#Muse

[luxmaeastra]

Lumas snarled yet Mania kept him pinned her teeth bared.

"Why are you here?! Why are you friendly with my Galina?!"

Lumas closed his eyes leaning into the bonds he'd made over his long life. The thread shimmered, alive and waiting. Epithumia looked up at him from her bed. Her body glowing as she watches him approach from her balcony.

"Would you be my consort Lumas?"

Lumas remembered how soft her skin had felt under his fingers. He remembered her coy smile as she looked to him.

"That is Silba allowed such a thing?"

"She will, she and I are honored to serve you Epithumia. Are you sure you want someone like me?"

"A war hero? A loyalist till the end? What else could I want?"

He felt the magic flow through his veins, the runes flaring over his skin. He threw Mania off and stood dusting him off. Mantus stared at him looking to Mania as she stood and stared at him.

"Where - where is my sister?"

"Give me what I want Mania."

Mania stared at him, he held her gaze. He was so close - so close he could almost feel her pulse.

Mania's face crumpled and she slowly sank to her knees. Lumas followed knelting by her holding his hand up. She sniffed and slowly pulled the emerald from her pocket. He gripped her hand pulling her to her feet. He held the key out to her.

"She's in a villa, happy as can be."

Lumas swept past her to Mantus and met his gaze.

"Prepare the vat."

"Lumas -"

"Do it."

Mantus jaw tightened and he moved to Mania. He guided them all down the hallway to a small room with a raised stone tub. It was in the middle of the room, ley lines focused on it making it a nexus point. Fresh blood was being filled in the tub. The slaves mute and broken already.

Lumas didn't care swiping some of the blood to sample. He held a finger out to Silba grinning as she sucked of his finger. Viren swallowed his revulsion and looked to his father.

"What is happening?"

Nyktos swallowed and felt Ilyios appear a second before he materialized. Neither answered Viren. Though his mother was here now as was his aunt. What was happening?!

Lumas stepped forward as held the green jewel.

"Do you remember how things were like before all of this Saetan?"

Saetan gave a sad smile and squeezed Cassandra's hand.

"Yes. Are you sure Lumas? This -"

"Yes. Yes I am sure."

"She may not be the same -"

"Are any of us?"

Lumas cradled the gem looking to Saetan.

"What is the story you will spin Saetan?"

"The truth."

"No, no you will tell her something better. He left, he died to be with her - he's locked away in some forgotten prison. You will not her the truth."

Saetan's face softened and he nodded.

"As you wish Lumas."

Viren looked to the gem, he could see it was cracked with dark veins. Since when did Saetan give into anything Lumas said.

Viren stiffened feeling a wave of power pull Sarai and he and their siblings back.

"I wouldn't do that, a Reborn Asteri will be ravenous and prey on any weak ones they see. You know in my day they'd lock young and disobedience Asteri in with the Reborn ones. Solved two problems at once."

Nkytos stared gripping Viren's sleeve.

"Father what are you -"

Vanth grinned at his sons pulling them both into quick hugs and winnowing to where Lumas stood.

"You actually did it. I never doubted you Lumas."

"No you called me insane."

"Because you were."

Vanth squeezed Lumas shoulder as he dropped the gem in the blood.

--------

The blood had drained from the pool, the room had gone dark, no light entered it. Viren watched in awe his grip tightening on Sarai as the light began to trickle back into the room. The light was going from the tub and back to through the ley lines.

"A give and take of power, of magic Viren. Everything must have balance."

He swallowed and resisted the urge to look at his mother. She'd changed too much to be that person anymore - even if Keir desperately and secretly wished she would.

The figure rose from the tub, the light would have blinded a witch, it would have incinerated everything it touched. It dimmed slowly, seeping back into the Asteri who sat in the tub.

Viren couldn't see her but he could see the tangle blond hair. The slight tremors of her body.

She reached for Lumas hand gripping it tightly.

"Papa? Uncle Saetan? Auntie Cassandra? I - where - where is he? Where is Bacchus?"

It had been one of the reasons why he had ensured Galina was safely tucked away, even as friendly as his father was with her, he knew better than to trust a snake. Elier stood behind his sister and brother-in-law, his eyes watched as the older members of the room teamed among themselves. Even Morven was standing nearby, the look of displeasure of being summoned was as clear as his displeasure for him.

