I have no idea how we ended up at the palace, but we're here. For me, it only felt like it took seconds. That is how disoriented I am, but I also feel confused. Confused as to how the guards managed to notice me in the many warlocks in attendance. I still wanna believe that this guard has seen me before and I simply never noticed this before. I also have no idea how my parents will react... those who raised me.

In front of the throne, the guards release me with such force that I end up on the floor. My knees and elbows are hurting like crazy, but I won't show this man my pain. Neither will I show the pain to the queen or the princes. I am taught to hide my pain, because we are a powerful kind and we just can't show our weaknesses. But still, how are the humans going to react when they find out that I, the apparent child of this cruel man, am the prince they were hoping for to ever resurface, but that I am not human like them.

I still don't look up after I was thrown to the floor like trash. I still have a hard time to believe that I'm here, at the place I never intended to be at. I rather wanna go back to Moon Bin's meeting and to go on with life as if nothing happened. But a part of me is also saying that I definitely will never leave this place and that I'll be stuck here for good, whether I am dead or alive.

''Look up!'' the same prince from earlier orders.

With a bit of resistance, I look up into the king's eyes. Those eyes are filled with disgust, anger and betrayal. I don't know why he feels betrayed, because I don't even know this man. And if it's true that I'm actual part of this family, then I wanna learn everything what I have missed. For how long have I been away from this family, which doesn't feel like my family at all.

The king hasn't even taken a seat on the throne at all. Instead, he is kneeling in front of me and he apparently has been there all this time. His dark and intense eyes stare into my soul. I feel like I'm a suspect in a murder investigation and the king cannot wait to question me.

''Why have you become such a disgusting person Taekwoon? Why have you become a creature I despise?'' the king asks, his voice is soft yet still full of disgust.

I'm confused and I don't answer the king's questions. Like why does he believe I am responsible for who I am? I was born this way and this man dares to think I chose this myself? No one can practice magic unless you're born with magic.

''Speak up, you filthy animal!'' the other prince yells.

The prince is immediately halted by one of the guards after the king raises his hand, though the king refuses to look away from me. It's like he thinks I'm going to make any efforts to disappear in front of him. Well, I techincally could use a Portal to get away from here. But it's too risky right now, considering he is positioned in front of me.

''Well Taekwoon, answer my question.'' the king continues, still looking disgusted. 

I can still see the queen in the corner of my eyes, but I decide to ignore her for now. I know that the meeting between me and the queen wasn't to the king's liking, so I'll have a talk with her once she wants to after we finish this.

''Your Majesty...'' I start off, but I trail off soon after.

How do I even explain this? I was born like this, so how I explain my situation without making the king question me? I honestly don't know, but I'll just work it out. And even if he throws me in jail, I'll be fine. Although I'm not sure if my magic is made to break through those jail doors and to help me escape.

''...I-I was born like this. I don't know what you mean, but I was born this way.'' I simply finish after a brief moment.

The king shrugs and laughs shortly after. Even the two princes laugh along with him, but the queen remains silent. Instead, the queen walks closer towards me and I hear her footsteps stop behind me. 

''Then why were you so hard to trace, my son? We have been looking for you for twenty years and we failed to find you time and time again.'' the queen carefully approches.

''It's because I was told to stay silent. Not just from you, but from every human. I am well aware of how all of you see us and how the people in the kingdom see us.'' I explain with a soft voice.

I honestly don't know what to do right now. I am confused and the king clearly doesn't believe me, neither do the princes. According to them, I'm a filthy lowlife who has no right to even live. But what this family forgets, is that I am immortal. Warlocks like me cannot die, while these people will grow old and die one day.

''You're a liar Taekwoon, you are an absolute liar. You weren't born like this! You were born as a human being and you were brainwashed once you were kidnapped. You were stolen from us Taekwoon! You're human and there is no way that you have taught yourself to play with these magic tricks.'' the king continues and laughs.

Anger boils inside me and I feel the adrenaline shoot through my body. I am not going to lay low and I certainly don't stay here either. If I have to fight to defend myself, I'll gladly do so.

''I was born in a poor family, Your Majesty. You're wrong about me. You know nothing about me. And what I'm capable of, is anything but magic tricks.'' I bite back.

The two princes scoot closer to me and are about to try something, but they fly to their respective corner shortly after. It is then that my eyes change color and change into cat eyes, before I lift up my hand. Blue fire is dancing around in my hand, but it still doesn't scare the king. I already thought it wouldn't, but I will try to continue to show these people that they cannot mess with me.

''Taekwoon, please. Don't!'' the queen cries, trying to calm me down.

''Father, do something about this. We cannot accept that this stranger is harming you!'' the prince on my left groans.

I can tell that the prince on my left, I haven't been able to take his appearence in and neither have I seen the other too well, has a great voice. It's not that deep compared to mine, but it's comforting for some reason. Maybe if we would ever get close, he could be someone I could turn to... only if he no longer sees me as a 'lowlife'.

''As long as he won't use it on me, we have nothing to fear for. And even if he would lash out at me, I can throw Taekwoon in jail for the rest of his life... until he dies.'' the king jokes and now the princes join in by laughing along.

Now it's my time to laugh and both the king and the two princes are quiet immediately. Because the laugh I just put on, is very disturbing and I only put in on to be sarcastic about something.

