The Duke's Passion

"Stop it, Stefan. Don't follow in your father's footsteps."

A faint exhale slipped past Stefan's nose as he found Samael's words ridiculous. He thought it was actually important, but it seemed he was wrong.

"I am not following our father's footsteps, Hell. Please don't insult me like that. It is actually hurtful," Stefan expressed heartlessly, as if the thought of being compared to their damned father was more infuriating than any insult.

"My brother, as I've said, I am here to fulfill my duties as your caring older brother. Don't push your luck too far." Samael's tone was firm and sincere, staring deep into his eyes in hopes to touch Stefan's rotten heart. "Knocking on death's door is easy, but what lies further behind that door is something you and I don't know."

"You and I?" Stefan snickered as he shook his head. "I assumed you are already aware of what lies behind that door, but alas, it seemed I am the only one who had been there."

Samael chortled in a low tone. "Do you know why I passed the throne to you as soon as I succeeded it?"

"Because you don't want it… or rather, you can't carry the weight of the crown."

"You're right. I can't and don't want to carry the weight of the throne." Samael nodded in agreement, tilting his head back as he didn't feel the need to conceal that fact. "And also, I am not suited for it."

"Regardless of what you want and don't want, I don't see the point of this conversation. If being grateful is what you seek from me, you're wasting your time, Your Grace."

"Gratefulness is the least I expect from you, Your Majesty. The point here is, I based my decision in the past on what I see right." Samael slowly stood on his feet, placing both his palm against the desk and bent over. 

"I could've given it to Dominique or Alistair, or just some random house to spite Father. However, I chose you because I know you can do better than the late king; better than me, and Dyrroth." Samael added while his aura thickened. "Don't be greedy, Stefan. Alphonse is the last person you want on your side, trust me."

"And here I thought I am the only hypocrite in here, but it seemed you are not any different from me, Hell." Stefan chuckled in ridicule as these were the last words he wanted to hear from him. "You allied with the Bloodfang and delivered their last descendant in here to fight for the throne to save your own skin. Don't speak such words thoughtlessly, or I will have your head."

Samael let out a shallow breath as he pushed himself away from the desk. "Your big brother is wrong, Stefan. I made the wrong judgment and allied with the Bloodfang, thinking you can defend your position and take all those nobles under your reign completely."

"You are, indeed, wrong, because things had made an enormous turn and now, you can't side with me because that person you delivered in here is your wife. If you are really sorry, why don't you sacrifice for once, Hell?" Stefan seethed, grinding his teeth as the conversation was just getting more upsetting. 

"Die for me." His eyes sharpened as they darkened, leaning forward with his hand clenched tightly. "If you have a shred of conscience just as you speak, just die, my big brother. I had sacrificed everything for this damn crown and family… why am I the only one who had to be in despair when all I did was for everyone's sake?"

Stefan took a deep breath, as he had bottled his emotions for far too long. Samael's words were like a corkscrew, opening up an aged wine and all compressed pressure, anger, frustration, disappointments and everything just popped out uncontrollably.

"For you who is just pure evil and capricious and selfish, a person whose only interest was for his own sake, why you?" Stefan scorned in dismay, shaking his head in disappointment. "Why did she choose you? Why did it have to be you? Why is it always you?"

His voice echoed across the room, and Samael just stared down at him in silence. Samael studied the rage behind Stefan's pair of fiery eyes, and he could tell no words could get to him anymore.

"Dying… I can do that. I would do it without a second hesitation." Samael rocked his head as he inhaled and exhaled deeply, taking a step back.

"You will do it if I asked you before meeting her, I know." Stefan chuckled in ridicule, as he was very much aware of that. Samael agreed to be in a long slumber, after all. 

"But in the end, you still failed me, big brother." He continued as he smiled bitterly. "Until the bitter end, you and Lilou will never understand."

No matter what Stefan does, even stooping so low to have a little bit of her, he couldn't. At least, not the way he wanted him to. 

"It is such a shame that we came into this, Hell. I respected you and looked up to you… at some point." Stefan chuckled weakly, thinking of those peaceful times when they just all hate the king. "I had those thoughts to be just like you… to be someone who will protect our little brothers and sisters."

Although Stefan's ways differed from Samael, one fact that no one could deny was he had protected his siblings. Even becoming evil in the eyes of the many, he had done so, so he could be the shield of the La Crox family.

"But alas, you and I had decided." Stefan raised his head, and all the lingering bitterness in his eyes eventually faded. "It is either you or I will have to die. We can't live in the same time and world anymore, Hell."

"I have been hesitant, but now I don't anymore." Samael closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes, the way he looked at Stefan was not like his brother anymore.

"I'm doing you this favor, Hell," Stefan uttered as Samael turned around to leave. "If love and appreciation is something I can't get from her or from this world, I will gladly receive their hatred."

Samael paused in his tracks as his eyes glinted menacingly. "May peace be with you, brother." Before he continued.

When Samael left, Stefan fixed his eyes on the door and whispered, "and also with you. I hope your soul will find peace, my brother."

If this conversation happened in the past, it would be dealt with differently. However, the scar in the king's heart was far too deep and the will to keep the only resident in the duke's heart was far too strong.

So, maybe, just maybe, in another life, if they were not born as victims of their blood, they could smile at each other without contempt in their eyes. Just... maybe.