Ronodin's Backstory

Part 1

"Well done, Ronodin," the Fairy Queen praised.

She had insisted that she personally train both Ronodin and Bracken, and no one had dared oppose her wish. She gave Ronodin a faint smile, but he could already tell her heart was somewhere else. Bracken. Her real son. He pushed away his hurt feelings, instead focusing on his studies.

"I'm more talented than Bracken will ever be," he whispered under his breath.

He wasn't far from the truth. Bracken always struggled to keep up, and the only reason he hadn't been gossiped about and labeled as weak was because of his parentage. Ronodin knew it, Bracken knew it, and the Fairy Queen knew it as well. But she would never admit that her son was inferior to Ronodin. He was her pride and joy, while Ronodin was forced to sit in the background, in the shadows, and think about all those promises she had broken.

"Hey, good job today," Bracken said as they left together.

While Ronodin had always felt jealous of the treatment Bracken received, he still loved his cousin like a brother. He smiled sincerely.

"You too, little bro."

Bracken grinned at the nickname he heard so often. "Some girls invited me to hang out today. You wanna come?"

Ronodin paused. "No, that's okay. You go have fun."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. Go on."

Bracken shrugged and turned to go find his friends.

"And Bracken?"

He turned back.

"Be safe."
Bracken smiled. "Will do, big bro." He ran off to a group of girls, and Ronodin watched sadly.

Ronodin sighed, leaning against the wall of a building. All he wanted was for Bracken to get the life he knew he never would get himself.

"You're always sulking, aren't you?" A voice said, and Ronodin jumped.

"Gosh, Cairnon, don't sneak up on me."

"I didn't sneak up on you." Ronodin frowned at him. "You just weren't paying attention!"

A smile flickered across Ronodin's lips before becoming a scowl once again. "It's never a dull moment with you around."

Cairnon grinned. "That's what I'm going for."

"What do you need?"

Cairnon pouted playfully. "Do I need to have some ulterior motive to come see my favorite grumpy unicorn?"

"Well, don't you?"

"Perhaps."

Ronodin rolled his eyes. "What is it?"

"Why are you always in such a hurry to get rid of me?"

"I'm not," Ronodin scoffed.

Cairnon raised an eyebrow. Ronodin elbowed him, and he grunted in pain. "There was no need for that, Ronnie."

Ronodin grabbed a hold of Cairnon's shirt, pulling him as close as he dared. "Don't call me that in public."

"There's no one else around! Besides, when do I see you in private? You're always ignoring me."

"I don't ignore you."

Cairnon pushed himself out of Ronodin's grasp. "I don't get what you're so scared of."

"I'm not scared," Ronodin growled, then regained his composure. "Why are you here, Cairnon?"

Cairnon's teasing attitude dropped, replaced by complete seriousness. "I... I need a tutor. In my studies. My trainer says I'm falling behind and-" his voice caught. "I have to get better if I ever want to join the Queen's Guard. And-"