The Darkness of the Princes

Tal

Day and Night, Light and dark, open and close, his life was a constant state of opposites, duality, things never falling into place or making sense. He blamed it on his heritage, a creature of two courts born to a mother of darkness and a father of light. It was the first great connection of the two fae courts, much celebrated at the time. His mother he could barely remember, never truly recovering from his and his sister’s birth and dying before his second birthday. His father’s laugh he could still hear ringing in his ears a half-century later.

His parents were both gone, and his oldest brother, once the Golden Prince, now the Sun King, ruled his home court, and Tal didn’t care as long as he could stay far away. He was just at home in the shadows as the sun, so he didn’t mind spending much of the time in his mother’s court, living in his uncle’s palace. He usually wasn’t too much of a nuisance for the Dark King, and when he did something to pique the old ruler’s wrath, Tal visited the human lands.

If only he had been happily drinking at a tavern, talking to the wise old men in Callint, or paying attention to a field maiden in Thiria. He could have been watching the mages at their trade in Hedria, but no, he had to be in residence in the Obsidian Palace, passed out in his bed after a night of too much drink and too many women. The knock at his door made him groan. His naturally fast-healing body usually meant he didn’t experience too many effects from overindulgence, but he had been even more depraved than normal last night.

“Come back later,” he mumbled from his bed, hoping it was loud enough for whoever disturbed his sleep to hear.

“It’s urgent, your highness. Your uncle wishes to see you now,” came a voice from the other side.

“Tell that prim and pompous old ruler that whatever father I pissed off, I will make amends later. Now let me sleep.” Tal put a pillow over his head, and all was quiet for a moment before a cold wind blew through his room, and his door banged open.

“You can tell this prim and pompous old ruler yourself.”

Tal took the pillow off his head and sat up slowly. His uncle stood by his bed, arms crossed as his long fingers dug into his pale skin. He was dressed simply in a black shirt with dark trousers. Must not be a day the court would come to call.

“Whatever happened, it wasn’t on purpose. If I dallied with some daughter of one of your lords, she shouldn’t have been in that tavern, to begin with.”

His uncle rolled his eyes. “If it were that sort of place, then perhaps you shouldn’t have been there either, Prince Taliesin.”

Tal chuckled. “Why? Who am I to act high and mighty? Just a throwaway son with no position and no importance.”

“I could remind you that I have offered you numerous positions in my court and so has your brother, but you have refused each one.”

“None of them sounded like much fun,” said Tal rubbing his head as he stood and stretched.

His uncle grinned, his black eyes lit up in amusement. “I think your days of choice might be over, nephew, but the good news is you will no longer have to worry about being idle. Your brother has called you home and says he has a task for you.”

Tal walked over to his dresser, took out a shirt, and pulled it on. “My brother can find someone else for this errand. I have no plans to return to Brigant.”

His uncle’s grin widened. “I don’t you understand. He is not asking as your brother.” The dark king snapped his fingers, and a scroll appeared in his hands. “Your king has commanded you attend his court and perform a task for him.”

“Fuck,” said Tal, already feeling that tug of obedience in his chest. “Why now? After all these years, he decides to assert his dominance?”

“Must be of some importance.”

“Then override it, uncle,” said Tal. “Give me a command to stay here.”

“You know it will do no good. You were born in Brigant. You are of his court. King Idris is your ruler.”

“What if I knelt before you this moment? Declared my loyalty to this court?”

His uncle laughed. “You think I would take you?” He cocked his head, a wicked smile on his lips. “You do have some talents that could be useful, but not useful enough for me to pique the wrath of your brother.”

“Why? You would win.”

“Flattery will not help you. I might win, but at what cost? We have peace now. Do you wish me to undo all your mother did to get us to this point?”

Tal sighed. “You make it sound like she was tortured. I hear she liked certain aspects of her life with my father.”

“And yet, in the end, it caused her a short life,” said King Adair. The room grew darker, blocking out the morning sunlight that had been pouring through the widow.

Tal turned away; his uncle implied message clear. He was the reason his mother was dead. His birth had been the one that had weakened her. His twin sister came easily and quickly. She labored another half a day before he was born.

“Take the scroll and go see what our brother has to say,” said his uncle stepping closer, the scroll in his outstretched hand. Tal took it slowly. “Perhaps, it will give you a bit of direction. You could use it, boy.”

“A century old is hardly a boy, your majesty,” said Tal as he opened his message.

“Not when you still act like a spoiled child.”

Tal ignored him, reading over his brother’s words.

Brother,

It has been too long. You are needed back home where you belong. There is a threat in the human lands that has made its way into our court. I need you to take care of it. You are to come at once and appear before me this afternoon. My guards will meet you by the High Stream on the north edge of the village. I have a task for you, and you will do it. I command it as your king.”

King Idris of Brigant

Tal practically bent over under the strength of his brother’s command, even from so far away. He growled quietly, hating being chained to another, especially his half-brother. He gritted his teeth. “I wonder what would happen if I ignored him, ran away to the human lands.”

“You know how that would go for you. If he is forced to send his guards to look for you, they will find you. Of course, he could probably just curse you wherever you are, but as his blood and mine, he would at least give you the courtesy of a trial.”

“And I could expect no support from you. I’m sure you’re glad to have a reason to get rid of me.”

The darkness grew. “I have allowed you to live here though you offer no benefit to this court. I’ve ignored your depravity, slinking it off as youthful indulgences, and cleaned up your messes time and time again, hoping you would grow into your role and responsibilities. Don’t act like I haven’t shown you more mercy and hospitality than most. It goes against my nature, and still, I have done it.”

