Alver felt that agony his entire life. He looked up and saw his brother falling from the highest point of the tower.
He can't lose anyone again.
He can't lose someone dear to him again.
He rushed towards him in an attempt to catch him. Eruhaben was too far, and he can't reveal his dragon self in front of them. Choi Han was readying himself to rush.
Please. Make it in time!
Even before he could respond, a loud caw echoed through the air. A black hawk clung to his brother, slowing his fall. However, the hawk's wings were bleeding, and the rebels began firing magical arrows at it. It evaded the attacks, but it was too small to carry Callen's weight.
The magical arrows began to fly through the air with pinpoint accuracy, and soon a white-haired boy with red eyes appeared, his wings clipped and profusely bleeding.
Callen seemed to notice it and had been yelling at the hawk to let him go. The hawk, on the other hand, was tenacious and continued to protect him from the attacks.
"HIT THAT HAWK!" the rebel leader shouted. A magic bomb was thrown into the air.
Callen wriggled and pushed the hawk away, but another hawk caught it and threw it away as quickly as it could.
The massive explosion could be seen even from the palace.
Alver curses as he notices the hawk's wings slowly closing. There was blood on their trail, and his brother was staring at him.
Faster. He needed to be faster.
However, he was stunned when Callen positioned himself as if he was going to be caught. The hawk seemed to have returned to his bird form while still trying to slow down Callen's fall.
"HYUNNIE!"
Why are you so happy? Why do you look like you're still enjoying this?
He couldn't understand why he looked like he was enjoying his fall.
Callen was falling while facing the ground. His small arms were wide open as he called him. He had a smile on his face, too excited to see him. Why? Why? How can you smile like that? How can you laugh in such a dangerous situation where you could've died?
Alver lost all inhibitions and dashed over to him.
He chanted and jumped off his horse, with his arms wide open to catch him.
As if the world stopped, Callen's small arms wrapped around his neck for a tight hug. His brother was smiling as he welcomed him with an embrace, as if he was sure that he'd be able to catch him. He wrapped his arms around him and pulled him closer to him. They rolled on the ground until his back slammed through the tower wall. He also carefully tucked the hawk.
"Wah. Hyunnie!" Callen rose and panicked. "Hyunnie, are you alright?"
Alver rose and embraced the child tightly.
"Don't ever do that again."
"He threw me out." Callen refuted but stopped the moment he felt his brother's trembling embrace all over him.
"I don't know what I'll do if I really lose you."
Callen stared at the wall.
"Just stay by my side. You don't need to do anything." Alver said, "I'll give you everything you want... so don't leave me..."
He is still alive, but Alver spoke to him as if he were about to die.
"Hyunnie... I love you, Hyunnie," said Callen—no, Kim Rok Soo adores his big brother. He may have been a huge jerk in the novel, but he was his first family. swordsman. They didn't kill anyone. But soon, the rebel leader stood in front of them. "And I'm not afraid..."
Alver stopped and looked at him. His heart thumped so loudly as he heard Callen's words.
"Hyunnie will catch me every time I fall."
His heart stings. It has a happy beat. How can he say that when he could be in danger just because of his birth? In fact, how can Callen say that as if he trusted him with his life? He couldn't understand. He was older than him and this is his second life. Compared to what happened to him, how can this child—no—this man say that as if he's dependent on him? He'll grow soon and later find his own way. He won't always be with him. Yet, Callen spoke as if he was going to stay by his side.
"Hyunnie..." Callen smiled, "love you lots, Hyunnie."
That settled his confused heart.
He smiled.
Callen jumped from his brother's arms and approached him.
He flicked his forefinger at the rebel's forehead and said, "I'll take my time playing with you."
Then the rebel leader began to scream.
The beastmen and prisoners intoxicated by dead mana were summoned for assistance. Soon after, two cats approached him, and a hawk flew over his head.
"You got cats and a hawk after fish?" He asked. His child is adored by the beastmen. His palace will soon turn into a zoo. He just remembered that Witton Palace has a lake for his fish, a huge forest garden for his beasts, and a palace to shelter them from rain. Now, he had a hawk so there should be a greenhouse in his palace.
"I'll take them to my palace. XD," Callen says as he cuddles the cats. The hawk even purred and flapped it's crooked-bleeding wings.
"Hah..." Alver said as he patted the back of his head. "Let's go home..."
[A/N: don't think the arc is finished with this... XD ... I haven't touched that PART yet kekekekeke.]
-xxx-
The sound of trumpets echoed throughout the royal city as Alver returned from suppressing the frontlines. With only a few people, but not ordinary people. The nobles began to move in the appropriate direction, scouting the forces that went to save their master.
The Seventh Prince, on the other hand, was staring down at them.
