Heir's Reflection

Evermore Vslag, The Emperor's Heir, watched his father lift his new sibling in the air and inspect the strange babe. His brother had been born hairless and with a disease that caused discoloration of the eyes. And yet Evermore had a rooted feeling that his father did not believe such a sickness existed. Every morning he accompanied the Emperor to his brother's cradle and watched as the baby was lifted into the light and was inspected.

His father grunted and set Baby Kuvial back in his crib. With a grand swish of his robes the Emperor left the nursery.

Evermore stayed, if only to inspect the child himself. Other than his lack of hair and strange dark eyes, Evermore saw nothing wrong with his brother. He himself had no children - there was no point, three generations were not allowed to exist at once. It was unheard of and frowned upon. Evermore himself was the Last Heir, his father having neared the maximum of his life span of seven hundred years. And yet the empress had given birth to another son. She had claimed that the baby was a girl through her entire pregnancy. There was no girl. Only Prince Kuvial.

"Heir Evermore." Titen, Evermore's martial arts mentor, called him from outside of the nursery, backing away from his sick baby brother, Evermore walked as evenly as he could to Titen's side. He tried to hide his excitement. It was an honor to have a one on one lesson with Titen Godsrun, nephew of Dean Horux. Evermore worshipped the ground Titen walked on and in return Titen seemed to give Evermore special attention. He was more advanced than his peers because of it.

"Titen, may I speak a private word with you?"

"We will not be donning descendants pose this day."

"Nay... I have reservations, Titen."

Titen smiled down at his pupil, he was a giant of a man, not as large as the Glacieriens, but large enough to be compared. His ruddy brown hair was always pulled back in a tight bun. His eye color was strange, a brown mixed with blue and green. A mutation, according to Titen's uncle. This morning he was wearing a tan suit that fit the form of his body. His white slippers matched his gloves and collar.

"About?"

Evermore checked to make sure there was no one else in the sparring room. It was empty and the doors were shut.

"My brother..." The prince trailed off an answer forming in the back of his mind before he even completed the question. "My brother..."

"Is dead." Titen finished.

"What?" Evermore shook his head. That was not how this conversation went. "No, my brother Prince Kuvial..."

"Heir Evermore," Titen's image faded and was replaced by the Emperor's right hand, Solotero of the Sunla. "Prince Kuvial is dead. He did not survive his first year at Takturn."

Anguish washed off Evermore like a full tide, threatening to drag him under an ocean of despair.

Evermore held his breath; not ready to express anything related to emotion. He had loved his younger brother to pieces. He was the one who cared for Kuvial, neither of their parents taking interest. His mother had cared for Kuvial long enough to wean him and then the toddler had been pawned off onto a nursemaid of regal birth.

"Takturn? I was told he was sent to Buyoumo." Evermore finally spoke, he could see the judgement in Solotero's eyes when he waited longer than it was appropriate for reaction.

"That appears to have been misinformation." Solotero's sharp eyes were calculating. Everything Evermore did was reported back to his father. Emperors were expected to be a certain level of detached and The Prince Heir had yet to master it.

"Has justice been served?"

"No stone was left unturned, Heir Evermore."

Bile rose in Evermore's mouth. He silently wondered how many had paid for the assassination of his younger brother. It was common knowledge that a prince never survived Takturn. The enrollment itself was equal to signing a death certificate. What had the Emperor done? Or worse, had it been their mother?

"Good."

Solotero left Evermore alone in the sunroom. Evermore had been napping and as usual he was plagued with demons of the past. After the news of his brother's death, the sunroom was too bright, too warm.

Since the revelation of Titen's betrayal, Evermore had not been allotted his own men. All of his personal guards had been executed. His mentors had been sent back to their primary occupations.

Faces watched him as he walked through the hallway, trailed by the royal guard. Keeping his expression impassive, Evermore stalked through one of the chambers that held a photo of any first years from Takturn. The photo itself was the size of the wall, making the children appear life sized. There were only 12. Twelve out of over a hundred had survived their first year at the most prestigious school on the planet Kudan.

Evermore clasped his hands inside of his robe willing them to stop shaking. Grief tried to force itself out of his mind and mouth, but Evermore forced it down. As Solotero said - Kuvial was not in the picture. Behind each student was their butler and for some a maid. Almost all of the servants were bandaged one way or another - having risked their lives to keep their charges breathing.

