Chapter Text
Lee Felix was adored by the people of his kingdom.
The young prince was often believed to be an angel sent down from the heavens.
Due to his sun-kissed skin, the freckles that adorned his face, and his blonde hair nearly as bright as the sun itself.
Praised by those who worshipped his family. He always tried his very best to appear down to earth and kind-hearted.
However, beneath those almost too-good-to-be-fake smiles, luxurious attire, and secure brick walls, was a family leisurely cracking by the day.
The prince had spent most of his youth banished to his too large bedroom by his parents.
They never told him the reason. But he eventually gained the understanding of it.
Felix would lay on his side, bring his knees up to his chest and cover his ears with his shaking hands to avoid hearing his parents arguing late into the night.
To avoid the frightening voices of his parents late at night, Felix preferred to spend his days and evenings with his best friend.
His best friend happened to be his royal guard. A knight, Christopher Bang Chan.
They spent the majority of their time together in the large gardens surrounding the palace.
Even during these peaceful and quiet hours, the overwhelming feeling of being observed never seemed to falter.
Felix has been watched his whole life, being the first prince of the king and queen. One of his purposes in life was to be watched and dissected.
This feeling was different though.
Unsettling.
Felix tried to shake off the feeling by occupying himself with several hobbies.
Yet, he always felt eyes on him. Whether that be while he was strolling the halls late at night, alone in his bedroom, or his discrete alcove behind the large staircase.
He remembers telling Chan about his inkling.
.It feels as if I am being watched every second. No matter what I am doing." Felix remembers confessing"
.My prince, are you completely sure it is not because everyone loves admiring you?" Chan quipped, nudging Felix's shoulder"
".Felix shook his head sharply. "No, no. it is even at night too. After the sun has set. When I am alone in my bedchamber
.The grin on Chan's face faltered until no emotion other than utter concern was visible
".Felix, how long have you had this speculation? It must have been recently given the fact that you are telling me this right now
Ever since then, Chan has made sure to inquire Felix ever so often if his feeling of being watched becomes too overwhelming.
Felix almost always answered with the same response.
“Yeah, but it is fine.”
Felix was lying in his bed, under his duvet.
He stirred in his sleep, unable to shake the dream out of his head.
One thing he never mentioned to Chan was the fact that alongside the never ending feeling of being watched, came dreams.
Sometimes nightmares.
Every night, Felix was met with a face in his dreams.
The face of a man. A beautiful one.
No, ethereal.
This man was tall, with fair skin. Sharp eyes. A small mole under his left eye. Oftentimes appearing with blood dripping down his mouth.
Felix was unaware of how a man could be this beautiful.
He never saw the man in person. He did not know if he was a figment of his imagination or someone he had perhaps encountered in the past.
Tonight, this dream included Felix in an unlit space. He was not aware of where he was. All he could focus on was the faint voice singing in his left ear.
Felix was suddenly woken up by someone slightly shaking his shoulders.
“Felix! Prince Felix!” A voice shouts softly.
The prince abruptly opened his eyes to find Chan hovering over him.
Felix positioned himself so he was propped up on his elbows and frantically glanced to the left of the large room.
Felix’s breath caught in his throat when he saw a tall figure sitting in the rocking chair that was positioned in the corner of his bed chamber.
The prince was scarcely able to see the figures' eerie glare.
Out of terror, Felix swiftly shifted his gaze back to Chan.
“Is everything alright Felix?” Chan asked, anxiously.
Felix realized how fast his breathing had become. “Everything is alright. Just thought I had seen something.” Felix assured Chan.
“Ah, alright. Well, my apologies for waking you at this hour. Your parents requested I gather you to get prepared for your journey. When I knocked on your door you did not respond so I believed something was wrong. When I entered you were tossing and moving frantically in your sleep. When I called your name you did not hear me at first. However, you eventually woke up from whatever it was that you were dreaming about.” Chan explained frantically.
Felix scoffed. “More like a nightmare. But I am alright.” His breathing had slowed down as Felix attempted to catch his breath.
Felix suddenly was aware of what Chan had pointed out during his frantic blabber.
“I beg your pardon, Chan. What journey are you talking about?” Felix inquired as he cocked his head.
“You don’t remember? You and your parents have to meet with the kingdom towards the west.” Chan nodded.
Oh right. Felix’s parents had the responsibility of visiting nearby kingdoms in order to make alliances.
“Isn’t the west across the sea?” Felix suddenly remembered.
