Emerald Moor’s leaves fell, in browns, reds and yellows. The paths in the forests surrounding the castle were covered in leaves making hunting very diffacult as they crunched beneath your feet. Azure, Gelare and Ray were out hunting, rather the former two were hunting and the latter was following them unwilling to kill any animal. A celebration was happening in two nights and the brothers wanted meat for the guests that were to arrive this night. These guests had not been seen in eighteen years in the forests of Emerald Moor. Azure and Gelare had been told on theartening terms not to breath a word to their younger cousin so to keep the subject airy they teased his impatiance. Azure laughed at Ray as they watched for game their bows ready and their arrows notched. Ray shook his head never angry at his brothers for their pestering and teasing, his silver hair framming his face. Crunching of leaves close by told the three of them that something was near. Azure let his arrow fly before Ray could stop him. Something didn’t feel right about this and his usually pale features became even more white.
Sun Gam walked through the trees his hands touching everyone in recignition of his childhood whilst he waited for Aziz to join him. The wizard had to decided to venture off alone a while promising to return swiftly. So the elven prince walked through the forest, wearing his green tunic and brown leggings with black knee high boots on his feet. His grey hood was currently pulled down over his brown hair hiding his beauty. Brilliant green eyes were wise and thoughtful, and his skin was a deep tanned colour. Wisps of jet brown hair curled around his smooth flawless face which looked young and beautiful. Many reffered to Sun Gam as beautiful instead of handsome and the unknowing even mistook him as female at times. The sounds of the arrow whistling through the quiet woods drew Sun Gam’s attention from his present thoughts. He’d been thinking of Darrian once more, hope and anticaption soared through him. Darrian was old enough now, and he knew they were bethroled to one another as the gods had decided upon their births. It was time that they wed and Aziz had come to assist them in the magic that would allow them to have a child togther.
Sun Gam’s hand flew up and swiftly caught the arrow as it grazed past his cheek. Sun Gam winced as blood began to flow from his left cheek and he notched the arrow to his own bow sending it flying wence it had came in warning. Hearing exclaminations coming from where he had shot the arrow Sun Gam began to silently make his way over their. The blood still flowing freely down from the wound. Sun Gam knew it was a minor inconvience and it would heal shortly.
Ray froze in place as his brothers exclamed about the arrow as a slender figure appeared as if from the very trees themselves. A pale hand came up to touch the bleeding cheek, and when brought away the three elves could see blood upon the pale hand. Ray shivered from the wind that flew through the woods his silver hair flying around his face as his blue eyes starred at the beauty before him. His white robes rustled in the wind making the golden embroided unicorn upon them move with the wind.
A reproachful look was in Sun Gam’s green eyes, as he gazed at each of the three elves who stood before him casting his eyes from one to the other. He easily recognized the brothers Azure and Gelare as his old friends even after all these years, but something made him look twice at the third person who stood with them. A tingle trailed down Sun Gam’s spine, as he appraised the last ones beauty. A sense of recognition, of longing, of hope, as he gazed at the handsome silver haired elve who stood with Azure and Gelare. The brothers wore the colours of Emerald Moor but the last wore a long white robe embroided with gold. Their was something about this one..this figure that returned the look Sun Gam gave him, with puzzlement in his blue eyes.
Ray was puzzled when he heard the stranger before him whisper a name like Darrian. Ray shrugged though, because he didn’t know that name even though it tugged at his memory. Instead letting the thoughts go, he gazed back at the hooded figure who so intensly stared at him, before speaking to his brothers.
“It has been quite some time, Azure, Gelare,” Sun Gam murmured, as he brought his hands up and removed his maroon hood.
“Sun Gam!” Gelare cried.
He instantly raced forward and inveloped Sun Gam in a hug, “We have missed you so!”
Ray watched as Azure did the same. His brothers being in the way he could not see this stranger his brothers seemed to know. He listened silently as they spoke, enjoying the smooth, lilting voice that belonged to the apparent elve that he did not know.
Gelare teased Sun Gam openly, “You are even more gorgeous now then you were the last time you were here, my friend!”
