A/N: The chapter ahead is raw, which means not been proofread yet nor edited.
***
"Maxigaufeas, what are you standing there for?" the Empress called out with her furrowed eyebrows to her son.
Prince Maxigaufeas palmed his face then sent his fingers through his hair. His eyes were swollen and red and he look like a mess. Everyone's prepared to leave. The teleportation sheets are, too. But they can't tear them apart, because the Prince is not with them.
"I haven't talked to Princess Eowyne yet," he said.
The Empress was stunned, until she angrily glared at her son.
"Your stupid father is fighting for his useless life, and you're thinking about that thing? For what? She's an enemy!"
Prince Maxigaufeas raised his hand and shook his head, "No. No, you don't understand. She's not an enemy. She's different. I just have to... You can leave first. I care about Dad, but I care for her, too. I'm not leaving her just like this. We're not going back here anymore. The next time I'll see her is in the Academia. If I leave without notice, it would hurt her, Mom. She's not one of my girls. She's my girl."
Emperor Maxism seemed to hear his son despite his senses not working. He coughed up blood with a proud grin and raised his shaking hand to give his son a thumb's up.
The Prince tear up.
Franchetti Xerene tapped the Empress's shoulder and nodded at the Prince. Lord Spike flicked an extra teleportation spell to him and he got it between his fingers.
Lord Thirdy stepped out, "I'll go with him. I won't let him do anything stupid."
Empress Clastigaufeas rolled her eyes and slapped her husband's thumb's up down.
"Stupid. Stupidity! You're really like your stupid father! This stupid Maxism Ford Lee!"
The Emperor chuckled.
"---Very...ni...ngac..." he added to his full name.
"Shut the fuck up!"
Duke Paris pursed his lips and looked away. Their wives sure are angels. Just fallen.
Lord Thirdy bowed and pulled his brother to where the Princess is, turning their backs on their family who tore the sheets at once. But when they arrived at the Diamond Palace, the only ones there were the knights and servants.
"What is this?"
They bowed upon their arrival.
"The Princesses can't enter the Palace anymore, Your Highness, My Lord. Princess Eowyne just left with her family to return to their Duchy. We're merely waiting here, hoping the Palace will grant us access and get the Princesses possessions inside," said the servant.
Prince Maxigaufeas held a step back. When he fully absorbed it, his feet chased down the pavements to run after the Princess when the Lord pulled him back.
"Wait a second. Don't even think about it. They are probably wary of you now. I'll help you sneak later, just let them get home first, Maxi. You will only make things worse. It'll be scandalous. And you're not going to her in that miserable state of yours. So, go home and help Tita Clast explain what happened here to Kuya Clax and Ate Selene. Alright?"
Prince Maxigaufeas looked down and closed his eyes. It took him a moment to decide. When he nodded, Lord Thirdy gave him a small smile and returned to their Empire together.
There, they found Franchetti Xerene, Voltage Xirquit, and Duke Paris talking to the Crown Prince and Duchess Selene. They saw how the dread fell on the Crown Prince's face, how his slit eyes dilated into round, and how his shaking hands grabbed the handle of his sword on his waist.
When the two hot nearer, Prince Maxigaufeas couldn't look straight in his brother's eyes. He's shaken, afraid of how his brother will look at him. But the Crown Prince pulled him for a hug. Once again, he broke down into tears and hugged him back.
"I-I'm sorry... It's not me. It's not me."
Crown Prince Claxiord breathe in deeply and comforted his brother with silence. He doesn't know what to say. He's in state of shock; but he's sober enough to not blame his brother for what happened to their brother.
"We'll figure this out. It's not your fault. We'll figure this out, alright? It's not okay, but we'll be fine."
Prince Maxigaufeas sobbed on his chest until he passed out. Duke Paris and Voltage Xirquit volunteer to bring the Prince to his chamber, but the Crown Prince refused and thanked them for their concern. He brought his brother to his chamber himself. Empress Clastigaufeas came in with her wrinkled facial expression. It's obvious how annoyed and irritated she is, and they think it's not the appropriate reaction to the situation they're in. Maybe it's better than grieving for the half-dying Emperor.
"He passed out. I'll call the servants to change him,"
"Fuck, no. I'll change him myself," she clicked her tongue and walked to the Prince's walk-in-closet.
