Laughter of a Bent Mind

"How in the Devil's name are you still alive," he slowly turned around as the rain intensified and the wind howled. Tightening his grip on his blade, he let his gaze burn the man in front of him. He has no care about the sword he got out of nowhere nor cares why it glows. As long as it's of use, he would gladly wield it. Without any other word, he lunged without hesitation, if you can't do it in the first try then second times a charm, he thought. His grin wider than before, he will cut down that man's hands and throat so he'll never hear him in any way possible ever again.

"Interesting, very interesting. It was unprecedented that a traumatic event like this would trigger your abilities, a miscalculation on my part," the bearded man countered his blade.

Nicolas quickly stepped back before the enemy had time to counter, again, he took a look at his own blade. If it did not intrigued him earlier, now it does, thanks to that man. Seemingly materialized from thin air, he was brandishing a similar blade though in contrast to the prince, it takes up light rather than emitting it. It was pitch black, darker than the night sky, darker than a shadow, it's the manifestation of "nothingness" itself.

"Don't worry, I don't care about these pawns, if you will still come with me…," he placed his blade close to his face, "I won't get mad". His eyes suddenly widened and hurriedly slashed the boy.

But Nicolas was not an easy target, unlike normal children. He had been trained to handle a sword and even fight at such a young age. Using the surroundings to his advantage, he hid behind a fallen wall. After the attack, he quickly sprawled out and delivered a blow. The bearded man blocked it for the most part but the force pushed his guard that the tip of the boy's blade still reached his cheeks. "You are lucky this body is a bit old!," he answered with a kick that sent Nicolas flying like the severed head from before.

"Excuses," the prince smirked before landing perfectly on his feet. "I don't understand what you want with me, I might be handing myself to you earlier but you broke the deal. I'LL BE TAKING YOUR HEAD INSTEAD!," he continued his assault. Joints already aching, lungs barely keeping up, and his head in disarray as if the surroundings is turning. His whole body is screaming in pain and the only fuel for it to move is anger. "DIE YOU SCUM!," he kept pushing forward without any regard for his safety. He got grazed, he got slashed, but all that's important to him is that his enemy is suffering even more until one last tricky blow cornered the man as he fell to the ground.

"I'm having mixed feelings here, boy, should I be proud? Or should I get scared that I'm still sharp as ever?," he still laughed despite the big cut on his stomach.

"I don't get what you are saying and I couldn't careless," Nicolas prepared the last blow as the atmosphere was filled with his laughter. The thunder celebrated with him as his blade hurried towards his last and final victim.

"You don't think I'd die here do you?," the bearded man blurted as big wide hands came swiping the prince. He flew into the air and back to the wall he had hidden earlier, hugging it as he coughed blood from the force and trauma.

As he lied weakly into the muddy ground, he witness as the headless giant came walking back up before picking up the bearded man. To him it was illogical of course, it's not every day that you see a headless man rise back up from the dead, but then again, his sword is also something supernatural. Bursting into laughter, he slowly came back to his feet and placed his blade in front of him. "Where do you think you are going?," he warned them as the blade grew brighter, but his knees failed him.

"You certainly are hard to get—," the man coughed, "But don't worry, I will find a better body and the next time we meet, I will be sure to take you back."

"I would like to see you try."

"Still tenacious I see; you really are the one I was looking for. Don't you dare die here Prince of Gregoria. I will comeback for your soul, so don't you miss me—"

"Pretty considerate of you, though don't lump me with you. I certainly wish for you to break your neck and die."

"Oh, killing me won't make me die," the man cackled as Nicolas just watched them disappear to the damp rainy night, before briefly losing consciousness.

He was woken up minutes later by the still ongoing fireworks display, so despite his fading strength, he finally made his way back to the castle. The rain had now transitioned to a storm and the lighting and thunder is angrier than before, he must have forgotten what happened to his friend cause when he recognized a familiar thing from a far, his tears immediately fell. Memories of Alisa flooded his mind as he washed her tattered ribbon in the pouring rain. He kneeled down. "Happy birthday to you," he sobbed, "Happy birthday to you— happy birthday happy birthday— happy…," he did not finish the song as his attention got snatched by the castle. The castle where everyone is gathering to celebrate his birthday, the castle where Hunter is heading. "This is all his fault," he whispered as he stood back up and walked. "THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!"