Azure nodded, “Indeed, espicially sense you are not dieing this time.”
Sun Gam shook his head and muttered, “Twas not my fault I was dieing. You did a good job healing me then, as always.”
He peered once more at the one he was now certain although he did not know why was Darrian. The feeling of the link was so near, although the physical features did not match. Darrian had golden hair and eyes, this young man had silver hair and blue eyes.
But he decided to make certain, “What might be your name?” he inquired.
“Ray,” the silver haired elve answered. He was still straining to get a look at this stranger.
“Indeed,” Sun Gam whispered, a small frown of puzzlement on his face now. So this was not his betrothed, then why was this feeling in his heart? The Elven prince stepped forward, to take Ray’s hand in greeting.
Ray eyes grew larger as he basked in the beauty of the figure before him. Perfect features were on his face, brown hair hung down over his shoulders. Beautiful jade green eyes shone upon Ray. Sun Gam was slender and pale, but obviously male. Though, to untrained eyes, Ray knew the flawless elf would be mistaken for female. Sun Gam was used to the response that he got from strangers for his looks, “I am the step son of King Inteus, Prince Sun Gam Silver Arrow. Tis a pleasure to meet you, Ray,” he said wondering and hoping that his name would be known by the younger one.
Gelare nudged Ray as he openly starred which was unlike him, “Tis a pleasure to meet you as well Prince Sun Gam. Although I was never told that my father had another son.”
A gentle laugh sounded from Sun Gam, “You needn’t be so formal, Ray. Sun Gam is fine with me. Well I have been gone exploring for a long time. My father may have forgotton of me.”
Azure and Gelare exchanged a tense look. None had expected for Sun Gam to arrive so early, to claim Ray who was unaware as of yet that he was bethrothed to the one he had been caught openly starring at. Not to mention that he knew nothing of being the only heir to the Ravenswood throne, for Ray was young, too young in Inteus’s opinion to know the truth. So the brothers watched the two silently.
Ray reached out a hand, and Sun Gam took it clasping it firmly within his grip. The shook hands for a few moments, neither aware of the other’s reaction. Ray insantly felt a spark of belonging, need, sorrow, and loss.
Sun Gam felt the same stirrings in his heart as before, and suspicion was in his green eyes, as he silently met Gelare and Azure’s guilty gazes. The brown haired beauty narrowed his eyes, before he turned back to Ray.
Ray was in shock from the strange feelings that he had just flet, so he did not hear what Gelare had said. Ray asked him to repeat himself embarressingly, he never acted this way in front of anyone else, and here he was being so affected by this one elve.
“We should continue our hunt Ray,” Gelare murmured laughter in his eyes.
“Someone should escort Sun Gam into the castle as befits a prince.”
Sun Gam shook his head letting his hand drop from Ray’s, “I am perfectly capable of walking into the castle myself. I lived here a long time and I know my way around plus Aziz is around here somewhere and told me he would catch up later. I suspect he is replenishing his herb supplies, for they grew thin on the journey here from DarkHaven.”
“You were in Dark Haven with only one person? You traveled here from Dark Haven with only one person?” Ray frowned, for he thought such a journey was far to dangerous, in his opinion, for such a beautiful elve. He remembered the tales of the minotaurs and spiderens that inhabited Dark Haven and disapproved of Sun Gam’s journeying with only one person.
Sun Gam calmly stated, “I am a skilled warrior of many years, Ray, and judging of your reaction, I would wager you do not know Aziz, if you think I was in peril. I am quite capable of defending myself alone and with Aziz.”
Ray blushed, “But still,” he persisted, until he saw the dissaproving looks on his cousin’s faces.
All turned when a green robed figure emerged from behind some trees. Sun Gam smiled in greeting at Aziz as did Gelare and Azure, and Ray stood their silently, still starring at Sun Gam.
Aziz frowned slightly, before he touched the shallow cut on Sun Gam’s face, “What happened here?” he inquired sternly, knowing his young friend’s penchant for keeping injuries hidden.
Sun Gam had completely forgotten about the scrape, “Tis nothing but a wound from a stray arrow,” a a dissaproving note entering his voice.
