Private Tales To Eclipse Them All

[Eira]

Showing weakness had never been something Eira would ever think herself capable of, until someone looked her way and made her want to trust in him and be vulnerable. It was dangerous, the way she fell so fast, but despite the odds of them coming together, Eira never knew a happiness quite like that. They had existed in their own world, hidden in the shadows made by the moon, and Eira was free to love.

But then the moon dragons were killed. Each night since that night months ago, it could never leave her in peace. The nightmare was always the same. The sight of her father and his dragon taking to the air, ripping the throats of the creatures that preyed on the celestial dragons, until three of them found purchase upon Eirenthe. It felt as real as the night she watched it all happen. How one of her wings had been torn from her body, her neck severed, and her belly opened up. Next, Eira and many Thanasians witnessed Lord Malennis crushed between the maws of a creature and his body fought over by another creature, soon tearing apart and pieces of him fell to the Main Plaza.

Eira had never hated the colour red as much as she did now.

Her control on her life felt as if it were built from a tower of cards, just waiting for the next tragedy to bring down her defences. In the mirror's reflection, Eira was dressed in black but as the light catches her, it glimmered as the small obsidian stones had been polished and embroidered all over her bodice and skirts. Her long hair fell in styled waves, obsidian too and not quite so hidden in her dark hair when the candlelight warms over her.

"House Malennis." Called the herald, and Eira tore her dead eyes from her reflection, walking alongside her mother into the party. Her mother had tried to reach for Eira's hand moments before they begn walking through the doors to the party put on by a rich merchant with ties to all Great Houses of Thanasis. The fact the Chosen Heir, who still was to be anointed Lady Malennis, flinched from her mother's touch had her mother staring at her with worry.

Eira just assumed it was the usual worry a mother had for a grieving daughter, but this night was to be the new beginnings of her life. Her power and influence was not enough after the death of her father, and below, at the foot of the stairs stood her brother. Hatred flared in her brown eyes, and he did not flinch. Ilir was favoured to be the next Lord, despite him not having a moon dragon to back his claim, there was a divide from the supporters that now the succession of House Malennis was in he hands of the Royal House.

"We shoud not be out in society, Mama. It is too soon since... that night." For there were many eyes upon the family. Eira knew it was all on her, but there was something comforting in being ignorant to such knowledge.

 

[Leovold]

Contempt and annoyance were all that the heir to House Solherre could feel for his current surroundings and situation. Social events were among the obligations Leovold had the most contempt for, to the extent that he usually tried to avoid them whenever possible. They were simply a waste of his time, time that would be better spent fighting back the scourges that plagued Thanasis' borders, or spent reinvigorating the house he would one day lead.

Usually Leovold could get away with ignoring his mother when she pressed him to attend such frivolous gatherings. Unfortunately he did not have that luxury when his father got involved. Tyros had indeed stepped in this time. "Business of great import," he'd said. "Couldn't be missed." He'd even gone so far as to forbid Leo from wearing the usual ceremonial armor he preferred when being forced to participate in being a socialite. Instead he wore a tightly fit tailcoat jacket and formal pants, all cut in black and gold. The collar felt too tall, the shoulders too stiff, the cuffs too tight, the satin cape too gaudy.

His mother had said he looked handsome. Leovold had rolled his eyes. Tyros had swatted him.

Shortly after House Malennis had been called the herald called House Solherre as well.

"You will be on your best behavior tonight, boy. Do you understand? Tonight is to be a momentous development for our house. I will not have you degrading us with your insipid whining," his father warned him in low tones.

"Father, you know as well as I do that I wish naught but glory unto our house. That you feel the need to hound me like this is...strange," Leovold replied, an air of calmness surrounding him despite his lack of enthusiasm for participating.

"There are many things in life as a noble you will find strange, or disagreeable, or worse. It is not your job to question them, but to fulfill your duty. You would do well to remember this. Now, smile and engage."

Ugh. Leovold had to fight the urge not to roll his eyes once more. Whatever Tyros was attempting to allude to seemed ominous. Time would tell what he meant.

 

[Eira]

Kleio Malennis glanced behind her, giving a soft welcoming smile to the Solherres that entered after them. Eira did not see this, too focused on the eyes looking her way.

