Lord Lostorios Lulamoon paced the dimly lit hall as he waited for news on his lady wife, "What could be taking so long?" Lord Lostorios asked nobody in particular but more to keep his mind occupied. It had been three hours since his wife went into labor.
Lostorios heard the familiar laugh of his ward, Sethisto Glenmore. He had long scarlet colored hair and had the most unnatural eyes. He had one red eye and one blue eye. The younger man rose up smiling, "You must relax, m'lord." Sethisto said as he placed his hands upon his lord's shoulders, "I understand that this is your first child, but you need to be patient."
"I wish I could, but Rayne and I gave up hope on ever having a child a long time ago." Lostorios replied. His lady wife Rayne of House Goldshire was an extremely gifted mage and the most beautiful woman Lostorios had ever met. In the sixty plus years of his life, he had known many women, but none of them were ever as beautiful as Rayne Goldshire was. Soon, they heard it. The silence breaking cries of a newly born baby.
"My lord, it's a boy!" Cried out the voice Rayne's lady in waiting Iris Cavello.
"My son." Lostorios said quietly to himself as he entered the chamber where his wife was giving birth. He began to choke on his own tears as he gazed upon his ashen haired wife with her soft yet haunting violet eyes as she cradled the newborn within her arms as it was wrapped in white satin cloth, "Sethisto, gather the Ravens. I have a task for them." Lostorios ordered. Sethisto bowed and went to complete his important task as Lostorios moved to sit beside Rayne.
He softly began to caress his wife's hair as she leaned into his touch, "He's so handsome," she said softly as she showed off their son. The baby looked around at his parents before cooing happily, "like you, my wonderful husband." Rayne continued.
Lostorios smiled softly and kissed his younger wife upon her brow before turning to gaze upon his newborn son. He looked exactly like him, even sharing his raven colored hair, but the baby had bizarre eyes. He had gold colored eyes with pupils shaped like butterflies. Just like how Rayne's violet eyes meant that she held magic within her, their son's eyes made him special. Golden eyes with butterfly shaped pupils meant that their son was a Miracle Child. A child born in the ways of the arcane and the path of the warrior, "His life won't be easy." Lostorios said grimly as he looked at his son. Rayne nodded softly as she kissed the baby's head. Soon, in entered the Ravens. Messengers, spies, and assassins in service of Lord Lostorios. Lostorios smiled as he looked at them all: Reginald of House Ravenwood, Boren of House Graves, William of House Geshmere, Sethisto of House Glenmore, Atticus of House Bracken, the twins Erik and Jacen of House Silvermoon, Soren of House Shadowtower, and Adam of House Corbray. The few who stayed with him and his lady wife while the rest were off aiding his siblings and keeping the king's peace. The Ravens bowed before their lord ready to receive their orders.
"I'm sending you all to each noble house lesser and greater to invite them all to come to a tourney in one month's time to honor the birth of my son." Lostorios said.
His Ravens bowed their heads, "Yes, m'lord." They replied in unison before taking their leave.
Rayne smiled as she gazed up at her husband, "What shall we call him, my love?" She asked as the baby slept. Lostorios gazed upon their son and gently stroked his head. Only one name came to mind. A name famous among the people of Lemuria and amongst the Lulamoon family. A name as ancient as House Lulamoon itself. Dating back as far as when the Raven King and the Moon Queen still lived.
"Orpheus of House Lulamoon." Lostorios replied. He would be the ninth Lulamoon boy to carry the name of Orpheus and the first to not carry the title of prince or king since the Lulamoons willingly bent the knee to House Everfree.
About a month had passed since the birth of Orpheus and now it was the day of the tourney and just as Lostorios predicted, all of the lords and ladies of Lornathia had come to pay tribute to baby Orpheus. From House Ordelia to the Far East, House Palevia in the Far West, to House Marigot of Slaver's Moot in the South, and even the ancient enemies of the Lulamoons House Unicorn were present. Even the royal family had come to visit, King Theodan Everfree and his brother Prince Leonard along with Leonard's wife and children, "Announcing their royal highnesses," the footman declared as he read from a rolled up piece of parchment, "King Theodan of House Everfree and Queen Annette of House Delphar!" The footman continued.
King Theodan was a proud yet stern looking man with a great bushy beard of dark brown color. He was dressed in an emerald green jacket over a golden vest and a white dress shirt. He wore black colored trousers that matched his boots and bore a white cloak that trailed behind him. Upon his head, he wore the oaken crown that had been passed down his family through the years, "Lostorios!" The king declared as he hugged his old friend. The king had just reached his thirtieth year of living while Lostorios himself was pushing seventy but very few knew this, "Gods its neigh on fifteen years since I saw you last. You've gotten fat." The king joked.
Lostorios grinned at that, "Someone needs to keep Lemuria stable for you."
The queen wore an emerald green dress embroidered with crimson trimmings and bore a crown of her own but made of red roses made of glass. She had long golden hair done up in an elegant bun held in place by red string. She kissed Rayne softly on the cheek, "My dear cousin." She said to Rayne who happily showed off her baby to the royal couple, "My goodness he's so cute," the queen said as she gushed over Orpheus who just looked around confused by all of the new faces coming over to greet him, "my love why can't we have children?" Queen Annette teased. This earned a crimson blush from her husband, who dare not respond.
