░3░ The Maxwell's Successor

'The knights in our duchy were so easy to trick. Not minding some cat's noise'

Damon thought while walking ahead towards the empire’s town with his long brown coat and disguised clothes he had put on earlier. Never did he know that the shadow knights of the duke were observing him. Some of the assigned shadow knights to spy on him will be reporting what he has been doing

Unless, Damon knew he was being watched then he’ll eventually choose to escape from their grasps but for the moment, he's still in the dark about it. During his walk, he was mesmerized at how beautiful the surrounding was. Seeing how the leaves of the cherry blossoms falling to places having the rays of the sun all over. He felt nostalgia after watching such gentle scenery. For the second time he felt those after getting out of Maxwell's household

'This was the second time I've watched the cherry blossoms' leaves falling like they are pieces into place outside the Maxwell’s duchy without having servants around. Just looking at them when I’m all alone, calms me and makes me reminisce the past'

Damon thought unconsciously smiling while looking around the place he's in. During his walk, he can't deny the feelings he had. Stopping by at a large cherry blossom tree, leaning his back into it resting for a bit while watching how the leaves continues to fall down

'How long has it been since I've seen something like this that made me felt happy for a little while? Oh I remember it was that time'

He thought remembering how he saw the same scenery for the first time. Reminiscing the past that was hardly enough for him to forget. Closing his eyes for a second, feeling the rays of the sun kissing his pale skin illuminating his red hair like a flame

'The day two boys had their little adventures'

'I've known Lucius that you're too silent with these kinds of things. Just come here and stand in the middle of the falling leaves. It will mesmerize you and throw away the pain that you're feeling,’ A little kid who had the same features as the Duke of Maxwell – almost identical to young boy Lucius - said smiling brightly looking at a little boy of his same age while feeling the leaves falling to him

The little boy who was silent, that the Duke had badly beaten because of his small mistakes, looking at Damon with his featured having a dark hair and blue eyes, the boy who was named Lucius Maxwell – like an identical person to Damon if he only had the same red hair.

He is the half-brother of Damon from another mother or rather from another prostitute. Yet still, being the successor of the throne, Damon when still a child, understood Lucius and never hates him. He never bother such hatred overflowed him, rather he cared so much - so much- for his half-brother even knowing where he came from. Even though he knew that he's a prostitute's son from the Duke - his father, he accepted that fact because he has still the same blood flowing to him. But what he can't accept was the way the Duke tortured him, punished him for a little mistake he had done

Just because he's the Duke's illegitimate child

He can't bear to look at his brother being tortured badly by the Duke but he also can't do anything. Considering he's powerless in that kind of situation. Lucius just looked at Damon with eyes that portrayed envy. Feelings of longing for love after escaping the duchy together with him

That day, Damon decided to escape the duchy together with Lucius after the Duke had beaten Lucius for breaking a vase that he was cleaning earlier. He thought that Lucius needed to relax his mind. So, he asked him to escape the duchy for a while. He knew Lucius very well because he’s only treated as a servant inside the duchy. Yet, Lucius knew that he can’t disobey Damon because he has more right to order him as he’s the legitimate son of the Duke

Now that he's calling him to step inside the falling leaves, for a second he paused. He’s capturing the view where Damon was enjoying himself. He was looking above together with the sun's rays all over his place. Damon looking back at Lucius staring at him – had smiled brightly at his idea. Then seconds later, he went near where Lucius was standing and started pulling him towards the place

Until they both felt the falling cherry blossom leaves with the warm feeling of the sun’s rays on their skin

'There's no use being bothered by what happened, Lucius. You know father, he can be easily angry about small things. What's important now is to look forward and have your goals accomplished, okay?' Damon said, gently holding the beaten hands of Lucius. He started caressing them gently while looking at him with a sad smile

'Goals?' Lucius asked as a rough voice came out from his mouth. Because he was shouting non-stop when the Duke tortured him

'Goals are when you set your mind to accomplish something. To achieve what you wanted to achieve in life because at the end of the day Lucius, we only live once. Remember those,' Damon said, gripping tightly at both of Lucius' hands and gently letting them go as he looks from above

Damon was determined to show Lucius what he wanted to portray

‘When this time comes again, when we see this season of fall. Do remember my words - oh and another thing for you to still remember those - do collect seven pieces of cherry blossoms’ leaves from the ground. Treasure them and only show them to me when you have your goals already. Understood?' Damon said smiling brightly as he looked at Lucius - who was wide-eyed for the moment.

