Chapter Seven – the burning

-Sam's POV-

I woke up to an intense amount of pain jolting throughout my body. Where am I? I hear the floor creak under pressure from outside the room. I look around the room, it was fairly old, and the window had old brown curtains and outside the window was a thunder storm flashing once and a while. The roof was made of wood tiles. The door creaked as it opened and I saw that it was Alice, Ludwig's wife all of my worries are relieved. She is wearing a long Victorian maid dress. Her hair was done in a neat bun and as always she had her eyes closed.

"Oh Ciao, Sam. You're finally awake" she said cheerfully.

"Oh hi, Alice. Did you save me yesterday?" I asked

"No mio amico, Ludwig and Gilbert found you passed out in your own blood in the stables and only manage to see Alfred, Madeline and Elizabeta leaving. I think it was very brave of you to risk your life like that" I felt a blush rush through my cheeks.

"Thank you, Alice for your kind words. Where are Ludwig and Gilbert?" I asked

"They were out in the kingdom, they should be back by now" as soon as she said that I heard the front door open, Alice left and went to go greet them. I very slowly got up and followed behind her. I stop for a second to feel a tight pressure coming from my knee and I see cat gut stitching keeping my knee together I also assume that it was the same for my back. I limped after Alice and I saw Ludwig kissing gently on the lips. I see Gilbert, Francis, Lovino, Antonio and Kiku entering through the front door. Lovino had noticed me staring and walked over to me and wacked me in the back of my head.

"You idiota. What the heck are you doing out of bed?!" Lovino shouted. I just couldn't not chuckle.

"I couldn't help and not sit still" I tell him

"Well, you sit down now!" he yells he pulls me into a hug. That was very not expected. Especially not from Lovino. I took the moment to wrap my arms around him. But he quickly got embarrassed from the physical contact and got off of me.

"Guys, I am fine. I am a tough as stone. Nobody can break me" I tell them, I see that everybody is quite and waiting for me to say something. "Well you guys should all know that the Prince and Princess are safe. We just have to wait for their return with an army" they cheer "also with a quick thinking, I'd like to form a secret resistance so when the time comes we can rise up against the king" they all grunt in agreement.

"What do you guys think? Is you wish to join it will be your own risk and it is you decision to join. Not mine. So think before joining. All is silent everyone in deep thought. Ludwig steps forward and places a hand on my shoulder he is so tall.

"I'll join your side" he says, Gilbert steps forward.

"Ja, I'll go if Ludwig does" he said while smiling with the happiest expression I have ever seen.

"Hai, I'll fight by your side" Kiku said while doing a light bow.

"Qui, I'll join your side" said Francis who happens to be my uncle from my sister's side.

"Si we'll join your side" Antonio and Lovino said together.

"And I'll provide the pasta" Alice said everyone's laughs filled the room. Then a loud scream from outside could be heard. We all left in a line Antonio, Lovino on the left side, Alice was next to her brother and Ludwig walked by her side hands connected. I walked in between Ludwig and Gilbert and next to Gilbert was Francis and on the far side was Kiku. It felt like we were walking in slow motion and it felt like that nothing can stop us. We walked to see what was all of the commotion was about. I see Arthur and Françoise tied to together in chains. In the middle there were two poles prepared for them to be tied up against. I thought that they were dead all ready. But not for too long. I see Allen, Luciano and two hidden figures beside them. They stood close to the Arthur and Francoise keeping a close eye on them. They had smug looks on their faces as if they had won again. Well for now, they won. I see that Luciano had caught my eye and he stomped through crowd in a hurry to get to me. When he did get to me he grab my collar of my tightly and pulled me closer and I was face to face with him.

"WHERE ARE THE CHILDREN!" he yells loudly in my eyes, I grab onto his hands and tried to scratch them in order to get free but his skin is like sandstone, I was unable to scratch through his skin.

"Gone off into the night" I say he pulls back one of his hands and curled it into a fist.

"I'm asking politely. Don't make me regret it" he snapped.

"And I just told you, I let them go like a wild animal" I snapped back at him, he was ready to punch me.

"Lucian!" Allen yells "bring the idiot forward. He is there kin" he commanded. Luciano pulled a creepy smile on his face. He grabs hold of my wrist tightly. I see in the corner of my eye Ludwig about to help.

"No Ludwig, stay where you are" I whispered, he obeys and stayed put. I am dragged harshly through the crowd with all eyes on me. I am put into the centre of the crowd. I see Arthur and Françoise both looking at me as well. "You can't kill me" I say harshly, Allen smirks and walks over to me.

