Work Text
Seikai glanced away towards the wall, rubbing his face to ease the pain. Trying not to look his father in the eye. He couldn’t stand to see the Emperor’s expression of disappointment and vitriol, so he sunk his head toward the floor in an attempt to shy away.“What are you doing? Look at me when I’m speaking to you, boy!” Emperor Eris shouted back at him as he tapped his foot on the floor impatiently. He crossed his arms, looking down at his son with an air of intimidation and power, to feel superior to the child who was over a foot shorter than he was. He stared down at Seikai, who had retracted his hand from his face for a moment to let it cool down.Seikai tried to straighten himself up, he stared over at the octagon tiling on his father’s office walls, he looked at the Correctionist flag on the wall, his shoes, his father’s shoes, anything to distract himself. He was a mess trying to gather his thoughts. With slow movements, Seikai hesitantly looked up at his father, his Emperor, rubbing his face from the brutal slap once more. His expression quickly shifted from dejection to pure, unadulterated fear once he saw the menacing glare on Emperor Eris’ face.“Well? What do you have to say for yourself?” Emperor Eris exclaimed with a harsh tone. He increased the pace of his foot tapping, expecting a response from the child in front of him.“I-I…” Seikai felt tense, unable to speak. It took him a few moments before he managed to choke out a weak, tired, statement. “I’m sorry, Father.”
Emperor Eris scoffed with disappointment clear in his voice. “You should be. But sorry is not enough.” He paced around his office, beginning to face away from his son. “Foolish child,” he said harshly. “You are supposed to represent the Empire with dignity and honor. Yet all I see is weakness and incompetence.” Emperor Eris kept pacing away from Seikai, furthering the distance between them both physically and emotionally.Seikai’s chest tightened as he felt his father’s dissatisfaction weigh down on him. His head sank again, he clenched his fists, and he was trying not to sob. Seikai felt that no matter how hard he tried, he would never be good enough. Never. This is what he was trained for since birth, and he felt he was incapable of such a grand responsibility. He wanted to cry but refused to be vulnerable in front of his father. “I-I’m trying everything I can, Father…” Seikai stuttered, barely able to vocalize his thoughts. “I-I’m trying so hard to make you proud of me.”“And you’re failing!” Emperor Eris shouted back at him, his anger growing stronger by the moment. “You have not what it takes to be a true leader, you are just an incompetent child who cannot be trusted with any responsibility!” He walked back to Seikai, casting a shadow over the boy’s small figure. “How can you possibly hope to be a decent ruler if this is the way you’re acting? I expected more from you, little prince, you’re already thirteen. You need to do better. Starting now.”Seikai took a deep breath and fixed his posture. “Yes, Father. I understand,” he sighed, trying to control his shaking hands. “I will do my best to make you proud. I promise to do better from now on.”Emperor Eris sighed. He ran a hand through his graying hair, a sign of stress and disappointment. He pointed back at the young prince, his voice finally calming down slightly. “You better,” he said finally. “Now go. Go clean yourself up… you look a mess. You need to look good for tomorrow morning.” He turned around and shooed Seikai out of his office.Seikai slowly walked out the door, his heart heavy. The guards posted at the office gave glances towards the dispirited prince but continued to stand as still as statues. Occasionally they would bow and say, “My prince,” but the boy only saluted and kept treading along the black palace hallways.————————After Seikai returned to his chambers, he brushed his teeth. He stared at himself in the mirror for a moment while brushing, thinking about whether he was prepared for the ritual tomorrow or not. But he realized it didn’t matter if he was prepared or not, he had to endure it. It was his duty as the prince and future ruler of the Empire.As he finished brushing his teeth, Seikai stared at his reflection in the mirror. He looked tired and disheartened, with red, puffy eyes from holding back tears. He took a deep breath and straightened his back, trying to gain the slightest bit of confidence. He couldn't let his father's despotic words break him completely.
Seikai cleansed his face right after, focusing on the slap mark left on it. “It’ll probably wear off by tomorrow,” he whispered to himself, placing his hand by the mark as he did in his father’s office earlier. Seikai was certain that his father would’ve done much worse if not for the ritual tomorrow. Much, much worse. Worse to the point he would be battered to the ground, bloodied and broken.Yet, Emperor Eris spared him this time. Not out of pity, but purely because Seikai was his Crown Prince and he needed to look presentable for tomorrow’s ritual. It seemed to Seikai that keeping up appearances was far more significant to his father than the well-being and identity of his son. Seikai became annoyed by this. Still staring at himself in the bathroom mirror, he mocked his father’s voice. “You need to look good for tomorrow,” he said in an exaggerated tone, mimicking his father’s deep voice. Seikai shook his head, feeling irritated. “Come on, I’m only thirteen.”Seikai slipped out of his day clothes and put on his nightwear. Once again he looked at himself in the mirror, it was a habit of his, and he never knew why he always did so. Perhaps it was to confirm he always met his father’s standards. To reassure himself that he wasn’t stepping out of line at all. He had turned thirteen two weeks ago, but not much had changed. He was still short as ever and his voice wasn’t cracking at all. He was a lot more vulnerable than other boys his age, which made Seikai even more fearful about tomorrow.He sighed and got into bed, pulling the blanket over himself with shaking hands. The slap still stung his face, but what stung, even more, was the weight of his father’s words, the emotional turmoil that came with being the Crown Prince. He ran his hands through his hair to try and calm himself down. He had always been proud of his natural hair color, a nice shade of blue. Royal blue, as some would say, was quite fitting considering his circumstances.