The cold breeze had woken him up. He heard music playing. The first person he thought of was Nova. He thought of her smile, her golden skin, and her laugh. He also wondered when he would see her again. His thoughts were interrupted by his mother, coming into the room.  “Malachi! What are you doing lying in bed still? The King and his daughter are coming soon, get up get up get up!” The queens came around the bed and yanked his covers off. “Mother, I don’t understand why I have to look presentable, if we are to be married, she should know what I look like in the morning.”

    Malachi said to his mother while smiling at her. She glares at him and as she walks out the room, she says “Be ready and in the west wing in 30 minutes.” Malachi rolls his eyes at his mother’s behavior. Right before she walks out the door she stops, “And Malachi, if you are not in the west wing in 30 minutes, there will be severe consequences.” With that, she leaves the room, giving relief to Malachi that she is now gone.

    Ever since he was a child, she would teach him about being king and getting married. An arranged marriage of course. He wanted true love, but she wanted power more. His father died at a young age. He was poisoned by another king, and the kingdoms have been at war ever since. His mother was devastated, and she hasn’t been the same since. She’s been trying to merge kingdoms for the past 18 years. Now that Malachi is of age, he can marry into another kingdom and merge them. Then, after they will conquer the kingdom that killed his father.

     The thing is, Malachi never quite believed his father died by the rival kingdom. It just didn’t feel right, and his intuition was telling him something different.

    He put on his clothing and jewels and walked out the room. Maids rushed around the palace getting everything cleaned. The anxiousness in the room was palpable. Everyone was getting ready for the king and his daughter to arrive. Malachi walked down the silver stair case, then up another staircase that went towards the west wing.

As he walks towards the west wing he thought about how much he didn’t want to be married. He wanted real love, with his one love Nova, who he hasn’t spoken to in days. They were supposed to meet in the shadow gardens behind the palace, but she didn’t show.

    He gets to the west wing and enters the hall and he sees his mother in a green dress that goes to the floor. “Mother, you look wonderful.” Malachi smiled at his mother. She looks at him then smiles, but then her smile quickly turns into a frown. “Malachi what are you wearing!” She ask with pure shock on her face. He looks down at what hes wearing. It was a nude shirt with sleeves, and he wore nude flowy pants. He gave his mother a questioning look. “I-I don’t understand mother I look-‘’, she cuts him off, “ You look terrible and underdressed, but there’s no time for changing, they are already here.” As soon as she says that, the doors of the west wing open and in walks in the king and his daughter.

     “King Alvar and Princess Jupiter, welcome to the palace!” The queen welcomes them and goes up and gives the traditional hug and kiss on the cheek.

Malachi stands there awkwardly. “Malachi don’t be shy, come say hello.” She laughs but the look in her eyes tells him that this is far from funny. He walks up to them and bows forward. “Hello king Alvar, hello Princess Jupiter.” They both smile at him. Before they can speak the Queen says “I’m sure it’s been a long ride, why don’t we go get some food in your bellies and we can talk about the future of the kingdom.” She says.

     As they sit and eat, the only thing heard is the King and Queen talking. Jupiter and Malachi haven’t spoken a word. She’s too busy thinking about the man she loves who is at home, a stable boy. He’s too busy thinking about why Nova hadn’t come the night before like she always did. He found it odd, they always met every night behind the garden. They were meant to runaway last night and she hadn’t shown. As he thought about it more, he began to worry.

     “What has you looking like a lost camel Prince Malachi?” The King asked. Malachi

snapped out of his thoughts and looked at him. “Oh um, nothing.” He lets out a light chuckle. The queen glares at her son. The King chuckles, “By the look of your face, it doesn’t look like nothing.” He says. “I just- I’m worried about a friend of mine.” The king eyes the young man suspiciously. “A girl perhaps?” His mother’s eyes burn into his head. They are all staring at him waiting for him to answer. His silence gave his answer. “Hm I see.” The king nods. His mother is silent. Jupiter is thinking about how wonderful this is. They both don’t love each other and love another person.

   “Well we don’t have to worry about his little friend, I took care of it.” His mother simply said while eating her food. Malachi snapped his head towards his mother.

  “Mother, how do you mean?” Her dark brown eyes bore into his light green ones. She shakes her head, “Don’t play dumb with me Malachi, I know you two met in the shadow gardens.” He gets a disgusting feeling in his stomach. He knows something isn’t right.

  “Mother what did you do?” She doesn’t answer. “Mother what did you do!?” He yells, she stands up and so does he. “Remember your place boy, you are not king yet.”

King Alvar and Princess Jupiter stare at each other in silence.

  Malachi then remembers guards talking about bringing a new person in, and knows exactly where to go. He gets up and runs out of the room, his mother calls after him.

He goes down the west wing, to the east wing and into the jail under the palace. He kicks down the door that leads to the jail cells.

  “Nova,” He yells, “Nova where are you my love?” Nova hears him and gets up off the floor, she’s been down there all day and night, not given food or water. She tries to scream but it hurts her dry throat. “Malachi, Malachi Im here!” Malachi hears her and run towards the cell. He sees her distraught state and starts tearing up. He grabs her through the jail cell and tries hugging her, but the bars are in the way. His mother runs after him.

    “Mother, you monster, let her out this instant I demand you to.” She stares at him and opens the gate. He immediately runs in and hugs his sweet Nova. They hear the jail cell door close and they both turn around. The queen was locking the doors. Malachi runs to the cell doors. ” Mother what are you doing?” She looks at him, “I need this son, I need the power and I won’t let anyone get in the way, not you not Nova, not even your father.

“You killed my father.” She just stares at him. “I will not let anyone get in the way.” She starts walking away. They only thing you can hear, is the sound of the queen’s heels clicking, and the shouts and cries of Nova and Malachi.