I will burn

IV. The journey

I opened my eyes. I was back in the empire, tied with ropes.

,, Kill him!" people shouted at the executor from the crowd.

The platform was about to drop when suddenly a storm covered the whole of Pheathon. Someone in the crowd screamed after getting struck by lightning.

Then another, and another, and another until there wasn't a single person left alive.

I felt horrified seeing them all die.

I didn't feel any remorse at all, simply just horror or witnessing this. The executor and I were the only ones alive.

,, This is all thy fault" I recognized a voice different from the executor and noticed the executor was my father. Then he dropped the platform.

,, Linius, hey! Wake up!" Someone shook with me while I was sleeping. I opened my eyes and my vision focused on Dorian.

,, Why on Earth are thou sleeping on the ground?" He asked concerned and helped me up.

,, I sleepwalk sometimes" I lied. I remembered way too well what happened.

I zoned out while looking at the crystal clear sky from the window after Dorian took me back to my room.

It was never my fault I was born this way, right?

I'm not evil, or cursed, right?

But then why did they assume it?

I hadn't done anything other than the right thing my whole life and still got punished.

I didn't deserve any of it, right?

I deserved to be treated better.

They deserved to be on the spot instead of me.

I wonder how they'd like it be hanged in front of hundreds of people while not even a single one of them had even a drop of compassion toward them.

How would they feel being raised to believe they were cursed and the only special thing about them was wrong?

And how would they feel getting betrayed by the only person they loved?

But they still believed I was wicked and cursed.

I would've shown them how wicked and cursed one can be. Like my father.

So if they believe I was the wicked prince, I'll give them one.

And I'll give them what they truly deserve instead of my love.

,, Good morning" Dorian came to wake me up. ,, Morning" I said. ,, Thou alright?" He noticed my negative tone. ,, Ay" I lied and got up to walk past him to go have breakfast, but he wouldn't let that lie slide.

He blocked the door and stared me down. ,, What's wrong" He asked worriedly, ignoring my lie and blocking the door frame. ,, Nothing" I pushed him aside angrily, but instead of being angry he still seemed worried. ,, I slept poorly" I lied again while walking downstairs. It didn't seem to convince him very well. ,, Don't lie to me" His expression seemed even more worried but without the slightest hint of anger. I hated how patient he was. ,, I don't wanna talk about it" I snapped at him and he looked shocked, still not angry though.

,, I'm sorry" we said in sync and chuckled about the coincidence.

We made breakfast silently, and gradually through the process kids came to help us cook.

After breakfast, he noticed I looked lost in thoughts again. ,, What are thou thinking about?" I hated that he cared. And even more, that I had to lie. Why can't he just ask me easy questions, ones I didn't have to lie about?