There are many different legends about the three families. No one knows exactly when the dance of power between the Antona, Iburia, and Viralum families. Only that when humans first came to the continent, the three friends who’d led the expedition to the land began to quarrel over different things. What should they call it? Where should they settle? Should they try and make peace with the strange animal-like creatures their men had encountered? What of the elves and the dwarves and the dragons? Finally, then agreed on Genovona for their land’s new name. No one knows who was the first king, but it was one of the three. Each family claims a different story. Whoever the king was at the time, he was murdered.

And a blood feud was started.

Since then, each family has been considered royal. When one was in power, the other two were actively in court. Waiting for their chance to pounce on to the throne. It got to the point where they would kill potential heirs, mere children and babies, in their beds. Regardless of who was in power.

And when it came time for Prince Jonas of the Antona family and his bride, Aelita, to take the throne, Jonas knew what he was getting himself in to.

“I don’t want to do this.” Jonas told his wife as he entered her chambers. She was beautiful. She had long, curly blonde hair that settled just below her shoulders. Aelita was pale and fragile looking, giving her the impression of a porcelain doll. Her face looked as if it had been intricately designed by an artist, giving her pale pink lips and bright blue eyes. Her dress was pale pink, embroidered with blossoming flowers. Around her neck was a necklace of lovely pink pearls, and on her head was a small silver tiara.

Beautiful and delicate.

Much too delicate for my world. Jonas thought. He smiled softly. “You look amazing, though, my dear…”

Aelita sighed. “I’m dreading this as much as you are, Jonas.” She got up from the window seat she’d been on. When Jonas had come in, she’d been staring out the window absently. Probably contemplating her fate, Jonas assumed. Sometimes he wondered why she didn’t just run. She certainly could. He wouldn’t stop her, and her father hated the idea of marriage between them from the start. So he would do nothing but support her decision.

Jonas held her close, and she gently wrapped her arms around him. Setting her cheek on his shoulder, she spoke. “You realize we’ll probably both be killed in our sleep.”

“I know.”

“Or that if we have a child, he may be killed while he sleeps.”

“I know.”

“And that we’ll have to constantly look over our shoulders.”

“I know.”

“Then why, Jonas, why are we doing this?!” Aelita demanded, suddenly pulling away. She turned her back to him and walked back to the window seat. She sat back down and set her hand on the glass of the window. “Being your queen means nothing to me if I’m only destined to have you ripped away from me.”

Jonas stayed where he was. “You don’t have to be my queen. I won’t stop you if you wish to leave.”

Aelita looked at him, her face shocked. “Jonas! I would never stop being your wife! I made a vow to you before the Goddess, and that is a vow I intend to keep! I love you with all of my heart, and if dying with you is my fate then I will gladly accept it!” Sharply, she looked towards the window again and down at the city. “The problem is, I’m afraid of Sir Death. He’s come many times before, especially to our court.”

There was a knock on the door, and Jonas sighed and called, “Enter!”

The door flew open and a young girl with short red hair and violet eyes ran in. She was no more then five, and she was all dolled up for the celebrations. She was wearing a dark blue dress with a silver sash and long sleeves that widened when they reached her hands. On the sash there were strange symbols embroidered into it in golden thread. Around her neck was a simple looking necklace. The string was made from leather, and a rounded turquoise stone hung from it. The most astounding part, however, was that her face had been painted. Her forehead, cheeks, and around her eyes were intricately painted with silver paint. It was a beautiful design, a vine of blooming flowers. If you looked closer, you could see small detailed fairies sitting on the petals or playing around the vines.

Jonas smiled. “Lark!”

Aelita looked over and smiled merrily. “Lark! Where’s your father?”

“Right here!”

A man strode in. All of his hair was white, and he had a well-trimmed beard. He had the same violet eyes as the young girl did, and they were dressed similarly. He was wearing a dark blue tunic and pants, along with brown boots. He had on a belt with a silver buckle, engraved with the same strange symbols as the ones on Lark’s sash. He also had on a necklace. The string was still leather, but a lion’s fang hung from his. Also like Lark, his face was painted as well. They had painted around the beard in the same silver paint as Lark’s, only his painting was of dragons spitting out dancing flames.

“Hello Yasin.” Jonas said, smiling again.

Yasin smiled. “You need to stop growing my boy…your looking more and more like your father everyday!”

Jonas did take after his father. He had the same stern, hard features of his father. His long pitch black hair was pulled back into a low ponytail, and he was also very tall like his father. Though he had his mother’s emerald green eyes. Jonas’s smile faded at the mention of his father.

Yasin saw his expression fall and he set his hand on Jonas’s shoulder. “He would be proud of you. You’ll be the youngest king Genovona has ever known.”

