shadows of the Palace

Shadows of the Palace

In the dimly lit corridors of the Royal Palace, whispers of disdain followed the young crown prince, Hades, as he made his way through the halls. Maids scurried past him, their voices hushed but their gazes filled with scorn and fear.

"He's nothing but a cursed child," one maid muttered to another, casting a furtive glance in Hades' direction. "A devil born from the depths of darkness."

"And yet, the emperor treats him as if he were a king," replied the other, her voice tinged with bitterness. "As if he were worthy of such honor."

As Hades passed by, he caught snippets of their conversation, but he paid them no mind. He had grown accustomed to the whispers and the stares, the silent judgments that followed him wherever he went. They were nothing compared to the torment he endured behind closed doors.

In the depths of the palace, hidden away from prying eyes, lay the dark room—a chamber of horrors where the emperor's wrath knew no bounds. It was here that Hades suffered the cruelest of punishments, inflicted upon him by his own father.

The room was suffocating, the air heavy with the stench of fear and despair. Shadows danced on the walls as the emperor's furious voice echoed through the darkness.

"You are a disgrace!" he thundered, his words laced with venom as he towered over the trembling figure of his son. "A stain upon the honor of this family!"

With each word, Hades flinched, his young body already bruised and battered from countless previous beatings. But he bore the pain in silence, his gaze fixed on the ground as he braced himself for the inevitable onslaught.

Meanwhile, in the shadows, a figure moved with quiet determination. Helli, the head maid's son, watched from afar, his heart heavy with sorrow and anger. He had grown up alongside Hades, witnessing firsthand the cruelty inflicted upon the young prince by his own father.

As the emperor raised his hand to strike once more, Helli stepped forward, his voice steady but filled with defiance.

"Enough!" he exclaimed, his words cutting through the oppressive silence of the room. "He is but a child, my lord. Show him mercy, I beg of you."

The emperor's gaze turned to Helli, who was nothing but a mere 10 years old boy, his eyes burning with rage. But before he could respond, the head maid entered the room, her expression one of terror and desperation.

"My lord, please," she pleaded, falling to her knees before the emperor. "Have mercy on my son. He meant no disrespect."

The emperor's fury simmered, but he made no move to strike Hades again. Instead, he turned on his heel and stormed out of the room, leaving behind a trail of darkness and despair.

As the echoes of his footsteps faded into the distance, Helli approached Hades, his hands gentle as he tended to the young prince's wounds.

"You are not alone, my friend," he whispered, his voice a soothing balm in the midst of chaos. "I will always stand by your side, no matter the cost."

And in that moment, amidst the shadows of the palace, a bond was forged—a bond that would defy the darkness and withstand the trials that lay ahead.

As Helli tended to Hades' wounds in the dark room, their interaction was fraught with tension and unspoken gratitude.

Hades, though grateful for Helli's intervention, couldn't shake the fear that associating with him would only invite more trouble. "You should leave," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "It's not safe for you to be here."

But Helli's bright smile remained unwavering, despite the darkness that surrounded them. "I cannot abandon you," he insisted, his eyes filled with determination. "You are my friend, Hades, and I will stand by you no matter what."

Their friendship blossomed in the shadows of the palace, each interaction marked by a delicate dance of secrecy and trust.

"I brought you some food," Helli said one day, his hands trembling slightly as he offered Hades a basket of fruits and bread. "I thought you might be hungry."

Hades hesitated, his stomach twisting with hunger, but he couldn't bring himself to accept the offering. "I don't need your pity," he replied sharply, his words betraying the ache in his heart.

But Helli refused to be deterred. "It's not pity, Hades," he insisted, his voice soft but firm. "It's friendship."

And slowly, over time, Hades began to soften, his walls crumbling in the face of Helli's unwavering kindness.

"I don't understand why you continue to help me," Hades confessed one evening, his voice barely audible in the silence of the room. "I've done nothing to deserve it."

Helli smiled gently, his eyes filled with compassion. "You don't have to deserve it, Hades," he replied. "Friendship is not earned—it is given freely, without expectation or condition."And so, their bond grew stronger with each passing day, a beacon of light in the darkness of the palace. Despite the emperor's cruelty and the ever-present threat of danger, Hades found solace in the presence of his loyal friend, knowing that no matter what trials lay ahead, they would face them together.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***