“Almost there!” the young man exclaimed as he struggled to weave the finishing touches on a spell not weaved in the Kingdom of Vyleria since its creation, the final test for the title of Archmage. “Careful, Jay” his father said anxiously as he watched his son key the spell. “This is where it could go horribly wrong.” They both watched one from the inside of the containment field that would keep the energies inside if he ha weaved even the smallest part of it wrong in some way. His father bit his lip as he saw the energies coming together getting brighter the closer they came together and exclaimed in joy as there was a flash of light and a shower of sparks from the air around the conjuration his son had done he had passed the final test, the summoning of his highest familiar and was now the second Archmage in history, he of course was the first.
“Good job, Son” he said as he waited for the field to go down.
“Thanks, Dad” Jay said as he looked down at his new familiar, an emerald baby dragon with ice blue eyes. It’s eyes gave the impression of the coldness of a winter’s storm yet Jay felt looking into her eyes that he had never seen eyes so warm. Glancing at his reflection in a passing mirror Jay stopped to have a closer look his hands coming up to stroke the two, emerald Symbols of Perthro that now adorned his cheeks. The two glowing symbols seemed to glow from within his skin rather then on the surface.
“You are too powerful, Son, it scares some of the Lords you know the only reason I got to train you is because I’m the King, but you …. You’re different you scare them when you do things so easily that takes them so much effort and no one else has ever called a dragon familiar before, not even me.” “Yes, but….” “It doesn’t matter, Son. Anyways we have an important day tomorrow and we need our sleep” “You mean they arrive tomorrow?” “You knew that what’s the matter? You know you have to marry.” “And you know I have no interest in women, Father” “Yes, but you know these gods don’t approve of that and we need this alliance. Besides you will need an heir when you decide to move on as well.” “Why do we need it? We have more power in our royal family then they have in their entire Kingdom even with all the mortals worshipping them.” “Well, we do now anyways.” His father said directing a significant look at his young son.
The two looked up as they heard hurried footsteps echoing down the hall. “Your Majesty, Your Highness,” his fathers valet shouted decorously, he did everything he could decorously even the meanest of labors, as he saw them walking towards him “The visitors are almost here we need to get you ready!” “I thought they were coming tomorrow” the King let out a surprised shout. “It’s too late for a court greeting….. Show them to their apartments we have set apart for them. Jay you go welcome them and extend invitations to dinner and tomorrow you can escort them into the throne room.” “Yes, Father.” The 16 year-old said as he started a Teleport spell to get to his room faster. “Jay!” his father exclaimed, “you don’t need to teleport everywhere just because you can!” “Yes, Father” he exclaimed innocently as his father ran away down the hall headed for his room and Jay keyed the spell stepping out of the swirling aegis into his rooms.
“You know very well a Teleport spell by an Archmage leaves an unmistakable signature you need to learn to walk where you need to go unless it’s out of the Kingdom and there is nowhere out-Kingdom you need to go.” His father said from behind him, causing a guilty start from Jay as he looked over his shoulder at the mirror his fathers face was shining out of.
“What if I want to visit my brother?” “Why would you want to visit a brother you’ve never even seen?
“Uh…” “Oh no, what did you do?” “Oh Dad it’s just a mirror spell it leaves no traces.” “Why a mirror spell?” “I just wanted to see what he was like when I first learned the spell and I watch him a little when I have free time.” “Look, Son, he may be your twin but he has very little in common with you, he’s a mortal for one thing.” “Did you know they are still looking for me?” “No I didn’t but it’s not like they can get here so there’s nothing to worry about.” “I wasn’t worried I just think that after the marriage sometime I might want to go out and get to know him a little” “You know I can’t stop you but I would recommend you wait awhile after the ceremonies.” “Oh it wouldn’t be for a while anyways I will have to learn how to mask my power first anyways.” “OK now run along don’t keep them waiting!” “Yes, Father!” he said casting a quick spell to change his clothes into something appropriate as he ran down the hall towards the guest suites. He slowed down before he got to the right hallway so he wouldn’t be out of breath when he got there. Approaching the door to the guest suite he nodded to the guards outside the suite and asked them to warn him when they got close.
“Your Highness, they are almost here.” The guard told him about ten minutes later.
“Thank you, Guard Kevin” “You’re Welcome, Highness” the guard said bowing himself out.
