Deep in Thought

I woke with a head-splitting pain. I looked up to see the canopy over the bed which was well-made and a cloth running around it. It seemed to be made of wood like the ones you see in those movies where royalty or important people would sleep. I have warped around with a fine blanket under a very fluffy comforter with huge pillows under my head. I looked around some more and found myself in a well-furnished room.

Beside me was a person looking straight at me as if he was examining me. He was old but still moved quite well for his looks. He then placed his hand on my forehead to check my temperature and then checked the wound on my head. As soon as he got near it he felt a sharp pain. He made a weird sound and then said.

[Hmmmmm….. Judging from his looks he seems alright.]

I then hear a soft comforting voice from the other side.

[Thank the goddess he is alright.]

I then look towards the voice and see the Duchess on the verge of tears. No, I should say my mother was on the verge of tears. The doctor then said.

[Aside from the minor concussion on his head and the wound, he should be alright. He won’t have any permanent damage. All he needs is to place this medicine on his wound to prevent infection or you could have a healer just whoosh it away. Here Drink this.]

I opened my mouth and tasted a bitter stick concoction. Why the heck did I drink that I asked myself.

Then a cold voice comes out from the corner. A man was sitting there looking at the bed with a disappointed stare. He looked at me as if I did something terrible and I couldn’t be forgiven.

[Good at least he can answer for his stupidity without excuses.]

[Darling please our son just woke up and we almost lost him.]

[Lost him, Better he died on that deep pond. He has brought such shame to our family. Never have I been so humiliated in my life.]

I looked blankly at this strange man. He was cold calculating and was without emotion towards me. He was a well-built man. If he wasn’t wearing elegant clothes and demeanor, one could say he was a gladiator. I looked into my memory and I recalled a sense of dread every time this body saw him. I see he is this body’s father, my father Duke of the Blackstone fortress and Whiteland, Hero of Ice gate, and Supreme Commander of the 3rd Legion Duke Richard Raymond Winters.

I think to myself. How can he hate my guts already? I just got here. Then I recalled a prior memory.

I was walking about down the corridor headed to the banquet hall where all the guests had gathered. I was still far off since my room was on the other side of the mansion on the furthest corner. One would think that they were trying to get me as far away as possible from the central portion of the house.

As I was about to turn the corner I heard several people talking.

[Why do we have to attend this party? We all know this is a petty party for that fat stupid untalented boy.]

[Yeah! I heard that his father had to pull so many strings just to get him this engagement with an Honorary Earl’s daughter. They had to dive to the bottom of the barrel to find the most desperate family to have an engagement with it.]

[Everybody knows that the Grand Duke is only doing this to keep his wife happy. He doesn’t even truly acknowledge this kid as one of his sons. He doesn’t see any potential in him.]

[I heard that he wasn’t able to make a contract with the family’s bloodline magic beast. In fact no beast wanted to make a contract with him. He also doesn’t know magic or have any physical or mental skills whatsoever. He can’t contribute to his great house.]

[What a shame, his family has so much talent but not a drop went to him. He is just dead weight to his family. He should be thankful at least that the Duke put in some effort for this child. I heard the girl they found is talented. Poor girl, she doesn’t know how unlucky she is.]

[They say the Queen is quite fond of the boy and is always welcoming when she sees him.]

[Like a court fool I guess.]

[That’s because his mother is a distant relative of the queen who she adores.]

[Come on this petty party is about to start, let's get back. We need to make sure we mingle with the Duke and get on his good side.]

What cruel people they were as I recalled.

After those people talked a deep sadness came into my memory. Also hatred towards those people but more intensely hatred for one’s self for being that way. He or I was curled up into a ball crying. Those words must have really hurt.

Then he couldn’t breathe at that time and could only think of getting away. He couldn’t go forward to that so-called petty party. He couldn’t take the look of those fake people who hated him. So the only option was to get away.