"I wasn't abandoned, Cayden. She took me away from my home." Tear trickled down my face. I couldn't accept the facts that I'd just heard.

"I don't understand. What do you mean?" 

"My family didn't leave me to die. Kaila took me from my home. I'm never even going to meet my parents anyway - they died. Yesterday." I explained. He still looked confused.

"Wait, how did you find this out?" he questioned, voice raised and more high-pitched. I pulled out my arm from underneath me, and lifted my sleeve. There sat the Royal mark - something I had never expected, in a million years, to see on my wrist.

"Holy sh-" Cayden began, but at that moment, we were disturbed.

"Seems you got them to talk." Kaila stated, entering the room.

"I don't think they want to speak to you right now, Kaila." Cayden told her. It was true. I didn't want to speak to that woman.

Kaila bypassed Cayden's warning. 

"Look, kid. We never wanted to take you from your home, but it was our only option. For years the royal family had done nothing to help us, and we knew why - they didn't understand us. Our solution was to raise their heir of the throne ourselves, so that when the child's time on the throne came, they would undertsand us outcasts, and then finally we'd get the help we need." 

"I understand... but couldn't you have at least told me on my 16th birthday? Maybe then I might have had the chnace to meet them." I replied, finally looking up at Kaila.

"I'm sorry Mykle. We didn't know they'd die so soon, but you do know what this means now, right? It's your time to be on the throne." she said. 

The throne... the throne... the throne. Was I really meant to be wearing the crown? No, it's just... impossible. At least for me. I'm not ready to be a leader, or part of the royal family. There's just no way! Not me... I'm no King.

"I can't... I can't sit on the throne." I told her. She started to respond, sounding frustrated, but Cayden cut her off.

"It's OK, Mykle. We'll leave the people in the castle to go about trying to find you, you don't have to go up to them just yet. You can hide the mark for now, and continue living normally. Accept it in your own time."

We were left alone in peace not too long after that. I could tell Kaila wasn't all too pleased with my reply, but she would get over it... at somepoint. Cayden relaxed beside me and I lay myself on top of him.

"I'll still love you, even when you're King." he whispered in my ear, following it with a kiss. If he could accept me as part of the royal family, then I would learn to accept that too. I loved Cayden in so many different ways - he was everything I could wish for. Cayden was accepting, loving, gentle, strong, smart, funny, soft and absolutely perfect. We'd known each other for 5 years, and it was hard to believe that we'd only spent 1 of those properly together. For the 4 years before that, we despised of each other like God and the Devil. Back then, if I'd been told that one day I'd be in love with Cayden, I would not have believed it.

"You're too kind." I joked, lightening the atmosphere after the recent conversation.

"Yeah, but that's why you love me." he sarcastically responded. I loved this normality. I didn't want it to be taken away, but I knew even though I hadn't taken the crown yet, the normal would be changing.

The normal didn't change over-night. Kaila and the other leaders of our outcast group didn't make a decision on how'd they keep me hidden for a while until the Friday, meaning nothing happened for 3 days. On the Friday, Kaila and the leaders called me (along with Cayden) to their meeting, in which they told us their plans. It was decided that I try to limit how often I go out into large, busy public spaces, and that I should cover my wrist at all times. They'd made sensible choices. 

Other members of our group weren't as kind about discovering my heritage. A few of them began to keep away from me like I was a killer virus. Those people would get over it, hopefully. On the evening of the Friday, Cayden took me out from the old warehouse we outcasts called our home, and took me to the bank of the river that ran throught the city. It was our favourite spot throughout the entire of Titainia. From our side of the river, we could see the castle. Although no royals currently lived there, there were many lights on. I could just make out little figures running around. They were probably trying to organise something so that they could find me.

Cayden took my hand and interlocked his fingers with mine.

"When should I go?" I asked him.

"Go where?" he questioned in reply.

"Go take the throne."

"When you're ready." he responded. Then he turned to face me, and took my other hand. I moved forwards and leaned my head in to kiss him. Our lips touched and it felt as though they stayed in contact forever.

"I'll marry you one day soon." Cayden randomly told me.

"Yeah, why not?"

"It would stop all the girls from chasing you when you take the crown."

"Very true." I responded.