Part 2

Absolutely stealing this from Kristen because can you imagine? No, seriously, can you? Because I have to sit here and consider it.

He chuckled, "What a novel concept. I suppose in the sense of professionally, socially and in the sense of the realm at large, I am. After all, I do have positioning that is only second to the actual ruler. With the denizens of Unseelie and with most of my coworkers, there are no complaints and their company pleases me. I also hold a pride and satisfaction that each step taken is another to leave behind the past."

"But as for if I personally am happy, the answer is no. However, I do not believe I have possessed happiness in a long time. To a point, it is almost questionable if I have known it at all. Do not misunderstand, I am not miserable. I simply envision happiness as joviality, something uplifting and light, someone that painted with a smile and a fullness in their heart. I am no such person and have begun to ponder if it is possible for myself."

"Of course I am, surrounded by people that do not think I am necessary or that I am beneath them. Any person in the mortal realm I might have gotten friendly with has likely aged and died by now. My only supporter only will stand for me so long as it does not interfere with brown-nosing and while loves me, wishes I were less me. So yes, I am lonely. But loneliness in itself is a companion that has kept me for centuries. But I would not pity me, I have accomplished much in my solitude. Besides, be it a change in the air or some strange turn of fortune, I have met those that allow me to set aside that loneliness. If only for a while."

While he was still attempting to piece her words, the boy felt for sure he was being mocked. Why else would she be wearing such a self-assured expression? Kesil wondered if this was another friend of his father's. He couldn't recall anyone like her before...which was weird, he tended to remember faces.

But the ease he was disarmed, she couldn't be someone ordinary. With his accent thick and hiding the slow descent of his knife, he asked, "What is your deal?"

While the orchestration of words had been his forte, the execution of deliberate action had always been Mhoirbheinn's. What his inaction was as poignant as his decision to walk away. Balmoral knew he should say something, anything...even if it were sweet lies. But despite all that led to this point, he still couldn't disrespect Mhoirbheinn in that manner.

This feeling swayed back and forth like churning tides that created maelstroms. It was a feeling that was rare but every encounter with it wracked Balmoral with pang he could not shake. Not now not centuries later. Bereft of his anchor and deprived of his armament, it seemed he could only default to his cornerstone. His eyes loitered on the empty hall for moments longer before reentering the room.

Inside Foirtchern appeared to have been waiting. That infuriating nonchalance of his demeanor evident as he opened his mouth to speak. However no proper wording came out as a stiletto was thrust within, tongue forcefully coiled so it was not severed and its end a guileless threat of bloodshed. He barely missed being hung from the window that now sprawled with webs of frost that obfuscated the snowfall. Though he was certain that if not what he were, some innard would have burst from the force he was pushed back. He looked down to an eye drained of his color, its silver shimmer harkening to the merciless torrents that made mortals fear when all the leaves shed from the trees.

"Coming into my realm, making a fool of me in my own fucking Court, you must have either guts of steel or a longing for death," Balmoral said. Despite the words that could hint propriety, he held no such regards. Through his gaze, Balmoral could already imagine the withering of the lungs. Breaths wracked with glass-like shards rattling and ripping into it, "Your purpose here, Abyssborn."

"So cold to your own, Balmoral," the other remarked clearly despite the knife uncomfortably close, "though I commend the name choice. Has a heft to it and a nice mouthf--"

Silver spilled as the fae's wrist flicked to cut into flesh, "King Balmoral to you, bastard. Your purpose."

"So forward, did you learn it from your protector? Speaking of, where did he--" there was a crack but whether it was the wall or bone was anyone's guess, "--as I told him, for you. A warning."

"A warning that involves unraveling such intimate information," his tone reflecting his disbelief. The stiletto was withdrawn. There was a measured look shared between them. Suddenly the blade pierced the clavicle, heedless of any muscle or bone for protection, "Who do you take me for? A hapless soul lying in desolation and desperation? 700 years of silence for your word now? Is this the gilded tongue that blinded my mother?"

"I thought it was closer to a millennia," Foirtchern interjected as he slid down, seemingly uncaring of the tearing of his body, "And let's not pretend Faolan was innocent in all this. She and I came to an accord. For a gamble for freedom. Even at the expense of a necessary yet reviled mistake."

Balmoral bristled yet didn't make another attempt against him.

"And you wield both her savagery and that supposed gilded tongue so well. Far better than my expectation," he admitted, "After all, I didn't think you'd make it past infancy. What with that hunger and the circumstances to escape. Yet here you are, King Balmoral, subjugating the Unseelie, duping Fateweavers...quite the feat for a walking casualty."

"Well, can't make a quality product with slipshod material now can you?" Balmoral quipped, almost missing the slight narrowing of the other's eyes.

