Must Live

The slashing and cutting sounds, the agonising screams of anguish, all of this was none of my business. I just laid on the cold ground and waited for my own death.

"What should we do with the Crown Prince?"

"Wait for the King's order."

They were talking about me, a crown prince of a fallen Kingdom. A nation that once thrived and prospered until it fell into the hands of my father. As the heir to the throne, wouldn't it be strange if I didn't feel the slightest bit of pity for my own people? It was strange to others, however, it wasn't strange to me. I felt nothing when I watched a knight slash the Queen's neck, I once thought about how I'd feel if she was to die, but contrary to my expectations, I felt nothing, I just felt more empty than usual.

A Crown Prince by name, Prince Ciel, the only child of King Marcellus, King of the Belonian Kingdom. This might be the identity I possess, however, I was never Ciel. As an illegitimate daughter, living in the palace, under the Queen's eyes was hell, treated like a slave -no, slaves had an even better life than I could ever dream of. However, I woke up everyday with renewed hope because of the warmth I felt anytime I slept by my mother's side. I was still happy, until my half-brother, Prince Ciel died. The memories I have of him were few but he always had a gentle disposition probably because of his frail health, he was always calm and kind to everyone unlike his mother, he would have made a great king if he had lived.

"It's a good thing you look a lot like the King." The Queen gazed at me with unhidden malice. She didn't have the sorrowful eyes a mother who lost her only child would have. I remember when a co-maid died, her mother wailed for days and nights, but the Queen didn't look the least mournful, instead the only emotion that twirled in her cold eyes were annoyance.

"From today onwards, you are Crown Prince Ciel under the orders of the King. You shall forfeit your identity and take on your responsibility."

My responsibility? What nonsense. Except from being a child of a peasant, I had no identity, my mother didn't even bother to give me a name.

Using the life of my mother as a threat, the Queen forced me to live as her dead son, learning everything an heir to the throne must know. It went on for years until I earned enough power to look for my mother, however, I found out that the Queen never kept to her promise, my mother died as soon as I became Ciel, she died, thinking she was a burden to me. But...I didn't feel free, instead I felt like I was thrown behind thicker bars. The Queen couldn't threaten me anymore but I couldn't escape either, I had nowhere to go, the rest of the world might be no different from this palace, it was of no use trying to escape.

"The King sent for the Crown Prince."

I was suddenly dragged up in the midst of my thoughts, the flickering light from the oil lamp suddenly illuminated the darkness, causing my eyes to hurt until I adjusted to the sudden brightness.

The Belonian Kingdom has been defeated but I was still addresses as Crown Prince, that too, by the enemies of Belonia, the Pelonian Kingdom. It was known that they were one kingdom before until two factions broke out which led to their separation. Belonia in the North and Pelonia in the South, I guess it was time to reunite both kingdoms under one as Pelonia.

"Ack." I was pushed to the ground with a little more force than I expected. The man sitting on the throne my father once sat on, was a young man, his golden hair and golden eyes contrasted with the eerie atmosphere in the throne room.

"Is this the Crown Prince?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

So, the golden-haired man was the King. I chuckled underneath my breath as I acted like I had just found out. It was well-known that the royal family of Pelonia had golden eyes, while the royal family of Belonia was known for their silver hair and gem-like blue eyes, stemming from their relationship with the dragons that once existed, but I knew that those fairytales were nothing but fairytales, dragons never existed, if they did, then the world would have been a little more different.

"Ha."

I unknowingly flinched when I felt someone's breath on my face.

"Hahahaha. He's a funny one." The King who had stepped down from the throne burst into laughter, "You dare space out in the presence of the king, are you thinking about how to kill me and take revenge for your kingdom?"

What nonsense was he spewing. I guess the wise king was not so wise afterall.

"No." Was the only word that managed to slip out of my charred lips, my dried throat hurt as I uttered that single word.

"Such admirable courage, Crown Prince Ciel." He tapped on my forehead, "Look how dirty your silver hair has become."

Wasn't it time to kill me yet? His voice was annoying me even further.

"I like your courage. You want to avenge your kingdom, right."

No, I just want to live or die peaceful, however, I couldn't explain myself because of how badly my throat hurt and I didn't even want to bother explaining anything to him.

"I will give you a way to avenge your kingdom." He whispered in my ear with a mocking smile on his lips.

"..."

"Have you ever heard of Duke Cassius? Haha, I'm sure you would've, he's quite popular, you know."

Duke Cassius was a terror to the entire continent, it would be weird if I haven't heard of him. He was the first prince of Pelonia but forfeited his position to his younger brother, at least, that was what the rumours said. He was even scarier than the King himself.

"With the look on your face, I'm sure you know him pretty well." He chuckled, "Become my brother's servant and you may live." His voice was friendly but the look in his eyes that he tried so hard to mask was similar to the one the Queen had anytime she saw me, it was strong malice and hatred. The internal matters of Pelonia's royal family was even more interesting than I thought, however, becoming the Duke's servant was no different from a suicide mission.

I shook my head as fast as I could, I've waited for death for a long while but now, I didn't want to die yet.

"Then I have no choice but to end you here myself, Crown Prince." He unsheathed his sword.

"Wait!" My hoarse voice found its way out. For some reason, I remembered the day my mother hugged me in her arms, that was the very last day I saw her.

"Child, live on. Promise me that you'd live until your hairs are all white."

I don't remember what I said that day, what my answer to her was. It was ridiculous for her to tell me to live until my hair is all white, I was born with white hair, what other white hair should I wait for? However, I understand what she meant and now I could finally give her an answer. There's hope when there's life, like she always said.

"I will go."

Yes, I shall serve the Grand Duke and find a way to live until my hair is all white...