Chapter 54: The Second Brother

Suffering is a pain all men must endure at one point or another in their lives...

And through that suffering a man can be shaped in three different ways....

He can become...

A man who lives through the suffering

A man who lets suffering live through them

Or...

A man who suffers so that others don't have to...

A man cannot run from suffering, it is like a shadow that follows you everywhere, escape is impossible...

But a man must never let that shadow become greater than himself, or he will find himself consumed by darkness, and cause suffering to all that that darkness touches

-The Dark Prince

WHAM!

Prince and Weisheng instantly spun towards the sound of the two doors leading to the hallway being forcefully blown open.

"Make way Make way!" A short man who was neatly dressed yelled as a set of knights walked in behind him.

"The First Duke of Paris, Sir Duke de Niche is in your presence!"

As the knights walked into the hallway, a young man with golden hair walked in, filling the room with his radiance.

"Meri's .." Prince thought "Brother"

As Duke came into the room, the short man from earlier bowed as he came into view.

Everyone bowed their head, except Weisheng, who even with Dukes arrival hadn't taken his eyes of Prince

"I'll deal with you in a moment" He said turning away from Prince.

"Duke?" Weisheng said. "What are you doing here?"

"That's my line!" Duke answered. "In troubling times like this, you should be by the Kings side!"

"Troubling times?" Wiesheng asked.

"Things have changed since you left the castle," Duke said. "The King of Portugal's son was murdered, and now we are in the middle of a conflict of incalculable proportions"

"Just what are you saying? Are we in the midst of war?

"Worse Duke said. " We could be on the verge of an internal war as well"

"What!" Weisheng remarked. " Just what happened exactly?"

"It's Clay," Duke answered, making his hand into a fist.. "His selfishness is going to get us all killed!"

Back in Clay's castle, deep in the dungeons of his keep, his nephew Cassidy was chained up, being interrogated by Clay and his followers.

"How could you betray me Nephew?' Clay growled from the other side of Cassidy's cell.

"He… I couldn't live with myself… knowing you had this slavery operation going the whole time." Cassidy said.

"What do you care? They are not the people of France? They are deplorables from other nations sold to me by their own people! Who cares what happens to them!" Clay said waving his arms in rage.

"They may not be French… they may not be European… they may not even by our definitions be "civilized." Cassidy said, coughing up blood. "But they are human beings, and every human being is worthy of freedom, for we did not create freedom, it was given to us from God, only God has the right to take that away, it is not man's place to enslave,"

Clay paused, briefly taking in his nephews powerful words.

"He…Hahahahah, pathetic!" Clay laughed.

"I did not take these men's freedom away! It was their own people! I only capitalized on it! It's no different than buying a mule or a horse! If there is a market it is my duty as a businessman to buy my fair share!"

"You Bastard!" Cassidy yelled at his uncle struggling to break from his chains.

"All this talk of self righteousness, freedom and God's? I have a cross dimensional artefact that can control all the wealth of the world! I have an ear to the greatest power in France! It is me! I am God! I create jobs! I create wealth! The resources your so-called "free people" stem from me! I can control a man's destiny as I see fit! For without me! They would have none at all!"

"A man who claims he is god is either a fool or a lunatic!" Cassidy yelled. "Uncle! Which one are you?"

"Neither" His uncle answered. Walking into his nephew's cell, he grabbed a whip off the floor.

WHACK!

Cassidy groaned as his uncle whipped his back, gouging out his skin and spilling his blood all over the walls of his prison.

"In this room I am your Persecutor!" Clay yelled

Whack!

"In this room I am your Savior!"

Whack!

"In this room I am your destiny!" Clay yelled "That is what makes me god!"

Clay lashed his nephew once more across the back before dropping the whip. His forehead dripped with sweat, as his old and overweight body tried to recover from the little fatigue he had just applied on it.

"He...he...hehe" His nephew chuckled.

"What is so funny!" His Uncle screamed reaching for the whip.

"That may be true… your do control my destiny, but… only in this room… outside of this room, things are quiet different aren't they uncle?" Cassidy said smiling as the blood from his forehead leaked onto his long and beautiful blond hair.

"Outside of here, there are many who feel you are a treacherous man, many who would rather see me as the archbishop… what were to happen if those men rose against you?"

"He… I would squash them like bugs! Godefroi's royal army and the thirteen swords would protect me!"

"What if they were occupied?" Cassidy said.

"What!"

"As of this moment, a Raven has landed in every major house of France detailing your crimes against humanity, and a desperate pledge to choose a side, and at the same time…" Cassidy said smiling.

"Spain, the retainer of Portugal, will wage war on France!"

"Im...impossible! They would go to such lengths…"

"They are not like you! Clay! There are other things than money that are important to the Spanish!"