While on her way, she muttered, "Stupid. Really stupid! That boy and his Dad!"
Crown Prince Claxiord looked at their guests and sighed.
"Sorry for that. She doesn't trust our servants enough when it comes to us."
Franchetti Xerene nodded and smiled, "I understand. I'm a mother, too. She's probably afraid that they will touch you maliciously. I've been through that, and still carrying that worry until now. Especially to Elektra, that one is too reckless. One time, some men touched her and she's too naive to know what it meant before. When she told Ohms about it, the boy turned the town upside down and beat the shit out of those men. I cut their dicks off when I found them," she narrated with a vicious smile on her face.
Lord Thirdy coughed and covered his thing. Duke Paris scoffed at his son.
Duchess Selene cleared her throat, about to speak up when the Empress returned with her son's clothes.
"Step aside, Dragunovv halfling. No, get out. I don't care if you're Franchetti Xerene's daughter. A Dragunovv is a Dragunovv. Get the fuck out of my house and don't show your face to me ever AGAIN!"
"Mother!"
"No, Claxiord!" The Empress snapped, breathing heavily. She aggressively dropped the clothes on the bed.
"I want you to postpone your engagement with this thing. I don't want to see her face, I don't want her walking around my house, and I don't want her getting friendly with us! I'm done. I will fuck up every Dragunovv in sight, so be wise. Send her back to where she belong or I will bring her back in pieces. Choose, Claxiord! I am not fucking playing!"
Duchess Selene covered her mouth. Her eyes were teary, and she's asking why this is happening.
"A-Auntie, please don't do this. I will stay out of your sight---but please! I love your son!"
Empress Clastigaufeas seethe, "And? I love my son more. You and your stinking Dragunovv blood. All of this is happening because of you. My husband is fighting for his sorry life beause of you, and you will shamelessly walk around---"
She fell into silence when her eyes focuses on the blurred figure behind the Duchess, standing by the doorway.
"Maxism Ford Lee! What the fuck!?"
The Empress pushed the Duchess aside and went to her husband. Emperor Maxism's weight fell on her.
Their eyes widened.
"Stop..." he whispered between his pained groans, "Don't blame her. I'm fine. Still alive. Don't make our son sad. You'll break our son, Clast. Don't make him...hate you for that."
Empress Clastigaufeas was dumbfounded.
The Emperor heard it all, miraculously. His senses goes back to him, then loses them again after a while. He knows that his wife will make a mess. With him weakened, her leash in his hand was loosened, and now this. He's glad he made it in time. He's glad that he's saved his son from heartbreak.
"You don't understand what I'm feeling. You don't know anything at all," she said with her breaking, shaking voice, and the Emperor smiled as he wrap his numbing hands around her. One around her waist, the other on her nape.
"What do you think I'm here for, if not that?"
Empress Clastigaufeas tightly closed her eyes and hugged her husband. Not that too tight to not squeeze him. The Emperor led themselves to the Prince's bed. His wife and son helped him get down on the bed beside Prince Maxigaufeas.
"Ah, my boy. He must be so distressed. Tell him it's not his fault. Bad grasses don't wither quickly," he joked and pulled his son.
The Prince opened his eyes and looked up to him.
"D-Dad? Why---"
The Emperor smiled and kissed his head.
"Shh, sleep. I'm here. I'm not going to die. I won't leave you yet. I want to see my grandkids. I want a hundred. Fifty for each of you."
Prince Maxigaufeas hugged him and buried his face on his chest. His muffled cries brought tightness to their chests. He's blaming himself.
"Because of me... I-I did this. I-I'm sorry. It should've been me. It should've been me instead,"
Emperor Maxism brush his hand on the back of his head.
"I'm thankful it's me and not you. Your Dad is strong, Maxi. Watch me. When I see that kid again, I'll beat the shit out of him and hang him upside down outside the window. Don't cry, my boy. I'm fine. You got me. I got you."
"You can't die. Mom will kill everyone."
Emperor Maxism smirked, "That, too. This is nothing. We'll figure this out. What about you and Watts?"
Prince Maxigaufeas sniffed, "He got mad because I mentioned Moon earlier. The machines at the Tower aren't working anymore, so I begged for his help. I don't know where he is. Probably making the machines."
