Charles was looking up to the man in a strange and dark blue uniform. From head to toes, he analyzed silently. He was a decent man. It was the first impression that the unknown guy gave him. Wrinkles around his eyes and mouth, unshaved but it was obvious that it was unvoluntary, a bit of chubby cheeks, a large enough belly but he could not be called fat. His hair was short but in complete disorder as if he hadn't slept in a long while. He had round baby blue eyes with long lashes. It made him look quite guileless for a middle-aged man. Narrowing his eyes, he was unconvinced.
" So... mm... You are like a knight right ?"
The guy examined the kid sitting on the stairs outside Hugo's house. It was way past midnight yet he still seemed lively. His narrowed hooded eyes appeared to be filled with disappointment towards him or maybe life in general. So he coughed, hoping he was wrong, because if he was already displeased with life at his age it won't be good. However, he peeked behind him, towards the house where a yellow ribbon could be seen securing the area. He smiled bitterly. He had the right to be disappointed. He then turned around and showed the kid a big bright smile and proudly said while putting his right hand over his heart, left behind his back, straightening himself :
"Indeed young one ! I shall protect the innocent, widows and orphans, from the evil-doers around ! I shall serve the people ... for as long as I can ! eheh "
' Lay down your life to the one and only emperor, be loyal only to him and stuff like that. Your speech is lacking. But still, good try. '
Trying to keep his face straight, the police officer was happy he could mutter such a good knightly speech. However, he was flabbergasted the next instant.
"So where's your armor ?" Said the child with expectant eyes.
"Ah ? Well, it's on me, It's well hidden under the clothes. It's the type that is thin yet sturdy ! Don't worry, I won't get hurt ! I'm big and strong you see ! "
Then, his eyes caught a strange, metal-looking, tool hanging at his waist. His curious nature resurfaced. With a beaming smile, he pointed the strange thing.
" Hey, what's this ? Is this a tiny sword ? "
" Ahaha ! No, it's not a creased sword ! But you are right, it is indeed my weapon !"
He winked at him then took it out, but before he could explain anything, he was interrupted by a colleague of his. Someone approached and whispered in his ears something.
Charles furrowed his brows. he was clearly displeased that he couldn't get to know what that object was. But he stared at the new policeman for a short instant. He didn't wait too long to get to know what was going on. He heard a new sound accompanying a new type of a big, kinda cubic, carriage. Red and white with a bit of blue. It then opened his back doors. People went out of it bringing along a sort of stretcher. They went in the direction of his house. But his gaze went back to this new officer of sort when he started talking. He was quite uncomfortable or so it seemed, trying to find his words.
"Your mother is gone now child."
"Oh. So the woman is dead. Good for her then ! Ah, you see she said I was killing her, so that means I'm not innocent right ?"
It has been a really long time since he had enough of this woman. She kept saying 'I'm not your mother' Well, she was goddamn right. She wasn't. She wasn't Elise, the beautiful empress, that gave birth to him. Moreover, when he was finally able to leave his "cage", or cradle for everyone else, he was so happy. Every time he wandered around trying to get to know this new place, new world, his surroundings, she would put him there. She was always shouting at him words beyond his comprehension. Well, he could have started to understand her words sooner, but why should he ? He ignored her. He never gave up. He was quite an active baby. Then one day, fed up with him, she discovered that the T.V could calm him down ! From then on, she often put him in front of it and then went on her merry way.
That was the beginning of the magic boxes ! Images, sound, it was incredible in the eyes of this little emperor.
And when she came back, maybe drunk, sometimes drugged, often accompanied with a different man, she would push him around, shouting, screaming, whatever she could muster. Yet, she rarely had any reactions from him, or only an expression of disgust and silence. It scared her and made her more crazy. So she continued her lifestyle, insulting and seemingly blaming him for his own existence. Why ? Does it matter ? He didn't. There are some who simply knows how to hate and love, compassion and empathy were such alien feelings to them.
So he said those words sarcastically towards his "knight" without caution. He once realised his mistake when he observed the bizarre reaction of the adults towards his words. He was only a child. Someone who definitely couldn't harm a big creature like a human at the very least. Because children hurting small kittens, puppies or other of such size happened quite often unfortunately.
"it's okay, it will be alright now !"
Charles watched them running around, talking about things with each other outside of his reach so he couldn't hear them. He sighed heavily, looking like a little old man in other's eyes. It filled them with pity towards this child who didn't have an easy start in life and will not have one for the next few years maybe.
"No it won't... because it will never be the same." The last words were said while mumbling but were heard and understood by a few. It surprised them, making their heart ache. But unknown to them, it was only referencing his previous life. He realised now, in the middle of police car lighting red and blue, of people wandering about doing stuff he could not yet understand, how estranged he was. The mysterious feeling of loneliness. He then hold his head on his hand and elbows on his knees. Charles sighed again.
Suddenly, Hugo came to sit next to him, shuffled his hair once again, it seemed he liked to do that. He put his arm around the tiny shoulders and gently brought him closer to himself, he hugged Charles lightly.
'What are you doing old man ? ... Ah that's right, I'm really no longer the mightiest emperor. Just a child. It isn't a dream, isn't it ahahah !'
He remembered the day of his coronation. The view of the city from the castle balcony was incredible. Under the mighty sun and the vast blue sky without a single cloud in sight, the day felt so prosperous even to little kids on the street. The peaceful and festive atmosphere made people know that the evil and demons were kept at bay, far from all. The recent rebellion and plot of usurpation was done in by none other than himself leading a whole battalion with few casualties. Everyone from the bottom to the top of the hierarchy was proud of this nation and the young emperor. Well, except bandits and the like of course. He recalled his young twins sister holding their mother hands and the glimmer of his sword he held high towards the sky, a 'defying the odds' gesture.
But thinking about it only made it worse. It seemed like a ridiculous and childish dream. Not everything was perfect that day. He knew it. The nostalgia and homesickness simply put a "beautiful" lens over his memories. And that broke him. The recent events with that awful woman who more than deserved her fate, and his loneliness made him cry, in anger, in frustration, in sadness.
Hugo only caressed the small head tenderly, not completely unaware of the tumultuous thoughts inside it. Only the fact that he once was a successful being who has fallen so low that he couldn't find himself in his reflection was still and will always be kept in the dark.
So, in a reassuring and caring tone, he whispered to Charles :
"You no longer have to worry about eating or other things. There will be people to help you. Now, you can cry because you will be happy Charlie. I promise you."