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Seikai lay in bed awake for another thirty minutes, trying to process all of his strong emotions. His train of thought was interrupted when someone suddenly entered his room without knocking.“Son?”Seikai froze at the familiar sound of his father’s voice. He took a deep breath, trying to wipe his tears and sit up straight. He, once again, put on a façade, a show to not crack the “perfect Crown Prince” image in front of his father. Seikai wasn’t sure if he wanted to talk to his father again after their conflict, after the slap… it was emotionally overwhelming. Tired, he managed to crack out a weak, “Yes, Father?”“I know you’re awake.” Emperor Eris stepped further into the room, and Seikai’s heart rate picked up. He didn’t know what to expect from his father and if he was going to be hit or punished again. Seikai was on edge, avoiding eye contact with his father. Emperor Eris’ strong figure approached Seikai, a stern facial expression planted on his face.Emperor Eris sat down on Seikai’s bed next to him and sighed. “Look, Seikai. It doesn’t matter if you’re ready or not. You have to go tomorrow, this is your destiny as my crown prince and future emperor,” he spoke in a stern, yet low voice. “This isn’t just about appearances. You’re getting your glyphs tomorrow. You have to be ready.”Seikai nodded, not wanting to meet eyes with his father. “I understand, Father.” He fidgeted a little with his blanket as he turned away from Emperor Eris. His father’s strength and stern glare intimidated him, he didn’t want to do anything wrong, anything to upset him. Seikai jolted in fear when Emperor Eris grabbed his chin and forced him to look up at him.“I expect you to go through with it without a problem,” Emperor Eris’ tone grew harsher as he continued talking to his son, now staring him in the eye. “Any less and it will be seen as a failure on my part. Understood?”“I understand, Father,” Seikai nodded, tired and defeated. He wanted to defy his father and tell him that this wasn’t what he wanted, but he learned to choose his battles. “I will do my best to be prepared for tomorrow,” whispered hushedly, not wanting to upset his father any more than he already had.Emperor Eris released Seikai’s chin from his hand, his gaze still fixed on Seikai’s. “You better. I am counting as you, as my son, and as my heir.” He gripped Seikai’s shoulder with his hand, putting a noticeable amount of pressure on it. “The empire is counting on you. I am counting on you. This is a pivotal moment of your life, boy,” his voice calmed down slightly, but he gripped harder on Seikai’s shoulder more as if the pressure from his voice transferred over to his hand. Seikai winced as he felt his father’s figure get on top of him.“Yes, Father…” Emperor Eris’ grip strengthened to the point where it was painful. “I won’t let you down, I promise.” Seikai’s breathing became frantic as he waited for his father to finally let go of him.Emperor Eris glanced at Seikai, to gauge if he was being genuine or not. After a few seconds, he let go of his son and began to walk away. “Very well. Get some rest.” He walked out, turning over to look at his son once more. “You’re going to need it.”After Emperor Eris left, Seikai collapsed back down and let out a deep breath he didn’t know he was holding. He let himself break down, the tears falling from his face onto the bed sheets, his heart was aching. He sobbed, careful not to make much noise in case his father returned. The pillow muffled his cries, soaked up his tears, and made it seem like all the pain he was experiencing was a dream. He let out all the emotions he had been holding in throughout the day, becoming vulnerable where none could see him.Before Seikai even realized it, he fell asleep. His thoughts were so overwhelming that he finally crashed into a deep sleep for the night. Until he had to wake up tomorrow, that is.————————The following day Seikai woke up shaking, unable to understand anything for a few seconds as his alarm rang. As soon as he realized that it was morning, he needed to wake up, he collapsed for a moment. He would have to be up early, preparing and running around, there would be so many people… nevertheless, Seikai had to endure. That’s all he did his entire life.He quickly snapped back into reality and jumped out of bed. The sun was coming up, and it began to get hot in the palace. He got up and brushed his teeth, splashed some cold water on his face… all the while, he wasn’t thinking. He was just doing his daily routine like a robot, mind only thinking about what would happen the rest of the day.It didn’t help when he stepped into the shower and his mind was still in a pit of darkness, unable to think about anything but his father’s words from the night before. It clawed at him, tore him apart. His