Chapter Text
Putting other above him is never Leo’s style. Even when he said ‘For the Glory of Nohr’, he was mostly doing it for his own good. He had always been the lonely one, the neglected one, fighting solely for himself. That’s why he never had something worth putting above himself, someone worth dying for.
That’s why, he was never able to confess Father’s situation to Xander, or to anyone else. That’s why his Father was possessed and Xander was killed. That’s why Nohr was defeated and he needed to be the King.
For once, he wants to redeem all the wrongs he had done. He wants to guide Nohr to the future his Father and Xander wants. He wants to give kindness to everyone, like what Elise said in her dying wish. He wants to give Takumi the most comfortable ‘home’, so that he won’t be traumatized by the lost.
Yet, cruel reality never allows him to achieve it without a price. A price which can redeem all his mistakes, and also pay for his wishes. A price that is too much for him to pay.
“King Leo.” Ugh, that mocking voice of the nobles. “Would you be able to stop the free trade with Hoshido?”
The Nohrian King rests his head on his knuckles. Squinting his eyes, he stares at the noble. “Nohr won’t be able to sustain itself without the help of Hoshido. Not now, at least.”
“Are you letting Hoshido dominant our market?” The noble bows down, though Leo can see a smirk in his face. “Nohrian farmers can no longer sustain themselves because of the competition! Workers are flooding into Hoshido to get a better salary. Are you not going to do anything against it, King Leo?”
Groans in annoyance, the Nohrian King pushes his head up. “Mind your words.” He says in a cold altitude. There was no mercy, no kindness in his voice, but only hatred and absolute power.
“We could have rise the taxes for Hoshdian imports, but that would only cause our people suffrage. The war has damaged most of our fields and slaughtered our civilians - We couldn’t provide enough food for ourselves.”
He raises his eyebrow when the noble bites his lips. He clenches his fist and groans when he fails to take what he wants. Like how the nobles acted every other time - every other time they came and persuade him to stop the trade.
“It is either we pay, or we die.” Leo clears his throat and makes it clear. “This is how dire the situation is.”
Silence. The silence he had longed for. There is no laughing, no smirking, no groaning. It’s only him staring down at the noble with those stern eyes. Staring down with those emotionless, red eyes. Staring down and marking his victory in the debate.
“You could have used Brynhildr…” It wasn’t the best way to bring up the conversation again. “You could have used Brynhildr to grow crops! You could have feed the entire country with your power alone! Please consider that, King Leo!”
The Dark King stands up and takes Siegfried in one hand. “I’m the wielder of the Dark Blade Siegfried now.” He walks closer to the shivering noble and unsheath the blade. “Why did you suddenly care so much about the citizens, by the way? You have always been complaining about their loans, so why would you suddenly put them over you?”
“I-I…” The noble flinches, but his limbs are tied with none other than Brynhildr’s vines. He struggles, trying to get away from this captive position, before he meets those empty red eyes of Leo.
But it was too late. The Dark King has already pressed Siegfried on his throat.
-
“What the fuck are you doing?” Leo screams at the mirror. He smears the blood on his reflection, painting his face none other than crimson red.
“I thought that was what you want, King Leo.” He can hear it - that voice. That voice Takumi has been talking about. “You hatred towards those helpless moaning nobles, isn’t that it? I thought that was why you awakened me.”
Leo grips the crystal ball - the one Azura gave him when they met in the Woods of Forlorn. The one which he first saw the true form of his father. “I didn’t tell you to slaughter the innocent.” He mumbles, looking away from his shadow. “I just wanted the nobles to listen to me. I just want peace. I want to do something to redeem their deaths.”
Their deaths - Xander’s and Elise’s death. If it wasn’t his weakness, they would not be lying in the grave now. Xander would not be mindlessly protecting his Father, and Elise would not have sacrificed her life for nothing. Camilla would not be sobbing every night for their safety, and the whole world would not be turning against them.
Evil laughs echo the room. “Dead people won’t rebel you, Leo!” He bites his lips and gazes at his bloody hands. “Furthermore, isn’t that what you want? So that Takumi would get the praise he needs for slaughtering the evil Dark King?”
True - He has been lying to Takumi all along. He might have been interested in curing the spell within him, but he can’t stop blaming himself when he sees those amber eyes flooded with tears. All those wicked destinies would not lie on him, if he confessed everything. All those tragedies would not fall onto him if it wasn’t his selfishness.
If it wasn’t him… If he wasn’t a coward…
The sudden knock on the door catches his off-guard. The news of the execution should have spread across the board, so who would visit him unless they beg for death? They should have known not to disturb the King after such a merciless execution, unless they dare to face the blade of the King. So who would be so brave to disturb him in these hours?
He opens the door - It is none other than Takumi. With those innocent amber eyes and his bright smile.
The bright smile, as if he knows nothing that just happened. The bright smile, as if the spell has faded and he has defeated his weakness.
“Oh, hi, Takumi.” He muffles out, but that bright smile has quickly turned into a worried smile. “I, um, didn’t expect you come…”
“Are you okay? The blood on your hand, and those on your face…” He hugs the bouquet of myosotis and looks down. “It’s okay if you’re not feeling right. I thought you told me about visiting Prince Xander and Princess Elise…”
“Oh… yes.” He glances at the Hoshidan Prince once more - The possession of the spell is nowhere to be seen. “Back in a minute.” He whispers and quickly washes the blood off. Gazing up at the mirror, he sees those dark shadows around him. Those fumes of purple. Those colours of a decaying soul.
Like how Takumi looked like when they first met.
“I’m sorry.” He muffles after fixing his look. Gazing up, his ruby eyes meet Takumi’s amber eyes, ensuring once more that he is fine.
“Your situation is more of a concern, Leo. If you are not okay, it’s fine if we change the date. Plus, I was the one asking to go with you… Since I have something to say to them as well.”
The Nohrian King shakes his head and takes the bouquet. For once, he didn’t take Brynhildr and ‘create life beside the dead’. For once, he would rather feel the life flowing out from these myosotis. For once, he would rather look at the petals dried off and blown away, rather than the buds blooming and the smile on everyone’s face.
It has been quite some time since they had a silent walk. There is no joke, no conversation, no noises and laughs from the patrolling guards - Just the sound of footstep echoing the hallway. Where are the guards? They might have ran away when they feel his presence. They might have ran for their lives and begs for their safety. But isn’t that better? He doesn’t want his broken face to be seen. He doesn’t need any more person to sacrifice his naive dream of his. He doesn’t need anyone other than Takumi and his family.
When they arrive, it is only them, the north wind, and his siblings lying in the grave. He places the bouquet down, gazing at the petals shattering in the wind. The Hoshidan Prince claps his hand, closes his eyes and muttering words to them.
Maybe that is the Hoshidan way of doing so, he wonders. He bows down, reading the text crafted on the grave. The Nohrian crown Prince and the Nohrian Princess , it says, sacrificed in the war against Hoshido.
Sacrificed.
Because of me.
He catches the petals in the wind, and hold them against his chest. What should he tell them? He doesn’t know. Camilla is sobbing for your death? Hoshido and Nohr has finally allied? The war has finally stopped? He doesn’t know.
What he only knows is that in the near future, he would be lying beside them, looking at Nohr high above.
If not down below.