"Royal adoption, you say?"
"So after two years of silence, this is what you choose to say?" The king's voice was low, almost like a whisper, but it hit the room like thunder. "A royal adoption... for him?"
He stepped forward, and I could feel his overwhelming presence. His voice got louder with each word. "Do you have any idea what these past two years have been like for us? For your mother? For your siblings? Every single day, they blamed themselves for your silence, for the way you'd look at us like we were complete strangers. Your mother..." His voice cracked, raw with emotion.
"Your mother was completely broke, Ray. I'd hear her crying every night, sobbing in the dark, and I... I couldn't... face her. And how could I when I couldn't face you. I'm supposed to be the king, but I had no strength to comfort my own family, no guts to deal with the pain you put us through with your silence. And now, after all this time, the first words you give me aren't for your family, not asking about your mother or siblings, but for him? For some kid none of us even know?"
The king's expression got darker, as his commanding presence filling the room with this chilling intensity. His voice was steady but had this sharp edge to it.
"Ray," he started, his tone heavy with warning, "do you even realize what you're saying? That kid over there..." He pointed at me, his eyes narrowing. "He's not safe for you. Not for anyone."
Ray tilted his head and glanced at me with this faint, curious smile. "I think he's just... cute," he said calmly, almost teasingly, like he had no clue about the storm brewing in his father's heart.
The king's composure cracked for a moment, his voice rising but still carrying that authoritative weight. "Cute?...Cute? Do you have any idea what he is ?"
He stepped forward, his voice now like steel cutting through the silence. "That boy reeks of blood no, not just blood, an ocean of it. It's not just a few drops spilled here and there, but a flood so massive it drowns everything in its path. That's not normal for a kid. That's not normal for even a human!"
His words echoed through the room, leaving this oppressive silence behind. The guards looked at each other nervously, their hands gripping their weapons tighter, though nobody dared to move.
Ray didn't even flinch. Instead, he looked at me again, his eyes calm, like he was trying to figure out some puzzle. "An ocean of blood, huh?" he muttered softly, almost to himself. A slight smirk pulled at the corner of his mouth.
"Sounds interesting."
The king's face hardened, his voice shaking now not with fear, but frustration. "Ray, listen to me. That boy... whatever he is, he's dangerous to everyone around him. He doesn't belong close to you"
"Maybe he doesn't belong here... but he's here now."
"Ray!" The king's voice boomed through the room. "You think this is some kind of game? That boy carries death around like a shadow can't you see it? He's not something to be babied or pitied. He's not—"
I stood there in the middle of it all, completely emotionless. My blank stare seemed to make the room even colder, and I guess my presence was just one big mystery to everyone.
The king froze, his son's unexpected defiance cutting deeper than any sword. For the first time in years, Ray had spoken. And what he said was a challenge no king no father could have seen coming.
The room stayed silent, the air thick with tension, as the king struggled to reconcile the boy in front of him with the man he was becoming.
The king's voice was firm, cutting through the air like a blade. "A human only smells like that much blood when they've been on battlefields for years fighting, killing, surviving. That's not normal, Ray. That's not something a child should be carrying around."
Ray, completely unfazed, met his father's stare with unwavering resolve. "If you can't accept that, then feel free to leave the room right now..."
The room fell into absolute silence. The quiet murmurs from the guards and everyone else stopped instantly. Everyone held their breath, waiting to see what would happen next.
The king was clearly thrown off, his composure faltering for a moment. But the most confused person in the room wasn't the king it was me.
" What's going on?" I thought, keeping my face expressionless. "They were just crying and hugging each other. Now they're fighting? And why does it seem like it's all about me? "
The term "Royal Adoption" kept bouncing around in my head. It was completely foreign to me something I'd never heard of but I had this gut feeling it was important.
Now I was getting curious why was he going that far for me..
Suddenly, the king's sharp gaze shifted and landed right on me. His eyes bore into me, trying to read something beyond my blank expression.
"What's your name, kid?" the king asked, his tone full of authority.
I tilted my head slightly, confused but answering without hesitation. "Rudra."
The king's eyebrows furrowed. "Rudra, huh? How old are you?"
"A month away from nine," I replied flatly,
He sniffed and said " your voice is dead as you eyes"
And again king paused, then let a faint smile break through his stern expression. For a moment, the ruler disappeared, leaving only a father in his place.
Why did the king smile after hearing my answer? What was coming next ? It was damn thrilling...