They looked to her and say the daughter of a Lord, unclaimed in her title as Chosen Heir. They looked at her and saw the daughter of the Moon Dragons, who dressed beautifully no matter the occasion. They look at her and expect more, expect her to raise blood and blade to secure the title she had been striving for since she bonded with a Moon Dragon.

But as soon as her father passed, right before the people of Thanasis, they began to doubt the young heir.

Ilir gave his sister a bow, mustering a smile for the benefit of their mother. "Did you tell her yet?"

Eira's dark eyes narrowed.

Lady Malennis cut her son a look, "Do not gloat."

Ilir, who looked similar to Eira but stood much taller, could not help the grin spreading across his face. "I am not." A clear lie lacing his words. "But it is rather amusing after all these years, you thinking yourself higher than myself and the rest of the family. It did you no favours for this moment."

She wanted him to just say it, to voice whatever it was, but in her gut Eira knew just what he was talking about. She stared at him a few quiet moments before her face changed. Venom filled her mouth, but she could not bring herself to burn the flesh of her brother, not here amongst eyes and ears.

"Aw, little Eira. You had to have known they would favour the son. We are not the Caliars, where sons are cursed. We are Malennis, and we are of the traditions."

"You do not have a Moon Dragon, how will you do your part in breeding them?"

Such arguments were not new. The Malennis estate had heard such questions, such accusations many times over the past decade, and still the answers never satisfied.

A few more exchanges were had before Lady Malennis steered her daughter away, insisting she needed refreshment to ease her emotions.

 

[Leovold]

Entering the celebratory hall, it was not difficult to spot Eira and her family, bickering as they were. Subtle as they may have been attempting to be about their little dispute it was hard to hide anything from the burning gaze of a Solherre. It wasn't like Leovold to stick his nose in the business of others, especially such droll affairs as aristocratic politics and familial disputes, but gods if he didn't want to get away from Lord Tyros.

"Very well, father. Engage I shall," he quipped before stepping away. Behind him he could hear Tyros huff like an irritable bull, but not protest. Good...Leo at least had the leeway to choose how he mingled.

Leovold weaved his way through the still-forming cliques of attendees and found himself aside Eira at the refreshment table. A drink seemed lovely about now.

"Seems we're contending with similar issues tonight, hmm?" he asked Eira as he slid up next to her, totally unannounced. "I do so hate this sort of thing. And what could possibly make it worse than a bit of...shall we say, 'familial friction?'"

 

[Eira]

Eira's gaze snapped to her side, looking up to see Leo had joined her side. She could feel stares from her brother and mother, but she chose not to look their way. She did not have quarrel with Leovold, not when their acquaintance turned into a light friendship since their reconnaissance mission some months ago.

"My brother is gloating," Her words were filled with resentment, "for the Thanasian council declared he inherit my late father's title."

And she had spent more sixteen years becoming heir, learning all she could about the Moon Dragons from her father.

Eira quirked a brow in his direction before turning to look behind her. She saw the Lord Solherre, and snorted. "At least you have a father to love or hate." And her face fell. "I should not have said it like that... apologies."

She hid her lips behind the gold rimmed glass, drinking her white wine.

 

[Leovold]

"Gloating over something he did not earn?" That was a strange concept to Leovold, but not one he hadn't seen displayed by nobles before. If it was not the boy's birthright he had no right to revel. "I don't understand. You're a capable warrior, and so far as I know, diligently tending to the future of your house. Why would they make such a decision?"

Eira had proven herself to be one of the few nobles, especially of their generation, whom had earned his respect. She handled herself well in the face of Thagretian monstrosities, and her efforts to invigorate the dragons of her house were worthy.

Leo softened somewhat at the mention of her father. News traveled quickly among the upper crust.
"And you've no need to apologize. You have my condolences in your father's passing. From what I had heard, Aeron was a good and honorable man," his eyes flared subtly, venom dripping its way back into his tone. "Tyros, meanwhile, is an impotent bag of wind, not worth the warmth of love nor the effort of hate."

His cup was filled by now and he snatched it up, joining Eira in a bewildered drink.

