Chapter Text
Alexios was in bed, staring at his wall. Grunting he pulled the covers up over his head. If he saw his father he would strangle him, so Alexios figured, if he did not get out of bed, he would not see Costa, and then Costa would continue to live. Brilliant plan, right?
"Lord Alexios?" one of the servant girls inquired timidly.
"What?" He was tired, all he wanted to do was lay there and not exist for a while.
"It's almost time." She left him alone after delivering her message. Stretching, he groaned. He forgot that was today, his 'brothers' birthday. The little shit was a bastard, why the hell were they celebrating his birth like he was actually royalty? Alexios wanted to throttle him, too. That bastards mother was the reason Alexios' mother was in prison right now. For treason! Treason! Aleka, Beloved Empress of Atlantis! Imprisoned for treason! On the word of a whore!
Alexios made his way to the great hall, passing servants who were readying the palace for the large celebration that Costa had had planned for Kyros’ birthday. He decided to duck into the kitchens instead, since the staff there would be busy preparing all the food for the celebration in the palace, and they probably not notice that he had been there, making it harder for his father to find him later. He snagged an apple, and left out the back door, headed for the royal stables.
"Alex!" Oh, Dear, Sweet Artemis! This is what, or rather who he was avoiding. His half-brother, Kyros.
"What, Kyros?" Alexios greeted his half brother.
"No need to snap. I just wanted to know if you wanted to go riding today." Alexios wanted to wipe the offended look off of Kyros face, Alexios would prefer if he could do it with his fist, but whatever.
"Nah, I'm just headed toward the stables for the smell of horse manure." Kyros looked at Alexios with a strange look on his face. "Yes, I was just about to ready my horse." Alexios really wished the bastard would leave him alone.
After a minute of just staring at his half brother, Alexios rolled his eyes and started for the stables again. Kyros jogged to catch up with Alexios, since Alexios had been training since his birth for war, since tensions with Greece had been rising since Costa had come into power twenty years ago, he was faster even just walking. If Alexios did not know any better, he would swear that Costa was purposefully starting a war. Alexios crushed the remains of his apple in his fist. He could really do with out his father.
"Sooo," Kyros started awkwardly.
"What Kyros, I have stuff to do."
"Can't I just-"
"No. I'm busy, I have to prepare for war with Greece, figure out how to prove that my mother never committed treason, or get my father to see that the word of a jealous whore is no proof of treason, oh, and I have to take time out of my already busy schedule to cater to the whims of a bastard! So, no, you cannot just anything."
Alexios mounted his horse, Basileios, and took off into the heart of the city, leaving Kyros looking after him, wondering when Alexios had started hating him. Alexios pushed his horse to go faster and faster as he neared the naval docks. He knew he was running from his problems, but to be fair he had more pressing issues than a normal fifteen year old. Like, leading the Atlantean Navy to war (read: victory) against Greece.
"Alexios!" Alexios stopped his horse at the voice of his trainer, Benedictus. "I thought you had to deal with Kyros celebration."
"Costa says I should, but I don't have the time."
"But you have time to ride to the docks?" Benedictus raised one graying dark eyebrow.
"Not really, but I'll never get anything done if I don't clear my head." Alexios ran his hand through his blond curls and tied them back with a strip of leather he had wound around his wrist.
"Alexios, follow me."
"Why?" Alexios voice was tired.
"Trust me, Alexios."
"Fine. Where are we going?"
"Around, Alex, maybe head toward the market."
"Alright." They walked toward the market square.
"Have you gotten anything for your brother?"
"That over inflated bastard is not my brother." Alexios gritted his teeth.
Benedictus raised his hands in a placating gesture. "Okay, Alex. I just hope the Fates smile on me, and I'm not around for your fathers aneurysm."
Alexios laughed, "but I'll need you to help me hide his body!"
"Hades no! Not on my life!"
"But Benedictus! Don't you think of me as your son?"
"Yes, and I shudder to think of what you are capable of doing to me, considering what you are willing to do to your actual father."
"Benedictus, you know that you have always been more of a father to me than Costa ever has."
"And it is an honor, but the Emperor is your father by birth." Benedictus tried to scout out how Alexios was feeling about everything that had been placed on his very young shoulders.
"He is also Kyros' father, but I never had such a celebration." Alexios' tone worried Benedictus.
He decided to ask Alexios outright about the thoughts running through his head. "Are you well?"
"Yes." Alexios untied the leather band holding his blond hair back, out. He ran his hands through his freed curls before retying them back into a ponytail. "No. Kyros is a bastard, he should mean next to nothing to my father, and yet, Father has all of Atlantis celebrating Kyros birth. Father barely remembers the banquet my mother hosts every year for me. Do you know what he said last year?"
Yes, Benedictus did. "What are we celebrating?" The Emperor had asked, confused. Alexios had never felt so humiliated in his life. The Dowager Empress, his grandmother, was there, as were a number of members of other important noble families. Alexios’ fiancee was there.
Alexios stopped, face twisted and his hands balled into fists so tightly that Benedictus worried that Alexios might fracture his hands or split the skin on his knuckles. Benedictus grabbed Alexios left hand and gently uncurled Alexios fingers. "Alexios, Sophia wants to see you, and Callista and Felix have been missing you." Alexios sighed at the mention of the children who squealed and bombarded him with hugs every time he saw them.
"Alright, Benedictus, but if Felix tries to take off with Basileios again, I'm glueing him to your front step."
"Felix or Basileios?" Benedictus laughed.
"Lexios!" Callista cried as they neared the house.
"Callista!" Alexios replied just as enthusiastically as the little girl he was talking to.
"Felix! Where are you going?" Sophia's voice came from the gardens of the spacious house.
