All Chapters of Royal Rivalry : Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Rowan's POV I'm seventeen but I'm burdened with a different kind of pressure. The kind of pressure for people twice my age. Why should I care about my family name, reputation and legacy? I'm not even the first son, I'm not even the next of kin but in some ways, I'm still burdened by my parents, the queen and the king. The buzzing sound of the club couldn't kill the thudding in my chest. Instead, they added to it, making it harder for me to breathe. Just like always, my hand unconsciously went to my chest, squeezing it as if it could take the pain away. Never. Never had it taken the pain away. “Rowan!” I heard my name but I wasn't interested in some teenage yapping at the moment. “Rowan Ashbourne,” he called again, causing me to turn. “What did fuck are you doing outside the palace? Shouldn't you be in the courtyard, learning how to serve the people?” The nuisance said with an annoying smile on his face.I scoffed, feeling irritation brewing from within me. Making use of the firs

Theo's POV I stood by the window of the classroom, my gaze fixed on the lawn outside, but my mind was elsewhere. Where exactly? I couldn’t say. But I knew it was wandering through its usual labyrinth of ideas and irritations. The school had grown unbearably quiet since the last group of seniors had graduated. There was a different kind of stillness, a hollow kind of calmness that gnawed at me. A school like Hillsborough was meant to breathe life, to pulse with vibes that makes existence worth noticing. But everything felt muted and lifeless as if I had killed the life in it. This was not how it was given to me. What could I do to awaken it? I asked myself and the answer came as it always did: a party. But what kind of party? And, more importantly, why? The reason mattered. Without reason, celebrations feel empty, just mere noise. I remembered Matteo, the former prefect, and the effortless way he had orchestrated every gathering. Every party he hosted had meaning. Nothing happened

Theo’s POVThe questions I've been getting since we were ordered outside were enough to irritate me.“What's going on?” “Why are we being assembled?” “Theo, what's the latest update?”I'm tired of telling them “we will find out soon.” Or “I don't know why?”Hillsborough did not assemble unless something had gone wrong or someone important was coming. And judging by the way the principal has asked all of us to dress in our full uniform, they all should know the answer by now. “What’s this about?” my sister muttered beside me as I adjusted my blazer. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. “When did I become the principal of Hillsborough?” I asked with the hint of sarcasm. “After Mrs Whitcombe, you are the next as the school's prefect,” she paused for a while. “And why is it so hard for you to give me a straight answer?”“Maybe because I'm not,” I said with a bored tone. This time, she rolled her eyes. “I wonder how I got the worst brother in the world,” she said before joining the

Rowan's POV Everyone had left. The crowd had been dismissed after the welcome speech and song. The performance was over and finally, I was alone in the room given to me. The room felt smaller than I expected. I wasn't expecting it to be like my bedroom in the palace but this was still small. It is not unpleasant, it is just… contained.I sat on the edge of the bed, trying so hard to push my thoughts behind. My hands were resting on my knees as I stared at the unopened suitcase on the floor. I had no desire to unpack. I can't just bring myself to unpack. Doing so would make this feel permanent and I wasn’t ready to accept that.Letting out a sharp breath, my eyes moved around the room again. How do students share rooms like this? How do they exist in each other’s space without feeling suffocated? I wondered instead of thinking about my personal problem. Just as I was not so lost in my thoughts, a knock came at the door. Before I could respond, it opened.Three boys stepped in… con

Rowan's POV For a long time, I thought breakfast at Ashbourne’s house was a little dramatic. The first breakfast at Hillsborough changed my judgement. Breakfast felt like a theatre performance. It seems like everyone else thinks it should be. Quiet and weird as if they were being monitored by a higher authority. As soon as I stepped into the dining hall, it was as if they were all waiting for me to enter. All eyes turned. Their gazes are like lasers on my face. Some were curious, some were impressed. But I ignored them all and focused on getting things done. After getting my food, finding a seat became my next job. I headed toward the nearest table, pulling out a chair.“No! No! No!” The familiar voice sang, interrupting the peaceful setting. “Not there.” He stopped me before I could sit.It's too early for his mumbo jumbo. I wasn't ready to listen to his gibberish ass but I looked up slowly, mentally preparing myself for an unwanted conversation with the golden boy.He stood a f