Lloyd huffed indignantly. "I don't see why I shouldn't be allowed to go deal with this when I was allowed to go to war."
Cinderella AU // OxO // Closed
"Because this is more…I don't know." Ellis replied, rubbing his face with a hand.
"More what? I don't see how it's much different."
"I don't know. Because you weren't rushing headlong into battle, already injured."
"Sometimes, I was. Do you really think I never got hurt during that war?"
Ellis closed his eyes, shaking his head.
"I wanted to keep fighting. I was young, Ellis. I didn't want to tell them I was hurt. It was always 'just a scratch' with me just because I wanted to keep going for the people. I have to keep fighting, Ellis, or this will never end."
Ellis let out a breath. "Yeah? And then what? You get killed, and Nathaniel takes the throne? And what about Anton? Does his engagement just move to your brother, to happen when Nathaniel's old enough? Because I don't want to see him on the throne with someone so much younger than him, because he will destroy Nathaniel. You he wouldn't, because you're close enough in age and you're more powerful than he is. But a crippled, tiny little guy like Nathaniel? Anton would take control and would never give it up again and I know what he's like, and it would be terrible."
"Nathaniel is stronger than you think… he wouldn't let Anton push him around." Lloyd sighed, holding Nathaniel protectively. Nathaniel himself was still pale and crying softly. "But I'm not going to die. I'm going to try my best not to."
"He might be, I'm not saying he's weak. I'm saying that Anton can be…you haven't seen him the way I have. If he thinks he can take control, he will. Because he will see your brother as someone weaker that he might be able to push around. He gets in your head and makes you doubt your own decisions until you let him make them all for you." Ellis didn't look at Lloyd.
"Anton can't control me…" Nathaniel said softly. "But that's besides the point. Lloyd isn't gonna die. Right…?" Lloyd nodded and rested his head on Nathaniel's. "I'm not gonna die. I can handle myself in battle."
Ellis shook his head a little bit. "It won't be a battle, Lloyd. You're talking about assassins. You won't even see them." he closed his eyes again.
"I'll find a way. I'll probably just try to catch them, anyways. Have them put in prison, you know? Killing people in public is kind of… how do I say… frowned upon?"
"They shot you in public. I don't think they give a shit." he replied.
Lloyd rolled his eyes. "I mean on my end, Ellis. I'd have more assassins coming my way if I started publicly executing people."
Ellis laughed faintly. "Ah. Right. Sorry."
"I'm quite aware that the assassins are more than willing to kill me publicly. In fact, they'd probably prefer it. But either way, I have to stop them so they don't endanger anyone else."
Ellis nodded a little bit, closing his eyes again. "Right."
"I'll be fine, Ellis. Don't worry about me." Lloyd smiled weakly.
Ellis rolled his eyes. "Too late."
"Just… I can handle myself. I'll be okay, Ellis. I'll make it back."
"Yeah, you better." Ellis replied, a little tiredly.
Lloyd nodded and was quiet for a few seconds. "I'm sorry, Ellis, but… I have to do this."
Ellis shrugged. "You aren't listening to me anyways, so go ahead."
Lloyd sighed. "Ellis, please… don't be like that. I'm not doing this for the purpose of defying your advice."
"Right, but you didn't listen to a thing I said." He replied, looking up at the prince. "Or at least, not all of it."
"I am listening, I just… I can't let people keep dying for my sake. I genuinely do care about your advice, but I… I just can't follow it in this situation."
Ellis shrugged a little bit. "You should still wait so you heal up a bit more."
"I'm going to. It's not like I'm going out today."
"Lloyd…fine."