I've lost count.
The times Elaine had bullied Mordred were so many that I had lost count.
It started when Elaine awakened her strand and since Mordred hadn't awakened his, she started picking on him.
In the beginning, things were not serious. It was just making fun of him and the odd sticking out of the foot to make him trip and fall.
But it gradually changed to getting dunked in the pond and even bodily harm. I guess that was around the time Elaine started hanging out with friends, mostly kids from families of high society.
They were probably tasked by their parents to get close to Elaine as she seemed the easiest royal child to form connections with.
Parasites.
Well, most of them
Even among those rich kids, there are one or two who are decent. They were the ones who tried to stop Elaine when she and the other spoiled kids bullied me.
But unfortunately, the majority are keen to make my life miserable. After all, a Failed Prince has no right to be happy in this world.
I can't remember how many times Mordred patched himself up whenever Gawain was unavailable. Most of the time, he even avoided Gawain as he didn't want to bother his older brother.
Mordred even learned first aid and basic medical procedures for the sole reason of treating himself after being bullied.
Heck, his cupboard has a whole section dedicated to medical supplies.
Elaine would always stop the bullying when Mordred gets injured or starts crying. She would run away when that happened. I don't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
Well, it wouldn't matter if Elaine left, the other kids would beat the absolute crap out of Mordred in her absence.
My body unconsciously flinched when I saw her face. An unfortunate side effect of years of bullying.
But it didn't matter. Seeing her face caused the bad memories of Mordred's bullying to flash across my mind and it made my blood boil.
The bullying stopped when Mordred awakened his strand and beat up those three heirs, who were the worst troublemakers among the lot.
I hate how she let herself easily swayed by those arrogant brats she calls 'friends' and her feeling of superiority over me.
She could've left Mordred alone but no. She had to show who the superior one was.
I have a sneaking suspicion as to why she bullied Mordred relentlessly. There is always a reason, I learned that from my previous life.
A lifetime of being mistreated can make one more perceptive of people's intentions.
Looks like she came to see me before leaving.
First Morgan, now Elaine. What's next?
King Arthur bringing farewell flowers?
"Get off me.", I growled. I have no time for this. I need to find a suitcase.
Elaine flinched under my glare and quickly got off me.
I dusted off my clothes and kept my eyes on her, "What do you want? Have you come to bully me one last time?", I asked coldly.
She was shocked by my tone. I can understand her reaction. Mordred never talked like this to her. But he is now dead.
And this is my life now. There is no way I am going to just take in all the abuses like a punching bag.
Elaine quickly recovered her composure and crossed her hands, "Looks like awakening your strand made you bold, Mordred."
"Oh as if you were quite humble when you awakened yours.", I shot back with a sneer.
Oh, that felt quite good.
I can see her haughty look beginning to waver.
"Looks like you heard of my punishment. Did you meet Morgan on the way? I believe she made it clear that you are not welcome", I pointed out.
Looking at her expression I can see that I hit the spot.
"So it is true. You are going to the North.", she said, showing me an expression that stood out in Mordred's memories.
An expression she made on the day her strand awakened and realized that Mordred hadn't awakened his.
Pity.
Nope. You can keep your pity with you.
"Well. Too bad. Are you sad to see your punching bag go away?", I taunted her.
"That's not-"
"Then what?", I approached her, "Are you finally being remorseful?"
Her previously confident face started to crumble and she became nervous the closer I approached her.
I slowly pulled off the glove on my right hand and showed my open palm to her, "If that is the case, then I am afraid it is too late."
Elaine's eyes widened and she recoiled in horror at what she saw.
A barely closed hole stood out in the middle of my palm with the edges of the skin surrounding looking burnt.
It was as if a burning spike was driven into my right hand.
The memories of how I got the injury were vivid, and so were the screams of Mordred.
"You remember this right?", I asked with a sneer,
"It's been what? Six months? I remember you running away like a coward when I first started to scream as one of your 'friends' impaled my hand against the wall with his red hot dagger."
"You didn't even look back as he twisted the dagger and made this hole a permanent mark on my body. Not even my recently awakened Haema strand can heal it. The flames had cauterized the wound."
Elaine's body shook and she covered her mouth in horror, "But t-they said that the h-healers took c-care of you.", she stammered.
"And you believed them?", I laughed, "How naive can you be, dear Elaine."
I stopped laughing and my expression turned blank, "There are no healers for the Dawn Palace. Some of my injuries were treated by Gawain but most of them?"
"I had to patch them up by myself.", I snarled.
"Including this.", I shoved my open palm right on her face so she could properly see the hole in my hand, the stigmata that I now carry as a consequence of her actions.
This was by far the worst injury Mordred had ever received in his years of bullying. He didn't tell anyone about it, for fear of putting Elaine in trouble.
I can't believe it.
Despite all the horrible things she did to him, Mordred cared about his sister.
Utterly preposterous!
Maybe it was because both of them were of the same age or because she was one of the few people who visited him, even though it was to pick on him.
