I Was Kind (5)

I couldn't see anything, and everywhere I looked all that greeted me was darkness. Just as I was about to freak out, a voice called out to me.

"Bwother?"

"Grace?" I pushed my hand to the source of the sound and soon my sister emerged, decapitated. Blood seeped out through the hole where her head was supposed to be, she held her head tightly in her hands.

"Sawve me, brother.", Grace whispered mechanically.

"Ai…..run away from here, it isn't safe for you." Vivi appeared soaked in blood, dragging my father's corpse.

"Aiden…why….just why did you kill me?" My mother emerged from the darkness, blood spilling from the gaping hole within her chest, the same wound that I had given her.

...…

This isn't real.

'This is nothing but a dream, I reminded myself as I fell to my knees, tears streaming down my face.

"Stop it," I begged no one in particular as my dead family slowly made their way to me.

They kept repeating themselves as they slowly inched toward me. It felt like my mind was being broken into little pieces.

"AGHHHHHHHHHH" I screamed, the tears nor the corpses stopped their march.

As they finally reached me, they raised their hands and…..embraced me. Their bodies were cold and lifeless as they kept whispering into my ears.

"Why didn't you save me?"

I was too weak.

"False."

I….I wasn't capable.

"False."

I….was Kind.

"...True."

I looked up to find the source of the new sound, the sound of footsteps echoed within the darkness but before emerging from the darkness it stopped, I could see a pair of eyes though.

Gleaming amber eyes stared at me with a strange hunger in them,

"You could have saved them."

"Yes." I agreed, meeting those amber eyes. "I won't lose them again," I said, gritting my teeth.

"Even if you have to kill someone?"

"I'll kill whoever it is."

"Even if you have to be hated by everyone?"

"That doesn't matter."

" Even if you have to burn this whole world to ashes?"

"Yes."

I heard a chuckle, "Good…then fight in my name, O kind king."

****

"Sigh"

What was that?

"Sigh"

I gasped for breath as I woke up, bewildered by my strange dream.

Just who was that in my dream?

I could still feel those amber eyes on me, before I could think anymore about it a knock resounded across my room.

"Come in," I said as the door opened to reveal my personal maid, Myrtle.

"Good morning, prince.", she said, giving a light bow. " Your bath is ready, should I assist you today?"

"It's fine, I can bathe myself today," I said walking past her but stopping as she called out for me,

"Your classes begin at 10, so you better hurry.", she said, tidying my bed.

Oh right…..I did have that.

****

"I'm sorry for being late, sir," I said sitting down on my chair.

"It's quite alright, Prince Aiden." my tutor, Germaine Lourde, smiled at me kindly. "It's quite understandable with everything that's happened to you recently." Professor Germaine was a commoner who earned his status and wealth through his capability and willpower. He was a good scholar and my father trusted him. Moreover, he also shared the same ideals as my father.

"Do you remember where we left off last time?" he asked, flipping through a textbook.

I shook my head, I had almost forgotten about him then how would I ever remember some class?

"Oh my, the injury must have been a little more serious than I thought," he said smiling.

I remained silent. Professor Germaine thought for a while and said, "Why don't we take it easy today so that this lesson doesn't strain our prince?"

"I'd like that, professor."

"Hmmmmm, so who do you want to learn about?"

"King Richard."

"Well, I knew that you would ask me about your father, it's already the fifth time but I suppose I could teach about him ag-"

Germaine blinked, confused. "W-wait….what name did you say, prince?"

"King Richard-"

"The ruthless?" Germaine said, finishing my sentence.

"The very same.", I said, smiling at my professor.

My grandfather was a taboo subject for my father since he wasn't someone that my father thought of fondly.

"Well….I guess it's fine." the professor said, looking at me strangely.

"King Richard earned his title of 'ruthless' because of his lack of empathy, everybody was a plaything to him…even his wife, whom he killed for some unknown reason. He was cruel and feared by everyone during his reign. During his time as the king, he won and started many wars with neighboring nations, he slew thousands on the battlefield."

King Richard was crazy, but I'm not going to judge him as I'm going to have to be crazier than him in the future.

I listened attentively as Prof. Germaine continued with his lecture.

****

"Phew…that was a long lecture," I said falling to my bed.

"Do you want some refreshments, prince ?" Myrtle asked, smiling at me with warmth.

"Nope…but where are my sisters?" I inquired, wanting to see them.

"Princess Vivilian is currently training and Princess Grace is attending her class now."

Hmmmmm, I can't disturb Vivi since she's training but Grace would probably be happy to see me, I need to pinch her cheeks to regain all that energy I lost during my class.

I quickly ran out of my room, ignoring Myrtle's cries.

****

Well, I've found myself in a little fix.

I don't remember where Grace's classes take place….

'It should be somewhere around here..' I thought while running around a corridor and opening all the doors.

"Sigh…this will take forever like this."

I took in a deep breath and focused the mana inside me to my ears and listened attentively for my sister's voice,

'That way.' I said running forward to her voice.

Reaching in front of a door, I stop using mana and slightly open the door not wanting to disturb the flow of the class.

.

.

.

.

'What's going on here?' I thought, puzzled by the scene in front of me.