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Alberu had always had a complicated relationship with his family.
When he was young and his mother was still alive, he was showered with love from both her and his father.
His mother was kind with deep brown eyes that held immeasurable emotion, and straight, glossy black hair that shined in the sun.
His father had blond hair that was cut short on the sides, and blue eyes with the same depth as the clear midday sky.
Alberu looked so much like his mother with her glossy hair and brown eyes, the only trace of his fathers genes being his eye shape and a paler tone of brown than his mothers skin.
While he physically looked like his mother, he inherited his fathers cunning personality and glib tongue, though his mothers kindness was also inherent in his actions.
Life was simple back then, his mother would read to him and his father would visit them when he could, always spoiling them with luxurious gifts and pretty words. He and his mother lived in the Palace of Joy that his father had built in celebration of his birth. His mother taught him how to read, write, and, as he got older, even do magic. Life was good. Alberu was happy.
But life has a way of twisting things and making them far from peaceful. His father was always busy and Alberu started wondering, “Why is daddy never here?” “Why can't we leave the Palace of Joy?” “Why do I have to stay in my room when the servants are awake?”
Alberu’s mother, overwhelmed by the questions, smiled sadly at her son.
“We are different from other people, Alberu,” His mother told him, “We are Dark Elves, and people don’t like Dark Elves.”
“That's not fair,” Little Alberu pouted, “They’ve never even met me. Why would they not like me?”
“Because they are scared,” Alberu’s mother’s eyes held unspeakable sorrow, “and people do stupid things when they are scared.”
“But why would they be scared of me?” Little Alberu cuddled into his moms arms as his voice got smaller, “I didn’t do anything to them.”
“Well, my little hero,”—that was his mothers nickname for him— “Dark Elves feed off of the dead, specifically the mana left behind by the dead, and that scares people.” Alberu’s mother ran her fingers through her son’s hair in a repetitive motion. “Dead mana is poison to humans, and they fear the power it gives us.”
“Is that why daddy doesn’t visit us?” Little Alberu's eyes filled with tears, “Is he scared of us too?”
“Oh, no, baby.” Alberu’s mother turned him to face her, and cupped his cheeks in her hands. “Your father loves us very much. He can’t visit us often because he has very important work to do.
“Your father loves you so much, Alberu,” Alberu’s mother said, tears welling up in her eyes, voice choking with emotion, “He loves you so, so much.” Her voice broke.
~~~
Alberu was a prince.
He was smart, it didn’t take him long to figure out. He lived in a palace, he had servants galore, and his father was a king. But Alberu was confused, if Dark Elves were hated, then how could a Dark Elf like him be a prince? Princes are supposed to be heroes, worshiped and loved by their people. He had read enough fairytales to know that much. Everyone always hates the villains, so if everybody hates Dark Elves then they must be villains.
Alberu didn’t want to be a villain.
Alberu didn't want to be a Dark Elf.
~~~
Alberu’s mom got sick.
He didn’t know how it happened.
She was fine, running around in the garden with him under the full moon just yesterday. So, why? Why was his mother laying in bed with clammy yet burning skin, looking at him with dull eyes that look nothing like her usual shining, clear, expressive eyes. The sickly woman lying in the massive king-sized bed looked nothing like how Alberu had always seen his mother; stable, strong, energetic. Where had his mother gone, and who was this lifeless dying woman the gods had replaced her with?
And where was his father? Shouldn’t he be here caring for his dying lover? Oh how Alberu loathed the word concubine. Shouldn’t he be here, shouldering the weight of worry Alberu was being crushed under? If that man really loved them as much as Alberu’s mother always said, shouldn’t he be here?
A woman burst through the door and rushed to the bedside of Alberu’s broken mother.
“Sister, sister, no.” The woman collapsed by the bedside and cried out, “You promised me you would be alright, that he would take care of you. So why? Why are you…” The woman didn't finish her sentence.
“Please sister, I know you have the Star of Healing,” The woman took her bedridden sister's hand, “Please use it on yourself, use it and get better, please.”
Alberu walked up to the woman and put his hand atop where hers clasped his mothers. His tear stained eyes met the woman's and she pulled him into her arms and squeezed him so tight her fingers left imprints on his arms. She held him to her chest and started crying; ugly, desperate sobs convulsing through her body. Alberu clung back, digging his nails into her shirt as he sobbed with her.
Alberu’s mother reached out her weak, shaking hand and grasped onto Alberu's loose white shirt tugging gently.
Alberu dug his face out of his aunt’s chest and snapped to look at his mother. His aunt noticed his movement and turned to look at her sister, hastily letting go of Alberu in favor of desperately cupping her sister's face. Despite her sister's grip on her face, Alberu's mother only looked at him. Alberu’s mother grabbed his hand and shakily, painstakingly opened his fingers and interlocked her hand with his. When their hands intertwined, a faint sliver light emitted from where their hands made contact. Alberu felt a warmth spread out through his body and condense behind his sternum.