"Alexios here Mama!" The small four year old was making enough noise that Alexios could tell when Felix was about to slam into his legs. He managed to pick up Felix as while still holding onto Callista.
"Hello, Alexios." Sophia was covered in dirt, she had obviously been tending to the gardens, something she enjoyed doing without the help of any servants.
"Hello, Sophia."
"What brings you by?"
"Not wanting to deal with party preparations." Alexios sighed.
"Ah, well, you can hide out here for as long as you would like. So long as you are willing to watch over Felix and Callista." That was why Alexios loved Sophia like a second mother. She always knew what was going on with him. She was just like her name. Wise.
"Thank you Sophia, but if Felix tries to take Basileios again I'm glueing Felix to your front step."
"Okay, just make sure he isn't in a position to pee on the flowers!"
"Will do, Sophia," Alexios stated with a laugh.
"Mama!" Felix giggled.
"You can't keep trying to steal Basileios from Alexios, Felix!"
"If you got me a horse I wouldn't!"
"Not until you get older." Benedictus jumped into the conversation. Little did Felix know that Benedictus and Sophia had been housing a horse at the royal stables that they had gotten for Felix.
"But for now, how about we go riding on Basileios?" Alexios suggested.
"Can we?" Felix twisted in Alexios' grip to look at his mother.
"If you go wash up first, and let Alexios and Basileios rest for a minute."
"Lexios, lemme down!" Callista whined, squirming in Alexios grip.
"Do you want to go riding, too?"
"No, wanna help Mama."
"Come on Callista." Sophia gestured for Callista to follow her back into the gardens.
"Bye Callista." Alexios waved at the small girl.
"Alexios, lets get going!" Felix bouncing in Alexios' arms.
“Alright, but first you have to wash up. I don’t want to get in trouble with your mother because you did not do what she said.”
“But Alexios!” Felix whined. A horse riding up interrupted whatever Alexios response was going to be.
“Your Highness,” the soldier said, “your father requests your presence at the palace.”
“How urgent is it?”
“He says it’s important.”
“What does he need me for?”
“I do not know.” The soldier was honest at least.
“If this is about Kyros’ party, I’ll kill him.” Benedictus grimaced as he overheard the teenagers murmured response.
As Alexios rode away on Basileios, Sophia commented, “that boy has too much on his shoulders.” She placed her hand on her husband’s shoulder
Benedictus sighed and covered her hand with his. “If his father was worth enough to be bothered with him, he would be handling this better.”
“You shouldn’t say such things about the Emperor!”
“If he wants to do something about it, my final words will be ‘how is the whore’s son worth more than the Empresses?’” Benedictus let go of Sophia’s hand and walked into the house.
“What?” Alexios snapped at Costa.
“Alexios. I am your father. You should -”
“You can’t be bothered to remember my birthday, and yet you make sure that the whole island and even a few provinces on the mainland are celebrating the birth of a whore’s bastard! You are Kyros’ Father, you are merely my sire.”
“Alexios -”
“My sire, nothing more. I’ll fulfil my purpose. Just know that whatever plan you’ve concocted to put Kyros on the throne, it won’t work. I’ll expect my throne and my crown when I return from Greece.” Alexios slammed the door behind him as he left his fathers study.
“Maybe I should just let Kyros have the throne. It’ll give him a total mental breakdown.” Alexios smirked at the thought. Kyros in an asylum. Ha! Let Costa dote on Kyros then.
“Alex?” a small voice called. Alexios smiled, the only member of his family, besides his mother, that he could stand. Turning, Alexios saw Ambrose standing there with his teddy tucked tightly into his chest.
“Hey, Ambrose.” The little boy just held his arms out to Alexios, teddy still dangling from one hand. Smiling Alexios picked the three year old up. “What’s going on with you?”
“Want Alexios.”
“Well, then, little one, how about we go and play in the gardens?”
“Hide seek?”
“Sure bug.” Alexios loved playing with Ambrose. The kid was just so small and seemed so lost sometimes. Alexios saw a lot of himself in Ambrose. Both had absentee parents, Costa was more concerned with his bastards than his legitimate son, and Ambrose’s mother was more willing to use Ambrose to suck up to the Emperor than take care of Ambrose. Alexios started humming.
“Alexios?” Ambrose’s small voice interrupted Alexios’ humming.
“Yes?”
“Does Mama love me?” Ambrose tucked his teddy back into his chest.
“I don’t know petalo. I don’t spend much time with your mother.”
“Okay. You love me, right Alexios?”
“Yeah, bug, you’re my baby brother, course I do.”
Ambrose hummed and snuggled into Alexios arms more. “Good,” he said sleepily. “Ambrose love Alexios too.” Alexios smiled, getting up from the bench he had settled on in Ambrose’s favorite garden, heading towards Ambrose’s chambers.
In the hallway he was stopped by Ambrose’s nanny. “I’ll take him, my lord.”
“No, it’s okay, I’ve got him just fine.”
“Really, my lord.” He held a hand up, silencing her.
“Go take a break, have the rest of the day off. I’ll watch him.” She looked uncertain. “Really, it’s fine, I’ve been meaning to spend more time with him. Plus we have the banquet later and I can take him there as easily as you can.”
“But you have to get ready sir.”
“I think I can get both of us dressed and ready to go on time.”
“Alright, sir.” Ambrose's nanny left the room.
“Can we skip Kyros party, Alex?”
“Why do you want to skip, Ambrose?”
“I no like him.”
“Let me tell you a secret.” Alexios knelt down to Ambrose’s height. “I don’t like him much either.”
“Why not?”
Alexios ruffled Ambrose’s hair. “Let’s get ready, okay?” Alexios smiled at his little brother.
“Okay, if we have to.” Alexios laughed at Ambrose’s pout.
“C’mon Amy.”