Two Reborn Princes, Shadow Of The Throne

My twin brother, Caspian, and I were born under a dark omen.

In our kingdom, twins were believed to bring nothing but ruin and calamity.

Terrified for our lives, our mother, the Queen, hid Caspian away in a damp, lightless basement.

I grew up in the sun, draped in silk and drowning in affection.

Meanwhile, Caspian lived like a ghost, rotting in the shadows.

On the day of my coronation, Caspian approached me under the guise of a celebratory embrace.

He drove a blade deep into my heart.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back at the moment our mother had to choose which one of us to hide.

Caspian clutched our mother's hand, tears streaming down his face.

"Mother, I'm scared of the dark. I don't want to live in the basement."

He had been reborn, too!

He didn't realize that the path of the Crown Prince was paved with thorns and poison.

Even if he survived the court intrigue, he would only end up on the throne with a broken, sickly body, waiting for death.

In this life, I'll let him walk that grueling path.

I will take the healthy body, rise to power my own way, and witness a golden age of peace and prosperity.

The moment the cold steel pierced my chest, I heard the raw venom in Caspian's voice.

"Killian, if I hadn't given up my life for yours, that throne would be mine! This is all your fault!"

The pain wasn't just in my chest; it radiated through every fiber of my being, a white-hot agony.

It turned out Caspian had always hated me this much.

He was willing to butcher his own blood just to settle a perceived debt.

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself leaning against my mother's soft robes.

Caspian was tugging at her sleeve, sobbing piteously.

"Mommy, I'm scared of the dark. Please don't make me stay in the basement."

There was a glint of smugness in his eyes that didn't belong on a child's face.

He had traveled back in time, just like me!

Remembering the sheer torture of my previous life, I masked my expression and looked down.

"Mother, I am the older brother. I should be the one to protect Caspian and give him the better life."

My mother pulled me into a tight embrace, her tears wetting my hair.

"Killian, my sweet boy, I am so sorry for what I must ask of you."

She smelled of lavender and warmth, nothing like the cold, stiff corpse I had buried in my last life.

Mother, you don't owe us anything. It was Caspian who failed you.

If he hadn't been so reckless and exposed our secret, the King would never have executed you.

In our first life, Caspian stayed in the basement because he couldn't handle the pressure of being the heir.

I was the one out in the open, acting as the Crown Prince, drawing the fire of every jealous noble.

Poisonings and assassination attempts were my daily routine.

By the time I actually ascended the throne, my body was a hollow shell.

I had intended to name Caspian my successor before I died.

I never expected him to murder me in cold blood.

Fine. This time, let him walk that path of misery.

I will build a body of iron and take the crown on my own terms!

A few days after I moved into the secret basement suite, Caspian came to gloat.

"Brother, do you have any idea how amazing the world outside is?"

"Father officially named me the Crown Prince today. He gave me a mountain of gold and jewels."

"I'm learning how to rule the realm, how to ride stallions, and how to master the sword. It's exhilarating."

"Unlike you, trapped in this pathetic hole like a rat in the dark."

A pathetic hole in the dark?

I looked around my current living quarters.

The bed was plush, the lamps were bright, and the shelves were overflowing with the best books.

There was even a cleverly concealed window near the ceiling that provided fresh air and a sliver of sky.

My previous understanding of the basement had come entirely from Caspian's complaints.

In our first life, he constantly wailed about how damp and miserable it was.

Seeing the reality now, I felt a surge of cold fury.

I had felt so guilty back then that I gave him every gift the King ever sent me.

I had literally fed my soul to a dog that eventually bit my hand off.

What a waste of kindness.

I forced a look of longing and spoke in a soft, fragile voice.

"I'm just happy for you, brother. As your senior, it's my duty to sacrifice for you. Besides, I have Mother's company."

Caspian's face contorted with sudden rage.

"I am the Prince! Mother is supposed to love me more!"

In our first life, Mother spent all her time with Caspian out of guilt.

Now, that guilt was directed entirely at me. Naturally, she stayed by my side.

Caspian was never satisfied; he had the King's favor and the title, but he wanted her soul, too.

When I didn't respond, he continued his taunts.

"You're nothing but a shadow in the sewers. You'll be stuck here forever while I am worshipped by the masses!"

Suddenly, a figure appeared from the shadows behind me.

A hand blurred through the air, and a sharp slap echoed through the room.

Caspian's head snapped to the side, his cheek blooming into a violent red.

Mother stood there, her eyes brimming with disappointment and rage.

"Caspian! Who taught you to speak such filth?"

"Killian is your brother! If it weren't for his sacrifice, you wouldn't even be allowed to stand in the light!"

"I am truly ashamed of you!"

I blinked back fake tears and tugged at her sleeve, acting the part of the peacemaker.

"Mother, please don't be angry with him. It's my fault. I shouldn't try to hog your attention."

Caspian clenched his fists, his face turning a dark, bruised purple as he screamed at me.

"It's all your fault! You stole her from me!"

