Chapter 3 - The Monster Baby
No one would explain what had happened.
The Queen had given birth to a monster.
That was all Antonius had been told.
If no one would tell him the truth, he would discover it himself.
That night, he slipped away from his nursemaid's watchful eye, avoided the palace guards' patrols, and made his way to the stone cell where the infant was being kept.
“Your Highness, what exactly are you planning to do?”
Antonius turned.
Standing behind him with one hand resting on his hip and a disapproving look upon his face was Theodoros.
“Stop following me.”
“I cannot do that.”
“That is an order.”
“Then I must respectfully refuse.”
Theodoros did not yield an inch.
“I won't interfere. I only wish to protect you if danger arises.”
“...Do as you please.”
Annoyed, Antonius produced the key he had stolen earlier and unlocked the iron-barred door.
The cell was cold.
A single cradle stood in the center of the room.
Antonius stopped short.
Pointed ears.
Ash-brown scales covering the infant's face, neck, and tiny body.
A tail protruding from beneath the blanket.
Not human. A monster.
Then the baby opened his eyes.
A chill ran down Antonius's spine.
Fear seized him for a heartbeat.
Then anger followed close behind.
Because of this creature, Mother had—
Something burned deep within his chest.
The infant simply stared back at him.
Somehow, that only made it worse.
“......!”
Antonius spun on his heel.
He fled the cell as though escaping from a nightmare.
Theodoros instinctively moved to follow.
Yet for some reason, he glanced back at the cradle.
The infant slept on. Alone.
For a moment, Theodoros simply watched him.
The baby had already fallen asleep again.
Quietly, he closed the door.
Then he hurried after his young master.
The prince was almost certainly crying.
And at that moment, Antonius mattered far more to him than the strange infant left behind in the cell.
