2 Ch. 2: Brotherhood [2]
Long and straight black hair combined with a pair of golden eyes, her name was Lucia.
She was the daughter of Duke Delacroix and the first wife of Arthur Leillucis—the current Emperor of the Aeon Empire. They were married prior to Arthur ascending to the throne. The Delacroix family has held a prominent political presence for generations.
Upon Arthur's ascension to Crown Prince, the Councils urged him to wed the young lady of Delacroix. The pressure intensified as the Emperor's health declined, and the Delacroix family's ambitions to gain control of the Empire became more apparent.
Despite not wanting to give Duke Delacroix what he wanted, Arthur could see the potential benefits of allying with someone of such high influence and power. With that, Arthur followed the council's suggestion and married Lucia Delacroix.
Unbeknownst to them, Arthur covertly conspired against the Delacroix family, seeking assistance from Duke Lancaster—another influential figure within the Empire. At first, Duke Lancaster declined Arthur's request, unwilling to engage in a power struggle within the Imperial Court.
However, after careful consideration, he recognized the threat posed by Duke Delacroix and agreed to join forces with Arthur. Together, they aimed to counteract the increasing influence and power of the Delacroix family.
Time passed, and with the passing of the Emperor, Arthur ascended the throne. During his coronation ceremony, he made a controversial announcement that sent shockwaves throughout the Empire. Instead of proclaiming Lucia as Empress, he named Aerilyn, the Young Lady of the Lancaster Family, as the new Empress.
This unexpected turn of events left Duke Delacroix feeling betrayed and caused a significant disruption within the Imperial Court. Numerous councils voiced their opposition and urged the Emperor to reconsider his decision, but their efforts proved futile.
Arthur remained resolute in his choice, standing firm against the pressure from the Delacroix faction. Knowing that their rival held significant influence in the military scene, Duke Delacroix was not naive enough to provoke a direct confrontation.
Later, the Imperial Court split into three factions: Delacroix's faction, Lancaster's faction, and a neutral faction that sought to maintain stability amidst the growing tensions. The struggle for power and control within the Aeon Empire continued to unfold, with each faction vying for dominance.
Nevertheless, life within the Imperial Palace was far from easy for Aerilyn. She endured two miscarriages and eventually gave birth prematurely to a son named Adrian, two years after Lucia gave birth to Nathaniel.
Tragedy seemed to follow young Adrian, as accident after accident befell him. Fearing for her son's safety, Aerilyn had no choice but to imprison him within the confines of the Palace.
It was during Adrian's training at the tender age of three that he first encountered Nathaniel, Lucia's son. The two young boys formed an immediate bond, their friendship evolving into a brotherly connection that surpassed the boundaries of blood.
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Nathaniel sat in the carriage, his golden eyes fixated on the torrential rain pouring down outside. The droplets splattered against the window, obscuring his view of the outside world.
The heavy rain was accompanied by booming thunder that reverberated through the air, creating an ominous atmosphere. Even the once well-trodden trail had transformed into a muddy mess, making the journey treacherous.
As Nathaniel contemplated the situation, he realized that continuing their journey to the Sun Castle—the Imperial Palace at the Capital City would be perilous in such a thunderstorm. The safety of everyone involved was at stake, and he couldn't ignore the potential danger.
Just then, the carriage came to a sudden halt, and the sound of urgent knocks echoed through the vehicle. Nathaniel swiftly opened the door, revealing a knight bowing before him.
The knight's voice trembled as he spoke, "There's been an accident with the Empress' carriage, and Prince Adrian is currently missing—"
Immediately, Nathaniel forcefully shoved the knight aside and stormed out of the carriage, causing Lucia to rise from her seat and shout.
"Nathaniel!"
Ignoring his mother's pleas, Nathaniel sprinted towards the horse hitched to the carriage, and swiftly mounted it.
"Your Highness?" The coachman who saw him furrowed his brows. However, he immediately shut his mouth as Nathaniel pointed a sword at him, forcing him to raise both of his hands.
