☾Third Point of View☽
He couldn't hear anything around him as they all blocked out to sound like white noise ringing in his ears. His body burned up as he was pulled to a chest, and for once, since a long time— he felt safe.
Atanas's head felt like it was being split apart, and the man who held him carefully, layed him down on the soft mattress of the Emperor's bed.
Claude never uses the bed and always passed out on the couch instead. Felix would've chuckled at his friend's habit if not for the situation at hand.
His charcoal colored eyes stared down at the flushed face of the crown prince, worry and a hint of sadness in his gaze.
Felix brushed back the pale blonde bangs from the boy's face, even with a small touch he could feel his forehead burning up.
"Please recover quickly, your highness." He whispered.
The kind words Atanas had never received from anyone, soothed the unconscious prince as his expression relaxed.
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Pale colored lashes slowly fluttered open, jeweled eyes being revealed behind the once closed eyelids. The prince slowly pushed himself to sit up despite his body's protesting.
"What happened...?" He muttered to himself, glancing around the room which he came to recognize after a few seconds. Once it settled in, he stiffened up, 'His majesty's room?'
It was silent, no one in the room was with him and it didn't sound like anyone was outside either. He chose to ignore the fact that no one was waiting for him— but he told himself it was fine. It was like his normal mornings anyways.
This much was fine to Atanas. He's dealt with worse, he had no time to dwell on childish thoughts. Instead, he parted his lips to call a certain name he was fond of,
"Felix...?" His voice was scratchy and hoarse, both from just waking up and being bedridden with a fever.
"..."
No response was received. Atanas pulled the covers off of him, carefully setting the sheets aside as he took care in the fact it was his Father's bed. The boy was careful and smoothed the sheets over despite his arms shakiness begging him to rest again.
Swiping pale blond bangs away from his damp forehead from sweat, he started walking towards the door. His eyes wandered the large room as he did so.
"Did his majesty carry me here...?" He muttered with a small twitch at the corner of his lips. How kind of him.
Jeweled eyes stopped on a portrait resting in the corner, the glass frame broken and cracked. The painting was familiar to him, he knew of the wench's existence from Felix. His expression pulled into a disgusted scoff.
"Pathetic woman..." He hissed under his breath.
Atanas just about reached for the doorknob until his eyes caught sight of something on the table near the couch his father usually slept on.
His hand paused on the doorknob as he eyed the paper before hesitatingly looking away, 'I shouldn't even think about looking at father's possessions..' He scolded himself.
Though he was very mature for his age— Atanas was still a curious child who was forced to grow up quicker than other kids.
His fingers tightened around the doorknob until they loosened their hold. Slowly, he walked towards the table.
His feet came to stop in front of the furniture before gently picking up the piece of paper.
His eyes widened at the paper.
A drawing, obviously not done by Claude, was held in the boy's hands. It was a drawing— if you could call it that— more of a scribble of two stick figures with golden wavy lines which represented locks of hair.
Next to the girl on the right was another stick figure, taller than the girl next to it, with light yellow lines of colors. It looked like the girl was kicking the tallest of the two figures in the drawing.
It was obvious he wasn't in this poor excuse of a drawing. The lines of hair, were a golden yellow. His hair, was light, unfitting if he were to be put between his majesty and his half sister. Those two looked similar— he shared no such qualities. So, he understood this drawing was of Athanasia and Claude.
Atanas felt himself grip the paper, not meaning to wrinkle it. Though he noticed it didn't even wrinkle. He tested it again, pressing his thumb into the paper to apply pressure- but it never did.
Traces of a spell was used on the drawing.
"...A protection spell." He realized.
"Why?" He didn't have the answer to that question even if he asked himself out loud.
Why— why was such a thing kept here? There can't be the possibility that Claude kept a drawing from his half sister?
Atanas denied it, 'No, no, Father although he shows interest in her, was never the person who would keep such useless things.' Yes. He knew his Majesty... A lot better than Athanasia.
He was better than Athanasia.
Placing it down like it was something dirty, he hurriedly walked to the door. He pushed the drawing to the back of his mind.