Like many kings, Jonas’s father had been assassinated. His mother, however, had been spared. The Viralum seized control for only a year, when Jonas’s older brother took control. However, both he and their mother had fallen victim to the Red Plague. An incurable disease that was spreading across the lands. From Pelagona in the far south to Cyprardene in the far north. No one was immune. Everyone, human, beast, Geno, elf, or dwarf could be attacked by it. The disease had spread throughout the Antona family. Only Jonas remained. The court was forcing him to become king. He didn’t want to. He wanted to have a family with Aelita, and let one of his descendants take over long after he was gone.

They insisted that seventeen-year-old Jonas needed to take the throne.

“Yasin, I thank you.” Jonas said, smiling some. “For standing by my father for all of those years, for standing with my brother, and for standing with me.”

Yasin smiled. “Your father was my best friend, and you and your siblings have always been like sons and daughters to me.”

“Now you have your own daughter.” Aelita chuckled. She had Lark on her lap, and was allowing the small girl to look out the window at the city below.

“Hopefully having you at my side will hold off the Viralum and Iburia from making their moves. Having a mage for a close friend always helps when it comes to survival.” Jonas said, smiling playfully. “Has Lark begun her training yet?”

Yasin nodded. “I haven’t seen so much raw power in all of my years.”

“Your Majesties…Lord Yasin…”

They turned to see a Geno standing in the doorway. Geno were a whole species of anthropoids, filled with many different races. Each race looked like a different animal. There was everything from a Dog race to a King Cobra race. This particular Geno was a Bat. She had brown fur all over, and large ears. Above her oval-shaped brown eyes were two white dots, one above each eye. She had arms and hands like a humans, only her nails were sharp and black. And, attached to her arms, were wings. A thin brown membrane extended from the wrist to about three inches away from the shoulder. The membrane extended for about five feet, dragging against the floor. There were bones visible in her wings, holding the thin membrane to the rest of her arm. Since she was a servant to humans, this Geno was required to wear clothes. You could see she had feminine features from the way her faded purple dress fit.

Her eyes stared without cease. Blind, as most Bats were. She relied on her hearing, and the sound waves that hit off everything else and bounced back towards her when she spoke. At first her voice had sounded unsure, but now she knew who she was speaking to. Jonas pitied her, she’d probably had quite a few slip-ups in her days as a servant. “Its time.”

“Thank you.” Jonas said, a bit louder than was required.

The Bat girl smiled, amused. “I’m only blind, Your Majesty. Not deaf.” She made a gesture that told them to follow her. With a sigh, Aelita lifted Lark off of her lap and set her down. The princess stood and strode over to her husband and clasped his hand in hers. The Bat girl led them off, and Yasin and Lark followed after. The halls themselves were long and beautiful. The tile was the color of pink coral, and the walls were painted with various scenes. Arriving on the new land, making peace with the Geno, various war victories…all intricately and beautifully painted.

“Hey, hey Bat lady!” Lark said, pointing to a painting of the Geno nurturing a past king back to health after a battle. “Lookie! Your in the painting!”

The Bat girl was a good sport. She chuckled. “I wish I could see, little one. I’m blind. Perhaps you can describe it to me.”

As they went past the scene, Lark began to describe every little detail. From the king’s bleeding leg to the young Wolf Geno holding a bowl of water up to an older Wolf. They turned into a round room lined with paintings of past kings and queens. Near the front of the room were two doors.

“Are you ready, Your Majesties?” the Bat girl asked, walking to the doors. She felt a bit before finding the handles to both. “They’re waiting.”

Jonas didn’t need the servant’s ears to hear the many voices in the next room. He and Aelita positioned themselves, side-by-side, in front of the doors. Yasin and Lark stood behind Jonas and Aelita, also side-by-side. The Bat opened the doors. They were at the top of a grand spiral staircase, looking down at the hundreds of people gathered in the room below. At the foot of the stairs was a purple carpet, which led to a slightly upraised platform where two grand thrones sat.

“Presenting Jonas Nicholas Antona, prince of Genovona! And Aelita of the city of Krell, princess of Genovona!” the Bat announced.

The ceremony was relatively simple. Jonas and Aelita had to descend down the stairs together. Then they would have to walk along the carpet to their thrones, where they would be given their crowns and declared the king and queen. After the Bat stepped aside, ears down in order to show respect, Jonas and Aelita began their descent. Jonas was holding on to Aelita’s hand. She was trembling slightly.

No one expected the first attempt to be so soon.

