"Ronald!" could be heard in every corner of the castle, even all the way down in the stables. That's where I, the little brother and loyal servant of Prince Alfred of Lucifena, had fallen asleep. I immediately jumped up, scaring poor Josephine who took her revenge by kicking me in the arse, sending me flying towards the door. I ran over to Alfred's room as fast as I could. 'Why would he call me like that? Would someone have broken into his room? Would something have caught fire?' I didn't even want to know! When I stormed into his room I couldn't help but shout "What's wrong, Alfred?" then I saw him sitting in his bed, smiling at me. He appeared to be more amused than usually. "Not funny." I told him, but all he said back was "To me it is~" I could clearly see my brother was holding back laughter.
Then it hit me. I fell asleep in a bale of hay again. I blushed slightly, shook the hay out of my hair and rearranged my clothes. Then I put my poker face back on. "Could you saddle up Josephine for me? I'd like to go to town today. On second thought, saddle up your own horse too, then we'll go together!" Alfred seemed to be very excited, so there was no way I could say no. "Of course, my Prince" I replied as always. I was fully aware of the fact this would annoy him, but I did pretty much everything for him, so it would be okay to do something for my own amusement once in a while, right?
"why won't you call me a Hero?" came from my big brother, my answer was simple: "have you ever saved anyone, young master?" "No, I guess not." "there's my answer." After that I left the room to saddle up the horses.
By the time our money was gone it was about lunchtime. Alfred was already at a sandwich stand, attempting to decide what to eat. "We're out? Really? Dude, I'm starving… Maybe he can lend us some money!" he said as he pointed at a very poor looking peasant. I looked at him questioningly, but he seemed so sure so I went anyway. Then a blonde man in blue and red passed. A Duke, good. And on top of that, he was surrounded with courtesans, so he had to be rich! I took out a little knife and easily cut the money pouch off his belt. I immediately returned to Alfred and paid lunch.
A few days later we went to Elphegort, a neighbouring country. We only went to see the capital though. Once there I got wowed by the most beautiful boy I had ever seen. He had silky brown hair and bright green eyes that seemed to be glowing he also wore a pair of oval glasses. Why he was wearing a cute dress was a complete mystery to me, but at least it looked good on him. I couldn't help but just stare at him. Apparently people could see I was staring. "Fell in love with him?" a man of about 20 asked me. Ha had duo toned hair, just like me, but natural, unlike me (I only dyed it this way so it was easier to tell me and Alfred apart). He was entirely clad in white and wore toned glasses, he also had a little beard. "I-I guess… you too?" "no." he replied. "we're best friends, that's all. But before you start hitting on him, you should know that he's engaged to Arthur, the Prince of Marlon." "thanks for the information, I wouldn't want to get scolded" I said as I laughed sheepishly. "My name's Eric." He said. "I'm Ronald of Lucifena." I said as I shook his hand. "Oh, so you're that 'Prince goes servant' guy?" "yup, I guess so." Alfred then walked up to me and nearly dragged me away. "Time for dinner, right? I'll see you later?" "yeah, sure."
"…what's wrong, young master? You haven't even touched your steak…" I asked. Clearly, if Alfred didn't eat his steak something was wrong. Really wrong. "huh? Oh, it's nothing. I just had a snack right before picking you up from your new friend, that's all~"
Young master said nothing until they got back home, until… "Ronald, I want you to return to Elphegort and kill every boy with brown hair and green eyes. take along whoever of the mercenaries you might need." My head struggled to process the order. Tears rolled down my own face, but when I heard poor Alfred sobbing I was sure something would have happened. Tears still running down I just bowed, picked up Ivan, Antonio, Gilbert and Undertaker and ran off to the stables.
After a second conversation with Eric I figured out Alan lives in the north part of the city. "okay, everyone knows our order. The four of you will start out in the south, I'll do north." "on your own?" Gilbert asked. Undertaker chuckled and said "He has to kill someone dear to him~" "How did you…" "I can read faces, and you, little boy, are an open book." I wasn't happy with Undertaker just throwing all that out, I needed my privacy too after all! "if you have to do it in privacy we'll respect that." Antonio suddenly said. I just smiled sadly at them and ran off.
Before reaching Alan's house I'd stolen a bouquet. 'Stupid, you're only making it harder for yourself!' but I ignored my inward cursing, if I loved him I would show him I did, even right before killing him.
