Estehl yawned, sucessfully hid this behind his hand and bored, stared at the court members of the Fae Court, from his spot near thrown. Some duke was droning on and on about some wrong done to him and Estehl could care less. He spared a glance in his father's direction, Teliveer was sitting erract upon the thrown but didn't really seem to be listening either.

Estehl could only imagine why. It wasn't until he felt some one pinch the back of his arm, hard, that he cast his look to his right, to see what Ellander was after, only to notice his brother had slipped from his spot. Estehl looked around with out making it appear he was doing so, to see where the younger one had disappeared to. He caught a pair of attractive amber eyes, and watched Jon motion toward the antichamber door behind him.

Ellander waited for his brother to find him, knowing Jon would have waited long enough to give him a head start before alerting Estehl to his absense. He leaned against the wall, listening to the drone of voices through the wall behind him. *Any time now*, he though, glancing towards the door. * one.... two... three...*

Estehl checked around him, shot Jon a grin and was already slipping through the door. Shutting it behind him, he turned his blue eyes on his youngest sibling. "I do hope you have a plan, because once they realize neither princes are there, we can execpt a lecture..."

Ellander rolled his eyes, grinning. "Does a day go past that we don't receive a lecture anyhow?" He asked, kicking away from the wall. "No, I don't have a plan, really.. I just couldn't stand to hear anymore belly aching" he said walking towards the door at the far side of the room. "Are you suggesting if I had left you in there so there'd have been one prince in attendence I would have escapde the lecture?"

Estehl snorted, following his brother, his hands behind his back. But at the last moment, he grabbed Ellander and shoved him back from the door, exiting first. "Not from mother any how. She would have lectured you...at least this way, we can find a way to avoid Father's wrath..."

There was a double pearl of laughter, and Estehl stopped out side the door as Aisleen came racing down the hall, her skirts above her knees, Aerieth chasing after her. "Hello brothers!" Aisleen called over her shuolder, before disappearing around a corner. Aerieth however stopped for a moment. "And what's that all about?" Estehl asked.

"Aisleen shoved Arcanina in the fountian outside after she said something about Aisleen kissing that one boy in court...you know...the one with the amber eyes. who looks more like a girl anyway..." Aerieth shrugged and ran after Aisleen just as a rather soaked and furious Arcanina appeared. "You wait until I tell mother!" Arcanina yelled after her sisters, ignoring Estehl and Ellander even more.

Ellander's grin had grown to amazing proportions as Arcanina had appeared, trailing water behind her. When she was safely out of earshot, he burst out laughing, quickly clapping a hand over his mouth and glancing guiltily behind him. "Why can't we bugger of and have fun and they can sit in court..."

"Can't do much about making them sit in court all day..." Estehl said, then qouted their mother. "It's not a lady's place...Tis not proper..." Estehl rolled his eyes, knowing the real reason why their mother Aiyla never let the girls attend court. They were less likely to see something they shouldn't. "Come on," He grabbed his brother's shoulder. "If we leave now, no one know we're out of the bleedin' castle, until around dinner...Lets go hope over to the mortal world..." Estehl's electric blue eyes sparkled mischieviously.

Ellander's eyes lit up, and he rubbed his hands together gleefully. "Now I remember why I always wait for you.. you have the best ideas..." The two brothers slipped out of the castle, carefully avoiding being seen by anyone likely to either stop them or alert someone else to their departure. Ellander stopped just out of site. "Come one, Estehl... surely we're far enough for the spell not to raise too many eyebrows... let's just go."

Estehl stopped, turning back to look at his brother. "Lord, Ellander...you ask that every time...and you know the answer...just a little further...I don't want to risk the hounds catching us..."

He led his brother into a wooded area just out side the castle. Once they'd stopped, he began opening a rift to the mortal world, but as he did, he was sure he felt another of the same kind opening and frowned a moment. He shoved his brother through the rift he'd formed, while glancing over his shoulder. "And don't forget your bloody glamour this time!"

Ellander stumbled as he went through the rift, catching himself before he fell. He chuckled, straightening up on the far side of the rift, his glamour inplace by the time his brother appeared. "Last time wasn't my fault.If someone had given me proper warning that he was about to shove me through right infront of a caravan..."

Estehl made the smug gesture of dusting invisble dust off his sleeves as he stepped through the rift. "How was I supposed to know about that caravan." The air on this side, wasn't as sweet as the air in the fae realm, but everything was just as green and they were on a small hill, looking down over a tiny village of thatched roofs and grey smoke curling into the evening air. "Lords, I love Ireland some times." Estehl said with a content smirk, eyeing the surroundings.

"well you could at least give me warning before you shove me through. Or better yet, not shove me through at all." Ellander said, giving his brother a shove and racing off down the hill towards the village.

Estehl snickered and took off after his brother, quickly catching up with him at the bottom of the hill, where he shoved him into a ditch, and ended up falling over from laughing so hard. "Ya know...Jon is going to be so upset we left him behind..." Estehl said as his laughter died to a chuckle.

