𝐬𝐰𝐚𝐧 𝐥𝐚𝐤𝐞 - 𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐤𝐨𝐯𝐬𝐤𝐲 [𝔴𝔪𝔪𝔞𝔭]

VIII

Slowly his calloused fingers wrapped over (M/N)'s throat, pressing lightly to cut off his oxygen supply. The boy squirmed in his hold, still asleep due to the heavy dose of medicine he was fed after dinner.

His mind suddenly went back to when he fed the prince gently with his own two hands. Sympathy overflowed from his cold heart at that moment. And he hated it.

He hated how the prince made him feel sorry for him. He hated how pitiful the prince looked. He hated how the prince made him feel jealous when he would cling onto the knights rather than his own father.

He hated how the prince reminded him of his old self.

Ah...

Was this guilt for his younger self back in the days? Where his own brother killed his mother and proceeded to send a mercenary his own way when Claude didn't cry when he caught Anastacius having his way with his fiancée.

Was it redemption?

Claude wondered himself. Maybe he should wait a little longer. Give (M/N) some time to live. He doubted that his son would ever want to flee from him. He'd seen the way he would flinch everytime Claude glance at him.

Maybe he could use this as a source of comfort. Claude always wanted someone who loves him the way he wanted. Someone who would see him as their utmost priority. Someone who would see him and love him unconditionally with all of their heart.

He would give the child some more time...

Slowly, he released his hand from the prince's neck and left the room using his magic to simply teleport back to his own chambers. The fact that the Sapphire Palace was the furthest from the Imperial Palace was annoying. He would order Felix to move the crown prince into his palace.

To keep an eye on him.

And if the child did reached his expectations. He knew he would never let (M/N) go. He wouldn't let his son get hurt nor influenced by the corrupted nobles whatsoever. He would protect the prince with all his might.

Even if it meant stripping him of his freedom.

He would keep him safe and sound in the Imperial Palace. He wouldn't let another one of his beloved leave him again.

Not after Diana who had died from childbirth a few weeks ago...

-

"Aah!!"

A sudden scream took Claude's attention as the emperor quickly made his way to the source. It had been a week where the prince had been saved from the slaughterhouse. The prince was having his wounds cleaned and bandaged when the child suddenly flinched wildly and screamed.

"What happened?!" The king roared in anger when he saw (M/N) shaking while huddling in the corner almost balling his eyes out. He searched around the room to see a worried Blaine and a confused nanny nearby. Claude darted to the healer and held him by the neck.

"What have you done to my son?" He seethed while Blaine tried to breathe as he gasped in pain. His hands tried to claw Claude's hand off his throat but the emperor's strength was no match for his.

"Your Majesty! Please stop this! We were trying to help the prince-"

"Don't feed me lies when my son is clearly terrified. And here I enter to witness you two in the same room with him." Claude cut the healer off. At that time, Felix had barged into the room with hurry and panicked upon seeing the situation.

"Assuming you like to breathe, choose your next words wisely." Blue jeweled eyes began to glow as a suddeng force of magic began to emit around the room

Felix who had come to the child's aid screamed at the emperor to stop. "Claude! Stop this madness!" He struggled to find words to stop the king from comitting mass murder in the palace. An idea popped in his head the second he saw the blue aura surrounding the emperor.

"If you do this your son will be more terrified of you than he already is!!"

His words struck the king more than intended and something had snapped inside Claude. In a moment he had released Blaine who fell to the floor coughing for air. The emperor went to prince's side who was sobbing into Felix's chest.

(M/N) who was murmuring incoherent words with tears falling from his eyes. "I-I'm sorry. Please d-don't hurt me."

Those pretty blue eyes.

The knight's heart broke hearing the words muttering from the prince. Begging to not be harmed and that made Claude rage.

He raised his fingers to the prince's forehead casting a spell on him to sleep. The child laid limply in the redhead's arms who was snatched by Claude who propped him onto his waist.

"I want an explanation after I tend to my son. If not, prepare to have your heads on the gates of the palace." Claude growled.

Swiftly he left the scene leaving Felix in confusion and the other two in fear. The knight went to help Blaine stand properly and asked. "What happened?"

"We didn't do anything! I was just wrapping his bandages up when he suddenly screamed." The nanny fussed. Scared for her own life.

Blaine used his magic to heal his throat and the healer coughed to relax his vocal cords and answered to Felix. "He was fine at first. But he started to have a panic attack when he saw something."

He pointed to a long scissor that was specifically made for medical arrangements so it was quite long and seemed sharper than the general designs. "I think it was that thing."

Felix grimaced at the thought and his sleeve was pulled by the healer. "What happened at the slaughterhouse exactly."

The knight wanted to answer but the screams of the crown prince in the projection Claude had displayed haunted him. So he gently pulled his hand off and muttered lowly. "It's better if I explain later. I'll send you the report as soon as I can."

The knight left the room. Walking to the emperor's chambers to check up on the prince.

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