A YEAR HAD PASSED since Diana started visiting the palace.
At first, Claude saw her as a source of entertainment but as time passed the two developed feelings for each other.
Two adults, a man and a woman along with a child was having tea in the garden together.
"Diana can you teach me to sing?"
Athanaris looked at her with shining expectant eyes.
"Why, yes of course prince"
Diana smiled fondly at the child as he pouted cutely.
"How many times do I have to tell you that you can call me Athan" he whined.
Claude was watching the interaction between the two while sipping his tea calmly.
He puts the teacup on the saucer and eyed his son, a smirk on his face.
"Why? You want to sing for me?"
He teased and smirked at the response he got.
Athanaris's face was beet red and he stammered "Wh-what... n-no... wa-wait... I-I me-mean..."
He looked down and pouted, a kicked puppy look on his face as he look up "Father's a meanie"
Claude raised an eyebrow and continued to tease his son, Diana giggled at the side when she suddenly remembered something.
"Ah that's right pri- *glares* I mean Athan. We have something to tell you"
Athanaris looked confused and curious at the same time, nevertheless he nodded.
"Well you see you'll be a big brother in a few months"
Diana looked down and caressed her belly with a slight bump on it.
Athanaris gasped "I thought you were just getting fat but in truth you are pregnant! When did you discover? How many months? When will the baby born? What is it's gender?"
He bombarded her with questions and she giggled while Claude smiled slightly seeing his son getting excited.
After he calmed down, Diana started "Okay, I'm already three months pregnant and I just dico-" she didn't even get to continue her sentence when a dark clothed man suddenly appeared.
Her eyes widened in shock.
Athanaris moved fast and blocked the dagger with the sword Claude gave him for his birthday gift.
Athanaris's face became blank and devoid of any emotion, gone was the cute and angelic prince replaced by a cold and aloof child.
Athanaris and Claude fought over the many assassins, defeating them easily.
Unfortunately, Diana was unguarded as one of the assassins went in and threw a black sphere at her.
Athanaris's eyes widened 'Black Magic!' and without realizing it, he ran and blocked the sphere with his body, protecting Diana from harm as he took all the damage.
Claude turned after he killed the last assassin -or so he thought- when he heard a cry of pain.
His eyes widened when he saw his son's body falling, the assassin also getting killed by Felix.
Claude got frozen on the spot, unable to move as he stared at the unmoving body on the ground.
The knights and maids started to arrive at the scene.
A knight was about to carry the injured child in his arms when a cold and raged voice rang in the air "Don't touch him!!! Don't touch him with those filthy hands!!!"
He ran to them, pushing the knights and maids away and kneeled down beside his fallen son.
His hands was shaky as he scooped the barely alive child close to his chest, he tapped his cheek gently "Come on Athanaris, you can't sleep okay? Don't sleep, don't leave me. We're still going to boat right? So don't leave."
His voice cracked as crystal tears started to fall from his eyes to his son's pale cheeks stained with blood.
Athanaris's eyelids fluttered open halfway as he reached a shaky and bloodied hand to his father's face.
"P-papa" he called out, Claude placed his hand on the smaller one that is placed on his cheek gently and answered "Yes Athan?"
Athan smiled slightly 'That's the first time he called me Athan'
"D-Don't cry p-papa. I-I'm here al-alright. I-I wo-won't l-leave I-I pro-promise. I... love... you"
With that his eyes fluttered close once again, the hands holding Claude's cheek falling to the side limply.
"N-no! Nononono." he chanted, desperately and held the cooling hand of his son.
"Go! Go get the imperial physician NOW!" He barked the order to the still stunned people watching the scene and they snapped out and proceeded to scramble away to call the physician, not wanting to have a taste of the Emperor's wrath.
Claude held his son more tightly, hearing the faint heavy breathing and the slow beating heart of his son.
He stood up and walked to his room very quickly, almost running in a hurry.
'Don't leave me Athan. Don't die just yet'
YOU ARE READING
Emperor's Treasured Son
Fanfiction"Your highness, do you want me to carry you?" A red haired, grey eyed man said, holding out his arms to the 3 years old child in front of him. "Oka-" not even able to complete his answer, someone snatched him up, two strong arms holding him careful...