"Yet you made it work. Though you still have far to go to truly hone that silver tongue to be tongued-tied before your protector. I could teach you if you wish."

"I have no desire to gain anything resembling you."

"Oh? So you intend to confess your sins to him?" Foirtchern didn't bother to let the silence hang before he said, "Of course you don't. Because you and I both know that if you did, he would not be here. A straight shot like that with a reputation for never being crossed unscathed, if he knew, he would have never agreed to all this. He would never forgive your 'little' transgression."

The temperature plummeted, revealing the crawling clouds of breath. The strength of his legs draining yet the newcomer still stood. If anything spurring his smile further.

"Am I wrong? You're a smart enough boy to discern the reality. To know that those sweet nothings are just that. Nothing. If he met the being, the monster, you are he would turn away. See through all the delusion you constructed, revolted by every lie constructed. You veil it so well but cracks are present. And you know what lies ben--"

A spike of ice skewered his throat before bursting into a violent bloom from within. The sharpened petals quartered limbs and shredded flesh. A spray of silver shimmered over the crystalline cluster that seemed to spread as if to ensure the destruction of the one before the king.

Shallow breaths gave the illusion of a dragon whose wrath was receding. He would hear no more. Despite knowing the word, Balmoral didn't quite 'hate.' At least until now. He hated this man that gave him this existence. He hated how he spoke so candidly about affairs that should have never seen the light of day. He hated this entire conversation. He hated how he had been laid bare by a person that had never deigned him important until this day. And above all, Balmoral hated that he was right.

No matter how many times he imagined it, cast it, wondered about it...he couldn't see it. No matter how many times he rehearsed, pondered and tread to broach Mhoirbheinn about the matter of his fatestealing and all its consequences...it always ended the same. The seizure of fear and anxiety overwhelmed him. The questions and answers that haunt and torment him every time.

How could he be forgiven when he had robbed Mhoirbheinn of what was rightfully his? What made him better than the brother that the fae killed when he took all that boy knew? He voraciously built by taking from others, what makes him better than the nobles his love detested? He was frighteningly selfish, taken by his obsessive heart to want what he'd never had before and whose talons refused to let go once he tasted it. He was greedy for wanting to have it all--his purpose fulfilled and his only desire sated. If Mhoirbheinn knew every aspect of him--the truth--he would see Balmoral as the parasite--the vermin--that he truly was.

A muddled gray eye observed the carnage. Splatters of blood strewn across the walls and furniture. Sinew draped like discarded clothes. Fragments of bone shattered across the rug. Yet he knew that this would not be enough to silence his father. Only hush for a moment. And with that moment, Balmoral stepped from the room. There was no guard recalled to the room...and he didn't call for one.

Instead he stepped, unescorted and without guidance, through the hall. The bloodshed already dismissed and an uncertain fate that loomed.

The other post bringing back to like meeting other verses and the like. And how Balmoral absolutely hates Cariad or the Consort. Insert how he hates any version of himself but that is besides the point-- He calls them soulless. And in a sense, he's not incorrect. While the Consort never endured the same traumas that Balmoral did, their life also wasn't bliss. In some ways, it was worse as they resided in a lion's den with no respite. Because of this the Consort also never experienced the kindnesses that Bal did have. And as a result, they are colder than Bal is.

Their attempt to eventually rule is basically ticking off a box for them. The Consort doesn't care about how they rule or the place they make. Only that they possess it. They have no love of the world nor most denizens within it. Which can be shown as they do not have hunger issues because they plainly embrace their inhumanity. Their love is rare but it can be said that even with those Cariad loves, they aren't above being underhanded to them. Because that love could always end up untrue. They are presumptuous to an extreme of others' nefarious intentions. Thus they honestly get tripped up when it is not as ill-intentioned as they expect.

Balmoral doesn't like the Consort because of this 'emptiness' within them. He is actually appalled by their inability/unwillingness to think of the kingdom that would fall onto them. Nor does he care for their business because well and truly, everyone is a pawn to them. And it is a bit disdainful to him to think that he could become them. But what he doesn't think about how the main definer between Balmoral and the Consort is the presence of the incident that Balmoral considers his greatest shame. And how that incident shaped his life for better or worse.

The other unintentional shared thing with the Harbinger boys is 'I have known cruelty yet I will choose to love anyway.'

