ATREUS THYESTES
"Wow." Was all I could manage looking at the richly decorated room. The room is specious with a marble ceiling, golden hanging baskets containing rare flora from the different worlds neatly arranged across the area, arcane art works, rune weapons and other signs of conquest were placed on the wall.
'Man, how can you scowl when you have all you could ever ask for?' I thought shocked that any man could scowl when they call a 30 acer palace their home.
"Ah, Atreus you're here."
"Grandfather!." I exclaimed turning my gaze to see my grand father Lorn Thyestes dressed in his red silk Imperial toga with a red leopard broach and black pants. My grandsire looks as imperious as ever even though he has a reputation of being stoic and disciplined.
'Truly a son of Zeus.' I say using an old Hermesian saying.
"Lo-lord Thyestes sir it is an...honor." Luke stammered while struggling to maintain his usually impossibly straight poster.
My grandfather merely chuckled used to meeting young man who admired him. "You must be Rickard's fourth son welcome to the east. I hope its to your liking." He said approaching Luke and extending a hand. The young knight stood straight and firmly shook my grandfather's hand pretending as if he hadn't just stammered a greeting a few seconds ago.
"Zeke! You're looking well." He said shaking Zeke's hand next. Unlike Luke Zeke kept his composure as he accepted the gesture with a rare smile.
I looked around to see that Fate had some how vanished I turned my gaze toward the left side of the area and saw my uncle speaking to a man that looked like Luke.
'That must be lord Rickard Kuhn.' I thought with interest.
"Grandfather." I said. "Have you seen Alexander up and about?" He pointed at the right side of the room were a few young nobles were conversing I look for my cousins fire red hair amongst the crowd and I spot him conversing with Leona a soon to be sworn sword of house Thyestes.
"Well thanks for receiving us grandfather we will be chatting amongst our fellows now goodnight." I said in hurry to leave so that Luke might embarrass himself once more. However before I could leave my grandfather cut me off.
"Perish the thought!!" I raise an eyebrow and look to Zeke his brows are raised I look to Luke his brows are also raised.
I sighed in dread as he ushered the three of us towards an empty and quiet area of the room were other people were waiting for us and I know them all.
'Reckless savage, Tatian, Fate Ngozi and Maria called Thyestes!!.' I thought the last name with a bit more venom than I would have liked to admit to myself. But to think that three of my childhood friends from the forgotten city are in one place and yet I know we've all changed eight years apart on different continents and nations that believed in different gods and have different cultures.
"Oh my beloved salat boy, you're late." Tatiana said waving at Luke with a smirk on her red lips. 'I think she's changed a lot...yes indeed.' She is no longer the girl I once new she is taller now as tall as me in fact with long black hair and grey eyes she must turn heads where ever she goes. I look to see another blast form the past.
'Hahaha to think that Eunbin of all people is actually quite striking as well!' I exclaimed suppressing a laugh despite myself. She is a head shorter than Tatiana with long onyx hair black eyes and pale skin she is dressed in a pink and black robe.
'Then there's the bane of my existence.' A knot forms in my stomach as I look at the young woman who was suppose to replace me just Tatiana she stands the same height as me dressed in a red silk tunic that falls slightly bellow her knees with cold red eyes, dewy olive skin and rusty red hair standing as straight as blade was the person whom I likely disliked more than myself.
I stand amongst the young women making sure to keep my distance from Maria I breathe down the furry and remind myself of what I am. 'You, are a human and humans are the rational! animal.' I repeat this mantra about six more times so that all that is left is the young stoic philosopher not an angry young man who feels wronged by the world.
I look at each of the young women before me wondering to myself why would my grandfather a true transcended the leader of the Hermes Republic would want me to be around these girls.
"You should stop calling me by that nick name Dame Stark." Luke said breaking the awkward silence. My old friend merely chuckled and said. "Oh my dear Luke. I am no knight but please don't be so angry Sir remember I am but a mere weak maid after all."
'Can eight years really change someone much?' I asked myself remembering how when we were little Tatiana tended to be the most mature of all of us not as capable as I, Zeke, Tenma and Lin of course but she was the one who had through simple mature decision for a person of her age at the time saved Arthur from his own recklessness.
I tuned out the civillised argument that the two young Northern nobles were in the middle in favor of thinking of one of my favorite quotes from my friend and my fellow stoic Alibaba it reads: a fool touches the flame, the brute douses it, the sage harnesses it for his own ascension.
'Truly a man of insight, but instead of Luke, Zeke and I sharing insight with our fellows who are the same age as us we are here arguing, staring blankly around the place or simply trying to breath our fury down.'
"Enough!" A voice said cutting trough Luke and Tatiana's argument like hot blade trough butter. I looked at Fate surprised that she would raise her voice because she's usually such a free spirit.
'And I noticed she hasn't been talking as much as she usually would.' I thought a bit concerned at what would happen in this "meeting".