The Mordred of this world was more patient than me. He was also kinder and perhaps, more naive.
He gave Elaine many chances to change but it was all in vain. Even when Gawain thought of confronting her, he stopped him, saying everything was okay when it really wasn't.
He took in all the abuse like a sacrificial lamb, hoping for a day when things would turn out better. He even hoped to be surrounded by good friends and play with Elaine as an equal.
A foolish and false hope that he relied on to cope with his utter weakness in this cruel world of superhumans.
How stupid.
And even patience has its limits.
Mordred realized this a little too late, while the illness ravaged his body and mind. His kind and naive personality crumbled to dust and revealed a hate-filled fiend and he cursed.
He cursed and cursed until his last wheezing breath which was filled with anger and hatred.
Out of everything he cursed in his final moments, Elaine took a major spot among them.
"I always wondered why you constantly bullied me. I wondered this every single time I patched myself up.", I said in a low tone as I stood right in front of her, my icy gaze looking into her terrified blue eyes.
"At first I thought it was your so-called 'friends' who seem to be always with you. But when you are in trouble, most of them disappear. Only Henry, Fiora, and Rose remain by your side while the others suddenly have some other things to do."
"I thought the rotten ones among them influenced you to turn on your brother. But I realized that is only a part of the reason.", I spoke quietly and my mouth curled into a sneer.
Elaine was trembling all over, her previous attitude had collapsed and she now looked at me with only fear in her eyes.
No arrogance, no pity, no regret. Only fear.
Just the way I wanted.
But she didn't try to avert her shaking eyes but looked straight at me. Despite being scared, she is still headstrong.
I'm impressed.
I continued, "Your feeling of inferiority towards Morgan and Gawain, and your superiority over me caused you to look down on me and torment me."
I cocked my head, "The feeling of trampling down the weak was exhilarating. Isn't it?"
"There is also one more reason for your actions.", I leaned close and whispered in her ear, "You were jealous of me."
"What! Me? Jealous of you?", she blurted out.
I nodded, "You wanted Queen Guinevere's attention all to yourself."
"But mom always gives me attention!"
"Yes, she does. But she always cared for me like her own child, the lone prince who never felt a mother's love. Despite the restrictions His Majesty placed to minimize entry into the Dawn Palace, she visited me.", I pointed out.
"And you became jealous of that. Your immature mind failed to realize that you have a mother who loves you dearly. The Queen visited me because my mother was like a sister to her and she made a vow to take care of Gawain and me."
"Your jealousy and inferiority sowed the seeds of resentment against me and they sprouted when you awakened your strand. And the rest is history."
I slammed my right hand on the wall beside her so hard that blood trickled from my wound.
"I've put up with your torment all this time in hopes of you changing your ways. In the end, I was the fool who got his hopes up.", I snarled, and my bloodlust started leaking out, chilling the surrounding air.
"Your immaturity, arrogance, and naivety blinded you from seeing what was actually happening. You run away like a coward when things get difficult and you let yourself be swayed by the words of others.", I said, my voice filled with venom.
"Mordred. I-", she tried to speak but I stopped her.
"Shut up, Elaine. You made my life a living hell all these years. How dare you feel remorse now?", I spat out.
The blood that trickled from my wound floated to my side. It morphed into a small knife and hovered right in front of her eyes. She started to panic.
"I hate you, Elaine Pendragon.", I hissed hatefully.
Suddenly someone placed a firm grip on my shoulder.
"Your Highness. That is enough.", a stern female voice spoke behind me. I glanced back.
It was Elaine's Phantom Knight, a tall young woman with light purple hair and purple eyes.
I looked at her for a minute and closed my eyes, "Very well. Take your hand off my shoulder."
She quickly complied with my order.
I stepped back from Elaine and the girl collapsed on the floor, pale as a ghost and trembling all over, her blue eyes shook with fear.
I looked down on her, just as she looked down on Mordred all those years.
It felt good.
I want to believe that she might still have a small chance. But it is so small it is better to not even consider taking it. I don't even feel like using her.
But seeing her like this, my anger started to slowly fade. Butill remained.
I scoffed at her pitiful state, "Consider this advice from your deceased brother. You better start rethinking your choice of friends. Henry, Fiora, and Rose are good people. You better not lose them."
Elaine looked at me, her eyes welling with tears, "Mordred. I-"
"Shut it. Don't speak to me.", I didn't even look at her, instead I looked at the Phantom Knight.
"Escort her out of here and make sure she doesn't set foot in the Dawn Palace.", I ordered her.
She narrowed her eyes and was about to retort but my glare stopped her. She quickly bowed, "Very well, your Highness."
I then walked past Elaine and stopped at the door.
"You better not get in my sight again. Goodbye, Elaine."
I walked away from my room as the silence was broken by the weeping of the girl I had just broken.
I took a deep breath. I feel a little better now. I glanced at my watch and quickened my pace along the corridor without even looking back.
Where's that damn suitcase!