The Prince stood up and moved around the table towards the door to wait for the gods of the mortals to arrive.
Guard Kevin opened the door and escorted the first member of the party in “Your Highness, I would like to introduce to you the Lady of Earth, Queen of the Gods of Mortal Men, Kolos.” “Greetings, Your Divine Majesty, I am Prince Jaysen, my father has asked me to welcome you to our Kingdom and invite you and your party to dinner tonight.” “Well met, Your Highness, of course we would be honored to join you for dinner.” The Prince bowed slightly to the older woman “Wonderful, my Lady, dinner will be in my fathers suite in about 2 hours. I will return half hour before to show you all the way.” With a smile he left the room to go report to his father.
“Well he was a nice boy wasn’t he?” “Yes,” her son said “and hot too. What do those glowy things on his face mean, Mother?” “Shhh, you know they don’t approve of the fey here, love.” She looked up as the guard at the door stifled what sounded like a laugh.
“Sorry, Your Majesty I didn’t mean to. Guard Kevin said looking mortified if Prince Jaysen, who also happened to be the Guard Captain, heard of this transgression Kevin would be doing night duty for the rest of his life out on the cold walls at the farthest end of the land where everything was black, empty and cold.
“It’s okay, young man but why did you snort.” “I’m sorry, Your Majesty but where did you hear we don’t approve of fey here.” “Our intelligence agents that we sent here….” So startled by the question she answered truthfully.
“Sorry to interrupt you Majesty but never listen to intelligence agents sent here.” “May I ask you why?” She asked perplexed by the humor on the man’s face as he looked at her.
“Well as you know, Lady the only way into the Kingdom is to Teleport or other magical means.” “Yes we thought it strange when your King first asked us if he could build a Kingdom in the Magical Void so long ago.” “I’m sorry Lady but he didn’t build it he copied the main buildings from his other kingdoms and the Lords who decided to come here were allowed to build or copy their own.” “I stand corrected, young man, but why can’t we trust our intelligence.” “Because our Prince Jay, he you just met, is very powerful and he feels every Teleport or new magic entering any part of our Kingdom, and he has taught a group of Mages to do the same. They feel every person entering this area and intercept them.” “What happens after they intercept them… if you can tell us?” “Oh it’s no secret and nothing bad, Lady, they just give them memories of spying and false information then they let them go. The Prince doesn’t help much anymore though he has been busy with mage lessons.” “How powerful is he?” she asked looking a little scared.
“The symbols your son their just commented on? The ones on his face?” “Yes?” “They mean that Prince Jaysen is now an Archmage, only the second in the Kingdoms.” “Archmage?” “Archmage is our highest rank of magic-user only the King carries the title and power of that position though that is a matter of power and training.” “How much can you tell us about the magic here?” “Just a sec let me ask.” The Guard replied a distant look coming over his face as he raised a mind-link with his supervisor.
What do you need Guard Kevin?
The people watching the Guard exchanged surprised looks as they realized they hadn’t felt any magic in the Guards watching the door.
I am guarding the guest suite and they have asked me what I can tell them about our magic’s.
The Queen of the Gods bent her senses to the young Guard in front of her trying to read anything or maybe get a sense of the conversation. She gave a surprised start as a familiar voice sounded in her head Sorry my Lady but all the Guards guarding your rooms have been personally shielded by me against mind reading Why, Your Highness? Don’t you trust us?
Yes but the Guards mental powers aren’t great and some of them felt they might Guard better if no one could mess with their minds.
Understandable the Guard was just asking his supervisor how much he could tell us about mage-rank in your Kingdom she felt his mind recede a little as he conferred with his father.
I will inform the Guard he is allowed to tell you whatever you ask.
Thank you, Highness Welcome Majesty was the last she heard as she felt him withdraw completely from contact.
“Well I guess you met the shield I must tell you it is not that the Royal Family doesn’t trust you it’s the Mage College their leader is just a little jealous and they insisted on it maybe they thought it would make you dissolve the contract.” He concluded with a rueful shrug.
“Jealous?” she asked confused.
“I’m sorry Lady I know I’m supposed to answer your questions but I think that that’s a little too personal.” “Alright well let’s get back to mage-rank then.” She said vowing to herself she would find out what this “jealousy” is all about as she got up to get her brush and settled back down facing the Guard.
