The aura hit all three of the brothers simultaneously. The transition from standing to lying on the floor was so sudden that none of them had any chance to offer any resistance to the power that was constantly buffeting them, holding them so tightly to the ground that the very floor began to have cracks expanding out from the point of impact where their faces met the marble tiles. And as they all laid there, silence reigned.

The slow meticulous sounds of boots hitting the floor reverberated in the dining room, each step drawing closer and closer to the table in equal intervals and although the pressure didn't increase by any means, Elijah found his heart racing in his chest. He would raise his head to catch a glimpse but he was held so tightly by his father's power that he gave up on that notion because for all Gregory Faun was presumed to be, he was King of Fanus and that by itself was backed by his unquestionable power. The man walking into the room was known by all as the most powerful man in the kingdom and very few could match him, be it generals or monarchs, he had very few equals and it was this very same man that had his three unruly laying on the floor by just flexing a smidgen of his power. So for all his genius and supposed mastery over the black flame, Elijah had to stay put and wait on his father to release him.

And what a wait it was. Elijah couldn't see his father walking in, but he heard his footsteps. He heard him enter the room. He heard his boots stop by him for a moment and in that moment he felt his father's gaze, drilling through his skull into his very soul before he decidedly looked away and continued to his seat at the head of the table. He heard the scraping of the chair on the marble as one of his father's attendants pulled a chair back for him and he finally heard the same chair scraping the floor as his father fully sat down at the table and then only then were the brothers freed.

The amount of air that his body took in after he was released, genuinely made Elijah question whether he had somehow forgotten how to breathe as his father held him down but he chose not to worry about that. What he had to worry about right now was the man sitting down right now and so he turned to face him.

Gregory Faun was a good looking man by all accounts. His brown eyes went well with his slick ebony hair, his face a sculpted masterpiece of strong jawlines and refined cheekbones. His casual wear of a simple purple shirt with gold accents was part of the latest fashion trends in the capital, how he knew about those Elijah never knew, but simply put, the latest robes and collections were within his grasp and each one cost quite a hefty sum.

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“Good morning, father. We're all glad to see that you woke up in good health today. May thy reign last long.” Cayden said, breaking the uneasy silence that covered the room. The King merely offered a nod in reply to his words.

Elijah found himself shooting a quick glare in Cayden's direction at that very moment, the ass kisser. Was he seriously trying to curry their father's favour even in the early hours of the morning? Typical Cayden behaviour, showing that his shame had no limits. He could only grind his teeth together and pretend he didn't see that horrendous display from his brother and proceed as if nothing happened and turn his attention back to his father.

“Permission to sit father?” Elijah asked in a slightly softer tone with his head slightly bowed.

“Granted.” The response that left the King's lips was quite short but it too seemed to carry a well of power that openly deflated the tension palpable in the room. With an inward sigh of relief, Elijah, Cayden and David all sat down once again, seemingly having dodged the Wrath of their father for the day.

Breakfast in the royal family today was a quiet affair. The only sounds in the room being those of utensils clacking on the plates as the food was consumed. The food in and of itself was delicious but that was well within expectations considering this was the royal household so the services rendered in it had to be of the best quality. Despite the amazing food and luxury around them, there hung a huge pressure above the room.

Initially, the brothers thought it was just the awkward silence that always transpired after they argued and they were forced to stay together without getting any time to cool off, but it seems that they were wrong this time. No, this was no ordinary pressure. It started off small but gradually, it increased, it became heavier. The temperature rose and the air was becoming drier and drier with each passing second. It didn't take long for the brothers to know who the culprit of their current predicament was. He was sitting right at the head of the table, the perfect picture of calm and serenity, but the state of the room spoke otherwise. The walls had lips and their message was clear…

“The King is angry”

This wasn't the first time they'd seen him angry, but in all the times he had been angry it was to this extent. No this time it was different. This time, he was positively, absolutely enraged and that gave the brothers pause. Was this really about their little spat? It couldn't be. Even if it was about their spat, it didn't really warrant such a response from him. It wasn't the first time they'd argued, and it wasn't the first time he'd broken them up as well, so that just left one conclusion.

Someone had messed with the King and they had done something to piss him off. The only question was, who was going to face his wrath in the training grounds first today.

Elijah found himself looking across the table and his eyes coincidentally met Cayden's and his eyes reflected the same exact feeling he had in that moment. Fear, pure unadulterated fear.

In his heart of heart, Elijah had been so sure that today was going to be a great day, but after what he'd just witnessed today, he was certain he just saw his hopes grind into dust before his very eyes.