'I have seen a lot of people pollute their potential after sipping the cup of entitlement,' He continued.
'This is certainly true of the many people I meet over the years.'
'even my brothers and sisters.' being the youngest of the family, the deceased Alden had his fair share of bullying beyond beliefs. He dare not go there again unless he's ready.
'what the Von farrow family needs to understand is that they should never feel like the Clarimond family owes them anything in return.'
'it doesn't.' Alden looks at his palm, the healing potion in his hand still shimmers; he slowly stood up from his chair and faced Lucas, who was utterly attentive to every word that he had spoken. Alden grabs Stewart Lucas's hand and places the healing potion in his. He continued.
'you must accept that your hesitation is all on you.'
'if you choose not to accept it today.'
'Then there will be none for tomorrow.'
'remember, I owe no one.'
'my words at times might seem like a very cynical way to view the world.'
'but I will argue that it is a librating mindset.'
'you can only feel betrayal when you feel as if you are owed something from someone.'
'you can only feel resentment when you have expectations for help,'
[it was Jasper's mistake, after all. He was the one who bit more than he could chaw.] He continued.
'take it and think of it as a repayment,'
Alden paused and looked at Stewart Lucas. He spoke.
'when you accept that it is all on you, only then can you finally be free to focus on what's important to you.'
[that's what distinguishes humans from animals]
[...]
[and me from you]
Alden said,
although the affairs of the Von farrow family are harsh, it is certainly not complicated.
If Alden asked for a fast horse, they would have no problem granting him that privilege.
If he asked to be betrothed to a beauty, Even though they already have, they would do that for him with no question asked. However, to ask for his grandfather to be released from the shackles of his own mistakes is simply asking to have his head to be hanged. That is something Alden would never do. It's the truth. Born as the youngest of the family, after discovering he has no magical affinity, the Von farrow family threw Alden aside and never bothered to help him. They left him on his own.
Jasper, it is a fair thing to say it was a chivalric act to take care of Alden, but who, among chivalrous men, would not have an ulterior motive? Alden believes that when Jasper lost everything, he did not indeed fall. He merely bowed his head and bided his time. Jasper perhaps saw an opportunity to raise Alden to rebel in the name of unfairness, stealthily. He, with all his experience, had thought maybe one day. Alden would help him if he showed him that someone cared for him.
Even now, Alden is not in the right mind to fully trust Jasper; that's why Alden devised a simple plan to unfold jaspers' true intentions.
[one; if he genuinely cares for the deceased Alden. then he would outright reject the healing potion and send it back]
[or even more, he would come with Lucas to summer city to have a proper heart to heart talk]
[giving Jasper a head start to be the first person i can trust]
[but]
[if he drinks it, then it would mean that his desperate for any help and would do anything for his own goals]
[whatever it is, only time could tell]
'now, do you understand?' Alden spoke,
Stewart Lucas is stunt at those words. It may sound vague, but the hidden words simply mean it is to 'forget the Von farrow family rules and do as you wish. Although Stewart Lucas might seem cowardly to no end, his will to follow every word spoken by Alden in every detail is exceptional. Therefore, he suddenly kneeled to the floor and shouted.
"YES YOUNG LORD ALDEN" underneath him, Alden saw some drop of tears falling to the floor,
[whatever] Alden thought. He turned around and put both hands behind his back. Magnanimous appearing as ever,
'go' Stewart Lucas heard this and jerked his head up, tears and snot on his face. If Alden saw him now, he would no doubt cringe at him. Therefore, Alden would instead not participate and started walking towards the exit.
'you have one month,' Alden said. Those were the last words Stewart Lucas heard watching Alden leaving the guest house. While this was happening, Stewart Lucas' eyes turned from teary to that of resolution and determination.
He quickly stood up and yield his lungs out,
"GUARDS' "
"GUARDS,"
'"PREPARE MY CARRIAGE QUICKLY' "
"GUARDS," He quickened his pace to the nearest servant he could find; although Alden had already disappeared towards the training ground, he could already hear the sound of bustling servants rushing and screaming. The amount of noise happening is polluting.
*sigh*
[the sooner you leave] Alden smiled
[the better] He thought.
As he finished his thoughts, a murky shadow beneath his feet expanded, although no one was near his vicinity. But if there were someone, they would have already screamed at what was happening to the young Lord. As he kept walking, surrounded by the empty hall of the tower castle, Alden's footsteps made a clinging noise.
Yet as he walks further, his shadows expand little by little, his feet no longer made any noise, the murky shadow that resembles burning flames rose. Alden's feet are sinking.
Every footstep, every movement, seems natural, yet his entire body is being engulfed with shadows of flames. He sunk to his waist, then to his shoulders, then to his head.
*SHEEEWWWWW*
The shadow of flames disappears. No Alden, no shadows.