mind was filled with every worry about ruining today, making mistakes, or not following the procedure correctly.Seikai shivered as he washed his hair, letting tears of pure anxiety and inadequacy fall from his face once again, hoping it would pull him out of this sick and twisted reality. Nothing could pull him out, he would have to be the perfect Crown Prince, and his brain couldn’t change topics no matter how hard it tried. Even when cold water poured onto his skin, his brain still wasn’t awake enough to register anything.Cold showers. He would have to get used to those.After Seikai got out of the shower, he dried off with a towel and headed out of the bathroom.Seikai decided to take a moment and breathe… After all, he was running out of time. The ritual was about to begin and he had no idea what to do. Nothing was clear. He got up again to put on his clothes for the day. They were clothes his father had specifically picked out for the occasion. A dark dress shirt that was gentle to the touch, coupled with a purple coat made of the same material, lined with gold. A normal pair of dress pants and a silk tie were also customary for specific occasions like these.Seikai thought about every article of clothing as he put them on. They were softer, and less suffocating than what his father normally ordered him to wear. He sighed in relief until he realized why. It seemed like nothing good was going to happen for him unless it was for his father’s benefit somehow. “Benefit of slicing into his child like a fruit,” Seikai thought to himself.He looked at his arm for a moment, thinking about what it would be like to have the glyphs on his arms. They were something that his father thought would be an accomplishment, something that made him special, something that meant he was his father’s son. They would run all over his arms, into his very bloodstream. They would be black, like the color of the Correctionist Empire’s flag.Seikai closed his fist and rested his arm by his side. The idea seemed sick to him and it was even sicker that his father approved of this ritual. For a few moments, he didn’t know if he was going to be able to go through with this, but he would get in so much trouble that his father would possibly maim him. Emperor Eris’ punishments weren’t something to take lightly. While combing out his hair, Seikai decided to just get this over with.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Seikai walked out of his chambers slowly and carefully. A couple of guards were posted around the area, they bowed at him and said nothing else. All Seikai could do was wave back. He never had a personal relationship with any of them, their entire job was to be stoic and challenge anyone who might enter uninvited. Seikai thought the idea of befriending them was pointless, considering they viewed him as superior and he viewed them as unapproachable.As Seikai wandered the hall, he passed by a couple of advisors and his father’s personal staff. The entire room was lined with them. A woman was there with her legs crossed as she patted down the front of her dress with her left hand, while her right hand held a white feather duster. Seikai made his way down to the room, passing through a group of people who bowed before him and gave their good mornings. Seikai thought it was pointless, he wasn’t some grand authority, he was a thirteen-year-old child.While mindlessly treading, he entered the part of the palace where all those visitors and advisors weren’t allowed. Seikai got startled into reality by the sound of a masculine voice and the feeling of cold red iron grabbing his arm. “Seikai! Where were you?”Seikai froze at the sound of his father’s voice. He looked up at the towering man, over six feet tall, in ash-gray clothing. His eyes wandered up to look at his father’s face, his terrifying blood-red eyes that glared daggers into him. Navy blue hair that looked like it had been combed out for over twenty minutes, the lines that were forming on his skin due to age, Seikai noticed. He sighed. “Father. I apologize for not being on time…”“Last night was disrespectful of you. I expected you to at least be on time today,” Emperor Eris’ tone was cold, stern.Seikai had become so used to this, he hesitated to respond. He wanted to make a good impression. He didn’t want to disrespect his father, and he also didn’t want to upset him, yet anxiety flowed through his voice. Seikai started stuttering, “Father, I’m sorry about last night, I was in pain, I was tired, I needed some sleep, I-”Seikai’s panicking was interrupted by a violent slap to the face.“Silence!” Emperor Eris shouted, his voice echoing through the halls. “You will not make excuses for your incompetence. You are the Crown Prince, and you will act like one.”Seikai staggered back from the force of the slap, his hand instinctively cradling the side of his face. He could feel the heat and the pain of the slap and his eyes started to water. He knew better than to cry in front of his father, but the tears were already beginning to spill over. Seikai felt angry with himself for giving his father the satisfaction of seeing him weep.Emperor Eris looked down at his son, his expression one of pure disgust. “Foolish boy. You are nothing but inferior to me,” he spat. “But you will still perform the ritual today, and everything will follow smoothly, understand?”Seikai gasped. It was the third time this had happened in the past two days and with all the stress regarding today… Emperor Eris’ disappointment felt like a dagger thrown to his heart, only fueling the burning fire in the boy’s pressured heart. Seikai nodded, his voice catching in his throat. He didn’t trust himself to speak without breaking completely.