 

[Eira]

"Why would they make such a decision?"

Yes, why?

She gave him a bemused look instead of giving Leovold the intricate family history of treachery and jealousy going back decades. "Thank you. I did not wish to be out in society so soon, but my mother insisted. Perhaps to announce that I truly did not become Lady Malennis." Hard as it was to keep the bitterness from her mouth, Eira scanned the crowd with a practised scan. She knew many present, knew that they had backed her claim for the family title, but it was as if they did not know their ally and friend Eira had been overseen this day.

Her eyes then met with a pair familiar, and the smaller woman turned to Leovold. "Your father seems to be keeping close tabs on you." She warned, lifting her chalice to her lips to hide her whispers. "Why is that?"

 

[Leovold]

Too much to tell, it seemed. Fair enough.
"I can relate. I am not a fan of keeping up appearances like this," he replied between sips of wine.

Eira then posed a reasonable question, and Leovold quirked a brow over the top of his cup. His molten eyes turned aside from her and sure enough, Lord Solherre was casting occasional glances from his position beside his mother, across the room. Leo sighed and turned back.

"Because his ego is the only thing in the room larger than he is, and he is afraid I might embarrass him, I presume," he said with a wry smirk and a halfhearted chuckle as he lowered his glass. "He is right to. I both enjoy and excel at humiliating him."

 

[Eira]

Eira's face changed once her dark eyes followed where Tyros' attention turned to, and the answer was quick on her tongue. "Never thought our families were close." She frowned. "Even after our dragons did the unthinkable and found each other as mates."

To see her mother, the second wife of the late Aeron Malennis, receive the Lord and Lady Solherre so warmly made Eira wonder just how disconnected she had been these past few months. She had not known that her brother silently began to take away the power she would inherit, would gain himself favour with courting a daughter of some noble lord. That he had in fact been studying the Moon Dragons and picked the brain of their father about them. Ilir had also taken to funding the hunt on collecting Moon Dragon clutches of eggs to be kept at the Hatchery to further preserve the breed.

Eira, in fact, had been indulging in her desires. She had found solace and reprieve with one Cullen Morvane, and never in her life did she ever think about leaving Thanasis to finally have something to herself. With him, she could forget the treason, the pressure put upon her by her own family. He was the sole source of Eira being happier in recent times, but since her father's death, she had kept herself hidden in the Malennis house seat set in the ridge line behind the city of Thanasis. Last she saw and heard from Cullen was him assisting her that night.

"Oh, gods. We should see what they are talking about." Eira was sure she would like to run her sword through anyone wishing to congratulate her brother on becoming Lord Malennis.

 

[Leovold]

"Oh gods, don't remind me. I still don't fully understand how or why that happened. I take my eyes off Iralux for one day and he manages to stick his muzzle in the doom of two broods."

It was a terrible inconvenience to both houses, surely. Dragons tended to mate for life, and two disparate species bonding like this would do no good for either Eira nor himself in reinvigorating their respective broods. House Solherre could "collect" from Iralux and do their work artificially, but House Malennis would enjoy no such contingency. Ultimately, in their union, both houses had lost integral pieces in the grand game.

That was Leovold's prime concern. He had not bothered to consider what mingling his parents had gotten up to, only that he'd lost momentum in unseating his father as lord. That now Iralux would sometimes be tending to his mate rather than ready to fly out against Thagretis or the Jarlax. That honor and glory now had to take a backseat to courtship.

"Should we?" he replied lazily. "I don't see what good it will do, but I suppose it couldn't be that painful."

 

[Eira]

Eira could not help the small smile that expressed her amusement in both her own and Leovold's surprise of their dragons finding one another on the night Moon Dragons were known to find their mates and start a new clutch of eggs for future hatchings. What would come of a Sun and Moon dragon breeding was something she would study more about later, when she was not being forced to play happy, grieving daughter at a social event.

She turned to look at Leovold and offered him a knowing smile before walking ahead of him towards their families.

As if sensing her daughter was near, Kleio turned to smile and beckoned for Eira to join her at her side. "Sweet Eira. You remember Lord and Lady Solherre?"

And Ilir appeared on the other side of their mother.