Though he told himself that, the Prince did not feel reassured.
He wants to see Claude.
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The palace was as empty as usual. Though that was a given since Claude preferred to do things himself. His outfit was put on him messily, as he struggled to dress himself with his ongoing fever. His maid, Cecelia was not there to help him. It wasn't a surprise, though. The maids who were given to him knew he was not favored by the Emperor, so they didn't care to tend to him at all times.
But Atanas was fine with that, as like Claude, he preferred to do things himself as well. The first place he thought of where Claude would be, was probably the throne room. He wasn't in his own room when Atanas woke up, and usually he would be sleeping at this time so he must've chosen somewhere else to sleep.
The boy pulled at his collar, his body feeling too warm for his liking. He could feel a terrible headache hammering at his head.
Despite his body's uncomfortableness, he ignored it and arrived in front of the throne room's large doors. His hand hesitated before pushing the large doors open.
He was greeted with the sight of a certain redhead guard and he smiled a little. Stepping into the room, he noticed Felix standing by the place where Claude would rest. His mouth was moving, obviously talking to someone.
Atanas already knew the guard was talking to his father, who was probably resting in the small fort, shielded by sheets of cloth, acting as a curtain of privacy. He forced his legs to move, approaching Felix.
He didn't have any thoughts on his mind as he reached a hand out, feeling his body protesting and about to give out, "Felix..."
At the familiar voice the red head whipped his head up, away from speaking to Claude in the hidden sheets of pillows and blankets, and made eye contact with the jeweled eyes of the crown Prince.
"Your highness! You're awake..!" Felix paced over to Atanas, and placed his hands on the boy's shoulders to steady him. When the Prince looked up to meet Felix's gaze he saw relief on the handsome guard's features.
"How are you feeling?" Questioned the older male.
Atanas shook his head slowly as he lowered his eyes, his left hand gripping Felix's bicep to help steady himself to not stumble. "It's fine. I- I would like to speak to his majesty, Felix." The boy cursed at his stutter, hating how weak he sounded due to his fever. If he were to stumble like that in front of Claude- his majesty would find him weak!
He had to pull himself together. Such a sickness shouldn't affect him— he's been through worse.
Felix shook his head with narrowed eyes, "I beg your pardon, your highness, but you should rest more. You're not fully recovered yet, please talk with his majesty later."
Feeling annoyed, Atanas shook off Felix's hands and straightened his posture. "I don't need sympathy right now Felix. Move aside!" He gasped out, his voice scratchy and hoarse from his fever.
The young boy hastily moved past Felix who worriedly looked at the Prince, "Wait, your highness, princess Athanasia is sleepi—!"
"What is with this annoying noise?"
The cold and steady voice that Atanas could recognize anywhere, spoke up as a hand reached out to lift the curtains of the miniature resting room.
Revealing the emperor of the Obelian empire, his natural narrowed eyes dragged from Felix, to his first born who stood in front of him.
Atanas's face lit up a little, relaxing from his uncomfortable expression from his fever— the corners of his lips lifted up a little, "Your majesty, thank yo—"
"Why are you here." Claude did not give him any time to finish his sentence, cutting him off with a cold acknowledgement.
The corners of Atanas's lips that were about to form a smile, fell into a tight line as he shut himself up from finishing his expression of gratitude.
"Forgive me. I just... I was going to thank you for taking care of me." He bowed to his father, one hand on his heart and the other crossed behind his back.
"Ah— your highness don't push yourself please..." Felix worriedly spoke up from behind the father son duo.
Claude raised a brow, no expression on his face as he looked at the boy who he did not feel love for.
"Thank Felix, not me. I don't want your gratitude, do better to not disturb the supper instead." Claude closed his eyes before moving to get out of the small resting place of pillows.
Atanas quickly nodded his head, lowering it. "I will do so, thank you for your wise words."
The boy clenched his jaw, biting at his bottom lip as Claude stood up, as he couldn't help to let his mind wonder back to that drawing he found in his father's room.
"Your majesty if I may—"
"Atanas, you will wake up your sister with that voice of yours."
