Volume I: Chapter 4: The Imperial Siblings
1005 Words
He emerges from the waters.
The first prince took a bath before he goes back to Fidelpia.
Washing the dirt and the blood of those he had killed.
He was almost defeated. All of his subordinates and soldiers were captured and some of them were killed.
Now, he's going to start from nothing again.
He put his pants on and combed his soaking wet hair with the use of his fingers. He was a full-built man, made perfect for such fine movements that qualify him to his sacred weapon.
From the right chest to the right groin area, there is an existing tattoo and that is the Noctis Umbra.
"Sire" Jonathan uttered.
The butlers of the Sigmund family are also threaders. Jonathan has the Falcon's eye; he can relocate him from a certain distance.
He can track his master and other hidden objects or even enemies easily.
While Vladimir has the power of speed and agility and Stephen has the power of enormous strength.
"You're peeking," Prince Howard teased.
"That's a cringy idea, sire," Jonathan said solemnly as he bowed and salute to his master.
Prince Howard chuckled. "I prefer ladies," he said and another teasing laughter came from the prince.
His phrases and expressions were relieving for this subordinate.
He has a much brighter and calmer mood after what happened. No trace of hysterias or any unstable reactions. Probably, it was the after-effect of Macromonia, it seems to tame him down for a while.
Macromonia can aggravate the negativity and leaves a person calm after reaching the peak of the attack.
Meanwhile, a hooded female archer, after shooting, hid herself to avoid being exposed. She leans backward at the corner and holds her panting breath.
"The first prince forfeited?" two civilians having a little discussion.
'The First Prince forfeited?' She thought as she sealed back her sacred weapon.
It is all clear she can return.
She went back to the palace and up to her room. Her butler Vladimir is waiting for her to assist her.
Among all her servants and attendants. Vlad is the only one who knows that she was a threader.
"The emperor already get rid of them" she uttered in a tone of an "as expected" phrase.
The palace sounded a loud trumpet blast declaring that the first part of the coronation is done, it is the sharing of the oath with the Heavens.
The second part, the big parade was cancelled due to prioritizing the safety of the people.
The elders wanted to reschedule the 2nd part of the ceremony for tomorrow or the day after but some officials in the council disagreed for other ceremonies will take place after the coronation.
Still, the final event for the 1st day of the coronation will occur tonight.
The new emperor went to his room to have a little rest while everyone was still preparing for the next event.
He closes his eyes and relents from stress and anxiety.
"Nothing but trouble, old man." He mumbled in monologue. It is obviously for his father, the former Emperor.
"You are not dead yet, aren't you?" He pinches the skin on his glabellar area (the area in the middle of the eyebrows)
He sighed deeply.
"Noctis umbra" he murmured then covers his eyes with his forearm.
A light rain visits the center kingdom in the middle of a gloomy afternoon.
The sound of the rain brings solitude and ease to the weary. So much that it also washed his thoughts and emotion to ease.
His older brother holds a big grudge against him and usually beats him before with the use of this noctis umbra sacred weapon.
Just because he was the favorite son.
But he never fights back.
Why?
"Don't use your weapon against your brother or I'll be your enemy!" the former emperor always warned with a dominating aura.
but that's not the reason why he didn't fight.
He knows he can win.
At first, he thought that his brother doesn't have anything to do with the conflict between him and this old man but now another situation arises and he is in that certain box.
'It's the time to deal with you' he thought. 'but first'.
'....'
The atmosphere turns solemn and more relaxing as his thought stopped and are silenced. The sound of rain from the outside filled the silence of his chamber.
"Try to stop me now" he murmured, obviously directing it to the former emperor.
At first, he was dragged here when he was a child. He ends up losing things, being hated, being forced to Kill, and even oppressing others.
All the blame has fallen on him but the only one who is at fault is no other than his father, the former emperor.
He fell asleep.
He is no longer that naïve young boy but a lost murderer living amidst war and surviving.
It is hard.
Either you kill or be killed, is there a choice to forfeit and run?
There is no one that you can rely on.
Even the people inside and around you, even if you are asleep or awake.
'Why on earth am I even here?' his thoughts.
The bloodstained hands and the sounds of clamor from a loud war cry and all the pleading heard directed to him. Then afterward, marching back coldly to his room cage and being locked up just to see the same scene all over again.
Again and again.
People try their best to live and survive but why does he have to kill?
They are not accountable for how you live but you are now accountable for their death.
Every time another body fell on the floor bleeding and lifeless. It will be a new record of a nightmare of seeing himself in their place begging not to be hit by the murderer's hand.
Another way around?
It haunts him all the time.
That is the cage where he was brought in.
Where all the assaulted stands against him pointing fingers and proclaiming his crime.
- Writer