"Thank him on my behalf. Hush now, my favorite boy. Let's sleep. Daddy...is so sleepy."
The Prince nodded and kissed his father's cheek. As the darkness slowly pull the Emperor within, a tiny smile stretched his lips.
And since then, the Emperor never opened his eyes again.
***
Crown Prince Claxiord sat by the bed where his father is resting. The beeping of the machines bothers him, but at the same time gives him relief knowing that his father is still alive. He'd rather listen to it than never hear it at all. With the adults' help, Watts Xirquit finished the making of the machines within a week. He did not revealed the formula to them to make them work.
"Hello, Dad," he began. He never imagine that there will be a time where he will see the Emperor in such pitiful state. That's where he came to realize that he's indeed a humble and fragile being; a human. However, the Emperor is also the strongest man he's ever seen.
"Mom is getting saltier day by day. Maxi locked himself in his room and won't talk to any of us. Uncle Volt and Aunt Xerene are helping us get through this. Watts will come by to run maintenance on the machines..." and he went on.
He sharply blew air from his mouth. He moved closer to the Emperor and grabbed his cold hand. He placed the back of the Emperor's hand on his forehead, and that's when the tears he's been holding back to himself fell. He made it as silent as possible. The feeling of hopelessness is creeping in.
"Thank you for saving my engagement with Selene. I should've been there. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left. I'm sorry for leaving you."
His tears wet the bed.
"Please, come back to us. Wake up. We can't do this without you. If you wake up, I'll give you a grandchild. I'll name him after you. If you die, you won't see our babies. Your loss, Dad. Your loss," he joked to patched up his collapsing system.
The Empress, who is unintentionally eavesdropping, rolled her eyes and left her son and husband alone silently. She went to her second son's room and knocked.
Prince Maxigaufeas heard the knocks on his door. He knew who's behind it, but he's afraid to show his face to anyone. He can't bear the idea of seeing his father. Even though they keep on telling him that what happened is not his fault, it still is. It won't happen if not because of him.
His guilt is drowning him. He's been crying, helplessly blaming himself. His self-loathing is growing day by day. He can't seem to function. He's so miserable that it's pathetic.
Lord Thirdy arrived with a woman. Empress Clastigaufeas faced them. This is her last resort. If none of them can make her son move, then maybe it's because they're not the ones he wants to see.
Maybe it's Princess Eowyne.
"Your Imperial Majesty," the Princess bowed elegantly, "I am humbled to be before your presence. Thank you for having me."
Empress Clastigaufeas study the Princess. She sure have all the good qualities. Very reserved and elegant. She's both elegance and grace, a model for how a noble lady must be.
"Raise your head. I assume you know why I requested you here."
The Princess held her head high and nodded.
"Yes. I swear on my name, only my name, that I promise to not share what's to happen to my family. I won't betray the Prince's trust on me, and I only wish you trust me as well and not see me as an enemy."
Suddenly, the Empress smirked nastily and looked at her from head to toe then back to her pretty, small face.
"As you should. Don't get into my bad side. Destroying you is as easy as stepping on a roach."
Princess Eowyne gulped and bowed a little.
Empress Clastigaufeas stepped aside to give her a way to her son's door.
"If he does something funny, don't hesitate to protect yourself and call us. That one got his father's little devil," the Empress reminded and the Princess took note of that.
First, she knocked.
"Maxigaufeas Vernignac, open this door," she demanded powerfully, taking the Empress by surprise.
"Don't even think of leaving me standing here. I didn't go all the way here just to get ignored by some sulking, little boy. I could've been having my beauty sleep. Open the door or you'll regret not opening it. Open it!" she kicked his door once lightly.
Lord Thirdy gave the Empress the look of approval, telling her that the Princess is a one of a kind.
And as the Lord expected, what he needed is her.
"Ah, no. Nope." The Princess stepped back while waving her hand by her face with her nose slightly scrunched.
"Your Imperial Majesty, I will be by the sitting room. Kindly notify me if your miserable son and his chambers are clean and does not smell like garbage. I'm not getting in there. I'm here to see the Prince, not a sewer rat," she sassed and bowed at the Empress. She left as soon as she's done talking, leaving the three with their jaws dropping.