Weight of the Crown { A Leonardo fanfic}

There's Nothing You Could Have Done

AN: The pic. Oh my feels! 

Guilt. A carnivorous beast that eats away at your very soul. Stripping endlessly at your conscience and slicing through your mind, causing a persistent ache in your chest. No one knew that better than Leonardo. He felt it as a leader and as a brother. Now he felt it as a man who lost the person he loved. 

The crowd is silent as Drace turns to Leo, who still holds the motionless body in his arms, tears streaming down his face. The captain glances up at Axelia who nods to him, an evil glow around her face. "My first order as your new Alpha," Drace says with an evil smirk. "Is to have the earth intruders locked up in cells." 

No one moves. The people look to one another, the same thought on all of their minds. They rooted for the wrong leader. Drace's smirk turns into an angry glower. "I am your Alpha!" He screams, his deep voice thundering through the stands. 

Slowly but surely, the officers in the audience make their way towards the earth crew. Each turtle reaches for his weapon, but the professor shakes his head. "Go without complaint. We'll think of something." 

Though hesitant, they all go with the soldiers. Drace turns to Leo, a satisfactory grin on his face. "And get this corpse out of my sight. It sickens me." The gates then open and solemn soldiers enter the arena, 

Leo tries his best, but being as emotionally and physically exhausted as he was, could do nothing as he is hauled away. One soldier picks up Grayson's body while another gathers her sword and helmet. 

Leo can do nothing but watch as the soldier carries the young girl away. He tries to struggle, pulling in her direction. "Don't waste your energy."  The man holding his right arm cautions. "There's nothing you could have done." 

Leo falls weakly into the soldier's arms. His eyes were run dry. The man had been right. There was nothing he could have done. Leo looks up to see Axelia surveying the events below. Her eyes held nothing but triumphant pride. 

Then it all clicked for Leo. The two Lycadians who had been conspiring against Grayson were Drace and Axelia. A new fit of anger burned within the young turtle's chest.

There is a screech of metal as the soldier opens the cell door and shoves Leo inside. There is a thump as the emotionally drained turtle stumbles and falls. "Leo." Mikey hugs his brother. "I thought they hurt you!" 

The blue-banded leader doesn't react at all. Her just sits against the wall and draws his knees up to his chest. "I caused this," Leo mumbles, his voice hoarse from shouting and screaming. Casey sighs. "It wasn't your fault, dude." 

There is a soft silence as no one knows what to say. "We have to get out of here," Professor Honeycutt encourages. "Yes, times are dire, but we must stay on task and get off this doomed planet before Drace decides he would feel better if we were dead."

The others agree silently. "How do we get out?" Raphael asks. The professor stands and his finger turns into a torch. "Simple my dear friend." 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Drace runs a hand along the arm of the luxurious throne. His lips pull into a satisfied grin. The silver crown on his head weighs down with a tang of guilt. But being the tough, strong-minded brute he is, Drace Thornhill pushes the thoughts and feelings of guilt to the back of his mind. 

"Well, well, well." A scraggly soulless voice breaks the echoing silence. "Look who sits upon the throne of Weylyn," Axelia exclaims, a sly grin on her face. "You, Drace, have really climbed up the social ladder haven't you?"

The new Alpha takes in a deep breath. "Well, sacrifices were made, and now I am here." He replies. Just then, the door to the throne room bursts open and a few soldiers enter, escorting three people inside. 

Axelia stands beside the throne, her nose upturned at the lower class folk. "What is the meaning of this?" Drace demands, sitting back into the throne. "Your majesty," The woman in front addresses. "These three citizens have been causing an upstart in the kingdom. They have been raising riots all over." 

Drace's eyebrow raises in amusement. "And these three were the only ones caught?" He asks. The general shakes her head. "No, sir. These three are the leaders. They gave themselves up willingly."

Now the Alpha was intrigued. Who in their right minds gives themselves up to the authorities? "And what was the topic of these riots?" Drace asks. The guards look among each other, a nervous glint in their eyes. 

"Well?" Drace demands. "Out with it!" The general looks back at the citizens, then back at the intimidating man on the throne. "At once!" Drace shouts. A man, older than the rest, steps forward, lifting his chin at the young and temperous overgrown child on the throne. 

"You have stolen the throne from the rightful heir. You have destroyed years of peaceful tradition and all for what? Fame?! You have increased our taxes and put curfews in place with soldiers patrolling our towns and taking what they want. Destroying what they want!" The man says, his eyes flickering a dark red. 

Drace stands. "I saved your lives, old man." He growls. A younger man steps beside the man. His eyes glaring at the new ruler which they now hated with a passion. "How? By stealing our freedoms? Our minds? Our identity?" 

Drace's gaze grows dark and offended. Anger coursed through his veins. "I saved your miserable lives! All of you! I removed the leach from all our lives!" He bellows. "You killed a girl in cold blood! She sacrificed herself for that otherworler...a guest. You murdered a person without emotion. Even a Znichar would have more emotion in a kill than you in that ring." The old man's face contorted in disgust. "You are no better than a Harmlancer. A soul-sucker." 

Drace's face was by now red with fury and embarrassment. "Lock your lip, peasant! You don't know what you are talking about!" The third person, a young woman steps forward, her eyes holding nothing but rage and yet...empathy. "You hold hatred and malice in your heart against the young queen. Why?" 

The expression in Drace's face softened slightly as his mind flashed back in time. He leaned back and sat in the stone throne. His eyes stared into space, a hint of sadness and betrayal held in his crystal blue eyes. 

"She ruined me. She ruined everything I loved." The fire of hatred returns to his gaze as a set frown sets on his lips. "Now she'll watch as I set her world on fire." 

The young man's words hit a chord in the brown-haired young man below. He lunges at the new Alpha, but is held back by the soldiers. "You are a monster, Drace!" He shouts, tears running down his face. "I used to serve by you as a soldier, but now you've turned into a heartless beast." 

Drace snickers. "Is that how you speak to your hero? Your Alpha? Your saviour?" The elderly man lifts his head. "You think you were always meant to save us? That path was never meant for you." 

The sandy-haired ruler smirks and waggles his fingers. "Put them all to death. Execute them in the square. Make them an example to anyone who has the idea of doublecrossing me." Axelia can't help but smirk to herself. 

The young man raises his chin. "Our deaths will do nothing to stop the people from hating you. You can't buy respect or loyalty. You can't buy it. You can't force it. It comes only through love and respect for the people who believe in you. You taught me many things Drace Thornhill but this I learned myself. And it is something you will never know!" 

As the guards lead the three soon-to-be-martyrs away, the young woman glances over her shoulder and speaks. "Enjoy your kingdom." 

My gudnez. This is going places. How are you liking this story so far? I'm honestly excited for you guys to see how it ends....I have some spicy ideas. Mwaahahahahahaha...

~Keziah