"Hold on!" A scream tore through the blazing air.

A blood-red moon filled the sky, casting a similar color on the figure standing before him, holding a limp body in his arms. The wind roared, causing ash and sparks to billow around him. The figure's ash-white hair was almost unrecognizable, caked in dirt and blood. Piles and piles of bodies lay around, while the piercing yellow eyes of the creatures around him grew larger. A finger-curling scream pierced the sky as the figure's lifeless eyes looked into his.

Sebastian woke up with a start, new tears still rolling down his face as he found himself gasping for air. Sweat dripped down his whole body, and he quickly climbed out of bed and opened the glass door to the balcony. The cool air hit his skin, causing him to shiver. Sebastian stared up into the sky. Two beautiful heavenly bodies of blue stared back at him, as if telling him that everything he saw never happened. Sebastian took a deep breath, the cold night air filling his lungs, allowing him to release a sigh of relief. Another gust of wind came, signaling that it was time to go back in.

Sebastian didn't immediately go back to bed. Instead, he stared at the nearby mirror. His ash-white hair was messy and damp from his fitful sleep. Deep amethyst eyes stared back at him, almost glowing in the moonlight. He crawled back into bed, the dream fading from his memory like any other.

The Royal family of Solhaven.

Rulers of the Solhaven kingdom, the current emperor was Regis de Solhaven II, and Empress Amelia Solhaven. The emperor had stunning blonde hair that shined with holy radiance and sky-like blue eyes. The empress had beautiful auburn hair and captivating ocean-blue eyes to match her husband. Their children, the twins Prince Alexander de Solhaven and Princess Isabella de la Solhaven, shared their parents' features. Alexander took after their father, and Isabella took after their mother. The current crown prince, Sebastian Solhaven, did not.

Sebastian looked at his reflection as his personal maid, Maria, readied him for the day. He was handsome, exceedingly so, and while he didn't possess the traits of his family, no one would doubt that he was not of noble blood. It wouldn't be too long until Sebastian had to leave with the fifth cycle of the twin blue moons ending and the fifth cycle of the yellow moon and autumn approaching. He would soon be turning ten and starting his life at the Academy.

"My lord, your parents and siblings are already waiting for you in the dining room for breakfast."

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"Thank you, Maria."

Maria opened the door for him to exit his bedroom, with two guards standing at the entrance. Alfred, one of the butlers, led him towards the more quaint family dining rooms in the castle.

The guards outside nodded in acknowledgment and opened the double doors for Sebastian to enter. His father sat at the head of the table, with his mother next to him. Alexander sat across from his mother, and his sister sat beside her. The twins were still young, barely able to have their own seat at the table. The two three-year-olds sat on taller seats to peer over the table, with their personal attendants close behind them to take care of them.

"Father, mother," Sebastian acknowledged as he took his seat next to Alexander. He smiled as the two siblings looked up at him, smiling happily at the presence of their older brother.

"Seba," the young Isabella cooed, prompting him to look at her. His brother was shyer, but his presence still elicited a small noise of excitement from him.

Breakfast went as usual for the family, with small fits of excitement from the twins that were lightly scolded by their personal maids. Once the food was cleared from the table, the maids took the children out and left Sebastian with his parents.

"Is something the matter?" Sebastian asked, noticing a look of sadness on his mother's face as she took a seat next to him. His mother took his hand in hers and lightly squeezed them. His father stood from his seat and took up the empty chair on the other side of the table, prompting Sebastian to look at him.

"You're turning ten soon and will be leaving for the academy," Sebastian's father said.

Sebastian nodded in response to his father.

"It's about time we tell you a story," his mother added, her grip around his hand tightening, and tears streaming down her face. Sebastian squeezed her hand tightly, using the handkerchief she made for him on his 9th birthday to wipe her tears.

"Before you, your mother and I tried for years to conceive. We were unsuccessful multiple times. Years went by, and we could not produce an heir. Your mother suggested that I take in a concubine to produce an heir, but I refused."

Sebastian felt small drops of water drip on his hand, causing him to turn to his mother and see tears running down her face. He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and took the handkerchief to wipe her tears.

"We went to the temple of the goddess to pray one day, asking her to answer our prayers. I did not want to betray your mother, but we could not let the family line die with me."

His father coughed, seemingly struggling to find his words as well.

"Our prayers were answered as we were led out of the temple. A child, no more than a month old, lay at our feet."

"I picked him up. He was so tiny, so small, but had the most beautiful purple eyes when he looked up at me."

His mother took over the conversation, speaking to him through her tears.

"That child was you, my dear baby Sebastian."

"You are not of royal blood," his father said, finishing their story.

Sebastian blinked hard, and he felt something well up inside him. When he opened his eyes, he saw red.