69- Ideal

'Eileen, Remember those kinds of kids who run constantly, shouts, noisy, the annoying brats? Yeah, I was that kid." PAST I was eight. In America, Father had some business with Valencia so me and Ruben were at her hideout. A group of people were talking at the lower level. And we weren't the only kids there, the future generation was there and all our eyes were fixed on our Queen in pure admiration. All of us were inspired by her, wanting to become like her, someone who held authority and power. The Ruler. Valencia Alroy. The Queen of the underworld. "They respect you so much." Twelve years old Prince beamed, moved by the people's support and there she stood. Her head high in pride, her long hairs waving in the air, eyes flickering green with a thick cloud of darkness, smirking evilly. "It's not respect, it's fear, Princy." "Wow, I want them to fear me like that too. None of them could dare to hurt you." I beamed, grinning by her dominance, by the authority she held over everyone. Lowering her pretty gaze, she chuckled, shaking her head to see which kid said it and turned to me. She looked at me and I could feel my cheek heating with felicity. God, she looked at me. "You have to earn this position. Gaining the peak is not as easy as you think, Boy, only the strongest could take this place." She told me, her voice was euphonious but also assertive. 'I will do it!" Straightening her back, the smirk not leaving her lips as she glanced from her shoulder, at her son, "Did you hear, Nathaniel?!" "Consider me out of your circle. I can't do this nor do I want to or would let Persephone either." Her son's cold response came, not bothering to look at what was happening, reading a book with his sister. 'You hear? don't you dare to follow Mama's footsteps." He warned his younger sister. 'Okay." One could tell from afar that she was an unbreakable woman but seemingly not her son's ideal. "Leave him, you teach us." Prince scoffed. Chuckling, she turned to us kids, counting, "My, so many kids. One, two, three… nine. Can I have your names?" Grinning, I spoke up first happily, "I am Sebastian. He is my brother, Ruben." "I am Zaviyaar, he is Asad and he is Fahad." Glancing, I saw Zaviyaar was also of my age and Asad was six, Fahad, four. We all turned to the last kid who was hiding shyly, looking down, he also looked five, "Sufiyan…" "And nine including my three. Prince, Nathaniel and Persephone." "Wow, I am the oldest here." Prince praised. "You will become my right hand after all." Smirking, she gave his head a pat, watching our parents talking below. They were below, she was above. "Hey, you guys want to play?" Nathaniel came with his sister who was holding onto his arm. "Sure." I nodded hastily, delighted immensely by the idea of it. "Let's play tag!" Asad suggested, jumping from happiness. "Princy, you wanna come?" Smirking, Nathaniel teased him. "Shut up. I am a big man. I don't have time to play." He growled, acting big. "Nobody wants you anyways!" Nathaniel's sister shouted, making us laugh and we began to play. First Nathaniel caught me and then I was running after everyone, creating a ruckus but we were indulging, away from the worldly worries, lost in our own world. I turned to others and that was the first and last time we played or laughed together. We all were children, unaware of this tainted world. Ignoring everything, being kids, we all played tag. It was fun, probably one of the bestest days of my life. As we were playing, I was catching them and I accidentally pushed Persephone instead of holding her, making her fall on the ground and making her cry. "I am so sorry, I didn't mean to hit you. Are- Are you okay?" Gasping, I apologize quickly, trying to stop her from crying. I panicked instantly because of her cries. "Oh, it's fine. Let me get her." Nathaniel came, hugging his sister, wiping her tears. "Persephone, Look. Bad boy. Don't hurt my baby sister." And she literally stopped. "See?" "Your eyes are adorable." Ruben said, glancing from my shoulder. "Yeah!" Asad nodded with a grin. 'I am hungry…" Sufiyan whispered, panting for air after all the running. "Hey, guys let's go to my Papa, he could take us out for an ice-cream." Nathaniel offered sweetly and we all cheered. 