A story of Alejandro, the second-son of the Duchy of Bull

Ridley

The Reigning Wyrm
Staff member
Level 2
Joined
Aug 15, 2018
Messages
208
Awards
8
Essence
€24,217
Coin
₡45,518
Tokens
65
World
Kraw
Profile
Click Here
The Dream was not new, the shape of it as many others had once been. A world very similar to his own, this time. Instead of a rolling pasture, this one took place within a city. Not one like he’d heard of in Arcadia, for even at the dead of night, he imagined it would not be quite so dark. Nor was the shape of that advanced yet archaic city ever quite so… strange. Tall buildings that were often off-kilter, neon signs, an ever present blackness, and the presence of neither a moon nor a sun were shown in this world. Floodlights and ill-equipped lanterns made the surroundings visible, but only the fountain at the center of this world was well-lit.

In that world, a creature made of black shadows fought a man who looked quite similar to the tales he’d heard of executor selendis. He was taller than his dad by at least half and again, and he had no mouth. His skin was rather like a lizards, he thought. The creature he was facing had yellow eyes, black skin that seemed to contort and change and twist in odd fashions.

His challenger stood proud, blades of what he knew to be psychic energy, even if he didn’t know how, protruding from his arms. The tall creature’s shoulders were shaking hard, which was rather interesting, considering that he was a creature without a nose or a mouth.

The glowing orange forest that served as his eyes burned as he held up one arm, and elemental lightning jumped to his call.

Come then! The tall, pale creature yelled in a voice that wasn’t a voice. It did not enter his ears, not even his dreaming ones, but pounded into his head, and they were filled with flame and defiance. “Come, then, and feel for yourself the power of the firstborn!

He wondered which would win, but he knew he probably wouldn’t really find out. He never got to see for that long on these night-time excursions. Still, he might know what this was, this time. He could ask dad. He would have to believe him.

He smiled, even as he felt the dream world’s tangled weaving let him go, the tendrils wrapping around him finally letting go.

Yes, he would ask dad many things. He would ask him if the protoss had no mouths. He would ask him if they were also called the first-born. He would ask if their blood was really blue.

Alejandro Dela Segadora would find the answers he sought.
 

Ridley

The Reigning Wyrm
Staff member
Level 2
Joined
Aug 15, 2018
Messages
208
Awards
8
Essence
€24,217
Coin
₡45,518
Tokens
65
World
Kraw
Profile
Click Here
Alejandro Dela Segadora’s smile was faded, as he strode through the halls of his fine home, Castle Del Segadora. The golden sun shone light through thin arches on the outer levels of the palace, and the dark gold that twilight brought to the sandstone tiles rather reminded Alejandro of the crust of freshly made corn-bread.

The thought finally brought a smile to Alejandro’s cold face, as he perked up and went to the edge of the walkway. He placed a hand on the warm stone of the railings, and looked up to the sky as close as he dared. Out in the distance, he could see the sunlight reflecting off the ocean’s surface, and it drew a grinning warmth to his face.

“Alejandro!” A voice called to him, raspy and childish and cute.

Alejandro turned to see a snotty-looking child. Her Brown hair was rapped into crooked pigtails that she must have done herself, and her freckles only really drew attention to her large nose.

Still, the second son of Dela Segadora had to admit his sister looked rather pretty as the sunlight flew through her hair.

He was already sure she’d be prettier still, blessed with the visions he experienced, and to his childish mind, he thought it rather funny that his father worried about getting her a handsome prince to stay with. He was certain his father would instead become worried about beating off the undesirables with a stick in a few years instead.

“Oh, I’m happy to see you’re smiling. You seemed so sad when father spoke to you earlier!”

Alejandro just gave a fleeting look out to the sunset, motioning his sister to join him, before speaking.

“Remember when I mentioned the other day, father doesn’t really like me? I think that’s still true.”

