14: It's All My Fault

The first light of dawn gently crept over the horizon, painting the sky in soft shades of gold and red. The sun, like a glowing ember, slowly rose, pushing away the night and bringing a new day to life. Its rays stretched out, touching everything with a warm, tender embrace.

As the sun rose in the sky, the Sixth Wayne mansion stood grand and quiet in the early morning calm, making it seem like the previous night had been calm and peaceful.

As the light spread, it kissed the tops of the trees, making the leaves shimmer like tiny jewels. Birds, waking up to the light, started singing, filling the air with their cheerful melodies.

The sun's rays finally reached the mansion, casting a golden glow on its grand facade. The windows which were large and elegant, sparkled as if sprinkled with diamonds. The glass panes, now bathed in sunlight, reflected the warm beams, sending them dancing across the rooms inside. The shadows disappeared, replaced by a cozy, inviting light that filled every corner with a much needed warmth.

Inside a particular bedroom, the sunlight filtered through delicate lace curtains, creating beautiful patterns on the polished wooden floors. The warmth spread slowly, touching the rich fabrics and fine furniture before it landed on the face of a sleeping young boy.

Swoosh

The sound of the curtains being dragged resounded in the room, and the sleeping young boy shifted slightly on his bed. His eyes fluttered open, and a voice flowed into his ears.

"You're awake young master."

The boy looked up, his gaze blurry for a few seconds, and the hazy figure in his vision moved closer to him.

"Are you okay young master?"

The boy's blurry vision cleared up, and when he saw the figure before him, he mumbled, "Edgar?"

"Yes, young master. It is I." Edgar knelt before Andrew.

Meanwhile, Andrew looked around with a slightly empty and baffled expression, and then he mumbled, "Was it all a dream?"

Edgar's body trembled slightly, and he looked at the ground. About three seconds passed, and Edgar spoke.

"You're wrong young master..." Edgar paused.

Andrew looked at Edgar. Deep in his mind, heart, and soul, he knew the words Edgar was about to say. But he wished he didn't have to hear those words.

He didn't want to hear those words.

Couldn't everything have just been a dream?

"...It was not a dream young master…" Edgar paused and he looked into Andrew's eyes. "... Your sister, Esther, the young miss… is dead."

Andrew trembled and tightly gripped his bedsheets. His heart rate spiked, and breathing became somewhat difficult for him.

"Garhh."

A groan escaped his lips, and he stared at his bed.

"Also…"

Edgar's voice flowed into Andrew's ears, and he was brought out of his strange state. His gaze shifted towards Edgar. His eyes were wet, with tears threatening to spill out.

Edgar saw this, and the words he was about to speak got stuck in his throat. He wondered if telling an eight year old boy about the death of his parents along with his sister's was a wise decision to make.

'No.'

Edgar closed his eyes.

'The earlier he knows, the faster he can get over it.'

Edgar opened his eyes and looked at Andrew.

'I'll help him in any way possible. I'll make sure he gets his revenge at least.'

"Ed-Edgar."

Andrew's voice flowed into Edgar's ears, and he looked at his young master.

"Tell...Tell me what happened."

As Andrew spoke, he did not know why, but he had an inkling as to what Edgar was about to say. Although he desperately wished for his thoughts to be entirely wrong, he needed to know why now.

He didn't want to cling to the hope or delusion that his mind would conjure as a means of his safety and desires.

'For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.'

Like his father once said to him. He would rather learn the truth than persist in his delusion, no matter how satisfying and reassuring it was.

Meanwhile, as Edgar observed his young master, for the briefest of periods, he saw a resemblance in the eyes of his young master- he saw his master.

'This is the true treasure and legacy that my master left behind. Not his weapons, designs, or cutting-edge technology. You, Andrew Wayne, are the true treasure and legacy my master left behind.'

Edgar's lips curled up slightly, and then his lips parted open.

"Your father, Tion Wayne, and your mother, Melinda Wayne… are dead."

Andrew shook, and his grip on his sheets tightened. He looked down, and he only said a single word.

"Oh."

The seconds went by, with nothing but complete silence engulfing the entire room. That was, until it was broken by the sound of a sniffle.

Drip

Drip

Sniffle

Edgar watched with a pained and worried expression as his young master stained his bed sheets with his tears.

Despite the bravado and determination he showed minutes prior, his young master still cried and sniffed.

"You know…"

Edgar's gaze shifted and focused on his young master.

"I… sniff… I thought I'd be… sniff… I'd be able to take it like a man… sniff…"

Edgar clenched his fists.

"I thought… sniff… I thought I'd be able to not cry like a man… sniff…"

Edgar felt a compulsion in his heart.

"I… sniff…  I didn't know it'd hurt like THIS!!"

Andrew screamed, with his tears pouring out the more.

"ITS ALL MY FAULT! EVERYTHING IS ALL MY FAULT!"

Just as Andrew was about to reach a critical point in his breakdown, he felt a strong pair of hands embrace him, which was then followed by the voice of a man he once hated not too long ago.

"First of all, you're not a man young master. You're still eight years old. You're extremely far from being a man."

Edgar's lips curled into a painful smile as he stroked Andrew's head.

"Second, men cry. But men don't cry in public."

Edgar felt Andrew's grip on him tighten.

"And lastly…"

Edgar separated Andrew from his embrace, and his heart shook when he saw the tears and snot-filled face of his young master.

"Everything that happened was not your fault. NONE OF IT was your fault."

Edgar tightened his grip on Andrew's shoulders.

"If there's anybody to blame. It should be me. It was all my fault."

Edgar pulled Andrew into his embrace once again, and he stroked his hair while mumbling softly.

"If there's anybody to blame. It's me. It was all my fault… I'm a failure."