So, this is the first story idea that got submitted. I'm creating the first chapter for each idea, and this will be the second one I've created. Let's see which idea wins.

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Nico's POV

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I slouched in my throne, waving my scepter around like I could actually make my anxious father disappear. He continued to pace in front of the grand throne room window, showing us a great view of the training grounds and the lands beyond the castle walls. My sister, Hazel, sat up straight in her throne, following our father with her eyes. She might've been older, but it was I who would take our father's throne when he retired this winter. Father was giving me a speech about how a proper price would've been long married by now. But I tuned him out. I'd gotten good at it over the years. I continued to wave my scepter, wishing, not for the first time, it would make my father pause in his persistent rambling. But alas, to no avail. The scepter had been a gift from my mother for my eighteenth birthday this spring. It was gold all over, and shaped like a claw grabbing at the purple orb on top. It was a rather gruesome gift for a prince to have. But I wasn't the typical prince.

"Nico, have you heard a word I said?" father asked me, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. "I know you have an unusually small attention span, but you must pay attention. The kingdom is in an uproar over your lifestyle."

"What's wrong with it?" I question, resting my hand on the pommel of my decorative sword strapped to my waist. It might have originally been only for show, but I'd perfected the art of swordsmanship with it. I was the best dueling prince for kingdoms around, a fact to appreciate. "I certainly don't see a problem with it," I commented lightly. "After all, what's wrong with a prince that can hold his own?"

"It's not that," Hazel spoke up. I jerked to look at her. "It's because they do not want an unwed prince taking control. They need a queen. A female leader as well as a male. You're of age. Now all you need is a bride." I wrinkled my nose in disgust. Being married held no real appeal to me, especially marrying a female, as all good little princes did. Girls held no appeal either.

"I do not see why that is such a big deal," I huffed, folding my arms over my chest. The orb on my scepter began to glow purple, and dad shifted nervously. Whenever I was really irritated or frustrated, the orb tapped into the feeling and glowed. We still weren't sure why. "Father has been ruling without mother," I pointed out. Hazel's expression soured and father flinched. I felt a little bad about saying it, but was the truth. Mother died in April from cancer, not something easily forgotten.

"That is why I'm retiring," father said. "I am old. It is time Grandor got a youthful king again. That is why a wedding is important, Nico. You have to appease the kingdom. Tomorrow, we're throwing a gala. I've invited several kingdoms over. Nico, you have until the summer solstice to find your bride and marry her." I sprang up from my throne.

"But that's only a week!" I exclaimed. "This isn't fair! How am I supposed to find the person I love in only one week." But I had a sinking in feeling in the pit of my stomach. Father couldn't know, could he? Was that why he was giving me the impossible task? Was he trying to call my bluff?

"It can be done and you will do it," father said bitterly. "You've been putting it off for four years. Now, you have a deadline. If you aren't married by then, Nico, I'm sorry, but Hazel will take my place rather than you."

"You can't do that!" I exploded. "There's never been a queen in charge of Grandor before. If the common folk don't want an unwed prince they certainly won't want an unwed princess. No offense Hazel." My sister shrugged. I don't think she was interested in being queen anyway. Not in Grandor. She wanted to leave our kingdom to move in with Prince Jason of Ridgeway. "Fine, I'll court someone," I said, snatching up my scepter. "And I will get married, but the summer solstice." I stormed up to my room and slammed the great oaken doors shut. I set my scepter in its glass case and went out to sit on my balcony. I couldn't believe father was making me do this. Mother would've never accepted his behavior. Not for the first time, I missed her. I wished she was here. She was the only one how could seem to calm him down.

"Nico?" I twisted around and found my sister studying me. I turned back to stare out at the expansive woods behind the castle. The woods mother would take us to for picnics and fishing when we were small. "When are you going to tell father you don't like females?" she asked, removing her tiara. Without it, she could pass for a common folk. It was I who stuck out like a sore thumb. No one else in the kingdom had my pale complexion and dark hair. Hazel was fair skinned, with cinnamon toast colored hair. I removed my crown and set it off the side, then removed my blood red cape. I'd been wearing them for the supposed meeting today, but the only thing father talked about was how I needed to get married in a week.

"Soon Hazel," I promised. "I suppose I'll have to tell him. When I refuse to marry a woman, that'll be a dead give away. I wish he'd understand why I refused to marry before…" I trailed off and stared at my crown. If Grandor had never had an unwed prince, they must've never had a gay one either. I wasn't keen to find out how they'd react. "Well, I'll just have to forget my feelings and bed down with a...lovely lady." I got the last two words out with difficulty. "Hazel, I hate the idea," I said, turning to her. "I don't want to be someone I'm not."

"That's part of being king," she said. "You've got to do things you don't want to do. And that means hiding your true feelings." I sighed and kicked my cape away. Stupid feelings. Why did I have to a gay prince?

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I studied my reflection in the mirror, and scowled. I had on my best outfit, a silk black suit with a red tie. I short black cape hung off my left shoulder, and I had my crown on. I looked like royalty. Sometimes I wondered how it would feel to be a peasant. They would seem to be more open to who I really was. At least I wouldn't be ruling them. I grabbed the short cane father had sent up to my room and made my way down to the ball room. Father's summer gala was already in full swing. Hazel was to come half an hour before me, and when I opened the ballroom doors, I spotted her. She was busy talking to Jason, the blonde haired, twenty-year-old from the kingdom over. Jason was handsome, but he was hers, so I wasn't going to interrupt. I carried my cane like a staff as I maneuvered around people. I saw lots of people I recognized, including princesses.