A child in the back right of the photo caught Evermore's attention. The boy was bruised and had a black eye. His butler stood behind him unscathed. The butler appeared furious and was looking down at his charge as if the boy would disappear. The boy was familiar to Evermore. They had never met, but something about the child was as familiar as Evermore's own face. Something about the adolescent stood out amongst his peers, but The Prince couldn't place what it was. Instead he focused back on the boy's servant. A redhead with his hair tied back in a tight bun. The butler wore a grey form fitting outfit with white slippers, white gloves, and a matching collar. The servant's eyes were a strange shade of brown with blue and green.

"Impossible." Evermore reached out for his mentor and his hands were stopped by the wall behind the photo. "Titen."

***

Titen Moore washed his hands in the lavatory and tried to ignore his missing nails. He should have been used to the deformity, but seven years was not long enough. If he focused on them too long he could see Solotero ripping off each nail and pouring acid onto Titen's hands. After drying his hands, Titen replaced his gloves - once a symbol of how grand his fighting was, were now a symbol of his shame. He adjusted his collar and combed his hair tying it into a bun. Wearing his hair like that had become a habit when he himself had attended Takturn. It was easier to paint the copper strands brown.

A small bell ting'd, summoning Titen to his master's room. They had returned a week ago and no one seemed more surprised to see a damaged Felicias than Leetha. She'd ordered Titen whipped until he'd passed out. Fresh scars cracked on his back. Captain Rotan, however, was grateful for the return of his adopted son. He had given Titen the evening off, but it was still morning and days on Kudan were long. Checking over his appearance again, Titen was satisfied. They could take everything away from him, but they would never have his dignity.

Standing outside Captain Raton's master bedroom, Titen inhaled deeply and exhaled, schooling himself to be bland and unresponsive. Opening the door smoothly, Titen was careful to leave enough room for himself to pass. He shut it quietly and took careful steps until he was at Captain Raton's side. Not that the Captain noticed, so stuck in the throws of passion with his ... sister by marriage.

Clasping his hands behind his back, Titen waited to be acknowledged. After a few moments Leetha screamed and dove under the covers. Not that it mattered, Titen found her to be a vile serpent of a woman.

"I don't understand why you keep such an awful awful man in your employ!" She shrieked.

"Because he is the best." Captain Raton climbed out of his large four poster bed not bothering to cover his nudity. "Leetha and I spoke about your reward for returning Felicias home."

Titen hardened his grip, bruising his own skin. He prepared for them to retract his time off. He would have to send a note to Yerrie.

"You are free of us until tomorrow morn."

Titen straightened his stance. "Master Raton?"

"Think of it as an apology for the whipping." Captain Raton stretched before climbing back into bed. "Before you go, please ask Felicias to dress. We've been asked to the palace."

Tensing, Titen stopped mid-step and rounded back to face Raton. "Would you not like me to escort you to the palace?"

"It won't be necessary." Captain Raton moved his head so that he could see around Leetha's body. "He will be with me."

"Of course." Titen inclined his head and left Raton and Leetha to their devices. He waited until his footsteps wouldn't echo before running to Felicias's room. As usual the boy was sleeping on the floor, a light afghan thrown over his shoulders.

"Felicias!"

Felicias jumped and tried to hide his sleeping arrangements. When he saw that it was Titen in his room, Felicias calmed and yawned. "Good Morn, Butler."

"Wake up, and pay attention."

Felicias rubbed the sleep from his eyes and got to his feet. "Is everything alright, Butler?"

"Everything is fine, Master Felicias." Titen debated on what he should share with his charge. Should he warn Felicias of another attempt on his life? Somehow that did not seem necessary. "Your father asks that you dress appropriately for the palace."

Felicias backed into the far wall and hugged himself. Fear and exhaustion marked his features mirroring an old man.

"I do not wish to attend a gathering at the palace. Will you be with me?"

"No, I will not. You must go." Titen prepared himself for Felicias to react negatively. Instead, the boy opened his wardrobe and picked a lavender suit out.

"This will make my hair appear lighter, will it not?"

"Yes. That is a good choice."

"Good'en day, Butler."

"Good'en day, Felicias."

