Orpheus Lulamoon sat upon his horse, reigns clutched tightly within his fists. Beside him sat his lordy father Lostorios, who got off his horse and moved over to the withered black tree as the rain poured more and more onto the riders who accompanied Lostorios the withered tree had several long lengths of rope hanging from it's branches. Several of the ropes had rotting corpses still in the process of decomposing from them all, except for one. A tall gaunt looking man stood atop a wooden stool with a length of rope around his neck, "Don't look away boy," whispered the voice of Sethisto Glenmore a man of thirty five years with long scarlet hair, "your father will know if you do." Sethisto added cruelly.
Orpheus watched unflinching as his father approached the man, "Please, my lord, I'm no deserter." The gaunt looking man said as he tried explaining himself. The man had stolen weapons and food from House Lulamoon apparently because he wasn't paid enough money to feed his family, "I'm no thief or deserter, my family is starving you must believe me."
Lostorios breathed in and out slowly with a calm and sympathetic look on his face. Orpheus was hoping his father would be lenient towards this poor man before being shocked to see his father kick the stool out from underneath the man's feet. Leaving him to choke on the hanging rope, "Well done, boy." Sethisto whispered cruelly.
"Come on, let us return to Raven Moon." Lostorios ordered before leading his followers back towards the castle of House Lulamoon. Orpheus riding beside his father as silent as ever, "You did good, son."
Orpheus looked at his father, who reached over to tussle his son's hair. Orpheus chuckled and smiled a bit but went back to being silent, "Was he telling the truth?" Orpheus asked.
Lostorios rode ahead with his son before he continued speaking, "Yes, he was, but I can't prove who has been actually stealing from us, which is why I had him hanged. I'll make sure his family is well compensated, and I'll make sure they stay under our protection." Lostorios revealed.
Orpheus was confused by his father's actions being a lad of seventeen, "Some day you'll understand." Lostorios added as he looked at his son. Orpheus was still confused, but he nodded in response.
The master of horses Donnell Hill rode up to pair quickly, M'lord, you shouldn't ride too far from us." He implored panting slightly. Lostorios and Orpheus just laughed a bit as they continued on their way. They soon arrived back at the seat of House Lulamoon. The castle Raven Moon.
The group had to ride up a winding path through mountains to reach the castle, it's surrounding walls stood about ten feet high with the large black spires of Raven Moon standing erect beyond them. The dark blue banners bore a black raven resting upon a silver crescent moon. They were the banners of House Lulamoon. Lostorios and his son disembarked from their horses before making their way towards the entrance to the castle. Once they entered, the two men were greeted by a five year old girl with ashen hair running towards them, "Orphii!" She cried out as she reached up to him with her tiny hands.
Orpheus laughed and picked his little sister Trixie up and spun her around, "I missed you too." He said as he kissed her head. She was the sixth born child of Lostorios and the fourth of Rayne. Shortly after Orpheus had been born, his younger sister Ophelia had been conceived. Around the same time not long after, his father had gone to war against the rebellious Houses Aegis, Dorn, Teegarden, Gardener, and Thornton and during that war, Lostorios had sired a bastard son and daughter named Andrealphus and Virginia with women he never spoke of. Whoever those two were, they must've been rare beauties indeed to make Orpheus' father forget his vows.
His mother smiled as she carried the baby of the Lulamoon children, Jacen, the eighth born within her arms. Trixie's other younger sibling and the fifth born child and Trixie's twin Charlotte soon came over to hug the two males. She, like her older sister Trixie, both had Rayne's ashen hair, unlike Orpheus, who was raven haired like little Jacen. All four did, however, share the same golden eyes with butterfly shaped pupils. The eyes of the Miracle Children. His third sister and the eldest of the girls, Ophelia, wasn't there. Orpheus wondered how she, Andrealphus, and Virginia were fairing in the west with House Castoran. He also wondered about Astralon, the second son of Rayne, who had been abducted by bandits long ago.
"How did it go?" Rayne asked, referring to the hanging.
"Pretty good. You would've been proud to see our son." Lostorios said proudly as he placed a kind hand upon Orpheus' shoulder.
"I still think he's too young to see such things." Rayne replied.
"He won't be a boy forever, Rayne," Lostorios retorted, "and the world is cruel. He needs to know this."
The world is cruel. All of his life, Orpheus heard his father say these words. Orpheus knew too well on the world's cruelty that everyone aside from his family treated him differently than how normal children would be treated. All because of his eyes but more so his cursed blood, "I won't be a child anymore come a month." Orpheus muttered silently. He would be eighteen come a month, and he'd finally be a man.
"You'll always be my little boy," Rayne said smiling as she stroked his head, "Don't forget that."
"I won't, mother." Orpheus said, frowning slightly. He hated when she would tell him this. It made it sound like she expected herself to keel over and die at any moment, but she was his mom. Orpheus knew no matter what, she'd always be there.
"Lord Lostorios," said Sethisto as he approached the family, "Lady Rayne." He added with a bow before offering a rolled up piece of parchment to Lostorios.
Lostorios took it and looked at the brown wax seal, which bore the royal symbol, an oak tree with a carving of a crown on it, "The royal seal." Lostorios said as he broke it open and began to read the letter to himself. Orpheus saw the worried look on his mother's face. Was there to be another war?
Sethisto leaned into Orpheus and whispered, "I wouldn't get use to staying Child," he spat with venom, "once you're sent off to be a man, I'll be right where I belong at your father's side."
Trixie began to scream as she hit the older man in the eye, "Bad man! Leave my brother alone!" She cried.
"Sethisto, you're dismissed." Lostorios said without looking up. Sethisto looked defeated but obeyed.
"I don't understand why you let him stay." Rayne said as she bounced Jacen.
Lostorios still didn't look up from the parchment, "He's a good lad, deep down." He replied before finally looking up, "Orpheus?"
Orpheus came forward smiling, "Yes, father?" He asked softly.
"You're being summoned to Cama'lu, Princess Luna is getting married, and she needs a new bodyguard." Lostorios revealed.
Princes Luna of House Everfree was only a few years younger than Orpheus, and he only met her one time. During the tourney of her younger brother, Helios' sixth birthday this previous year, "Go ahead Orpheus, go and help her." Rayne said, smiling.
Orpheus thought long and hard about it before nodding. He agreed to go.