"Sorry for making you wait guys take a seat." A lively voice said. I turned to see Zeke's father walking toward us his golden robe glittering despite the lighting artifacts all over the place.
"Father?"
"Hello boyo I've come to get you, your brother has been waiting for you for some time now." Lord Nkosi said shifting his gaze to me he flashed me an apologetic smile.
'What is going on?'
"Atreus, Luke its been nice chatting to both of you I will see you at tomorrows event." Zeke said waving goodbye at us.
"Don't overdose on sugar golden boy." Fate said waving a hand while chuckling to herself the to other girls simply gave Zeke stern but respectful nods of their heads.
"Stay well brotherman." Luke and I said at the same time. We both looked at each other and smiled darkly because Zeke was just rescued from whatever "this" was but both me and him were now for the worms.
I sighed feeling as if part of my soul had just left my body with the breath I just released. I felt the dread grow within me when my grandfather and my uncle entered the room it was strange I had eaten dinner with them just yesterday but now I was worried at what they were going to..
'What are they going to do?" I asked myself once more not knowing the purpose of this meeting if its about me going to Agea with arch praetor Caesar two years from now there's no need for Maria called Thyestes to be here I gave the girl a glance then shifted my attention accusingly and expectedly toward my uncle.
"Ahem, I am sure you're all wondering why you here." My grandfather said in his usual hoars but deep voice. He points a finger to us all. "Three easterners two northerners and a southerner. You must think you have nothing in common accept for the fact that you are nobles of course." H said in smooth mid-lingo of the common tongue.
I stay stone faced as I listen to him speak. "But the reason you are all here is because of one thing blood!" He declared. I tense up knowing what he means and I cannot suppress my Ire no longer but Luke is the first to lose his cool forgetting that his idle is in front of him he glares at his father with pure hatred. Luke's father is a tall man with short silver hair, grey eyes he stands even straight than his son he is dressed in fine light grey suit just like his son.
'Luke is about to lose it.' I thought with concern. 'But why are you worried about him when you're about to get angry yourself.' The young man field with hatred within me asked.
"Enough speeches old!" Lord Rickard said. Interrupting my grandsire's rambling. The man points a finger at his son. "Three or two years from now. You will wed Lord Starks daughter over the and you'll also wed Lord Gu's niece over the as well, be greatful son its rare for a north man your age to get such an opportunity."
I am shocked that a man could arrange such a thing for his fourth son. 'No his selling Luke off!" I thought in pure disgust Luke was merely the Wisslandian lords fourth son he was no heir his selling him out because he was promised something by lord Gu and Tatiana's father.
'Wait I am also not my grandfather's heir. No!! he would never no! no! no! he would not do that to me. How could he, this the same man who whapped when he found me in the temple of the lord of Hope in Hermes where lord Edmund had left me.'
I look to him for an answer he sighed some how looking older than the sixty-seven years his spent in this world.
"You can't mean it." I said my stoicism gone. "Why would you of all people."
"For the sake of house Thyestes." He said in a tired voice. I restrained my ire however I could but it was spilling out regardless of my self discipline. "Why me!? Your heir stands next to you does he not?." My uncle sighed. I glanced at him my uncle is kindly looking man with the fire red hair of the Thyestes, he is square jawed with well trimmed red beard his skin is a darker shade than olive another unique trait of house Thyestes.
"We, only have 40 members compared to other great families of Pangea who have at least 200 hundred or more member if we are counting third cousins." My uncle declared as if the matter was already decided. But I protest as Luke stays silent next to me.
"Why me? Why not Alexander why not Diomedes, Ajax or any of my other boy cousins."
"Because amongst them all only you and Alexander posses Heavens true Ire, and before you ask Alex will be wed to Octavia and Leona the same year as you." My uncle answered in his usual direct tone of speaking which I must confess I liked at first but now I know why Ajax hated it.
I ground my teeth so hard that I could here them trough the pounding of my raging heart.
'Wait a moment I've been selfishly thinking of myself alone but what of the young woman in front of me.' They must feel like their being shipped of like cattle as well.
"This isn't the arcane age uncle." I sneered which was unlike me. "Fate, I know no! Everyone know that you're you dad's favorite. Lord Ngozi would never let this happen to his daughter." The young woman sighed. "Both me and my dad consented to this." She said as if she had resigned herself to this this!.
"Fuck!!" the room goes silence because after I am known around the east for being a paragon of stoicism. I sucked in some air and exhaled it. "Why!!" I asked with barely contained furry.
"Because lord Thyestes promised to pass on the storm to me if I married you." She said sounding too relaxed with the prospect. I laughed and spat. "The storm, the storm the fucking storm grandfather. Hah you're passing on a legacy that belongs to house Thyestes a legacy! that belong to the spears of Elysiun."
