When he would look back on it later in a more stable mindset, or at least as stable as he could be about it, Caesarion would remember blood.
They'd just stood for the anthem, his father unable to avoid taking him to Parliament with him now that he was of age. He vaguely remembered the elder Caesar muttering something about staying quiet and not showing him up or embarrassing him, when suddenly Brutus was there, a gun in his hand and within seconds the world was changed. A few shots in rapid succession and his father crumpled to his feet as Caesarion was sprayed in a shower of his blood.
Not even a second afterwards Brutus had turned to look at him and for a heart stopping moment Caesarion thought he was going to be next. Caesarion's eyes were trained to the old man on the ground, gasping for air as he clutched at his chest. In another few second he could hear so much shouting, someone calling his name and a presence shielding him from what was about to happen. At the same time his father's security had tackled Brutus, a bullet ricocheting somewhere in the chamber. Caesarion dropped to his own knees in shock, but the truth was there. His father was already dying, there was nothing that could be done to save him.
Looking up he realized it was Emrys who had shielded him and was now pulling him to his feet. He'd protested initially; he and his father had never gotten along but he was dying for God's sake and he couldn't just leave him there. The man had insisted though, told him they had to get him out of there. They had to get him home and had to do it now.
He was herded through the crowd of people at lightning speed after being yanked to his feet, he caught a last glimpse of his father on the marble floor in a rapidly spreading pool of blood before he was rushed out a side door.
The ride back home was an absolute blur. He managed to keep it together as well as he could. Emrys seemed at a loss for what to say too, and Caesarion impressed himself with the fact that he didn't break. Didn't until he'd once again been hustled out of the car, through the veritable wall of the army that surrounded the palace by the time he got there. Inside the foyer his utterly distraught mother was being half held up by Charmian and Iras, and he broke down when she launched herself at him. "He's dead now isn't he mama," he said, seeing her faint nod as they both sunk to the floor, "Brutus, it was that bastard Brutus and now...now he's dead."
Caesarion would be eternally and forever grateful for Emrys for everything he'd done that day, managing to keep the worst of the wolves at bay. Olympos had been summoned at some point to check on him and his mother, eventually he'd left her in the physicians hands to tend to while he attended to what was necessary. Which seemed to amount to a great deal of cussing loudly at people, telling officials to fuck off, keeping reporters and various political people from breaking the gates down and dragging him out to immediately declare him King.
At some point, just after he'd signed orders to make SURE his family stayed safe and protected, Emrys had told him that his father's body had been taken to a secure location by the undertakers; they'd be able to see him tomorrow. He'd nodded, asking to be left alone and not disturbed unless it couldn't possibly wait. Naturally he trusted the man to know the difference and hoped against hope he could at least remain undisturbed a little while.
The crowds had started gathering outside the gates almost immediately after Caesarion had arrived, the noise pounding in his head as he'd sat in a study that had been his father's that morning but that evening was now his. He'd tried to write something, anything to put out a statement but words wouldn't come. He'd shoved the desk chair aside and slumped to the floor against the wall, his father's portrait looming over him. He couldn't even shut his eyes because there was that blood again, the same blood still staining the clothes that he wore.
He didn't know how long it was after, the noise outside hadn't ceased and he was still slumped against the wall, when a knock sounded on his door. He was startled out of his near trance and scrambled to his feet and the desk; hands gripping it so hard his knuckles turned white. "Emrys, is everything all..." he called, every bit of control he had focused on keeping his voice calm and still, but he stopped when the door creaked open and shut behind someone he had not expected to see at all.
"De...Demetria, you're here," he managed to get out, shock colouring his tone and he was horribly close to feeling like he might burst into tears again, "Oh thank God."
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