“That is right. That is why you will be taking your personal ship on her first trip.” Chan huffed as he brought himself to his feet.
Felix took a deep breath, in an attempt to remember what his so-called nightmare was about. A face? Yes, that same face he has been seeing for years. Every night.
“I’ll see you out on the dock.” Chan’s words remove Felix from his train of thought.
Felix simply nodded as Chan closed the door with a click.
When Felix stepped onto the dock he gasped when he glanced up to the sky. The clouds were immense in size and no sunlight had the ability to pass through. Strange considering the time of year.
Felix’s nightmare from the previous night still lingered in his mind. He was thankful it had not been too bad. When he was younger, Felix would wake up screaming from night terrors and his parents would have to rush to his side.
Felix’s mind kept drifting back to his thoughts last night. The darkness, the voice.
Whose voice was that?
Felix was shaken out of his train of thought when one of his assistants gestured for him to step onto the boarding dock.
Felix shivered before taking a step on the boat. As he stepped from the dock to the large ship he glanced down to the dark water that lay below him. Felix swallowed before continuing his journey to the higher deck.
The feeling of dread did not leave Felix for a moment.
The weather seemed quite gloomy and dark for the afternoon. The sea was calm, but it seemed as if a storm was soon approaching. Overall, Felix felt as if this day suited his mood perfectly.
The ship he was riding on was worth millions and had been in production for a while now, and it was her first sail. To any normal person’s standards it was the most wonderful ship ever created. Beautiful hardwood lined the decks with hallways that seemed to go on for miles. A mansion out at sea, it felt as if you were walking on water. Anyone would be grateful to even touch the ship’s massive exterior, and few could even begin to imagine the inside.
But Felix could. This gorgeous ship now belonged to him. It was all custom to his input, which he gave very little. Surprisingly enough, his parent’s ship was even more extravagant with her many floors and any room imaginable.
Felix leered out into the never-ending ocean from his spot upon the first deck.
He tried his best to comprehend what was bothering him on a day such as this. It was warm. Almost too warm, given the fact that summer was slowly but surely approaching. What dissented with the warm spring weather were the large, smoky clouds hovering above everything. Engulfing the sea in a darkness that was abnormal for the season.
By Felix’s side on this harsh day was Bang Chan, his personal knight and best friend.
“Is something the matter my prince?” Chan asks.
“Well, I have no idea in the slightest,” Felix sighed, looking out the nearby window.
A faint sound of an angelic voice trailed into Felix’s ears, sending a shiver down his body. His head perked up at the sound. Taking a look around, he didn’t see anyone or anything that could make that type of sound.
“Oh, do you hear that Chan?” Felix inquired, suddenly rising from his earlier lifeless state.
“Huh? Prince Felix, are you alright? Where are you going?” Chan questioned, while following his prince.
If Felix was being completely honest with himself, he couldn’t answer his friend’s question either. He felt as if his body carried him towards the sound automatically. The hardwood beneath him felt as if it was disappearing. His vision was a blurry mess. His mind felt cloudy, stirring around and waiting for the next command. As if something was missing. Something important. With each step, the voice got louder.
It became louder until it swallowed the entirety of his thoughts.
He wanted to turn back from it all. The first deck was out of his sight, and all that remained was the darkened sky. He heard the footsteps of his friend chasing after him. He couldn’t tell why, though. He just understood that there was someone following him.
And it wasn’t just his friend. Something else.
Someone else.
His eyes finally returned to their original state. Looking down, he only saw the growing dark nothingness beneath him. He heard the voice of Chan, yelling for him. What was Chan saying? Was it important?
He stepped forward.
There was a little tug at his clothes. The grip wasn’t secure enough, and it was lost.
His body hit the water with a splash, and plunged into the deep beyond.
It was cold. That was the first thing Felix thought. He did not know why he was here. Under the waves.
Forgotten.
He had been looking upwards to avoid staring into the vast darkness that was the sea.
Felix was unaware of how long he had been submerged until he began to feel a soreness in the back of his neck.
That is when Felix realized.
Something was off.
Something was here.
Felix compelled his neck forwards in order to maneuver his gaze towards the empty darkness before him.
It was not until then did Felix register that he was now out of air. He endeavored as best as he could, using all his strength to swim upwards. Towards the surface, towards the light, towards Chan, towards his life.
Something got a hold of his ankle and Felix was forever lost to the deep ocean.
The soul of a prince who once lived, radiating sunlight, was now swallowed by darkness.