The children's cries
Ria Limnoula looked upon Rexcarius and her burning desire to overthrow him got a little dimmer as she and everyone present saw a side of the malevolent king that they simply could not ignore, this was the kindness no one has seen for a long time, the good in him beneath all the apathy and wickedness and she simply cannot comprehend how the devil spawn who sent his father to die now acts like a good father himself.
The memory was very vivid for ria despite it being 5 years in the past, she could remember as every event unfolded and it all started with her father not coming home from work one day, he did not even say goodbye to his beloved wife nor only daughter but that was the least of their problems because out of the blue Ram Limnoula was arrested for treachery against the kingdom.
This was all sadly false claims and everyone knew this for a certain extent but refused to act on it. It all started with the ravaging of the Heidenchey country to the previous northern village of Milgras, the 4th village of Cebunilla. The reinforcements were slow and even when they arrived they were far too weak and far too late. This had been the fault of the knights who were far too reliant on General Tidelode and when he took a leave of absence for personal reasons, everything just fell apart for the guardians.
Rexcarius being the king took the backlash from the villagers for the hundreds that have died and for the land that had been conquered and now to add to his problems, it was not just the threat of Heidenchey continuing their attack but also that of the citizens rebelling so in a moment of pure madness he chose to make someone else's head roll instead of his.
That is why the afternoon after the attack, just as Ram was going back home to his eagerly waiting daughter and finally eat the special meal his wife Janet prepared and even butchered their only cow for him as they were celebrating his birthday, knights surrounded Ram and captured him publicly and aloud they stated that he was being arrested for being a spy of Heidenchey which both Ram and the knights knew was complete bogus but in order for their heads to be saved, they decided to throw Ram's to the hounds.
Rexcarius prepared everything, from the twisted rumors to even preparing a ruse. Rexcarius bribed the judges, created fake evidence, and even sent in false witnesses all to cement this poor man's fate. Ram was chosen because of his low nobility status that meant tarnishing his name would not result in the downfall of the nobles but being noble nonetheless he would still have access to the people of other nations. Everything went on smoothly and Ram Limnoula had forever been destroyed, abandoned by even his closest friends and relatives, the only people who stayed by him was his 13 year old daughter who could barely understand why everyone would hurt her beloved daddy who treated her with so much kindness and right next to her was his wife Janet whose eyes was swollen from crying and who like him was branded as a traitor and treated like such.
Everything was taken away from Ria's family, their status, money, properties, and the next day after the sham trial they have also lost the head of their family. Ria remembered so vividly the day where her father was brought to the town square and beaten by rocks by his very own townsmen, she still gets nightmares of the merry men who mocked and ridiculed her father and mother but the worst of all those was the next hour which seemed like an eternity for her when the executioner beheaded her father and she saw with her own eyes her father's beaten and lifeless head and she was deafened by the loud cheers of the townsmen who rejoiced loudly her fathers death.
Ria had to sleep at the streets that day but at least she still had her mother who loved her very much, but as morning came, all her hope was shattered seeing her own mother hanging in the oak tree not far from where her father was beheaded the day before. That day her heart stiffened and she had lost all her confidence and trust to men. She wandered the streets starving and ragged with only her rage that keeps her going, Rexcarius saw this and gave her a home and a place at the palace. This was the least he could do for Ram whom he betrayed in the cruelest fashion.
With the undying flames of hatred keeping her alive, she joined the army and even after being branded as a traitor, through her unrivalled dedication and power she was granted the title of captain and was allowed to have a squadron of her own. Despite all she has achieved, no one was wiling to work under her because if not for the hidden forces that are supporting her, Ria would have ben long killed by her own allies and no one wants to go aboard the sinking ship of the traitor captain.
However there were two knights of high ranking that saw this as an opportunity to raise ranks the fastest way possible and this was Gabriel and Candace who were far too young to understand the heavy charges accused of her and far too naive to think that they would overthrow Ria so easily and even through all their efforts, Ria always remained stronger and smarter than them, always three steps ahead but what really earned their respect was the ironclad resolve she has shown through their years and because of that they chose to stay under the most hated captain.