Alma had a look that clearly indicated she didn’t remember as she looked to him confused. That was fine. Alejandro was starting to learn that his memory was better than a child’s really ought to be, or at least a child in the Bull Duchy. Even at the age of seven he was speaking like someone at twelve, or at least, so the court told him.

“But he just hugged you! He was so glad to find out about your visions!”

Alejandro put a hand to his chin, considering the situation. He didn’t usually put a hand to his chin in front of adults anymore - they found it ‘presumptuous’, which was a word he had then had to look up later - so he only really took the pose he enjoyed thinking in when he was by himself or with Alma.

“I think he was just happy I might not just be crazy. Or at least, that I’m close enough to be sent to priesthood. He used to get very angry when I talked about my dreams to anyone, but now that I’m not crazy, he hugged me really hard. I didn’t like it.”

“He said to me he was worried you’d be taken away!”

“He said that to me, too, but it always made me think. Our dad is king, right?”

“Yeah.”

“So if he’s king that means he rules everything here. So no one can just take me away unless he tells them they can. That’s why I can go to priest school right now, or he’d tell them no and I’d stay and that would be that.”

“Uh-huh. Is that bad?”

“It means Dad would be the one putting me away. I think the other adults don’t like me, and I think Dad wanted to make them like him. Even if it meant he did something bad to me.”

“But dad loves you! Daddies love their kids! I don’t understand…”

Alejandro turned to his sister and gave her an annoyed look. “No. Dad loves you and he loves Robert. I think he doesn’t love me.”

Alma had nothing to say to that, shrinking in front of Alejandro’s gaze a little. It made the boy flinch, because even though his stare had that effect on people, he’d never done it to his sister before. He wanted to apologize, but he didn’t really know the sorry for the situation, and he didn’t feel bad about what he said, just the fact it hurt her, so he decided to not say anything at all.

“So… do you love dad?” the girl asked with a slight warble.

“I don’t know.”

“Do you love big brother?”

“I’m not really sure. I think he’s really great.”

“Do you love me?”

Alejandro turned to his sister, and he saw tears. He was the cause, he knew, and a pain stung his gut.

“Of course I do, Alma.” Sandro said, as words failed him. It seemed like just saying he loved her wasn’t really enough. How was he supposed to convince his sister she was his treasure? That he was happy because she was next to him? That he wanted the best life for her he could see?

And then warm arms hugged around his waist, and he pulled her the rest of the way into the hug, and even as tears coated his tunic Alejandro grew a much more genuine, and broad smile as he realized that maybe… maybe it was enough.

“I’m going to miss you, you know?”

“I’ll only be gone 10 months.”

“But you’ll miss my birthday.”

“I’ll send you anything you want for your birthday.”

“Can you send me you?”

“Honestly… you have Robert, you know.”

“Well… I don’t like it when he throws dirt and says my pigtails look silly.”

“Your pigtails do look silly.”

“Alyyyyy!”

Alejandro laughs, patting her on the head. “When I come home every year, we’ll spend as much time together as you want. If you haven’t already decided that some boy looks neat and have no more time for me.”

“No way! Boys are icky!”

“I’m a boy.”

“And you’re icky.”

“Wow!”

“But… I’m gonna miss you.”

Alejandro didn’t have anything else to really add, so he just held onto her.

“Are… you going to have fun?”

“Maybe.”

“Dad said some of the people at the school are just like you.”

“Maybe.” the boy wearily agreed. He wasn’t sure his dad really… ‘got’ what he was. Alejandro wasn’t even sure himself. How could he really know? And compared to some of them, he knew he was going to be at a disadvantage. His family wasn’t the most religious, so he might be picked on for that. He couldn’t really study to their level in a couple days. He’d only just learned to read last year, and he wasn’t really good at it for a while, either.

Still, some part of his heart held onto that idea - that someone there could understand him. Someone other than his sister, who he loved but who was not like him.

Perhaps at least one of them might be like his sister, and at least try.


In two days time, he’d find out. One way or the other.
 
Top