Claiming Lucian

2: BREAKING OUT

As expected, serendipity was within my grasp. Luck decided to pay me a visit just when I thought that this situation can get even worse.

“Your Highness, I advise you to drop Prince Lucian’s belongings to the ground for your safety and for the prevention of any spark of unnecessary squabble,” Segreth spoke from the entryway of my chamber.

Lucius’ head snapped to the doorway. He glared at the armor-clad male with lilac-colored hair which was tied neatly into a tight coil. 

His armor was purely ink black with the shoulder pads curved upwards. A black cape pooled down behind him and a tattoo of a purple circle and letterings scribbled inside of it rested on his forehead. In the middle of the circle, his number was engraved as XIII.  It indicated his status as one of the men of the Higher-Order.

He, along with the rest of the Order, can openly oppose the King as they were of almost equal power.

The one that possessed supreme authority over decisions was the Cauldron of Spirits. This cauldron had been used ever since King Genshi's rule one-hundred and fifty years ago and was said to contain the spirits which aided the Ancients ever since our creation.

Aside from my father, the Cauldron of Spirits acknowledged the Higher-Order which was the reason why they were placed in almost equal status with the King. 

There can only be one ruler and for that reason, the Higher-Order will always be the “almost” and never the legitimate. They were the potential Kings after King Genshi but their blood was not chosen for royalty, instead, the Cauldron of Spirits continued with the bloodline of the late King.

Their power equalized that of a Queen—can make laws but no actual jurisdiction and can influence but cannot be permitted to take full-control without legal or holy validation. Yet even with this disadvantage, if their laws were approved their laws were absolute.

“Segreth Wyman…What is a Prelate doing here in my brother’s room?” Lucius questioned suspiciously.

“I am not your—“

“Shush Lucian. I don’t have time for your bratty and conceited ass that went through a highly conceited law made from conceited assholes like him,” the criminal cut me off and pointed rudely at Segreth.

Segreth merely stared impassively at Lucius before replying with:

“I am Prince Lucian’s mentor after Prelate Iltut Le Lann’s passing,” Segreth told him.

Lucius’s eyes mildly widened in what seemed to be a melancholic expression and tried to compose himself. 

“Iltut died?”

“He was executed due to unspeakable crimes that I am forbidden to relay especially to you,” Segreth blatantly spoke back, which only riled up Lucius into grabbing him barbarically and shoving him against the wall.

“Listen, Bishop, Iltut was like a father to me and the only sane one in the Higher-Order. I don’t care what your orders are but I have the right to know!” he snarled angrily with much vexation in his voice.

Segreth was undeterred by the man’s perturbation and stared directly into his eyes.

“Do you really wish to know?” Segreth questioned. “Do you really wish to know what Iltut did to the Prince? Can you really take it? Because even I cannot undo the results of what he has done.”

Lucius dropped Segreth down to the ground and took a step back.

“What are you saying?”

“Ochi sto de Scarlet Austarch…This law is still misunderstood by many, especially the Royal Family. This was made by the Cysgod Knight whom the Scarlet King fell in love with. You think King Genshi did us all a favor by preventing its mandatory application but in truth, it was quite the opposite. Iltut twisted the law and did what the Scarlet King could have done to those who would oppose him and unfortunately that’s exactly what he did to Prince Lucian,” Segreth explained.

Ah, Segreth was speaking nonsense again. Throughout all the times we had been together, he never once spoke with sense. Why did he continue to alter the truth? Was he testing me? That must be his purpose.

Lucius’s head lowered as his body tensed up. He stormed out, screaming profanities and calling out my parents’ name. Segreth took a moment to peek at the outraging man before facing me.

“How are you feeling, Your Highness?” he asked me.

“I feel nothing,” I answered blankly.

“As usual I see,” Segreth answered before showing a slight smile. “It is alright to express joy. The Order does not forbid you to do so.”

“I do not know joy and I do not wish to try it,” I answered.

Segreth’s lips fell into a blank line before shutting his eyes. 

“I see what a shame…”

“Did I pass your test?” I asked him.

“I wasn’t testing you,” Segreth replied. “That was a genuine question.”