Ray’s blue eyes widened now realizing Sun Gam must have been the one Azure had shot and the one that had shot back at them, “You were the one who shot the arrow back,” Ray whispered softly.
Sun Gam turned and looked at Ray meeting his eyes, “If I had not been paying attention that arrow may have killed me,” his voice was hard, and unreadable expression was in his eyes.
Azure laid his hand on Sun Gam’s shoulder, “Tis not Ray’s fault Sun Gam, I shot the arrow. I-I am sorry I thought you were..”
Sun Gam turned looking questioningly at Azure, “Prey? dinner?” his right hand came up to and touched the drying blood on his face.
Ray grew angry but closed his eyes calming himself, “Azure did not mean to hurt you Sun Gam. He would never mean to do that nore would Gelare or I,” he hated defending his cousin’s actions when their was nothing to defend. This was their home after all, and this elve was blamming them for things that had not occurred.
Sun Gam starred at Ray’s face seeing the fleeting emotions and turned to Aziz, “Let us go onto the castle, my old friend, and let them continue their hunt. I pray they find a better target then I.”
Ray scowled instantly at these words, for he felt that Sun Gam was immplying that they had ment to shoot at him.
He tried to hold his temper in check but it got the better of hm, “And I hope that as well, for what would be the challenge for my cousin’s otherwise.”
Azure flinched when he saw the first hint of anger in Sun Gam’s proud green eyes, “Ray..” he sternly hissed.
Sun Gam turned away, he was not going to let this little upstart taunt him into embarressment.
“Please Aziz..let us go onto the castle. This has been a long enough journey and I have many worries on my heart.”
Aziz shook his head giving a smile, “No I need to make a trip to the Grove of the Gods maybe young Ray can escort you to the castle?”
Ray was lost in thoughts over the sense of belonging he had felt when he shook Sun Gam’s hand.
Sun Gam frowned at Aziz but nodded and laid his hand on Ray’s shoulder, “Aziz must take a trip to the Grove of the Gods well you escort me to the castle as you believe I can not get their myself.”
Ray blushed even though anger was welling in his stomach, “I don’t like him!” Ray thought angerly, “Even if he is attractive.”
Ray nodded and looked away from Sun Gam’s searching gaze to Aziz, “I need to go through my meditations this after noon. May I accompany you once I escort prince Sun Gam into the castle?”
Aziz regarded Ray silently a grey eyebrow raised but upon seeing that he spoke the truth nodded his head in consent.
Ray took Sun Gam’s hand in his closing his eyes as the same feelings washed over him taking a step forward holding Sun Gam’s hand tightly.
Sun Gam looked to the younger elve walking beside him, he thought that Ray was to shy and soft spoken to be a son of Inteus. Then again, Inteus had not had anything in Sun Gam’s development maybe he had none in Ray’s. Sun Gam was afraid of what his heart was screaming to him, Ray was Darrian and he did not know. Darrian did not know he was engaged to Sun Gam and his first impression of him was not what he wished it to be. Sun Gam closed his eyes against the pain in his heart and the pain of the sun. Their was such a nagging sense of recognition when he thought of Ray…
Sun Gam was warmly greeted by King Inteus, who insisted on treating the small cut on the Elven prince’s face. Sun Gam protested but eventually gave in knowing that argueing with Inteus was useless. Ray walked from the room and leaned against the wall closing his eyes against his wariness, he needed to meditate and soon. King Inteus made silent for the most part, for he knew why Sun Gam was here. Inteus truelly considered Ray as a son, so this was sad losing him. Though he knew that Sun Gam was a worthy match for the one he was so close too.
Inteus cleared his throat, causing Sun Gam to look at him, “We need to speak Sun Gam,” the elven king murmured.
Puzzled, jade green eyes lit up and Sun Gam’s brown hair swayed around his face, “We do need to talk. Darrian is old enough now and knows of our responsibility and our bond. He and I must fufill it soon.”
“I-I’m afraid it’s not that simple,” Inteus told the younger elve.
