Side Chapter 5: Alex's Past III

Determined to escape his suffocating royal life, Alex devised a plan to stage his own death, implicating a notorious terrorist group known as The Night. This shadowy organization claimed to serve the greater good by targeting powerful figures in government, nobility, and celebrity circles who they deemed to have overstepped their boundaries.

When Alex revealed his intentions to Han and Warren, both men vehemently opposed the idea, urging him to consider alternative options. They warned that such a drastic measure could inflict profound trauma on his family. However, Alex remained resolute, arguing that he might never have another chance to break free from the shackles of his royal birthright if he didn't seize this opportunity. He acknowledged the potential consequences but maintained that his desire for a normal life outweighed any reservations. Desperate, Alex pleaded with Han and Warren to aid him in his plan. Ultimately, witnessing the depths of Alex's misery and the toll his royal status had taken on him, they reluctantly agreed to help orchestrate his fake demise.

Months passed before the perfect opportunity presented itself. The king and queen were preoccupied with their royal duties, while Prince Raiden and Princess Nina attended a nobles' social gathering. The grandparents were travelling overseas, and Daniel's family had embarked on a vacation to Japan to visit the emperor. Meanwhile, the high-ranking members of the Kings' Shadow, including Oliver Colvat, were engaged in a critical mission. The stars had aligned, providing the ideal circumstances for Alex to execute his plan.

The scheme was simple yet effective. Alex would venture into the garden, accompanied only by Han, while Warren would assume the role of a Night operative tasked with sowing chaos by assassinating the young prince. The plan unfolded flawlessly, and to any onlookers, the events appeared to be a tragic and senseless act of terrorism.

Witnesses reported seeing Alex enjoying a peaceful moment in the garden, with Han dutifully attending to him as his personal butler. Suddenly, a member of The Night emerged, employing a potent poison that rendered both Alex and Han powerless, their Forces neutralized. In a shocking display of brutality, the assassin seized Alex and detonated a suicide bomb, seemingly claiming the prince's life and grievously wounding Han in the process.

News of the attack spread like wildfire, and the royal family was swiftly notified. The king and queen, though devastated, clung to the faint hope that their son might have miraculously survived. They hastened back to the palace, their hearts heavy with dread and despair.

By the time they arrived, Raiden and Nina were already at the scene, surveying the destruction wrought upon the once-pristine garden. Han, barely clinging to consciousness, managed to provide them with a harrowing account of the attack before going unconscious from these injuries.

The queen, overwhelmed by grief, collapsed to her knees, her anguished sobs echoing through the halls. She had always cherished her children deeply, but the demands of her royal duties had limited the time she could spend with Alex. The king, his own heart shattered, fought to maintain his composure, his stoic exterior belying the tempest of emotions raging within him. Nina, though saddened by the loss, remained dry-eyed, her relationship with Alex has been somewhat distant. Raiden, who had barely known his younger brother, struggled to process the news, his reaction muted by the lack of a deep bond between them. The grandparents, despite their past harshness towards Alex, mourned the loss of a family member, as did Daniel's family, their grief tempered by the distance that had grown between them and the young prince.

Unbeknownst to all, the attack had been an ingenious ruse. Warren had employed a teleportation device to whisk Alex to safety, while the bomb, powerful enough to kill even the strongest individuals if caught unawares, had provided the convincing illusion of the prince's demise. Han had willingly sustained injuries to lend credence to the deception, knowing that any inconsistencies might arouse suspicion.

With the nation in mourning, Alex sought refuge in a secret underground facility, biding his time until the initial shock and heightened security measures subsided. Han, ever the loyal confidant, had procured a private hangar and a small plane, ready to spirit Alex away to freedom once the opportune moment arrived.

As the kingdom grieved the loss of their beloved prince, Alex embarked on a journey towards a new life, his heart heavy with the knowledge of the pain his actions had caused but buoyed by the hope of a future unburdened by the weight of his royal lineage. The path ahead was uncertain, but for the first time in his life, Alex felt the stirrings of true freedom, a chance to forge his own destiny on his own terms.