The next day, Archibald lined up for roll call. Beside him were his seven siblings, and his father strolled quickly past. Was Father not frustrated the day before? Now he seemed carefree. A smile was cast across his face for the first time that week. Maybe that month. That was a good sign, it had to be.
After the last sibling counted, Archibald’s father approached him. “Archie, we must be off to the capital now. No time to change, just follow me to the carriage.”
Archibald followed him down the tower. Father was happy again. No need to worry about anything if Father is happy. In the carriage, the father and son made conversation. They talked about the future, about what would happen if Archibald’s father was crowned king. Archibald would be his guard, just like before, but this time he would always be with his father. His father would not be vulnerable as long as Archibald was there.
They arrived at the palace, making their way to the meeting room. The final three to be voted on were Greystone, Brumble and Father. Father was the obvious choice.
Archibald was trying to pay attention, but as they gave speeches, he couldn’t help but doze off. His father held him tight in his dream. Words of love and encouragement. They were together always, Peter stopped bullying him, Johnny comforted him too and Veronica played games with him. It was like he was twelve again. Before the demons and politics and dragons and fear. Before he watched anyone die.
Archibald remembered his old dream; he wanted to go outside. He must have been immature. Now, Archibald was outside whenever he wanted, but by his father’s side was always preferable. His only comfort was with Father. Even still, he loved the leaves. They clung onto the trees like clouds tied down. The air, unlike the stale air of the tower and his father, was fresh. Breathable. Real.
But he wasn’t outside. His dreams dulled to daydreams and he remembered where he was. In a room where people fought for power. He didn’t want to fight for power. And he didn’t want to help others fight for power, even those deserving. Because, as Johnny once said, Archibald need to step back. He needed to get some perspective on what everyone wanted from him. Knowing not how they treated him, but why they treated him that way.
Archibald was tired. More than anything, he wanted to rest. He wanted to stop fighting. He wanted to explore and be anywhere besides this room.
Then, as he was daydreaming about forests and villages and mountains again, he heard, “Kill him.”
Archibald’s head shot up. His father was leaning over Brumble, who was red and frothing.
“Archibald?” Archibald’s father said, “Did you hear me?”
“I- uh- what did you—”
“I said kill him,” his father repeated, “Kill Lord Brumble.”
“W-what?” Brumble muttered, “You can’t do that, I’m the next king!”
“Not if you’re dead,” Archibald’s father said, “Kill him, Archie.”
Nodding, Archibald jumped into the air. With a gust of wind circling beneath to carry him, he looked down at the two. They seemed more like animals than men. Brumble collapsed to the floor, crawling away like a wounded rat. And Archibald’s father looked so sure, so predatory. There wasn’t an ounce of doubt in his eyes, like he was certain Brumble would be dead.
Archibald raised his arms, readied to clap, then faltered.
Why would he kill Brumble? Ah, yes, Father said so.
Why would he just listen to Father? Oh, of course, Father always knows best, so he must have a reason. Better to listen to him.
Why would he trust Father?
Then Archibald thought back to his conversations with Sutsugua. The demons used magic and were degraded into blindly following the demon king. They put their trust into the demon king. Why do that? The demon king was so obviously evil in hindsight.
And Archibald thought back to Johnny’s words. Peter bullied him to hide his love. Could Father be doing the same? Treating Archibald with love to hide his intentions? Pretending to have Archibald’s best interest all for the sake of power?
“I said kill him, Archibald, listen to me,” Father said.
Archibald’s hands seemed pulled together, but he caught himself. “Why, Father?”
“Archibald, you listen to what I say.”
Slowly, Archibald drew his hands to his side.
“Archibald, kill him!”
His arms rose again.
“Kill him, Archie! Kill him!”
His hands slammed together and the room went still. As he fell heavily to the floor, Brumble scrambled from the room and his father looked down on Archibald with contempt.
“Why did Brumble escape?” his father asked, “Is it just a slow death? Archibald, what happened?”
Archibald, shaking, turned his face up to him. “You aren’t my father, are you?”
“Archie, what are you talking about?” his father said softly.
“I’m a stolen child. You were lying to me the whole time. I saw Peter. He was a demon. You turned him into a demon.”
“Archie, are you okay? Let’s just go home now,” his father murmured.
“I won’t-” Archibald groaned as he got to his feet, “I won’t blindly follow you anymore. And... the dragon told me about you. He was scared of you. I can’t risk leaving you be.”
“Archibald!” his father yelled, “We’re going home!”
“Are you really my father?” Archibald asked, looking in the eyes of the man ahead of him.
“Of course, Archibald.”
“In my heart, you’ll always be my father,” Archibald said, “Thank you for giving me such a good life, but it has to end here. Father, I love you, but it’s over.”
“Archibald, listen to me!” his father yelled, “Go kill Brumble, and we can go back to our normal family life. You can see your siblings again. Just kill Brumble!”
“I’m sorry, Father,” Archibald said, and the effects of his earlier clap were finally apparent. Gusts of wind burst through windows. They wove through crowds of nobles, making their way to the bottom ring before encircling Archibald’s father. Each gust tugged at his father. Then, as Archibald’s father looked over to his son, he cried for forgiveness, and the gusts tunnelled into his veins. His body was shredded, pulled up into the air.
He let out ancient shrieks, and finally a ball of fire grew around his remains. As his ashes drifted back down to the ground, the wind settled, and the nobles, most of which hidden beneath their desks, peeked out to see Archibald’s father gone.
When the ash landed, Archibald fell unconscious to the ground.
ns216.73.217.120da2
and then Add to home screen.