“Good,” Emperor Eris said, his voice slightly softer. “I expect you to be more punctual from now on, especially considering how important today will be for you,” Emperor Eris stared Seikai down, his voice growing more venomous with each word he spoke.“Yes, Father,” Seikai looked down, his hand shaking at the side of his face. He wasn’t sure if it was due to pain or the sudden realization of what had just happened, or a combination of both. “I promise to not be late for important events again.”Emperor Eris felt slightly skeptical, glaring at the tired and distressed boy for a few moments before scoffing. “Come with me,” he said, turning away from Seikai and continuing to walk across the hall, hands behind his back. Emperor Eris used his body language to give Seikai an air of unworthiness, and insignificance. That he was only a pawn in his twisted game and nothing else. “Your mother and sisters are waiting for you.”Seikai followed his father, his head down, his eyes on the floor. He was still in shock from the slap, and he didn’t know what to say. He was so used to being treated like a nuisance, he didn’t know how to act around his father.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Emperor Eris and Seikai entered the dining hall, Emperor Eris tucked Seikai's hair behind his ears. Seikai felt the sensation of cold red iron on his skin once again. Seikai shivered at his father's attempts to try and tame his child-like appearance, to control him. He’d had enough of it, and he’d had enough of his father being condescending.Emperor Eris walked towards his seat at the head of the table. Seikai sat on Emperor Eris’ left, next to his older sister Stella. Their mother, Empress Zima, sat on Emperor Eris’ right, next to Seikai’s younger sister Silvia. The room was the color of ash, with pillars and statues of mythological figures adorning the room. There was soft lighting from the window, and Seikai looked over at how the light hit his father’s face as he sat down.Seikai overheard his mother and father discussing some kind of trade deal with a different nation. He noticed how Empress Zima’s curly lavender hair was in a ponytail and the way her blue eyes stared at her husband as he talked to her. Seikai didn’t dare to speak to either of his parents, especially after how his self-esteem was torn apart like paper. He only sat in silence and slowly ate a Lynthian dish. “Hal- Hafn-”... Whatever the name of the food was, Seikai couldn’t remember, let alone know how to pronounce it.Seikai’s older sister Stella sat as silently as he did, only exchanging glances and smiles in an attempt to warm his heart a bit. Stella, who was 4 years his senior, had always been determined and commanding, but had a soft spot for her younger siblings. She knew exactly when they were feeling down and needed someone to talk to. Stella continued to look over at Seikai, and she took note of him turning away so she wouldn’t see the mark on his face. Silvia, on the other hand, was sitting at the table, fear written on her face due to last night’s conflict between her father and brother. Even then, all Seikai could think about was his unworthiness and the pressure of expectations. The unfairness of it all stung the young prince more than 1,000 needles in his arms ever could.After a few minutes of studying Seikai’s facial expressions, Stella decided to speak to him. “You’re acting strange. Are you alright?”Seikai felt his eyes start to water a little bit. He nodded. “I’m fine,” Seikai lied, drawing his arms in and turning away from her.“Come on, I know you better than that. What’s wrong?” Stella reached out to him, attempting to touch his face, but Seikai froze and refused her hand. Seikai turned and took a bite of his food. Neither the Emperor nor the Empress paid attention to their children’s exchanges, as they were too invested in their conversation. Seikai looked over to Silvia, who was apologetically avoiding eye contact with everyone else. Stella put a hand on Seikai’s shoulder, startling him.“Hey. You’re getting your glyphs today. You need to keep your head up because if you’re full of negativity today, then it’s not going to go well.” Stella smiled at him. “Whatever you wanna say, just say it to me, okay? Keep your head up,” she said, gently moving a hand under Seikai’s chin and lifting his face. She looked upset when she noticed the slap mark on Seikai’s face, but she tried to stay collected and not incite a reaction from their parents. She took a breath. “I’ll keep mine up. You do the same, okay?”Seikai nodded. He knew he wasn’t as strong as his older sister, but he also knew that he wasn’t as worthless as his father was trying to make him believe. “I’ll try,” Seikai gave her a weak smile and let go of his food, shakily picking up his cup of tea.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
