1 Prince Leonardo

"Ahhhh he's so Cute. Just look at him" A shrill female voice echoed down the hallway. "Yes, do that pose again, Please" spoke another girl. In the middle of the room, a small boy stood on a tall table in a mascaraed mask and a long silk cape was strung around his shoulders. "Fine but in return, you have to promise me something." the small boy said with a mischievous smile on his face. He bent forward towards the girls with his index finger out and pointing towards the ceiling. "You need to bend down and touch your toes while singing your ABCs." the prince said with a lewd smile on his face, hidden carefully behind his colorful mask.

The girls tilted their heads questioningly. They heard about the prince's odd behavior from fellow maids but like most rumors are they believed that they were over-exaggerated. Seeing no harm they happily agreed "Alright Price Leo" they said as they looked expectantly at the little boy on the table. Smiling happily the boy began his little skit, "Oh woe is the maiden's heart that flies on broken wings" he started as he knelt by the edge like he was looking over a great view. "With colors oh so bright and skin oh so soft, come to me my love so I may heal your damaged wings" In one quick motion he pulled back the hood of his cloak and swapped the gold mask for a pink one. Kneeling looking up with arms stretched wide as if to address the man on high. "Oh woe is the man whose heart calls to others, may I come into your arms so my love can fill your soul" pretending to climb the invisible wall he enacts a short skit of love at first sight, the maiden is stolen and the man rushes to her aid. In the end, the small child stands tall with his hands on his hips and face tilted towards the chandelier. "My love, do not fear for I will always be near." the boy said with a falsely deep voice.

"Ahhhh he's so cute I'm gonna die." the maidens said as they fawned the boy before them. Leo just stood straighter and one can almost see his nose grow slightly as his ego grew further. "now, now remember our deal ladies" he said "Yes Prince Leo!" and they immediately bent over to touch their toes and begun to recite the alphabet. Meanwhile, Prince Leo quickly and quietly made his way down the back of the table and stood behind the girls, who thought the boy was still on the table.

"Hmmm, the one on the right. Pink strawberry print, what a little girl" The boy thought as his lewd smile was plastered on his face. "And the other" Just as he took a peek at the girl's black panties a loud cough sounded behind the boy. He immediately stiffened, back straight sweat running down his face. The two girls noticed this as well and stood to find the boy gone. Finding him behind them they screamed loudly and ran from the room.

"Good evening madam Catherine, what a surprise to see you here. I was actually just on my way to my bed chambers to get some much-needed shut-eye" the boy said trying to casually walk past the head maid. "Not so fast Leonardo, kitchen duty right this instant. You are to make your signature apology cake right this minute and deliver it to both of the girls you just bamboozled." the boy drooped significantly, he sucked at cooking and he wasn't allowed to serve any meals until madam Catherine said it was a meal fit for royalty. That's saying a lot since she once fired the greatest chef in the country because it wasn't up to snuff.

"Yes, madam Catherine" he sighed as he made his way down the hall towards the kitchen. "Oh and Leo one more thing" the boy froze and nearly fell to his knees as she laid down the law "You will clean their laundry for a week." The boy at first upset saw this as an amazing opportunity to get better measurements of the new maids "All except their undergarments" the boy made an audible tsk as he continued walking "That better not have been a complaint Prince Leo" she said "No, of course not madam Catherine" he said hastily as he ran down the hall before more work was added to the list. "Whatever am I going to do with that boy? Every day he's more and more like his father. Why can't he be more like prince Rodrick? Now he is a proper prince"

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, seventeen pans of cake that were crafted expertly and could sell for hundreds of silver coins on the market each lay to the side marked rubbish. By this point, Leo knew how the cake had to be done, as he probably spent more time here than any other place in the castle. The maids called him the prince of lewd but he preferred the term prince of curiosity. It was nearly sundown when Leo finished the cakes and put them under silver platters. He pushed the cart of shame through the hallway and many of the maids snickered at him as he passed. Leo wasn't upset by this at all. Especially after the last two maids that he was headed to. They were just hired under a month ago but because of them he finally finished his personal goal of cataloging all the maids in the mansion. Years ago when he was digging through his dad's old belongings he managed to find a scrapbook that looked well used, reading through it he found that it had a detailed account of all the maids that lived in the mansion thirty-odd years ago.

