Kristian glared down at Leo. With nothing but cruelty in his unwavering red eyes. He spoke, his tone full of nothing but coldness.
"You are not my son. You'll never be. And I'll never accept you as my own."
Leo's heart shattered into small pieces, as his left hand trembled. His grip on his father's leg getting weaker by the second. The tears that threatened to fall were overwhelming, but Leo managed to compose himself, as he looked up at Kristian from the ground as he was on his knees, with a terrified look, he could only whisper in a weak voice.
"Fa...Father...Please..."
But Kristian's mind was already set. He interpreted Leo, his voice firm and cold.
"Enough. I have one and only son. Leo. It is Luke. Not you."
Tears started rolling down Leo's soft cheeks. He couldn't hold them in any longer, his soft sobs filled the spacious room. His hand trembled, his grip on his father's pants almost disappearing. But he again held firmly, his knuckles turning white from how hard he's holding onto it. He spoke in a devastated tone.
"Father...Please....What does he have that I do no have....? What's so different about him...?" He spoke between sobs, his words almost audible. "...I'm your son...The one and only...Your flesh and blood...Please....I beg...Please choose me...No one ever chooses me...."
It seemed like time stopped as Leo waited eagerly and patiently for his father's response with unwavering hope in his hazel eyes. Kristian spoke, his tone determined to break any last of hope in Leopold's heart.
"You are not my son. I never treated or accepted you as one. Leopold."
Leo started crying hysterically and uncontrollably, his hand that was holding the pants fell to the ground, his body shaking with quiet sobs. All Leo could feel was emptiness. All his years on living for this man's approval were gone in a blink of an eye. All because of one person. Luke, the so assumed son of Kristian.
Kristian glared down at the broken Leo.
"Is it because I'm not enough...? I'm not strong...? I'm not smart...? Bu-But I am working hard....I am trying hard..."
Leo mumbled to himself, his words almost disappears in his devastated state, all of this years of trying to please Kristian were for nothing. All his studying. All his training. All those nights he spends without sleeping. All those people he sacrificed himself for. Seemed to mean nothing for the uncaring Kristian.
Leo looked up from the ground, meeting Kristian's eyes for the first time since the argument started, his gaze was full of nothing but hatered and despise, but even so, he couldn't do anything to avenge himself, all he could do was pray for another chance, for time to go back twelve years ago so he could fix his mistakes, but god was never with him, this prayer seemed to him useless as he was going to face his end.
Kristian glared down at Leo. He spoke in an authorative voice, he's word very clear.
"Guards. Take him down to the dungeon. With no food for ten days until his execution."
And within his words. Two strong looking guards entered the room, the bowed their heads in respect for Kristian and approached the kneeled down Leo. They grabbed him each by arms, and lifted him up. They started dragging him out.
All Leo could do was to let the hatred and despise for Kristian grow more. As he blurted out, his voice was irritated and hurt.
"Know that you'll regret it Kristian! I will never forgive you! Remember me!"
He shouted as the guards took him away, he didn't let a single tear fall, his lower lip started bleeding as he bit it so hard.
A loud thud could be heard as the door of the throne room was shut close, leaving Kristian standing alone. Kristian let out a long infuriated sigh, expressing his madness about the situation.
While Leo just complied, not having any choice at the moment. The two guards dragged him down the stairs as he was hating Kristian with full compassion and determination. The only sound could be heard was there loud footsteps as the finally reached the dungeon room, the room was dark and empty, with a hard floor and no furniture, not even a window for the light to come in, some metal bars as the entrance so the person inside cannot run. One of the guards, got out his key and opened the dungeon door, shoving Leo inside. Leo landed down on his backside, glaring up at the guards.
"Don't think of running away. You little rat!"
Yelled the other guard, looking down at Leo as they locked the door, and they turned around started walking away.
Leo sat on the ground, glaring at the back of the guards as they slowly disappeared from eyesight, only there footsteps audible. Leo leaned back against the cold wall, bringing his knees to his chest hugging them tightly, his face hidden between his arms, as he was determined not to cry. Small shivers went through his body from the coldness of the dungeon, and his clothes were no help, as he hugged himself sto warm up.
As day after day passed, Leo was growing crazier by every ticking minute. He would cry himself to sleep without a single bit of food going to his empty stomach, he started getting colder and colder each passing day. Leo would daily look up at the sky, with a hopeful and determined look on his face, repeating the same words every day.
"...Please...God...I beg you...Please bring me justice...Please give me another chance...Please help me to take my revenge...Oh god...Please help me slice them into tiny pieces and feed them to the pigs...."
His voice growing desperate each passing day, until the tenth day. Two guards came down, one of them opened the dungeon, he spoke in a menacing tone, he's words disgusted.
"Get up you damn rat! Today the empire will finally get rid of you, you fake scum!"
As he finished talking, the other guard approached Leo and cuffed his hands behind his back, and chained his legs. They both started dragging Leo out. Who was now freezing and scared, as he already knew his fate, but it was harder to face than expected.
The started getting up the stairs, dragging the almost unconscious Leo with them, as they reached a large gate, it opens, revealing a whole torch of people and a platform with a gallows. And above all, a big stand, with the emperor throne and the crwon prince's throne. Sitting on them Kristian with a cruel glare, and Luke with a mocking expression of innocence. As the guards dragged Leo out, pepole were throwing trash at him, and calling him of all kinds of insults.
"He's a fake! He tricked us!"
"Kill him! He's a fake!"
"Your a liar! How dare you lie and trick your people!"
"He's not a prince! He's a scammer!"
And all Leo could do was listen to them, thinking to himself:
'Tricked you ha...? No I saved you...'
All of the efforts he did for them, were for nothing, as he was dragged to his death. The guards put the hanging rope around his thin neck, Leo looked up at the sky one last time.
"...Pretty...It's not fair...God...For you to grant them their wishes...While I'm left behind being sacrificed..." He said in a weak voice, but thick with raw emotions. He paused. "...But..." Then continued. "...I think I will make one lat prayer..." He said with a small smile barely noticeable, his voice having a twing of hopefulness. "...Oh god...Please...I beg you...Please bring me justice...Please give me another chance...Please help me to take my revenge..." But to Leo, this all seemed useless, as he could hear a mocking voice up the stand, as Luke spoke to Kristian.
"Father! What are you waiting for? Give your order!"
Luke let out a mocking giggle, as Kristian raised his hand, gesturing for the count to start.
Leo felt a lump form in his throat, as the people started counting.
"10! 9! 8! 7! 6! 5! 4! 3! 2! 1!"
As soon as the last number was spoken, Leo could feel the ground under him opening, the rope around his neck tightened to the most, as he was hanging of the rope, he could see in the pretty blue sky, a yellow light, as if god was granting his wish for him. Leo closed his eyes as he thought that this was the end of it.
"Agh!"
Leo shouted as he opened his eyes, he was in...his bed?
'No wait?! This feels weird..Why are my hands...So small!'
Said the 5 years old Leo, in his pyjamas while he was laying in the bed, his face slightly flushed from his fever, and his clothes wet from him sweating all night. His hands instinctively went to touch his neck, he felt it, he was alive. But why was he so young?!
"Wait wait wait...Wh-What's happening?! Di-Did I went back in time?!"
He blurted out in his slightly childish voice, touching his face, and then he pinched himself.
"Ow ow ow-! It hurts!"
Leo shouted yet again, his voice was the only thing in the spacious yet empty bedroom.
"Was it...All a dream...?"