Diana Of Alcotta (Yrsoreth Chronicles 1)

Special Chapter: The Bastard Prince

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The Gold palace was as beautiful as always. However, the usual spotless shine of its walls was smeared with tears and blood of war. Red contrasted gold, screams, and clanging of swords echoed the halls.

It was only an hour after the siege of rebels that the cacophony of battle was subdued, and the fallen bodies were searched and dragged to the courtyard where the dead was divided into two-foes and not. The last of the leaf has fallen from the trees in the garden. With the autumn bidding adieu earlier and winter conquering the continent aggressively, only the dead had no smoky white of breath leave their mouths.

Alexander was victorious without lifting his sword. It was his men doing the dirty work for him and Ysivan organizing the dirty work itself. As for himself, he was riding his horse, overseeing the chaos he and Kirien meticulously planned since he was fourteen.

"You would have liked this," he whispered to the wind, hoping his sister can hear him wherever she is.

His bandits and Silver Knights attacked the main palace, while his pirates and naval officials under him seized the esteemed Gran Dacchian Navy. A whisper from Ysivan entailed that he now also owned the Gran Dacchain waters.

Xander saddled off his horse, entered his conquered palace, passed by the shivering huddle of servants who's only fault was their fate of working on this specific day. They may have been spared, but the bloodshed would scar them for life.

He let Ysivan guide him to the King's chamber, despite knowing he knows the palace inside out.

An angry shrill of a woman and a man's furious growl was heard, even from the hallway.

Approaching closer the majestic open door, gilded and carved with jewels, Xander calculated how much he would gain once they were sold. After all, a tomb does not need to be fancy, even for royalty. They will be dead and could not complain about simplicity.

"You-!" Queen Claudette screamed, shaking off the soldiers that held her prisoner; the same thing happened with Niccolus. Both of them were forced to kneel on the carpet. On the other hand, King Augustus was free of restraint, lying on his bed. Even so, he was suffering the most. For a king bedridden for months, which could only move his eyes, he was as good as dead.

Diana did well, slicing his throat and pushing him off the bed that paralyzed him.

The thought of his ex-fiancee's face that bloody night riled Xander. Thank the gods the king did not die a quick death. It was such an easy way out.

"How could you do this?!" Claudette hissed, no trace of the scheming grace can be outlined anywhere. As she called him profanities, Xander could only internally grin.

At least his own mother died smiling. She was still beautiful as they cut off her head. The woman at his feet now, despite the softness of the carpet she groveled on, was miserable.

"I'll give you one chance to live," he said. Right then, Niccolus looked up, as if he was sober from the tipsy tragedy that befell upon him. '"Brother, what is it, I will do anything!"

Brother. The word made his skin crawl. Once upon a time, Xander wished to be accepted. Despite plotting at an early age, he was naive to wish for recognition, even if it was only Niccolus. But he betrayed him in the end, fed Xander aphrodisiac, and the rest was history.

He will give the same generosity.

Xander signaled the men subduing Niccolus to let go. He pulled a sword from one of his guards and handed it to the crown prince. "Kill your mother, and I'll let you live."

Queen Claudette broke the stunned silence. "You barbarian! How dare you turn my child against me!"

Even the Xander's loyal soldiers that also held animosity with the family were taken aback.

But Niccolus did not say anything and gripped the sword's hilt, tears dripped from his eyes. Everyone could agree that Xander looked like a villain at any angle.

He admits that he is. It was not for justice nor patriotism that he rebelled against the royal family.

It was just the course of nature. It was just because he was angry. Kirien too. It was just because he enjoyed taking away what his enemies wanted the most.

I shall make you king.

Diana's words rang in his ears. And maybe because it was her dream too.

"You don't want to?" he asked Niccolus, who, despite the trembling hands, held the weapon in a tight grip. "Mother..."

Only then the queen realized that his beloved son was about to save himself at her expense. "My boy..." It was the first time Xander had seen her with such a heartbroken face, as the skies fell upon her.

"I'm sorry..." Niccolus sobbed. The dominance and arrogance that associated him as a part of his skin were shed.

Niccolus lunged on Claudette, raised his sword, yet could not pierce the queen's heart-Xander had already sliced through the crown prince's neck. His head fell in silence, the thud swallowed by the soft carpet.

The queen's scream filled the room, drowned in her wails, and mourning for a son who was about to betray her.

Though a few of the men flinched at the cruelty, Xander didn't. He was numb, felt no joy nor remorse.

"You'd feel it too..." Queen Claudette whispered. "You'd feel it too!" Then she and laughed. "That whore..."

Only then did Xander found his heartbeat.

"That whore would die soon-!"

He grabbed her by her neck. "What did you do?!"

But there was no reply. Queen Claudette grinned, her hand lifted to caress Xander's face. "That's it... I won't be the only one losing this game..."

Having enough before he could be swayed, he too grinned and whispered to her ear.

Queen Claudette's eyes grew wide in disbelief, "You-!" But she could not finish her words. Xander's already pierced her heart.

Then he let go, watched her die as her blood mixed with her headless son.

Xander then commanded Ysivan to search for Diana's whereabouts. From the last report he received, she was still on the island rebuilding the fief.

Now, he had only one thing left to do. Xander turned to the king, who fearfully watched him approach the bed.

If only he did not drown in his desires. If only he had the backbone to save his pregnant mother and prove her innocence. If only he did not touch things, that isn't his.

This situation wouldn't happen in the first place.

"Hello, father." It was the first and last time he had addressed him as such. Xander pulled a small bottle from the pouch dangling in his sheath, then he forced the liquid to the king. It was the same aphrodisiac they fed to Diana; only many folds stronger. Strong enough to evoke pleasure by the slightest touch... and poison him.

Unfortunately, even such drugs could not affect a paralyzed king, numb from head to toe. It only killed him slowly, as Xander whispered the same words he did to Queen Claudette.

"No gold flows in the bastard's veins."

Only this time, he whispered the simple words for the dying king to understand better.

"I am not your son."

With that, the king took the secret to his grave and died with his eyes wide open.

Special Chapter End

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