The Avenging Prince

Chapter 15: Celebration & Rejection

Ambrose P.O.V.

I had announced the day before about Charolette's pregnancy and that there will be a celebration for the upcoming crown prince or princess. 

"Your majesty, it seems the news made everyone happy," James claimed to smile. "They seem to be in hurry to get the celebration set up, just they can share how happy they are about their future crown prince or princess."

"Yes, I know," I said not able to stop smiling. "Charolette said that we conceived the day or so of our wedding and only suspected so before we left for war, which means she's nearly two months along."

*Time-Skip*

On the day of the celebration, I was notified that Claude finally wants to talk to me, but I told the guards that I'm busy with the celebration and will talk to him afterward. After all, why should I care what he has to say, for he made his choice and I do not want anything to do with him no matter what. 

The celebration was as perfect as planned and lasted close to midnight before it was agreed to end, and Charolette and our unborn received plenty of gifts and congratulations. 

Charolette was exhausted from receiving gifts and being congratulated and didn't mind going to bed when we finally have the chance. But not before telling me to speak to Claude, and at least listen to him. She didn't directly tell me to give him one last chance, but it was implied. I'll let that go, for I know she's trying to give her family one last chance even though Margret and Amber (Charolette's stepmother) showed no remorse for what she had done to her. Charolette's family is working for forgiveness after all, and Margret and Amber would eventually be free but not as nobles but as commoners.

'They and the other former nobles will have to a way to raise to nobles once more.' I thought before sleep took me.

*Time-Skip*

I was in my office thinking about whether or not I should talk to Claude, even though Charolette asked me to at least give him one last chance but I don't want to. Deep down I want to but I did not at the moment and so I left my office and went to Claude's cell. His cell is right across from his brother's so they will see each other every day and night as a reminder of their crimes. I made sure they are given very little to occupy their time; give them books that have pages ripped out at the end, a mattress soo uncomfortable that they would have very little sleep, and paper and ink to draw or write, but would have to be used to wipe their asses. They pretty much can only keep each other company until Anastasius is executed in ten years. 

"I heard that you wish to speak to me, Claude," I said looking down at Claude who was just leaning back on the wall sitting on his uncomfortable mattress with a broken look with black circles around his eyes. 

"Ambrose, please forgive me," Claude said getting up and walking in front of the cell door to stare him in his eyes. "Let me be your father again."

"Let you be my father again?" I said questioningly which ended me laughing which caused Anastasius to look out from his cell. "Why?"

"I was a fool." He said looking at me with his broken look. "I fell for a trick and killed Athanasia."

"So now you know her name, but don't remember that you never once saw us until the debutant (beautillion for boys becoming men)." I said with some anger releasing. "And here you are asking to be my father again."

"Ambrose?" Claude said looking even more broken when saying my name. 

"No, I can't," I said making Claude step back. "After all, I can't acknowledge or love someone who was supposed to be my father who never acknowledge or love me or my sister. And I stopped seeing you as my father at age five, and now I'm rejecting you as my father. "

I watched Claude collapse after taking a few more steps back, and I couldn't help but see tears starting to form at the corners of his eyes. Which made me shocked, but I quickly hid it. 

"In another life, I probably would have seen you as my father, but in this life, I can not," I said still remembering that dream. "For I will never see you as my father."

With that, I left the dungeons and headed back to my office, where I can be alone and distract myself from what I saw.

'Why did it hurt when I saw him start to tear up?' I thought to myself. 'I shouldn't allow it to bother, since he did the same to Athanasia and left kneeling in tears when he rejected her.'