Everyone loved their lives in the castle. There was one thing about the human life, however. It was much too short. In the eyes of greater, divine creatures, humans were nothing but insects. So what made them so special, exactly? Though many philosophers sought an answer, it was always ambiguous. The sheer briefness of life was enough for some individuals to seek ways to extend their lives. This was especially true for the royal family and the court of nobles. Everyone wanted to live forever, everybody wanted to bathe in the fountain of youth. And most were willing to do whatever it took to attain immortality. Some of the more appalling methods included eating a certain type of fruit known as the blood pomegranate, or even eating the heart of a salt-dried wizard mummy. 

Needless to say, the most gruesome of methods were severely frowned upon. But not everyone wanted the fountain of youth for selfish purposes. Some wealthy people would pay with everything they had for a chance to save their beloved, children, or family. In response to the high demand, and lifetimes of searching, the royal court had found their fountain of youth- the rare god-bird, the phoenix. Seventeen years ago, a phoenix egg was found and hatched. He was loved by everyone in the castle. The phoenix was almost as famous as the four famed royal children, the heirs to the throne. 

In a nation where vagabonds and waifs were few, and the general populace was well-fed and as satisfied as could possibly be, the crown was probably worth more to the competitive kids than eternal life. The heir didn't go the oldest. In this large, proud nation, the crown was awarded to the child who proved themselves the most worthy. Their culture didn't suppress females, either, so there was a chance the princess could inherit the crown! The two eldest were boys and were known for their dashing good looks and experience as dragon riders. In addition, they served as generals in the royal army at only twenty one and twenty four, respectively. The princess was a beautiful, independent maiden. Five years ago, when she was only fourteen, she calmed a sea serpent that was terrorizing the citizens on the kingdom's eastern coast line. The serpent reverted into a human and currently lived in the castle as a servant to the princess. The fourth was a young man of nineteen. He was an ace with the pen, and an even bigger talent with animals. The whole kingdom was betting on who would inherit the crown out of these four beautiful, perfect children. 

But the funny thing was, the king and queen had [i]five[/i] children. The fifth was a prince. At first glance, he didn't seem any different from his four older siblings. He had the same glittering topaz-like orange eyes, the same sun-warmed tan and charming smile. But he was different. While the others' eyes glittered with the determination to succeed, his was the determination to make himself stand out. It was a very mischievous kind of sparkle. Similar to the cuckoo chick pushing the other eggs out of the nests, the prince sabotaged his siblings to make himself look better. From putting a sleeping draft in the dragon's meals to greasing the floors around the servant's quarters with butter, the madness had no end. It usually backfired on him, though. 

"Oh, how I hate him..." The prince, Frey, hissed. He was staring intently through the ajar double doors leading to Asbel's 'pen'. The phoenix lived better than he did! With lavish quilts and pillows, food handed to him on a golden platter, and a big window, it was better in every aspect compared to Frey's own small, while luxurious room. Clenching a fist, the seventeen-year-old ground his teeth together. He had no real reason to hate the phoenix and his siblings so much. In fact, they always forgave him. Maybe their unending pity and mercy was what drove him to do such things? Or perhaps sinking so low would lower everyone's expectations of him so he wouldn't have to work. Or, maybe it was simpler. Frey was just envious. 

Brushing a hand through silver hair that darkened at the ends, the prince clenched the rosewood door with his other. Asbel was a phoenix. A living treasure. He was the problem child. So why not do what he was born to do? Narrowing his eyes, Frey didn't have an ounce of hesitation or guilt as he burst through the doors with a loud sound. The sudden alertness and tension radiated by the sorcerers, philosophers, and alchemists was felt immediately as several pairs of eyes turned to stare at him. They knew that he was nothing but trouble. "Y-your highness." One of them stammered. He was a stout man, and reminded Frey of a boar. 

"Don't call me that," The prince quickly quipped. "You can call me 'your majesty' after I'm crowned." He said confidently, which indicted a glare of annoyance from the others. "AN-Y-WAYS, you guys are needed in Cassiopeia's pen," He said, speaking of his sister's Pegasus. "She's having some trouble." Meeting the suspicious glanced, he sighed and showed a note signed by the stable boy. It had taken forever to threaten the poor guy to sign it! Murmuring in agreement, the men made their way out of the room, leaving the prince alone with the target of his tormenting. From pushing Asbel out the window to shooting him with a poisoned arrow, Frey had done quite a bit. What he didn't realize was that this time, he was suspected, and the castle's sorcerer was standing outside the door. 

Grinning evilly, the devil in the shape of a handsome prince pulled out a fruit from his cloak. It was a cubic shape, and was fussy with pink hairs. It was about the size and consistency of a grapefruit. "Hey there, buddy..." He said with fake warmth. "Want some?" He asked, nudging the fruit toward the bird. It had some strange effects that would no doubt be satisfying! He didn't get it. Why didn't they just keep Asbel in a cage? "Don't worry, it's really good..."