aiden was going to attack the other dragons when a figure appeared in front of him taking his attention.
ladon was also trembling in fear while facing aiden, his brother was most powerful dragon for nothing but he have to save the citizens from his brother's wrath. its not entirely their fault that they were unable to save their queen, the guards guarding the room also died brutally.
"roar!" aiden let out a roar in his berserk state as he glared at ladon but ladon didn't moved. he was still in his human form, covered in blood from the battle
"your majesty brother aiden calm down its not their fault" ladon dodged the fire that aiden sent towards him as he tried to talk aiden
"queen luna wont want you to kill everyone" ladon tried again after dodging several attacks and few injuries.
this sentence made aiden pause giving hope to ladon.
"she's gone!" aiden hissed as he roared again
"but you have your children, if you kill everyone then who is going to take care of them?" ladon asked finally making aiden stop.
aiden heard what his brother was saying and his wife's words repeated in his mind.
'even if you don't have me you have our children with you'
the words were echoing in his head giving him a headache. he was filled with loss of his wife but his heart was not willing to stop beating wildly. his mind was only thinking that he had to take care of his children now.
aiden changed to his human form as he calmed down and his rage declined replaced with grief and feeling to protect his children. ladon also sighed as he noticed that aiden had calmed down.
"big brother i am sorry we failed to protect sister in law. but now we need to protect the children, the eggs that she left in your care" ladon said carefully not to anger aiden again.
aiden had tears flowing down his face and his eyes closed as he stood there. when he opened his eyes he just glanced at his brother and vanished from the spot.
ladon had never seen that look on his brother's face. one filled with grief and vulnerability. he looked like he would break down any moment. the look on Aiden's face, his red moist eyes filled with tears and pain left ladon too shaken that he stood the same way for a long time without moving.
aiden arrived back in his room and knelt down near his wife's body gently caressing it as he cried. he was there for hours filled with grief and cried until tears didn't fell from his eyes anymore leaving them dry. he didn't knew why or how he fell asleep but he was woken up by his brother still near his wife.
when he remembered what happened he didn't knew what else to do as he glanced at his brother. aiden was lost he didn't knew what to do anymore except that his love was gone and he have to take care of his children.
ladon was again shaken when he looked at his brother losing himself. he also was not too sure what to do looking at aiden's condition.
"we have to host a funeral for the late queen her majesty luna shadowdragon" ladon said what he can think of. aiden had always been respected, playful king who knew what to do and when while ladon had been the little brother who just had to deal with the pranks his brother played on everyone along with helping him when needed.
aiden glanced at luna still lost as he nodded then some light appeared in his eyes when he glanced at his eggs. he have to keep them safe and he knew that the cult members would come again. now that his wife was dead he cant take care of his eggs while still dealing with the kingdom. 'the cult members would try to take away his wife's corpse too as the dragon scales, crystal and other parts of body were excellent crafting materials.'
he cant let his wife's corpse get dirtied and disrespected. when normally a dragon dies they hold a funeral and grieve for a week, then the dead body was buried in the ground or burned, while some also donate their body to serve as crafting materials. his wife wont want to get buried in ground while she can help someone get stronger armour or weapons made from her scales.
aiden wont let just anyone take his wife's body either! he would let his children use it for themselves.
ladon was waiting for aiden to speak something for a long time but aiden was still deep in thought. though ladon was relieved to see that aiden's eyes were gaining its spark again though barely. aiden turned to him after a long time his expression filled with determination.
ladon would never have thought that aiden's next words would change whole dragon kingdom's future.
"i am resigning as the king. you will be crowned after the grieving period is over and take over my position while your elder son prince adrian would be the heir after you. as for my queen's dead body it will belong to our children to use just like mine" aiden told but before ladon can say anything he continued
"after you are crowned i will be taking my eggs away and leave the kingdom so that i can protect them and the kingdom from the red poison cult. the last leader told that there will be more attacks and the enemy powerful than them. if i stay here it will only get others killed too. nobody will contact me while i am gone and i contact them myself, and no one is allowed to know where i will be heading. if you don't meet my children in next three years or i don't return back in next three years consider us dead and that i failed to keep the children safe" aiden said as he turned to his eggs gently cleaning them from the blood of his wife.
ladon who was too shocked wanted to argue. ladon was not prepared to take the throne he just wanted to help his brother all his life but now not only aiden wanted him to be the king but aiden also wanted to leave the kingdom! what to do to stop aiden? what aiden said was final and right thing to do for the kingdom's safety and ladon didn't had any words to speak.
"big brother please think again! i don't think i am able to handle the kingdom without you" ladon said but he didn't received any response in return. he tried again many times talking to aiden but he didn't speak a word more.
the funeral was hosted and the whole kingdom was filled in sadness of losing their loving and caring queen. the news was sent to other kingdoms too thank's to the media and many letters and messages of condolence arrived. after the week was over the news of ladon being the king was sent out and he was coronated without much grand of the ceremony.
ladon had tried many times in the past few days but he didn't heard a single word from aiden. he had just been taking care of his eggs and nothing else. the lost look in his eyes had returned and ladon was left with many new responsibilities on his shoulder.
just as aiden said he left the kingdom without telling anyone where he was going and arrived in front of the cave they were currently living in.
....
"when i came here i didn't thought that i would meet him and would be attacked again. i helped him back then and he allowed me to stay here, it isn't a normal cave it is a place where one of kailial's soul fragment lives." aiden told faes and sky his mind going back to the past.