The Cursed Prince

"Look, Harlow is ready," said Lily with a beaming face when she came to the dining room with Harlow who was lying on a wicker basket. She was awake and full.

The baby made cooing sounds the basket was placed on the seat next to her father. It was such a heartwarming scene to behold. Mars couldn't help but smile when he saw his baby delivered.

He thought Harlow was really cute and he hoped his father could see the same thing.

"Thank you, Lily. I will get going now," said the crown prince as he rose from his seat and took Harlow's basket with him. Athos followed Mars to see him out.

The prince would ride his horse while the baby rode the carriage prepared by the Greenans, accompanied by a nanny, or her wet nurse. They would take it easy and travel slowly.

"Be careful," Lily said. "She is only one month old."

Mars nodded. He left the dining room and got out to the courtyard. His horse was already prepared by the servants. The prince quickly got on his horse and bid Athos goodbye.

He asked his cousin to stay in the capital and not to return to Southberry until further notice.

"Will do," said Athos in agreement. "Also, please let us know if we can come to the palace and offer our condolences to His Majesty and... pay respects to the queen."

"Yeah... I will let you know," said Mars.

He nodded to Athos and then took his leave. The carriage moved leisurely behind the crown prince's horse and his guards.

***

"Good morning, Your Highness," said John with a delightful smile when he saw the prince entered the palace's main entrance, carrying a basket in his right hand. He could see there was a small baby inside the basket.

Was that the little princess? Whoaa.. it's been almost four weeks since he last saw Harlow. He only got the opportunity to see the baby for several hours after her mother passed away, while they were waiting for Lily's arrival.

"Good morning, John," Mars greeted the butler back.

"Ahh.. is that... the little princess?" John asked carefully. He didn't want to offend the prince with his question. Mars nodded.

"Yeah. This is Princess Harlow."

John came closer and tilted his head to see Harlow better. He gasped and smiled so wide when he saw the baby's face.

"Princess Harlow is so.... beautiful," he said sincerely, and then looked up to the prince. "She looks a lot like you when you were a newborn."

"She does, doesn't she?" Mars smiled too. He did assume as such. Harlow's eye color was still grey, so he didn't know what her real eyes would look like, but her hair was so much like his.

"Yeah... I remember the day you were born like it was yesterday, Your Highness," said John, looking nostalgic.

He suddenly became sad. It couldn't be helped that he started thinking about the late queen when they talked about the past.

John had been working for the royal family for a long time, almost thirty years, and he had been involved in their lives all this time. He was already like family.

"Where is my father? Do you know?" Mars quickly asked the old butler, to distract John from his sadness.

John nodded and motioned the prince to give him the baby basket so he could carry it.

"Please give the basket to me, Your Highness. I will take you and little princess to meet His Majesty. He is waiting for you in the throne room."

"There is no need to do it, John. I can carry Harlow myself," said Mars. Not only he didn't want to burden the old man, but he also wanted to always stay close to his daughter. "I will go to the throne room then."

He walked calmly toward the throne room and see his father. He hoped King Jared had a good rest and was in a good mood this morning.

Mars didn't want to have an argument with his father. The king was grieving, and so was he. They both didn't need extra stress and heartache if they both had to fight between the two of them.

"Hey! Wait for me!"

Mars turned around when he heard Gewen's voice from behind him. The handsome general ran through the palace entrance. His long hair was slightly damp, which meant he just washed up before he came here.

"Where is Ellena?" Mars asked Gewen because the last time he saw Gewen was in the prime minister's office where he asked the man to take care of Ellena.

Mars was worried that Duke Preston would really punish Ellena for helping Emmelyn escape. She seemed to be really worried yesterday.

"Ellena cried a lot last night, but when I saw her this morning, she already looked slightly better," said Gewen. "She is staying in my home in the meantime. She is still scared of going back to the Preston's. The duke was furious about what she did."

"Hmm." Mars thought in two weeks Elmer would arrive in the capital and give Ellena her heart back. Once it was done, Mars had to think about what he should do with Ellena since she seemed to be at odds with the duke.

"Where are you going?" Gewen asked. He furrowed his brows when he saw Harlow lay in the basket carried by the prince. As his gaze caught sight of the little baby, Harlow's eyes were looking in his direction.

Their eyes locked.

"Wait... what is she doing?" Gewen moved his face forward, to see Harlow better. "Your baby seems to hate me. Look at her expression when she is looking at me!"

Mars turned to see Harlow and then Gewen. He winced his forehead. "No, I don't think she can see you from that distance yet. She is quite young. Her peripheral vision is still very limited."

"No, I am telling you. She squinted her eyes menacingly when she looks at me," Gewen complained. "She doesn't do that to you."

The man was visibly distraught. How could a baby, an ugly one at that, dislike him so much that she showed hostility toward him?

Gewen was used to being loved and adored. Harlow's treatment of him made him feel very unhappy.