**3rd Person POV**
Meanwhile, there was a man who lived not too far from the palace of Hades. He was tall and charming like a prince such that Charlotte frequently asked him, “Sir, are you prince charming?”
She asked him this question again on this day and he smiled at her and gave her his usual response, “There is no Prince charming, Charlotte.”
“But you are a Prince and you are charming, that makes you Prince charming,” said Charlotte. She is never tired of making the nice old man weary.
“Charlie, give grandpa a break, okay?” quipped Reginald.
Rowan looked at his grandchildren with love-filled eyes. After all these years he had never thought that he would reconcile with any of his family but he had been rewarded with his grandchildren.
George had taken over the pack while he was away on business. By the time news reached him of George's takeover, his wife had been killed and he was told that she had given birth to a daughter. Unfortunately, he could not return to the pack because George was out to end his life.
At the time, he had been willing to take the risk but his mother-in-law had told him that he could not return because someday, he would need to help his child and he needed to be alive for that. He had argued then that it made no sense and he was certain George would kill his daughter just like he had killed Marilyn. Lady Tristan however had told him about George's ultimate goal so that while the child would be maltreated, it would be safe. She had advised him then that it would be better if everyone thought that he was dead.
There was no better way to remain dead than under the underworld. There was also no other way to learn about what was happening back home than close to Hades palace. It was the safest place to be because no one would ever think of it.
When the time had come as Lady Tristan had told him, he had orchestrated their kidnapping from Princess Irvette and Lady Nydia. He had arranged for their transport through the hospital. He had seen Emily there and had been tempted to tell her that the twins were safe but Lady Tristan had insisted that no one knew about it at all. If any information leaked, it could jeopardise the safety of the twins.
After he had secured the twins in his home he was surprised to find that they were very calm.
“Don't you have questions?” Rowan had asked the children sitting rather calmly for children who had just been kidnapped again.
“Sir, are you prince charming?” the little girl had asked him…He was quite taken aback by that question and the tone in which she had asked the question reminded him of Marilyn, his late wife. She sounded exactly like her and he remembered clearly that she would tease him always about being Prince charming.
“Prince charming?”
“You are a Prince and you are charming,” said Charlotte.
“I am a prince?” quipped Rowan.
“You are mummy's dad. That makes you a prince,” the girl had said matter of factly.
He had blinked his eyes in confusion.
“You do not think I'm a bad person?”
“Bad people don't ask if they are bad people; they just tie you up and do bad things to you,” this time it was Reginald who spoke.
“What should we call you, Grandpa? But you don't really look like it. You're tall and handsome and strong,” said Charlotte.
“Very strong,” Reginald had said.
“You should teach us how to do those cool moves. Mother taught us horseback riding and sword fights but we never did any hardcore training.”
What had surprised Rowan was the fact that they felt so comfortable with him.
“How do you know I'm your grandpa?” Rowan had asked the twins. They had looked at him for a second like he was an idiot then they burst out laughing. When they were done with their hysterical laughter, Charlotte, the chattier of the two said, “You're basically Reginald.”
And the two of them began laughing again.
Since then they had settled into a comfortable life in Rowan's house underworld.
Rowan was aware that the time was drawing nearer when the search for the twins would intensify and they would have to return to the actual world. Living among the dead was not really living and Rowan wanted them to have better lives. The only reason he had survived this long underworld was because he was from a pure royal lineage; it was also the reason he could take the risk of bringing the twins under with him. But it wasn't safe anymore for them. He would have to find a way to let Lady Tristan know that the twins had to return home.
“Why won't you answer my question?” asked Charlotte, bringing him back to the present.
“Because you're an idiot,” came Reginald’s response to his sister.
“That is a mean thing to say to your sister. You will apologise to her now,” scolded Rowan. He loved the twins but sometimes they were just naughty.
“But she's an idiot. You're not a Prince, you are a king. Well technically, you were a king,” said Reginald. Rowan could not help but smile. Reginald might look a lot like him but he was a lot like his late wife in character. He did not know how to mince his words.
“Reginald, that's a mean thing to say, now you really should apologize,” it was Charlotte who spoke this time.
Rowan observed the two of them. He had a feeling that they were doing some sort of twin thing and they were teasing him.
“The both of you should apologize,” said Rowan. The two of them exchanged a look.
“He knows… I told you he'll know. He's not dumb,” said Charlotte in what was meant to be a whisper only that Rowan could hear her clearly.