He turned and bolted out of the room like a madman.

Mother immediately ordered her guards to follow him and ensure he didn't do anything stupid.

She knelt down and pulled me into her arms, her voice trembling with emotion.

"Killian, my darling, I'm so sorry. Did I make the wrong choice?"

I let my tears fall, burying my face in her shoulder.

"I understand, Mother. He's just young. He wants everything for himself."

My tears soaked her silk bodice, and she held me even tighter, her body shaking with sobs.

The more guilt she felt for me, and the more disgusted she became with Caspian, the safer we would be.

After a while, I looked up at her with wide, innocent eyes.

"Mother, the things Caspian talks about sound so wonderful. Could I... could I study with him in disguise?"

I saw her hesitate, but I pressed on quickly.

"I could just be his study partner, or even his servant. I just want to learn!"

She struggled with the idea for a moment, her eyes full of maternal pain, but eventually, she nodded.

Mother procured a masterfully crafted silicone mask for me.

When I put it on, it felt like a second skin; even from an inch away, no one could tell it wasn't my real face.

She introduced me to the palace as a distant cousin from her side of the family.

Caspian was thrilled, thinking Mother was finally bringing in family reinforcements to help him secure the throne.

And so, we both entered the Royal Academy together.

The classical literature and philosophy that made Caspian's head spin were things I had mastered a lifetime ago.

Since it was his first time actually trying to learn, he struggled miserably.

We became the top and bottom of the class respectively.

A Crown Prince couldn't be seen as a moron, so to keep the King happy, Caspian dumped all his essays on me.

As for the physical training, that was where I truly thrived.

In my past life, poison had robbed me of my strength before I could ever truly master the blade.

Now, with a healthy body and the chance to train, I treated every session like a gift from the gods.

Within weeks, the entire Academy was whispering about the Crown Prince's mysterious cousin who was a genius in both the library and the sparring ring.

The King's eldest son, Prince Alaric, loved to humiliate the Crown Prince.

In the past, he targeted me; now, he targeted Caspian.

He sat atop his white stallion, looking down at me with an arrogant smirk.

"Whose boy are you? You're wasting your talent serving a brat like Caspian. Come be my squire instead!"

The onlookers erupted in laughter; it was no secret that Caspian was a disaster at swordplay.

I declined with a polite, cold bow.

Caspian's face, which had been black with rage, suddenly smoothed out.

He actually seemed proud, as if my success was a reflection of his own greatness.

That evening, over dinner in the palace, Caspian wouldn't stop bragging to Mother.

"My cousin is incredible. Even Alaric tried to poach him today."

Mother looked at me as I ate in silence, her eyes filled with a quiet pride and a deep, aching sadness.

Caspian turned to me, his tone dripping with fake generosity.

"Brother, if I get the chance, I'll definitely let you meet him!"

The irony was suffocating.

Mother's hand froze mid-air, her fork clattering against the fine china as she looked at Caspian with utter disdain.

Except for Mother and Caspian, I wasn't allowed to see anyone in my true form.

His words were a blatant, cruel provocation.

A heavy, awkward silence filled the room.

Caspian, oblivious as always, kept rambling on about his glorious future.

I wondered how he'd react if he knew the star student and the rat in the basement were the same person.

Over the next few years, the Academy held several small evaluations.

But the upcoming final exam was different; the King himself would be supervising.

During the written portion, I finished my scrolls with lightning speed and handed them in early.

Caspian, who usually cheated off me, was forced to struggle alone under the King's watchful eye.

By the time he finished, he looked like a man who had just lost a war.

What an idiot. If he came back to this life just to enjoy the perks of being Prince, he should have known the work would be twice as hard.

Before the martial arts portion, Caspian pulled me into a corner and hissed a command.

"When we get to the archery range, you make sure your last shot misses the target!"

Usually, the test was a choice between archery, tactics, or dueling.

This year, the King chose archery, which happened to be Caspian's only decent skill.

Naturally, he wanted me to throw the match so he wouldn't look bad.

I had no intention of letting him have that satisfaction.

I stepped up to the line first. My first nine arrows were perfect, dead-center hits that drew roars of approval from the crowd.

Just as I notched my tenth arrow, the target began to move!

The Headmaster announced, "To truly test our students, the final shot will be a moving target."

In my past life, I had shot enemies from horseback while bleeding out; a wooden target was child's play.

I tracked the movement, adjusted for the wind, and released.

The arrow whistled through the air and split the bullseye right down the middle.

The applause was deafening.

As I walked off the field, I saw Caspian standing there, his face as white as a sheet.

The sudden change in rules and my perfect performance shattered his nerves.

He missed even the stationary targets.

He threw his bow to the ground and stormed over to me, grabbing my collar.

"Why didn't you do what I told you!"

"That first place belonged to me! You ruined everything!"

His face, twisted with insecurity and hate, mirrored the monster who had stabbed me in the heart. I felt like vomiting.

I leaned in and whispered, my voice cold as ice.