His aunt stared at this scene with wide eyes. She urgently turned back to her sister.
“No,” her face crumpled and an agonized expression, “no, please, don’t leave me.” Alberu’s aunt cried.
“Please, Tasha.” Alberu’s mother spoke with surprising strength despite her voice barely rising above a whisper.
An unspoken conversation flowed between the sisters, their eyes conveying more than words ever could.
“I knew you would do this,” Tasha said, gripping Alberu’s mother’s hand tighter, “Of course you would do this.”
“Tasha,” Alberu’s mother pleaded.
“I know,” Tasha said, “I know. I will. Of course I will.” Tasha’s eyes filled with desperation, “Just let me have this, just for a moment.”
They sat there for a moment, silently mourning, when the door flew open once again.
King Zed, Alberu’s father, finally made his appearance.
“Who did this to you,” King Zed grabbed onto his lover's hands and replaced Tasha at her side. “WHO?!” He bellowed as the look of a broken man etched itself on his face.
A hand reached up and cradled Kind Zed's face as tears fell from his eyes.
“Tasha, please take Alberu back to his room,” Alberu’s mother smiled at her son as Aunt Tasha took his hand and guided him out of the room.
Alberu wanted to protest but the shock from seeing his father, the untouchable king of the Roan Kingdom, openly weeping over his fallen lover, forced him to be silent. His fathers muffled broken voice could be heard through the doors as Alberu’s aunt led him away.
That was the last time Alberu ever saw his mother.
She was gone the next morning.
Alberu, his aunt, a few servants, and the priest were the only ones to attend the funeral. Kind Zed was nowhere in sight. He had been holed up in his office since he visited her on her death bed.
Alberu’s Aunt Tasha turned to look at him when the service ended.
“Alberu, do you want to be a prince?” Tasha looked at Alberu with an unreadable expression.
Alberu thought for a moment.
“But I’m a Dark Elf,” Alberu looked at his aunt, “Dark Elves can’t be princes,”
“Says who?” Aunt Tasha looked at him, challenging, “If anyone says that, we’ll just have to prove them wrong.”
‘I can be a prince and a Dark Elf?’ Alberu thought with wide eyes.
“Then…” Alberu looked up at his aunt, a firm resolve building in his eyes, “I want to be a prince,”
‘Yeah,’ the young prince thought, ‘Let’s prove them wrong.’
That night Alberu went back to his room and took out his favorite fairytale book. The one his mother would always read to him before bed. The one where the hero finds his sworn brother, his soulmate one might say. His mother would always stop on that page and take the time to explain to Alberu that, “Not all relationships are formed by blood, and sometimes those formed without blood are stronger than any curse.” Alberu wasn’t sure why she worded it like that, but he loved that the sworn brothers could do anything, get through any challenge, win any battle, all by relying on each other, by relying on the bond they had formed. With trust in each other so strong, it was impenetrable by any force.
Alberu fell asleep that night, hugging that book to his chest and wishing for his own sworn brother, who would hold him steady through any tribulation. Who would mend his broken family.
~~~
Despite what the young prince may have thought, the world didn't end with his mothers death.
Alberu had grown and was now 15 years of age. Armed with a disguise of blond hair, blue eyes, and fair skin, he fought for a place in his own palace.
He had found a hobby in brewing tea, and soon came to find that there is a lot more to tea than one might think. Honestly, given how many different teas there were, each with their own brewing methods and unique flavors, it could be considered an art form.
The only support he had was that of his aunt and a few other Dark Elves. They helped him survive without his mother. His Aunt Tasha visited frequently and made sure Alberu’s needs were fulfilled. She was the one who had prepared him the magical necklace that disguised him to look like his father; to hide his Dark Elf heritage.
But they would not let him be ashamed of his heritage. No, they not only taught him to be proud of his Dark Elf blood, they taught him how to use it to his advantage.
Being a Dark Elf made Alberu naturally stronger than most humans and gave him natural control over dead mana.
His servants, Dark Elves in disguise, taught him how to control dead mana, and he used his new found intellect to build off what his mother taught him about magic, further developing her unique magic style. But they didn’t only teach him about magic; when night fell Alberu and the Dark Elves would go out to the palace's training grounds, and by moonlight, they taught Alberu how to wield a spear. Alberu grew his power in secret, away from the gazes of his royal relatives.
His father had remarried twice since his mother's death, collecting children from his spouses along the way. Two of Alberu's brothers were also fighting for the throne, or well, their mothers were.
