Prophecy
Lotto
There was never a night as dark as this one. From the ancient times, it was believed that night, especially cloudless, as it was now, brought only fear and sorrow. At such nights, major cities and empires collapsed, treacherous betrayals and treasons were committed, the most influential people disappeared to the darkness... This night was no exception.
The silence of the impenetrable darkness of the garden was cut by the concerned voice of the guard.
“Mr. Byun, your father...” at the voice turned a young man, sitting on a bench under a hundred-year-old oak tree. A certain anxiety was reflected in his eyes, but the shadow cast by the tree hid both him and his true feelings. Holding his breath, the guy carefully looked at the hushed guard and waited for his concerning news.
“He was in his bedchamber, with prayers, and wanted to see you...“ the guard didn't have time to finish the sentence, as the guy rushed towards the only entrance to the castle. The old guard, left alone, had no choice but to look at the full moon, instantly illuminating his wrinkled face, and with a deep sigh he burst into prayers. The night has never been so dark and lasting.
***
Reaching the main entrance to the castle, the guy stopped abruptly in front of the guard and began to catch his breath, while the gates slowly moved apart. No matter how hard he tried to calm down and throw away all bad thoughts, they still hovered in his head, making it difficult to concentrate.
Father predicted his death a few days before. He knew that the gods called him and ordered no one to enter his chambers until his soul began to unite with the heaven. This moment has come. The father calls his son. But for what purpose?.. He saw his father rarely, only during ceremonial speeches and a couple of minutes on his birthdays, so why did he need him now? Pass the last words? In the entire history there has not been a case in which a dying king would express his will personally. The whole process took place through the scribe, who wrote in all the words to the testament before the deterioration of the dynast’s health. So why should he be there?.. Something was definitely wrong.
Turning the corner, he stopped for a second in front of a wide corridor leading to his father’s chambers. He had never been here, and everything seemed completely new and gloomy. The young man stopped right in front of the corridor, not daring to enter. He could feel the dark and repulsive atmosphere of the room and therefore the desire to escape increased exponentially.
The walls were full of previous kings’ portraits, in whose eyes froze all-consuming and deep sadness. It was as if they were all looking at him... with sympathy. Shaking his head, the young man at first hesitantly, and after with confident steps, approached the cherished door. Grasping the door handle and counting up to three, he quickly went inside.
***
POV Baekhyun
The first thing I felt was the foul odor of this room, which had obviously not been aired for several days. There were four people in it, three of whom were currently kneeling by the bed and read prayers with folded hands.
“Baekhyun! Come, child,” the Saint called me to him, who at that time was standing on the left side of the bed, “He was waiting for you...”
But I could not. I didn't even have the strength to look at him. I literally felt the approaching demise of my father, and realization of that caused me to shudder.
For as long as I can remember, my father was always a formality for me. He never participated in my upbringing, was not around when I needed advice. Although I did not complain, because he is a king and this means that he belongs to the people. Especially in difficult times, I could talk to Saint Jesob, who replaced my father. But now, feeling that in a couple of hours (and maybe minutes) I will become an orphan... Anxiety flashes my whole body, and a strange noise whirrs in my ears. Sometimes I was soothed by the thought that my father was somewhere nearby, in the castle, that I had one, and I did not imagine him. But now the father will leave this world. And I have to take his place.
“Baekhyun, you need to listen to him,” Jesob pulled me out of my thoughts and looked at me with an unreadable look. I just took a step towards father, as I heard a chuckle and a voice that I could not expect to hear here.
“Has this old man finally made his ends?” folding his arms across his chest, grinned my brother. What brought him here?! His words made me clench hands into fists unconsciously, “I wonder, why did he protract this for so long? Living half of a century is already an achievement, it is time to retire.”
“Jongin, what the hell are you doing here?” I stepped towards him, intending to throw him out of the room, but Jesob stopped me.
“You see, I was called here by the King himself,” Jongin stretched the last word with irony, looking me straight in the eyes, “And how could I have missed his last words?”
“It can't be!” I looked at Saint Jesob with confusion, but he only nodded in confirmation. Jongin’s face showed a satisfied smirk, and he approached the bed, looking at father with undisguised curiosity. He looked absolutely relaxed and calm, in spite of everything that was going on around him. I, in turn, felt nervous, realizing the absurdity of what is happening.
Why are we gathered here?.. Neither I nor Jongin should be here. According to custom, there should be only prayers, and at times like this, there are no last words or speeches. Is there really something that important to ignore the rules? Accidentally, I looked at my father and shuddered.
It seemed as if life was out from him and only remaining part is an outer shell, which tightly enswathed the bones. His face had deep wrinkles, and he looked incredibly tired, which was unusual for his character. The eyes were closed, and this made it easier, because I did not want to meet with a dull and fixed look...
“Incredible,” once again emerging from my thoughts, I looked at my brother, who leaned against the wall, continuing to look at father, “And this man once told me that death is inevitable and as beautiful as birth. If I look just as pitiful with natural death in old age, I'd rather put a bullet in my head right now.”
At the same time, he curved his lips in his arrogant smirk and, bending his fingers in the likeness of a pistol, he placed it next to his temple. I grinned and almost offered him help in this matter, but Jesob was ahead of me.
“Jongin, you know that suicide is an unbearable sin. Only the higher powers decide when it’s time to leave, we don’t dare to interfere with it,” he started to patiently explain, but Jongin seemed not to pay attention to his words, looking at me.
“Maybe I should help him too?” and he waved at the barely breathing body on the bed. “He's so tormented; I will do him a huge favor.”
"Jongin," Jesob tried to stop the flow of his words.
“Well, you think anyone would like to lie on the bed, while feeling like the last piece of ?” he continued to cross the line with a vicious smile, not taking his eyes off me. He provoked me and I must admit: he did it. The wrath inside me was going up but I tried to suppress it regardless. This boy will finish ba
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