It was hard when everyone was looking at them with various degrees of disgusted expressions, while they made a public apology at the house sitting.

The public central hospital wasn't any better. Both Eiden and Evan had bodyguards, making it easier to recognize them as Her Ladyship's unruly grandsons, even for the people who had never seen them before.

Eiden was done with everyone staring at his hair. He'd heard that green curls like his, and sky blue hair like his mother's were rare colors. They usually came in much darker shades, like grandmother's dark blue hair which resembled black, but he never thought he'd be stared at like this.

Eiden curled up in the bed in despair. Instead of the family room, he was given all the meals in his dining room. He missed his parents so much, that he tried to persuade his butler to bring his father, only to find his father was not allowed to enter Eiden's quarters.

Mother was being so unreasonable, and this week-long isolation was driving him mad. He was ready to tear down his parent's quarters to make them talk to him when he was finally called to the family dinner. Eiden went to bed in extremely high spirits. Apologies were accepted and his parents had forgiven him for being such a bad son.

They were not angry about breaking the statue but were very angry about his blatant disregard for the safety of his and other children. What if he or Evan or any other child was hit by the same spell? Eiden's heart froze when his mother said Esmeralda was nicked in the chest by a broken shard of the statue. It must be the reason, Evan didn't complain about punishments.

It was easier to think he could avoid fights, but it was hard to do in reality because working with Evan was tortuous. Eiden growled when Evan not so accidentally spilled Eiden's container of cleaned pebbles for the third time as they were working to restore the pool.

When you get spy guards to pinpoint exactly where you are at any moment, it was hard to avoid formal meals. Therefore, he resolved to hide among the top branches of a red apple tree, enjoying the hard-earned holiday afternoon. He could swear he'd never had a worse month than the last. But, he was immensely proud of himself for finishing his punishments without any further fights.

Eiden used to come here to play more often when he was younger, but nowadays, he was kept quite busy with training and studies. Scratching the feathers of a random yellow parrot which decided to keep him company, and was playfully nipping at his hair, he looked around.

A bunch of Craig workers were gathered around a neatly trimmed rhododendron bush and having an animated discussion. Probably about all the floral arrangements for the upcoming occasion of his mother's title announcement.

The title announcement, which was supposed to be held in late autumn, was the most important function in the Amenser Palace, this year. The tradition was important events like a title announcement or weddings of the Palace to be organized after the harvesting festival, which marked the end of the harvesting season and beginning of the winter, with a feast of fall crops. Holding the significant life events of a monarch after a bountiful harvest symbolized the prosperity to follow afterward.

Thank Azur, he wasn't a girl, or he would be the one going to inherit the title next. Because the ancient custom was to pass the title of the Lady of the Dawn, the mother of all, from mother to daughter. It was already a pretty hard business being the son of the future Lady of the Dawn.

Still, with Mother's accession to the throne, his position and title were going to step up and all responsibilities were going to be increased, Eiden scrunched his nose in displeasure. He'd rather play with battle magic than manage diplomatic relationships with the egoistical lords in the political arena.

He peeked among the leaves to see his father's tall figure walking towards his high ground perch. Lord Hadrian, the General of the Imperial League, was Eiden's ultimate hero. At 6 feet and 8 inches tall, with long wavy dark red hair, glowing amber colored eyes, a primary feature of many who dealt with fire, his father looked very imposing as one of the nation's very best warriors.

“Come on, Star, Mama is waiting.”

Father got closer to the tree, guessing Eiden's next action, which he had performed too many times regardless of his parents’ endless chastisements. Unfurling his magical wings, Eiden jumped from the top branches, trusting his wings to slow down his fall and his father to catch him. The surroundings rushed past his vision, the cool air rustled his wings, and Eiden was safely nestled between two strong arms.

“Really, Star, those aren't built for flight. When are you going to stop?” Father scolded after settling him on the ground, and the only reply was a delightful laughter which was contagious enough to soften his father's features to a soft loving smile.

It was true that the wings were only magical extensions and never meant to be used for flight, but the urge to do so was hard to resist for many youngsters including Eiden.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

“Can I be excused from the dinner? Please, Father?” Adopting the most innocent expression that he could manage, he clung to his father. Yet, knowing the answer was going to be negative, Eiden grumbled all the way when he was escorted home.

Formal meals were nuisances. To wash and dress smart, follow rules, and have impeccable manners all the time. To his great annoyance, later, the number of those escalated from once a month or so to once a week. Hence, now he was stuck with one of his mother's strictest matrons, protesting why it had to be this elaborate silk and velvet suit.

"Young master, please, you must wear a suit today. Her Ladyship just received the word that Lord Elvin and his family will also join the dinner."