"Nathaniel!"
As Lucia's voice came nearer, wasting no more time, Nathaniel cut the rope that bound the horse and spurred it forward, riding into the pouring rain.
"Nathaniel!!"
The storm raged on, with lightning illuminating the darkened sky and thunder echoing through the air.
Lucia's scream pierced through the chaos, "Nathaniel!"
Her chest heaved with anger as she watched her son's reckless actions. Turning to the knight, she demanded, "What are you doing?! Get Nathaniel back here!"
"I-I understand." The knight, shaken by the turn of events, quickly bowed and rallied two other knights to pursue Nathaniel.
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The sound of their galloping hooves on the muddy ground reverberated through the air, blending with the relentless rain. Nathaniel's body was drenched, his clothes clinging to him like a second skin. Yet, he pressed on, undeterred by the elements.
He raised his hand, revealing a golden-framed bracelet adorned with two blue beads. This was no ordinary bracelet; it was a Telesphere, a communication device invented by the Tower. It served not only as a means of communication but also as a magical storage device.
Wasting no more time, Nathaniel activated the Telesphere and attempted to contact Adrian. He dialed Adrian's Tele-code repeatedly, but there was no response. Frustration and worry welled up within Nathaniel, intensifying his already heightened emotions.
"Damn it!" He cursed, his voice carried away by the wind.
An unsettling feeling washed over him as he feared for his brother's safety. He clenched his teeth, gripping the horse's harness tighter, his determination unwavering.
Every time!
Whenever Adrian engaged in activities outside his Palace, tragedies would unfailingly ensue, with some incidents even posing a near-fatal threat to his life. Nathaniel tried countless times to convince his mother that he had no desire for the throne, but she remained obstinate, driven solely by her own ambitions.
Consumed by her insatiable thirst for power, she callously disregarded his feelings. This relentless obsession only served to fuel his growing resentment towards her, intensifying with each passing moment.
Nathaniel hated it. He despised his mother!
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After a long and arduous half-hour ride, Nathaniel came across a distressing sight—a broken carriage lying abandoned on the side of the road. He pulled the reins and dismounted from the horse.
Upon approaching the broken carriage, a group of knights gathered near a steep slope caught his attention. Nathaniel hastily ran toward them. "Has Adrian been found?"
All the knights turned toward the voice and upon noticing who he was, they bowed. "We greet—"
"Cut the crap. Has Adrian been found or not?" Nathaniel bellowed in rage.
One knight stepped forward, "His Highness has not been found yet."
Nathaniel clenched his hands and without hesitation, he jumped off the cliff and the knights shouted in alarm.
"Your Highness!"
"Your Highness!"
Relying on his quick reflexes and the protection of his sabaton, Nathaniel slid down the steep slope and skillfully maneuvered his way through the obstacles. Drawing his sword, he swiftly cut through any branches or hindrances that obstructed his path.
"What happened?"
The knights remaining at the top of the slope shifted their attention to the voice. A young man in his late twenties, with striking light green hair and eyes, rode toward them on a white horse.
The Imperial Coat of Arms proudly displayed on his chest revealed his identity without the need for introductions—he was the Emperor Escort Knight, serving directly under the Emperor.
As the knights recognized the newcomer, they immediately straightened their posture and saluted him, "Sir!"
The man dismounted from his horse and approached the group. "Has the Prince been found?"
The knight who had spoken earlier shook his head, "We have not found him, and..." he paused, hesitating to deliver the unfortunate news, "...His Highness the First Prince just descended the slope a few minutes ago."
The Emperor Escort Knight facepalmed and sighed in exasperation. "So, both Princes are now missing?"
The knight nodded. "That's right, Sir."
As the situation had taken a turn for the worse, the light green-haired knight swiftly made a decision. "Two of you, follow me."
The knights immediately snapped to attention, "Yes, Sir!"
Without wasting another moment, the three knights descend the slope.
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