Atanas paused, freezing as his eyes shot wide. His mouth shut as he bit his tongue. Did he hear right? No way... he couldn't have.
Was Claude seriously worrying about Athanasia now?
Lifting his head from its bowed position, he made eye contact with Claude who looked down at him with uninterested eyes.
Atanas's gaze slowly broke away from his majesty's to look behind the taller male, back to the small resting place that he just came out of. His heartbeat erratically beating.
His eyes came to stop as he saw familiar shining golden locks of hair, sprawled out on the comforts of the miniature bed, sheets and pillows. His widened eyes trailed from those locks of gold, to the face of its owner.
There lay his half-sister, sleeping with a happy expression on her face as if she were having a nice dream.
Atanas, immediately knew that Claude and Athanasia, while he was passed out from his fever, had met together once more and slept side by side.
Thump
Thump
Thump
"..." Atanas couldn't bring himself to respond. Something was burning in him. Was it the fever? No, no. It was a burning feeling in his chest...
Claude, who saw the expression of Atanas looked away from the boy and looked at Felix instead. "Felix let those two rest together. I have other matters to attend to, follow me."
Felix frowned as he saw the back of the crown Prince, unable to see his face due to the angle. "Please forgive my doubt, but the crown Prince is still sick. Will it be alright to leave him unattended?"
Claude could almost chuckle at the worry. Atanas is not a child who needs to be attended to, in his eyes. That boy is able to wield a sword and easily cut a monster in half now due to his battle experience. The blond emperor found the worry funny.
"It's fine. Stop your questioning and hurry up," Claude started to walk to the throne room's doors, "do not cause trouble." He warned Atanas.
Felix hurriedly looked at the crown prince who did not move from his stilled position, "Your highness, please rest with the princess as you are still sick. I shall come check on you later." With that being said, he followed after Claude out of the throne room.
The sound of the door closing, along with their faded footsteps until it became silence once more echoed in his ears.
Atanas's eyes dragged up to the resting face of Athanasia, His jeweled eyes shaking as he felt that same burning sensation in his chest, burn harsher.
His feet slowly took steps forward, his eyes on his half-sister with an emotion he did not know what to call.
He was not taught what emotions he should feel, but rather emotions he shouldn't feel.
Atanas came to a stop right in front of the small fort of blankets and pillows. He let out an airy short laugh that formed into a chuckle.
"Hah... ahahaha...! Seriously!" The boys teeth clenched together, grinding against each other as his jeweled eyes were wide with anger.
"What did I do so wrong for his majesty to not love me, but come to worry for you..?" He spat the words out bitterly, hissing them out as his nails dug into the palms of his skin.
Athanasia did not hear him. Her face was as peaceful as he saw it before, a smile on her face before he heard a mumble from her,
"Miss... fairy...." She mumbled in her sleep.
Thump
Thump
Thump
Thump
What the hell was this burning feeling in his chest? Atanas stumbled as he lowered himself to one knee to grip his chest. It was painful- why is it painful? A mere fever should not do this to him. He cannot be so weak to fall because of a fever.
"Brother..?"
THUMP
Atanas felt an overwhelming emotion overcome him as he heard that voice, that word, the tone.
The young princess, rubbed at her eyes sleepily as she looked around to remember where she was. 'Where the hell did Claude go??' She thought before glancing back at her brother. 'Don't tell me he left me here with this guy..!'
She gulped as she saw the expression of the younger boy, who did not know how smart and developed his sister actually was.
"Ah... brother uh... are you okay? Athy's worried." The girl innocently stated, now awake and sitting up on the bed.
"..ut...up..."
Athanasia, confused, scratched at her cheek. "Ah... sorry, Athy couldn't hear you?"
"shut...up..." Came the bitter voice of Atanas.
"H-Huh?" Athanasia panicked as she held her hand to her chest, afraid the boy would harm her. She knew he was Claude's child, and like they say, like father like son. She was cautious.
"Shut up!" Atanas yelled at the girl, causing her to flinch back, fear striking her.