The only maid still here since his father's time was madam Catherine and she of course caught on immediately to my schemes. "Damned old lady and her stupid intuition" he grumbled as he made his way to the servant's quarters. Turning a corner he saw his younger brother leaving one of the maid's rooms, straightening his collar "lucky bastard" I mumbled as he made his way towards me. He was younger than I was but twice as tall and had all the charms father had and all of the beauty from mother. While I had a slight birth defect that kept me from aging after I turned eight, it was obviously uncomfortable to sleep with a man with the body of a child and clearly hard to please someone when your half their height.

"Hello brother"

"Good evening Rodrick," I said in a polite manner, a tight smile on my face as I watched him approach.

"I see Catherine has you as her errand boy again or did you get caught stealing a peak again," he said with a knowing smile

"You know what, I don't have time for this. The cake will be cold by the time I get there if you keep me held here. You know I'll have to start from scratch if it gets cold before I serve it" I spat annoyed and tried to walk away. He put his foot in the way of the wheel stopping me in my tracks. I glared at him but he held up his hands in defense.

"I know you hate me because of my dashing good looks and fabulous hair" He started. I scoffed and tried to move again. Where he again stopped my attempt. I was just about to say something when he held up a hand and began talking "Fine I'll stop teasing, I just wanted to let you know that I finally found that potion you have been searching for all these years." He spoke in a hushed quick whisper. I stopped and looked at him hope to fill my eyes. "Did you? Did you manage to get a hold of it? Can I see it, I'll do whatever you want just give it to me" the desperation clearly echoing down the hall as my voice rose with every word.

Rodrick just hushed me before pulling out a small vial barely bigger than his thumb. "It cost me a lot of my allowance and resources to find and collect this small vial. The ingredients alone cost me two months of savings and another three months' worth to hire an alchemist to brew it" I tried to swipe it from his hands and take it right then and there. "Ah ah ah, wait a moment as I finish explaining the instruction the alchemist told me" I nodded and sat down legs folded beneath me, looking directly into my bother's eyes. "No, I was told that this medicine has to be taken right before going to sleep, preferably already in bed as it has a powerful narcotic-like effect that would knock out even the largest of animals. Thus it's best to take it at night before bed. The effect will come into effect after the third day and is recommended to be taken again every month for a year for the greatest effect"

I nodded quickly and held out my hands, with my eyes glued to the small vial I didn't notice the wicked grin and blood lust in my brother's eyes. Tears welled up in my own and a smile fell on my face. "Thank you bother, you have no idea how much this means to me" finally with this I can begin to grow again, no longer will I be the butt of every joke or the shame of the royal family. Soon I can hold my head up with pride as a proper prince.

With that, Rodrick made his way back down the and I began to walk down the hall again pocketing the vial. Peeking into the room Rodrick left I could see one of the younger maids tying her bow around her waist and patting down her skirt, as she checked for marks on her neck. Delivering the dishes to the two maids and bowing deeply in apology I gathered their dirty clothes and headed back down the hall. "I'll clean these tomorrow," I thought to myself eager to get to bed for the first time in my life.

"Madam Catherine will be angry with me tomorrow but it is a price I was willing to pay" Rushing to my room and quickly washing down and getting dressed for bed, I shooed the chambermaid away and locked the door. I got myself comfortable in my bed before popping the top of the vial and drank the contents, the vial faded into motes of light that I found odd but without any time to process the weird vial I was out cold. By morning the family doctor pronounced me dead and called it a natural passing, blaming the birth defect for my short life. Money was exchanged between Rodrick and the doctor and Rodrick officially became next in line for the throne with no the wiser.