The second they stepped on to the carpet, a member of the Viralum family charged at them. His sword as drawn. He intended to bring it down on the top of Aelita’s head, but Jonas pulled her out of the way and hugged her close. People were screaming. A man from the Iburia family rushed forward and tackled the man, which of course started everything. If he’d done nothing, the guards would have taken care of the man. Instead the Viralum rushed forward to help their fallen relative. And, once the Iburia saw what as about to happen, they rushed into the fray as well. Jonas dragged Aelita up the stairs, back to where Yasin and Lark were standing.

Aelita started sobbing, frightened. Jonas held her close, turning her away from the scene. It was going to get bloody. Other court members were screaming and trying to get out of the doors on the sides of the rooms, while the guards tried to break it up. It was panic. Yasin took Aelita by the arm and hurried her out as the first blood was spilled. Jonas picked up a dumbfounded Lark and hurried her out before she could see any more. This wasn’t a scene for children.

“H-He tried to k-kill me!” Aelita sobbed when they reached the safety of Yasin’s tower room. She sank down into a chair, sobbing.

Yasin’s room was actually two rooms. There was a door linking his chambers to Lark’s. Jonas was always amazed how…well…normal their rooms looked. Sorcerers were often curious folk. They had traditions that most frowned upon, like painting their faces on special occasions. Jonas never minded Yasin’s ways. Yasin had always been like his uncle, always there for him when his family couldn’t be. Jonas watched Aelita cry. She’d been truly scared for her life. Lark walked up beside the chair and gave her hand a gentle pat.

“I don’t want her to go through this again.” Jonas said, looking at Yasin.

Yasin sighed. “You must, though. Unless you want to give up your power…”

Jonas blinked, then grinned. “Yasin! Yasin that’s a wonderful idea!”

Yasin frowned. “Jonas, that wasn’t a suggestion! That isn’t an option! The court wants you to take over.”

Jonas looked at Aelita. “Look at her, Yasin! She’s terrified! I can’t let her live like this! We’ll both be looking over our shoulders every day! Every day Yasin! I never wanted to become king in the first place. That was my brother’s dream, not mine. While he trained under Father, I was out playing with the Geno. This isn’t right for me, nor for Aelita! And I won’t bring a babe into this world while we live like this.”

Yasin sighed. “Jonas…if your set on giving up your power…do it the right way. Wait until Aelita begins to carry a child, so when you leave you can return the Antona. Until then, I say you strike up a deal with the Iburia family. They’ve lost a good bit of people in their family, too. And, unlike the Viralum, they have heart enough not to kill a newly born baby. Then when you leave, you can give them power.”

Jonas nodded. He looked towards Aelita, who’d been listening. She looked at him. “Jonas…where do you intend to go where we will not be recognized?”

“Another country. Maybe one in the south. You love the warm weather.” Jonas said, smiling at her. He walked to her and set his hand on her cheek. “I need you to hold on a for while longer, princess…and then I promise you we will live out a happy life together. We’ll start a family and go someplace nice, and I’ll work to support us. And the court won’t know where we are, so they can’t harm us or our children.”

Aelita still had tears running down her face. But, she smiled and set her hand over his. “I’ll hold on for you, love…”

xxxx

A year later, early in night, Aelita gave birth to a son. The only ones there were Jonas, Yasin, and four Geno servants. The baby was born healthy, and all at once everything was in motion. The Geno helped Aelita out, one of them carrying their newborn son. Jonas and Yasin hurried to the stables, where Jonas attached two of their fastest horses to one of the carriages. Once the Geno had helped Aelita in and handed her their son, Jonas turned to Yasin.

“Well…I guess this is goodbye.” Jonas said, sighing. “I’ll probably never see you again.”

Yasin smiled. “Good look, Jojo…have you named the babe yet?”

Jonas sighed and shook his head. “Sadly, no…”

“Lark suggested a name. Elus.” Yasin said.

Jonas smiled at the mention of the young sorceress. “I’ll suggest it to Aelita later…could you tell Lark I said goodbye? And that I’ll miss her? That little girl of yours really grows on people, Yasin…”

Yasin chuckled. “Boy do I know that. I’ll tell her everything for you. Maybe if you don’t see me, you’ll see her. I’m quite sure she’s going to grow into a wonderful sorceress. If you ever come back, maybe she can be your son’s advisor.” He grinned at him. “Now get out of here, Jonas…”

Jonas held out his hand and grinned. “Will do, Yasin…thanks for helping me.”

Yasin shook his hand. “No problem.”

Jonas hopped into the seat of the carriage and snapped the reins, clicking to the horses. They reared and took off at a breakneck pace. Soon, the carriage was swallowed by the darkness of the night. Yasin sighed. It seemed like only a few days ago when Jonas was an innocent young boy, his future bright. Now he was fleeing Genovona for good, afraid for himself and his new family.

“Guard them, Goddess…” Yasin whispered as he looked to the stars.