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In the kingdom of Nohr, it has been rumored that the halls of Castle Krakenburg are haunted by apparitions of the past, and lingering memories that refuse to rest. Within the hollow fortress of stone sits not a king, but a lonely boy with the world on his shoulders.
"Wake up, sleepyhead!"
Startled, Leo sits up abruptly in his seat. It seems that he had fallen asleep in the middle of going over reports. There have been whispers of another rebellion rising in Cheve and that they're receiving assistance from the Ice Tribe. Running a hand through his hair, his empty brown eyes glanced down at the jumble of words on parchment before looking out the small window of his chambers.
"Elise..." He mumbled. 'No... She's not here anymore. ' Leo thought bitterly to himself. The only thing left of her was a tombstone and a bouquet of wilted, white lilies. Of course, sometimes he swore he could still hear her giggles and footsteps echo throughout the castle. Maybe he was just exhausted from overworking himself. The shadows under his eyes are growing darker each day, but like most things, he chooses to ignore them.
Perhaps this was what true loneliness felt like. The crown that sat idly on his desk was proof. Leo could never wear that wretched thing for long. It felt so heavy on his head...as if it would crack open his skull any moment.
Leo snatched this crown from his older brother, a man who was much more capable than him. Now that man was six feet under the Earth, and not even the most powerful magic could bring him back. Clenching his fist tightly, he glared at the Brynhildr resting beside him. It felt so useless in his hands. Why was he given this legendary tome when he couldn't even protect the ones he loved?
There truly wasn't anyone to blame, not even Corrin, who is happily living in Hoshido with their new family. As much as he didn't want to admit it, he envied them. Leo was willing to do anything to bring his own family back. He despised that horrible feeling of desperation that claws at his heart, threatening to rip it into pieces. He hasn't even seen Camilla around the castle lately. She has been holing herself up in her chambers, or out doing humanitarian work. He wondered if she was avoiding him.
Leo knew that this wasn't his destiny. This was his fate. A fate so desolate and bleak... The light of the sun never reached the darkest corners of his heart.
He returned to the pile of reports in hopes of finding a distraction, but the whispers of his inner demons overwhelmed him sometimes. With a quiet sigh of resignation, Leo closed his weary eyes and placed his head back down on the table.
Deep in the night, a lonely boy dreams of an empty throne and an open meadow.