Lucian coughed up a mouth full of blood that stained the inside of his mask, every breath became sharp as he pulled himself up, "Rig… th… my… apologies, I-I forg..ot the first rule… truths must never be… cough… spoken in halls like these," he wheezed out between the pain.
He was used to the pain by now, he'd been beaten so many times that even as he was beaten he could still think and speak clearly.
Khalia stepped back with a look of fury on her face, her shoes and the bottom of her dress were stained by the blood, it was the first time that Lucian ever saw her get messed with his blood while beating him.
Lucian groaned in pain as even the slightest movement caused sharp pains to erupt across his body, and every breath felt like a bunch of needles piercing through his flesh.
"I have had enough of your antics," Khalia announced as she turned around no longer looking at Lucian, "I have tried over and over again to help you, to give you a chance at success, but my every attempt is met with spite," she said while heaving.
"I have arranged for you to be taken to a dungeon 5 kilometres south of Strever, you shall clear it alone or you shall die in the process," she said.
"I'd rather you die in some dungeon than at the hands of a girl who hasn't even bled her first time," Khalia said through clenched teeth, the back of the chair she was grasping was slowly crumbling as she lost control of her strength.
Lucian narrowed his eyes at her final remark but before he could say anything Khalia had already ordered one of her royal guards to take him to the hospital to get patched up.
That night once his healing was done Lucian fell into a trance and the voice returned again, "…COME…" This time the voice was sharp and powerful and an image popped into his head, it looked like a silver shimmering pond suspended in the air.
As Lucian opened his eyes all was still and quite like nothing had happened.
---
Lucian found himself in a carriage heading in the direction of Strever during the 10th day of Ignos, it was his first time leaving the Royal Capital in his life.
All he had ever seen of the outside world was the snow-capped mountains of Eldrith which were clearly visible from the castle, and the green canopy of the forest that extended beyond the tall city walls.
Lucian sat in the carriage as it moved along the tarred roads, the woods extended on either side of the road with tall trees and small rodents scurrying through the shrubs.
The scent of the woods was very different from the royal palace which always held powerful scents of perfumes streaming through the halls.
The roads were busy with them getting caught behind a large train of carriages and wagons, many carriages were also making their way towards the city, filled with produce and wares to be sold in the city markets.
For this trip, a coachman was hired to take them to their location and Diego sat in the carriage with Lucian to protect him, which was something Lucian found amusing.
"I don't suppose your oath to stand as my protector would extend to clearing this dungeon, huh?" Lucian asked with his head leaning against his fist as he stared out the carriage window.
"It is the decision of the 7th empress that you do this alone, you are my charge, but the empress is my superior, I cannot go against my superior's orders," Diego answered.
"You ever get tired of speaking and acting like a tool?" Lucian asked as he yawned.
Diego's eyes dropped, "Why don't you enter one of those trances of yours," he replied avoiding the topic.
"Tsk," Lucian clicked his tongue and looked at the passing trees, "Still it is ironic that you were sent to protect me on an assignment meant to kill me," he chuckled.
"You are not being sent to your death, you need only begin cultivating, the dungeon has been evaluated as E-rank, even a large group of commoner mortals could end this dungeon if they received a bit of training," Diego replied.
"If you chose to enter without cultivating you will most likely die, but the choice is up to you," Diego added.
"Hahaha," Lucian chuckled, "Too bad I didn't bring any of my cultivation tomes or any of my resources," he replied with a shrug.
Diego brought up his hand and revealed a ring to Lucian.
Lucian scowled, "Let me guess the wench gave you everything I will need,"
Diego let a series of cultivation tomes fall out along with all the resources he would need to push himself up to a red core.
Lucian reached out to pick up the tomes, a pang of fury coursed through him when he saw that each of the tombs was of the legendary rank, he didn't even have the contribution points available to obtain one let alone so many sets.
The sight of it filled him with anger, that whore would dare to start acting like a real mother now, as his anger grew a light almost transparent energy coated his hand, several runes flickered to life and a ball of fire burst out turning the tomes to ashes.
"PRINCE!" Diego shouted as the tomes vanished into a pile of ashes.
"The next time you see her you can tell her that I'd rather die than accept anything she has to offer me," Lucian growled as he picked out the cultivation resources and started to toss them out the window.
"Anything and everything I achieve, it shall not be because of her," Lucian spat as Diego's eyes went dull.
"You have doomed yourself to death, my prince," Diego muttered with his voice going still.
"Why, why must it always be this way with you, whenever your mother speaks, whenever she offers sound advice, when she offers you her aid, why must you always spit in her face and do the opposite, even when it is detrimental to you?" Diego asked looking Lucian in the eye.
Lucian's eyes hardened, as he sat back down, he slowly turned away from Diego.
"You jest and mock me for acting like a tool, but now that I do not, you avert your gaze and answer me not?" Diego spoke and for the first time in fourteen years, there was outrage in his voice.
Lucian folded his arms and looked at Diego, "Because she care's only about herself, her every action, and every bit of charity she gives is done only to make herself look better,"
"When I look into her eyes I do not see the love a parent must show, but an opportunist who sees in me the opportunity to bolster her own image,"
"I will not allow my every success to help her, I will not allow her to one day say that it is thanks to her that I achieved anything,"
"If the day should come when I succeed in the courts or as a cultivator, she shall only be allowed to observe as a spectre lost to the shadows, there shall be no glory in it for her, and she shall be made to watch as I achieve all she wished me too while knowing that she had nothing to do with it," Lucian's voice burnt with spite that came from the centre of his being.
Diego shook his head, "What you describe is the way of power, it is the way of nobles, and most certainly the way of royals, if you wish to achieve anything at all you must find opportunists like your mother and make use of them even as they make use of you,"
"This is what it means to be a royal, there is nothing that is not up for exchange, not one's children nor one's affection, the sooner you learn of this the better my prince," Diego replied.
Lucian scowled, he never imagined that the first time he got this useless ornament to speak openly, he would start to school him on the ways of power.
He wanted to reject everything Diego was saying, but there was a part at the back of his mind telling him that there was truth to his words, truths that could not be denied, truths that needed further exploration.
---
Entry 395: The Journal of a Slothful Prince
The day is Darsha, the 10 tenth of Ignos, year 106 996 P.C.
I have found a new question on this day…
What does it mean to be a royal? what does it mean to be a noble?
I think many would answer that it means we are granted the power to rule over others, some would say that it makes us better than others, and others would say that it grants us perks…
I can think of a hundred different answers, yet none of them answer the question…
This question is an interesting finding, the first of its kind… I think…
It requires further exploration… my instincts tell me that it is important… perhaps this is the Arman-Katulas in me acting up…