Miraculous One-Shots

To Rule With An Iron Fist

    Adrien sat idly in the cold room, surreptitiously glancing at his father; the old king ignored one of his citizens' supplication. When the young man faltered in his simple request, King Gabriel's icy eyes narrowed, as if he had been offended by the stutter. Adrien watched the man stiffen, in fear most likely of the wrath of the cruel king. His heart went out to him, it truly did. If Adrien had a single ounce of power to stop his own father from reigning so barbariously, he would have done so.

    The young man then turned his attention to the blond prince that was seated in the chair next to King Gabriel. Dark brown eyes locked onto Adrien's startling green ones, the peasant seeming to send a nonverbal plea to the young prince, a cry for help. When Adrien tried to offer help, his father immediately silenced him, calling for a nearby guard.

    "I am done with him."

    Adrien stared while the poor man was pulled away by one of the many guards that stood off to the side of the courtroom. When the massive wooden doors slammed shut, Adrien stood up from the cold metal throne. His father didn't bother to say a word to him as the young flaxen-haired prince began to walk away.

    Adrien could hear the sound of the heavy doors opening, no doubt the guards letting in another peasant to give his or her supplication. He walked down the long corridor, his footsteps creating echoes in the desolate hall. Outside one of the many windows littered across the walls, Adrien could see the earlier peasant now exiting the palace grounds. The once pleading young man now wore a scowl as he turned to glare at the castle. Pure hatred clouded his features. Hatred for the king and the king's son.

    That look was a familiar one to Adrien. It was a well-known fact that most of the kingdom despised King Gabriel, and by proxy, they despised Prince Adrien as well. His father took this hatred in stride, using the negative emotions to his advantage. Adrien was disgusted to no end with how his father treated their citizens.

    His father had always been a cruel man, but after Adrien's mother died, King Gabriel had grown even more wicked. With no benevolent queen to rule beside him, King Gabriel ruled over his people with fear. Adrien's father was a greedy man, wanting more land than he could get. He focused revenue on the army he led, fighting endless wars, expenses adding up. Citizens didn't have enough to eat, living on the bare minimum and gave up their sons and fathers to fight in a pointless war.

    Adrien understood why they hated his father. He understood why they hated him as well. With Adrien, they saw someone who could be just as cruel as King Gabriel, someone who could be possibly worse when he takes the throne. Though Adrien cared for his people, that did not mean he was a good person. Even though he wasn't vicious like his father, he was no better. He was just a bystander as he let his father reign in terror. He was trying, though. He knew that when he took the throne, he would try be a better king than his father. He would listen to his citizens when they came to him with their appeals, and he would do his absolute best to help them. At least, that's what Adrien told himself. But it's hard to rule a kingdom when the citizens don't trust you. That was a topic that had been brought up once or twice during his lessons with his father.

    "If they don't trust you, they will come to believe you are weak. So you prove to them that you are someone to be revered and dreaded."

    That was what his father had told him. That was how his father ruled. King Gabriel ruled his kingdom, and the people within, with an iron fist. And it seemed like his grip was not going to let up anytime soon.

    Adrien continued down the passageway, heading towards the kitchen to snag himself an apple. The kitchen staff paid him no mind, busying themselves the moment they saw the young prince enter.