"Might as well tell her, Mother. Get it over with so I can take my leave. There is many documents waiting for my signature back home that I am eager to be done with." He glanced at Eira, looking every bit her sibling with their shared dark features. Even their smiles were similar, inherited from their mother.

"Tell me what?" It was hard to keep the accusatory tone from her words, but Eira made no move to stand beside her mother, not without an answer.

 

[Leovold]

Leovold swept up behind Eira and looked to his mother and father. Lady Anneliese seemed as joyful and carefree as she generally always did, but Lord Tyros was wearing his barely concealed smug rather proudly, and already Leovold didn't like where this was going.

"Yes...I fear to ask, what indeed?" he parroted Eira, casting a disdainful look at his father.

Lord Tyros stepped forward and between Eira and Leo, clasping a huge hand on each of their shoulders.

"The houses of Solherre and Malennis are to be united, not solely by the bond of our dragons, but by a deeper kinship," Tyros announced proudly. "The two of you are to be wed!"

Leovold's eyes and the solar rune on his forehead immediately flared hot, though his expression barely hardened. Solherres were never particularly good at hiding their emotions. Tyros' grip tightened around Leo's shoulder, a reminder to do as he was told.

 

[Eira]

Her eyes met the cunning stare of Lord Tyros as his hand rested at her shoulder. The look he gave her was one of pride, before turning to look to his son and allowing his smugness to shine through.

Eira's heart sank.

In truth, yes, it was a good match, but it had never been part of her plan to marry like this. Leovold was an excellent dragon rider, but never seemed to come across her radar to help bolster her power and influence. In some rose coloured thinking, Eira thought she could have been powerful enough to marry Cullen without consequence.

Cullen.

The man that told her of his disdain for the Solherre heir. She had to tell him of her engagement, and she wondered...

Could she still have him even if she was no longer to be a Malennis?

"It is a good match, Eira." Her mother gave her an encouraging smile despite the smirk her brother, and now Lord Malennis, directed her way.

He knew the best way to unseat Eira was to marry her off. She could not be heir to the Malennis family when she was to marry into the Solherres, to their heir. She would have to serve her new family, issue children of the Sun Dragons chosen House.

"This is..." Eira looked them all before bringing her gaze to look upon Leovold. They were barely friends, but Eira had seen how they could get along after being put together for a scouting mission. They had each other's backs that day. "This is all rather surprising."

Would he see through her polite smile? See that she was mourning, tenfold now. She lost her father, she lost her position as heir, and now she might lose the man she loved over this arrangement for empowering House Solherre.

 

[Leovold]

Control. That was all this was about. A power play by Tyros to keep Leovold pacified, and based on Eira's revelation about her brother's ascension to lordship, to shackle her in subservience.

Leovold had made great strides in earning favor among the Thanasian council and the elders of his own house. His momentum had surely frightened his father. And so the Lord of House Solherre would see his son stifled by courtship, just as Iralux was.

One look past Tyros at Eira was all it took for Leovold to know that she was unhappy with this surprise as well. While he knew nothing of her tryst with Cullen, he respected her as a peer. Her grief only compounded Leovold's anger. Yet still, Leovold understood the position he'd been forced into, and the consequences of erupting now. Temperance was necessary. He only hoped Eira understood.

"Father...you should have told me sooner."

"And spoil such a joyous surprise? I would not think of it!" Tyros boomed, a false and merry grin spread wide upon his mien.

"Quite. We shall speak more of my...elation...later," Leovold replied with as much patience as he could muster.

"I am sure we shall, boy. Now...are you not forgetting your bride-to-be? This is a momentous occasion!" Tyros spoke, but his grip tightened uncomfortably on Leovold. His hands spoke more clearly: "Act like it."

Right. Spectacle. That was all Lord Tyros had ever cared for. So be it. Leovold shook himself from his father's grasp, and Tyros in turn stepped away to alow his son to dance on the end of his strings.

Leovold sighed, then took Eira's hand.

"I am honored by this union. You have my word as a Solherre that it shall be prosperous and kind. I will bring honor..." he took a knee, bowing his head in reverence to her. When he looked up, his expression seemed almost apologetic. "To both our houses."