Was he going to hit her? She prayed for Claude or Felix to come back and control the boy. Atanas was someone she did not know the personality of, as he was not mentioned in the novel she read in her past life.
When jeweled eyes met the other pair of jewels, one was stricken with fear and the other held anger. Atanas wobbly stood up, feeling like something was stuck in his throat as he yelled at her. He placed a hand over his mouth, coughing harshly.
Athanasia stepped closer to him and repeated in her head that she had to act cute, she had to act innocent to gain his love to survive. Swallowing, she grabbed onto his dress-shirt and tugged on it, "Brother c-come rest over there where papa and Athy were! You're sick—"
The boy slapped her hand away harshly,
"O-OW!" She winced, tears pricking her eyes.
Atanas glared down at her with so much hatred that it could burn the entire empire.
"Who are you to worry about me? I do not want your sympathy!" He yelled, voice raspy as it cracked at the end due to the strain he put on his sick body. His throat aches along with his body, but it did not stop him from yelling at his sister who had tears in her eyes from when Atanas struck her.
They looked at each other, jeweled eyes staring into the other's as he grinded his teeth. He clenched his fist.
"You don't deserve his majesty's care. With you and your hideous drawing, it'd be better if you had just stayed in your palace forever." His tone was filled with contempt, and anger.
Athanasia, who on the inside was beginning to get pissed at the physically older boy, made an expression of annoyance. "Athy was just being nice because you're sick! Why are you so mean..? Athy- Athy and brother are the same y'know!"
Athanasia was losing her patience. This boy hated her for no reason. She didn't do anything bad to him, she has only been trying to win his affection. What did she ever do to this boy? Like him, she also wanted to survive. They are the same in that way.
Atanas felt something in him snap. The thin line of self control he had grasped in his hand, was pulled to break as her words repeated in his head like a song.
"Athy- Athy and brother are the same y'know!"
Suddenly, the boy grabbed his sister by the hair, pulling at those stupid golden locks of hair that outshined his pale ones.
"You speak like you know me! The same..?!" He wheezed out, "You and I are no where near the same you fool!"
Athanasia cried out as the boy pulled at her hair, tears in her eyes before her hands pulled at the boy's hair as well, fingers gripping his strands of pale locks.
"You meanie! Let go of Athy!!" She screamed.
The two half-siblings tousled around, pulling at each other's hair as they fell on the floor. Atanas got the higher ground as he was on top, eyes wide of anger as he yelled at her,
"What do you know? The same you say? We're far from the same you fool!"
Athanasia felt tears run down her cheeks at the pain of Atanas tugging and pulling at her hair, she harshly tugged on his and kicked her legs,
"Athy didn't do anything! Why are you so mean! If brother is jealous, Athy can help you with Papa!"
Atanas's eyes twitched as he grinded his teeth together,
"You... what don't you understand! Don't you... don't you get it?!" The boy tugged at her hair, but his strength in it weakened.
Athanasia's eyes widened as she felt something wet drop on her small cheeks, she opened her eyes that were squeezed shut before, and above her was the glistening eyes of Atanas's jeweled ones.
His jaw was clenched, brows furrowed out of anger as he yelled at her, "I was not born out of love between father and mother. Father loved Lady Diana!"
Tears dropped out of his eyes and onto Athanasia's cheeks, who stared eyes wide at the boy above her, his grip on her hair becoming weaker and weaker.
"I- I was not wanted while you were..! Father will never look at me as his son, but a mistake! Do not say we are the same!" The voice of the boy was choked up as he cried silently on top of her.
Athanasia was too stunned to reply to him, as her grip on his hair loosened. She felt strange and didn't know what to say. Atanas misunderstood Claude, as she knew that man would kill her at 17. 'But... he doesn't know that.'
Athanasia was the only one who knew the truth of what would happen in the future, while Atanas was a young boy. Unlike her who had the mental age of an adult, he was someone who was forced to grow up fast.
But why blame her for something not true? She didn't understand, and she was annoyed that Atanas assumed anything.
As Athanasia opened her mouth to say something, the doors of the throne room bursted open.