I mean, Tannim is a cinnamon roll. That he's kind and loving is kinda expected. It's more of a surprise the amount of shit he's been through in his life. He's very c'est la vie about a lot of it. It happened, he doesn't usually deflect other than making it more vague because he doesn't want to upset his company. To Tannim, he's witnessed the madness and nastiness that humanity can and will inflict for the slightest of reasons. But he's also been saved by the greatest of kindnesses. And if no one else will show kindness, then he will. His whole reason for being an adventurer that became 'the Hero,' is because he wanted to be the hero that he wished for when he was young. If he can prevent even one life from suffering like he had, Tannim can be content.

I know what you're thinking but hear me out! While it seemingly is very centered (and it is!) but Balmoral does overall work with a kindness in mind. He has been at the very bottom of Unseelie society to know how cruel their kind can be. Bal talks of it rather flippantly because he finds no point worries long past (reality is that he is unable to allow himself the vulnerability). But he takes kindness that is brought to him, even if for other reason (such as gain or duty), is one that he repays tenfold. Weird for a fae but he's always been weird. Balmoral is more of 'be the change you want to see in the world' and dialed to 11 because fae have no chill. While he does inflict pain and has been cruel himself, Balmoral tends to think in the overall result. The ends justify the means. And if he has to upend the entire realm in order for the Unseelie to be a place where a child never has to bring themselves into harm in order to live, then he's willing to be the villain.

While the Seelie's main fixture is its king, this does not run true for the Unseelie. Yes, they have a ruler and they are the final say in any decision but historically they do have three structures under them. They run 'day to days' and to some extent act independently...dependent on the loyalties and whims of the ruler. These three are the gentry, the militia and the consortium.

The gentry are pretty self-explanatory. These are the aristocrats that are placed higher than the usual of the Unseelie. Most of these houses are fae due to a historical bias. Some houses have remained due to their long standing history with the Unseelie. Some have risen from political, martial or intellectual pursuits that have granted them the status by the king. It is arguable that they have held power and influence over the Unseelie for the longest. At current though, there are no gentry houses as they have all been eliminated and it has yet to be determined qualifications for what would replace them.

The militia also pretty self-explanatory. They are the muscle and bodies to do on behalf of the Unseelie. Because of compulsory service, there are all walks of life and types of Unseelie in this area. Both the gentry and consortium use the militia for their own needs and compensate accordingly. For a long time the militia has been underestimated despite their presence in every settlement because they are, essentially, seen as work horses to the Unseelie. They explore the Unseelie to ensure the paths are navigable, are the guards posted at any settlement, and of course, fight for whomever they are aimed at. Many did not think much of them because...basically, they were 'meatheads.' But it has actually been found that many militia are very cunning and have chosen to placate so that both gentry and consortium stay out of their business. At current, Siubhan is the overseer of the militia and is working/training up replacements for those that shifted from the militia to the royal faction.

Lastly is the Consortium. This is the scientists, mages and scholars of the Unseelie. There is also a great mix of the Unseelie in this area although they are more reclusive than the other two. The Consortium is more of a shadow hand that offers their inventions, their magic and their cunning to others for basically personal gain. Those at the top of their field of study and those that are very in-tune with their magic are considered the greatest respect within the Consortium. And arguably they keep themselves in check because there is more backstabbing and ambition grabbing between themselves than with gentry or militia. They historically had the greatest amount of freedom due to not truly being understood and have a lot of shady things going on for the sake of their personal pursuits. At current, Morgan stands as their Transcendant, the head of the Consortium. Their talents have been more requested in elevating the conditions for the Unseelie as a whole while Morgan and Somairle do investigations to the underbelly of the Consortium.

Do I actually solidify the idea of a G.eorge W.ashington background character? Because so far...it's just another parental figure to break their 'child's' heart and further perpetuate the perceived unlovable trait. But then I have to figure out more stuff about like...the wars and militia...Ughhhhhhhhh

There are many settlements that belong to the Unseelie. While the initial reasons for there being many settlements to begin with are not clear cut, what was clear was that each had their own identity forged either by the residents or the resources they held. The Unseelie has likely been fragmented more than it had been cohesive, it being roughly about 300 years or less that it has been unified (less if you consider it technically was fragmented again when Balmoral rebelled).

And of the settlements, there is one that was considered both crucial and unique from the rest of the Unseelie because of location, residents and resources. This settlement is the only one that is located on the mortal plane rather than the otherside of the world. It is the only place within Unseelie that is predominantly humans, with a majority of them not glamored. And it is considered the Breadbasket of the Kingdom by those that reside in Unseelie and called 'Crois-Rathaid Airgid' as town in the mortal plane. Both names place its importance to the Unseelie as it is where they gather most of the food.

While originally essentially enslavement of glamored humans for the purpose to raising food for the denizens...the status of the people there changed. There are many tales of what went on and all of them are likely true to an extent since the lives of humans are much more brief than a fae's. Such as there being a full-on revolt that the Unseelie of the time were forced to yield because of starvation. It is likely that the fae merely waited for the main inciters to pass and take advantage of a weaker willed descendant.

