" Father, look! I caught a rare fox for you."
Young Uther raised the fox to appease his father who was sitting on the chair with a bored expression. He put his hands on the armrest while examining the fox with his eyes to make sure it was worthy for him.
" Child, your siblings gave me more. Why can't you be like them? Do you such trivial gifts would open my heart? You are just like your insignificant mother."
The cruel words of the lord cut the young boy's heart into a million pieces as he meekly dropped the fox. His fists were clenched into balls, digging into his flesh to remind his poor mother who was raped by his father.
Throughout his entire life, the boy wanted to earn his parents' recognition but no one cared for him even though he was more talented than his siblings. He was well educated, behaved, and was proficient in many things, yet they only clamored about his siblings.
Furthermore, his mother blamed him for her misfortune, and his father constantly belittled him most cruelly.
" I understand, father. I will let it go."
He dragged the fox with him while leaving the room in the silence. The lord snorted at his back, resuming his activities like normal days.
Outside the castle, the boy let the fox go and it instantly hopped away like there was no tomorrow. His sorrowful gaze lingered on the city where the color was grey and dull. Everyone lived in bland and monotonous life while trying to survive the next day. The cold harsh winter of the island covered the city in frost, creating nothing but coldness that sent chills to the bones.
Uther furrowed his eyebrows when he saw the slums in the city. Compared to other places, Kent has the poorest people in the country while his family enjoys the most delicious food in the world.
Obviously, he wasn't one of them in the first place. He was a product of shame and mud, so there was nothing but bones on his plate to fill his stomach. Yet he persisted through his life, gritting his teeth to become better than his siblings.
" Lord, do you have something to eat? I am hungry."
Looking at the clothes of the young child made his heart ache with pain. He couldn't get why they had to suffer like this. Shackles of fate were holding them to the deepest damned land of suffering while the wealthy dined on their happiness.
" Here, child. Bring this to your family. I don't know this would fill you, but as long as you are okay with this."
The young child took the bread with delight in his innocent eyes as he darted back to his home to deliver his loot in this cold barefoot.
Uther bit his lips with frustration when he saw the scene, swearing he would change this damned land when he grew up. However, life wasn't even for all of us. Despite his numerous achievements and strength, he was conferred with a Knight title and a little piece of land in the south.
He buried the hope of regaining the glory of his people in his heart along with his ambition to change this country until he met them. The warriors who came from the offshore along with great experience and technology changed his territory.
" Give me a few days to think about it, Magnus. I won't go back on my words."
Magnus didn't say anything to his face while getting up from the table. He gently thanked the wife for the tea while dropping off some things for them.
Igraine remained silent until she saw the contents inside the sack. It was a simple yet delicate sack filled with the kindness of their people that touched her heart.
" Husband, do you remember our first meeting? You were smitten by my look and lost your balance when you were riding a horse. I still recall that image of you who was foolishly trying to grab something from the pound while drenched in water."
Uther's ears turned red when he recalled the past when he served as a royal knight. Perhaps, that was the place where he found peace.