While the beat-up celebrant is traversing his way back to the castle with ever-burning rage, Queen Natalia, whose neck is now starting to ache, is wondering why the fireworks display is taking so long. She had already inquired Frederick about this but the King does not seem to be bothered by the event, he was just happy to celebrate his son's birthday, but when he excused himself to the comfort room together with Ferrol, they are needed to be aided by the knights due to the influence of the alcohol. Upon getting useless explanations from him she decided to ask Elisa, a more reliable person in this kind of festivities. She excuse herself to Queen Herina as she searched for the head maid. Inspecting every table at the royal hall, the person she is looking for seems to be missing at the moment, when she tried asking the townsfolk all they said is that they have seen her leave just a moment ago, together with their cheerful laughs and gratitude to her. She is the queen but she sure is familiar with the people, for she had not been raised in a castle like his husband. There was a time when she too had been wandering the streets and help around the castle together with Elisa, not until Frederick at the time who is still a prince took a liking to her, and since she's a beautiful and a hardworking woman, the past king and queen had approved without fail. Upon failing to find Elisa outside, she continued her search inside the castle, where she found Elisa inside the library, appearing to also be stressing about something. "Oh, thank goodness I have finally found you," she felt relieve. "Don't you think this fireworks thing is taking too long? The night sky is already burning deep and It's starting to pour."

"I have the same concern Lia, I too had been bugged by the lengthy event and it started to hurt my neck, but we have greater concern than this My Queen. I can't—," the halting of the explosions outside had stopped and the blissful sound of the rain making contact with the castle roof brought refreshment to their crying ears. "Oh, thank goodness, but going back to the topic. Have you seen my Alisa? I can't seem to find Nicolas and her inside the castle."

"Have you searched their chambers? They are quite fidgety; they are just with us before the fireworks started and then suddenly they're not."

"Fidgety indeed, but they're not there. That's why I am here, I figured they might be looking at some picture books but no. The worst part is Logan is also nowhere to be found."

"Then they might be together then, I pity Logan for dealing with our mischievous children. Have you checked with the kids below? Maybe they are just so happy that they blended in?"

"I was just about to."

The two of them came walking back down the stairs up the great library and back to the hall. With the help of the other maids, they checked each one of the grouped children but failed. Elisa had since been carrying a sense of distress though she can't explain why.

Back at the royal table while the Queen and Elisa is busy searching, Herina had excused herself to the comfort room giving the King's time for a private talk. "Hail the prince!," Ferrol proposed a cheer as he raised his glass of wine, Frederick followed with his glass and yelled the same. "You got a splendid successor in line my friend, he's got the looks, the intelligence, and most of all the power to move the people. The traits of great Kings like us, I am sure one day he'll be just like you."

"That's a given Ferrol; Nicolas is not like any other children. I made sure that he got the best education the experts can offer, you can even give him a sword and I'm sure you won't believe he's just starting with life," they both burst into laughter as each took a bite from the steak they are feasting.

"I know, I know, being a master of the sword myself, I can feel only with the way he stands, but, enough with the now my friend," Ferrol leaned in closer into a whispering distance and steered Frederick towards his daughter. "What do you say, we talk about the future. I had been blessed with a daughter after my two boys, luckily you too with your first child… so what do you say". Frederick has a clue on where this conversation is heading, it was pretty cliché for royalties to have this kind of talk like the case with his parents, regardless he still asked what Ferrol meant to properly hear him out. "You see, our kingdoms had ties since long ago. Ever since they are built if I recall. Our great grandfathers had been like us, best of friends, without fail, but the next generation is kind of lucky don't you think? Let's set our sight for making our ties stronger than steel, and what way to make this come true is through—"

"Marriage"

"Exactly, if you think about it, if one of us had been a girl then our parents have not hesitated to do the same thing."

"I know, sounds unsettling now but I understand your point."

"So? What do you say?," Ferrol leaned in even closer, his smile wider than everybody else in the hall. Reena had seen him giggle but she did not care, she was more interested at the door. Frederick on the other hand thought for a second, he weighed every bit of pros and cons from Ferrol's proposal, but there is hesitation inside his mind. He had been lucky to choose a bride like Natalia in his own will, it would rather be unfair for his son to be married to someone he did not choose. "Why the long face, if you're wondering if your son would get mad in the future, then you just need to bring him with you on you visits," Ferrol pressured him.

And as they saw the Queens walking back to their seats, he had shared his conclusion, "I will think about this more, but I like this idea of yours. It would really benefit both of our kingdom and the people," he whispered back before Natalia could hear anything.