 

[Eira]

There was no time for Eira to argue this, to ask Leovold if this was even something he wanted.

But he took her hand, fell to one knee before both their families and the party around them. He made her a promise, and despite the discontent she felt at not only being overlooked to become the Head of her House, but now forced to leave her name behind.

Eira looked down at Leovold, seeing him truly now than any other time she had spent before this moment. It was not often, but in those few moments the daughter of Moon and the son of Sun got along reasonably. But the man kneeling before her, making a promise of honour, of accepting this proposed union...

A smile was fought, looking as if she were stifling it instead of her grief dampening it. "And you honour me."

There was an injustice against her. Her plans like carpet pulled from beneath her feet, but her brother forgot Eira always had a plan.

By wedding her to Leovold still gave her power... that was if she could secure it with Leovold's help.

Kleio smiled, beaming at Eira so proudly that it made Ilir frown. "We decided that a small ceremony would suffice. After all, the royal wedding is to happen after your own wedding before the summer ends. We do not wish to upstage the Princess."

Eira's heart raced hearing how soon this union would come. "Well then, you would not mind if my intended and I dance then? We should begin getting to know one another better than just squad mates." She plastered a smile on her lips as she looked to Leovold. "Do you agree?"

 

[Leovold]

For better or for worse Leovold and Eira were now in this together. Leo stood and offered his new fiancé a half-hearted smile. Just as he would with his father, he would need to make time to talk with her in private. There was much to discuss, much to elucidate, much to plan.

Leo tilted his head towards the lady of House Malennis as she expressed her intent for their wedding. His jaw set forward. If Tyros was to have his turn at bothering Leo, Leo would have the same.
"Nonsense. A Solherre does not settle for less than excellence, not in ceremony nor anything else. I am certain Princess Odessa will be more than happy to allow us to properly celebrate such a joyous occasion!" he insisted.

"Boy..." Tyros growled low.

"Father, surely you would not try to hide away the marriage of your eldest son, your heir! A proper wedding is surely a necessity."

Lord Solherre looked as though he fought the urge to crush his wine glass in his hand. As Lady Alba rubbed his shoulder, looking much like she agreed with Leovold, Tyros relented.
"We...shall discuss it later."

"I'm sure we shall, father," Leo quipped with a grin.

Finally he turned back to his wife-to-be.
"I think a dance is more than in order," he replied, unceremoniously leading her away by the arm.

 

[Eira]

Eira frequented the circles the Princess was part of, and she too knew that the Princess would agree with Leovold's claim. The Princess herself liked to celebrate, putting others before herself, but now there was a Royal Wedding to happen. That celebration was for the people, and certainly not at the wishes of the Princess.

Yet Eira did not voice all of this. Her hand instinctively curled into the crook of Leovold's offered arm and off they went to take position on the dance floor. Their drinks discarded and forgotten about, Eira turned to look up at Leovold with a steely expression.

Then the music came alive, couples moving all at once.

"You agreed to it." She stated, her voice not accusing him of anything other than daring him to deny it.

 

[Leovold]

The music started, the dance began, and Leovold recounted the steps and began to move in time, Eira in his arms. His brows were flat, his countenance generally neutral, but his irises and the rune on his forehead simmered.

"As did you," he replied plainly. "I imagine neither of us are in any position to reject this arrangement. Unless you're implying I knew of this in advance?"

 

[Eira]

"No, of course not."

Her answer was quick, but true. She looked him in the eye, unwavering in her assessment of him presently. "It was plain and clear all over your face." As it would have all over her own countenance.

She could feel the stares, hear the unintelligble whispers as the Daughter of Moon and the Son of Sun waltzed around the room with the other dancers. "I accepted because... it is the only way I could oppose my brother." Eira lifted her chin, stared into Leovold's eyes with determination and cunning. "And for protection."

Eira Solherre. It made her chest tighten at the thought of it, but it was the right thing to do to go against her family. There was only one member of her immediate family that she cared about left, and Eira would ensure her mother was unscathed in all of this.

"I grew up constantly looking at my back to ensure I would not be surprised by anything... and this..." This engagement definitely caught her by surprise.