“Is this another test?” I asked him which only made him sigh.

Segreth was good at giving trials but I never fail them. I was trained well.

“Our marriage is in three days…I hope your brother does not intervene,” he told me.

Segreth was chosen by the King to be my spouse. The cauldron had picked me as the next ruler and my father thought it would only be wise to pick someone who he trusted from the Higher-Order. He wanted to merge the opposing bodies of sovereignty to finally end the dispute between him and the thirteen bishops. 

The cauldron approved of Segreth but also predicted that we would not have an offspring because one of us was ironically impotent.

“He would not dare to—“ before I could finish my statement, Segreth released a pained and strangled voice before grasping tightly onto his neck and falling to the ground.

“You almost got me there,” Lucius huffed. “But then I remembered that the Higher-Order is the reason why the Scarlet Emperor went berserk.”

Red bumps grew out of his face and my eyes slowly rose to Lucius who was standing by the doorway with a raised arm and an open palm ready to shoot a thorn towards me.

“You were getting married and I wasn’t even invited. I’m going to have to cancel the wedding plans…” Lucius snorted before releasing the thorn towards me, which effectively snatched my consciousness away.

This was not how things should go.

"Ce pacat (How unfortunate)..." I sighed.

How will I get out of this chaos? This man who kept saying that he was my onii kidnapped and tied me up in paralyzing vines starting from my arms down to my legs. 

I was placed over his shoulder with my legs dangling on his front as he secured me with one of his arms.

I just woke up from the constant bounces from rough handling and I was presented with an immediate image of ippótes chasing us. I briefly thought that this was merely a dream but I was wrong.

I was definitely and undeniably wrong.

“Put me down baka (fool). Do you understand the consequences that you will face after this?” I questioned. 

How foolish can this man get?

My eyes unwillingly feasted the view before me and the intense environment around us was easily noticed. It was my first time being able to get out of the palace let alone see other ancients residing in the Great Genshi tree.

Everything was very colorful...

Lucius hummed joyfully, his merriness was a grave threat to my emotionless perfection.

“I will show you the world and make you see how beautiful it is compared to your dull and f****d up life,” he replied while he was being busy dealing with the hundreds of ippótes chasing after us.

The ground trembled beneath us, this rampage was clearly gaining too much audience from every house we passed by. 

The sound of the ground crumbling apart occurred from my blind spot. It was difficult for me to perceive what exactly was happening. Lucius leaped up and controlled the zephyrs to prevent us from interacting with slanted spikes that will ensure instant death.

My chest was doing something unfavorable.

“Troublesome…” Lucius sighed before turning around to see the swarm of ippótes getting ready to fly.

My eyes saw the rise of water surrounding the Kingdom which rose into separate divisions of hovering forms coming towards our direction. Whirls of winds were tossed towards us and I couldn’t help but hold on tight to Lucius and warn him of the results of his idiocy.

“Watch out!”

“Sloppy forms, weak execution of elements, and unguarded stances…Hiding did not do any good to your skills as Knights,” 

Lucius spoke in an amused tone.

“Why do you continue to resist? If you want to perish then do not involve me in your stupid plans,” I told my rapitore (Kidnapper). 

“Once you get arrested do not expect easy freedom,” I threatened him.

“You think I’ll get caught?” Lucius teased. “Think again,” he shouted out loud before extending his free arm out and letting the winds carrying us whirl us around to face the Knights.

The incoming winds and approaching waters were bent straight towards the soaring ippótes which wiped them out of vision. Lucius carried me into his arms and sparks of electricity cascaded down from his back. 

Loud and irregular currents extended out and acted as his cape which scattered into different directions, attacking visible offenders as he stole me.

"Feeling excited yet?" Lucius asked me.

"¡Rápido no los dejes escapar! (Quickly, don't let them escape!)" 

I watched the ippótes desperately struggle to dodge the electric currents that Lucius effortlessly released without even paying much attention. They were struck and left with the essence of electric currents on the ground.

My body trembled and I could feel something fluttering inside of my stomach. The farther Lucius took me from the palace the more he showed his skills in battle against the hundreds of ippótes chasing us.

Who was this man?

