Disclaimer: No own.
Ever since he was small, Cyas already thought life was weird. Or perhaps at least his was.
Other children spoke of parents as a pair—a mother and a father—but for him there were only he and his mother. He never knew his father; he wasn't even sure if he ever had one.
Until one day, mother brought back home a man with hair as bright as a flaming fire. It was redder and brighter at the same time compared to mother's hair. More importantly, it was the same shade of red as his own.
Anyone who already met him would agree Cyas was a bright child. And for him, a glance at the man in front of him, the man with hair of fire, already made the gears in his head turned. Hundred of questions filled his brain and yet none spilled from his suddenly dry lips.
(Who are you? Are you my father? Where were you all this time? Why did you come back now? Why? WHY?)
Mother introduced him as Lord Alvis of Velthomer and he was his father. Being a good child he was, Cyas merely gave a smile and a polite greeting even though what he wanted was to scream for this stranger to be out of their life once again. But he couldn't, because father or not this man was a lord from one of the largest houses in Grandbell, Cyas would never want to dishonor mother with his behaviors.
Fortunately the meeting was short lived and the man left for whatever duties he spoke of. It was later that night mother tried to explain why he couldn't that man as his father in public. Explained why he ought to keep his identity as secret. Yet she never explain why he was abstain from their life—his life—all this time. And so before he fell asleep, he assured mother he would never call him as father. (He just didn't tell mother he wouldn't think of him as a father either.)
-oo-
But life rarely goes in the direction you wish for. Somehow that man kept came back again and again and again. Just once a week, but he was constantly present to check on them. This went on for a few years that even Cyas couldn't curb down his hope for long. A hope for a real family, for someone to call as father, for someone to be a real father to him. A hope for father to finally grant mother the honor to stand on his side as she ought to be.
But, but hope was such a brittle thing. In a mere blink you could saw it crumbled right in front of your eyes. And it all happened when the wedding announcement between fathe—no, Lord Alvis and the long lost Imperial Princess of Barhara.
A small part of him wanted to say "I knew it!" but a single look at his mother stopped any word that lodged on his throat. Mother looked so lost and resigned; she didn't deserve any of these treatments. His strong, beautiful mother should never look so defeated.
She tried to fake her smile for his sake and he would play the role of an oblivious son who didn't notice his mother's pain and that would be their new daily routine. Still, it was better than to see her cried for a man who didn't deserve her, so he held back his hate words whenever mother said it was okay. (It's all right Cyas, we all know your father is destined for greater things. Forgive him; surely he has his own reason.)
-ooo-
Thus life went on and they went with the flow. Within years everything started to change, especially somehow the Lopto Cult started to flourish under the Imperial banners. At first both the Cult appearance and influence were subtle, but it didn't take too long for the truth to be uncovered and things turned to worst. One day the Lopto priests literally barged into their home and that was the moment Cyas would admit he loathed the man he used to call as "father".
That man let this happened. That man was an Emperor and he let this happened. He allowed those—those monsters to roam on the world and killed mother! If it wasn't for mother, he surely would be dead then. Mother who sacrificed herself for his survival. Mother who told him to live and be strong as she believed he would, because he was that man's son and the blood of Fala ran strong in his veins. Mother who in her last breath told him how she was so proud of him, then begged him not to hate that man—father.
It was mother's last wish for him to forgive father, so Cyas would. He wouldn't deny the last thing his mother wanted.
But forgive didn't mean forget.
As he lived and studied in the Blagi Monastery, he swore he would be the very best tactician (a position that would never be denied) and crawled his way to the Imperial court.
He would make the Emperor faced his son from the woman he abandoned.
He would make him proud. Then regret.
A/N: Playing with the fact that Alvis is a douche bag, just not in the Chapter 5 style. Honestly, that guy already has his son from a woman who is totally loyal to him. But the second Diadora landed in front of his door, he married her instead. WTF. Cyas has every reason to hate the guy, imo.