The Epic of Antares

The morning fog had cleared enough that the path ahead was visible for all to see. Dewdrop clung to the trees and grass like jewels and added to the serenity of the environment around them. The journey was not long, where they now went was only a morning's ride away from Eirdu—a large manor hidden in the wilderness, away from prying eyes. It was a path that he had traveled many times before in his youth. Even now, he could traverse them with his eyes closed, recalling the twisting and winding roads that made up the path to his home.

Casspien would have appreciated the view before him were he not lost in thought. Ever present, his older brother's words echoed in his head. As much as he hated Xenon, there were rare times even he spoke the truth. And to the Lord Regent, this seemed to be one of those times. The closer he was to reaching his home, the more he desired not to return. For in truth he was not eager to encounter what awaited him or more succinctly, whom.

"Were I some common stranger, I would think you on your way to a funeral big brother." Melina looked at Casspien with a playful gaze.

Casspien feigned a smile.

"Forgive me dear sister," he rubbed his forehead. "What were we discussing?"

"Does father truly distress you as so?"

Kryses Xerxes was a ruthless and ambitious man. A combination that would have proven deadly for any who dared cross his path. Fortunately for all that the height of his ambition coincided with that of Barranagan Xerxes. For only the late king was able to restrain the once proud and great Stygian. His name was as feared as his great spear, during the Stygian civil wars that stained Aurum centuries ago. But despite all the stories that were spoken about him, Casspien had only ever known him as his father. A term that held little meaning to him, for Kryses held no traits one would think of when they thought of their parent. For much of his life Casspien's relationship with his father was more akin to master-slave, than father-son. As he gripped the reigns of the horse, he could recall the countless hours of training that riddled his youth. His father's incessant search for perfection in his own life was halted by Barranagan, so instead he chose to search for it in Casspien's. But it was never enough. And from a very small age, Casspien was acutely aware of this fact. So when his father returned one day with a Nephilim woman and a small Stygian boy near his age. He was neither shocked nor concerned by what it meant. To Casspien, he saw it as his master now having two slaves.

"He does not distress me," he lied. "Father can be… difficult, you must pick and choose your battles with him. Much like Xenon."

"Or you," Melina added.

"I am not like them."

Her older brother shot her a familiar angry look that all the men in their family carried. She was aware of how uncomfortable this journey would be for him so she took it upon herself to accompany him. For as long as she had known Casspien, it was only ever in the presence of their father and Xenon did he wear his emotions on his face. And to see him still carry such a look after so many years, concerned her. As much as those within her home looked at her as the youngest, she perhaps most of all was acutely aware of her family's intensity towards each other. Something that she had tried and failed through the years to mend. She did not blame Casspien nor Xenon for how they felt about their father. In her own way she felt the same. But through her teachings to become a knight, she continued to uphold the honor of her home and thus never stopped attempting to heal the large fracture that separated them all.

"Perhaps Xenon was right?" she chose to move the conversation along.

Casspien rolled his eyes.

"Just listen," she pleaded. "I do not know why you both must be like this. I would have thought both of you being Lords of War would bring you closer."

Casspien scoffed, "Dear sister, the only thing that could possibly bring Xenon and I together is our disdain for father." He looked at her with an expression similar to Kryses, "And our love for you."

Melina bloomed, "Xenon does not love me. He tolerates me."

"In Xenon's world, why that is love dear sister." They both exchanged laughs, "Besides, it was he who championed your cause to become a knight against father."

Melina looked at him in shock.

"You did not know?" Casspien raised an eyebrow.

The path to knighthood for Melina was one that was far easier to traverse because of what she had to go through simply just to be granted the opportunity. For as long as she could recall, becoming a knight was her dream. One that she shared along with Ursula and Guinevere. A dream that was nearly destroyed at the hands of her father. Long did he oppose her desire, instead wanting his daughter to marry a Stygian lord. Where her brothers were subjected to his harsh training regime, she was made to learn the ways of the court and of being a lady. Her frustrations only grew as she saw herself as the daughter of the great Kryses Xerxes. She too wanted to pick up the blade like her father. But at every turn he denied her, her role in this life was to bear heirs, worthy warriors who would carry on the will of their grandsire.

But one day, after another failed attempt to convince him. As tears streamed down her face, she was summoned once again to his study. She steeled herself for what was to follow, their conversation was short and by the end of it. Her greatest wish was granted. She was sure Casspien or their mother must have intervened, but she knew they were not capable of changing his mind. And so her thoughts went to the only person possible, King Barranagan. For years Melina had believed the late king was the one responsible for the path she now walked. Not once had she considered Xenon. She felt ashamed.

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"I… I did not," Melina said softly, looking down. "He has always mocked my decision to become a knight. I did not think he would go that far for me. I am a terrible sister."

"Do not think that of yourself," Casspien moved his horse closer to hers. He placed a hand on her shoulder, "Xenon will most certainly complain along the way, but for you he would go as far as it took. We both would."