The current queen, the third prince's mother, wanted her own son to take the throne. So she saw Alberu, not as a child, but as an obstacle in the way of her child's future. Alberu had no political backing, he didn't have a high-class mother like the other princes, and his father refused to pick sides. Therefore he was often the victim of assassination attempts, and frequently found his food had been poisoned.
He had to learn to cook for himself and speak up for himself, even when no one around wanted to listen. He had to learn independence, because when all your servants (aside from the Dark Elves) secretly work for one of your scheming relatives, who probably want you dead, it’s hard to rely on others.
That was how Alberu had lived for nearly 20 years of his life. But hey, it paid off. He had managed to prove himself and become crown prince, though that only made the target on his back bigger.
Becoming crown prince definitely increased his responsibilities though. And as his first major project as crown prince, he was tasked with planning King Zed Crossman’s fiftieth birthday banquet. Alberu had to make the guest list, organize the catering, choose the venue, send out invitations, and so much more. He invited the heirs of all the high class nobles around the kingdom to attend in order to form connections with the next generation of leaders within the Roan Kingdom.
Thankfully everything during the banquet went smoothly, just as Alberu had planned.
Well, almost exactly as Alberu had planned.
While Alberu was greeting the northeastern nobles he ran into an outlier, something that had escaped his expectations.
Alberu hated running into people like himself; cunning and armed with a glib tongue. Perhaps that was why he had avoided the idea of that happening. Unfortunately his avoidance caused him to be unprepared for the encounter, and it didn’t help that the person was the last person Alberu would have thought to be cunning and sly.
When the four northeastern nobles approached Alberu he mentally went through the profiles his informants had brought about them.
First there was Eric Wheelsman, son of Count Wheelsman and successor of the Wheelsman County. Personality: a bit uptight, tends to overthink. Overall, goodhearted.
Second was Amiru Ubarr, daughter of Viscountess Popelina Ubarr and successor of the Ubarr family. Personality: Bold but cautious. Ubarr Territory overlooks the sea.
‘I'll look into sponsoring a naval base in the Ubarr Territory,’ Alberu noted when he was investigating the changing tides on the western continent. That was part of the reason he requested that the heirs attend this banquet in the first place; he wanted to subtly contact the Young Matrich of the Ubarr Family and implant the idea in her brain through the sponsorship of a project that the Young Matrich of the Wheelsman family had spoken with Alberu about.
Third came Gilbert Chetter, son of Baron Chetter and successor of the Chetter family. Nothing prominent to take note of, but the group of northeastern nobles were strangely close and seemed to be a package deal. Similar personality to the previous two nobles.
And fourth, the most surprising of the group, Cale Henituse.
Alberu was surprised to see that the first Henituse son was attending the banquet, after all the second Henituse son had consistently taken his place at such events for the past two years.
Despite his unexpected appearance at the event, Alberu had no trouble remembering Cale Henituse’s profile; after all he had quite the notorious reputation.
Cale Henituse, oldest son of Count Deruth Henituse. The Henituse County had yet to name an heir. Cale Henituse had a personality unfitting of the polite group. He was infamously known as “The Trash of the Count’s Family” and his personality allowed that title to shine exponentially. Cale Henituse was known for his zealous drinking; a drunkard who was constantly causing fights and destroying bars. His actions had subsequently caused him to be banned from over half the taverns in the kingdom.
Alberu was fully prepared to deal with the drunkard's antics in a way that made him seem benevolent and forgiving, but not overly so. Sadly, his chance to boost his image never came, instead he was quite caught off guard.
Cale Henituse was nothing like his profile said.
He was worse.
Cale Henituse was something Alberu could only describe as straight out of a nightmare. He came up to Alberu’s throne, cunning and armed with a glib tongue.
Little did Alberu know, this man who infuriated him so, would become his closest confidant and best friend.
~~~
Cale needed to get some of those damned nobles off his back?
Alberu had the perfect idea. And the best part, Cale would hate it.
When Cale requested Alberu make the annoying nobles back off without assigning him a bothersome title or position that would tie him down, Alberu immediately thought back to the fairytale book tucked away on his bed-side bookshelf.
Alberu stood up from his throne and interrupted the administrator who was preparing to announce the awards earned by heroes who fought in the recent battles.
“There was a decision made that I personally could not accept regarding the awards,” Alberu began his show, "Despite the fact that his name should be at the top of this list, I decided not to award Cale Henituse any positions or titles.”
Voices erupted around the room. Some in shock, some in joy. Many of the nobles feared what Cale could do when provided the power of an official position, while others simply doubted the capability of the still young noble. Of course, there was also a sizable group of nobility that believed Cale more than deserved a title and a medal.