Titen instructed the maids on how to prepare breakfast and dinner before he left the Raton household. Pulling out the note that held Yerrie's address Titen hailed a cab under the guise of running an errand for his master. The cab dropped him off at the end of the shopping district. Taking care to appear as official as possible, Titen made his way to Yerrie's apartment. Workers for the trainstation and Takturn were granted permanent residence in the only ghetto in the Imperial City.

Several Commoners were already on their way out. The shift for the past four months was over and the third shift was returning. Weaving through the unpacking crowd, Titen was able to reach Yerrie's door. He knocked and waited. Several women were grouped together and gossiping loudly. Bored, Titen decided to listen in.

"I hate herr, that womanen is always picked by the palace."

"You know she's be justinen a prince's whure."

"She havenen those demon eyes. Did her justice by that boy being killed."

"Shamenen no body t'bury."

Curling his hands Titen approached the group of women. One of them noticed him and she ducked her head and shut her mouth. The others followed suit.

"Pardon, but I have a question."

The women tried to gather their things quickly, obviously startled by Titen's presence.

"The woman you are speaking of - what is her name?"

One opened her mouth as if to speak, but another slapped her hand over it.The two began slapping at each other. A third raised her hand timidly.

"Galora."

"Galora? Is that it? That is her whole name?" Titen reached into his breast pocket a pulled out a pence handing it to the timid woman. The other's caught a flash of the coin and they all began speaking at once.

"Galora Moore."

"Moore! Her name is Galora Moore!"

"She's a palace whure, Sir. Not mess you want to associate with."

"Enough!" Titen fished out more coins and distributed them. He returned to Yerrie's apartment. She stood in the door eyebrows raised.

"What was that about?" She stepped aside so Titen could enter, but something stopped him. Something was terribly wrong and Titen knew he could not cross into Yerrie's home. If he left he wouldn't get another day to spend with her for months.

But.

If Titen did not get to the palace Felicias's life would be in jeopardy. If Galora Moore was his mother... she had to be. Titen himself was a Moore and he knew their line had been hunted to near extinction. The chances of there being another Moore that was related to Felicias and a palace maid was nearly impossible.

"Love?" Yerrie reached for Titen, but he evaded her grasp.

"I must go."

"Again?" Yerrie crossed her arms and Titen could feel her bitterness. Captain Raton called him back frequently. It was something was beginning to wane on their relationship.

"I must."

Yerrie shut the door in Titen's face. She would not be accepting of his return. Titen placed his hand against the wood and willed himself to stay. To forget Felicias and the havoc he reigned. No, that was not the Moore way. Leaving the ghetto, Titen hitched a ride with a cart on its way to deliver more maids to the palace.

The sun was at its highest point when they arrived. Titen tried to enter through the servant's entrance, but it was packed with Commoners coming and going. Frustrated he rounded that side of the palace to the guards entrance. He was immediately stopped.

"You! Commoner! This is an entrance reserved for palace guards."

"Apologies. Captain Raton received a message and an immediate response was demanded."

"You carry no paper."

"The information is much too sensitive for written word."

The guard nodded his head in understanding and stepped back to allow Titen access. Nostalgia and memories assaulted him as soon as he was past the back entrances. He had once walked the floors as a powerful figure, but those days were long gone. Trying to focus, Titen located one of the empress's maids that was rushing with a pitcher of water. The woman was so plain that her luxury uniform did nothing for her appearance.

"Mar'm." Titen lowered his voice and pulled the ladymaid by her elbow into a more secluded area. "I am in search of a maid with demon eyes. I have instructions for her."

The ladymaid's face turned bright red and she cleared her throat. She refused to make eye contact with Titen and began to fidget spilling water from the pitcher.

"Mar'm, I must deliver these instructions before the festivities tonight."

"...Galora... she's in the prince's chamber." The ladymaid spoke so quietly that Titen lowered his ear to the level of her mouth. When he turned to face her his nearness was causing her distress.

"Thank you. What is your name?"

"Tibora." She was shaking so much that the water was all but gone from the pitcher. Titen almost left her to figure out how to refill the pitcher and return to the empress on time, but guilt forced him to assist. Gripping Tibora's elbow, Titen led her to a private bathroom reserved for the royal family. No one was watching it, which wasn't surprising for the time of day. He quickly refilled the pitcher and returned Tibora to the hallway he had found her in.