'Yay!" We never went. But, that was the first and last time we were together and happy. We were called soon enough to listen to Valencia's announcement. We were standing with our Fathers, waving at each other but one glare and we all stood still. "Valencia." My Father called her in a growl. "If you think bringing kids would evoke my mercy then you are wrong. You must accept me as your leader or else it would be a matter of snap for me to ravage your empires." She threatened and we were too young to understand the delicacy of the situation. "You are a monster. How could you do this? Why are you targeting our soft spots?" Sufiyan's Father hissed this time. "I could do much worse if you would foolishly neglect my demands. Don't force me to smear your tiny world under my feet." She ordered, demanding them to obey her shadows and I didn't know what she did or what happened. That was their era, their time, I knew nothing about it. "Albert Stellios, Jafar Sheikh, Ahmed Eitzaz and Walsh. Work under my commands. Become the pillars of my world." Holding her hand out, she assigned their positions which our generations razed by replacing it with boundaries and ‘Ace'. But, that was her world, her rules, her power. Reflecting a devilish smirk, she proclaimed. "From this moment onwards, I am your one and only leader. Valencia Alroy." And from that moment, she became my ideal. I wanted to become as strong and authoritative as hers. I was ready to do whatever it takes to become strong, to gain power and acquire her praise and cognition. I wanted to follow her steps gladly, I was ready to work under her happily. 'I want to become like Valencia!" Beaming, I shouted, jumping on the couch after coming back. 'Oh lord, this is the seventh time he is saying this! I shouldn't have taken him there. Shut up, Sebastian. You are not following that woman's shadow." Father scolded, apparently he hated her. 'But, I want to do it!" Not hearing, I continued to jump and laugh from glee. 'From this moment onwards, I am your one and only leader, Sebastian Stellios." I tried to mimic her, holding my hand towards Father, making Mother laugh and him growl. 'Do you know why we hate her so much?" He asked, irritated at my constant admiration. 'Why?" Stopping for a second, I sat next to him, grin not leaving my lips. I didn't know but I was over energetic and elated all the time. 'Because before her, all of us were working in our own boundaries. We were the kings of our own worlds but she had now forced us to work under her." He explained and even in this, I supported her. 'Does that make her strong or you guys weak to lose to her?" I asked, titling my head in confusion. But, Father didn't like my response, probably because he didn't know the answer himself, 'Go to your room, you little rascal!" 'What did I do?!" I gasped, getting down, confused. I wasn't scared by his anger but bewildered to ponder what wrong I did? 'From this moment onwards, I am your one and only leader, Sebastian Stellios." Shouting, I kept grinning, running away. 'H-Hey! Stop!" But, not thinking much about it, I shrugged my shoulders and went to my room anyway, shouting the same sentence until everyone grew weary of it. In the upcoming years, everyone was frustrated at my admiration towards Valencia. I wanted to meet her one more time. I wanted to see her, tell her how badly I appreciate her but never got a chance. I wanted to play tag with everyone else one more time, I wanted to go for that ice-cream we never could. And when I turned eleven, I got the horrifying news which broke my heart terribly, starting the point where our lives started going upside down. The news of Valencia's assassination. It spreaded like rapid-fire. Everyone knew their Queen was dead, meaning the leash she put on them was broken. They were free from her claws. Among her loyal followers, I was one of the people who was mourning over her death. 'Yes! God Bless whoever did this. This is the best day ever!" Father beamed, enjoying her death with immense exhilaration, pissing me off further. 'Just watch, I will become like her and all of you will work under me then. I will take her throne!" Hissing, I enunciated. 'Shut up." He growled, motioning to me to stop. 'I have heard everyone died except Nathaniel Alroy. He went underground after the incident." Father mumbled, talking to someone over the phone. 'Exactly. He should have died along with everyone. Their heritage should have ended." He muttered and unable to hear further, I went to my room furiously. I didn't like them celebrating her death. It was painful for me. From that moment onward, I decided to dedicate my life to the underworld and become extremely commanding to take the position Valencia once held but sadly, fate had other plans for me. Devoting myself to the underworld became the worst choice of my life. 'My veneration drowned me, Eileen."