ATREUS THYESTES
"You're finally back cousin." Diomedes said his back to me.
"Its only been 20 minutes Diomedes." I responded walking toward the couch that I shared with Alex.
"And don't you dare say that..." Once again I am cut off as I see Alex casually chatting to two young woman with rusty red hair.
'Blood of my fathers.' I thought in annoyance.
Because seating to each side of my brother are the two Theseus sisters Leona and Maria!
'I should leave.' I thought ready to seat else where But before I could do anything Alex noticed me standing.
'Lord help me.' But as usual the lord of hope did not help me.
"Brother you're finally back...." He paused looking at my black long sleeved tunic scowling. "Where is your toga?" He asked in a low voice.
I shrugged and answered.
"Stolen."
He falls silent for moment then he burst into laughter.
"Pfft stolen...by hahaha whom a stray cat?" He asked amidst fits of laughter.
'Slave does your own brother's misfortune caused by thievery amuse you?' I lampooned Alex inwardly.
But then it hit me.
"Yes in fact you could say it was stolen by a cat." I said nodding toward Caera who was chatting with Franca and some other northern girls.
Alex stopped laughing and regarded me for a moment a knowing look on his face.
'We really do look alike and what is that expression on his face?'
Ignoring Alex's strange look I suppressed my anger and set next to Maria but I took care not to seat close to her.
I looked around and noticed that Jinsung and Chaerin were missing.
"Where are the two Gu's?" I asked Alex pointing at the now empty arm chairs in front of us.
He sighed with a bit of annoyance?
"Jinsung is talking to that Kamijou guy and a brown haired lad in gold." He said pointing at the area that Tenma is situated at.
"As for Chaerin!!" He said with a low growl.
"What of her?" I asked.
"Just look for yourself." Leona answered in Alex's stead pointing behind us. I turned to see Chaerin talking to a young man dressed in black martial robes embroidered with blue flames at the chest and shoulders.
'Jin!' I thought a bit shocked at seeing a lot of my old friends today.
"Is that lord Okumura's son?" I asked.
Diomedes chortled and answered.
"That it is, his also the man who told Alex to what was it again?....ah yes to storm off before he took the girl that he was courting."
Hearing what Diomedes has to say I could not help but chuckle.
"You should stop trying to court every girl you find beautiful brother." I said to Alex turning my head toward him trying to avoid Maria's gaze as she got up and left muttering something to Leona.
'Thank hope she left.' I thought relieved.
To think I would spend the rest of my life with her! of all people impossible. I understand the political advantages of the whole situation but I don't think I'll ever accept it.
'No I don't think I will ever accept her!'
"Lord Atreus!" A familiar friendly voice called. I turned my head toward the direction the voice was coming from to find my friend Arthur Lionheart walking and waving toward me with a smile on his face.
"Oh Art-Sir Arthur how are you doing in this fine evening?"
'Fool!' I thought annoyed at my near misstep.
"Its a fine evening indeed." Arthur said moving to stand in front of our couch. He glanced at Leona causing her to look away her face red which in turn caused Alex's face to go red in anger.
Not wanting two young man whom I thought of as my brothers to develop a feud.
I quickly acted.
"Tell me Sir." I said causing Arthur's gaze to shift to me. "Have you seen Zeke or Luke up and about?"
Arthur frowned.
"Hmm. I just saw Luke just now actually his preparing for his ninth bout in one of the meditation chambers. As for Ze...." He caught his words and cleared his throat. "As for lord Zeke I fear I have not seen him since yesterday." He said scratching the back of his head.
I nodded.
Then some of Arthur's sycophants started approaching which caused me to suck my teeth in annoyance.
"Sir Arthur I liked your bout against lady Sae Kamijou." An Ishinian girl dressed in red martial robes said.
"Oh Sir Arthur you are quite the jouster I've heard me and you should face one of these days." A young Persanian man dressed in a blue coat said.
On and on they went.
'Truly the sycophants are the worst of the worst unfortunately all who accel at something will sooner or latter attract them no matter what. Take my grandfather for example a man who despises lickspittles and flatterers found himself swarmed by them the moment he ascended as the sovereign of Hermes 20 years ago.'
To be frank I fear the day I have my own group of flatterers and bootlickers. As for Arthur who is so famous at such a young age I don't envy him, While I myself am well known in some capacity it is not because I myself am unique it simply because of my last name which is carried by my uncle, granduncle and grandfather.
"The chairs you seat upon are mine, the tables you feast upon are mine, the roof above your tiny heads are mine and the money I give you boys to buy fine togas and coats and the fine silks and perfumes you girls like so much is also mine. You have no right to tell my! servants what to do none of you are lord Firstspear are any of you lord paramount of Alysiun? well tell me?" That's what my grandfather had said to me Maria, Leona, Ajax, Diomedes, Alexander and Aria.
Had we done anything wrong? No of course not that's just how it is when you live in the same roof as Lorn Thyestes a great man who did not want to raise anyone who would drag the Thyestes name through the mud.
As I mused about other matters a young man with short black hair and blue eyes approached Arthur who was trying fend his sycophants with promises that he would likely not keep.
"Sir Arthur." The young man said cutting trough the dozen bootlickers.
Seeing some sort of way out Arthur motioned for the fellow who was Persanian judging by the slight accent he had to come closer.
"Sir John Strickland is it?"
The young man John nodded.
"Yes, but I fear that I do not have the honor of being a knight Sir." John said embarrassed.
'No way his not a knight!' I inwardly exclaimed in surprise.
And I'm not the only one surprised it seems.
"You're really not a knight John?"
"I thought your father knighted you two months back."
As the young nobles murmured and mused aloud about John's knighthood Arthur clapped both his hands together silencing all.
"That's a shame John I believe out all of my opponents who were squires you were without a doubt the best." Arthur said with a sparkle in his golden eyes.
Then with one swift motion Arthur reached into one of the pockets of his blue surcoat and pulled out a fine blue long sword engraved with bright silver runes and lions head for its pommel it was the blade of high lords it was blade meant to be wielded by mages who were at the 9star and above it was a...
'A rune blade! a rune blade at such a young age and his not even an 9star mage yet Lloyd Lionheart would never! the again....'
Alexander practically leaped from his seat at the site of the rune blade and I could not fault him Lorn had after all never allowed any of to even smell one of the many rune blades hidden in the armory of Alysiun.
Arthur swung the blade around causing many young nobles to move away from him after all nothing cuts better than Rune steel.
"Now John kneel." Arthur said his expression serious for once.
The young man trembled slightly and knelt in front of my friend.
The room goes silent as a crypt as all the attention is focused on Arthur.
"So this is how knights are made." I murmured.
Arthur's blue blade which rippled slightly as if it were made from quiet pool that pulsed every time it was moved softly tapped Johns left shoulder.
"In the name of the All Father I charge you to be brave."
He moved the sword to his right shoulder.
"In the name of the Scholar I charge you to be wise."
He moved the blade to John's left shoulder once more white and blue lights gathering all around us the natural mana responding to the ceremony.
"In the name of Great Mother I charge you to be Just."
The mana around us glowed even bright as if the gods themselves where watching.
'But it is beneath them to watch this!'
"In the name of the Lady of stars I charge you to protect the innocent. Rise John Strickland of Persan rise blood of Thor, rise John Strickland A Knight of THE VALK."