Prince Maximilian walked quickly through the halls of the castle that had been his home for the last year. It had been given to the prince by his parents in the hope that such a gift and the accompanying independence would lift the teenager from his melancholy.
But, like all the gifts and honors before, the fine castle and estate did nothing to fill the empty spot inside Prince Maximilian. The 16 year old prince, known as Max to his few friends, often feared that he was just being a spoiled brat. The thought perhaps that he just didn't really appreciate all that he was given. As such, he had tried to live a harder life in his year in the castle.
Max had gone into the fields to supervise and even help his peasants in their work. He had sent for one of his father's retired generals to teach him the arts and sciences of war. The harsh regimen of training for mind and body, and the physical labor had made the young prince's body hard and his mind sharp. Max had indeed come to appreciate all his advantages and comforts more than before, but the gnawing emptiness remained.
The king and queen had tried to match their son with a politically suitable mate in the hope that if he found a wife, it would make the prince happy, but none of the noble girls and ladies, had moved Max's heart. The deep ache of something critical missing continued to plague the young prince.
Unknown to Prince Maximilian, he had not been born alone. He had a twin brother who had been born a few minutes after him. But twins were seen as very unlucky in noble and royal families. It was believed that the younger twin would always come to resent the older twin being ahead in the line of succession and inheritance. There would be conflict and probably murder at some point. As such, it was traditional to take the younger twin away and have him or her killed. The queen had sent Max's brother away, and that was the source of the horrible empty spot inside him. He had never met his brother. He didn't even know the other youth had ever existed, but his heart and soul missed him all the same.
Max was hurrying back to the great hall of his castle because he had received word that a new servant had arrived. The young prince had just finished a lesson with his tutor in matters martial, and there was no need to keep the servant waiting.
The prince's valet had retired recently. Max didn't think he really needed a valet. He felt quite capable of preparing his own bath, laying out his own clothes and dressing himself, but his parents had learned that Maximilian had not hired a replacement. They had arranged for the steward of the castle to hire one for Max. The prince pushed his blond hair, damp with sweat up away from his blue eyes as he walked into the great hall. A herald announced unnecessarily that the lord of the castle had arrived. He cast his gaze about, looking for his new valet.
But, like all the gifts and honors before, the fine castle and estate did nothing to fill the empty spot inside Prince Maximilian. The 16 year old prince, known as Max to his few friends, often feared that he was just being a spoiled brat. The thought perhaps that he just didn't really appreciate all that he was given. As such, he had tried to live a harder life in his year in the castle.
Max had gone into the fields to supervise and even help his peasants in their work. He had sent for one of his father's retired generals to teach him the arts and sciences of war. The harsh regimen of training for mind and body, and the physical labor had made the young prince's body hard and his mind sharp. Max had indeed come to appreciate all his advantages and comforts more than before, but the gnawing emptiness remained.
The king and queen had tried to match their son with a politically suitable mate in the hope that if he found a wife, it would make the prince happy, but none of the noble girls and ladies, had moved Max's heart. The deep ache of something critical missing continued to plague the young prince.
Unknown to Prince Maximilian, he had not been born alone. He had a twin brother who had been born a few minutes after him. But twins were seen as very unlucky in noble and royal families. It was believed that the younger twin would always come to resent the older twin being ahead in the line of succession and inheritance. There would be conflict and probably murder at some point. As such, it was traditional to take the younger twin away and have him or her killed. The queen had sent Max's brother away, and that was the source of the horrible empty spot inside him. He had never met his brother. He didn't even know the other youth had ever existed, but his heart and soul missed him all the same.
Max was hurrying back to the great hall of his castle because he had received word that a new servant had arrived. The young prince had just finished a lesson with his tutor in matters martial, and there was no need to keep the servant waiting.
The prince's valet had retired recently. Max didn't think he really needed a valet. He felt quite capable of preparing his own bath, laying out his own clothes and dressing himself, but his parents had learned that Maximilian had not hired a replacement. They had arranged for the steward of the castle to hire one for Max. The prince pushed his blond hair, damp with sweat up away from his blue eyes as he walked into the great hall. A herald announced unnecessarily that the lord of the castle had arrived. He cast his gaze about, looking for his new valet.