After they all had finished eating, Emperor Eris, holding a black lantern in his hand, took Seikai and walked with him to where the ceremony would occur. The boy walked behind his father with a stiffened upper lip, deciding to follow his elder sister’s advice to keep his head up.As Seikai trod down the palace hallway, he took note of many different things and people. The palace walls were as black as the Empire’s flag, with many statues, portraits, and other decorations lining the walls, meticulously placed to catch eyes. There were velvet curtains, letting in soft light so that anyone walking could see their way.At almost every corner, though, the Correctionist flag was hung, as if his father wanted to emphasize to any visitors exactly which nation he ruled over. His father always had an air of authority and intimidation. He had a specific look in his eyes that seldom failed to give his son nightmares. Seikai shivered at the thought of it, trying to remain attentive to his surroundings and not the fear of his father or of getting the glyphs. As Stella said to him, he had to eliminate those thoughts to stay secure enough to endure the branding.As soon as Emperor Eris and Seikai turned another corner, Seikai noticed the defense minister, Dashu, talking with one of the young and upcoming captains. Captain Avi, Seikai remembered their name was. Minister Dashu was standing in front of them, arms crossed and a serious look on his face, appearing to be lecturing his protégé about something important."Avi, may I be honest with you? This is the reason why I advise you to not go to the academy. The academy is not for you,” Minister Dashu told the captain, his eyes narrowing at Avi’s insolence.“Sir, with all due respect, I’ve been told my services are needed for today’s events, and also at the academy,” Captain Avi replied.“There’s a reason why I told you not to take them out to the west side of the city,” Minister Dashu snapped, rubbing his temples. “You could have been paralyzed,” he said, his anger rising. "I mean, what if you had a head injury and lost a limb? Where would we be then?”“Sir, I’m sorry,” Captain Avi responded, lowering his head.Minister Dashu sighed, looking down at the young captain in a fatherly way. He crossed his arms, his tone softening as he thought about Captain Avi's apology. "It’s alright, I suppose. I suppose it’s understandable because you're new,” he said, his eyes glazing over. “I’ll allow it for now,” he told the captain before switching to a different topic and continuing to converse with Captain Avi. Seikai heard all of this as he and his father walked by them. Seikai knew no context and didn’t think he wanted to know.“Seikai,” Emperor Eris told him, taking a turn around the corner, the lantern in his hand swinging. “Keep walking.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
After a few minutes of the Emperor and the Crown Prince walking to the opposite side of the palace together, with Seikai studying his surroundings as a distraction, they finally reached a stairwell at the end of the hallway. Emperor Eris stepped into the small tunnel, the lantern clanking in his hand. He had to bend down due to his height, which caused him to be slightly irritated. Seikai followed his father and glanced down at the stairs that spiraled down to the lower level of the palace. They had to descend several levels of stairs to reach the level where Seikai would be getting his glyphs.Emperor Eris was silent as he lit the lantern and led his son down the staircase. Seikai was quiet as well, as he tried to keep his mental state calm and his head high, even though he was terrified. Seikai tried to push it out of his mind, but he could only do so much. His hands shook as he and his father continued to go down the stairs, the fear consuming him. Two sets of footsteps echoed throughout the walls, and the boy’s anxiety increased with every level they descended. He held onto his coat and retracted, trying to soothe himself. “Just be the perfect crown prince,” he thought, and “everything will be okay.”————————As Seikai and Emperor Eris took their final steps down the staircase, Emperor Eris descended with grace into the lower level, as if he had planned this down to the last detail. Seikai tried to imitate his movements, his small and less graceful footsteps echoing behind his father. “Keep your head up. If you’re full of negativity, it’s not going to go well. It’s going to be okay,” Seikai tried to repeat Stella’s words in his mind, trying to raise his confidence. He glanced up at his father, who was still holding the lantern with a semi-obscured face. Then he looked around the room he was in.There were lines of men and women holding boxes and swords in their left hands, and in their right hands, they held candles that lit the room a soft purple. They wore thick dark blue clothing with a hood to obscure their faces. As soon as the royal father and son walked in, the men and women bowed in unison and returned to their normal stances, not uttering a word. Seikai shivered when looking over at their movements; they seemed almost robotic in their obedience. Emperor Eris nodded back at the men and women and Seikai also felt obliged to do the same out of respect for himself, his father, and the people, no, robots lined up.Emperor Eris continued walking with Seikai across the lower level, footsteps still echoing. He lifted the dimming lantern closer to his face. Seikai’s hands were shaking again as he followed his father, staring at Emperor Eris’ hand as he pulled open a door at the end of the hallway. Seikai swallowed hard as he walked in behind his father, realizing that this was the room where he would be getting his glyphs. “It’s time,” Emperor Eris said in a low voice, sending a chill down the Crown Prince’s spine.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The door creaked as it opened, revealing a glowing room that was covered in a metallic blue and purple surface. The door shut with a loud bang behind them, and Seikai flinched at the noise. Emperor Eris shook his head at his son’s reaction and turned his head towards the wall. Both of them were immediately bathed in the light, with Emperor Eris squinting slightly. Seikai threw his forearm in front of his face, shielding his eyes from the glow of the room. In the middle of the glyph room was a large white table with tight confines built into it. To its left was another, smaller white table with ink, bandages, and a black knife with an impressive-looking handle on it.