Trapped In Hisstory

Back when Fate was human, the spirit hated Asteria to the point that it cursed her countless times as it mumbles to itself as the spirit remembered people dying in front of it.

People dying that surely until their death, hopes for the Goddess to save them from their demise.

Up to the day that a person dies, they left the world while still clinging to the belief of their almighty deity.

Up to the moment they close their eyes and pass away, the last thing they would think about is the Goddess they worship.

Some people had the same thought in mind while on the brink of their death, 'I believed in you my entire life and you would not even help us?'

When people die, some still believe in her and believe that the Goddess will give them a better life in the heavens. While some despise her for causing them to suffer.

"This is your Fate." the Goddess said. "You have caused your own death because of the mistake you have made, you have no right to blame your fault on the heavens." 

"Farewell, child."

The elderly taught their family, the younger ones, that when they die, they will turn into a beautiful star that brings further light in the night sky.

And until then, they were all stars under the Goddess, Asteria.

Those who went to Tartaria, the prison of fallen stars, will serve there until death comes knocking on their doors. Those in Tartaria will receive punishment from the Goddess once they die.

God, Goddess, just how great are those above us that we worship, people thought. But one cannot doubt the existence of their deity. They have to worship and devote themselves to Asteria.

The nobles are said to always have the protection of the Goddess. And of all, The Royal Family are always greeted with blessings from the Goddess. While commoners just pray to her?

In the eyes of the Goddess, one wonders which are more important.

'One cannot doubt the existence of the Goddess.'

But even so, Alec is one of the people who does not believe in Goddess Asteria. As a servant who serves the Royal Family, he was forcing himself to utter the greetings for the Howards to be blessed by the Goddess.

But deep inside him, he no longer believes in any gods or goddesses. After what happened to the ones he loved, he waited for a miracle from Asteria to help them, but nothing happened.

As people believe that one's demise is caused by their own mistakes, Alec hated that fact. He was too young to be able to save them, is being young and powerless his own fault? It was not that he was powerless, but hundreds against one was too much.

Was it also his fault that he could not do anything against their number?

The ones who died were at fault for trusting other people? How was it a mistake to be betrayed?

Alec did not get anything at all and all his life the memory of the corpses still remained inside his mind. His motivation to keep going with life and avenge the people precious to him.

If trusting people was a 'mistake' then he would never trust again.

But Charles Howard was an exception.

He swore not to trust others again, but then the child from the royal family appeared and saw him hiding.

He could have killed him. It was an easy thing to do. But the prince smiled at him so innocently and he was lost, not knowing what to do.

The prince left and he was left alone unable to move and chase after him to kill him.

He knew that it was a mistake to let him go, he would surely tell his family. He had to move to a different place so they would not be able to find him.

But the child found him again. That time he should kill him, the chance was so near, in front of him, but yet again, he could not do it.

The prince kept going to his hiding spot and would just stare at him silently. Or sit beside him without talking at all.

After many days, the prince became talkative but Alec was still a quiet child. Until he realized that he was always waiting for the prince to come again. To be with him.

"You have been coming here too frequently, Your Highness." Alec said while he was trying to make a fire to keep himself, and the First Prince, warm.

Charles was sitting on his feet, bending, while playing with the sticks to doodle on the ground, "It is boring in the palace." he muttered with a pout and sighed.

The other kid turned to the prince in worry. "Did you escape from the palace again?" he asked and Charles looked away. "Your Highness should stop doing that or you will get in trouble."

"I did not escape, I just went out to take a break." Charles said in return.

Charles let out a loud sigh and dropped to the ground to sit because his legs were about to go numb, Alec noticed him sitting and immediately held both of his arms, trying to make him stand up again, "Your Highness, it is dirty, do not sit there."

Charles stared at Alec's face that has black marks and dirt because of his attempt to make a fire as well as his clothes that were dirtied from sleeping in the forest for days, "How can you say that when you look like this." Charles said and pointed at Alec.

"I am used to this, but you are not. You are from the royal family."

"It is fineee." he insisted and removed Alec's hands, remained sitting on the ground. Charles snickered, and it made Alec confused why he was laughing. "The first few days I was with you, you would not even talk to me. But here you are worrying about me now." he said with a smile.

Alec let out a faint snort and did not answer, but sat down three feet away from the prince. Charles's laugh started to fade and there was silence between the two of them. 

Charles rested his chin on his knees, "Alec," he called out in a low voice and the other turned to glance at him, "Do you hate royalties? Do you hate my family?" he asked.

Alec noticed sadness, and guilt in the little prince's eyes as he waited for his answer. Alec looked away and did not say anything, refusing to give him an answer. The kid knows that if he said yes, the prince would feel sad for him. But he could not say no, because he would be lying if he did.

"I know you do. After all...it made you become like this. It must be hard for you now, staying in the wilderness, surviving all alone..."

"I do not need your pity, Your Highness."

"I am sorry..." Charles said and tears started to form, but he held it back while biting his lips.

Alec felt awkward and flustered at the same time. He tried to put his hands on his pocket and went to his shelter to find anything that could wipe his tears but he found nothing. His clothes are all dirty, as well as his hands.

Charles was startled when Alec ran away with such high speed and his tears continued to flow, falling down his cheeks, making his face messy. The kid left him all alone while crying, 'How could he run away just like that...' he pouted and bent his head to his knees to cover his face and cried.

Suddenly, he felt someone touch his arm, and he looked up to see Alec bending down near him. "I thought you lef-" 

Alec's hand went to his face, making him surprised. Both the thumbs of his hands wiped away his tears from underneath his eyes. "Do not cry, Your Highness." he said, and Charles was stunned. Alec noticed his reaction. "M-my hands are clean, I went to wash it..." 

Charles was silent and suddenly chuckled when he realized he ran at the speed of light just to clean his hands and wipe his tears. He started to calm down and stopped sobbing. "My mother...died." Charles whispered.

Alec did not know what to say and just stayed silent. "Father always wants me to be the best and to make no mistakes. The palace is boring and I do not have any friends." he continued.

'I thought a prince like him would not have anything to worry about because he has everything...' Alec thought. 'But everyone is human.'

"You never had...any friends?" 

Charles nodded sadly but then he stood up and grinned, "Actually, I have!" he exclaimed and Alec, who was still bending down, raised his head and looked at the First Prince.

"You!" he yelled and pointed at him. Alec stared at him blankly, as if he did not get what he just said. "From today onwards, we are best friends! Get it? Best of friends!"

Alec blinked, processing what the prince just declared, "Your Highness, I-"

"Do not call me, Your Highness! Call me Charles!" he said with furrowed brows. "I will ignore you if you call me with honorifics."

Alec did not say anything as his head was in a mess, "You just decided that by yourself..." the kid muttered but Charles did not mind his words and still stayed with his decision to be best friends with him.

"Alec," Charles called out and reached out his hand to the boy, "Come with me to the palace."

~~~

"You do not believe in the Goddess yet you all use her to greet your Royalties with the wish of them being blessed," she muttered and the tone of her voice slowly changing. "How cute."

~~~

Alec stared at his master, the Crown Prince, who was staring outside the window deep in his thoughts.

'That is right, I do not believe in the Goddess.' he thought. 'But I believe in my master.'

'If you say trusting people is a mistake....then I will make that mistake just for Charles.'