Solemn walked to the throne room and sat on his former seat that now belonged to Julius. He almost cried as he traced his fingers on the cushioned seat that empowered anyone who sat in it; all except him. If he was discovered sitting here, it would be considered treason and he would be killed immediately. He didn't know if the thought of death bothered him anymore. Maybe he should have listened to that man; 'Better to die and be mourned than live and be scorned.'
He sat there for a few more minutes and when he realised no one was in the palace except him, he left that place. The hallways were cold as he walked. There were barely any guards in the palace as if they felt they should protect their new king other than guard a building of rock. Everything and everyone he ever called his own had fled him. His kingdom, his people, his wife, his son and even his servants. He felt like a lost man in a foreign land with no one to aid him. If his father had been alive he would be disappointed in his son. He had let down everyone who ever had faith in him because of his sturboness and ignorance. It all felt like a dream; he wasn't important anymore.
Solemn entered his bed chamber and took himself to the bathroom. There was a large tub of water with rose petals covering the water's surface. This was one luxury he could enjoy peacefully where no one would bother him or judge him. He pulled his clothes off one by one and tossed them to the ground. When he was naked, he entered the tub and he displaced some of it and it spilled over. He relaxed his tense muscles and he let his hands hang freely from the rim of the tub. He dropped his head back and he was about to shut his eyes when Ceaser appeared in the door way. Had his son come to comfort him after all?
He lifted his head and turned to look at his son's face. The boy resembled his grandfather a lot. Even the intensity of his eyes was similar to his grandfather. If the man was alive he would be happy that his first grandchild was like him. Solemn's heart was filled with pride and sadness.
"How do you feel being in this position?" the boy asked.
"Ceaser my child," he said but stopped when he saw his son's shadow grow.
"So I am your child now. Only when you loose everything do you want to recognize me. I begged for your attention all my life but you never really cared, did you?"
"I know I hurt you and I am sorry. I just ask that you don't forget me. Doesn't a father, even one like me, deserve this much?"
Solemn looked away from Ceaser and he didn't notice the change in the boy's face. Ceaser felt sorry for his father but there was no point in saving an corpse.
"I have a request for you. Whether or not you'll do it is entirely up to you. When you are married and settled, name your first son after me. If you don't want to it is fine."
Solemn cried then. Ceaser's eyes became wet and his vision became a little blurry and he started sobbing quietly.
'If you can't kill him yourself then let me.' Crow's voice said in Ceaser's head.
"Would you..." Ceaser said sobbing,"... like to die by my... hand.....fa....father?"
"Yes. I wouldn't want anyone else to do so." Solemn answered holding back tears.
He turned to look at his son. The boy was rubbing his eyes and wiping away his tears. Solemn lifted his hands so Ceaser could hold him. The boy did so and let his father lead him into the tub.
'Ceaser no!' Crow warned.
Ceaser ignored him and let his father embrace him. He didn't notice the white mist that had surrounded him and his father.
'Kill him....' female voices said to Solemn,'Save yourself, majesty....'
Solemn's eyes turned black and he pushed Ceaser beneath the water surface. The boy started kicking and screaming under water. A few minutes passed and the boy wasn't moving anymore. Satisfied, what had possesed Solemn lifted the boy. As the boy was lifted from the water he became nothing but a piece of clothing.
Crow had taken over Ceaser's body just before the boy inhaled the water. He placed his hand on Solemn's head and watched as the man started convulsing. Dark mist came from the man's mouth, eyes and nose. When there was no more coming out, Crow dropped the man who was long gone and watched as the dark mist turned to three women. They were crying as there heads were indented by Crow's hand. The imprint was on Solemn as well. It wasn't long before they fell dead and their bodies disappeared.
Crow could hear Ceaser mourning his father from within his materialized body but he knew if he let the boy out now, the sorrow would overwhelm him. He stepped out of the tub and walked out of the room. Crow was only wearing a long black cloak that was thicker than most. It was wet and he didn't do anything about it. His feet sank a few millimeters into the floor leaving behind permanent prints that were filled with water draining from his cloak. The cloak had a wizard kind of look and was more of robe than a cloak.
He went Cornelius' chambers that had changed as he was the new King's advisor.
"What are you doing in your room instead of being outside supporting your king?" Crow asked standing behind Cornelius who was standing by the balcony. Cornelius didn't turn because he could tell the person behind him was dangerous.
"Solemn's dead, you're next."
Cornelius broke into a cold sweat and he slowly turned to look at the man threatening him. The balcony was close to the palace's main balcony where Julius was delivering his speech. Cornelius didn't even turn before Crow pushed him down from the balcony. Loud screams were heard when Cornelius fell to the ground and broke his head open.