Nyx’s Speculations

Humming to himself, Nyx thought about the tip of his spear slung on his back, wishing he could trace it with his fingers. At times, he couldn't help but wish that he could ram it straight into his mother, watching the blood slowly trickle down her stomach as he'd remove it, standing above her while crushing her ankles under his heels.

He wished to do it to the Duke, also. How beautiful would it be if the majority of the Argyris family went up in flames? It's not like they mattered anyways, it would feel great to just be able to be able to see their corpses hung for display just like back then.

Almost all of them were rotten, it was only the seventh wife that had ever been kind to him and her children that he could stand to be near. As soon as Isaac became the Duke he would be able to kill his mother and little brother, he was merely biding his time. She should of left him to die with his father.

If only she did things differently, if only his father wasn't killed, if only his little brother was born to his father rather than the Duke, would he be doing things differently? He certainly wouldn't have the bloodlust he held for them now, that is. He'd kill his mother just as she killed his father.

Pulling his hood down, it was going to be a long journey to the capital. It was generally unsafe to travel in a duchy carriage or carriage in general, he'd have to go by foot after a certain point. It wasn't that long since he left the family estate, about a day, yet he wondered if that Elyas boy was doing his job well.

He never intended to get used to little eleventh, but here he was worrying for her on Isaac and Lady Cyrille's behalf. Him, the very same boy that often dreamt of suffocating his own brother in his sleep, how cruel he'd become.

Little eleventh would be hosting her tea party soon, the third prince's mother would be attending this time, despite almost always leaving him all alone and just staying in the castle. This was the perfect opportunity to look on into her.

From what he's managed to get was that she was definitely a magic user despite her unknown origins. He was quite familiar with mana suppressants, he even had some with him at the moment. She was hard to see if she didn't want to, but everyone knew of her reputation. A money and power hungry woman desperate to make her illegitimate child the crown prince, wanting to replace the queen.

The king wouldn't keep her around if she didn't have proof that child was his, so they must truly share the same blood. She ran amuck and her palace was nearly abandoned due to it, the few maids that remained by her could easily be put to sleep one way or another with his magic.

Was the proof something that could be found, though? He knew that what he felt with the third prince was magic, Isaac felt it too and kept close to Theia afterwards. Rosalyn likely wasn't familiar with mana suppressants like the general public, and likely wasn't close enough to him to feel it, but there was no way that the crown prince was that weak and frail, even as an illegitimate child.

If he had magic, wouldn't it be a perfect way to discern him from the first two princes and create rumors about his strength? Why suppress it? An idiot woman, that's what they constantly called her. An idiot that was delusional for power, an idiot that just shoved her son around everywhere to get good graces without attending with him, an idiot who came out of nowhere, but she might be quite the contraire.

Picking up his pace, he was determined to be able to find out the answers he was looking for before it was too late. Was this woman and the third prince a worthy investment for Isaac, or would it come to be a bother if they allowed him to become the crown prince and later down the line he caused trouble for them? The Duke was going to die soon anyways, they needed to think about their own future and what's beneficial to them.

If she weren't actually an idiot and were playing her cards slowly, they'd might be willing to hear her out. If she were truly a fool, there'd be no hesitation to drop their contact with her or kill her. She sent a letter to Rosalyn first, was it a whim, a desperate plea, or a long-term plan?

Meanwhile in the castle in question a mother hummed, smiling at her son as she wore an extravagant dress she couldn't afford and styled her hair into beautiful curls. However, the smile didn't match the look in her eyes. Not that of happiness, but that of a monster in human's skin biding it's time before devouring.

"Be a good boy and take your medicine, alright?" She ordered, handing him a white pill. The taste was bitter and disgusting, but he took it regardless as the pain pounded against his chest, heart ablaze as he clenched his fists, giving no outward reaction before opening his mouth and showing her that he took the pill.

As she pat his head, she kissed his forehead and took his hand into her's, tugging him along. "It's time to leave, be on your best manners and don't embarrass mother when we get there, alright?" She repeated the same last part as she had almost the entire month. Be good and obey, don't embarrass her.

Walking with her, he took a quick glance in the mirror as they left, he watched as the tips of his hair changed. Pure white strands dyed into the dark and cold black color as always, just the way it should of been when he were born. Turning his head back straight forward, they exited the room and walked up the stairs from the basement, he dreaded what laid ahead.