The Queen stood beside the table, she was now stressing over her missing child, and can't seem to take a break. The edgy look on her face brought wrinkles in her forehead that bothered Herina as she came back from comfort room. "What's the matter with you Natalia? You seem to be troubled by something, have you upset your stomach perhaps? Do you want me to accompany you?". Natalia disregarded her for a second as she kept searching from her seat. The Queen of Algernon needed to pat her by the shoulder before she snapped out of her dilemma. "Natalia, are you okay?"

"Forgive me Herina, I'm fine but I can't seem to find my son anywhere. Elisa and I have search the entirety of the castle but even her daughter cannot be found. Although we are most certainly sure Logan is with them, I can't remove this stingy feeling in my chest," she sat down, her hands to her chest as Herina handed her a glass of water. "Dear, have you any idea to where they might have gone to?"

"I don't know, Ferrol and I had been sitting here since those two had left, I had never seen them since," Frederick also began searching from his seat when Elisa came intruding with a more distressed look on her face. She asked for forgiveness for excusing herself at the table without prior notice or being summoned before finally revealing the information she had gathered from the knights resting at the side.

"With them tricking the knights like that, we can at least know they went outside," the King emphasized. "Elisa, you should call the other knights and tell them to fetch Nicolas and Alisa outside. I have been too soft to them, but this time I would really scold them for their actions," just as Elisa is about to leave and communicate the orders, the silent little princess of Algernon spoke.

"There is no need for that, he's already here".

The table went silent, probably because it was the first time they heard the princess talk for tonight, but most probably due to her peculiar statement. They just stared at her for a good second, watching her as she continued eating her fried chicken and steak, when the door towards outside opened with a thud, a thunder shocked everyone.

Trembling and panting, a boy emerged from the entrance. His knees trembling as he took small weak steps towards the other folks. With each step dripping from the rain, he had painted the dry floor as it suck most of the moisture. Everybody had stopped on their festivities, the music stopped, the laughter seized, and Frederick's wine became stagnant. Not another moment later, he fell to the floor, but he kept on going forward. As he came to the light, the terrified mural painted on his face became prevalent, he seemed to be running from something. Whatever it was, Elisa knows that it's not something to be messed with, even the boy's eyes are shaking, screaming for help. He just shrieked as if a boar being hunted down by a merciless hunter. He might be named Hunter but at the moment, he is the prey. His struggle spread pity among everyone, but no one dared to move due to the laughter that suddenly enveloped the atmosphere. They followed the direction of the sound and they saw another figure entering the castle, on its back, the picture they never expected to see that night. The rain is pouring hard and the night is dark, but bright enough thanks to the mishap outside. At last, they understood what's happening, it was their homes, their livelihood, and everything that's basically keeping them alive and well until tonight. It petrified the king at his seat as much as his people when Nicolas started his performance.

"HUUUNNNTTTEEERRRR," he cried like a manic monster about to maul the boy alive. It stopped Hunter on his tracks and he rickety looked back. His eyes went wide as if it would pop out their sockets, he immediately begged for forgiveness as he continued crawling away from the prince. Nicolas caught up to him with ease and stepped on his leg. "Why are you running? I'm just going to ask you about something…," Hunter cried in pain. "Did it give you satisfaction? Did it made you feel good huh? Have you not think about the thing that you've done? WAS IT FUN TO WATCH AN INNOCENT PERSON SUFFER FROM YOUR SELFISHNESS!," he caught him by his hair and stepped his other leg.

"Forgive me Nicolas, I'm begging you. I—," Hunter's cry snapped everyone back to reality.

"I don't care about your plead. Would that bring back the dead? WOULD THAT BRING BACK THE DEAD? I GUESS NOT!," he cackled for a bit before proceeding. "We had the clear chance to escape back there! We could have gotten back here safe and sound but no! She wanted to help you, SHE WANTED TO HELP YOU! And then what did you do? You repaid her with betrayal. YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE ONE WHO DIED!," Nicolas forcefully flipped Hunter facing him as he pulled harder. Without any delay he leaned in closer and threatened the boy's neck with his blade.

The King quickly stood and rushed to where his son are, the drowsiness from the wine had evaporated out of his brain as if he had been plunged in freezing water in a blizzardy night. He walked pass Natalia, down the stairs then though the tables of his people whose now frozen in fear and confusion. Finally deciding to confront his son with what is happening, Elisa went pass him faster than light then approached Nicolas first. Her hands are shaking as it weakly gripped the side of her skirt while the other on her chest reminding her to control her breathing.

