Chapter Text
Once upon a time in a land of beauty, there was a kingdom known as Kurain. In this lovely little kingdom, there lived a young prince named Phoenix. Phoenix had a happy life in this kingdom, but sadly things can’t always stay that way. He was only eight when his mother passed away, he thought going through that he could handle it when he found out his father was falling ill, yet he couldn’t. According to his royal advisor, the king had suddenly started to fall ill not long ago, how long he had left though was unknown but many had fears it would be sooner than later. The kingdom had to rush, if the king died, Phoenix would have to take over quickly, so it only made sense to get started practicing now before the time came.
That’s where the first problem started.
It was a beautiful day in the kingdom and the castle was in a buzz preparing for the first of many practices of Prince Phoenix’s coronation, so things had to go right. The queen's advisor Mia Fey walked around the castle as she made sure everything was in place. Despite the fact the queen died many years ago, the king had Mia keep her role in the kingdom, she was one of the best advisors he had ever seen and it would have been a crime if she didn’t keep working there, plus Phoenix needed someone like her in his life, she was like a second mother to him. She walked to the gardens where the people were waiting who would run the coronation, it was a beautiful day, so there was no reason they couldn’t do it outside today. She looked around as she spotted the prince standing quietly by a marble column by himself. She smiled gently to him as she clapped her hands as everyone got into place, she walked over to Phoenix as she smiled at him.
“Ready your highness?” She asked him.
“Y-yes! Absolutely.” He said clearly lying. She patted his back gently whispering words of encouragement as he took a deep breath as he walked down the aisle to where the man who would crown him stood.
“Royal subjects, today we gather to celebrate the crowning of prince Phoenix Wright of Kurain.” He said as the people who were watching gave scattered applause as they worked. The man continued to speak before soon telling Phoenix to kneel before him. He took a deep breath as he started to kneel. He suddenly felt a sharp pain on the side of his shoulder before hearing a piercing scream from a nearby Gardner seeing an arrow nearly missing her face. Everyone in the garden gasped as he touched his shoulder gently wincing softly before drawing back gasping seeing a small bit of blood on his hand. People started to panic running around like chickens without heads as another arrow shot nearly missing the prince once again. Phoenix tried scrambling to his feet as he was pulled up by one of the knights pulling him to run out of the room and Chaos.
“You alright your highness?! Oh man you got hit!” The knight said worried as he looked around for another to help. “Sir Godot! Get Mia! The prince was hurt! Hurry!!” He yelled to the white haired knight as he ran to find Mia. “Don’t worry your highness, we’re gonna get you help!”
“T-thank you sir Gumshoe..” Phoenix said terrified. He wasn’t sure exactly what was going on. One minute he’s about to kneel and an arrow barely misses him cutting his arm, the next he’s pulled out of the garden in a panic by one of his knights, the hours seemed to blur together as he felt someone shake him gently snapping him out of his daze as he looked to the people in the room sitting at the table all chatting with one another worried.
“Phoenix? Can you hear me?” He heard Mia say. He shook his head gently as she sighed. “Your mind seemed to wander off and it got me worried…” she said nervously as he nodded quietly before hearing the gavel of the man who was leading his coronation at the head of the table banging it like a judge in court, which made sense since he was one too.
“Silence! Now Lady Fey?” He said as she nodded.
“Right. As we are all aware, a few hours ago, someone had infiltrated the castle, and had made an attempt on the prince's life. We know it was an intent to kill from where the first two arrows landed, if he moved ever so slightly to the right or was not kneeling, he may not be here today.” She said as he paled gently, he was really that close to death?! “Captain Gant. What do you have to say about this breach.” She said sternly to the captain of the knights as he rose from his chair.
“I take full responsibility for the attack today your highness, it is my job to be sure knights are positioned everywhere in the castle to protect, yet today I seemed to have slipped up and somehow someone got in.” He said. “I still do not understand how though, every entrance was heavily guarded and every window was being watched…” he said as people murmured at his statements.
“I see...Lord Von Karma? What about the king?” She asked the king's royal advisor as he stood up from his seat.
“I was with the king the entire time of this attack, not once did anyone try to come into the room to attack him, meaning this was an attack targeted at the young prince alone.” He said.
“I do wonder though…” a new voice chimed in as Mia looked over seeing the white haired knight speak up. “How is it that someone came into the castle undetected and shot at the prince, yet no one was caught right.” He said to Gant as he shook his head. “That means this might have been someone who works here at the castle. After all, the people of the kingdom have no idea about the Kings failing health or the fact that the prince was doing this today. Wouldn’t an attacker from the outside want to take out the king first and then his son? To the people’s knowledge the king is fit as a fiddle.” He said as the people murmured in agreement.
“That’s absurd! Everyone in the castle loves the prince and the king!” Gumshoe said rising from his chair as more and more people agreed, starting to argue with one another.
“QUIET! ORDER! I WILL HAVE ORDER!” The judge yelled as everyone just got louder. Phoenix covered his ears shaking gently from all the noise as he felt a hand go on his shoulder whistling loudly as it caught everyone's attention.
