Taming A Billionaire

The third point of view:

"NO!"

Akim was rejected even before he could bring up the topic.

"You're not going anywhere, not to talk of bringing Jasmine along with you," Emily rejected Akim firmly before he could protest.

Emily had been in their private chamber when their son, prince Akim came up to them with the suggestion of going to the food festival in Lincolnshire.

She was not against him attending the festival since they were having it in the palace, but he was wrong - Akim wanted to leave the palace. He wanted to celebrate the festival outside their palace grounds with his sister, Jasmine.

It wasn't enough he was attempting a suicide journey, he wanted to drag her other child into it as well? No, she was not going to let that happen. Emily refused to lose her children over a petty request! No, she would keep them safe.

"We won't be out there all night and we'd be dressed like the commoners, no one would recognize us," He added sarcastically, "As if they even know what I look like anyway?"

After the war with the rebels, he was almost shut out from the outside world. It wasn't until five years ago that he was introduced to the outside through schooling. Even with that, the citizens of Lincolnshire hardly know what their prince looks like.

Akim was attending a private school owned by the royal family and no one dared to take a picture of him, it was a severe crime; the perpetrator would be given fifty lashes of cane. Hence, no one needed to be told twice about taking a photo of him. He could even count the number of times he made a formal appearance on air. 

Although there were still some daredevils who dared to take a photo of him, before they could share it, the efficient bodyguards sprang into action and captured them. They were set as an example and the others learned their lesson aka keep their distance from him.

Akim was as lonely as shit, his bodyguards were always beside him, even in class. Their presence was always with him that it felt as if he developed a second skin, he could feel them everywhere. It was overwhelming and suffocating. He wished he could breathe, even if for a second.

Thanks to their intimidating appearance, he got no friends. Well, just one, Maxwell, but he was popularly called Max. He was the only one brave enough to engage him in a conversation and make him feel.. human.

But then, even with that, Akim was still alone. There was a great distance between him and his classmates. What was the use of being a prince and being smart at that if he can't relate with his friends?

"Even with that, you're still not going anywhere. Do you think the rebels are fools not to recognize you," Emily asked him. 

"But they are gone! You made sure to exterminate them! Father made sure to keep us safe!" he couldn't help raising his voice. 

"Akim!" Judy cautioned him. He then took over from his wife, "Do you think they ever deplete? The rebels are like cockroaches who never die out no matter how much you end them," He said. 

"That means the war won't ever end then," Akim pointed out. 

"Exactly," Judy said, thinking that his son had gotten the point. 

"Then for how long am I going to stay in hiding?" 

"What?" Both couples were dumbfounded. 

"For how long am I going to live this way? For how long would I need to fear the rebels? For how long do I need to wallow in darkness against an assumed enemy?" Akim asked them, his eyes blazing with anger. 

"Everything we're doing is for your protection," Emily said. 

"Till when? Till I'm twenty? Twenty-five? Fifty? Till I'm old?" 

"Akim!" his highness Judy growled once again and this time his voice was strained. Akim's words were finally getting to him and he didn't like it one bit. He didn't want to be swayed by Akim's sentiments because he believed he was making the best decision for him here. 

"Instead of hiding in the illusion of protection, why don't you face the problem headstrong?!"

"Akim!" Judy yelled. 

"Take a look at Jasmine!" Akim bellowed back at his father, veins ready to burst out of his head in that angry state. 

Judy didn't say a word as he was stunned by the intensity of his words. 

"She has never been outside the palace grounds? Do you think buying her toys and building her a paradise here and bringing occasional playmates over would suffice for the real interaction with humans?!" Akim beat his chest, "It feels suffocating! Why do you think she runs away to her sanctuary with every chance she could get? Do you even know her greatest wish?!" He sneered, "It's to play in the town's playground with other kids," 

"Alright, that's enough, Akim!" Judy raged at him, "Leave now!"

"My greatest pleasure!" he said with heavy sarcasm.

"The festival is holding in the palace, we'd be eating with the officials, be there,"

"Don't even dream of it!" Akim retorted, leaving as he banged the door hard.

As soon as the door closed, Emily broke down into tears. This was the first time they had an intense fight with their son, and it weighed down heavily on her chest. She never wanted them to turn out this way.

Guilt gnawed at her heart as she knew some of Akim's words were right. She took away his childhood from him and though he was kept away for his safety, Emily was beginning to question if she had made the right decision.

"Hey, hey," Judy drew her into his embrace as soon as she began to cry. He hugged her tight, whispering into her ears, "Don't cry because of that, Akim's a brat,"

"No," Emily shook her head, "It's true, we owe him a lot. Did you hear what he said, Judy? We took away his freedom,"

"No," Judy didn't share her opinion, "It was his freedom or his life. Have you forgotten? How my mother died to save them?" 

Emily gulped, of course, how could she have forgotten that. Roselle had died protecting her daughter.

It was on Jasmine's birthday. They had organized a birthday party to celebrate the adorable princess Jasmine who turned three. The mood had been merry and people eat and drank without predicting the unfortunate incident about to happen. 

The target had been Jasmine and up to date, Emily still wondered what an innocent three-year-old child could have done to them. But she knew the answer inwardly, the rebels wanted to cause her great pain by ending her only daughter and as well, destabilizing the royal family. 

The rebels were cruel. While his highness didn't execute their children- everyone executed had been found guilty of the crime and had active participation - they had evil thoughts of ending her innocent child. 

When it had been time for her little kid to blow out her candle, they struck. One of the rebels on a suicide mission had dressed up as a servant and how he had been able to sneak a gun into the palace, not to talk of the hall where the celebration was being held, came as a big surprise to everyone. But according to the investigation, it was said he knocked out one of the palace guards and seized his weapon. 

Queen dowager Roselle was clapping after her cute granddaughter blew out the candle on the cake with a smile and was the first to see the rebeller. 

As soon as the rebellion brought out the gun from his waistband where he hid it and pointed it at the little girl, prepared to shoot before anyone would stop him. Her majesty, Roselle quickly took Jasmine's place by standing in front of her. 

At first, everyone had been bewildered by her majesty's move but their confusion didn't last as five shots rent the air. At once, screams of terror replaced the once merry ambiance as pandemonium broke out. 

The rebeller knew he had no chance to escape and seemed to have been prepared to die as he shot himself in the head before bullets from the royal guards tore through his body. 

The queen died on the spot as five bullets pierced through her body. Her majesty Roselle eyes was open and fixed on the spot where Jasmine had been while a smile was on her face as if she did a great thing. 

The sight of the queen's body sickened Emily as the thought of Jasmine being the target hit her. She made a mental image of her three-year daughter on the floor with bullets in her head - that would have been the spot in her body with her height. Bile rose in her throat and she had to hold onto her daughter Jasmine tight as if she would vanish if she dared let go. 

Ever since that day, the children were hidden from public view and they started a hunt for the new leader of the rebels. 

 Fiona.