The Cursed Prince

"You want to meet the Bellevars, and then what? You will force them to divulge the witch's location? You want them to betray their friend?" Killian said with a mocking tone. He turned to Gewen and Edgar and then back to Mars. "If that's how you value your friendship, then I feel very sorry for your friends here."

"You..!" Mars finally lost his cool when he heard Killian's words.

When he was about to draw his sword to attack Killian, Emmelyn couldn't take it anymore. She barged in and pushed Mars to the side.

"You've promised you won't hurt my brother!" she shouted.

Everyone was in shock when they saw what Emmelyn did. Mars stepped back as Emmelyn suddenly appeared among them.

The pregnant woman was panting and her face looked resolute. She held out her arms and stood before Killian as she repeated her words. "I will not let you hurt? Killian!"

Edgar and Gewen exchanged glances. They didn't understand why Emmelyn called this stranger her brother. Was Killian really her brother?

Did that mean this man was a prince from Wintermere? But as far as they both knew, all the Rosehills were killed in the last battle near the Wintermere royal palace.

Did anyone actually survive?

Ahh.. maybe he did. Since they were not aware that one of the princesses survived and came to Draec to get her revenge, there was a possibility that one prince got away too and now came here.

If Emmelyn survived the war and came here, maybe her brother was really still alive.

Instantly, Edgar and Gewen drew their swords as well. Now, things had escalated to a point where the crown prince's safety was threatened.

If Killian was really Emmelyn's brother, he might come here to avenge his family's death. Gewen and Edgar had to protect their future king.

"What are you talking about?" Ellena was the first to raise the question. She looked at Emmelyn and Killian alternately. Her face looked confused. "Killian, what was she talking about? Is she really your sister? Why did you never tell me? Are you planning on something behind my back?"

Killian shook his head with contempt. "I have no idea what she is talking about. I don't have a sister."

Emmelyn felt her heart like it was stabbed by a sword. Killian lied blatantly and pretended he was someone else, and now he refused to acknowledge Emmelyn when she was trying to protect him.

"Killian... it's me, Emmelyn. I have made an agreement with the crown prince. He won't hurt you, but please... don't instigate his anger," Emmelyn pleaded with Killian, even though she felt hurt by her brother's treatment.

She knew Killian must feel a deep grudge for the Strongmoors. She did too. Now, she could get over her grudge and move on, but for Killian, it would be a long journey.

That's why she had compassion for her brother and tried to talk to him with a pleading tone.

"Emmelyn, he said he is not your brother," Mars said firmly. "I will spare him if he is really your brother, but he denied having any relationship with you."

Ellena looked at Emmelyn with hatred. "Did you tell Mars that Killian is your brother? WHO ARE YOU? Why are you lying?"

Now, both women were facing each other with hatred visible on their expressions.

Emmelyn hated Ellena because Ellena had always looked down on her from the first moment they met, and then, Ellena tried to snatch Mars from her, by making Mars feel indebted when she said she was the one who begged the witch to lift the curse.

Meanwhile, Ellena hated Emmelyn for taking what she considered hers. If Emmelyn was not around, Mars and Ellena would still have their old agreement.

She had loved this man for so many years and he was as good as hers five years ago.

Mars already asked Ellena to be his wife and they would rule Draec together once he ascended the throne.

However, now, because of Emmelyn, Mars no longer needed Ellena.

This made Ellena feel she was unfairly treated. She felt like she was tossed away and replaced by Emmelyn, just like that.

"I am not lying.. Killian is really my brother..." Emmelyn now cried again. She turned to Killlian and pleaded with him to tell everyone the truth. "Killian, please tell them..."

The man smiled, looking at Emmelyn with pity, and shook his head. "Young lady, I have no idea who you are. I don't have a sister. What's your name and who is your brother?"

"You are Killian Rosehill, my brother. You are not a Snowden....!" Emmelyn turned to Mars and looked at him with wet eyes. "Your Highness, I am not crazy, and I am not lying... This is Killian, my brother..."

At that moment, Mars really didn't know what to believe. Before, he trusted everything that Emmelyn said about Killian.

If this man was really her brother, Mars would talk to him with reason, and tried to find ways for their two families to get peace.

However, Killian insisted that he was Killian Snowden and not a Rosehill.

Why would he lie?

There didn't seem anything for him to gain.

If Killian admitted that he was Emmelyn's brother, his life would be spared, but if he kept pretending to be someone else, there was a big chance that he would lose his head as Mars, Gewen, and Edgar had all drawn their swords.

So.. from all angles, it seemed weird that he chose to die in vain, instead of claiming to be Emmelyn's brother and get his life spared.

"Lady Emmelyn...." Mars shook his head. "He said he is not your brother and I don't see a reason why he would lie. You can see Gewen and Edgar are ready to kill him and we will only spare his life if he admitted that he is Killian Rosehil.."

"I don't know why he is lying..." Emmelyn bit her lip and looked at Mars pleadingly, "but this time, I want you to believe me..."

Mars' heart ached when he saw Emmelyn had tears streaming down her cheeks.

Then, Mars looked at her and Killian alternately. These two didn't really look similar.

They were like Gewen and his sisters, they didn't look like siblings. Unlike Edgar and his brothers and sisters. They had this unmistakable similarities in their appearances, people would easily know they were siblings

This was going to be hard.

Maybe Emmelyn was missing her family so much that when she saw a man looking maybe slightly similar to her brother and having the same name, she was blinded by her sadness and thought the man was Killian Rosehill, her brother.

"Lady Emmelyn," he said with a gentle voice. "You look unwell. Maybe you better rest and let me handle this situation."

"No, I will not leave. You will hurt my brother," Emmelyn responded stubbornly. "Killian might not acknowledge me, but that doesn't mean he is not my brother. If I leave, you will kill him. I will not let you do that."

This time, Killian looked touched. He spoke to Emmelyn with a gentle voice too. He glanced at her protruding tummy and said, "My lady, I may not be your brother, but I feel touched by your words. I will not forget your kindness."

Then, he turned to Mars and also drew his sword. "I heard that the crown prince of Draec kingdom is a fair person. He would not kill someone if they are not guilty. Today, the hearsay is proven false. You are really the devil as your enemies call you. I have no sin against your family, yet, here you are trying to kill me... Tch!"