However there were problems with both the use of glamor and the fleeting lives of those that lived at the breadbasket...it was wildly inconsistent. Because of the glamored state of the mortals...they weren't the best at gathering or harvesting unless there was someone actually stationed there. This actually is a prominent part of the militia but was highly disliked because 'ew humans.'

But also just plain...the fae are bad at remembering the lifespans of humans. So there was the idea for fae to move up to the mortal plane but it wasn't super appealing to them. This shifted to having a settlement in the Unseelie that grows instead. That settlement does still grow crops for the realm...its yield just isn't the same though. So there just could be some rough times in regards to fresh produce and some game.

While not the first to implement the plan, both Risteard and Balmoral did research into the history of Crois-Rathaid Airgid to come to an agreement with the residents. The times when there was more lax control with the mortals generally held higher yields. They essentially had 'serving' families that are fully aware of the Unseelie and the town's existence alongside them. And while it is quite a secret to have...it is also a comfortable existence when allowed on 'even keel.' Because most of the issues the humans would encounter are avoided because of the Unseelie's either martial presence or their magic. So a tribute of their yield is small price to pay.

As to how no one ratted out the Unseelie? Well, someone had. And well, there's a reason humans on that side of the world still have a healthy respect and fear of the 'fair folk.' And it is believed there may be some fae that have human blood that live up there and this is where the 'silver' of the name comes from, implying the fae's presence within the town.

Rikya kingdom is mainly known for its flora. The climate and, supposedly, its centering on a leyline has allowed for a diverse and unique array to flower. While some are decorative, many are used to create cosmetics, spices and most importantly, medicine. The latter being why it can garner some standing with other nations.

It was also the reason that had some attempt to subjugate the island cluster. Attempt being the operative word. The islands have an advantage of being in a sea that has natural hazards. Around the cluster itself is pretty chill, thus the travel between islands is lax. But leave the area, it can be daunting to some seamen.

Yet the kingdom's residents seem to either have it all mapped or have an understanding of the sea that isn't readily understood by those not from the waters. As such when conquering has been attempted, misfortune begot the invaders or they were outmaneuvered by the Rikya kingdom. While their navy is no where near the largest, they are immensely well-versed in sailing and the historical 'wayfinding' their ancestors used to navigate.

While it is expected that Crowe would opt to put himself away from anything that gives the mindset of his job, he finds himself drawn to the hobby of scuba diving. Despite all the prep and the like for such an activity, he finds it...therapeutic...? He knows it seems odd but it is and it is pretty to look at. He isn't inclined to invite his friends because he worries of something going wrong.

But also that the waters give him a peace and what he can only describe as 'feeling right.' He prefers dives that are in or connected to the ocean rather than freshwater. And he has been considered something of a 'lucky charm' to diver friends since despite some very, very close calls, no one has ever been lost during his sea dives.

His inclinations are a bit of an unconscious draw of his divine nature. While his grandmother is lurking as one of the Gorgons, his great-grandparents are alive and kicking too. They are sea deities that are usually associated with the danger in the waters.

They have never formally been introduced to Crowe not his sister but they do know of them from both his grandma and mother. They watched from a distance and get a sense of Crowe since his childhood, as he did grown up in a coastal town. Because of this watch, they provide protection over him and those he goes with...so that even if one should have drown, they will not because of the sea watching out for them in a sense. So they are the reason for Crowe's good luck status.

It is their presence that gives him the comfort and likely because of their and other familial genes, is why he has good ability with depths. Of course, Crowe doesn't know this but because of his troubled feelings over his divine heritage, his great-grandparents continue to not make themselves known. They worry that Crowe will reject the blessings, which would leave him vulnerable...he's a demigod, so not truly immortal and they don't know if he'd survive the transition. For now they are content with his 'visits' when he goes on dives.

I think Crowe could really get over it for them specifically. Mainly because they technically don't have much to do with the actual problem he had with his divinity. And also because 'it's like being an ass to an old couple. I can be a bastard but not that kind.'

"I...I do so apologize," Tannim said, hurriedly shutting the double doors, "Her Majesty and her King Consort are quite--"

Oh, how can he possibly put that his parents are like newlyweds all the time? While sure, he's used to their fairytale bliss, he still was their kid. Some days it was charming. Some days it was embarrassing. And having guests only exacerbated the embarrassment.

"--affectionate," Noita finished for him, as if she hadn't seen anything, "it seems they have some recovery from the previous night's affairs. So perhaps you would like to see some of the sights. Some of the ones not quite visible from a carriage."