Chapter Text
Foxpelt wandered his father’s mansion bored out of his mind. He would play with his sister Mintleaf but she had decided to stay in her room citing some nonsense about it not being safe to wander the house right now. If it was unsafe the several guards would have told him something about him wandering around already Mintleaf was just being paranoid.
There was only one section of their Foxpelt that his sister could not go to. It was the small building in the back where their father did his work. Foxpelt had never bothered to go there but his father had been there most of the day and hadn't even come in for dinner yet and the sun was already going. He knew running an empire was probably a lot of work but his father never stayed in this late in less something serious was going on but Foxpelt hadn’t heard of any battles or disasters that would keep his father working this long. So sucking up his courage he walked through the garden to the limestone building.
“Dad, What’s going on,” Foxpelt yelled, opening the door quieting when he saw what his dad was doing.
“Foxpelt what are you doing here? You know you aren’t supposed to come in here,” Darkheart said ushering the guards to put the cuffs and muzzle back on the battered yellow Counti.
“Dad, who is he,” Foxpelt asked quietly after a minute, looking at his feet.
“He was the leader of the riot that happened last week on Devunus,” Darkheart said gently, lifting Foxpelt’s head up.
“That’s Sunspot,” Foxpelt asked, trembling.
“Why yes. What do you think happens to rioters,” Darkheart said as Sunspot threw up blood all over the marble floor.
“Okay, but why beat him like this. Why not let him rot in jail,” Foxpelt asked, backing away from his father.
“Now you're thinking like a ruler. Why do I do this to rioters? Well that’s quite simple. If I just left him in jail the riots would just continue but if I beat the heads and few others then leave them to be found by the rest. Then they stop and peace is restored. Do you understand Foxpelt,” Darkheart explained calmly.
“I think I do but are you almost done? You haven’t had dinner yet and the sun has almost gone down,” Foxpelt said rushing toward the door.
“Of course my little one. I will be there in a moment. Before you go though will you promise me you will never tell anyone what you saw today? I don’t want you getting hurt because of this,” Darkheart said, going to the bathroom to wash his hands.
“I will not tell anyone dad. You have my word,” Foxpelt said, walking out the door deeply disturbed by what he had just seen.