Melina tried to hide the growing smile that drew across her face. To be given such brothers as she had. She would make sure to offer her thanks to the ancestors, to fate, for blessing her so. In some way they had always looked over her. Even now, she could recall the earliest memories she shared with them; dragging them both to a pond where they would entertain her and teach her some of the things they learned from their training. As much as they had all grown and changed over the years, the bond they all shared still remained, if only ever surfacing rarely.

"But seeing as you were not aware. Perhaps refrain from mentioning it to him…" Casspien let out a dry laugh, "For my sake."

Melina giggled and nodded her head.

"Now come along, let me see how well you ride." Casspien patted his horse.

"Most certainly better than you!" Melina shouted, as her horse galloped away.

Their race carried them the rest of the way. Casspien finally exited the clearing, he was met with the sight of his familial home. In the middle of an open field stood a grand manor that was four stories tall. Its design was enough to tell anyone it belonged to a lord of great renown and importance. Where a castle sought to reach the heavens, the sheer size of the manor was meant to show how it commanded all around it. Its beauty was a work of art of the highest degree. Like other Stygians who lived through Iliad, one could learn many things from how their ancestral castles or manors were constructed. On what was focused on. The grass was cut evenly all around, the freshness of it meant that it was tended to nearly daily. Along the gravel path leading to the manor, trees stood at attention on either side offering shade from the sun above. As one reached closer to the manor, two large golden statues stood opposite each other. One a man, the other a woman.

They were made in the likeness of the originators of Casspien's family branch, Arya and Ayda Xerxes. Their soft expressions were frozen in time for all to see. It was here in this patch of land did they plant their roots. From where many great men and women would hail from. As Casspien crossed the statues, he wondered what they would have thought of their offspring all these centuries later. Would that soft expression still remain or would it turn hollow, like the woman who waited for him at the entrance.

"Welcome home my son," Hemera Xerxes bowed.

Casspien descended from his horse. He embraced her, she was slightly taken aback but she welcomed his reaction. "I have missed you mother."

"And I you, my little champion. Come let me see your face."

Hemera Xerxes carried an air of refinement around her. She looked as Melina did, or rather would one day look. At three centuries old there was still a youthful glow to her skin. Like all Stygians she was impervious to the effects of time. To Casspien she had looked as she always did, for as long as he could remember—the quiet mother, who was satisfied with being out of sight. There was a plainness to her beauty, if such a thing were possible. Her hair was braided to one side, and within the stars that Casspien had long grown accustomed to sparkled. But when one looked at Hemera, what drew people's attention were her eyes. They contained the same violet-peach colors that many Stygians carried. The sunset within them however differed, for they showed the smallest hints of the cosmos. Her beautiful eyes held with them age and wisdom. Only one glance and one could tell Hemera Xerxes had experienced life. As the lady of the manor and the direct descendant of Arya and Ayda Xerxes, she was the definition of high class nobility.

"You have fought with Xenon?" she placed her hands on his face and furrowed her brow.

Casspien placed his hand over hers, and smiled. "I am glad to see you are in good health."

"I win!" Melina marched over triumphantly with her head held high.

"I do not know why you continue to insist on racing her." Hemera patted Casspien on the chest. "Of the three of you, she has always been the best rider."

"I forget you taught her well." Casspien responded with a soft smile.

Hemera scoffed, "She was the only one paying attention during my lessons."

" Lady mother," Melina embraced Hemera.

"Daughter," she patted her head and turned to Casspien. "Please forgive the lack of reception, Lord Regent. We did not know if you would be coming."

"Mother…" Casspien did not want her to refer to him so formally. "I came here as your son, not as your Lord Regent."

"They are one in the same." A playful smile crossed her face. "Now run along, he is behind the manor. He has just returned from a hunt."

Casspien looked at his mother with slight concern.

"I would rather have you go and talk to him now, so I can have your full attention later. Your sister will keep me company."

Casspien nodded and excused himself. He would have very much preferred conversing with his mother first. Despite her timid demeanor, she did well to calm all around her. It perhaps helped him understand why such a woman would marry a man like his father. He would never fully understand it, especially with a man like that returning with a different woman and a child. But he always found himself wrestling with the idea of his mother, one of an extremely submissive woman, or one of a woman that valued family above all else. Today he would desire to believe in the latter.

As he walked along the manor, various servants stopped their tasks and bowed towards him. He acknowledged their courtesy and returned it in kind. His home had not changed much over the years. Less and less he found himself coming this far south, but whenever he did. He quite enjoyed the scent of freshly cut grass in the air. The breeze was cool and welcoming. For all the memories of pain he had endured, from his father's training. He could not help but recall the pleasantness of living here. And in that same memory, he recalled Nykolas. He seldom tried to think of him, but whenever his mind would return to the past, there he would be waiting. And pain would follow. Casspien recalled how in their youth they would run across the open field and play, until the sunset. He looked out towards where they would go and a pained smile appeared on his face. He missed his oldest friend terribly.

In the same direction he was looking, he saw several men approach from the woods into the clearing. Many of them carried tied stags on their backs. Among them he saw four Stygians who walked with an air of malice, and the largest of them bore a scowl he only ever saw on Xenon. The Lord Regent took a deep breath and marched through the field to meet them halfway. He hoped his father was not in a bad mood.