(14 years in the past)
Birds chirping.Leaves swaying.The water in the stream flows.
It was a peaceful time in the middle of the forest but it wasn't as peaceful as soft sniffles and cries can be heard from a boy.
He crouched in the corner.His head burried on his hugged knees.He kept on crying and sniffling under the tree while mumbling incoherent words as his shoulders shake.
"Not...not a monster...hnff"
The 10 year old boy couldn't understand...Why does everyone keep on treating him like a monster?
Their eyes would be filled with terror even if he just innocently stared at them.They would even run as if... he was terrifying.
Cassian, the young boy, thought that he should've gotten used to it by now but he still couldn't.
As an illegitimate child of the emperor, he knows where his line is.He knows that he should be thankful that there are still maids that are serving him... even though they're treating him like crap.
Cassian tries to be optimistic, like the hero of a children's book her mother left him.He should persevere and never give up... so that one day, people will look at him with admiration and not fear.He should defeat the cause of the fear rather than being what everyone is afraid of...
Cassian once again wipes his face, trying to erase the evidence of his weeping and sobbing.With a resolute mind he thought, 'I'll figure out what they fear of me...I'll change it so that even just a little... they'll like me more'
While comforting himself, Cassian suddenly flinched at a loud thump- then after that constant rustling can be heard as if something was falling down the forest's steep structure.
Cassian was confused and he's trying to figure out where the sound is coming from.The rustles finally stopped when it ended with a big splash.
'On the stream!'
His feet ran towards where the sound might be.He doesn't know why he's running towards it. It might be a trap to kill him sent by his brothers or a large beast wandering the forest.It might be dangerous but... his curiosity got ahead of him.
As he finally reached the stream, far away, he saw a body just laying on the stream as it isn't too deep for the body to fall down and the waves aren't strong either.It was just stuck there.
'Is..is it dead?', his thoughts suddenly scaring him.His heart beats as he comes closer to it.His eyes also wandered for where it might have come from.
Cassian looked at the side and saw a cliff and a slope just where the body might have fallen from..With that height...they might be dead already.His hands starting trembling at that thought.
'No... Let's confirm it first'
He finally stood in front of it.He carefully stepped towards the stream, Wetting his shoes in the process but he didn't care about that right now.
The body was turned sideways so in order to check if they're still breathing he needed to move it...His shaking hands reached for their shoulders and carefully moved it the other way.
As if Cassian had removed a block, the blood coming from the head started soiling the clear blue stream.His eyes widened.
Badump...badump...
There was blood everywhere.
His heart thumped harder than it ever has.Even though he's being bullied verbally and physically, his heart was never this scared.
His eyes were just staring at the water...Focusing on the blood and suddenly he realized his reflection on the water.His face was distorted but it was clear how scared he looks like.
The water got darker eventually but before the clear water got any darker,He stared right through his eyes.
ah.
His eyes.They were red.Like blood.
No one has told him he was different because of his red eyes but Cassian realized it now.He just thought it was just because he's an illegitimate child.
The royal family has yellow eyes, while the other common colors are blue, green, pink, brown and black but never red...
Everyone treated him like a monster just because of this damn red eyes.
A single tear rolled down his cheek.Cassian can't believe that he's crying again.
As one tear escaped, tons followed.He almost forgot that someone was literally dying next to him.
Almost because the said body suddenly grabbed his ankles.
"Ah!"
'Goodness... right, this blood was from someone.'
His eyes looked at the girl that was staring right at him— Staring right at his eyes!She wasn't scared, nor looking at him scornfully.It was oddly calm for someone that was about to die.
The hand that was gripping him tightened, with the little bit of energy left within her, she says, "Help me", then her beautiful purple eyes closed while still looking at him.
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