A man is dragged out of a building with chains around his arms and feet. His once tan skin turned pale, his former vibrant red hair now white, and his once beautiful Amber eyes now dull with lifelessness. As he is dragged through the streets, the locals start throwing rocks at him which causes his weak body to stumble to the ground. The knights holding him show no sympathy for him and even kick him, forcing him to struggle, but he manages to stand back up. The man clicked his tongue both in anger and disgust. I worked my ass off to help them and this is how they repay me.
The man is led to the centre of the town, where a large crowd is gathered around the guillotine, ready for the execution to take place. The man looked up at the large blade, finally relieved that his plight would finally be over. The knights who are with him are surprised that he doesn't resist; instead, he moves forward on his own. The knights strap him up to the machine as the people who he once protected and helped scorn him. He scans through the crowd and spots his former friends and fellow soldiers glaring at him. His cheating ex-fiancée Fredrica le monde in the arms of her affair partner, smirking, her eyes filled with malice.
As he is awaiting his death, he reminisces about the past. As he does so, he feels stupid and admits to himself that he was foolish for believing that he could ever be loved. He ignored the warning signs. Ignored the first 12 years of neglect he went through all so that he could gain affection from his family. He regrets not listening to those he should have held dear. In his mind, he apologises to his grandmother, who was the only member of his family to actually care for him.
He is pulled out of his thoughts by the announcement of the arrival of the royal family... his family. He raised his head to see the very people he hated the most. As everyone bows to show respect, rather, he rolls his eyes. Visibly growling and clicking his tongue in disgust.
'Thank you all for gathering here today', the king announced with an authoritative voice. 'Today we look at the crimes of this-' the king pointed at the man ', and finally justice has been served,' the crowd cheered, yelling for the wicked man to be killed. The king raised his hand and the crowd stopped.
The king met the eyes of his former son. 'So what are your last words'. The crowd, of course, dislikes this, thinking he would say something crass. However, they are taken aback when the man starts laughing even the royal family is shocked after a minute of laughter the man goes silent opens his mouth and looks at his family dead in the eyes
'So after everything I did for you and this kingdom, this is how you repay me. He said with a hoarse voice. 'I'm disgusted by all of you. Not only did you throw me in prison for the stupidest reason, but now I truly see all of your true colours,' he laughed again, his dead eyes coldly looking at his family. 'Thank you for showing me your true nature. I HOPE YOU ALL PERISH IN HELL'. And with that, the blade came down.
.........................................
The man was Prince Asha Patagrale, the second legitimate son of King Calico Simba Patagrale and Queen Eliza Nala Patagrale. Unlike his siblings, who were treated with kindness the moment they were born, he was treated with scorn and hate. His mother never once looked at him when he was a baby, his father hated him and even thought about killing the child. But if not for his nanny and his grandmother he wouldn't have been alive. He was cared for by them in a shed near the stables of the Palace, and during his early childhood, he was hated and scorned by the servants even though he was a Prince. There was even a time when everyone thought he died from freezing to death. So they just planned on taking his body and dumping it in the freezing water of the Palace sewer. Fortunately for Asha, Was with his nanny when the knights arrived and realised he was still alive. Disappointment was evident on their faces as they left.
Prince Asha was never given a name at birth so he was named by his grandmother and nanny. He knew that he was an unwanted child so he prayed and wished his family paid attention to him.
On his twelfth birthday, a prophecy was announced, and Asha unlocked a secret power called the gift of the elders. His family's attitudes changed towards him. His sister was kind. His mother finally looked at him with care and affection, and his father showed him with love. The people of the kingdom's attitudes changed with the royal family. He was treated well by the maids and servants. And things were going great.
At the same time, the kingdom of Arbados(a barren land) declared war on the Tristan kingdom. Which is what caused the prophecy. Asha, being the only Prince at the time, was sent to the battlefield where he made friends and met Fredrca le monde, a female knight who was assigned to his royal guard. That's where he fell in love.