Curiousity over took Ray and Ray silently moved to where he could listen. He peered around the corner, and again, he was struck by the beauty of this elf..of Sun Gam. Ray frowned worriedly seeing the look of distress and confusion on his face. Ray listened carefully, trying to figure out what had upset Sun Gam so.
“How could it not be simple? He knows that we are wed..Unless he does not..or does not want me?” Sun Gam murmured tears felled his jade eyes.
Inteus sighed and laid a hand on Sun Gam’s shoulder, “He does not know yet, Sun Gam.”
Sun Gam stood shaking Inteus’s hand from his shoulder, blood rushing to his head, “You have not told him? Inteus, I have been waiting sense he was born for him. My life is his, this is his birthright..his duty and mine.”
Inteus watched Sun Gam closing his eyes, “Forgive me, I did not anticipate your arrival so soon. I was going to tell him tonight of his true heritage..and of you.”
“I see,” Sun Gam’s eyes clouded over with tears but he closed them to stop from crying, “I will wait then, for a while longer.”
Inteus laid his hand once more on his step son’s shoulder, “Go freshen up a bit and eat, Sun Gam,” Sun Gam nodded and lost in thought walked from the room not noticing Ray or his step father’s words.
“Forgive me Sun Gam, for wanting to hold him so close..I fear losing him as I lost you, but I know your promise to me,” Inteus’s head bowed in anguish, “I will miss him, so very, very much. The years have only strengthened my affection for him.”
“Father?” Ray questioned and came out of his hiding place his worry for his father evident, “What is wrong?”
Inteus composed himself slightly shocked at his step son’s apperance, “We need to talk Ray. I have something to tell you, which I should have told you long ago.”
Though this was breaking Inteus’s heart he had to go on, Ray was going to be hurt that he had kept this secret for so long.
Ray looked up at his father confusion in his eyes, “What do you mean? I don’t understand?”
Inteus beconed Ray to follow him and they silently made their way down the hallway to Inteus’s room. Gelare and Azure were coming in with buck in in hand and bowed their heads in grief upon seeing them go by. They had known it could not last for ever.
Once in his room, Inteus sat at the seat beneath the window. The younger elve sat across from him, after they had closed the door. Ray was frightened and confused, he did not understand what his father was trying to telll him, but he knew it was not going to be good.
“Ray I do not know how to tell you this,” Inteus said softly, pain in his eyes, “You..you are not my son by blood.”
Ray’s face turned ashen, “What do you mean?” he hoarsly demanded tears felling in his eyes, “You are my father!”
Inteus shook his head and whispered, “No I am not. You were brought here when you were three years old by Sun Gam and I have raised you sense then.”
“What??” Ray gasped a tear falling down his cheek. His life had been a lie, he had always lived in Rivendell or so he thought. The pain in his heart..the dark eyes that looked at him told him that this was not easy for Inteus, either.
“You were the heir to the Ravenswood throne, my brother was King along with his wife. They found you upon the foorsteps of the castle as a baby unicorn and made you their heir as they had no childern. You were the only one who survived the attack of the western part of Ravenswood.
Ray was to stunned to speak. His life..everything he had been told..was lies, “Why didn’t you tell me the truth before?” he demanded.
“I am not finished Darrian Shapeshifter,” Inteus said, delberately using his foster son’s birth name, “You are the heir to Ravenswood, you and you alone.”
“Darrian? I..” Ray looked confusingly at Inteus, “Shapeshifter?” He then remembered..someone named Darrian was supposed to marry Sun Gam; at least, that’s what he assumed from what he had heard earlier.
“Darrian..the person you were talking to Sun Gam about?”
Inteus nodded, “Sun Gam is engaged to you, Darrian. My brother and I wished to keep the line going. You are old enough to understand what that means, and the promise was made 21 years ago.”
“You’ve lied to me my entire life!” Ray cried out tears falling readily, “How can I ever trust you again?”Ray jumped to his feet the shock to much and ran out of the room leaving a very sorrowful father behind.
