Goodnight, Little Prince.
Warning: POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS VIEWS THAT MAY BE OFFENSIVE TO SOME PEOPLE…
AND LOTS OF FLUFF!
"Why do people have to give their lives for what we believe?"
Jack frowned as he was pulled out of his musings. He turned around and looked at his youngest son. The boy should be correcting his homework, not causing more trouble. "Because our faith in the great Gods and Goddesses means we go to death without fear." He answered in a dismissive tone.
"No, that's not what I mean." The small boy had a frown on his face, irritated that no one seemed to understand him. And in truth no one understood him, how he pitied the colours was so confusing to all that tried to understand.
"Then what do you mean, Throttle." Jack asked with a frown of his own, he had an idea where Throttle was heading with this.
"Why do innocents who do not believe in your ways have to die? Why do you hate the colours so?" He asked with genuine curiosity written over his young face.
Jack sighed, where had he gone wrong with the little boy. Perhaps it wasn't his fault, the boy's mother had been just as curious about everything she came across, but she had never dared openly question the way of her own people, at least not like Throttle was. "Those 'innocents' are evil, child, we are blessed by the Gods and Goddesses themselves, with fur like gold and wisdom. The coloured are flawed, cruel and evil. They desire nothing but power and domination. When we kill them we do this world and others a great service." He replied, hoping that he could teach the boy their ways before it was too late. He stared hopefully as the little boy thoughtfully considered what he had to say.
"If the coloured mice are evil," Throttle spoke after a moment. "Does that not mean we become as bad as them for murdering them?"
Jack sighed, exasperatedly at the little boy. "Sometimes great sacrifices must be made for the greater good. The Gods and Goddesses will commend us when we die for ridding them of the evil that taints creation."
Throttle's frown deepened. "I don't understand, Daddy. The holy writings talk about how we were mad by the Gods and Goddesses as equals, would they not be angry that we are destroying what they have created?"
Jack held back another sigh, Throttle did not understand, but perhaps if he spoke to the child long enough the boy would understand the truth. "Sometimes, even Gods and Goddesses make mistakes my child."
"The coloured mice are mistakes?" Throttle asked, receiving a nod from his father. "Then why do the Gods and Goddesses not simply wipe them out themselves?"
"The Gods and Goddesses have decided to stand back and allow us to prove ourselves worthy of the holy afterlife." Jack explained.
"So they made a mistake and have left us to clean up after them?" Throttle asked, Jack allowed a small smile, Throttle didn't truly understand but he was still determined to understand, perhaps there was hope yet for the boy.
"They have left them as a test. We either join them and damn ourselves or eliminate them and be welcomed to the holy gates."
"So we either choose to live together in peace or kill them for eternal rest in death?" Throttle asked curiously.
"Not eternal rest my boy, we are permitted to the world of the Gods and Goddesses." Jack explained. "We would take our places as the holy Lords who protected the right ways."
Throttle frowned. "So we must kill to be allowed in to the realm of the Gods and Goddesses?" He asked.
The boy was finally starting to understand, or at least Jack hoped he was. "Yes, my boy. You must understand. Killing is a bad act itself, but unfortunately…"
"Sacrifices must be made to protect ourselves and our world, to ensure our place with the Gods and Goddesses." Throttle asked looking up at his father with eyes wide, clearly hoping he had it right.
"Yes my boy, that is correct." Jack answered with a smile.
"What…" Throttle paused. "What if I don't want to kill? What if I'm not willing to kill for a place with the Gods and Goddesses?"
Jack felt his smile fall; the boy finally understood but did not want to follow their beliefs. "It is a necessary evil, child."
"I… don't want to." Throttle hesitated, clearly knowing he was crossing an invisible line. The tanned mice took their beliefs seriously and Jack particularly was very determined to protect the religion. "I don't want to get to the holy gates by tainting myself with evil actions." He stated determinedly.
"Sacrifices need to be made…"
"The path to hell is paved with good intentions, Daddy. How do we know for sure that these actions take us to the holy gates and not hell?" He asked.
"Because our texts state it." Jack answered.
"But they were written by another mouse, no matter how holy and wise that mouse was, his writings could still be flawed. How do we know what he wrote was truth?"
"Because he was told by the Gods."
"Yet the Gods and Goddesses have not told us." Throttle argued. "We are putting out faith into written words, it may not be necessarily the truth."
Jack sighed, this was the problem with the boy, Throttle was intelligent and used logic to back up his statements. "The Gods and Goddesses have not spoken because they do not wish to interfere, Throttle. It is up to us to rid this world of evil. I believe this because I have faith in not only the written word but the Gods and Goddesses themselves. They gave us such wisdom and fur colour for a great purpose, to be their holy warriors who attack evil with a flash of gold." Jack replied passionately, but he could see Throttle already disagreed.
"So because I disagree, that makes me evil too?"
"It means you are falling into evil."
"Will you kill me too?" Throttle asked quietly, his head down not daring to look at his father.
Jack gasped. "Where did you get that idea, child?"
Throttle pushed his foot into the ground, kicked a tiny pebble. "My classmates tell me that they'll be hunting me when we're grown up because I'm a 'colour-sympathiser', they like to tell me what they'll do." He confessed in a small voice. Jack growled, those children dare threaten his little prince. They will be dealt with in the morning. "Does that mean you hate me now?"
Jack sighed and knelt down, placing a giant hand on the small shoulder, he felt his heart drop sadly at the sight of tears in the boys baby blue eyes. "Throttle, it doesn't matter what you believe. You're my son and I love you. That will never change, you hear me?" Throttle hugged him as tightly as he small boy could, Jack frowned as he felt his fur become wet due to his little boy crying.
Slowly Throttle's small body succumbed to the exhaustion all children feel when they cry. He fell asleep cradled in the large arms of his father. Jack smiled down feeling his chest fill with pride. Just for the moment, it wasn't about the world, it was just him and his little boy. He stood, careful not to disturb the fragile child in his arms and walked out of his study and up the stairs, he barely looked at the door, easily navigating through it and over to his little boys bed. He gently laid Throttle down and pulled the small quilt up to Throttle's chin. Throttle squirmed in his sleep before settling, Jack smiled, Throttle always did enjoy comfort and warmth, it was no surprise he would try to seek it in his sleep. With a soft smile, Jack kissed his little boys head. He had to go talk to the headmaster. He strolled to the door and glanced back at the sleeping boy.
"Goodnight, Little Prince."