The Forgotten Prince

By Akira Varma

Anya has worked in the bakery ever since she was fifteen. Seven years later, she, along with her best friend Natasha own the very bakery they used to work in. When the two of them commission for a shed to be built behind their house, Anya finds herself attracted to the tall, mysterious, dark-haired carpenter with two mysterious scars trave

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jaya Aparna Naga Padmini Sruthi, Kanumuri
• Release date: Apr 4, 2023
• ISBN: 9781088094518

Book preview

Prologue

Samira’s lungs burned as she ran through the forest of Wolden hugging her baby closer to her chest. She panted, not stopping even after a sharp pain shot through her chest making her wheeze.

She couldn’t stop. 

Not even when her chapped bleeding feet stung with every step. Samira’s shoes had long since worn off - enough that she had to throw them away. And with her trying to evade capture, there wasn’t a chance for her to steal some new shoes. 

Rain pelted down on her bruised skin stinging as the water flowed down the gashes and scratches on her exposed skin. The cool breeze chilled her to her bones. Her wet dress didn’t help either as it clung onto her skin seeping the cold into her body, chilling her to her bones. 

Even in the thickness of the forest, Samira was at the mercy of the elements. 

But even with the forces of nature working against her, Samira didn’t shield herself. Instead, she covered her baby with her robe, shielding him from the unnaturally cold spring rain. 

Her royal robe that was once a deep shade of purple had long since faded into a dull, tattered cloth. Being chased by Royal Guards for months on end with only one robe as your protection would do that to a piece of cloth. Her clothes weren’t spared either. Tattered and torn exposing more of her skin to the unrelenting elements. 

Samira had torn off the hem of her tattered robe and draped it around her baby. Finally swaddled and in her protective embrace, her baby slept peacefully. With how she was running for her life the past three months, Samira couldn’t get enough sustenance for herself to even give her baby any milk. So, resorted to feeding him the last ration of a banana just a few moments ago, leaving the grouchy baby content for at least a little longer. 

Samira dragged her feet, willing herself to put as much distance between her and the soldiers she was evading. She tried to keep her hisses as low as possible whenever she stepped on the rocks, twigs, and roots littering the forest floor. Her aching and bloodied feet only amplified the pain even more. 

She only hoped that the rain would brush off the evidence of her bloody path through the forest. 

Her hisses grew louder when her elbow hit the rough bark of the tree, budging her baby. 

Shh. Samira tried to soothe her baby fussing in her arms. Please don’t cry. Please. She pleaded as she looked around to make sure no one else heard him cry. We’re right there. Just a few more moments.

Samira bounced him lightly in her arms. They were already numb from carrying him for so long. 

When she couldn’t walk any further, Samira stopped. Wheezing, she leaned against the tree. She slid down the rough bark, too tired to even hiss at the splinters that dug at her skin. Those splinters were nothing compared to all the wounds she’d sustained. Samira crouched down, bringing her baby close to herself, making herself as small as possible so she wouldn’t be detected.

Samira was just happy for the dense forest, the cloudy skies and the twilight light, giving her enough darkness for her to hide in. The darkness had become her refuge in the past two days especially.

Shh… She soothed the fussing baby once again, bouncing him lightly in her arms. 

As her panting subsided, Samira looked down at the baby in her arms. Her baby. Aleryn. 

He was only nine months old but what terrible nine months those were for him…

Tears formed in Samira’s eyes as her throat constricted. He was supposed to live in royalty, wanting for nothing. He was supposed to live in the castle that she was now running from. He was supposed to grow up loved by his people, find his mate, and grow to rule that kingdom that so loved him since he was born. 

But no. 

Instead, here he was. Fussing in his slumber as he sucked his thumb. Samira couldn’t stop the tears from falling down her cheeks, mixing with the raindrops. But looking at Aleryn again gave Samira a new conviction. A renewed hope. 

No, he was no longer going to live like this.

He was no longer going to have to run. He was going to live his life the way he wanted.

Samira brushed the stray strand of his baby hair. You are not coming back to Mairene. You understand. Her lips quivered. Of course, Aleryn couldn’t understand her. But that didn’t stop Samira. Whatever happens. You are not to come back to Mairene. Or… Her lips quivered again. Samira shook her head trying to stop that train of thought. "You are going to live the life you want. You’re going to grow safe and loved and far, far away from here. You are going to find your mate. You’re going to marry your mate and have the life you want to live."

Taking in a deep breath, she looked around the forest, listening for anything or anyone that might have followed her. But the rain pelting on the trees around her made it hard for her to hear anything else. 