"Why is that?" he asks

"I'm adopted, I'm not of royal blood" I say puffing out my chest making myself look bigger, which is a lie. He is still a head taller than me. I hear a growl come from his throat.

"You lie" he says

"No. it's true. My farther, Arthur told me when I was ten that I was dropped off at their door" I say remaining calm as possible.

"Is this true?" he asks as he turns to face Arthur. Arthur nods. "Fine, I won't kill you yet… you might have cost me my kingdom" he says turning back towards me.

"Our kingdom" Luciano corrected, I hear the clip clop of hooves hitting the pavement. I look at the crowd to see everyone dodging, a large figure. I see that it is the white mare I gave to Alfred and Maddie. What is the meaning of this? I hear Allen chuckle. I turn to look at him to see his eyes glowing in joy.

"So much for your escape. Looks like you lose" he punched me hard in the stomach and I doubled over onto the ground while groaning in pain. It felt like being kicked by a horse but ten times harder. Pain sheeting throughout my entire body when Luciano kicked me in the ribs and that was worse. I look up to Allen about to punch me again, it felt like forever waiting for the blow to hit. I see legs in front of me, I look up to Arthur's back facing me, protecting me with his body.

"Stop!" he yells in Allen's face. What is he doing? If being kicked and punched is preventing his death. Then I'll take it all for them. "Let me speak to my son" he commanded.

"I thought he was adopted" Allen asked

"Adopted or not, he still is my son" Arthur talked back at him.

"Very well. You can say your final goodbyes.

"Very well. You can say your final goodbyes. Your highness" Allen taunts. I get up slowly through the painful vibes running down my spine. Arthur and Françoise walk over to me and gave me a group hug. No I'll call it a family hug. The last time I had a family hug was when I was ten years old and Alfred and Maddie were still here. I failed everybody. I failed my parents.

"I'm sorry. I failed you" I say while looking down at something interesting by feet. I felt Arthur's eyes on me. He lifts up my head and has me look at him.

"No you didn't. You can still win this. You just need to look at all of your options and use them to your advantage" he says while I felt his lips on my forehead. "It's my fault, you didn't have enough time to evacuate them. I'm sorry for what I said last night" he says.

"No it is not your fault your majesty" I say.

"Samuel, please don't call me that now. Please call me Dad, for the last time" he asks.

"Very well, Dad" I say. I head sniffling coming from my mother.

"Oh, my son. You are so very brave. I will be watching over you from the heavens. God may have blessed us with Madeline and Alfred. But he also blessed you" she said and gave me a gentle hug. "We love you, son" she whispers through her sobs. I don't want to cry in this day. Not for this reason.

"All right enough of this lovely sappy crap. Time to end this and bring in the new age" Allen says as he pulls us apart. Luciano had grabbed onto me once more so I have no chance of escaping. I see Allen commanding the two cloaked figures ties up Arthur and Françoise to the polls. He lit a fire underneath their feet. The rose slowly to their feet and rose higher. It was a slow and painful death and they didn't even scream, they stayed strong to the very end. The fire died down. The storm returned and thunder clapped loudly. Rain started to poor down from the dark clouds. Luciano had finally let go of me and walked over and stood beside the figure under the white cloak.

"Now peasants. Bow down if you want to live" he commanded and everyone obeyed. I didn't even flinch. I am bowing for this scumbag. The two cloaked men, had final revealed their faces. One had blonde hair with an odd curl and had brown eyes with a red cloak strapped to his back he was introduced as Matt. Next to him was the figure underneath the white cloak. It was another blonde with an odd curl as well. He was introduced as Flavio. They are brothers to Luciano and Allen.

"I think I commanded you to bow, boy" he says as he walks over to me, standing right in my face, looking in my eyes. I stood still, not even flinching.

"You're not my King" I fired at him. He just smirked, with a slight chuckle.

"Oh I am you King. I am not leaving anytime soon. You stuck with me" "Now I want you to get on your knees" he punched me in the stomach making me double over protecting myself then he held me by my shoulders and forced me to get on my knees. "That's better. You look good like that" I look up at with a frown and a burning passion to punch that smug smile of his face. "I could get used to this. Looking at you from up here" he crouches to my level and whispers in my ear "I have so many ideas forming in my head. It's getting exciting. You're in for a treat, Boy" he says he gets up and he looks at all of his subjects bowing for him, I could see the power rising in him.

"Today a new era begins. I hope you are all prepared for new changes around here. Don't forget I'm in charge" he looks down at me and smiles, the thunder shook the ground, a lightning bolt flashed above him making him look more evil than he already is.

"Be prepared for your nightmare to come true, boy" he says and he crackles were louder than the thunder.