Black Swan

ACT III

Centuries prior, as the legend goes, from the heavens descended the winged Sun God upon a land of tribes ravaged by war and misery. Stricken by the people's suffering, the benevolent god tended to the invalids. With his divine magic the legless walked again, the armless wielded their sword once more. But the more men he healed, the more the war raged on, for their thirst knew no end, their hearts thrummed with passion for bloodshed and sought triumph for their own tribe.

Sorrow gripped the Sun God whose benevolent act had plunged the land deeper in its demise. The other gods tried to persuade him to leave the land, but he remained. He travelled to the vanquished tribes in search of survivors. Amidst the desolation and debris, he encountered a young woman. Her parents had been slaughtered while she hid in the forest nearby. Yet, instead of grief, her eyes burned with fury. Her wish was to end the war.

Together they travelled the land and gathered survivors. All shared the same dream, the desire for peace upon this war-stricken land. The Sun God gifted them with white wings and magic, and they headed into battle. Within a few days the tribes, fearing the power of the Sun God's magic, surrendered.

When peace had at last returned, the golden-haired god made the young woman his consort. From their union were born two sons. To ensure the survival of his legacy, the Sun God blessed his progeny with one half of his magic each. The first son was blessed with healing sun magic, and as he came of age, he founded the Holy Temple to tend to the invalids and victims of the war.

The second son had inherited destructive sun magic. He quelled any remaining enemy forces, unified the country and established the Sun Kingdom.

So was the legend detailing the founding of the kingdom.

The crown prince left the deserted Swan Lake and returned to the palace with his two companions, his mind befuddled by thoughts of the Swan Queen. Her plight reminded him of his ailing father, whose curse had been inflicted before the crown prince had even been born. His thoughts then drifted to the possibility of his marrying an immortal being as he remembered the union of the Sun God and the mortal woman in the legend.

"Your Highness," said Jungkook as they landed on the balcony leading into the prince's room. "His Majesty's gift. Is it no longer with you?"

"Ah ...," began Taehyung, realisation dawning on his face. "I had it in my hands ... I must have dropped it somewhere near that lake. I should return and retrieve it ... Father's gift ..."

He had not mentioned his meeting the Swan Queen yet.

Jimin cocked an eyebrow at his words. "How did you drop it in the first place? That crossbow looked too heavy to simply forget."

"It can happen," interjected Jungkook. "Namjoon once lost his scepter in the forest."

"He's an exception."

Taehyung laughed at the memory. Namjoon had gone into the forest to practise summoning spells, and his scepter had inadvertently been teleported who-knows-where.

"A summoning spell might do then," said Taehyung aloud.

"From this distance?" came Jimin's surprised tone. "The drain would knock you out for a whole day."

"Ah!" Jungkook lifted his arm in front of the prince. "I pray you not to worry. I'll gather a few knights and search for it after tomorrow's ball. Rest easy, Your Highness."

The crown prince nodded. As the lights were going out one by one throughout the city, he bid them farewell.

"See you at the ball tomorrow," said Jungkook before leaving. He would be part of the Sun King's personal guard on the following evening. Hence, he would be busy with preparations for the entire day before the ball. As Taehyung, leaning against the marble ledge, looked at the flying form of the retreating Jungkook, Jimin stepped into the bedroom and stripped off his long leather boots.