"We can't afford to gatekeep....." Maria said then she covered her mouth knowing that she'd made a mistake. I wheeled on her. "Oh I forgot you were standing the Maria, you're like gust of air you know that and what do you mean by "we" you are not a Thyestes the last I checked you are of the Theseus who have long passed." I jab a finger at her. "You may have been raised amongst us but despite your use of the storm and the Ire, you'll never be one of us."
"Oh but she will." My grandfather says sternly. Then it hits me like thunderbolt.
'Luke and I are in the same boat.'
"You can't mean it." I said in a shaking voice. "I do and you will." He said as if my words held no sway.
I lose it. "No!! I refuse this humiliation, you know what type of man I am a stoic and a warrior. I will not be made to look like some perverted!! peacock!! I am man of Elysiun not some breeding bull!!!"
"You're my grandson!!" He roared causing me to flinch. "You'll do as I say and you will wed both Maria and Fate."
'Why this why!? Mom said I would be safe and that I could become whatever I wanted once I retuned to Pangea.' I thought in despair. But I some how new I don't know when but at some point I new no world was safe no world would allow me to become what I truly want to be. When I was a boy I dreamed of being a warrior like those described by my mother's stories she would tell me then I arrived in Pangea and learned a lot. I learned the Thyestes's families swordsmanship and mana arts, philosophy, history and I soon began to build the person that I am now.
That being someone who is capable, competent and some day I hoped to be wise as the man I most admired my grandfather. I wanted to be like him a fair and just Sovereign a leader of man a Peerless Titan.
'All I wanted was to live according to nature, reunite with all of my old friends and do my duty as a member of house Thyestes by helping in the terraforming of Gaia and Agea.'
When I spoke at last I sounded like a whipped dog.
"Ma-ria...Maria did you consent to this bull...folly." She looked at me her expression unreadable. "Both me and Leona owe everything to house Thyestes and I will do the duty that has been assigned to me because...that is the least I could do after your family saved me and her when our entire house perished during their campaign in Vanaheim." I understood what she meant after all only her and her cousin Leona are the last survivors of their house and when my grand father took them both in he allowed them to eat in the same table as me and Alexander. He treated them well because apparently my late father was good friends with the leader of house Theseus.
'But I cannot accept this.'
I shut my mouth done with speaking I just stared blankly at the floor.
"We are not punishing you two even though you may believe so. Atreus listen you listen as well Luke a good man does whatever it takes to better his family regardless of his own selfish desires think carefully boys! Pangea used to have a population of 10 billion now we have a mere 7 so you battering both your families and your world." Lorn pointed at the four young women in front of us. "The young noble ladies before you are not wining or crying about their foolish honor and reputation they have accepted their duties with stoicism that is beyond the both of you!! So stop acting so prideful because we have given everything you want ever since you were children. All we ask is for you to do this one thing." Lord Rickard nodded in agreement.
I looked at all the young women before me and realized that the two lords were right in a situation like this I expected to have allies amongst them so we could collectively make the matter noll and void.
'How are they so calm!'
I hear the sound of shuffling next to me and see Luke ripping of his tire and suit jucket he held the two items his teeth grinding together in pure anger when he spoke his voice was dripping with venom.
"Well Tatiana I'm fucking! sure you have something to say go on." The grey eyed girl smiled. "There's a reason why've been calling you my beloved it was to give you a hint apparently your brain's as smooth as hmm I actually don't know." From the expression on her face it seems that she is really please that she gets be wed to Luke even though for the love of hope she cannot stop mocking him.
"Jade." Eunbin said speaking for the first time. Her voice is raspy but some how melodic. Luke tuned his cold grey eyes to her. "And why does a Southern girl whom I've never met interested in wedding me? I am from a different continent and nation and not to mention culture and faith." To his question Eunbin simply shrugged.
"The same reason as miss silver hair here...but I also didn't like the, other alternative in terms of marriage and plus I am from a family of ten and I'm number ten out of all my siblings so uncle Ji-sung decided it was best for me if I were to be married into the family of his best friend." She said sounding relaxed about the matter.
So Eunbin was promised to be married to the family of her uncle's best friend and she would get the opportunity to learn the Kuhn families swordsmanship.
I am feel tired not from standing but from hearing all of this!. Luke looked as if he wanted to say something but lord Rickard interrupted him.
"Robert and Lukas are both knights and have been doing well in their governments over our controlled lands in Vanaheim. I am not punishing you by asking you to wed both my best friends niece and your idles niece son, you are a Kuhn and I expect you to treat these to ladies well or I will fling you to the sky hall." The Northern lord said nudging his glasses.
"I expect the same for you as well grandson." My uncle gave me a nod as well.
I turned my back to them all saying nothing. Luke however had lost his cool long ago by now I heard the sound of fabric slamming to the flaw.
"I am a knight not some peacock!." He stormed off and I followed.
That night I could not sleep despite my bed being as soft as silk.