“I need to see your arms,” Emperor Eris commanded, looking down at Seikai with a harsh glare in his eyes. He slammed the lantern down on the smaller table, burning out the last light that it held. With it, Seikai felt the last light in himself be dimmed out. “Take off your coat.”Seikai jolted in fear. “Father, I don’t know if I can-”“That’s not your call to make, son,” Emperor Eris said, walking towards him. “You have two choices. Roll up your sleeves, or take your coat off. Now!” he yelled, pulling his gaze away from the table and onto his son.The Crown Prince looked down at the floor, the glow from the room highlighting the sharp creases in his coat. Seikai’s eyes were glued to the floor, his mind was racing with so many different and confusing thoughts. “It can’t be that bad, can it? I’m so stupid. So stupid.” Emperor Eris was saying things, tyrannical things, but Seikai wasn’t able to listen or process them. Stubbornly, Seikai fumbled with the purple silk of his coat and handed it to his father, shivering from the cold temperature. He knew full well that this would be worse than he imagined.Emperor Eris took Seikai’s coat and draped it over the corner of the small white table. Seikai squeezed his eyes shut, unable to deny his fear or be strong like Stella told him to be. Here, he wasn’t a robust Crown Prince or a pillar of hope for the Correctionist people. As long as he stayed in this room, he was a weak, vulnerable child, a child of the Emperor.“Father, I don’t think I can do this,” Seikai whispered again, still clinging to the hope that he could change his father’s mind.In one quick movement, Emperor Eris took the knife from the table and held it at Seikai’s neck, nearing his face. “Do you not understand what I’m saying, little prince?” he snarled. “Or are you going to be stubborn? Don’t make this harder than it has to be. Now just lay down on the table and you will get your glyphs, your powers.”“No, Father, I can’t-” Seikai said, his breath catching in his throat. He was utterly petrified by the knife held to his neck and realized then he had no choice.“If you don’t lay down and go through with this, I will chop your hand off,” Emperor Eris growled, pulling Seikai by the collar. His grip was so tight that it caused the boy to wince. “You wouldn’t want to know what would happen to your little sister Silvia if you refused, would you? Imagine her, starving, dirty, and homeless on the streets. Don’t you want to save her?”“I’ll-I’ll do it. I will do it,” Seikai agreed through gritted teeth, tearing up at the mention of his younger sister. Emperor Eris looked Seikai up and down and released him, causing the young prince to stumble as he got back on his feet.Emperor Eris sighed and paused for a moment, crafting a next statement, but stopping when he came up with nothing. “Lay down now,” he said, his eyes shifting to the large white table. Seikai’s heart pounded as he realized what his father was capable of. He tightened his fists and defeatedly walked towards the larger white table. He was surprised that he didn’t faint before making it there. With a steady hand, the Crown Prince laid down on the table, letting out a long sigh as he resigned and accepted his fate.Emperor Eris spun the knife in his hand and made sure to look back in Seikai’s direction. He walked towards the table his son lay on and tied the confines around his child, pulling it tight around his arms, shoulders, and ankles. Seikai whimpered in fear as his father tightened the wrap around him. Emperor Eris smiled slightly at his son’s look of fear and placed a hand on the boy’s restricted bare arm. “Don’t make a fuss, son. Now then, we’ll see how you handle this,” he looked at his knife for a moment and then back at Seikai. “Let’s begin.”Silence. That was all Seikai heard.Silence. It was all he would ever hear in this room.Silence. From the moment the knife made contact with his skin.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
As soon as Emperor Eris swiped the knife across Seikai’s skin for the first time, he screamed as loud as he could. He was no longer able to grit his teeth, endure it, or keep his head high. It felt like the room was caving in on itself, like the sound of him screaming was so loud that it eventually sounded like silence to him. He could feel himself instinctively struggle and writhe against the restraints. His father held his arm in place as the knife carved deep strokes into his skin. Seikai couldn’t tell how long it had been since he started screaming.Emperor Eris sharply withdrew the knife from the top of Seikai’s arm, causing the Crown Prince to bite his lower lip. He looked down at his bleeding arm and then back at his father in shock. Emperor Eris watched his son as he gasped for air, trying to scream through it. The pain and bleeding were so fierce that his vision was blurred and he only let out short, shallow breaths. Emperor Eris tightened the grip on the knife as he reached over to the smaller table for black ink and coated his finger with it. He chuckled, knowing his son’s terror was starting to kick in.