What is this book series called?

I believe it's a christian series. it's about this prince who basically left the throne before learning anything and he is training to be a priest and in the midst of that wondering why "god" hadn't shown himself to him and he ends up kidnapped and sold to a slave ship where he had to row the ship. he meets this guy along the way, red hair, and they become friends and soon he is sold to this gladiator type place where he is forced to fight to the death and kill people. if he fails to kill them there's this little.. octopus thing that they spread something over his skin and when it touches him it burns his skin and leaves blisters and welts. and his sister comes looking for him. he is then sold as a scribe and after a huge series of evens gets taken back finally to where he was born and becomes king and ends and falls in love with someone he knows. I remember during the gladiator part he was in love with one of his "master's" girls and his master told him that, because he was the best fighter and gaining him a ton of money, she could be his for the night. he loved her and she him and they ended up spending the night together, however when he tries to escape later she is attacked and killed by a huge black demonic bird. I can remember most of the story but I am so confused about the name!!! HELP!!!!