Darrian collapsed against a side statue in the Grove of the Gods, his mind wheeling and his chest heaving. His eyes stung from the tears that sprang forth from them and his knees were raw from bumping into things. He opened his stinging eyes and looked up at the statue of the Elven Goddess. She was the patrian goddess of the elves for her love of all beasts and nature. Not the main diety Darrian prayed to but the most understanding he was certain of what was going on he turned and read the prayer in the stone at her feet. Hail Everwood
Hail Everwood the Elven Goddess
Blessed Lady of the Beasts and Plants
I dedicate myself to You
May my path honor Thee
May my spirit celebrate Thee
May my life force magnify Thee
These things I pray
In the name of thy greatness
Goddess Everwood
Darrian closed his eyes touching his forehead softly with his fore and index fingers and whispered a personal prayer, “Give me the strength to know what is right. Give me the courage to stand up for what I believe in. Keep me safe and whole, help me act on thy wisdom and bless those I care for. These things I pray, be fulfilled this day, Mother Goddess help me, please I need to know what is right.”
Sun Gam bid Aziz good bye and began to roam the hallways silently wanting a chance to clear his head. Sun Gam came to a inclosed small window and starred down from it and saddness washed over his heart at the scene before him. Darrian kneed before the statue of Everwood his shoulders convulsing as he sobbed his hands cupped in prayer.
Sun Gam had not been in the Grove of the Gods in many years and the immense power knocked him off balance and he nearly fell, until a pair of hands caught him around the waist, keeping him from falling. He gasped softly, his jade eyes meeting the crying sky blue of Ray. The two gazed at each other for a few moments, for everything else was currently forgotten, as they starred openly. A flush rose in Sun Gam’s face as he starred at Darrian, who was more handsome than the elve had given him credit for. The hands on his waist pulled Sun Gam closer to the other elve, who was gazing at him intently, a strange look in his tear filled blue eyes.
Darrian held Sun Gam by the waist starring at the beautiful Elf in his arms. For a few moments, he forgot of his pain over the lies that had been told and secrets that had been kept at the feeling of Sun Gam against him. That perfect mouth was so tempting, Ray thought. He tilted his face downwards towards Sun Gam, his warm breath brushing over Sun Gam’s soft looking lips. Sun Gam didn’t understand the thrill that raced through him at the warm air against his lips, nore his desire for Ray to do something…
Almost against their will, their faces grew closer togther, until Darrian finally kissed Sun Gam. The brown haired elve kissed back, soft and skillfully. The two kissed for a long time it seemed, hungrily, until reality crashed down into Ray’s mind. This was his bethrothed he held in his arms, who could kiss like an angel. That thought frightened him. Sun Gam felt Darrian pull away mentally and physically and was dissapointed as he let him go. But he knew he should not be kissing him, not if he did not know. The two looked at each other for a few moments. Sun Gam became concerned once more when he saw tears begin to fall down from pain filled blue eyes.
“What’s wrong Ray?” Sun Gam questioned, concern in his voice.
Darrian turned away letting Sun Gam go, “I think you know.”
Sun Gam’ eyes widened as he considered what could be upsetting Ray so. Whilst he thought Darrian turned back his hands cupped before him again, “I am bethothed to someone as you are,” Darrian could not help the anger that filled his voice against his will, “We are bethothed.”
Sun Gam froze, so his first impression was right; Ray was Darrian and he knew. However, he did not seem to be too happy about their betrothal.
“Darrian, I..”
Ray saw a glimmer of saddness in Sun Gam’s eyes but all he could think of was his pain. He glarred at the elve resentfully, for his entire life had been torn away from him because of Sun Gam.
“I learned that everyone I thought of was my family wasn’t, and that they all lied to me,” his voice was slick with hatred and saddness, “And that I’m engaged to you!”
Sun Gam sighed and whispered to his betrothed, “We are all but Pawns of the Gods Darrian,” he knew Ray was venting his anger. Sun Gam stood silently after this waiting for the anger to pass.
Darrian turned away from Sun Gam wipping the tears from his eyes with his fists, “I will not be a pawn!”
Sun Gam knew he would have to wait patiantly so they could talk rationally. However the pain was in Sun Gam’s heart tearing it apart, he had been right.
Darrian did not want him.
