A long time ago, a most respectable prince once lived in a castle surrounded by iron walls for twenty-one years. No one could ever come near him. Streets are saying he was just protecting himself. Oh, was he? 

The prince grew up to be someone greatly admired by individuals he met. With several dangling medals and shining awards, he walked head-high-held stepping on to those who seemed to stand below his level. Everyone would bow down wherever the prince went, acknowledging this overpowering aura towering over the people, making them feel small—the presence that screams intimidation, power, and wealth, which only he could easily acquire. 

In one snap everything falls under his hands. In one step everything goes according to plan. He is the prince, after all. Who would even dare to go against him?

The prince once promised himself that he would be powerful enough to be respected; wealthy enough to have the country moving at his fingertips. He made sure he was feared. Thus, he carefully planned everything so his dreams would be fulfilled. Every process was meticulously laid out, and not a single detail was missed. From beginning to end, it was his plan all along. Yet, the ones suffering were never him, he never did suffer. 

Day and night, he did not waste even a second as he hideously traced the blueprint of his dreams. As the prince, he did everything in his power to enforce “great” laws–one of his responsibilities, by the way. Over the days, he gained the support and trust of almost half of the country’s population back then. He had this perfectly crafted image of a responsible, respectable, and great prince who would soon change the nation’s history. 

That is what everyone had thought. At least, not until the iron-clad walls started rusting, revealing the colors hidden within, the prince’s carefully constructed facade crumbled right before his eyes. Rumors began to spread like wildfire. Some whispered of his cruelty, his lies, and twisted principles disguised as hope and truth the nation keeps holding onto. The once unsuspected community began to question the way he ruled. He resorted to what he thought would be better for him to keep his throne, power, and ill-gotten wealth. 

The prince, desperate to salvage his crumbling image, decided to flip the coin and try to rewrite the narrative. His crafted image was slowly fading away and pieces of inhumanity began to fall like dominoes, exposing the cruelty beneath him. No one dared to speak, not even a word uttered, scared of not witnessing the light of tomorrow. His actions and words were spoken with a chilling tone and sense of menace that sent shivers down the spines of those under his regime. His reign of terror had reached a new level of brutality. Every tongue that rose against him was silenced. Soldiers ransacked the homes of the people, seizing their property and even inflicting physical harm on them. The people suffered and lived in constant fear as they were forced to submit to the prince’s iron grip. 

Yet, the nation, like the iron-clad walls, withstood the oppression, tormenting, and killings, sparking the hope for a better future. Hand-in-hand, one heart, and one soul. People from different walks of life stood up for their rights, fighting for what is right. The voices that were once silenced came back stronger, echoing and defeating the darkness that prevails. As the days pass by, the cruelty of the prince remains one of the darkest times in history. The story opened the eyes and amplified the voice of the majority. The story that we should not forget to not regret, is the story of the prince.