"Your Highness, I needed to impress the King today. Because I'm leaving to join the army."

Caspian's eyes lit up with a mix of shock and pure, unadulterated joy.

When Mother heard I took first place, she was so happy she made me a bowl of sweet honey soup herself.

As she entered the room with the tray, she heard Caspian's excited shouting.

"Mother, my cousin says he's going to the front lines! Once he earns some military glory, he'll be the perfect weapon for me to secure the throne!"

There was a loud *crash*. The bowl shattered on the floor, splashing hot soup all over Mother's expensive silk skirts.

She didn't even flinch.

"What did you just say?" she asked, her voice dangerously low.

Caspian realized he'd overstepped and immediately shut his mouth.

While Mother was distracted by her anger, he slipped out of the room like a coward.

I looked at her and said calmly, "Mother, I'm thirteen now. I can't hide in the dark forever."

"Instead of being a nameless ghost in this palace, let me go out and build a legacy for myself."

Her eyes turned red, and her voice cracked. "Did Caspian bully you into this?"

"The Northern border is a frozen hell, Killian. How could you survive there?"

I thought of Caspian's face when I told him I was leaving and sighed.

"Mother, I can handle it. Besides, my brother isn't cut out for the hard work. Someone has to protect this family."

I didn't say it out loud, but she understood.

Being a twin was a death sentence if found out. Running away to the army was the only way to get a real life.

If I became a decorated General, the King might actually forgive my existence one day.

More importantly, I knew Caspian couldn't handle being the heir.

He was jealous of his own shadow and had no talent for leadership.

He was already losing the King's favor. It was only a matter of time before he fell.

Mother wiped her tears and personally packed my bags.

To explain my absence, she told the palace that her "nephew" had returned to his family's estate.

Caspian couldn't hide his grin of relief.

Mother saw it all, and the last shred of affection she had for him began to wither.

I slung my pack over my shoulder and walked out of the palace gates without looking back.

I wanted to see if Caspian could actually survive in that nest of vipers without me.

I wanted to see if the throne was as comfortable as he remembered it.

Five years passed.

My body grew tall and powerful, tempered by the brutal winters and the chaos of the battlefield.

The life-and-death stakes of the war made my instincts sharper than a razor.

I rose through the ranks quickly, becoming a decorated captain.

Every year, I sent a letter to my mother, telling her I was still alive.

Her replies were always short, begging me to stay safe.

But I could read between the lines; things were not going well in the capital.

Caspian was proving to be useless. The King was losing patience with both him and Mother.

Assassination attempts were becoming a weekly occurrence for him.

Caspian had been poisoned several times, leaving him even more sickly and paranoid than I had been in my first life.

He was becoming a recluse, hated by the common people.

Recently, the Northern Raiders had crossed the line, launching a full-scale invasion.

This was my moment.

The enemy's crown prince was a legendary warrior. If I could take his head, their army would crumble.

Under the cover of night, I led a small strike team into their camp.

While my men set fire to the grain stores to create a distraction, I slipped into the royal tent.

The enemy prince was fast, but I was faster.

My blade, coated in a fast-acting paralyzing agent, caught him in the arm.

He collapsed, gasping for air, eyes wide with terror.

I didn't give him a chance to scream. I took his head in one clean sweep.

Outside, our main army arrived like a tidal wave.

The Raiders, leaderless and panicked, surrendered within the hour.

The war that had plagued our kingdom for decades ended in a single night.

When we returned to the capital, the King was ecstatic.

He named our General a Duke, and I was promoted to High Commander of the Royal Armies.

Every prince in the city looked at me with hungry eyes, hoping to pull me into their faction.

Caspian's gaze was the most desperate of all.

He looked at me as if I were already his personal property.

After the formal ceremony, he practically dragged me to his private quarters.

I went willingly, because I knew Mother was waiting there.

When she saw me, her eyes filled with tears. "You're home. Thank God, you're home."

Caspian sat me down and started piling food onto my plate, acting like we were best friends.

"Cousin, I'm so glad you're back! I need you!"

"Not like my useless brother. I asked him to come back and help me, and he didn't even reply."

Mother's expression shifted.

Over the last few years, Caspian had actually tried to find me so I could act as his body double and take his place during dangerous events.

Mother had blocked his letters and refused to help him.

Now, he blamed me for not being there to suffer for him.

When Caspian left to speak with his advisors, I put my fork down.

"Mother, it's time to face the truth."

"I've spent five years in the mud and blood, terrified that his stupidity would get you killed."

In our first life, Caspian's arrogance led to the secret of our birth being leaked.

Mother was executed for treason, and her entire family was wiped out.

That was why I had to seize the throne in my last lifeDto stop the King from killing us all.

But in the end, it was Caspian who murdered me.

This time, I needed Mother to give up on him completely so I could protect her.

She nodded slowly, her gaze hardening with a newfound resolve.

She finally agreed to my plan.

I breathed a sigh of relief and spent the rest of the evening telling her stories of the North.

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