Ria grew numb for all her pain but she never despised her own countrymen for they were only fools that have been easily deceived by Rexcarius Valhalien who was unfit to be a ruler because of his twistedness and incompetence. Ria swore to herself that she would overthrow him from his rule and give him the same fate he has brought to her father but this time she will use the truth, revealing his twisted lies and unravelling all he has done that was birthed through evil deeds.
But now she feels as if her will was diminishing, not only because of the power and kindness that Rexcarius has revealed he has but also through the presence of good people like Crystal Valhalien who was wiling to betray her father for the truth and Spade Escroc who not only recognized the value and hard work of his subordinates but also cared enough to help the unlucky citizens of Filgras.
Time has slowly healed her wounds and her fire is slowly burning out, now Ria feels at loss after all that has happened.
Meanwhile from afar Zyderine looks at the events as they unfold and she was still in no condition to help. Shadow has helped her get near as Spade knocked on the gates but as soon as Alfron came back, Shadow had been gone either due to his disinterest or because of Spade's instructions.
She had wanted to help the whole time but she could barely stand and when Lacquer arrived she felt all the need to help lost. Upon everyone in the castle other than her father, even compared to Alfron, she had the deepest understanding of Lacquer, she was there when he was at his prime after all. Zyderine knew that even in his worst, Lacquer would not let the innocent die and he would save all he could even if it meant fighting Rexcarius but as they fought using Zyderine's own magic spells it had not been relief or worry on her mind any longer but discouragement and awe.
Zyderine learned that although people can use magic spells that aren't of their own magic affinity, it would not be able to compare to those who uses the spells from their own magic affinity but as she saw both her father and Lacquer use her spells, she felt disheartened seeing the familiars that were much bigger and more powerful that anything she had done before and again she was faced with the fact that she was not special.
Zyderine had always struggled but this was fine for her, as long as she can be strong and she could make her father proud, the only person she has left other than her siblings but what she saw shattered her heart, the full potential of her magic that she could never achieve and the next occurrence destroyed her heart completely, seeing her father treat Alfron unlike how he ever treated her and tell him the words that she had long worked hard to earn but never heard.
Zyderine felt hopeless knowing she would never reach the greatness of her siblings, and realizing that she had no place in even her own family. She was so happy when she saw her father angry when she was poisoned and now she understands that angry is all that she could ever make him and it did not matter how much she achieved or how hard she worked, she will never earn the right to be a Valhalien.
As Rexcarius embraces his son, Lacquer's memories still resonates in his mind. This was not too long ago but considering all that has occurred it might as well be a month ago. Rexcarius for the very first time saw through the eyes of his bestfriend and to think that the memory he would get was that of his son showing his loyalty.
Rexcarius has always known of the close relationship between the two but he had never understood its fool extent, well now he did as in the mind of Lacquer he felt what it was like to be him for once, he had been imitating Lacquer for a great part of his life but never has he truly understood how he felt but know upon knowing it, Rexcarius was thankful he did not.
To Lacquer he was the father to Alfron that Rexcarius never was and a great part of his heart longed for Alfron to realize that and that he would choose him instead but that fateful day when Alfron came to him as he was about to leave and told him that he will kill him, Lacquer's shattered heart was even further broken, he had said to Alfron that he would be happy to be killed by him but the truth was that he wanted to scream at him and tell him to side with him instead of his uncaring father but even through everything they have been through, Alfron showed that his loyalty will always be with his father. Rexcarius in the few seconds he was Lacquer felt his sorrow and longing for his own child and for a second Rexcarius also felt this emotions.
Neither Lacquer nor Rexcarius could understand why but as one was broken by it, the other felt immence relieve, that in a time where he felt like everyone betrayed him, there was Alfron who would be wiling to kill the man whom loved him most in order to protect Rexarius.
Rexcarius never understood the premise of emotion, for he himself had only ever felt the emotion of rage but seeing through another's memories and feeling what they felt, Rexcarius even for just a little while regained some of his humanity.
He went in front of his son and he knew the many things he could say that would make Alfron happy, 'Thankyou', 'Welcome back', 'I love you' but growing up there was something he wanted to hear from his own father but never did and despite not understanding why he still wanted to hear it, and if even if just a little, Alfron was similar to him then he knew that this would make his child truly happy.