The he paused thoughtfully and wondered if maybe he shouldn't go back for the young man. Jonathan had been revealed at the center of a scandal that was quiet possibly shaking up the court day after day as more details were revealed.

Ellander flipped over and sat up, spitting a mouthful of grass out and glared at his brother. "Always picking on me.. shoving me around..." he grabbed a handful of dirt and flung it at Estehl . "Yes, I guess we should have tried to sneak him out as well. He could use a break from court as much as we... if not more..."

Estehl waved it off, got struck in the face with a handful of dirt and snapped out of his reprieve. "I'll make it up to him later. And you shouldn't complain. I WAS going to buy you a drink, but if you're going to complain." Estehl got to his feet, making a show of leaving Ellander sitting there and starting down the lane toward the village.

"Buy me a drink, he says.."Ellander mumbled, climbing to his feet and dusting off himself off as best he could as he walked. " More like he was going to charm someone into buying us drinks... and then slip off with their girl..."

Estehl was standing a bit down the lane, looking back his brother with a snicker. "Are you coming or not?" He asked. Then glanced back toward the village at the sound of cart wheels. A farm came into view with a cart being pulled by a lazy looking donkey.

There were three girls in the cart with him, obvious that they were on their way back to their farm. Estehl stepped back from the middle of the road to let the cart pass. The girls were looking round at him and Ellander with interest and Estehl winked at them.

Ellander jogged over to his brother, rolling his eyes. "Bright Terra! Not five minutes and already he's onto the girls..." He said softly, just loud enough for his brother to hear, then slapped him on the shoulder and passed him, heading for the village.

"What's the news from the village sir?" Estehl asked, shoving his brother but missing as Ellander jogged a head. Estehl started to walk back with cart, but didn't have to when the old farmer stopped.

"Bad news...I wouldn't be headin' there if were ye lads..." The farm said, before spitting.

"That bad?" Estehl asked.

"Oh aye...changlin' in every crib...most've the cows, they've dried up...lots o'sick wee ones t'...that villiage's got a bad magic on it...wronged the fairies some how.." The farm said. Estehl raised an eyebrow and noticed his brother had stopped. "An' some o' the lasses' 'ave gone missin'...which is why I'm takin' me girls away..." THe farm said, spitting again, and making a sign to ward off the evil eye

Ellander overheard his brothers conversation and jogged back to his brothers side. "What do you think, Estehl? Want to check it out? Sounds like Phoukas..." He got a sudden mischeivous glint in his eye. "Remember the last phouka we ran into...."

The farmer had heard this and swore, before muttering a prayer and trying to get the donky to move again. Estehl waved goodbye to the girls and turned to his brother. "The wonderful thing, about being who WE are...is we can tell the phoukas what to do...besides...whens the last time we went for a ride, and you know phoaks they love a good run, be glad to give US a ride..."

Ellander chuckled and slapped his brother on the back. "Race ?" He asked, sidestepping in a head start. "Bet I can find one before you do..."

"Who's the heir to the thrown here, boy'o?" Estehl replied with a crafty grin. "I'll find one before you..." And he turned, taking off across a field, knowing the phoukas were most likely at the river side right now.

"Bloody cheat!" Ellander called as he took off after his brother, laughing. He stumbled twice , just as he pulled even with Estehl. The first time he recovered and caught back up. The second time he went down, getting a mouthful of dirt. He spit as he pushed himself to his feet. "Stop yer bloody cheatin' ! " He yelled, taking off, verring farther to the side this time, a watchful eye out for any more of his brothers tricks that would send him stumbling again

Estehl laughed and burst through the trees at the edge of the river to find a group of six or seven very large black horses with wild manes standing around, either drinking the water, or pawing at the ground. There were two young men with equally black hair and sulpherious yellow eyes with the group and they eyed Estehl, before one bowed, almost mockingly.

"Yer highness."

"Relax." Estehl said with a gesture. "We're not here to tell you to stop..."

"Good, because we have our orders..." the other young man answered.

Estehl's eyebrow shot up. "Orders from who?"

The two half phoukas lookd confussed and the first answered. "Yer father, the king, highness..."

Ellander burst through the trees behind Estehl, barely avoiding crashing into him. "Bloody flippin cheater! Next time, I'll throw the little trick in and see how y' like eating dirt!" He spit again, trying to get the last of the dirt from his mouth and looked up to find himself the center of attention. "oh..damn."

There was some snickering, that was obviously coming from one or two of the horses. Estehl rolled his eyes, before turning back to the half phouka. "What exactly has my father ordered to to do?" The phoukas glanced back and forth between each other, then at Ellander. "My brother." Estehl gestured. "You can speak freely in front of him."

The first half phouka coughed, then said. "We're to drive all the humans from this village, sire..."