“Oh, you must think I’m not getting through to you, dear son,” Emperor Eris said, lowering his tone. “You’re my heir after all, and what would have been my legacy? Not you, if you end up like one of the other people who swore their allegiance to me only to have their heads smashed into the floor, like some insipid puppet.” Emperor Eris leaned forward and sealed up Seikai’s deep cut with black ink. “I’m not going to go easy on you now, little prince.”Seikai felt the ink pierce into his open wound, mixing with his blood and seeping into his skin. The burning sensation that accompanied it was so intense that he felt as though he was being burned alive. The black glyph he was branded with took the shape within the burn. Seikai screamed once again and closed his eyes as the deep cut closed over. The rest of the pain that made up the branding was even worse than the initial. The Crown Prince, once again, struggled against his bindings. He finally gave up on the struggle and hung limply from the table.“So helpless,” Emperor Eris laughed, “so naive. Just as I’d hoped.” He watched his son through his haze of pain and used the knife to carve the new glyph. He stabbed the bloody knife down into his son’s arm again. Seikai was sobbing and yelling, tears streaming down his face and fogging his vision. He tried to think of beautiful statues and sculptures, his two sisters, anything to distract him from the pain. No matter how hard he tried to grit his teeth and endure the abuse, he couldn't help but scream as he was branded. This was torture. No ifs, no buts, this was pure torture. This was hell.Emperor Eris slowly withdrew the knife, careful not to mangle the Crown Prince's arm. Seikai opened his mouth to speak, trying to get words, pleas, and anything out before he inevitably blacked out from blood loss. "F-Father… Please stop… Father… I… I beg you, stop…"It took the Crown Prince several seconds to finally open his eyes and gasp for air. “So… weak,” Emperor Eris rolled his eyes, sealing the next glyph up with ink. "Just like your sisters. You can’t even withstand a simple glyph branding.” He pressed his ink-coated index finger into the unfinished glyph, slowly swiping it across the cut. Seikai was weak and barely holding onto consciousness. He closed his eyes and screamed through the pain, feeling the burning once again.“Oh, shut up,” Emperor Eris snarled. “I am going to carve you out, Seikai,” Emperor Eris laughed as he applied his finger with more ink, to finally complete the glyph. “Make no mistake. I will carve you out like a carcass left out in the cold. There will be no question of who is the Crown Prince now,” he said, smiling like a maniac as he finished the glyph. “Oh, I’ll make sure the next one takes a little bit longer…” Emperor Eris traced along the tip of the knife, speaking in a smooth voice.The Crown Prince had no more words left, only cries and desperate tears falling from the sides of his eyes. Seikai trembled with pain and fear as he reeled from the torture he was experiencing. He couldn’t believe this was happening. His father, the man who helped create him, was inflicting such unspeakable violence and cruelty upon him. Seikai felt degraded and utterly helpless. He screamed and writhed, feeling resentment stir within him.`Emperor Eris brought the knife down again, this time to slice his right arm. “Going to be a real screamer now, are you?” The Crown Prince felt his shirt get covered in blood, struggling against the restraints much more. “Don’t make a fuss.” He held Seikai’s arm down, suppressing the boy’s struggle and gaining a steady hand while carving. “You’re going to learn to keep your mouth shut, aren’t you? And if you don’t, I’ll make your life a living hell,” Emperor Eris fixed his posture and switched the knife to his other hand.Seikai used the little energy left in his right arm to knock the knife out of Emperor Eris’ hand. The boy looked at his father with a blood-covered face of hatred, still unable to say anything.Emperor Eris stepped back, offended by Seikai’s attempt to regain control. “You think this is supposed to make me feel scared? I’m going to brand your little sister next if you don’t stop being such a mess.” Emperor Eris picked the knife back up, his arms shaking in anger.Seikai immediately regretted his move when he heard Emperor Eris threaten his sister. “Please, Father…” The Crown Prince’s arms were numb and his body was twitching violently. ‘I can’t believe I did that,’ he thought, ‘I really am stupid. All I am is a stupid thirteen-year-old.’ He felt himself begin to lose consciousness.“That’s your fault,” Emperor Eris smiled sadistically as he looked down at his son. He raised the knife above his head swiftly, “You’ve been a failure of a Crown Prince, and it’s all your fault. Now it’s up to me to fix you.”The last thing he saw before blacking out from pain was the vicious smile of a tyrant.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Seikai woke up shaking, his eyes widening as he realized he was still in the metallic glyph room. Again he instinctively writhed against the restraints, he didn’t know how long he was out for. The force for his awakening was the last glyph being sealed, signifying ownership and control. Seikai’s heart sank, he screamed as the mist burned through his skin and bloodstream, sealing the marks on his arms with an agonizing sensation.