The Twin Scions
The Twin ScionsSummary
King Aurelius has eight children: Leonidas, Phares, Chelle, Valyx, Emile, Zethia, Euden, and one other. They grew up with Leif, a knight known as the White Sparrow, who was both a rival and a friend.
Dialogue
Luca: I hope the five above him in line for the throne have more scruples than he does.
Luca: Actually, can you tell me about them? I know so little about human society.
Euden: Well, if you include me and Zethia, there are eight royal children.
Euden: But not all of us live in Sol Alberia— that's the royal city.
Euden: My brother Leonidas and sister Chelle— first and third in line for the throne— both rule great cities of their own.
Luca: Interesting. Who's second in line?
Euden: That would be Phares.
Euden: He lives in the royal city as Alberia's court alchemist, where he studies all manner of things.
Euden: Fourth in line is my brother Valyx. He's a general who leads a unit of the royal army.
Euden: All of them are pactbound.
Luca: To dragons, you mean.
Luca: That's bad news if any more start to develop a taste for conquest.
Euden: Forging a dragonpact is a condition for joining the line of succession.
Euden: I also have one, although I didn't do it because I want the throne.
Euden: My twin sister, Zethia, is the only one without a pact. She forfeited her claim to the throne and became the Ilian Auspex.
Luca: That's the sister you said was taken from you, right? I'm so sorry.
Luca: So are they good folk like you? Or violent dastards like Emile?
Euden: They're good!
Euden: I'll admit that I've spoken very little to some of them, but the ones I know are all incredible people.
Euden: Leif deserves much of the credit for that. He's not royalty, but he's always been the best of us regardless.
Luca: If he's not royalty, who is he?
Euden: Leif is captain of the royal knights.
Euden: But more importantly, he is a good man and a faithful friend.
Euden: I can talk to him about anything. We all trust him.
Euden: ...Nngh. Show me again, Leif! I'll best you this time!
Leif: You will one day, Your Highness. I can see it in your eyes.
Leif: I shall train with you until you are every bit as strong as your older siblings!
Leif: They started out just like you, you know?
Euden: You trained with them, too?
Leif: Of course! Don't you know why they call me the White Sparrow?
Leif: I may not have dragon wings like you, but I can fly ahead and show you the way.
Leif: I'll teach you to be quick with the sword and quicker still with the mind.
Leif: Now come at me, Highness!
Leif: You don't have Leonidas's fierceness or haughtiness, nor Phares's skill with a lance, but you must have something.
Leif: And I shall find it. I shall strike at you until you sing!
Luca: Euden? Still with us?
Euden: Ah. Forgive me. I was remembering... better times.
Euden: Back then, I had all I could ever want.
Euden: A father to revere, siblings to admire, a good friend in Leif... Even the royal guards were all kind to me.
Euden: And most importantly, Zethia was always by my side.
Euden: I wonder if I'll ever see them again?
Euden: Leif must be beside himself over what has become of the kingdom.
Euden: And my brothers and older sister... Where do they stand on all this?
Euden: Will my family ever be right again?