The Duke's Passion

"Third Brother! Third Brother!"

Samael peeked through his one eye, resting under the shade of the eternal tree in the Avolire Palace. His eyes caught the young boy hugging a book in his little arms while running in his direction.

"Hmm?" his brow arched as he opened his other eye with a closed-lip. 

The young boy, whose ebony hair sprinkled with gold dust as the mid-day sun followed his figure, carried a huge smile. He slumped beside the eighteen-year-old Samael, gazing up excitedly.

"Third brother!" he called once again, just in case his older brother didn't hear him. "I finished the book you wrote!"

Samael glanced at the book he wrote and smirked. "Heh... no, Stefan. I won't tell you if he dies or not."

"I didn't come here to ask that!" The young Stefan, who was around seven, frowned at this heartless big brother. "I came here to ask when will you start penning the next book!"

"Oh..." Samael narrowed his eyes as he studied his little brother, lips stretching even broader. "My dear little brother, as you can see, your carefree big brother had his hands full and writing takes more than just writing."

"But you had been skipping your classes for months now. Even Father is tempted to start a manhunt since you don't show up." Stefan pouted, staring at him with doubt in his eyes. "The Mother Empress had used all the excuses she can come up with to appease Father."

"Tch. Father is a numbskul--"

His words were cut short when Stefan leaped forward and covered Samael's mouth with both his small hands. The little boy looked around cautiously, confirming if anyone heard what his reckless big brother almost uttered. When he was certain no one was around, he heaved a sigh of relief and withdrew his hand.

Samael, who was watching this clever little boy, smirked. "Worried?" 

"Third Brother! How can you recklessly run your mouth like that? What if anyone heard you?" Stefan fumed as he glared at his brother — his favorite brother, among his other older brothers. "You're too carefree, that's why you're always in trouble...."

"Aren't you cute?" Samael grinned from ear to ear, ruffling the young prince's ebony hair until the latter complained.

"Third brother, I will get scolded if — " Stefan couldn't finish his sentence as he started giggling when Samael ticked him. "Ah! Third — haha! Stop it!" 

Samael also chuckled, as Stefan was so easy to tickle, which also become a way to stop this young boy from nagging him like a mother. His little brother was so sensitive in the ear and the side of his stomach that with just one stroke, he would start wiggling. 

"Third brother!! It... haha! hurts...!" 

"Alright, alright!" Samael raised his hand to his shoulder level as he drew back, watching Stefan wheeze while wiping the corner of his eyes. "That's your punishment for scolding your dear big brother."

"Ahem! Third Brother, I'm just scolding you because you're too carefree."

"Ehh... I should be the one scolding you for being too strict." Samael clicked his tongue while shaking his head as his little brother assisted himself to sit up. He leaned against the trunk, bending his one knee up where he rested his arm.

"Stefan, you should enjoy your youth. You're still too young to keep on worrying about things you shouldn't."

"If only you become more responsible, just like brother Dyrroth and brother Alphonse, then I will not be worried." Stefan pouted and glared daggers at him. His older brother only responded with a loud chuckle, making him sigh as this third brother of his would just keep worrying him. 

"Why do I need to become responsible when I already have two responsible older brothers? We need to keep some balance." Samael argued with a light tone. "Dyrroth is already the crown prince and Alphonse is working hard so he can assist our eldest brother once the time comes. Meanwhile, I will get all Father's attention so he wouldn't be too hard on those two. But in the distant future, I will travel the world for inspiration, paint and write books for a living, and get a beautiful wife."

Stefan scrunched his nose up. If he didn't know Samael's talent, he would consider him as a simpleton. However, this third brother of his and his creation were all phenomenal. It was just that Samael was more inclined in arts than in other things like politics.

"How about you, Stef? What do you want to become or what sort of life do you wish once you grow your beard and get wrinkles on your forehead?" asked Samael teasingly. 

"Hmm..." Stefan hummed as he automatically translated his brother's question in to a proper and decent question. He never thought much about it before, so now that someone asked, he carefully pondered about it. 

Samael didn't rush him. Instead, he smiled as he indulged at the sight of this matured young brother of his while he thought about what he wanted to do with his life. 

"What I want..." Stefan gazed at Samael's carefree smirk. "... I looked up at father, so I want to become someone like him."

"Oh, ho... are you saying you will fight Dyrroth for the throne?" 

"Of course not!" the young prince's face flustered as he pouted, thinking that Samael was purposely teasing him. "I want to become as powerful as him so no one can hurt my family."

The young boy looked away to hide his embarrassment, knowing this insensitive third brother of his would laugh at his response. To his surprise, Samael chuckled briefly before a hand ruffled the young boy's hair once again. He slowly set his eyes back to him, only to see the gentleness in Samael's eyes. 

"Ah... you just gave me another reason why I should slack."

"Third brother, you will really get in trouble if you keep doing this." Stefan clicked his tongue in irritation. But more than his annoyance at the carefree attitude of his brother, he was more worried. 

"Heh. Alright. I get it! I won't slack since I don't like this little pea protecting me!" the young boy's face instantly turned red as Samael grinned until his eyes squinted. "My baby brother, you're too young and yet you're so reliable. I feel so reassured knowing you will survive on your own."

"You're the only one who isn't reliable here."

"Hah! Little brother, I am like this, but I am actually pretty reliable, you see? If you needed me, I will always be there for you! Even Father will not touch the tip of your hair for as long as I am here!" Samael boasted with conviction, but his little brother was still staring back at him with a frown. "Eh... you don't believe me now, but you will once I save you in trouble."

"Save me from trouble... tch. As if."

"Hah...! This boy... just wait and see." Samael frowned as Stefan had so little faith in him. "Ah, right! How about I will tell you what will happen in the sto --"

"I don't want to hear it!" Stefan's eyes popped open as he covered his ears on instinct, but the corner of Samael's lips stretched evilly. 

"So you see, at the end of the..."

"No!! Get away from me!" 

Stefan sprung up to his feet and ran away, but Samael also stood and followed him to spoil him about the story his little brother had been following. It was one of those peaceful days during the early time of the Heart's Kingdom. Those days where they had no clue, nor they anticipated, that the following days would slowly change them bit by bit, tearing away the traces of innocence in their hearts.

***

Stefan let out a short chuckle as he felt a very familiar presence landing meters away from where he sat in the fort. He slowly raised his eyes, catching the man clad in a royal mantle with an aura much heavier than a country.

"Save me in trouble... rather, you did save me the trouble... for once," came out a cold voice as the memories in his head was carefully tucked away in the deepest part of his mind. 

"Hell."

---

NOVEL FACT:

Did you know? The Duke's Passion was originally titled as [Trapped in Hell]? The only reason the author, alienfrommars, change it to The Duke's Passion was that it needs to follow Webnovel's market. >.> They said I need a catchy title (but I still think The Duke's Passion is not that catchy for a title). 

Question:

What is your inspiration for writing The Duke's Passion?

All the villains I wanted to save in all the stories I read. This author here has soft spots for villains more than the male lead in every story I read for a reason she cannot understand. (although Samael is still my best boy, I still like the villains in TDP and all the stories I wrote and am writing.) fk my life. Let me write things about just villains... handsome villains.