"Y, your highness?"
Callen ignored them. As several of the rebels were presented to the king, an imposing powerful aura of death filled the grand hall. Callen, on the other hand, decided to put an end to it once and for all. He approached the rebel leader and demanded, "Who ordered you?" A loud scream echoed.
The rebel leader began crying in pain. However, the toddler, who seemed to be the ruler of the world, held his chin and said, "The pain will continue if you don't answer."
"Te... the... third queen!"
Hearing that, Callen viciously smiled. At the same time, the third queen entered the picture with her vassals. Cale Henituse came right after them with the evidence they acquired during all this time.
"What?" The third queen stuttered, she didn't know why but many eyes were on her.
The third prince noticed this and stood in front of her.
Zed Crossman looked at them.
"Third Prince," Zed Crossman spoke, "you know what to do with a traitor."
One thing is certain in this kingdom: an individual's fault is not the fault of their children. Alver and Callen hoped that he didn't need to kill a sibling.
The third queen pushes away her own son.
"He has nothing to do with this," she replied.
She committed treason while claiming that her son is not involved.
"He really isn't," Cale Henituse says as he hands the evidence to the king. "Like the others, he was simply used to keep the third queen in power."
Shivers ran through Alver's body. He couldn't say anything, but it really was dangerous. The look on Hellion's face was somewhat indescribable. He looked betrayed at the same time.
"Take the rebels to the dungeons!" Zed Crossman ordered, and all of the servants followed.
However, the third queen fought and grabbed Callen's neck.
Alver was about to stop her when Callen smiled at her and said, "You can't hurt me..."
That echoed loudly. The sound of death bells resonated.
"Only one person can hurt me," Callen whispered as he looked at Alver.
"You could've become a good mother."
Suddenly, tears fell from the third queen's eyes.
"You could've taught him to be fair and just."
The third queen slowly let go of Callen.
"Because of your greed, my brother will suffer from guilt."
Hearing that, the death bells stopped. The third queen has fallen to the ground, crying. Hellion stared at her and at them, but he didn't move.
Callen looked at Alver and smiled brightly.
"Hyunnie."
Of course, Alver carried him.
"I'm exhausted, Hyunnie." Callen spoke and fell asleep in his arms. The familiar weight melted into his arm. Alver planted a soft kiss on Callen's forehead.
He looked back and let his father decide.
"Are you happy now?!" Hellion's shout echoed. Luckily, there were only a few nobles left.
Alver looked at him.
"Now that your greatest contender for the throne has lost his faction, were you happy?!"
Alver looked at him in pity. He didn't smile. He just looked at him and patted Callen's back.
"How about you?" Alver asked, "what did you gain from all of this?"
Whatever happens, the third prince is still his brother. He loves him as an elder brother. This, however, has gone too far. If he responds, it means he is content with what has happened in his life. But Alver is not—and he will never be happy because his brother is unhappy.
"Are you mocking me?" Hellion screamed, "I should be the victor! Just what's with you that you're able to gain much more than I had?!"
"Hellion..." Alver exclaimed, "Call me a hypocrite, but I've never found joy in someone else's misery, especially my brother. You have everything I don't have, and I envied you for being able to live like that, but I was relieved that you didn't have to go through the hardships I did."
He bestowed this upon himself.
"But I did gain something far more valuable," he smiles as he wraps his cape around Callen, "far more valuable than the throne itself."
He gained what they call "genuine" support.
He discovered true family throughout his life.
He found the happiness that he wanted to protect.
That's their difference.
Alver left with guilt brushing off his heart.
He looked at the disheveled Robbit, who seemed to be running around.
"Thank goodness, he's fine..." He looked really worried when he approached them and checked on Callen.
He watched how Robbit fussed over their little brother.
"Robbit."
"Yes?"
"You've done well."
That made Robbit blush.
"You too, Hyung-nim." Robbit replied, "You've done much more."
And they went back to the Palace of Joy, of course, with the pets that Callen had just brought home with him.
Instead of Witton Palace, his palace will be one turning into a zoo.
And this toddler has the audacity to sleep through the whole ordeal while snoring.
His breath is still milky, but it is gradually becoming bad.
"Praise me, Callie, only Hyunnie will be able to smell this even when you're old."
"Don't worry, husband... My breath will take your breath away," Cale Henituse says.
Robbit frowned and said, "Amazing, you can flirt like that?"
Cale and Alver smirked, "perks of Grandpa Benedict's Holy Book."
Callen will surely praise himself with that book.
Robbit could only shake his head.
TBC
Note: rebellion part is not yet finished MWAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
In the name of CALEISM!!!!!!!! I SHALL CALL FORTH BLOOD GORE AND ANGST!