“For my mother, I suppose.”

“For her and because you are still of my blood. My patience is at an end. Go to your court, serve your king, and perhaps you will finally grow up.” The darkness left, letting the sun shine in again. “I heard only good things when you came here forty years ago. You were known as a clever and good-natured youth. I worried there would be too much light in your for my court, but I never imagined you would become this.”

Tal shrugged. “I suppose my darker nature won out.”

“Your connection to this court has nothing to do with your ways. Don’t place the blame for your immorality on us. Even with our well-earned reputation, we still have rules we keep and some decency. You have been determined to break them all.”

Tal chuckled. “And now it seems I will see how many I can break of my brother’s laws. There are more there, so maybe I’ll have more fun than I thought” Tal moved toward his bathing chamber. “I should prepare.”

“You know, nephew, you could go to your brother’s kingdom and actually try. Instead of seeing how many women you could bed or how much of your brother’s wine you could drink, maybe you could focus on finding that young man you left behind when you came here.”

Tal stopped at the door. “I hardly remember him, uncle, so he could not be worth knowing.”

Stepping into the warm, bright sunshine was disorienting after spending so much time in the muted light of Lironia. He took a deep breath taking in the floral, sweet scent that hovered around the golden court. Though there were probably a hundred different flowers that grew along the edge of the forest near his home village, he could always pick out the smell of honeysuckle that grew thick between the trees, some climbing up the trunks. He stopped a picked a nearby bloom, bringing it up to his nose, resisting the urge to taste its nectar.

He hadn’t stepped foot in his court in over two decades. The last time, he came to celebrate the High Summer festival but left as soon as the sun rose. It was one of the rare occasions he had behaved himself, even managing to resist the charms of Lord Elgan’s alluring daughter. It was difficult, but he did not wish to tangle himself with the High Lord, knowing he would be as good as betrothed to the young woman if her father found out.

Deciding he had stalled long enough, he walked into the bustling village. It was well-kept and whimsical--the kind of place human children imagined when they thought of a fairyland. Even the smaller homes were fine, with light stone walls and thatched roofs. The manors that housed the rich lords were almost as large as some of the human palaces with vast lawns, elaborate fountains, and statues amongst the impressive landscaping.

Placing his hands in his pocket and keeping his head down, Tal walked through the village center, trying to avoid the stares of the fae and creatures who inhabited the court. He knew he stuck out. The fae around him were tan with fair-colored hair and light eyes. He looked much more like his mother’s court with his dark brown hair and eyes. Still as small as he tried to make himself, it did no good. He was too tall to hunch enough, too graceful to hide his step well. Even his shadows seemed darker than normal, gobbling up the sunlight as they followed him.

A few whispers started, followed by the giggles of some young women by the dress shop. Soon most were bowing or curtsying as he walked by, well aware that he was a prince of their court. He glanced to his left and right, noticing a few didn’t bother to notice him beyond a look. He didn’t care and actually nodded his head at a woodland sprite as she sat on the edge of a fountain, her long brown legs crossed as she smirked at him.

“Your highness, Prince Taliesin.”

Tal turned his head but did not stop. He blew out a puff of air, seeing his brother’s head guard hurrying towards him, four others in his wake. Tal thought to speed up but knew it would do no good. He kept his gait steady, letting the man catch up with him. “Hello, Dyfan.”

“You were not where your brother commanded,” said Dyfan.

Tal shrugged. “He commanded I come and appear before him. I took his idea of where I should arrive as more of a suggestion.”

“You shouldn’t walk through the village without protection.” The four guards moved around Tal, surrounding him as he walked.

“Why? Do you know of some plot against me?”

“No, but you are a member of the royal family, and we don’t always know who is within our borders. They might try to take you to get to the king.”

“Most know holding me captive would mean nothing to the king. He would let me rot before making any effort to save me.”

“That’s not true,” said the guard. “The king holds royal blood in high regard. He would do his duty.”

“You are truly his man now, aren’t you?” asked Tal.

Dyfan half smiled. “I serve the crown as I pledged to your father I would. That has not changed, though the ruler did.”

“And how do you like your king these days?”

“It is not for me to have an opinion.”

“But you do.”

Dyfan said nothing, but he cut his eyes to Tal, giving him a look the prince remembered even being gone for so long.

Tal moved closer to Dyfan, keeping his voice so low he knew the head guard would have to lean in to hear him. “Do you know what my brother wants?”

“Trouble in the human lands has spilled into the court, angering an important lord. The king can no longer ignore it, not when Lord Elgan threatens to pull his support of the court coffers.”

“Can’t the king just command the use of the lord’s gold?”

“Not with the old agreements still in place. Lord Elgan is powerful and important for a reason. There are things he can do that the king cannot stop.”

“And what could be so important to Lord Elgan in the human lands that he would go against his king?” asked Tal.

“Lady Eiriana.”

“Ah,” said Tal. Lady Eiriana was the niece of Lord Elgan and was known to be much loved by him. Some say even more than his own daughter. She was the only thing he had left of his much-beloved sister. Tal had a hard time remembering much about her except she was beautiful and utterly unpleasant—not surprising since she was half-human.

“So the lady has found trouble, has she? Taken in by some human rubbish like her mother?”

“If only that were it,” said Dyrfan darkly.

“More interesting then?”

“You’ll see. I doubt I have the full story, so I’ll let you hear it from the king.” He stepped back from Tal, probably because they had come to the palace gates, and no matter how softly they spoke, there was no guarantee someone might not overhear them.