Eiden made a disgusted sound. He never hid his feelings about his uncle's family, all of them, stuck-up aristocrat bullies if anyone bothered to ask his opinion. Lord Elvin, Grand Duke of Thebes, was his grandmother's younger brother's son, well known for his clever and ambitious, yet dubious actions to achieve his goals. What Eiden most despised about his uncle was his fake sweet manners and talking to him like he was what, a two-year-old?

Evan, his son, was the eternal rival of Eiden in every task, every aspect, every class, and every game. Evan was nothing but an utterly and completely absolute bully. After the incident with the statue, they haven't fought much, but the rising tension between them was enough to ignite anything flammable around.

Esmeralda, Evan's twin sister, was a very pretty girl, and more calm and reasonable. Although he admired her for being beautiful and occasionally sweet, mostly due to her inability to prevent her brother's bullying, it was safe to say Eiden was not a drooling fan of her like a lot of other boys.

Mother would give all the advice and warnings on how to behave, how not to pick up fights, and so on, when he stepped out of his room.

Eiden thought the world about his most beautiful and capable mother. Lady Enya with her stunning sky-blue long hair and warm blue-green eyes had a mesmerizing effect on anyone. But, it was her strong character that made everyone look up to her and speak in hushed voices that she was the perfect fit for the Lady of the Dawn. Apart from her position as Grand Duchess of Celiona, she was the head healer of the Amenser Palace Infirmary and also a medicinal herb expert.

Greetings and fake smiles were exchanged. In Eiden's and Evan's case, those were laced with sneering smirks and hidden scoffs that extended throughout the dinner service. Eiden was thinking about how to eat his dessert in the most offensive way possible, he heard something or hallucinated because it was just as absurd.

"So, Enya, are you planning to announce a marriage contract for the heir, possibly an allied proposal?" Lord Elvin asked after setting aside his dessert and...

CLINK.

Eiden didn't realize that the spoon dropped together with his jaw.

"Who, me, marriage?" Eiden choked.

"Mm...no, actually, we are not planning yet. Allied marriage isn't a bad idea. If it's like Hadrian and I, but we'd known each other for quite a while. Eiden still has time to think about his preferences." Mother set her hand on his shoulder effectively silencing him.

"Do you have any suggestions, Elvin?" Lady Eunthae asked.

"No, my lady, I simply wondered, after all, Eiden is quite popular among other children. Enya was very young at your title announcement, but Eiden is fourteen now, the proper age to look for a partner."

Lord Elvin explained while comfortably leaning back in the chair, and his glance at Esmeralda wasn't noticed by Eiden, who was staring horrified at his dessert.

"My lady, I think it's too early to plan a union for our son," Lord Hadrian hastily added.

"Well, Eiden, what do you think?" Lord Elvin asked, looking directly at Eiden, who was getting increasingly uncomfortable.

"NO, err...Uncle Elvin, I mean no, not yet." The conversation changed and that topic was dropped much to his relief.

Eiden's fifteenth birthday had come and gone, and he was sad to cut the celebrations short because of all his private tutoring to prepare him for his awaiting position change as Mother's ascension came nearer.

The title announcement activities would start from tomorrow afternoon. First, the opening ceremony on tomorrow. Then, the three-day-long talent show competition, followed by the official harvest festival. Lastly, the proclamation of the title transfer would be issued.

All the clothing items had been promptly prepared and checked over a month ago. Yet, here, Eiden was standing, squirming under his mother's scrutinizing stare.

"We checked your armor a month ago. The belt was fine, Star, it's a family tradition, that we have custom-made armor from our smiths for my family, and how can it be broken unless a magical blow is applied? So, what happened and where is it?" Father asked, extracting him from Mother's grip.

"Dray, what am I going to do with your son?" Mother burrowed her face in her hands.

Father examined the broken part with Eiden leaning to his side, mumbling apologies. To fix this kind of damage, Eiden needed to be there, as the formal armor of fire elemental warriors was crafted while infusing with the owner's magic. In that way, when one wore the armor, it would be strengthened by the wearer's power.

"Dray, I don't know, isn't it a little dangerous for Star to go out just before the title announcement?" his mother said, but they knew, there was no other option.

Mother hugged Eiden again while Father gave instructions to take him to the Moonstone mountains, to Ravik, his close friend, and comrade. He was excited because he had never been sent out like this, not even in daylight before.

"Star, behave yourself, alright?"

They sneaked out through a secret passage only intended for the ruling family.

Little did they know how fate had mysterious tools in shaping the lives of the unsuspecting people, including a broken little piece of royal battle armor.