User blog:Apollo42/Bellum Morgani: Chapter 2

Hi, everyone! Here's my second chapter of Bellum Morgani, hope you enjoy. :D

"As always, keep an eye out for spelling or grammar mistakes" ~SkyrimsShillelagh (paraphrased)

“GET IT OUT, GET IT OUT!” Came the shrieking down the stairs. The three young adults sat around, nervously, listening to their mother (or stepmother) shriek and rage. They had received news of their Uncle’s usurping of the throne, and, needless to say, Princess Fyra was not at all happy.

They were in the central Keep of the Topal Castle, a large stone castle that was the birthplace of the first Arik Morgan. They anxiously awaited in the throne room, staring up at the seven stone statues that stood behind it. From left to right, the statues depicted Verna Hlaalu, Corenna Tharn, Arinat Morgan, Arik Morgan, Ari Morgan, Tiren Morgan, and Lilly Tira.

“Do you think she’s going to be alright?” Asked the shortest, a boy with tousled caramel hair and deep brown eyes. His face looked like it had been sculpted from marble, having a sort of timeless beauty that left him seemingly ageless. He wore a padded blue vest stylized with golden roses over a white shirt, accompanied by brown pants and high black boots. He was obviously royalty, with a silver crown laying in his hair, appearing to be intertwined vines laying on his head.

“I don’t fucking know, Luceis.” Retorted the other boy, the tallest of the group. He was obviously the elder brother of Luceis, with the same chocolate brown eyes and slightly pointed nose. However, his hair was a dark brown, much darker than that of his younger brother. He was more formal than his brother, with a deep maroon tunic and a black belt over tight black pants and high boots. A black cape hung from one shoulder, secured by the crest of the Black Dragon. His crown, too, was a bit more militaristic, encompassing wrought black steel spikes on a band of gold.

“Can you guys shut up for once in your lives? I’m tired of hearing you two when your mother is having a child torn from her womb.” The third person snapped, and the other two instantly shut their mouths. She was a young woman, approximately the same age as the other two, with hair that tumbled to her waist in a curtain of gold. The Princess was very beautiful, with large blue eyes and a heart shaped face, along with a slim figure that was complemented by the silk, off-the-shoulder, red dress that she currently wore.

“Prince Jais, Princess Bella!” Came a voice, as a steward hurried into the hall. The tall boy and the girl turned to greet the man, but they hesitated at the anguished look that was upon his face. The servant continued, delivering the message to them. “The Princess Fyra would like to speak with you in her chambers.”

Jais and Bella exchanged worried looks, before rushing off. Jais practically sprinted up the stairs, although Bella was forced to hold up her skirts as she rushed after him. By the time they arrived, a small crowd had gathered around the foot of Fyra’s bed, including her husband, Tarin, and a member of the blades.

In her arms, the Princess cradled two things. One was the crown of her father, Emperor Cyrus I, a band of gold with seven different colored gems embedded in it, and the other was a swaddle of cloth that bore…

Jais emitted a low gasp, covering his mouth with his hands. In Fyra’s arms was the twisted shape of a stillborn child, a girl by the looks of her.

“I’m glad you all have come.” Fyra said, her voice almost melodic. Bella guessed that she was taking some drug to numb the pain of childbirth, leaving her stepmother rather out of it. “It has come to my attention that my… my dear father has passed into Aetherius.”

Bella’s father, Prince Tarin, stepped forward, assuming control of the situation now that the Princess was too loopy to appear regal for the words that were coming. “And that her brother, the traitor Arik the Elder, has stolen the Ruby Throne from your Princess. Only by the bravery of Ser Erran Westerly,” Tarin gestured to the Blades Agent, “were we able to find out about his treachery before the public announcement. Because of this man, we have an advantage that they are not aware of.”

“We request that our dragonriders, including you two,” he look to Bella and Jais, now, “and Prince Luceis fly to our allies and alert them to this horrible act of treason.”

