"Ajax...?" My voice sounds weak and pathetic in my brother's dark bed chamber. "Ajax, are you okay? I heard a noise." I'm met only with the dead silence. My brother's sleeping form lies perfectly still on his bed so I step closer to check on him. The wretched metallic smell hits me before the sight. Part of me wants to stay frozen where I stand. I don't want to see what had transpired mere minutes ago. However, that's not my choice to make as I close the distance against my will. A clean cut straight across the king's neck. Ajax's eyes are dull but wide open, his lips parted in a half scream. I hear my own voice filling the silence he wasn't able to. No one comes running. No guards, no servants, I'm alone.
"Dad!" My body moves on its own as I dash out of his room, shrieking down the empty halls. My legs burn with the strain as I will myself to move faster and faster. I nearly kick down the door to his study where I see him signing off on some documents. My father is a tall tiefling with dark skin, wooly blonde hair, and golden leather wings. He barely glances up at me, the irritation evident through his flaming gaze.
"What do you want, runt? It's late. Can't you see I have better things to do than to entertain you and your fantasies?" My father scolds me, waving me off dismissively.
"Father, It's Ajax-"
"What about Ajax? Spit it out, boy." His tone is harsh as the name of his shining star heir is mentioned. The words momentarily get caught in my throat as his words bite like a sharp wind. There's no time to be afraid.
"He's dead." The weight of those words crush me like a brick to the head and I can't stop the silent tears that drip down my face.
"What?!" The former king slams his hands on his desk as he stands. He nearly knocks me over as he storms out of his study towards Ajax's room.
Father stands over my brother's corpse. I can't help but notice the glare of pure hatred that fills his eyes as he stares down my trembling form. It's almost as if he wishes I had been the one choking on my own blood instead of Ajax.
~~~
I lay awake that night. All I can do is turn the ornamental dagger over and over in my hands. It has a dragonfly engraved on the hilt, likely by Ajax's own hands. The blade carries the message 'Walk forward.' Ajax had given me this blade merely a few hours ago as a gift for my thirteenth birthday. Since he ascended to the throne less than two months ago, he wanted to leave me with a message as the new crown prince. The title feels empty now without his teachings and guidance.
I'm left alone with my thoughts. Memories flood my mind like a tidal wave, the oak wood hilt digging into my palm. I remember sparring with him and how he would win every single time. I remember him explaining all of the technical boring stuff about running a kingdom while he filled out paperwork. I remember how he used to talk about his mother and saying how he wished that I could have met her as well. I remember him begging his tutor to let me sit in on his language lessons because he found them incredibly dull. I remember him standing up for me whenever my parentage was questioned. I almost catch myself smiling until a weight settles onto my chest. I'll never get to experience those moments again. I'll never get to see my brother again. The way he smiled, the way his eyes shone like the sun whenever he was daydreaming, the way he would praise me whenever I picked up a new skill, all of the things I loved about him. All of it is gone. And I'll never get him back. I swear on Ajax's grave that I'll find whoever did this to him, and I'll avenge him.
Pathetic tears of rage and sorrow flood my eyes, falling to my linen bedsheets. My brother was a kind and merciful king. That fact had been taken advantage of and I'm pretty sure I know by who. He was loved by the people and no one wants me in power, so it's unlikely to be a coup. My father's war is likely to be the culprit. We'd been at war with Kheterra for almost thirty years by now. It's not unreasonable to think the king would send an assassin to kill Ajax in order to lower Aryais' defences.
The question still remains though: how did an assassin get into the palace so easily? Now that I think about it, no one came when I screamed. Where were the guards or even the regular staff? While I ran to my father's study, I didn't come across a single person. The king was left completely unguarded. Was that planned? Did the king of Kheterra plant spies within our walls? If so, how many? Are they still here? Who can I trust? For all I know, this could have all been planned before I was even born.
As these questions swirl around my mind, I find myself dragging my body from my bed and walking to my mahogany desk. There lies a stack of papers, all of them blank. I'd never been good with words. Ajax's funeral will be held tomorrow at dusk. As the next in line for the throne, I'll be expected to say a few words. I have no idea what to write for my speech yet I find myself reaching for the quill pen anyway while I take a seat. I twirl the pure white swan feather between my fingers for several minutes. I pause every few seconds as I consider an opening line, then go back to fidgeting.
~~~
I swallow the lump in my throat as my dry eyes scan the road ahead of me. The path is laid with flowers on either side and many of the people stand with their heads bowed to a candle in their hands. If Ajax were here, he'd know what to say. I look down at the still empty paper in my hand. A paper lantern rests in the other. Just walk forward. Ajax wouldn't want me to cry. He wouldn't want me to be scared like I am now. I imagine him next to me, gripping my shoulder and pushing me forward into the dying daylight. That imaginary courage is the only thing keeping me from backing out now. I set down the stack of papers on a table next to me before walking out onto the balcony, one step at a time.
"People of Aryais," I begin, cringing at the shakiness of my voice. "I stand before you today with a heart heavier than I ever thought possible. Our king, my brother Ajax, is gone. We may never fill the emptiness he leaves in all of our hearts." I can hear people murmuring beneath me, displeased that I called him my brother. Behind me, I even hear one of the maids gossiping with her friend.
"How dare he call himself the brother of our great king? He's nothing but a bastard child." I feel the words bite like a knife to the heart. It's all I can do to keep my voice steady. I'm used to hearing these rumors in passing, yet it still makes me take pause. My vision blurs as I force myself to continue with a slight edge to my voice.
"He was crowned only two months ago, and yet it felt as if he had worn the crown his whole life. Ajax was strong, wise beyond his years, and he carried the weight of our kingdom without complaint. He stood tall, not just as a ruler, but as a friend, as our protector." The palace falls silent once more. I pause to gather my thoughts. They don't get to tell me who my family is. They don't get to say who I am. With newfound strength, I continue my improvised speech.
"To me, he was more than just King Ajax. He was my brother, the boy who taught me how to ride a horse, the one who would always claim victory in our sparring matches. He was the one who promised me that no matter how heavy life became, he would always be there to lift me up. Now, I need to learn to stand on my own. And if he were standing here now, he would not want us to drown in our despair. He would want us to rise. He would want us to take the strength he gave us and carry it forward. He once told me that kings are not remembered for how long he reigns, but for the mark he leaves on his people. He touched all of our lives—that is his legacy. This is the legacy that I hope I may carry into the future with me. As my brother used to tell me, 'Stand tall. Stand tall, and walk forward.' May he find his peace."
With those parting words, I retrieve a fire crystal from a pouch tied to my waist. I drop it through the middle on the lantern and lift it over my head. As my fingers reluctantly release it, the red mass of paper floats off into the heavens. Along with the rest of my people, I watch it disappear into the abyss of the sky.