Processing what Damon had said, he only blinked more times to him. Yet, afterward he already understood what Damon meant and it will be his choice if he wanted to do those. Knowing how persistent Damon could get, he gave in by nodding respectfully to him. Putting his open hands in the air capturing some cherry blossoms leaves on the palm of his hands

Damon who had fixated his gaze at Lucius, sadly smiled. He remembered the first time they met and it was the same scenario where the Duke had beaten him. He wanted to show the outside world to Lucius that never got the experience before

Damon knew how Lucius was as he was always kept inside the duchy’s household – in their basement - living like he's dead. Only coming outside of the basement and towards the duchy when the duke had ordered him

'That was Lucius, my poor half-brother. If I only have the power then you wouldn’t have suffered enough. Yet, I knew that I'm still a coward inside. Because of us, you never get to know the outside world' Damon thought going back to reality. Opening his eyes meeting the heat of the sun’s rays, made him blinked many times.

Now, he opened his eyes where he could avoid the rays and looked down. Reminiscing the past, he remembered the promise that he had made with Lucius. Regarding the seven leaves of cherry blossoms, he started looking down at his feet on the grasses full of their leaves, he sadly smiled from the view.

'I hope that he had already gathered seven leaves of cherry blossoms. That will signify him having his goals'

With that thought, Damon immediately resumed his walk after breathing calmly

'I hope this day will be a nice day away from the annoying princess'

***

After arriving at the place, Damon was about to step forward to search the armory shop for swords when he saw a young woman almost bump those carriages. He was about to save the young woman when there was already a young guy covered in all black coat saved her. Yet, walked her to a narrow alley

Even though the young man covered in a black coat saved the young woman, Damon knew very well that figure. He knew very well about the young man’s moves

'Lucius?' he thought and with that, he immediately followed the two without hesitation. He knows that his instincts were partly correct sometimes. The young guy covered the lady's mouth only to remove it immediately. Damon seeing this hid somewhere near from the two to see if the guy was Lucius

Though, what he saw was the face of the girl. He saw how familiar the girl was. With her pale skin and blue eyes she reminded of someone from his childhood. She reminded of his other friends like – Aiden - he cannot just pinpoint why he had thought of him when he saw her

Setting that thought aside, he saw how the young woman asked for the man in black. Asking about his identity but instead of answering he just walked away. Damon was about to follow him but something urged him to stay and watch the lady that was left in the alley. Seeing how she picked up a crumpled paper and being surprised suddenly

So when Damon focused his sight on the paper, he saw their symbol. The Maxwell's duchy symbol

'What in the world? How did it come there and was picked by a young woman? Wait so the man in black was Lucius after all?' Damon was about to step his way to trace the young man earlier but he was stopped after hearing the lady shout

When he looked back at the place, he saw how the lady was cornered by some commoner guys - that were more like bad guys. He silently went near where the lady was until he heard what they're saying inside the alley

"Hm, would you look at that, surely our boss will be delighted to see a young beautiful maiden” one of the guys said smirking at the lady while licking his lips

"Stay a meter away from me or else I'll scream again!" Iris warned them but they were not fazed at all

Instead, they continue smirking and coming closer to her

"Scream if you want. You knew there's no one in here considering it's a dead-end narrow alley young girl," one of the guys said while laughing evilly at her

Then the rest of the guys started laughing

Iris felt helpless and hopeless. For a moment she knows that she's a girl and powerless. She was about to run if it weren't someone interfering with them

"Seems like you all were having some gatherings here, ey! Why not share it with me?" Damon said pretending to be interested. He pretended to be a commoner having the same voice like one. Hiding his face on the brown coat, he is wearing

"Ey man looked for someone else. We already got her. Finder's keepers first" one of the men said turning their backs to see a guy that was covered in a brown coat

Making the guys wide-eyed in shock. Same with Iris thinking that another mysterious guy had appeared in front of them suddenly. Before they could all talk again after being surprise. Damon immediately passed the guys and held the lady's wrist. Until he pulled her towards him and made her run fast enough to pass the guys cornering her earlier

The guys after being surprise at what happened or the second time immediately regained their consciousness and chased after the two. They chased the two until they were nowhere to be found and gave up

"Tsk, lucky bastard, ey!" one of the men said while the others spit on the ground

Damon run fast as he could holding Iris who was breathing heavily. While running, they were brought by their feet towards another dead-end alley. Both were breathing hard enough for the situation that had just happened.

Iris was still breathing hard enough while Damon let go of his hand that was holding her wrist earlier

"That was impulsive of me, I apologize if I ever caused any---" Damon didn't finish what he's saying because of the young woman’s appearance

The young woman – who is Iris - looked so gorgeous in front of him. Her hair that was covered earlier with a cloth was now swaying gently by the wind. Her hair that was golden blonde was swaying together with her breathing.

'She looked gorgeous, is she another noble? She looked just like someone – she looked like Aiden?'

Damon thought speechless as of the moment. Iris after looking at his expressions touched her head only to touch her hair not the cloth that was covering it earlier

‘Not again?!’