“It will be done, my Lord.” Jais promised, clasping his hand over his breast in a sort-of salute. “You can count on us.”

Tarin crossed to his wife and took Cyrus’ Crown from her, holding it high in the air. Although it was an informal setting, the bedroom, every person there knew the urgency of getting her coronation over with as quickly as possible.

“I crown you Fyra I, True Empress of Tamriel, Lady of the Ruby Throne, Savior of Tamriel, Defender of All Peoples, Queen of the Topal, Queen of Cyrodiil, and Princess of High Rock. May your Reign be long and prosperous, my Empress.” He bowed upon placing the crown upon her head, and she smiled, widely.

Jais was slightly afraid to see the strange gleam that came into his mother’s drug-addled eye. “They stole my throne… and murdered my daughter… and for that they shall pay. My brother has never known the wroth of a Dragon.”

Jais grabbed Bella by the arm and practically dragged her from the room, much to her chagrin. As soon as they stopped, she slapped his arm away and stared into his eyes. “Don’t you ever touch me again, you asshole. I’m not a doll to be dragged about.”

“Sorry, Bella.” He muttered, slightly intimidated. “But, we both need to be very careful. We’re about to get into a war, and I’m worried… neither side is going to win.”

“Don’t think like that, Jais.” Bella replied, patting his arm. “We just need to remember that we have to support your mother, and no one else. She’s the rightful Ruler.”

Jais looked like he had more to say, but he nodded. “Just be careful, alright?” He said, before giving her a hug. “Let’s get Luceis and then head down to the stables. Your father didn’t tell us where to go, so I’ll head for Hammerfell and High Rock, you take Elsweyr and Valenwood, and we can send Luceis towards Summerset. That should be the safest route, don’t you think?”

Bella nodded her head. “Yes, he should be fine there.” The pair headed off and informed their younger brother of the journey, before splitting up to pack for their various missions. When they returned, all three had dressed in black riding leathers and met outside the stables.

The Stables were really a large system of caves that ran under the Topal City, which the Morgans had chained their dragons in to keep them from getting loose for centuries. Eleven dragons occupied the various caves, these days.

As Bella stared at her brothers, she got a sick feeling in her stomach that this would be the last time she saw her brothers. They had almost grown up together, in Daggerfall, even before their parents had gotten married.

She hugged Jais first, as they were closer than she and Luceis had ever been. “Stay safe, brother.” She whispered, taking a step back, before turning to her other brother. She kissed Luceis’ forehead, and murmured, “Don’t get in any fights and die, you hear me?”

Despite the somber farewell, Luceis’ face split into a grin. “Who, me?” He chuckled, gesturing to his apparent lack of a sword. “I’m a pacifist.” The boy had always been gentle, unlike his other siblings. While Jais and Kellais enjoyed the traditional masculine pursuits of swordplay and jousting, Luceis had always been more focused on music.

Only once had he ever harmed another person, and that was when he and his brothers were backed into a corner with no way out. But that was truly a different story.

“I love you both.” She said, loudly, over the crashing waves of the coast that lay below the cliff they were on. “I’ll see you in a few days.” She dashed into her own cave, so that none of her siblings would see her crying. Her dragon, Moone, cocked her head at Bella as the Princess undid her chains.

Moone was an awfully small dragon, all things considered. She was a dwarf compared to her siblings, even the young dragons owned by Jais and Luceis, barely able to bear Bella’s weight. Her scales were a pale purple, her eyes large and magenta.

Bella clambered aboard and the poor dashed off like a speeding arrow. The one advantage of Moone’s size was that she was much faster than most other dragons. As the pair headed to the West, towards Valenwood and Elsweyr, Bella turned around.

She took one long look at her brothers. Jais never even turned his head, as he traveled northwest towards Hammerfell. He seemed completely confident in his own abilities and those of his siblings.

But Bella saw that Luceis had turned in his saddle, meeting Bella’s eyes as he and his dragon headed into the largest storm that Bella had ever seen that was gathering in the Abecean Sky, towards the Summerset Isles...