The Heirs of Elysium

Chapter 1 - Start of a beautiful friendship

Elissa's PoV

With his golden locks, brilliant blue eyes and dimples in those cherubic cheeks, Ethon is an almost perfect miniature version of his father. His small fingers grasp mine as he jumps over the cracks between the gleaming white paving stones.

His sister, Aurora trails behind us. Tall and willowy with white blond hair and dressed in an exquisite gown, she could almost be mistaken for an elven princess. That is, if not for the pout and complete lack of pointed ears. She is here under sufferance, and only because in a few days we will travel onto the Dragonite city of Babylon, where she will be reunited with her good friend Princess Arina.

Part of me wishes that Aren were here with us, yet I completely understand why he does not wish to grace Alfheimr with his presence. For all its supposed refinement, the elven court can be like a pit of vipers. I only come when duty requires it and to see my father.

Celestia, Queen of the Light Elves, may be my grandmother, but I am not convinced that she got the memo. There is no way on Elysium that I would have married an Animage, even one of royal blood like Aren, if she had her way. Still, if there is one thing I refuse to compromise on, it is love.

Reaching the royal stables, the ornately carved doors bearing the symbol of the elven tree of life swing open to allow us access. In the first stall, a majestic white stallion holds his head high.

"Ethon, my darling. Why don't you feed the horse?" I suggest as a juicy red apple materialises in my palm.

His eyes widen for a moment, but he takes the apple in both hands, juts out his chin and stomps over to the stallion. Levitating in the air until he is face to face with the beast, he holds out the offering.

A muffled sob emanates from the depths of the stable. Never one to ignore suffering, I am compelled to investigate. Tendrils of magic reach out and brush against a cowering form behind a haystack.

"Aurora." I place a hand on her shoulder. "Keep an eye on your brother."

She gives a huff, but I know she loves him and that he is in safe hands. It is a tight squeeze between the wall and the hay bales, which opens out into a small secret space. A child is huddled in a quivering ball on an old horse blanket on the floor.

"Hello."

The child jolts like a frightened animal and pale green eyes, a similar colour to cats, stare up between strands of a spikey white fringe.

"Please do not be afraid. I mean you no ill will," I reassure in the softest of voices. "Has someone hurt you?"

The response is a shake of the head, yet the livid purple bruise across one prominent cheekbone says otherwise. Anger bubbles up, but I cannot let it show. Instead, I crouch down and slowly reach out to cup the damaged cheek. Healing magic flows through my fingertips.

The child moves to a sitting position. Streaks of dirt and tears cannot detract from pretty elfin features. The ears only have the slightest points to them indicating a half-breed like myself.

"What is your name?"

"R-Raphael." He bows his head and continues in an almost whisper, "I am of noconsequence."

"That is not true. We all have our place in Elysium."

It frustrates me, the elven race is still so terribly bigoted and even more so within the court. Their determination to ensure the purity of elven blood might one day be their undoing. My parents were ill-fated, star-crossed lovers, so afraid of the repercussions that they married in secret.