Once the royal couple took their seats the footman continued, "Announcing their royal majesties," he said as he read from the parchment, "Prince Leonard of House Everfree and his wife Duchess Gwyneth of House Vasily." Prince Leonard was nothing like his older brother. He had no beard, and unlike his brother's dark brown hair, he had blonde hair. He wore blue colored clothes, unlike his brother, and bore a black colored cloak. His wife was a pale mousse girl wearing a white dress with hair as black as midnight. Neither of them looked like they wished to be there.
"Lord Lostorios." Leonard said as he looked upon the other. Lostorios bit his tongue and simply bowed his head before kissing the hand of the duchess.
"Your grace." Lostorios said to the woman. She smiled politely before turning to Rayne, who merely curtsied a silent greeting.
"You have a beautiful child." The duchess said as a cold smile crept across her lips.
Rayne smiled happily, "He's my pride and joy." She replied as she gripped the bundle just a tad closer to her in a protective manner.
The footman soon announced the names of Leonard and Gwyneth's children from oldest to youngest: Francis, Xavier, Andromeda, Milo, and Celestia. Xavier and Francis were twins of fourteen who shared their father's blonde hair while Andromeda and Milo, who were twelve and eight respectively, both shared their mother's black hair. Celestia, the youngest, wasn't like either parent. She bore white colored hair similar to Rayne herself, which meant she was destined to be a mage. Xander was dressed in red and black clothes while Francis wore black and blue. Milo was dressed in green along with his sister Andromeda, and Celestia wore all white like her mother, "Can I see the baby?" Celestia asked. Rayne nodded with a smile as she bent down on one knee and showed the young girl baby Orpheus. Orpheus and Celestia exchanged a look that could best be described as friendship in the making. Celestia giggled as she gently stroked the baby's head, causing him to coo, "He's so small." She said in an excited manner.
Rayne giggled as everyone took their seats. It was time for the tourney to begin. The first part of the tourney was jousting. The eight knights involved in the jousting would face each other until it ultimately went to the finale two and whoever won would receive a boon of one thousand gold pieces and would be given a blue rose to give to any woman of their choosing naming her the 'Queen of Roses'. Which wasn't important it was mainly just for fun. The first two opponents were Sir William Hughes, Knight of Falcon's Crest, and Edmund of House Unicorn. Sir William took the victory, and this would continue with each match until it finally came down to the finale pair, Sir William and Ferdinand of House Aegis, the Knight of the Roses. He was dressed up in black armor with a red floral design upon it with a white cloak that bore the symbol of a blue rose, "My money goes on Sir William." Lord Ethan of House Unicorn said to Lord Illario of House Bumbleton.
"Fair, but I know the Rose Knight. He's one of the best horse riders I've seen." Lord Illario replied. Sir William dawned his helm, which bore the design of a falcon's beak for his mask, which he could push open or closed on a whim. The Rose Knight dawned a black helmet with the design of a small dragon on top. The pair met in the middle bowed to each other before turning to Lostorios and Rayne before bowing before them.
They soon went to their respective positions before readying their lances and shields. At the sound of the horn, the joust began. Sir William did well at first, but ultimately, the Rose Knight took the victory. Illario stood up and applauded the loudest of anyone else. Lostorios approached the victor and handed him his satchel full of gold and a single pale blue rose. He moved up and down the jousting path, thinking of who to give it to. Everyone knew, however, that he'd give it to his beautiful wife, Alanah of House Bumbleton. He didn't. However, much to everyone's surprise, he handed the blue rose to Rain and named her his Queen of Roses, "Your beauty is unmatched by any other." He said humbly with a bowed head. It was the moment when all of the smiles died.
Lostorios however noticed that Prince Leonard had a knowing smirk on his face along with another who remained unseen by everyone else and merely watched from a far, high aloft the ruined tower that stood behind the tourney, "Fools," he muttered darkly to nobody in particular as he watched as the Rose Knight was led away by Lulamoon guards, "one by one you'll all fall." He continued as a raven landed upon his right shoulder.
"Ahh, Diavolo, my faithful servant." The man remarked as he reached up to gently stroke the bird's head not once removing his gaze from the tourney. The raven kawed, causing the man to laugh, "I agree. It would be so simple to wipe them out now, but we must wait my pet." He remarked.
Soon, a great, snow-white wolf nuzzled up to his left as he stroked the beast's head, "Fenrir, I trust that everyone is in posistion?" He asked. The wolf merely barked in response, "Good, then it's time for the Great Game to begin." Diavolo merely kawed in agreement.
"Diavolo, you must keep an eye on young Orpheus. He'll be important to the Game." The man continued before allowing the raven to take off in flight while the man turned to gaze upon the old portrait hanging above what had once been a fire place.
The portrait, which remained in fantastic condition despite the millenia and countless scores of being exposed to the elements, depicted the original Raven King and founder of House Lulamoon, King Lerion and his family. The original Moon Queen, whose name had been lost to time stood beside her husband while their seven children sat in front of them: Edmund the eldest, the triplets Codelia, Goneril, and Reagan along with the twins Heathrow and Kirsten and of course the baby Orpheus. The man smiled coldly, "Oh, don't look at me like that old friend. They bring this upon, and I must play the Game. As always."
The man petted his wolf and together took their leave in a flurry of icy snow.