She was shaking, even if his sister was standing strong beside her mate, he could see the subtle signs. What emotions were going through her in that moment? What thoughts? Even though Galina was his Queen and she would always be his number one, his sister would always be his second after her and his children. He always wanted to make sure she was safe, make sure she was happy and protected.

As everything continued to shift and change, she shifted closer to Viren when she felt his grip tighten. Her eyes never left the vat, the figure that sat there. She had heard of her siblings before her, she had heard whispers and had seen paintings in passing. She had been one of the few she had been compared to again and again.

Saetan moved forwards, holding out a robe for her. His eyes connected with Lumas, he wasn't going to take the reigns on this one. Yes, he had agreed on the story they would tell, but at the same time, she needed her father before anyone else.

[luxmaeastra]

"You're their king? You could have stopped all of this Elier."

Elier shrugged and crossed his arms.

"I am not an Asteri anymore. I am one of them and frankly - this was a long damn coming. Now I suggest you run before they catch you Viren."

Viren snapped his wings opened not looking away from Elier's face.

"When you inevitably die Elier. I'll make sure they do the rites the Asteri way."

He took to the skies dodging one of their arrows. He looked down twisting it with his shadows and tearing it back down at the Changeling pursuing him.

Once upon a time Viren had been like a brother to him, the day his sister had mated with him he had felt delighted as he once more had another brother to annoy.

Things changed though, they shifted. As much as he wanted to love and protect his sisters, he knew very well they would not understand what he was doing. The world he was building, the kingdom he reigned over.

He watched Viren as he took to the skies, he didn't stop the command that came as the arrows came. He watched as the Changelings pursued. His threat would only come if his death did not come first, something he would apologize to Sarai for should it happen, but he had a home and a people to protect.

[luxmaeastra]

Lira screamed, her hand being yanked from Corvus's. He was picked up and taken out of the throne room. Every Fomóire contributed to the greater cause - no exceptions.

Corvus was the first trueborn Fomóire born to The Imperial House. His birth ushered in hope and a new path for the Fomóire.

Elier nodded and clasped the officer's hand. He looked to his son.

"I look forward to seeing what he becomes."

--------

He is 13, finished his first mission. He's survived his first mission. He looks his father in the eye and doesn't speak. He hasn't been asked to yet.

Elier gives a nod and walks out the room to where his teachers are. He looks over his mission file. He obsessively goes over every detail of his mission. He writes down all the things he'd do differently, better, faster.

--------

He's 16 ignoring the way his heart flips whenever he sees that Opeli has been the one to critique his mission reports. They don't work with each other much anymore - but they'd survived training together. He wonders if she ever got to the beach on the coastline of Lys yet. He shouldn't be worrying about these things he had inspection soon.

--------

He's 26 called back to the capital. He looked to the Royals, waiting for his orders. He blinked and titled his head at them.

"You wish me to attend a ball? Will the target be there?"

//idk? Lira wanting her brotjer there? Elier being Sentinel? Actual mission? MEET ELIER SON!!//

Having him there was her one wish, her one demand. A ball where she could finally have her brother back at her side, one ball where they could all be a family without the thought of where was her brother.

She was actually surprised her father agreed, though she noted from the way he looked at her he was not pleased with the idea. He felt it was a waste of his time, that he could be out there learning and completing the missions as was asked of him.

Even now, as she stood waiting for her brother to arrive, her father stood towering over her. A warning to behave, a warning to wait. How could she wait when she saw him, how could she wait until he was so close.

Elier glanced at his daughter, shaking his head before he looked back to his son. "Your mission will be to escort Lira, we have had reports of an attempt upon her. We thought who better than you to handle it."

That was a lie, Lira looked at her father. No one was stupid enough to do that, but was this her father's way of letting her spend time with her brother.

[luxmaeastra]

Sarek gazed at him, Ys burned behind him. He clutched the dented gold crown in his hand.

"I survived Galath, I killed children, I burned entire Noble Houses to the ground. But I survived, the boy I was couldn't have done that. The boy I was died when his father was taken to the gallows and his mother was raped for all to see. He died when he was brutalized and had to steal to survive. But Ys will thrive under me, I had to give my soul for this but it will be have been worth it."