I stood beside the refreshment table and gazed at the assortment of snacks and drinks. Father certainly paid no expense setting our summer gala up. I gazed around. Streamers were wrapped around the great marble columns, and a banner hung on the far wall. Welcome to the first annual summer gala. I smirked. Father really had outdone himself with this little gathering. I leaned against my cane and quietly observed the guests. Several kings held hands with their wives, making idle chit chat with each other. Father floated between groups, playing the proper host. His short purple cape billowed out behind him as he swept away. A group of princesses, instantly recognized with their assortment of gold and silver tiaras, stood off to the side, whispering and looking in my direction. I nodded at them, then watched a couple young princes chase each other around the adults. They couldn't have been more than ten, and they looked like twins. They raced by in matching gray suits, little gold crowns pinned to their curly hair. I couldn't help but smile. Kids were so cute. Suddenly, someone stumbled into me. I glanced over my shoulder at the offending newcomer.

"I am so sorry!" the newcomer gasped. I turned around fully to get a look at him. He had a shock of dark hair and intense sea-green eyes. He moved like he wasn't supposed to be here, but since only royalty got in, he had nothing to fear. "Prince Nico." he asked faintly. I gave him a thin smile.

"As I live and breathe," I replied. I extended a hand. "I don't believe I have the pleasure of knowing you," I added. The newcomer broke out in sweat.

"Prince Percy of Nanuk," he responded. "It's a small kingdom toward the end of our territory." I scrunched up my face, trying to remember if I had heard of Nanuk before. It didn't sound familiar to me. I knew a lot of the smaller kingdoms in our territory, but not that one. "And believe me," Percy continued. "The pleasure is all mine." I laughed.

"I like you," I decided. "Where's your crown?" Even at events like this, all princes wore crowns decorated to the specifics of their kingdom. Mine had red rubies around it, as we mined our territory's rubies in the mines closest to the castle. Percy patted his head and his eyes got wider than small dinner plates.

"M...my crown?" he stammered. "Excellent question. I actually didn't bring it tonight. I forgot to put it on before I left." I shrugged. His story was logical. I certainly couldn't find fault in it. He appeared to mentally patting himself on the back. I smiled again. Percy was awfully adorable. "Say, you just turned eighteen, right?" Percy asked me. I nodded. "Cool. Married?" At that, I made a sour face. "No," Percy said for me.

"How old are you?" I asked him. "You don't seem that old. You've got the youthful look yet."

"I'm not that old yet," Percy said with a smile. "I'm fifteen. I'll turn sixteen in August." I laughed and shook my head.

"Practically a baby," I joked. "I think you're not married either?" Percy made a sour face of his own. "Nope," I said in delight. I believe this is the most fun I've had at one of father's events. "An old fart like me should be married long by now. I guess I just haven't met that special someone yet…" I stopped, gauging his reaction. About a hundred emotions filtered across his face. Then he reached out and squeezed my upper arm, giving me a confident smile.

"You'll find her," he said. I shuddered. It better not have been a her. I could not be happy with a female. "What?" Percy asked, tilting his head to the side. I pulled him up the stairs and into my room. I slammed the doors behind us and turned to face him. He gazed around my large room in awe. "I don't have a room this big back home," he said, almost a little wistfully.

"Really?" I asked. "But that isn't the reason I pulled you back here." I kicked off my boots and sat down on my be. "Come, sit," I invited. Percy hesitated, but then he sat down beside me, turning to sit sideways on the bed. One foot still dangled over the side, and he swung it back and forth like a little kid. "Alright, even though I just met you, I trust you. I don't like girls. I...I'm gay." I closed my eyes and waited for Percy's reaction. He stayed silent for so long, I thought he'd left.

"Neat," he said. "I've never met another gay prince before." My eyes flew open at that.

"You're gay?" I asked him in disbelief. It seemed too good to be true. Good looking, funny, and gay? Percy was everything I wanted in a guy. He would make a good queen for the kingdom… Stop, I scolded myself. Father would hang you if he found out. The clock tower in the east corner of the yard began to chime, meaning it was eleven. There was a tradition at Castle Grandor. You had to kiss your future spouse at eleven. "Percy, trust me right now, okay?" I pleaded.

"Okay, but…" he began, but I cut him off by pulling him close to me and kissing him. It was short and rough, and afterwards I shoved him away. I'm sure I looked as stunned as him, but I was smiling a little.

"You'd better get going," I warned him. "It is late. Father will be looking for me." Percy gave me a dismayed look. "We can meet up again," I promised. "Can you meet me here tomorrow? You can drop by for brunch." Percy smiled.

"I'd like that," Percy said as I snuck him out to the balcony. I dropped the rope ladder and watched until he safely reached the ground. I then rolled the ladder up, stored it away, and changed into bed clothes. I sat down on the edge of my bed just as father came in. He looked around.

"Hello Nico," he said, unpinning his cape and draping it over his arm. "Did you have fun tonight? Meet anyone special." I smoothed my nightgown down and grinned at him.

"As a matter of fact I did," I replied. "Her name is Perci with an I at the end. How neat? Oh, we talked for hours. It was amazing." I flopped back onto my bed and grinned. There was one tiny lie in there, but the rest was true. I had had a good time with Percy. He had done what no one else had in a long time. He'd made me laugh. "Oh, by the way, I invited one of the other princes over for brunch tomorrow," I added. "I hope that's okay." Father gave me a tight lipped smile.

"Of course Nico," he said. "Night." He left, leaving me to my thoughts once more. Oh how adorable Percy was. He was a really down-to-earth young prince. I hoped he'd be comfortable under father's scrutiny tomorrow. Father always interrogated any new friends of mine. I stretched my arms over my head and smiled. I had my own little prince!

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First chap of this one. I think I like this better than the first chap of the story where Percy gets pregnant. This is a tough decision!