I knocked on the door, bouquet behind my back. Alan opened up and I was speechless. Stupid nerves! "oh, you must be Ronald, Eric told me about y…" I shoved the bouquet into his arms and my face was red. "I-I… Y-you…. WOULD YOU LIKE TO WALK WITH ME?" Alan laughed. "Of course I would." There's no way I could kill him now.
"So…. You abandoned your title of Prince to be your brother's servant?" "yeah, Alfred wouldn't trust anyone but me, so it was a sacrifice I was willing to take" "and you don't regret that?" "absolutely not, I'd rather be a mere servant than a King that has to take important decisions, sit still and be pretty… The mental image alone scares me!" Alan laughed but went quiet very soon.
"I know why you're here, Ronald." Alan said. I stared at him with wide eyes as if he were crazy. "Then why won't you hide or run away?" I asked, I couldn't have imagined Alan would come with me if he knew what I was up to. "Because I would do the same for Arthur and Eric." He kissed my cheek. "I know you feel like you can't, but you promised your brother, right? You shouldn't break your promise…" I once more broke out in tears and took out my rapier. "…I'll make this fast and painless…" My hands were trembling, but somehow I did it. I stabbed Alan through the neck and caught him before he hit the ground. "You don't deserve to be left behind this disrespectful…" I put him down, took the bouquet and surrounded him with the flowers and placed a green rose in his hands. After that I returned to Antonio and the others. They were all done and waited for me to cheer me up.
'Alfred may never know of this. He'll be mad.'
The next day, when we came home, Alfred came running up to me, hugging me tight. "I tried to make dinner myself yesterday!" "Oh boy, what does the kitchen look like?" I answered, faking a smile. No answer from Alfred, it must be a mess. "Ronald, you look troubled… did something happen?" "No, it's nothing! I was just wondering… if I should make brioche for tea time." Alfred smiled. "Yes please, yours are the best!" That same innocent, playful smile… I guess it'll never be the same to me again.
I cursed to myself as I found out the people of our country were going to start a revolution. I cursed even more when I found Arthur and Eric had hired the master assassins Grell and Yao to hunt poor Alfred down and kill him later.
"There has to be a way to save Alfred, Right?" I asked Josephine as I brushed her hair, then she licked my cheek. "Hey, we might be identical twins, but I'm not…. Alfred! That's it!" I made my way to Alfred as fast as I could. "Alfred, about that—" "That tiny revolt? We can handle that~" "No, we can't! there are two assassins on their way here to capture you!" "you'll stop them!" "what if they kill me first? Then no one can protect you."
Alfred was silent. "Remember when we were little? When we switched places just for the heck of it?" more silence. I smiled sadly. "Let's play that again." I said as I put down black and yellow hair dye and started to take of my clothes. I set my glasses on Alfred's nose and said "no one will see the difference." Alfred started to cry, I didn't. I wanted to be strong for him, to serve him one last time. Alfred just stood still and did nothing. "… be that way" I stripped him of his clothes, put mine on him and dyed the back of his head black. "now get out, we don't have much time! And remember, from this day 'till the one you kick the bucket, you will be Ronald of Lucifena." Alfred nodded and ran out. I hurried to get into his clothes and dye the back of my head blonde.
"let's hope they'll fall for it."
"once upon a time, in this very kingdom there lived a pair of twins. The eldest became the prince of the kingdom and his brother was his loyal dog. Yes, it was my own cute brother who has reigned Lucifena for years and eventually went too far. I am glad I can take the punishment for him. Now Alfred is the servant and I am the prince, long ago we were divided by a sacrifice of my own, but I don't mind, he'll live and he'll be happy. With me or without."
"Dear Ladies and Gentlemen from Lucifena, Elphegort and Marlon" Grell shouted over the crowd as I was dragged onto the same stage. "Welcome and thank you for coming to the punishment of Prince Alfred of Lucifena." I was forced into the guillotine. "This little fourteen years old boy has terrorised our and other countries long enough!" "Boooring~" I said. Grell wasn't amused. Then again, nobody in the crowd was. "Off with his head!" Arthur shouted, followed by Eric "You've pushed your luck far enough!". The churches' bells rang. "Ah, it's time for the t-" Grell and Yao had enough too and pulled the lever.
The Servant of Evil was no more.