“Right you know everyone in the Kingdom can use magic to one degree or another?” “Yes we were aware of that.” “Some of them, the lowest rank, can only do a few things Fire, Teleport, some can just grow plants and things. These are the commoners….” “So rank here depends on power level? Can a commoner become a lord then?” “Yes every child is put through mage training their rank after the training depends on power the more power the more rank I have seen the son of a commoner become a Lord of Light.” “Lord of Light?” “The Lords of Light and Dark are the 3rd highest ranking.” “Wait Lords of Dark?” “Yes we believe in balance so the dark side of magic is practiced as openly as the light within reason of course. Prince Jaysen and the King wont stand for sacrificing others and they would feel it if someone tried” “Anyways just above the commoners are the Magelords they are moderately gifted every Guard is a Magelord. Above them are the Lords of Light and Dark above them is the Lords of Power this is the rank the Prince was until recently. The only rank above that is Archmage which the King holds and now Prince Jaysen as well. He must have finished the final test just before you got here” “What’s the final test?” “Not entirely sure I think only someone from the Mage College would actually know I think its something to do with a familiar.” “And you say the Prince just passed the final test?” “Yes but I’m not sure. I don’t fully grasp .how much power it would take to pass it.” “Hmm thank you for telling us.” “Your Welcome Majesty but I wouldn’t have if the Prince hadn’t told me I could.” The Lady of Earth chuckled as she watched the young Guard walk back to his post by the door.
“You realize he just gave you an important clue right Mother?” “What’s that, Son?” she asked somewhat abstractly her concentration on her hair as she played with it.
“He said he wouldn’t have talked if the Prince hadn’t told him he could I think that young man holds more power here then we realized.” “No I felt the Prince ask his father if he thought it was ok.” “Is that what you felt or did you just feel his attention go for a second in which he could have been asking.” “Your right I just felt the withdrawal.” She said suddenly looking up at him. “Does it matter though it doesn’t change how much we need this alliance we need the assurance that they won’t attack us and take over our places they won’t if we bring the Prince into our family. I would let him marry you if it would make him happy.” Turning to the girls they had brought with them she sent them hurriedly to get dressed in the other rooms. “Hurry you only have an hour!” Almost an hour later there came a polite knock on the door which Shon rushed to answer. He gasped as the Prince stood out in the hall his silver-grey eyes shining as he laughed at the Guards joke. Seeing Shon the Prince smiled and said “Your Highness? I came to escort your group to dinner if you are ready if not I can wait a bit.” “Oh no, it’s ok.” The Prince of the Gods said. “I am ready, and the women are almost there if you would like to come in and sit down for a second they should be out very soon.” The Princes’ both stopped walking suddenly as Jay’s head snapped around and Shon stared at him confused. “I am sorry, your Highness. Something has come up that I must see to please excuse me I will be back soon to escort your group.” With that the other prince vanished without a sound except for the small pop. Just after he vanished the two door guards jumped into the room and they felt a powerful shield snap down over their room locking everything out …. And all of them in.
“What is going on?!” Shon demanded of the talkative Guard from before.
“Prince Jaysen sends his apologies but he believes you would be safer if you stayed within your rooms till he came back for you.” “Why?” “Someone murdered for power.” He said simply, “the prince doesn’t know what they want to use it for so he and his father are going to go take care of whoever it was but in the meantime the power drawn was just enough to harm one of you and the Prince can not allow that.” “Enough power to harm one of us would harm one of them would it not?” Shon asked worriedly.
“Well, yes but with the training and stuff these two went through most normal mages even with a blood price would not stand much chance against one, let alone both of them.” Less then an hour later, with the whole of the party sitting on the chairs scattered seemingly randomly across the room, they all felt the shield dissipate and the door opened the Prince walked in. he wore the same clothes as before and they seemed to be unruffled but their was a small cut bleeding down his cheek that he didn’t appear to have noticed.
“Dear Planets, your Highness are you okay?” Shon asked convulsively, his mother looked at him suspiciously hearing a tone in his voice most would have missed.
“What?” Jay asked still a little confused. “Oh yes I am fine. My father and I took care of it and dinner is ready if you would still like to come we would understand if you want to stick to your rooms however.” “No, dear that is ok. We are all dressed anyways.” The Queen said with a laugh gesturing at all their clothes. She looked a little confused when the prince didn’t do more then glance at the girls but decided to jot it down to how polite the young man was.