''Like already mentioned, Your Majesty, you know nothing about me. You don't know anything about my kind and it shows. Maybe if you did some research on my kind, you wish you had us on your side. Be happy that I'm alive, because I cannot die. I am immortal and I'll live forever, while all of you grow old and die. You are mortal, I am going to live forever.'' I tell the king, my eyes still haven't changed back.

The king's eyes widen, the princes gasp in sync and the queen remains silent. Yet the queen does take a seat on the floor behind me and places her hands on my shoulders. With that, I lower my hand while the fire disappears. Even my eyes turn to normal.

''Why don't you tell me why you have been looking for me. What makes you believe I am your son? Because let me explain once again, I was born in a poor family and I was born a warlock. I was born with these powers and I only use them when I am in danger or when I have to heal myself.'' I hiss at the king.

The grip of the queen on my shoulders tightens and this seems to have an impact on me, as I feel more and more relaxed and comfortable when she is around. I guess that's what a woman's affection can do, because my mother is also able to make me feel comfortable when I feel stressed or anything like that.

''Father, why do you allow him to be this disrespectful? I cannot imagine what terrible parents he has to be such a lowlife.'' the prince on my right says this time.

The king ignores the princes, as his eyes have been on me all this time. He wants to have power over me and wants to control me, but I slip further and further away from his control by the second. And had the king been really happy to see me despite me being a warlock, he would've accepted me nonetheless.

''You were born in the palace and I was over the moon to finally be the father I had to become. I finally had the son who would be the country's future. But somebody had kidnapped you shortly after you were born and I never had the opportunity to raise you like you should've been raised. Your name is all over the palace and my people even had everything arranged for you. We kept hope to ever find you again, because this is where you belong.

I just cannot understand why you became a monster. What have we done for you to become like this? We never asked for a monster like you.'' the king explains.

My eyes widen when I hear the sudden change in his vocal tone. He went from angry and disgusting to feeling blessed to have the family complete again. But for what? Why had he been angry with me all this time? Why does he hate my kind? What have us warlocks done to him? I wanna fix everything and I wanna make sure that the warlocks don't have to hide anymore. But there is no way that I'll stay in the palace to fulfill the duties I have to do from now on. Because I don't feel like a prince and neither do I look like one.

Wait... now I think of it. The king was looking for his firstborn son, the one who will become the crown prince. So... that is me? I am his firstborn? I am the crown prince he was looking for all these years? He must be wrong, he must be absolutely wrong.

''I am a monster? What does Your Majesty mean? I have done nothing wrong and I would never use my powers to harm Your Majesty. Again, I was born with these powers which I became aware of at age 5. I had to learn how to keep myself under control and how to lay low. I am in no way a prince and neither do I see myself as one. Please Your Majesty, you're wrong about me. I am not your firstborn and I am in no way a crown prince. Please, let me go.'' I reason.

The two princes move closer towards the king and I can now see them better. The prince on the left has great visuals and someone I rather see be on the throne, as he comes across like a leader to me. His hair is a chocolate brown and he has amazing dark brown eyes. Whereas the other prince has lightbrown hair and his lighter brown eyes are more narrow than the prince on the left. I have no idea what their names are, but I'm surprised that they have better looks than their personalities.

''Don't give into him, Father. He is just trying to play a trick on you.'' the chocolate brown haired prince hisses.

The king smirks, but again cannot look away from me. This man is up to something and I'm sure that he is the one who is playing a trick on me. He is trying to make me believe that I can believe him that it'll all be fine, while in reality he is definitely up to something.

''You are not going anywhere, Taekwoon. You are my firstborn son and therefore a brother of these two behind me. Yes, you aren't human. But I am not letting you go back outside. You are back where you belong, playing magic tricks or not. And as long as you are here, we are going to find out how it happened. How it happened that you are not human and are like this instead. Guards, take my son away and bring him to his room.'' the king continues and ends with an order.

''Yes Your Majesty!'' the two guards respond in sync.

The guards grab my arms and pull me up from the floor, immediately allowing the queen's hands to release from my shoulders. She too gets up from the ground and immediately protests as to why I'm being taken away.

''Don't bother, this is the right thing for him. Our son is home and I will do everything to keep him here. I will do everything to rip this monster out of him, because only then will Taekwoon be accepted by the people. We will show the people that our son is back.'' the king answers her cries.

He then nods with his head, a sign for the guards to take me away. I scream in fear once again, because this is not what I had thought would happen. I thought I would be out soon, but apparently the king has changed my fate. I see a teasing look in the eyes of the princes, which is enough for me to know that they'll do everything to make my life a living hell.

But this family doesn't know me well enough and has no idea that I can create Portals to go from A to B. I can escape without leaving a trace and I can do so much more. This royal family is underestimating me and they think they know my every move. But as long as I stay unpredictable for them, the easier it will be to disappear without them even knowing it right away. The king understimates how strong my power is. And although I was scared to use my powers, I am now ready to use them against the king in order to save myself. Because no way that I am the heir to the throne and no way that I am home, the palace is anything but a home...

~~~~

A/N Yes yes, I am officially back after leaving 2 years ago. But at the same time, it doesn't mean I'm updating regularly. As of next week, I'll start with a new job and I'll be at work the whole week. But I'm ready to finish these stories <3