Chapter One

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ALARIC

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ALARIC

Tears fell down my face as I watched my father, the strongest man I know, slowly slip away from the mortal world. There's a depressing feeling, seeing the man who raised you for 12 years, begin to become weaker every minute.

"Alaric..." Dad's raspy voice called out to me. I leaned in closer. I wiped my tears away, hoping that maybe if he saw I was fine, he too would feel fine.

"Dad?" My young voice asked back. Dad patted my hair, rubbing my soft curls.

"Listen to me, Alaric. There will come a time when you need to step up." Dad grunted in pain and rubbed his chest. "Be the man that I want you to be. I won't be here for long." His voice, coarse, still had that fatherly affection.

"Dad! Please don't go! You're strong! You can fight this!" I pleaded. I grabbed on the sleeve of his robe and began to pull on it.

"I'm afraid I can't, my boy." He took a deep breath in and regained his composure. "Take care of your mom. And remember, be the man who takes the high road."

"I love you, dad." I sobbed into his chest. I heard people begin to scramble around me. I turned and saw several doctors and nurses scattering around, trying to find a way to save my dad.

"Alaric. You have to go to your room." The head guard told me.

"No! I'm not leaving him!" I pleaded. I felt a hand on my shoulder. When I turned, I saw my mom with tears rolling down her face. I've never seen a more broken woman before.

"Alaric. Go to your room. Please." She pleaded. I agreed and stood up.

"Dad. I'm going to be a good king when I grow up. I'm going to make you proud." I said to him.

"I know you will. You'll always make me proud." Dad said. He began to close his eyes as the heart monitor began to speed up.

"Someone get the prince and queen out of here!" The head doctor yelled. The guard began to lightly push us out of the room.

The last look I saw of my dad was him reaching for us until the large grand doors slammed in our faces. I turned to mom and saw her crying. She stopped crying when she noticed I was watching her.

"Theo. Take Alaric to his room." She said. I figured I should go to sleep. I gave my mom one last hug before Theo brought me to my room.

I sat on my bed but couldn't find the energy to try and sleep. It sounds weird, but sometimes, trying to go to sleep requires so much energy. Instead, I watched outside as the heavy rain poured down. The rain hit my window and created a soothing symphony that should've put me to sleep. But I stayed up.

Sometime during the middle of the night, after I tried to sleep but ended up reading a book, I heard a sound that sent chills down my spine. A heartbreaking scream that I would never forget. It was the sound of my mom screaming. It wasn't a cry for help, but a cry to someone.

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