For the next 8 years, things were like a blissful dream. Until, however, when the war was finally over. His ancestors, upon realizing that the war was over, decided to take away his gift since he no longer needed it. Asha was okay since he was tired of fighting a war and he was looking forward to settling down with his fiancée, Fredrica le monde. After the gift left his body the attitude of everyone around him changed. His once caring family turned cold. His friends treated him rudely. His fiancée Fredrica, the one he was supposed to trust, he caught in bed with another man. Not only did she not apologize but she shamelessly broke off their engagement while still in the act with her affair partner. Asha wondered why everyone had changed. Even the people he once protected looked at him with scorn and gossip behind his back. There was an incident that a commoner from an orphanage he had helped threw a stone at him. No one scolded the child; instead, they encouraged him.
On his twentieth birthday, no celebration was made for him nor his achievements during the war; instead, it was about the return of the first Prince Liam Kopa Patagrale. Prince Asha looked at the ongoing crowd celebrating the First Prince's return. He wonders how everyone seems to forget that today was supposed to be his coming-of-age ceremony. As he sits in his room with a small cake with a single candle on the table, he wishes himself a happy birthday and makes the same wish he made 8 years ago.
The next few days were the worst. He was forced to only ever eat in his room. And the food brought were leftovers. He was insulted by the servants. But the one thing that ticked him off was a month after the first prince arrived. The king had summoned him, so when Asha arrived, he was greeted with warm yet fake smiles. The king went straight to the point and asked Asha to relinquish all his titles and give up his post of captain of the guard. Asha was so taken aback that he stumbled and stammered asking why. His sister, his mother and his father told him that it was for the sake of his brother. This pissed him off, and he refused and even yelled at them, which resulted in him being on probation and his father slapping him.
He was thrown into the room. On hearing another celebration was made for the first prince, he realizes that his family didn't care for him. As he touched his cheek, he felt the stinging pain from where he was slapped. Emotion welled up inside him wondering what he did to deserve such cruelty from his own family.
After a month of solitude, he was finally released. He wanted to talk to the knights only to find his older brother commanding them. Furious he asked for an explanation of what was happening. The royal family and the knights all had smug looks on their faces. The only one who was confused was the first prince. He looked at him and then at his parents, mirroring the same confusion. Without warning, the knights he had fought alongside all yelled for Liam to be their captain. Liam was shocked he turned and saw his younger brother furious. He wanted to talk to his brother but the knights called a duel to see who was the best. Both brothers met each other's eyes. Asha, realizing the opportunity, accepted the challenge right away.
Many people were betting on the first prince, Liam, and to their dismay, Asha had won the fight. Unlike Asha, Liam had an affinity for magic though he knew how to use a sword, he was nowhere as near as talented as Asha. Though Liam knew this from the start, that's why he didn't object, and he didn't even want to become a knight or their commander. Unfortunately for both, neither of them got what they wanted from the duel because the gift has manifested in Liam. This caused an uproar in the crowd. People called Asha a great deceiver some tried to blame the prophet Richard for their problems. But the man was just as confused wondering why since the prophecy had come to pass. As for Asha, he was accused by many people of being a demon and deceiving the entire kingdom. Asha was overwhelmed. He glanced at his family, who had smug expressions. The king, his father ordered Asha to be arrested.
During his imprisonment, he was beaten, whipped, burnt and starved. His family was always there watching as their son was tortured. His brother tried his best to help him. So much so that he even planned to help him run away. Knowing what would happen told Liam that it would be best for him to leave. He didn't want him to get in trouble; instead, he asked for him to help the ones he was trying to protect.
He spent 10 months in prison, and on his 21st birthday, he was executed.
..........................................
Asha opened his eyes and immediately squinted at the light. Where am I? he asked himself. Feeling relief wash over him. he wondered if he was in heaven or if he had died yet. A faint smile filled his lips. he was finally free from his tormentors. he no longer felt pain he felt free, refreshed. He had always wondered what life in heaven would be like. He began planning excitedly since he could start exploring, which he'd always wanted to do but never got the chance.
'Good to see you awake brother'
Asha froze, his smile faltering, his eyes widening as he recognized that revolting voice. He slowly turned his head to his horror. It was his sister, Princess Roseneath Kiara Patagrale.