Offering her his arm, which she took gracefully the two of them headed down the hallway together talking quietly about various affairs of state between their two countries. The Prince surprised her again and again with his knowledge of politics often bringing things into a new way of thinking for her.
As they approach a heavily decorated gold door in the hallway, Jay grimaced “Neither one of us likes those doors but the councilors gave it as a gift to my father when he founded this kingdom.” “I see.” She said simply walking through the door with him. As Jaysen escorted her to a seat near his father he gestured at the others of the party to seat themselves around the table. Settling down at a chair near the middle of the table Jay flashed a smile at all the women across from him they seemed to have all migrated to that side of the room. “May I sit here?” a voice said from behind him.
Looking over his shoulder Jay saw the Prince that had come with the party though he could not remember his name very well. “Certainly.” Jaysen said with a smile. This young man was far better on the eyes with his long strawberry blonde hair and piercing green eyes then any of the women in the room.
“Shon.” He said sticking his hand out to be shaken.
“Jaysen.” The Vylerian Prince replied shaking his hand.
“So what do you think?” Shon asked indicating the girls across from them; but all Jay did was glance at them for a moment.
“Doesn’t matter I am not here to marry for love and neither are they.” “Oh?” Shon asked his interest peaked.
“At the most we will end up friends which I don’t really mind but I hope she doesn’t care either I wouldn’t want her unhappy.” “Why would any of them be unhappy married to you?” Glancing at him Jaysen wondered if he heard what he thought he had in his tone. Deciding he hadn’t and suppressing his disappointment, Jaysen said, “I am just not ready to settle down at the moment.” And with that he changed to topic to something inane.
Shon sensing somehow he didn’t want to talk about marriage anymore and thinking it was just grooms jitters no matter how much he wanted it to be something else, Shon allowed the subject to be changed and the two of them sat their for the rest of dinner learning more about each other as the night dragged on and their parents talked of the treaty soon to be signed between them.

Many days later having let his father make the decision of what woman he was going to wed Jaysen sat out on the walls staring out over his home wondering if he would ever find it the same as it was right that minute staring out over his city at the sunrise beyond admiring the beauty of the varying shades f the sunrise.
Feeling someone standing behind him Jaysen looked over his shoulder and smiled as he saw Shon standing a few feet away. “Good Morning.” “Wow I must admit I got the impression you never woke up this early. What are you doing out here on the wall?” Shon asked with a laugh as he sat down on the wall his back to the view.
“Watching the sunset and considering the fall from these walls.” Jaysen said only half joking.
Turning around and leaning over the wall Shon looked down at the nearly a hundred foot drop. “Looks like it would hurt if you hit the ground in the wrong way.” He said mock seriously. His eyes followed Jaysen’s movements as he too leaned over the wall. He admired the grace of a movement that should have seemed awkward and best of all it all seemed to be unconscious Jaysen seriously wasn’t aware of how beautiful he really was. Sadly Shon was forced to admit that in all the time they had spent together these weeks, he had somehow allowed himself to fall in love with the man meant for his sister.
“You’d be surprised what a body can live through, Shon.” Jaysen said sadly looking over at the man beside him. Their eyes met as Jaysen leaned back once more and each looked away quickly wanting to hide his emotions from the other. Embarrassed the two stared out over the city wondering how they had gotten themselves into such awkward situations.

Standing together several balconies away their parents looked at each other sadly. “We have let those boys twist themselves up too much, King Jerrold.” Nodding he looked over at her. “Yes, we must tell them. I can not let my son marry someone he doesn’t love when he has found someone he does.” “Do you really think he does?” “Yes you can feel it and besides, look!” he exclaimed throwing his hand out towards the two as he somehow managed to watch the others movements without noticing the other was watching. Moving behind her he put his hands to her temples and directed her eyes towards their two sons.
“What is that?” she asked in confusion as she watched the reddish lights swirling around their sons.
“Their auras are completely meshed. That can only mean one thing and it’s not bad.” He said to reassure her. She looked at him still confused. “They are life bonded. Very deeply too if they haven’t noticed they are meshed yet. Surely your people know of life bonds?” asked when she still looked mystified.
“Oh we have them. We call them soul bonds, and they are built by me. I never built one for my son.” “There’s nothing we can do about it now. We break it and they will die. We let my son marry your daughter and we might still lose them both still. But there is something you must know, your Majesty.” “What?” she asked staring at him trying to sense any hint of falsehood.
