I thought you would know that much.” Victor felt a rise of indignation, Octavius had never spoken so disrespectfully towards him. He had always showered him with praise, but that was when he was the heir to the throne. He shouldn’t be surprised, yet it still stung to know the depth of his insincerity.

“His Majesty went to great lengths to keep this child a secret, I would like to know how exactly you discovered it’s existence.” The advisor looked at him accusingly, with as much distaste he dared to direct at a royal member.

Victor cleared his throat, “It hardly matters now.”

Octavius looked down sullenly, knowing just how stubborn the prince could be. “My Prince, even if this..." He glanced at the documents Victor had given him, "Alexandra was seen as legitimate, His Majesties will was clear, none of his children, legitimate or otherwise shall inherit the crown! That includes you, Princess Eleanor, Prince Christopher, Alexandra, and any other existing bastards.” He explained, determined to be just as obstinate as the prince. “And besides, would she even be accepted to rule? What with her... racial persuasion.”

Victor raised an eyebrow at that, political ramifications of her race hadn’t crossed his mind. The documents listed her skin as a brown hue, their father was pale as a ghost, which explained Alexandra’s mother. However, there were no portraits of the king's mistress in existence. 

“That's a dangerous question, Octavius." The royal advisor kept his stubborn pout on his face. "Yes, I do believe she would be allowed to rule, in fact, I believe anyone attempting to stop her from ruling based solely on her race would be the one with the low approval rating.”

The advisor made a haughty hmph sound. “I’ve made my other reasons clear, my objection does not depend on her race.”

“Ah, but does it contribute?” 

The prince received no reply. He decided to abandon the topic, it was hardly important. "His Majesty was obviously suspicious, of us and everyone around him, I'm honest enough to admit that. But when he wrote his will, do you think he was meaning for his brother to rule?" The King's strained relationship with his brother was a well-known dysfunction in the castle. "An outside eye, one not corrupted by the royal politics which infest this castle, that would have been his preference."

"Then he should have put that in his will, Prince Victor." Octavius gathered the papers and thrust them into the Prince's hands. 

"With us out of the way, you, dear Octavius, are the second in line to the throne." Well, not technically, technically his three-year-old cousin was, but Octavius was the regent to underage monarchs, 

"Are you suggesting refusing to let an illegitimate child reign is evidence of my ambition to reign?" His eyes lit up with indignation.

"I'm suggesting that after Uncle takes care of us, he will realise you will be the one with the most motive or has his paranoia been forgotten?" The prince reminded, His Majesties brother, his uncle had a somewhat infamous reputation.

"That is a statement dangerously close to blasphemy, Prince Victor,"

"Food for thought Octavius." He turned on his heel, exiting the room leaving the documents of Alexandra strewn on the advisor's desk. 

                                                         *   *   *

Octavius looked at the mess on his desk, on the papers were various details of the Alexandra in question all gathered by the Prince's spies he presumed and they spared no detail. 

"Works as a cook in her previous orphanage, she passed the age of adoption two years ago. Frequently plays the piano."He skimmed a different paper, this one describing appearance. "Curly brown hair, brown eyes, brown skin.."

His nose wrinkled at the last part, but the Prince's words were gnawing away at him. You will be the one with the most motive. Victor was not wrong, the late King's brother had never been considered... stable. He sighed in surrender and beckoned the chief of the castle's guards. 

"What may I do for you, my Lord?" The guard said with a deep bow. 

He gathered the papers from his desk. "Find this girl," he handed the papers to him. "And bring her back to me unharmed."