“Everyone settle down. One attempt on our prince and we devolve into animals? Right now our priority should be the safety of our prince.” They said. Phoenix looked up to the person holding his shoulder seeing his advisor, Lord Kristoph Gavin, was the one who calmed them all down as the people in the room got quieter and quieter.
“Lord Gavin is right though.” Mia said. “We need to up the security of the castle and to keep the prince safe. Otherwise next time this happens we may not be able to stop it in time. She said as Phoenix's face paled gently. Kristoph looked to him as he nodded to Mia to hurry up the meeting so he could escort the prince out of there. “Anyone have any suggestions as to how we can do this?” She said as they all murmured unsure before Kristoph coughed to get everyone's attention once again.
“I believe I might. Perhaps assigning someone to be the prince's personal guard would be the best course of action right now.” he said. “However since Madame Mia did bring it up, we need to find someone who is not within the ranks in case we do happen to have a mole.” He told them.
“But who would we find?” The judge asked him as he scratched his chin before looking to Manfred.
“Manfred, did you not mention to me not long ago when you still lived in the village you had a friend who had a son around the prince's age?”
“Hm? Yes he does, but do you think he would even be qualified?” He said.
“It’s not as if he will be fighting armies, his job will be to protect the prince and the prince alone. You can go into the village tomorrow and find out if he has an experience and will be willing to take the task.” He said.
“Very well.” He said as Kristoph looked to Phoenix.
“Is that alright with you, your highness?” he asked him.
“Um...I suppose...I would rather have someone close in my age than someone much older or younger being around me…” He said quietly as Kristoph smiled.
“Very good then. Now, our Prince has been through alot today, he needs rest to recover from this traumatic event.” He said helping Phoenix up, as they agreed. Kristoph helped him walk out of the room and through the halls of the castle. “I am still so very sorry I wasn’t there when this happened. I’m afraid I was held up in talking with some of the staff, that's when I heard the screaming and you had been injured.” he said to Phoenix as he gave him a soft smile chuckling gently.
“If you were there with me you might have been killed. It’s really fine Lord Gavin.” Phoenix said. “It’s just a scratch on the arm, I’ll survive.” He said as Kristoph nodded his head before Phoenix thought for a moment. “Can...we go see my father first before we return to my room?” He asked Kristoph as he gave a light chuckle nodding his head as he led him to the king's chambers knocking on the door gently. He opened the door to the massive dark room as Phoenix’s eyes landed on the king in his bed. He ran over to him quietly as he kneeled by his bedside.
“Hello son.” He said quietly as he patted Phoenix's head. “How are you? I heard you were hurt today?”
“I’m fine father, really it was just a scratch…” he said as he picked gently at the gauze wrapped around his arm. “How are you feeling today?” he asked him worried as the King smiled gently before coughing.
“I have most definitely had better days, but I'm doing just fine my son.” He said.
“I will be outside the room, your majesties, I just need to speak to Lord Von Karma about what will happen tomorrow.” He said as the two royals nodded as he walked out of the room closing the door behind him as he saw Captain Gant and Lord Von Karma approach.
“Hello Kristoph. Are you sure about this idea of yours?” Manfred said to him as Kristoph rolled his eyes.
“Of course. Putting someone that is inexperienced to protect the prince from whatever danger is after him? He will be ours by the third day.” He smirked.
“I still don’t understand. Why did you hit the prince? I thought this “Attack” was just to cause panic in the castle, not actually hurt him.” Damon said to Kristoph as he sighed annoyed.
“It was, until one of your men started walking towards my direction. I misfired and hit him. Trust me the last thing I wanted to do was hurt the prince. After all, how can I take the crown if he is no longer with us?” He said as they nodded their heads in agreement. “Now are you sure the person your picking will seem as though he can protect the prince?”
“Of course. That boy is a weakling, and his father is the same. Surprising for a man who makes weapons all day his son probably doesn’t know how to use them.” Manfred laughed.
“Excellent. By this time tomorrow the prince will have “protection” and we will be one step closer to taking the crowd for ourselves.” he said to them as they all chuckled darkly. “Now Manfred, let us head back inside to tend to our royal highnesses.” He said as Manfred nodded his head as they went back inside the king's room. “Are you finished with your talk, your highness?” Kristoph asked as Phoenix smiled nodding his head as he gave his father's head a kiss. He got up from where he was sitting as they were about to exit the room Phoenix turned to Manfred.
“Lord Von Karma? I was wondering what was the name of the person that may be hired to protect me? I just want to know his name before meeting him…” he asked as Manfred rubbed his chin.
“I believe his name was Miles...Miles Edgeworth.” He said to Phoenix as he nodded his head leaving the room with Kristoph once they arrived at the Prince’s room Phoenix walked to his bed sitting down on it as Kristoph left the room. He sighed gently as he looked to his vanity before picking up the music box he loved so much when he was younger as he just held it close trying to remember the tune since he had lost the key that would make it play so long ago. He looked out his window down to the lively village as he thought to himself.
‘I hope you are well up there Mama...I miss you so much. Tomorrow I may have a new personal guard...I just hope he doesn’t think i’m weird...I wish you were still here mama...I love you.’ He thought as he put the Music Box down as he climbed into his bed to rest his eyes for a short while thinking of just who this mysterious new guard would be.