“You’re awake,” Emperor Eris said with no emotion in his voice. He wiped off his ink-stained finger with a towel as he looked at his son with empty eyes. “It’s over, it’s finished.” Emperor Eris walked over toward Seikai, noticing the fear and confusion on his face. The man swiftly removed the bindings of the crying prince’s arms and legs, watching as he fell to the floor and attempted to regain balance. All Seikai could do was cry, he felt utterly betrayed, shocked. He couldn’t fathom the idea of someone doing this to their child, their thirteen-year-old.Emperor Eris looked down at Seikai with a vexed expression, as if he was a pathetic pest. Seikai tried to stand up, the ink and magic burning through him in his vulnerable attempts to regain a steady stance. The young prince pitifully wept through the pain, feeling nothing but shame and disappointment. He thought about everything that had happened in the past hour, feeling his heart dropping at the realization that these glyph brandings were permanent. Seikai felt like a caged bird, unable to find a way out. He felt defeated, utterly ashamed.Seikai stumbled towards his father, tears spilling out of his red, puffy eyes like waterfalls. The Crown Prince felt pain with each miserable, weak step he took. He clutched onto his father’s shirt, sobbing into Emperor Eris’ chest. Seikai’s broken sobs were deafening in the room, his entire body shaking. The Crown Prince collapsed, still grasping onto his father for comfort and security.“You really are a mess. This is just as I always told you… a waste of my time.” Emperor Eris looked down at his son with an expression of annoyance and disdain. “Now, if you don’t stop crying, I’ll make you stop.”Seikai tried not to cry, using every bit of strength in him to resist the tears flowing. Emperor Eris’ expression shifted from annoyance to pure and unbridled rage. In one quick, unstoppable moment, he grabbed onto Seikai’s blood-stained dress shirt tightly. “SILENCE!” Emperor Eris yelled, venom dripping from his voice. He turned and swung Seikai, throwing him towards the wall with intense force.Seikai crashed into the wall, his body colliding against the wall with a sickening thud. He crumpled to the ground, his cries were silenced by his collapse, replaced only by strained breathing. Seikai’s body went completely limp in just a few seconds, and Emperor Eris stared down at the boy’s unconscious body, watching as his chest rose and fell with his breathing. His eyes narrowed, a grimace forming across his face.“Take the prince! Now!” Emperor Eris opened the door to the chamber and called out to the robed men and women standing outside. They rushed inside, holding equipment and velvet boxes in their hands. Two men grabbed and carried the unconscious prince, their faces and strong bodies obscured by the fabric. Emperor Eris stood with his hand cradled on his face, viewing indifferently as they carried his child out of the glyph chamber.————————Seikai woke hours later in the medical wing of the palace, his heart pounding as he stared at the paramedics crowded next to each other, whispering something he couldn’t hear. Panic began to set in when he saw that they were holding clipboards and pens. His arms began to ache again due to the pain of the glyphs, and every negative sensation rushed into him at once. “Seikai?” A voice, young and feminine, called out to him. “You’re awake…” the little girl whispered. Seikai tried to focus his eyes, his gaze darting around the room to locate the source of the sound. His vision stopped to his right, where a child with his same features sat in the chair next to him.“Silvia?” Seikai thought, not able to call back to his younger sister. His mind was still filled with confusion and pain, and he wasn’t able to speak, scream, or cry. He managed to recognize his ten-year-old sister Princess Silvia sitting next to him. The princess was holding several paintbrushes and a set of watercolors in her right hand, and on her left was a small canvas. Seikai’s heart dropped when the source of last night’s conflict was in front of his shaky, tired eyes.“Seikai,” Silvia sighed, her voice barely above a whisper. “This is all my fault. If I had never gotten these supplies from you, Father would have never yelled at you last night or hit you.”“Silvia, no,” Seikai weakly let out, gaining small amounts of strength to speak. “None of this is your fault. It’s Father’s.” He lifted his bandaged hand to grasp his younger sister’s, feeling her unmarked and untouched skin. His voice was strained, yet determination glinted in his eyes as he looked at Silvia. “You don’t need to worry about me. I’ll get better.”The princess said nothing, she only opened her brother’s hand, placed the paintbrush in his palm, and gripped it shut. Seikai’s weak, shaking hand clutched the brush, being guided by Silvia’s. The girl held the canvas towards their joined grip, color spilling onto the white surface. Seikai’s face shifted as soon as the first drops of paint were laid onto the canvas. He felt a sense of interest, that his brain activity was starting to improve. As the Crown Prince’s head cleared, he gripped the brush tightly and began to follow along with his sister’s movements. Seikai let out a sigh of contentment and wonder as they joined in unity for this moment.Seikai smiled weakly through his pain, he spoke no words. No words needed to be said, for his brushstrokes spoke louder than any yelling or screaming could. They were a true team, he felt, despite their father’s attempts at driving them apart. The pain in his arms didn’t leave, but his gratitude for his sister’s presence was overpowering. Silvia shifted slightly and smiled, aware of her impact on Seikai’s mental state. Even if she could not take all his pain away, she knew she’d try her best to support him.Seikai looked up at the ceiling, it would likely take weeks to recover from the branding. His next move? He didn’t know. All he knew is that he no longer wanted in on his father’s twisted games. If or when he will learn to use his glyphs, he doesn't know either. He was only thirteen, still too naïve to comprehend the contempt that tied them all together. Yet, the young prince would do anything to sever the ties and break the cycle of tyranny and hatred.Anything.