So, I am telling a story about three separated royal siblings trying to find their way back to one another after being more or less kidnapped after their parent's assassination (also it's set in space). For the youngest one, I think it serves the plot best if he doesn't actually know that he's been kidnapped. They'd have fed him some sort of lie about him being kept away from his sisters for their own protection from assassins.
anyway, I'm trying to figure out what lie they'd tell him (more specifically) that would be believable, and what type of life he'd have had with these people, growing up (from ages 12 to 17) in a political extremist group. How does he not know what's going on? How can I introduce his love interest, a 16-year-old boy, into the environment in a way that makes sense?
if anyone wants to help me brainstorm ideas I'd appreciate the help :)
How old is the youngest exactly when the story starts to the point where you are now?
Does he know his parents are dead and that he's royalty? (maybe it's interesting if he doesn't know he's royalty, that makes it a bit easier to come up with a lie).
My first suggestion would be something simple like 'hey your parents are killed because they are royal, we are keeping you and your sisters seperate so it's easier to prevent you all from getting killed at the same time'.
Because you know, he'll believe it's for his own protection and it kinda makes sense?
Also are his sisters kept together or also seperate?
He is 17 at the opening of the story, his sisters are 19 and 22. It's been 5 years since they last saw each other. He does know that he's royalty, and witnessed his mother's assassination (he was hiding).
Both sisters were kept separately and have escaped captivity. One eldest is working odd jobs and changing her identity every few months, the middle child has become a bit of a criminal. Making headlines for stealing stuff while she's been on the run. So I guess our boy would've had to be kept away from certain news coverage too.