Lucius whistled; the piercing call of the wind broke through the ruckus going around. His lips curled into a wide smile when a four-legged creature emerged with us above. Its white feathery wings fluttered as it approached and it had two horns in which one was visibly broken. 

The armored creature halted in front of us and Lucius got on its back. I let out an "oof!'" from having my bottom receive all the impact from being dropped on the back of the creature. I was seated sideways with my whole body beginning to numb from being wrapped like a cocoon.

A new set of ippótes were beginning to close their distance around us and I was speechless for the first time. I was being taken without a plausible reason and I had no power to struggle for I was never trained to fight.

Fighting brings out anger and pleasure so I was forbidden to engage in such activity.

Lucius clucked his tongue and shouted: 

"Ejam (let's go) Argo!" 

Argo neighed and darted towards the perfectly carved white doors that were heavily guarded by more ippótes who were very much aware of the situation now.

"You will lose, I am sure of it," I breathed out. 

He will get captured and he will be punished by my father and the Higher-Order.

He grinned. "You still underestimate me, little brother? I was a general of our army in the past,” he boasted.

That was the past.

"So you aren't a general now? They must have forced you out of the position," I deadpanned.

I watched his expression twitch in annoyance from my statement. 

"You are getting on my nerves chii. Have some pride for your brother," he gritted out.

"Why should I be proud of you being a general before? Your previous position does not mean that you'll win."

I just realized how incapable these ippótes were when it came to protecting the ancients. They were getting single-handedly taken down by this man.

I looked ahead and found that we were closer to the gates. This will be where he will get caught. It was a dead-end for him. The tree can withstand any powerful impact and that was the very reason why we survived.

"Argo, vlastós (shoot)," he barked out.

A blanket of light covered the horn of the creature we were riding on. The small growing light became a beam that stretched towards the doors. The rippling sound was deafening and I winced as the doors were blasted into useless debris, showing a wide expanse of green land.

Argo dropped down to the floor and galloped past the doors. Its wings fluttered once more and we soared to the skies.

"Return me," I demanded and showed a disapproving look.

Argo flew higher and higher and my heart kept on speeding up unimaginably. My sides were in loops of shifting and my feet and hands became cold as I leaned against Lucius's chest.

"Ho-hold me baka!" I shouted and shut my eyes close.

"Are you scared?" he laughed out.

"I fe-feel nothing..." I attempted to reply firmly but it came out shaky.

 Lucius nuzzled his nose against the dip of my neck and chuckled.

"Your voice is shaky, you liar! This just proves that no one can stay emotionless. You hid behind those walls and you were hidden from the eyes of the world thus this made you even more fragile than anyone else. I can prove it."

Argo finally decided to stop with this height above the ground and it flew us through the smooth pathway of the skies. Cold winds latched to my skin and I shivered from having to be exposed to such temperature. My ears were infiltrated with whispers of the wind and my eyes got watery from such speed.

"I am-I-"I stuttered.

How can I say it? I didn't know how to. How will I express to him what I felt when I didn't even know how to describe it?

"You can't suppress your emotions. They did not do you a favor when they trained you to become a doll. They didn't save you from dying but instead, they prevented you from living.”

I shook my head with my eyes still close. "I refuse. I do not accept death," I retorted.

"Going out here doesn’t immediately equate to dying and being stuck behind the walls of Genshi doesn’t equalize living."

"Stultus (stupid), this is unnecessary," I spoke out. 

I was getting restless and I didn't know what to do with myself and this situation. What can I do out here? How can I survive?

The vines around me started to unwrap and I leaned against him in exhaustion. 

"You have...you have ruined everything."

After all these years and after everything I did, my efforts became meaningless. I was chosen to rule. I was to get knotted down but now I was exposed to impurities. 

Lucius sealed my waist with his arm and pushed me against him. 

"No, I'm just starting to piece you back together. If you end up being conceited after everything I will do for you, I will push you off of Argo,” he threatened.

My eyes snapped open and I looked at him with wide eyes. Lucius’ firm expression started to tremble when I continued to stare at him in disbelief. The man couldn't hold it in any longer and he blurted out his laughter. 

“Scared you, didn’t I? Onii was just joking~.”