"We share a secret?"

"Yessir." Tibora whispered before running towards the empress's chambers.

Careful to move with surety Titen made his way to Prince Evermore's chambers. It was too late in the day for the Prince Heir to be in his rooms. Something that was a blessing, for if Titen was caught he would forfeit his life.

The echo of footsteps had Titen diving behind a decorative pillar. He waited until the footsteps faded before continuing on. Each room he checked was empty including the prince's bedroom. Giving up the sound of running water stopped Titen.

He'd found Galora Moore and she was unreachable.

***

Evermore relaxed as his favorite maid washed his hair. Silver, that's what he had named her in his mind. She had been his personal maid for over twelve years. Recently, Evermore's mother had tried to take Silver away from him and place her as a ladymaid, but he was not having it. She was the only luxury he was allotted in this life.

"Did the guards leave as ordered?"

"Yes, Prince Heir, they exited the moment you instructed them to." Evermore loved her voice. It was so sure of everything. Even as a Commoner, Silver stood above all the others.

"Join me."

Silver stepped around the ground tub and over to a set of shelves. She undressed easily, folding her clothing and setting them neatly on the top shelf. She was covered in freckles. Her body was slightly more robust than the other Commonwomen Evermore had seen. Her stomach was marked with hints of childbirth. It was something he had never asked after. To have knowledge was to demand action. Her grey and silver hair fell just below her waist. It floated on top of the water as she slid into the tub.

Silver inched up to Evermore and began to wrap her legs around him.

"No!"

She froze. Her yellow irises hugged her shrinking pupils. Evermore did not want her to be afraid of him.

"I.. I do not wish for you to fear me." Evermore caressed Silver's face and pulled her into an embrace. His grief leaked through his pores. He held her so tightly, he was worried that she would bruise later. "Do you know loss?" They were alone and Evermore was exhausted of caring. "Do you know loss of an innocent?" He choked.

Silver wrapped her arms around Evermore and she held him almost a tightly as he held her.

"Answer me, please."

"Yes." Silver threaded her fingers in Evermore's hair. "Yes."

"Who?"

Silver shook her head, tears falling.

"Who?"

"I cannot say. It is best." His maid released him and hugged herself.

"A child?" Evermore guessed. He took her lack of response as acquiescence. "Your child."

Silver pulled away from Evermore and tried to climb out of the tub, but a perverse curiosity overtook him. He grabbed her and pinned her on the tile floor.

"Tell me," He pushed her hands over her head and Silver stopped struggling. "It does not matter. The child is dead. Tell me." He demanded. Something told him that he was gripping her wrists with more force than was necessary, but Evermore couldn't stop himself.

"Tell you what?"

"Tell me... " The prince released his maid and sat up. She stayed laying on her back, their feet in the water. "Tell me the child's name."

Sitting up, Silver rubbed her wrists. She kicked the water with her feet a bit. "His name was Felicias."

Evermore tried to imagine this Felicias. Had his hair been like his mother's? Or perhaps it had been a splice of silver and black, much like Kuvial's. Had his eyes been yellow as his mothers - or had they been Imperial Grey.

"Felicias Moore."

The image Evermore had formed dissipated and was replaced by ugly thoughts. Violent thoughts of Silver lying with Titen.

"Tell me... Moore? Was it?" Evermore chuckled.

"As I am."

His mockery lodged in his throat. What were the odds that Silver was in fact Titen's sister? Evermore lifted the commonwoman up and sat her in his lap.

"As you are?" The same perverseness that had pushed Evermore to attack her, gripped him again. "And his father?"

"...is bathing."

The sound of something crashing in his bedchamber had Evermore vaulting out of the bathroom. There was no one in sight, but a vase that had been sitting next to the entry was broken.

Concern for the consequences of his own actions pulled at Evermore. He could not allow Silver out of his sight. When the information that he had fathered a bastard reached his parents her life would be obsolete.

"Will they come for me?" She asked wrapping her arms around his waist.

"No." Evermore settled his hands over hers. "I will not be attending tonight's festivities. Clean the broken vase and join me in bed."

The Prince Heir needed to buy himself time. He needed to find out who had been in his room.