The woods themselves were eerily quiet with only the sounds of the raindrops falling on the leaves. With no birds chirping and no animals skittering about, Samira’s senses only heightened. 

Where is he? Samira bit her lip in frustration.

She’d been waiting for Berin, her family’s advisor, to join her in her escape. They planned to meet at the edge of the forest and then escape to the mortal realm together.

That meeting was supposed to happen two days ago.

But instead of meeting Berin, Samira encountered the Royal Soldiers prowling the village adjacent to the forest. She had to run into the forest to escape from them. The soldiers were everywhere searching for her and Aleryn. Samira held onto Aleryn for dear life. 

They were so close to escaping. She couldn’t imagine being caught now.

Images flashed through her mind. Images of her and Aleryn finally escaping with Berin. Images of their life in the mortal lands. Images of them finally being free. Her father had told her of the beauty of the mortal world. So similar to Mairene and yet so different. A small smile started to form.

But before the smile could get any bigger, it froze on her lips. 

The images in her mind morphed into soldiers searching for them. Hunting them. It didn’t matter that they were in the mortal lands. The soldiers would never leave her or Aleryn. They’d never let them go. 

Not while she was alive.

Samira looked down to baby Aleryn again. 

Maybe I can make them think he’s dead.

Samira looked at Aleryn all over, as if trying to memorize his face. His small hands. His tiny foot peeking out of the purple cloth she draped around him. Samira adjusted the cloth so Aleryn was fully covered. She could no longer feel his wings. In their place were charred stubs. One of the soldiers had cut them off. 

A punishment for being born as her son. 

Oh, how she heard Aleryn cry. She slammed her hands on the iron cage when the soldiers did that. It didn’t matter to her that the iron burned her skin as she banged on it. The pain in her heart hearing her son cry was far worse compared to any burn that iron cage gave her. 

That’d almost killed Aleryn then. 

He was only alive now because one of the villagers sacrificed their own baby and smuggled Aleryn to safety. For all that the Guards knew then, Aleryn was dead. 

That was until one of the Guards, accidentally, noticed Samira and Aleryn at the edge of the forest. It didn’t take him long to decipher that the bundle Samira was holding was Aleryn himself. Alive.

Samira shook her head, trying to get rid of the memories. 

Aleryn had to live. 

At least for the son that the villagers sacrificed. At least for the people of Mairene that Samira knew would wait on for him. At least for the throne that rightfully belonged to him. 

But as a mother, she couldn’t help but be selfish. 

She wanted her son to live. And stay as far away from Mairene as possible. But that wouldn’t be possible. 

But as long as she was with him, Aleryn would be recognized. He’d be hunted along with her. And if the soldiers happened to find them…

Samira shuddered at the thought. They had no mercy. 

No, she was going to protect her son no matter the cost.

A snapping branch in the distance brought Samira out of her reverie. She hugged Aleryn closer as she craned her neck to look around the forest. With the cloudy skies, pouring rain, and dense forest, there was any light. But by now, Samira had been accustomed to the dark. She only let out the breath she was holding when she didn’t hear when she didn’t hear any other noise. 

What’s taking him so long? Samira wondered. 

It was only when she heard another twig snap that she stood up suddenly. The sudden motion made her wobble on her feet for a second. Fear began to prickle her heart again. Aleryn began fussing in her arms again, twisting and turning as he tried to find a good position. Samira bounced the baby lightly in her arms as she looked out.

My Lady? An old tired voice - one that Samira could recognize anywhere - came from the distance.

"Berin?’ Samira called out, hope bubbling from just hearing his two words. She didn’t have to ask

She saw him as he rounded the tree she was hiding under. His long straight white hair held up in a half bun. Dark brown tattoos crept up above the collar of his shirt, and circled around his neck. There were more that flowed along the sleeves of his bare arms. A sign of coming of age for fae of Mairene. 

That was another ritual that her baby would never get to have. Every connection that her baby had with Mairene would have to be severed if he was going to be safe and alive. 

Berin no longer had his wings, having the same fate as Aleryn befell upon him. The soldiers had a sadistic glee when it was announced that Berin would be banished. 

Berin stepped closer. If anyone had seen Berin, they’d think that he was barely older than Samira. But he’d been around since her father was born. A small hand peeked out from Berin’s side, clutching tightly onto his brown robe. 

A boy, no older than eleven years old peeked from behind Berin. His silvery hair contrasted against his dark brown skin and with the pouring rain, clung to his face. Samira couldn’t see his wings either. Her heart ached when