"Your highness, princess! Is everything okay?!" The doors of the throne room were thrown open with Claude and Felix entering the room.
Felix's eyes widened out of shock at the scene before them, stopping in his place. "What happened here..?"
Claude did not say anything as he continued walking, heading over to Athanasia and Atanas.
Athanasia looked over Atanas's shoulder who stilled as soon as he heard the doors open. "Papa..-!"
The weight of Atanas was moved off of her as the boy was kicked by Claude. Her mouth gaped open out of shock.
The boy fell to his side as he coughed at the harshness of the kick to his stomach. Claude looked down at Athanasia, eyes scanning her and looking her over for a second before his gaze moved back to Atanas.
"Atanas, are you such a mutt, that you attacked your own sister? Even dogs would not do that, making you lower than a dog." Claude's voice had no emotion to it as he stared down at the boy on the ground.
"..." Atanas did not respond.
"Is this a new way of getting my attention?"
"Papa- big brother didn't mean to. W-We were playing!" Athanasia who tried to stop Claude from doing anything bad to Atanas, spoke up as she looked at Felix for help.
The guard could only stare in a disappointed look at the Crown Prince, however. Athanasia grew frustrated, as she was the only one who knew the reason behind his actions.
'Did they forget that Atanas is a child as well?' She thought to herself.
Claude glanced behind him and motioned over to Felix, "Felix, take her back to her palace."
The red head nodded, "Yes your majesty," before walking over to the princess, picking her up gently. Her hair was a mess due to her scuffle with Atanas earlier. The guard looked at Atanas for a brief moment before sighing quietly and walking away from the father and son.
Athanasia pulled at Felix's uniform and peeked over his shoulder to look at Atanas, who did not lift his head since Claude came into the room. "Felix wait! Big brother is gonna get in trouble you have to help him!"
At the plea, Felix only shook his head. "His highness harmed you, yet you are kind to him princess. I cannot do anything about his majesty's orders, I'm sorry."
Athanasia wanted to smack Felix and Claude on the head out of frustration. Are these two seriously adults?!
"But..." She quieted down.
The red head smiled at her worried tone for Atanas. "I will check on his highness later, princess. For now you must go back to your palace until they are done talking."
Athanasia nodded slowly with a frown on her face.
-
Claude ran a hand through his hair, looking down at the boy who refused to meet his gaze.
"You were a dog who obeyed my orders, and barked when I told you to bark. Now, you simply look like an insect that disgusts me whenever I see you in my sight."
The crown Prince did not reply even to that, but his shoulders tensed up at the saying. Atanas's bangs blocked his eyes as he kept his head lowered, avoiding Claude's jeweled eyes.
He did not want to see those eyes look down at him with disgust and anger.
The emperor turned his back to Atanas, "It seems you didn't get enough learning from the battle field, seeing your behavior since your return. How annoying."
Claude glanced back one more time with a glare in his eyes, "You will be sent back to fight in the front lines this time. Prepare yourself to leave tomorrow morning." With that, his father walked away to exit the throne room doors.
Once the slam of the huge doors echoed into the large room, Atanas finally lifted his head.
Drip
Drip
Tears fell from the boy's face as he choked on his emotions. The burning feeling in his chest was replaced tenfold, as he grasped the area around his heart.
He was going to be sent back to that awful place?
He was being thrown away..!
He was going to be abandoned.
"No... please. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..." He repeated to no one. He didn't know who he was apologizing to, as tears continued to spill from his jeweled eyes.
"I'm sorry..!"
He felt his heart being torn apart, if he even had one to begin with. His chest that had the burning feeling was not because of his fever, no,
It was the feeling of envy.
Atanas's vision blurred as he felt his throat closing up, as if he was choking on them—
Atanas cried to himself, and him alone.
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A/N: Sorry for the long awaited update! This isn't that good because I just wanted to update you guys soon as possible, and I am so much happy to know a majority of you like the story. ^~^ I am busy with school being freshman year so sorry for my business. Have a good day, and I hope you cried. ♡'･ᴗ･'♡