Beloved Tyrant

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕱𝖔𝖚𝖗: 𝕬𝖜𝖆𝖐𝖊𝖓𝖎𝖓𝖌

𝚂𝚞𝚖𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚢: 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔭𝔞𝔰𝔱 𝔦𝔰 𝔫𝔬𝔱 𝔰𝔬 𝔢𝔞𝔰𝔦𝔩𝔶 𝔣𝔬𝔯𝔤𝔬𝔱𝔱𝔢𝔫

    Little Megumi lets out a broken cry as Ogi Zen'In, an elder relative, grips onto his upper arm with a rough grip. Toji had just left, for reasons his adolescent son doesn't understand, but had promised to be back in two weeks. Megumi felt anxious but he kissed his father goodbye and hoped he'd come home soon. The servants loyal to the elder Zen'In assist him, opening the front doors of the massive castle doors. He shoves the child outside, into the thick, freshly fallen snow. Megumi coughs as he accidentally gets a mouthful of snow, the breath being knocked out of him as he collides into the ground.

     Ogi watches with a hateful expression, his arms folded in front of him. All the elders in the family despised Toji, and they truly resented his wife, and the moment they had the child... They began to plot.

      Megumi finally regains his breath, the cold piercing his lungs. He reaches towards Ogi with trembling hands, "P-please... i-it's cold." Megumi cries, tears welling up in his round eyes.

      "You're soaked and covered in filth, you don't seriously expect me to let a rat inside?" Ogi scoffs, turning and entering the castle. The doors are shut and Megumi's eyes widen with the realization he's been left alone. With trembling legs, he stands and walks towards the door. The soles of his feets ache from the numbness, his white, pajama gown is providing practically no warmth. His tiny teeth are chattering as he lightly knocks on the door, weak from being starved for two days.

    "O-Ogi? M-maid? S-someone? Please le-let me inside!" Megumi pleads, sniffling as his teeth chatter. If anyone does hear him, they completely ignore him. Megumi's emerald eyes dart around, trying to look for somewhere to go. Megumi thinks of his father's face, the man's dark hair and the scar on the corner of his lips that Megumi openly adored when he was even smaller. He remembers the day his mother died, shielding him from assassins who broke into the castle with the intent to kill Megumi. She shielded him with her body, holding him and reminding Megumi of how love he is. A sword was plunged into her chest and Megumi let out a broken cry, helping Toji find where his cherished wife and beloved child were hiding.

      Toji burst through the door, sword in hand, with a few other knights. His eyes land on Megumi and his wife, rushing over and slicing a man's throat in the process. He cups Megumi's face first, "Are you hurt?"

     "Papa..." Megumi sobs, clutching onto the fabric on his mother's dress. "M.. mama..." He cries and only then does Toji notice his wife is entirely lifeless. It was as if the world had stopped, the woman he fell in love with... who gave him a reason to live is now dead. He wasn't able to protect her like he promised, he got too comfortable. He blames himself. Clutching his sword, he brutally kills the rest of the assassins, his hands tainted red and splattered across his face. Toji hadn't even realized he was crying, he could only feel the pain in his heart. He turned to his crying child, the lasting reason of living, and picked him up protectively. He holds Megumi close to his crying heart, so thankful that at least he didn't lose both of them. "Shh... It's okay, Blessing, daddy's here." He soothes, pressing a kiss to Megumi's cheek.

      That night, Toji had sobbed so brokenly as he held Megumi close. Megumi had never seen his father cry before, especially not like this. The only thing he could do now was be there for his father, and remind the lonely man how loved he is by his child.

     Remembering that horrible night, Megumi finds the courage to make his way towards the forest. He can not die here, he can't leave his father alone. He doesn't want to be the reason his father cries so hard, he has to survive for his daddy. A white bunny bounces over, nuzzling up to his freezing legs. Megumi feels tears well up in his eyes as he looks at the adorable face of the bunny, pink nose twitching. "For daddy..." Megumi's voice cracks as he cries, bending down and picking up the little bunny. His milk fangs are sharp so luckily when he bites into the bunny, it's quick. The bunny's leg twitches before becoming entirely still as Megumi drinks its blood.