"Hmph! Regardless if the houses revolt against me! There are still many who are loyal to me in my dominion! We will outnumber whatever forces you can muster 10 to 1!" Clay yelled.

"Well… what about hose who are loyal to neither of us?" Cassidy said.

"Of whom do you mean?" Clay said.

"Did you think no one would be interested in your cross dimensional artefact? What about those who are loyal to gold?"

"No… you didnt.."

"That's right!" Cassidy exclaimed. "The man you killed was also a member of a band of thieves called Red Fox! They and all the other guilds have already pledged themselves to my cause! They will come in droves to plunder your castle! Anything they want will be theirs!"

"No!" Clay shrieked falling behind his guards.

"You connected them… didn't you… the three most prominent guilds…The Den of Wolves… Red Fox… and Black Sheep…"

"That's right uncle" Cassidylaughed. "At this moment they are planning your demise!"

Far away on a mountain overlooking a marsh, in the middle of wilderness three strangers gathered around a flame.

"So," A woman with a black hat said. "Are we all in agreement?" Her hat had a black veil dropping from it, partially covering her face. Her dark lipstick and eyeliner matched beautifully, highlighting her features.

"You haven't aged a day Felicia," A large man with a beer in his hands laughed.

"Leo, did you really have to take over the Den of Wolves?" Felicia said. "Isn't your guild fat enough?"

"Yes, it 's plenty fat," He said laughing. "But my guild is like my belly, it is never full, it just grows to size"

"Hmm what about the last one over there…" Felicia said. "He hasn't said a word? How can we be sure he will carry out the plan?"

"Oh, I can assure you," Leonard said, nervously taking a gulp of his beer. "He's as good as they say… Isn't that right Byron?" He said laughing nervously.

The last man came out of the shadows, letting the light of the campfire hit his face.

"Dear god…" Felicia said, covering her mouth. She trembled as the horror of the man's face was burned into her eyes.

Byron walked into the campfire sticking his hand into the fire. He casually made the gesture, acting as if his hands were not engulfed in flame, burning his flesh.

"As long as sheep with white fur roam the prairies, I will be there, to stain them black!"

He withdrew his hand from the fire as the smell of his roasted skin filled the valley. His hand was stained black by the flames, matching the dark soul that controlled them.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Byron grabbed his face with his burnt hand, dragging the burnt black skin across his pale white face.

"Leo…" Felecia said cowering in fear. "Do we really need to work with him?"

In a flash Byron disappeared.

"Where did he go?" Felicia thought as her heart raced desperately to find where he had gone.

"What's wrong Felicia…" A voice said behind her.

Byron appeared behind her, his face as horrifying as death itself, gazing at her with his dead black eyes.

"Isn't my face…" He said licking his lips. "One you can trust?"

Back at Sir Ivan's estate, Weisheng had just finished explaining things to Ivan and Weisheng.

"I see…" Weisheng said. "So you are here in person, why? Wouldn't a letter have done enough?"

"I came here to ask the help of an old friend of Godefroi's, a former knight of the royal army… Sir Ivan, I have come here to formally request your support!"

Prince's heart jumped once again, nearly coming out of his chest.

"Ivan…. Is a friend of Godefrois?"

"That was a long time ago…" Ivan said. "I only wish to have a small estate and take care of my child… after what happened to my wife… I vowed never to leave my house again!"

"That's exactly why I have come…" Duke said. "The man who killed your wife… who also on seperate occasion…" Duke said as his eyes became weary. "Killed my parents… is going to be at this coup."

"Byron…." Sir Ivan said. He looked down, examining his palms as a feeling of angst came over him.

"Pedro" Prince said.

"What is it?" Pedro answered.

"The look Duke has in his eyes, the look Ivan has in his eyes… they are so similar to mine…" Prince said.

"Yes..." Pedro answered. "It is the eyes of a man who is suffering, the eyes of a man who is still in pain."

"No matter who they are." Prince said. "The Prince of a Castle, the Duke of a city, or a knight of the royal guard… all men are capable of this feeling… this suffering…" Prince said.

"Why is it that all men must suffer?" Prince said. "Is there no god or status that can protect a man from this? Why does it happen?" He asked.

"All men must suffer," Pedro said. "There are only those men who live through the suffering, or those who let suffering live through them."

"There is a third type." Prince said, looking at Weisheng.

He saw the eyes of Wei carefully look over Prince, cautiously analyzing him, while his sister Ying, playfully pleaded with him.

"He deserved the armor!" Ying yelled at Wei. "He protected me with his life! He was very good to me!"

"Not now Ying!" Weisheng said, brushing her to the side. "There are more important matters to be concerned about right now! We must return you to the castle! The enemy could strike at any moment right Duke?" He said.

Duke nodded his head in agreement.

"So Sir Ivan, will you take up the sword, and fight once again?" Duke asked.

"The third type." Prince said. 'Is the man who suffers so that others do not have to."