“Cale Henituse, are you satisfied with this decision?”
Alberu looked Cale straight in the eyes. No one else could tell by his nonchalant expression but Alberu knew, Cale was ecstatic.
“Your highness, I am satisfied. I hope that this honor could be shared with the many soldiers and others who suffered more than I did during the battles. I am satisfied with the fact that we safely made it past those difficult days. I do not need anything for it.” Cale played his part perfectly, letting out his usual schpiel of nonsense.
“I just pray for peace and prosperity for the Roan Kingdom.”
Hearts around the room were moved, and Alberu had to admit, Cale was a great actor.
Alberu couldn’t wait to see the look on Cale’s face when he realized what was actually happening.
Alberu took Cale’s hand on the stage and plastered a heart-felt smile on his face.
“Cale Henituse, I’m so proud of you.” Alberu’s smile turned slightly more real as Cale's face contorted, “I’m so lucky to have a precious younger brother like you. There is probably no one in this world as selfless and caring as my dongsaeng.”
Alberu’s smile grew wider when Cale’s eye twitched in surprised annoyance, and he almost started laughing when he saw Choi Han’s rare smile from across the room.
“Dongsaeng. I wish to hear your voice in this deeply moving moment. Won’t you call me hyung?”
Now Alberu was just outright teasing Cale.
Cale of course wouldn’t just let Alberu win.
“Your Highness, it seems everyone is shocked,”
“Ah,” Alberu put on a surprised expression as if he had just realized, “A few days ago, Cale Henituse and I decided to become sworn brothers. I may be part of the royal family and Cale Henituse is part of a Count’s household; however, I was so touched by Cale caring only about the kingdom and peace that I asked him to be my sworn brother.” Alberu put emphasis on the last words.
To the crowd it seemed like he was just that moved by the decision, but to Cale it sounded like Alberu was trying to get smacked on the back of the head.
Cale decided he would save that for another day and momentarily played along for the crowd, “I am happy as well. Hyung-nim.”
Alberu was slightly disappointed that the fun was over, but at the same time he knew that he would have many chances to tease Cale in the future, and something told him that he would never get tired of it.
~~~
The teleportation circle to the Royal Palace flashed as Alberu stepped out into the main hall of the Super Rock Villa. It had somehow become a regular thing to have tea with Cale in the Super Rock Villa’s underground garden.
Alberu passed by the kitchens where Beacrox was teaching some of the older wolf children to cook, no doubt thinking about how he wouldn't let them end up like Choi Han. He passed the library where On, Hong, and Raon sat crouched over a book of travel locations, likely planning a new adventure to drag Cale on. He heard noises coming from the basement lab where Rosalyn and Eruhaben were experimenting with all sorts of magic. When he finally made it out the garden door, he found Choi Han training with Lock in the training fields as a few of the young wolves watched, invested in the fight.
Finally, he came to the garden, with artfully maintained hedges and stunning flowers. Alberu had to painfully admit that it was even more beautiful than the Royal Gardens which attracted visitors from all over the continent. But more beautiful than any garden, sat Cale Henituse himself. He sat at a round mosaic table covered in trays of deliberately arranged cookies and other light snacks. Two plates had been placed on the table with matching teacups and saucers, one for Cale and one for Alberu.
Alberu sat across the table from Cale and smiled genuinely at him.
“Your highness,” Cale greeted with a nod.
“Hyung,” Alberu corrected.
“Hyung.” Cale relented, smiling slightly though everyone of Cale's companions knew just how much weight that slight smile carried.
That was one thing Alberu loved about being with Cale; they could communicate so much in so few words.
Ron came out of the kitchen's back door, conveniently placed right by the garden's patio, with a pitcher of what Alberu could only assume was lemon tea. Alberu had been wondering where the cunning old man had been hiding. He should have known he was waiting for the Crown Prince to arrive.
Alberu thanked the butler as he served the pair the tea before leaving. Alberu, like Cale, wasn't the fondest of lemon tea, but he had to admit as a tea connoisseur, the man was a revolutionary when it came to brewing tea.
Alberu looked around at the lively scene that was the Super Rock Villa and had to privately laugh at his counterpart for a moment. For someone who wanted his slacker life so bad, Clae sure loved to surround himself with lively scenes, even in his domestic life. Alberu understood him though, he hadn't even realized how dull his life had been before until he met Cale, and if he was being honest, going back to that life would be worse than the most painful form of torture.
Looking around at the lively scenes all around them, Alberu finally understood what his mother meant when she spoke of found family. Alberu had to admit, his mother was right, the bonds he had made with the people in this villa were most definitely stronger than any curse. In fact, the group would not only come out unscathed but return to smack that curse on the back so hard it came crashing down on whatever god cast it in the first place.