“My Lords and Mages are not going to like this.” He said worriedly. “Especially the Lord of the Mage College.” “Why should they care?” “Simple, when our people life bond, they must be equal your son will gain much from this match. It wasn’t planned so they can’t start anything but the only reason we were allowed to accept the treaty with you was because there was no chance of this happening. They are going to be pissed that it did. As for the Lord of the Mage College his son was Jaysen’s last lover and he thought Jaysen would come running back to him to escape the woman he was marrying. Now he never will.” She turned back and watched their sons knowing there was no way around it. “We must tell them the wedding is off.” Together they walked off the balcony heading for a meeting with both their sons.

“What are you thinking about?” Shon asked the young man he had to admit, at least to himself, he loved.
“The wedding,” Jaysen said simply. “Still don’t……” he cut himself off as they both turned at a cough behind them.
“Father?” “Mother?” “We have something to tell you boys.” Jays father said awkwardly, “we have spoken together and…..” he stopped looked at the other parent wordlessly telling her it was her turn.
Together switching back and forth as one stopped and needed help they explained everything to their sons. It was not something either had thought they would ever have to point out to them. Even after he had decided he liked men Jaysen had always been independent about it he didn’t need or want help and Shon too had always been the same way.
“The problem, my son…” Jerrold stopped as Jaysen waved his hand in a silencing way.
“I see several, Father.” He felt a tug and looked down at his hand at some point one or both of them had reached out and they had linked hands without Jaysen noticing it, the tug on his hand was Shon trying to pull away and when Jay looked into his eyes he saw the hurt h is last words had caused him.
“No, not with you with our Lords I am sorry I should have clarified none of the Lords are going to like this, especially not Lord Justen the Lord of the Mage College’s son.
“Who?” “My lover, until about three months ago that is.” “Why until then?” letting his hands fall into Jaysen’s lap.
“Lord Justin felt that he shouldn’t marry anyone but him and Jaysen informed him that he would marry whoever his father told him and Justin had no say in the matter. Justin uh… challenged him to a duel over it but Jaysen turned him down.” “Why did you turn him down and what was that pause all about?” “The pause was because he didn’t actually challenge me my father was trying to gloss over it. He attacked me. He thought that the only way he could have me was by forcing himself upon me so he was going to strip me of all will to leave him. It didn’t work and he ended up very unhappily hanging from his fathers ceiling when his father woke up the next morning and found him he tried for hours to get him down. My father eventually made me take him down I haven’t talked to him since I left the room.” Shon tightened his grip and said, “I’m sorry you had to go through that.” “He should have known better then to attack me.” Jaysen said fiercely disgusted by that whole affair. “We had trained together for some of the time he is one of the best mages we have but he knows very well he stood no chance against me and he still tried.” “We should go indoors now, there is something further we must discuss with the two of you and we don’t think prying ears should get it.” “My room is double sealed father that would perhaps be safest I have invested a lot of power in those shields.” “Why did you double seal your rooms?” seeing the look on his sons face he held up his hand when his son started to answer. “Never mind I can guess, let’s go there then.” Walking behind their parents, Jaysen whispered. “its not sealed so I can have sex in my rooms, though it would help I guess I haven’t done anything of that sort in my room anyways. It is sealed so my father won’t sense me when I use the mirror to watch my brother he doesn’t approve of me doing that.” “Why?” Shon asked confused.
“Every Prince born in Vyleria must be born from the union of the king and a mortal woman of that earth. The woman my father used was married her husband got her pregnant at the same time as my father cause father used a fertility spell. With his powers my father was able to tell which of us was which and took me but I have a twin brother out in the mortal world. I like to watch him go about his life and make sure he is safe. I have even gone to visit him a couple times.” Giving him a hug, Shon took his hand and they followed their parents into Jays bedroom. Shon and his mother gasped as they looked around and Jaysen blushed a little as his father raised his eyebrows at him. “I like to tinker with spells in my room I get interesting results sometimes.” Pointing a a red glowing globe that was racing around the ceiling chasing its own comet-like tail. “That was actually a quite good mage globe, still functions quite well as one too if you encase it in glass you so it cant escape it will spin in very small circles and gather enough energy to light a ballroom.” The others looked at him with amusement except Shon who seemed to be glowing with pride in him as he stared up at the fast moving ball.