The Tyrant Of The Red Throne

Somewhere in a prison cell, a young man lay on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He wondered how his life had become such a mess. He had loved his family so much that he was willing to sacrifice anything for them. But the family he had given up everything for didn't seem to appreciate his worth. They had never visited him after his arrest, leaving him with no one to share the difficulties of prison life with. The sacrifice he had made out of love now felt like a pit he had dug for himself, with no one but himself to get out of it.

His cellmate entered the room and noticed him lost in thought. "Hey, is everything okay? Visiting hours are over," he asked.

"Yes," the young man replied with a sigh, as if he had expected such a response. He couldn't understand why his family had never visited him all this time. "Nagid, are you sure they will still help you get out of here?" he asked, his voice filled with doubt.

There was a moment of silence as he pondered the question, wondering if his family would keep their promise. He looked at his current situation and felt foolish. With resentment towards himself, he closed his eyes.

"I... I..." he stammered, unable to defend his family anymore.

"Don't try to defend them this time," his cellmate said, disheartened. He couldn't comprehend the bravery it took for someone to accept a crime they knew nothing about. "You've been doing that all along. You told me they would figure something out and get you out of here within a year. But look at you. You've been here for 15 years, and they have never visited you. Is it really worth taking the blame for something you didn't even do?"

"I know you worry about me being here," the young man replied, trying to hold onto hope. "But they promised to get me out soon."

He was aware that he was deceiving himself, but he didn't want his cellmate to think he was weak or had lost hope. He had always projected an image of confidence and strength.

"And when did you find out about this?" his cellmate asked.

"Yesterday, when I asked the lawyer during our meeting," he replied.

"Are you even listening to yourself?" his cellmate asked, surprised. "They don't visit you, and you have to request a lawyer. And yet, you lie here and tell me they will set you free. Don't you realize you're becoming a joke?"

His cellmate left the room, shaking his head in disappointment.

Nagid contemplated what his cellmate had said. He knew deep down that his words were true, but he couldn't bring himself to accept it. He had been deceiving himself for years.

Numerous questions raced through his mind. Was this all a setup by his family to get rid of him? Were they simply trying to find a scapegoat for their son's crime? Or did they genuinely mean it when they promised to release him soon?

He remembered all the promises the Thompson family had made when he took the blame for his brother-in-law. He recalled how his wife had pleaded for him to go to jail instead. Despite knowing they were taking advantage of him, he turned a blind eye to it all out of love for his wife and family. He agreed to their decision, believing they would get him out of prison in less than a year.

But now, 15 years had passed, and they had never visited him. Even the lawyer handling his case only showed up when invited by him to give an update on the progress. As the son-in-law of the Thompson family, he had always been obedient, enduring mistreatment and injustices. They were the only family he knew, and his love for them drove him to do anything for their happiness.

His trust in the family had grown stronger when his father-in-law had granted his request to marry Emma, the love of his life. In return, he had worked tirelessly for the family's company, hoping to make it prosperous.

As he drifted off to sleep, these thoughts consumed his mind.

Another five years passed, and life in prison remained unchanged. It only became more unbearable and harsh. Each day, after the guards opened the prison doors, the torment would begin. With no one to visit him, he walked out of his cell devoid of emotion. He already knew what his day in the cell would be like before it even started.

Working on the prison farm, Nagid endured the bullying from some of the prisoners. But on this particular day, he had a different agenda. He knew the bullying would never stop, and he suspected that someone was behind it. Despite his previous inclination to avoid trouble by keeping his head down, he decided he would no longer bow to their threats. Since his family showed no signs of getting him out of prison anytime soon, he realized he had to put an end to the bullying once and for all.

With determination, Nagid started his day, making sure to accomplish what he had in mind. He showed the bullies just how wrong they were in their perception of him. This instilled fear in the prison bullies and other prisoners. They immediately recognized that Nagid was not to be messed with. After a day of asserting his true strength and enjoying some peace, he returned to his empty cell.

Lying on his bed and staring at the ceiling, he held onto hope that his wife and family would find a way to release him from this prison. He looked at the vacant bed beside him, remembering his cellmate with whom he had spent his first 16 years in prison. His cellmate had been released after serving 16 years, and they had shared a conversation before parting ways.

"You're really lucky," Nagid had said. "You're done serving your jail time here. I'm happy for you."

"I'm happy for myself too," his mate had replied excitedly, hoping to be released as well.

Nagid had expressed his own hope for release, and his mate had looked at him sadly, wondering what his family had done to make him believe they would come for him. After spending years without any family visits, his mate had voiced his doubts.

"Nagid, do you still believe they will come for you? I know they won't. It's been years, and they have completely forgotten about you. I hope you realize this before it's too late," his mate had said, leaving Nagid to ponder his words.

He knew deep down that his mate was right, but he still chose to hold onto the belief that his family would get him out of prison.

As he reminisced, he wondered if he had made the right decision for the family. He resolved that if he ever got out of prison, he would make his treacherous family pay for tricking him into this life behind bars. Just as his anger and resentment were growing more intense, he heard the sound of his prison door being opened by a guard.

"Nagid, someone is here to see you. You're being released today," the guard informed him.

Nagid looked at the guard in surprise. With trembling hands and feet, he got up from his bed. It seemed there was still hope. It appeared that there was light at the end of the tunnel. However, he couldn't help but wonder who was responsible for his release. Had the Thompsons finally decided to intervene and get him out of prison, or was it someone else? To uncover the truth about his savior, he would have to step out and find out for himself.