The Jewel-eyed Lost Prince \\ WMMAP

2: The Mage

Aionios let out a deep sigh as he relaxed into his new bed. The entire day had been such a chore, and somehow the audience with the emperor in front of the entire Court had been the easiest part. Negotiations regarding his rights and roles as a recently-discovered prince of Obelia had lasted deep into the evening, and were furthermore expected to continue at least another week. It was a small mercy that the major points had already been hashed out during the past year so only the minor details were left.

He was now Prince Aionios de Alger Obelia, first in line to the Obelian throne by age and by gender. Not that he wasn't before, of course, but most people knew him as Aionios al-Sida, the half-breed son of a discarded princess. Sidonna had no need for another prince looking to show his merits, but what Obelia lacked was precisely a prince. Soon he would secure his place here. All that was standing in his way was a princess six years his junior and a council of old geezers too senile to know when to shove off.

Two weeks later, Aionios was fully settled into the Opal Palace as the first prince of Obelia. He wasn't the Crown Prince because your majesty we don't know what those dirty Sidonnians taught the boy yada yada, but Aionios knew it was only a matter of time. Claude never had an Empress after his engagement fell through when he himself was still a prince, so unless he fathered another son before Aionios - unlikely, his mother had thoroughly checked - who showed up, combined with Aionios' own skills, the council of elders would accept him sooner or later.

As for Princess Athanasia... His mother had few good things to say about her mother, the nicest of which was calling her 'a harlot with a seductive body and little else'. From the glimpse Aionios caught of her in the throne room and Claude's attitude, his half-sister was a cute little girl just as good as her mother at catching their father's heart. Things should be easier if he made friends with her.

Aionios sipped his tea and enjoyed the breeze. He was taking his afternoon tea in one of the many gardens on palace grounds, taking the time to appreciate life before he was swamped with work. There was still the duchy in Sidonna he had to take care of.

Soon he noticed two figures walking towards him - one of them carrying a child. Hopping to his feet, Aionios flourished a bow, grinning. "Greetings, father, sister." He nodded to the red-headed knight, who bowed back.

"Aionios." With a simple gesture, the maids produced two more chairs and cups while Claude lowered Athanasia to her feet.

"What brings you here this fine day?"

As he tried to keep the conversation going, Aionios filled all three cups with practiced movements. Any educated Sidonnian learnt how to prepare tea from an early age and Aionios was no different, no matter his mixed heritage. At the same time, he subtly observed the three newcomers. Claude seemed irritated, Felix cheerful, and Athanasia unusually depressed.

Suddenly, something in the air changed. Aionios paused, trying to place it, then -

"Guh."

Blood. His little sister had coughed up blood. It covered her hands. Her dress. Even the table wasn't spared.

She collapsed.

"Princess!"

Everything erupted into a flurry of activity. The knight snatched her up and ran for the palace, shouting for doctors.

Claude stood slowly, seemingly calm. His burning gaze, pinned on Aionios, said otherwise. "You'd better hope she's fine. Otherwise, the punishment for poisoning a royal isn't something you can bear." He stalked away.

Poison? He didn't... There wasn't. There shouldn't be. Aionios had no reason to poison Athanasia.

Right, the maids! When he was still in Sidonna, he'd heard rumours of an unwanted princess in Obelia, abandoned in a dilapidated palace. That should be Athanasia. Was there a maid who resented being assigned to serve there? Did someone want to borrow his hand to make chaos?