𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙴𝚖𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚜' 𝚂𝚘𝚗

CHAPTER ONE

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The day has come.

As he stepped on the platform, he saw the guillotine before him. Infront of the crowd, he could see the rage and despise in their eyes, hearing their chants and screams as clear as daylight.

"Kill him!"

"He's a sinner!"

"Useless prince!"

"A bastard!"

There was more to it, but the prince ignored them all. He who had been disappointed by the world, and he who is seen as a disappointment. He doesn't have any concern left for these people.

As one of the knights from behind forced the prince to kneel into the guillotine, he hung his head low and peeked above his head, only to see the thin sharp edge of the blade.

He began to wonder, how lucky would he be if he were just to die by drinking poison?

"The execution should be held today, your majesty." One of the Duke, who seems to be around his 40's, suggested to a woman who was about to approach the soon-to-be-dead prince.

"His negligence to his own words, his confidence of acting like a prince in position, and even taking his highness', prince Klydeur's place!" The Duke pointed out reasons to justify the execution of the proclaimed bastard prince.

However, it was all false. It was unfair to have him executed without proper trial. He had done nothing wrong. The only wrong thing he did was doing his best to defend himself.

"If her majesty—"

The woman gave the Duke a blank look, her silver orbs seems to have pierced right through his soul. "Shut up." With such a blunt command, the latter really did shut up. "You think I'm a fool? Don't tell me what I have to do."

"Apologies, your majesty."

She glanced towards the prince, who forced himself to look at her. At the Empress. At his own mother.

A look of uncertainty was evident, yet, it was quickly concealed with an expression that is hinted with spite and disgust. "I don't need any reasons. What matters is to have him executed." 

Upon hearing his mother's harsh words, the prince felt a stabbing pain right through his chest. She didn't even care about him nor his existence. He had his hopes up that atleast, even with a small probability, his mother would save him.

"Mother." His voice hoarse, soft, weak. It shows how much he had suffered before he is dragged to his unfortunate death. And yet, he called out to the woman. This caught her attention, and the Duke also looked at him.

At the sight of the pitiful prince, no one could ever bat an eye at him, except the two adults.

Biting his lower lip, he forced himself to ask a question he had long wanted to seek an answer for. "Why....why must it be him?"

The Empress' face darkened, yet she didn't stop him from talking.

"Why give him the love I never received from you? Mother, I am your son too."