𝕲𝖗𝖎𝖘𝖍𝖆𝖛𝖊𝖗𝖘𝖊 𝕺𝖓𝖊 𝕾𝖍𝖔𝖙𝖘

𝒩𝒾𝓀𝑜𝓁𝒶𝒾

LIFE

Nikolai couldn't help it, he just can't sit still as everyone else can. He got yelled at by his father again for fiddling around so much during dinner. He wasn't even causing a scene or doing anything annoying, he was just sitting there fiddling with the hem of his shirt and bobbing his legs lightly. He hadn't even made a single noise, but apparently he was being offensive toward the Kerch anyway. Nikolai isn't dumb, the Kerch in that moment were the only ones on his side, he saw their pitying looks when he was send outside for his behavior.

The golden boy had vowed to whoever would listen that he'd change Ravka to a better place and himself. He always found himself in positions where he was doing something wrong and so he swore he'd be better, but he figured quickly that he can't be a better royal, he can only be a better guy. Perhaps it's the fact he's a bastard and not actually of royal blood or something else which makes Nikolai refuse to treat commoners the way his brother does.

When Nikolai was only ten he saw his older brother pick on some commoner. The palace guards were allowed to bring their children to work for one day and of course Vasily had taken the opportunity to make himself feel mighty and powerful despite his young age. Nikolai had watched it from afar, Vasily had only insulted the boy at first, but eventually began getting physical with him too. Nikolai still doesn't know how he dared to stand up to his brother, but the moment he saw him hitting the poor boy he ran to them and used himself as a shield from the horrifics his brother planned.

Nikolai had luckily only gotten a bruise and the boy, who he later learned went by the name Rick, thanked him a hundred times and followed Nikolai around for the rest of the day. They had talked a lot and Nikolai had befriended him and learned that Nikolai also knew Ricks father. Ricks father was one of the guards with a higher status, Nikolai has seen him around usually during lunch and dinner times, he suspects he just guards places and not people.

Nikolai regrets befriending Rick even to this day, because when Vasily had caught sight of Nikolai and Rick together he immediately ran to their parents and told them Rick had punched him. Vasily hadn't even bothered to at least pinch his cheek to make it look red, he didn't need to bother with such details. That same day Ricks father got fired and Rick was banished to ever come near the palace grounds ever again. Vasily had made sure that Nikolai knew it was his fault and his only.

Nikolai couldn't help but believe what his brother was telling him. If Nikolai hadn't befriended Rick, Vasily wouldn't have had a reason to frame Rick. If only Nikolai had acted as a royal would instead of acting as a human should. From that day on Nikolai never made a friend that Vasily could possibly frame ever again, he has helped people that his brother treated wrongly but he never dared to overstep that line to friendship ever again.

However that changed when he was finally away from home. He's seen many places since then, he's been to Kerch, to Novyi Zem and has sailed the seas millions of times. He's been basically everywhere even to worlds one can't just get to. All of it felt better than the times he was trapped in the palace walls with all those rules.

The first time he left the palace was when he, and Dominik, joined the ranks of the First Army. Nikolai's parents both had disapproved of his wish to join the First Army since he was royal and supposed to learn self defense within the safe walls of the palace. Nikolai found it utterly ridiculous, after all how could Nikolai learn to defend himself if he's never in any danger?

Nikolai enjoyed his time at the First Army, despite at first being treated very differently from everyone else since he is still one of the two Ravkan princes, but Nikolai acted as no prince would, only as a soldier would which led to everyone treating them as one of their own. Nikolai wasn't a prince no longer, but a soldier. All the medals he earned throughout his time in the Army come from sweat and blood and none were handed to him on a silver plattern, they were all given by bloody hands.