He looked back to the city his hand thrusting into the fire, the skin and blood melting with the gold. The whole thing reforming as a gold chain with a medallion in the center. The Blood Ruby in the center seemed to pulse and glow with the offering.

"I have survived and I will not let anyone take that from me."

He looked back to Galath slipping the medallion around his neck.

"Go, take your kin and leave old friend. This is my last gift to you but if you ever set foot in my city I will kill you."

--------

He put a hand on his son, cupping his cheek.

"A gift for your very special name day Elier."

He slipped the medallion over his head, the gold blazed bright against the sun. Their people adored them, their kin had a home and a hunting ground. He had made the world he had envisioned as a youth.

He looked to his son, running a hand through his hair.

"Do you understand why we made you fight in the pits? Why we made you earn every privilege here?"

Irabel watched, moving to embrace him and kiss his forehead.

"Our home is old and will only respect the physical strength. There are other types but they aren't as easily known my darling. But you have them, you are the best of us."

She gazed out in the city, fingers touching the glass.

"You will continue the legacy we started my emerald."

Elier looked up at his father, the weight of the medallion upon his shoulders felt like a welcoming surprise. He had watched as his parents had fought hard to take the home they now had, he had strived to be the best son her could, even when he had been sent to the pits.

His fingers curled around the medallion as he looked at it, looking over it as he understood exactly why everything was built on hard work.

He smiled when his mother embraced him, looking up at her as he listened to what she said. Even when she seemed lost in her thoughts, there was always wisdom there.

"I understand, I will do everything I can to not let either of you down.."

[luxmaeastra]

Galina laid her head on his chest watching him read. She swallowed and pressed her face into his neck.

"I know you don't like to hear it but thank you. I - you gave up so much to be mine. And you didn't really have to care about the rest. I wouldn't have blamed you (much) if you'd wanted to keep the status quo we had."

She gripped his sleeve.

"But you helped make us powerful Elier. I never thought we'd see that. I never thought mu father's dream would come true."

Gently his fingers combed through her hair as he read, enjoying the feeling of the warmth of her near him. The steady feeling of her heart beating in time with his own.

His eyes closed when she pressed her face into his neck, his hand lowered to wrap around her as he pulled her closer to him.

"What is yours is mine, I care for it all because it is a part of you. You are my life, my harmony, and I will not throw that away." Elier smiled when she gripped his sleeve, he put down his book before wrapping both his arms tightly around her.

"I will make us more powerful, I will make sure no one treats our own as they did before. You and your father deserve all of this."

[luxmaeastra]

Viapany twirled the javelin in his hand.

"Do we have any other ideas?"

"The map shows the descendants of the Endless. Night and Spring has the most concentrated -"

"I know how to wipe them off the map."

Versia stepped forward sliding a finger between the blazing emblems. How many Asteri had one of these Sigil Maps left?

"Well? Versia we didn't come here to stare at your pretty face."

Viapany rolled his at Pontus.

"Speak for yourself. You know how ugly the Fomóire females are? They're sickening."

Versia hummed and looked to Viapany.

"There are houses who don't like Elier, this would be something they'd love to do. Find some love level fae in both houses. They're in some conflict now anyway - if Night and Spring turn against each other it solves our problem."

--------

Spring was on fire, Thomas stared at the flames stumbling backward as the flames flared the heat pushing him back. He felt someone hold onto his collar and drag him back.

He turned to look at Maximilian.

"Who - what happened?!"

Maximilian was pale, his eyes blazed. He looked back the bodies obscured by the flames.

"Night. Night and that Rhysand you like so much. They did this."

Thomas struggled against his brother.

"Lizzie. We -"

"We need to leave Tamlin! We need to go."

//Max is real! The Fomóire took the forms of Rhys and his father and before that Spring//

The news traveled, the stories spiraled. Spring attacked Night, Night attacked Spring. Casualties and fatalities were on both sides, the bad blood between the families fuelled just what they needed. Versia couldn't help but reveal in the chaos this had all caused, reading over the reports.

"So the Spring Princeling fled the flames and survived? How fortuitous for him, hurt by the Night Court." She mused as she sat back in her chair, her fingers toying with her hair as she looked towards the emblems upon the map. "Soon both courts will fracture and fall, no one will be paying attention?"

Her lips pursed. "Have we heard about Night's side in this? I know Elier likes to keep control on what is spoke about his family."