"Ni— Nicolas? W—where is Alisa? You have both gone outside, right? What happened to you?," Nicolas eased out as he switched his attention towards his friend's mother. The sword he was wielding vanished as he grabbed Hunter's collar and sat the boy properly. After dusting the boy's wet clothes, he flashed a smile, stepped away from Hunter and looked at Elisa.

"I can't tell you Mrs. Valorona, but, I have someone here who can narrate what happened down to every detail with the most vivid narration. May I present to you, Hunter the-coward-selfish-traitor-of-Gregoria. Now, Hunter, if you must," Hunter just stared at Elisa. The terrified message in his eyes slowly turned into sorrow and apology, like a dog being aware that he had done wrong as it faced its master carrying the proof of its crime, "Why so quiet, you used to be more talkative earlier, you even cried your eyes off. Tell them, go on, we don't have all the time in the world…". While still refusing to talk, Elisa in front of them is steadily falling into greater panic. By this time, Nicolas too had enough of the bullshit. He angrily walked back to Hunter and threatened him again with the sword, "TELL THEM! TELL THEM WHAT YOU'VE DONE, unless you want to die at this second TELL THEM! No one will judge you but this blade, it's your choice"

Hunter sulked into deeper despair, his face bitter, and his mouth trembling as he uttered his first word. Nicolas Pushed his blade closer to politely ask him to be louder. "For—forgive me, I did not mean it. I just wanted to make sure I will get back to my mother alive, please forgive me," this had confused Elisa even more as she took a step closer, in her face the question "What do you mean" are clearly written. Hunter find it hard to spit the words and it pissed Nicolas even more.

"Fine, if you're too scared to admit it, then I would," he had let him go again, stood, and opened his arms. "LISTEN HERE EVERYONE! This boy Hunter, uh, I don't care about his family name, had committed a crime towards Head Maid Valorona and her daughter," he made sure to pause to let out a laugh that sent an unsettling feeling to everyone inside the hall. He narrated every detail, every obstacle, every tear they shed outside, up to why Hunter is the reason the poor girl died. "Alisa is no more Mrs. Valorona, she's dead," it hit Elisa like a spear aimed directly at her heart, her already trembling knees finally failed her as she sat hopelessly to the floor, still in disbelief, she could not accept what Nicolas had said. His mother Natalia finally came to her friend's rescue and tried to calm her down.

"Please don't fool around my prince. This is not a good joke—"

It infuriated Nicolas more than he already is that he even made a tssk* using his tongue to show his disappointment. "Do I sound like I am fooling all of you? DO I SOUND LIKE I AM PLAYING AROUND!," he trembled in anger and sliced the floor leaving it with a scar. He stomped his feet hoping it would break more than it already is but he knew it was impossible, so he walked to the nearest table instead and poured his anger towards it. The one's sitting nearby immediately leaped away as to not get caught with his rampage. Natalia tried to calm him down, he called his name but it was no use, all he could hear are the intrusive thoughts in his head. She tried to approach him but his blade prevented her from doing so, so from a far she asked him with what's going on, because in her eyes Nicolas is in great pain and confusion. But it did not help ease the prince's state of mind, in contrast it made it worst.

"What's happening you say? Are you somehow blind mother or you're just too dumb to not understand what's going on outside," he oriented himself back towards them. "Do you think I'm just making a fuss mother? Would half of the kingdom burning look like an illusion to you? Alisa is dead! SHE WAS BLOWN TO BITS that not even a single chunk of her flesh could be distinguish from the soil and mud! SHE'S GONE AND IT'S ALL THIS MOTHERFUCKERS FAULT!".

He poured his anger towards the ladies. Natalia was flabbergasted that she froze on the spot, her eyes shakingly fixated at her son. "What's happening to you my son," she uttered as she kept assisting Elisa that's now reduced to sobbing. The Nicolas she knows would never talk to her like that, the boy she raised would never scream at everyone like this nor cause such uproar in front of the people. Where is the kind anxious prince giving a speech just this morning, where is the smile that can even lit up the darkest of the dark. She couldn't find a faint of kindness in his glaring eyes, they were filled with sorrow, full of fury, and a desire for revenge. Despite all of these doubts, she understands that there is a cause for this, that is not his Nicolas, that's what anger does. It just shows that something happened, outside, during all the commotion. He would not lie, and even if she and Elisa does not admit it, Alisa might be already dead, and if the girl died then Logan too might have perished already thus failing to protect them.

"Now, back to the topic at hand," Nicolas started again catching Hunter who now have crawled to what he thought as a safe distance. Pulling the boy back to the center, he forced him to talk all over again, but this time, he whispered sinisterly in his ears. "Tell them, because if not, I'll cut your tongue and you'll never be able to speak ever again. And if you think I'm bluffing, then maybe this blade would keep you straight," the sword appeared again brimming with blue light that illuminated both of their faces.

