Once upon a time there was a boy.
Il était une fois qu'il y avait un garçon.
Il était une fois qu'il y avait un garçon.
When the boy was born, the fair kingdom rejoiced. It was a day filled with feasting and revelry, decorated in pale blues and whites. The king and queen and the crown prince, still a small lad himself, accepted many gifts for their new addition. Fine clothes of rich cloth, toys of the highest caliber, a pair of toy swords for the boys to play at knightdom.
They named the boy Bastien.
Bastien grew to be a quiet, precocious child, more fond of hiding away in the library than having adventures with the other boys. His mind was keen and bright as a star, honed from the games of chess he and his tutor would play. He dreamed of one day being a great scholar, tested himself to read the entire library by the time he reached adulthood.
The older the prince got, the more he noticed his parents’ favoritism towards his brother. He was heir apparent, strong and quick, taking to lessons of the sword and the horse like a duck to water, flourishing under the weight of a future crown.
He did not resent his brother, merely spent more and more time in the library and the stables, a friend of the stablehands and the kitchen staff, listening to the gossip of the town outside the castle gates.
When the boys were nearly of age, a tragedy struck and both of their parents passed away, leaving them in the care of the court. The crown that had been off on the horizon suddenly settled on his brother’s brow. The weight staggered him, sapping the smiles and youthful indolence away.
His brother, the king, became cold, obsessed with their father’s legacy. He berated Bastien for his folly in books, his plans for university, his whimsy. Once close, the brothers drifted until one night Bastien stole away, never to be seen again.
Once upon a time there was a boy.
Il était une fois qu'il y avait un garçon.
Il était une fois qu'il y avait un garçon.
When the boy was born, his parents were stunned. An accident, they repeated, dully, to the nurse who had delivered him. An unexpected addition. His mother and father and his brother, still small himself, gave him things they had outgrown. Faded clothes, chipped and broken toys, a pair of wilting foam swords.
They named the boy Bastien.
Bastien grew to be a quiet, withdrawn child, more fond of hiding in his room with his books than tagging along with the other boys. His mind was keen and bright, honed from lonely, silent hours tracing letters and numbers. He dreamed of one day leaving for university, and tested himself with old textbooks in their attic.
The older the boy got, the more he noticed the favoritism towards his brother. He was strong and quick, an athlete with business sense, flourishing under the weight of heir apparent of their father’s company.
He resented his brother for being wanted and attended, spending more and more time locked away, befriending the birds outside of his window and listening to the soothing sounds of the world.
When Bastien began applying to university, a tragedy struck and both of his parents passed away, leaving them in the care of a family friend. The position that had been off on the horizon suddenly settled on his brother’s brow. The weight staggered him, sapping the smiles and youthful indolence away.
His brother, the CEO, became cold, obsessed with their father’s legacy. He berated Bastien for his folly in books, his plans for university, his whimsy. Once cordial, the boys drifted until the day his acceptance letter arrived in the post. Without a word, Bastien left for Montreal and never saw his brother again.
Once upon a time a man became a monster.
Il était une fois un homme devenu monstre.
Il était une fois un homme devenu monstre.