isn't it lovely, all alone? (A L.A.M.P. STORY)

the lonely king

Trigger warnings:  neglect, Patton being super sad, loneliness, parents death (mentioned)

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  One of the first things Patton remembers is laughter, the crinkle of his mother's nose as he sat in her lap. He remembers his father picking him up from her lap, and throwing him in the air. He remembered his childish giggles, his parents smiling with him. He remembers when he was tucked into his bed that night.

"Mommy? Can you tell me a story."

"Of course, my dear!" Patton's mother, Octavia, smiled. Her soft smile and caramel eyes made him feel secure. His mother hummed for a moment, thinking of a story in her mind. Once she stopped humming, she smiled wide.

"Now, dear, have I ever told you the tale of Danielle the Great?" Octavia beamed. Patton eagerly shook his head, anticipation creeping up his spine.

"Danielle, you see, was a warrior, one of the best, in fact! She fought against the most horrid people."

"What kind of people?"

"Corrupted people. People whose darkness had crept into their hearts and ate at their souls until nothing was left. Nothing but hate. Danielle never regretted anything."

"Nothing at all, Mommy?"

"Well, there was one thing."

"Mommy, tell me! Tell me, tell me, tell me, please!"

"Calm down little one. Danielle was one of the best warriors, yes, but she had one deep regret. It was that she left her duties. You see, Danielle was a princess before a warrior, but she gave away fame and riches to fight the evil people."

"Is that bad?"

"Of course it is, dear Patton. When one has a duty to their nation, they must fulfill it at any cost. It's what you must do." Octavias eyes grew dark, and her smile turned cold.

"Patton, you have a duty to this nation, you must rule over it with a wonderful wife at your side, once your father and I have let you, of course. There is a reason we are more feared than loved, my dear."

"But, mommy, why can't I rule alone?" Patton asked, his childlike innocent never leaving his eyes. His mother didn't see innocence. She saw betrayal. If it were possible, her eyes would have gone darker. She lightly gripped his small arm, a counterfeit gentle smile encompassing her face.

"My dear,-" the grip tightened ever so slightly, "You must rule with another, or-" even tighter, "your subjects-" it hurts now, his blood flow was being cut off, making his hand turn red, "will not respect you." Patton was crying, his cheeks puffy and red, and it seemed it was time for his mother to snap out of her hateful trance. At that moment, Patton realized he didn't love his mother anymore.

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Ten years later, when Patton was in his teens, fifteen to be exact, he was told that both of his parents had burned in a fire. He didn't care for the details. Many called him cold and emotionless when he went to the funeral. The reason for this was because he didn't cry, not one tear. He had his reasons. He knew his reasons, he did not feel guilty for feeling nothing when they left him alone. He didn't need to give an explanation. When he arrived home, his father's royal counselor told him the gist of what would happen next.

"Your highness, I would like to discuss something for the future of the kingdom, and more importantly, you." Gavel, the royal counselor said. Patton at the time was sitting in his room, doodling on his desk, something his parents would've killed him over. Patton gestured towards a chair in the corner of his room and simply said;

"Sit, if you like." He then smiled sadly at the man. The man nodded and went to sit in the comfortable armchair, close to the desk Patton was sitting at. Once sat down, the man began talking.

"Sir,-" that one was new, "I would like to start by saying, my deep condolences, the abrupt death of those who raised you must be-" Patton nodded along, he had heard this before, the sorry's and the tip-toeing and the overall cloud that followed the entire kingdom around. Everyone but him. "Jarring, to say the least, but I didn't come here to say sorry for an atrocity I did not commit-" what actually happened was, his parents had gone on a trip for their twentieth anniversary and they had stayed in the family's cabin in the mountains. Lightning had struck the home, and they couldn't get it out in time, "but despite that, we have serious issues to talk about. Since you are not old enough to be crowned, you will be once you're eighteen, you will be replaced by me, since I was trained to do so in the case of a fatality befalls your parents-"

"Not to be rude, sir, but won't I have to have a w-" he paused, he never truly liked the idea of a wife, but that's not something he could tell anyone. He had seen neighboring kingdoms house same-sex couples as kings and queens, and the kingdom thrive, but he knew deep in his bones, that it would've had a terrible reaction from his parents if he had expressed his desires. He shook his head, "Won't I have to have a partner?" Patton finished, Gavel smiled.

"That is up to you sir. A wife, a husband, neither-" the man paused, in silent thought for a moment, "Maybe even more than one."

"But sir, my mother said the subjects wouldn't respect me if I didn't have a proper wife."

"Your mother was a woman with hard beliefs, but just because you believe in something doesn't mean that it is right, or even true." Gavel spoke. He had kind eyes, it was one of the first things Patton noticed when he met him for the first time. Patton smiled. Maybe he didn't need to be with a woman.

-----

Patton was crowned, Gavel retired, and Patton was alone once more. Patton knew he needed company, he was, after all, a sociable person. Patton often took strolls through the streets of his kingdom (most people called his kingdom 'The Kingdom of Hearts', completely ignoring the true name, Sandersvania). The streets were always busy, packed to the brim with people. It wasn't necessarily a kind place or even a safe one at that, but Patton had tried to rehabilitate his people, but it never worked. He eventually gave up. He had also tried to clean up the area, plant different trees, not the ashy grey bark, and ugly brown leaves, but the kind he saw when he and his parents visited other kingdoms. Patton wished those kingdoms still stood. Some were plagued with disease, others fell because of their lack of crops, and others because of the king up and left. Patton was tempted to do the same.

Back to the point, Patton had tried to find a suitable partner, he tried. None of them clicked, some used him for his power or money, or sometimes it just didn't work out. But Patton still smiled, he may be lonely, but he had a duty to uphold, even when he didn't want to.

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Patton had told his advisors that he was heading into the plaza. It was a place filled with shops, food, and children. He grabbed his boots, a guard, and some coins. He knew, eventually, the guard would lose Patton, but the thought for protection was there. And so, they set out for the plaza.