"I know that boy! He would never do such things!," a lady from the crowd voiced out. She's at a safe distance far from the drama but she decided to put herself in the spotlight just to say what Nicolas thought of as an absurd statement.

Upon tracing the sound of the voice, the prince stared at the lady. "Do you really think so?," his voice soft, somewhat sorry as he scratched his damped hair and examined the boy on the floor before laughing hysterically. "I guess you don't know him after all," he fell to the ground supporting his stomach as he continued to burst in laughter. Everyone is in a daze for a whole minute before finally, he stood back up then wiped his tears. "TELL THEM!," he threatened the boy again.

Hunter once again stared at Nicolas, he was still sobbing but the prince does not seem to care. Slowly, he oriented himself. Knees close together as he kneeled flat on the floor, his palms feeling the cold wet floor, tears began to hinder his vision as he viewed his pathetic self in the small puddle he made. He lowered his head, slowly, the rain and thunder could only be heard at the background. As his head was glued to the floor, he broke the silence.

"For—Forgive M—Me, it was all my fault. I— I pushed…," he paused and pushed his head harder towards the floor. "I PUSHED HER WITH MY SOLE SAFETY IN MIND". The lady from the crowd succumbed to the side, Natalia felt pity, and Elisa felt like she would die from what she heard. Her heart did not take it too well and she fell unconscious.

"Well, I told you," Nicolas pridefully uttered. "So, You all heard it, LOUD AND CLEAR. I guess no one would argue if I took his head, right?". It was a swift draw; Hunter raised his head only to see Nicolas already swinging the sword towards him. Counting to three he waited for the blade, there is no stopping it, he's dead either way. Frederick was quick on his feet as he already read Nicolas's intention before he even raised the sword. Snatching the weapon of the closest knight, he rushed and deflected his son's blade. He was exposed up close to the blade, its blue hue reminded him of the day his Nicolas was born, the rain was hard just like today but then it eased and it revealed the moon. Round and clear, it was unusually blue, more peculiar than the periodic blood red moon he already witnessed thrice in his lifetime.

"Stop this nonsense at once Nicolas!," there was no reply but a sharp gaze. They did not clash swords; it can't even be called a fight for the king got immediately expelled from the battlefield with a single strike. Trembling in fear, his left arm bleeding, he felt the heavy presence from the blade his son is wielding. A little more exposure and he knows that that nasty feeling would crush his very soul. "Who are you," he muttered as his knights came to his rescue, in contrast to Natalia's understanding, Frederick felt that that Nicolas is not his Nicolas, rather, it was a different person. It made him tremble than he already is.

"STAY OUT OF THIS FATHER!," he waved his sword and the floor in front of the king opened. It glowed brighter and brighter, till it overwritten the color of the flames, till it reached every corner of the hall. What the king felt is now widespread in the atmosphere, everyone and everything trembled and stepped farther from the light. It was unexplainable but they felt anger, they felt grief, they felt the very thing that's been fueling the prince's rage down to its core. Hunter whose the closest felt like his soul would leave his body and run. He was not stuck in a fight or flight, but the only response his mind could conjure is to flee and his body refused to move. Raising it again, no one dared to move, no one dared to make a sound. They just froze as the prince raised his blade, they just eyed his hands as he gripped its hilt tighter, and aghast as the sword came hurdling down the poor boy's neck.

Thunder added suspense to the situation, the wind howled angrier than before, and as the sword connected, lighting hit the ground just outside the castle, sending shockwaves and slight shaking of the ground before an ear reaping thunder followed. Everything went dark, the torches, the lamps died, there were just silence, no one heard a scream, no one dared to make any response. It stayed like that before the knights had lit them back up. Frederick felt as if he stopped breathing and his lungs had started only receiving air, he had imagined the worst of the worst, they'll be blood spilled, a boy dead with a severed head, over it would be Nicolas burning with rage, but to his relief, none of it came true. There lied on the cold wet floor Nicolas and Hunter, no one was hurt, no one bled, they were very much breathing and only unconscious.

Natalia hurriedly rushed for his son, Frederick took the other boy and ordered the knights to investigate outside. Such a remarkable birthday party that's indeed full of laughter, one that no one will ever forget as long as they live, for that laugh will be engraved in their minds, and the name of a traitor will be immortalized. An unforgettable event that will later be remembered as the feast for the broken prince.