"Drive them out?!" Ellander asked in surprise, strightening up and wiping the back of his hand across his mouth. "What ever for?"

"Too close to one of the gates in," Estehl lied quickly to Ellander. He however knew the more sinister truth. "You haven't...harmed any one, have you?" Estehl demanded from the phoukas.

"No sire! Not...no..." the phouka faultered , having seen Estehl's electric blue eyes flash.

"Good..." Estehl answered softly, but glanced in Ellander's direction.

Ellander caught his brothers look. "right, of course...sorry." He said, suddenly uncomforatble. He wasn't sure what he'd stumbled into, but suddenly all the fun out of their little escape was gone.

"Never mind that now!" Estehl said with a rather indiginant tone, before turning to the phouka. "Any of you phoukas up for a good run, my brother and I are willin' to indulge?" Three of the horse were suddenly coming forward, almost as if they couldn't decide who was going to step up first, and began fighting amungst themselves. Estehl leaned toward Ellander. "There's nothin' a phouka loves more then a good run...ceptin' a good whiskey..."

"I don't know, Estehl..maybe we should be getting back. Jon'll be wondering where we went too...." Ellander said softly, eyeing the Phoukas.

"We can't go back, until mum and the girls are in bed, because then we WOULD get a lecture." Estehl replied, a touch cynically. He moved forward, stroked the mane the of the largest phouka, then climbed on to the horse's back. "Are you chickening out of me, Ellander?"

Ellander sighed and swung himself up onto the Phouka that had managed to bully its way to his side. "Never, big brother. I'm the one who got you out of court, remember?" He said, a small smirk tugging at the corner's of his mouth. " Just let it be known that I have a bad feeling about this..."

Estehl eyed his brother a moment, wondering if the younger one hadn't learned something behind his back. "Forget about THAT for a while...besides, do you really think I would let anything happen to you?" He asked, very seriously, so that his voice was softer then normal.

"Anything that you didn't cause yourself?" Ellander replied with a smirk "No.. you make sure all the trouble I get into, you get me there yourself." He said and and spurred the horse into action, brushing past his brother.

"Yes, and I always get you out, don't I?!" Estehl yelled after his brother with a laugh, before spurring his own horse on.

They road all over the country side, scarying up several farms on the outside of the little village and causing quiet a ruckas. Then Estehl heard the first cock crow of the predawn and stopped his phouka with a sigh. They'd have to return to the fae realm now.

Ellander glanced back to see his brother had stopped, and turned back to meet him. "Time to go?" he asked, the light mood he'd managed to regain fading with the thought of returning home. " Never got that drink you promised."

"It'll have to wait then." Estehl said with a sigh, then added with a slight grin. "Unless I can successfully sneak you into the barracks this time...Come on." He swung down from the phouka. "Lets get back to the castle...If we're lucky, Aisleen's made up a cover story for us..."

Ellander snorted as he joined his brother. "As if her cover stories are any better then the truth.. I tend to get into just as much trouble from them.. just with different people."

Estehl looked at his brother for a moment, before opening a rift. "I'll take the blame this time." He said softly. "No use in you gettin' in trouble for something that was OBVIOUSLY my idea..."

"Oh yes, OBVIOUSLY... that's why I was missing from court first. "Ellander rolled his eyes as he went through the rift, letting his glamour drop. "Face it Estehl. Even when you take the blame, I'm still the one who get's in trouble..."

Estehl sighed, his glamour dropping with the action once he was through the rift. "So is the fate of the spare...I'd trade places with you, in a heart beat Ellander...but I don't think you'd want to be the heir any more then the second born..."

"No, I definately would not want to be the heir. I don't even particularly want to be a prince. Wouldn't you just rather... disappear one day and forget all this?" He asked as they walked. " I'd rather be a mortal peasant then be the Heir... or the Spare."

"I suppose it all depends..." Estehl answered as they walk. "I'd leave...of course...if I found a reason FOR leaving...either that, or Jon's romanticism is rubbing off on me..." Estehl rubbed the back of his neck at those words and shook his head, thinking that was the most absurd thing to ever say.

Ellander sighed, realizing his brother didn't feel the same way he did. Or at least not fully. "Never mind, Estehl. You think everyone's asleep by now?" He paused by the edge of the trees, peering at the castle.

Estehl paused at the tall hedge and glanced at Ellander. "Oh, undoubtably..." He titled his head to the side, looking Ellander over. "Something wrong?" He asked softly, about his brother's mood.

Ellander gave his brother a weak smile. "Not really... just not thrilled to come back. Never like coming back.." He said softly as he slipped out and headed for the castle, keeping a watchful eye.

"I don't know why...you'd be terribly missed, you know..." Estehl answered, leading the way through the gardens, pausing every now and again to keep out of the sight of the guards on duty.

"By Jon and our friends.. by mother and the girls.. yes, I don't doubt. They're not the part of home I hate coming back to.." Ellander said softly. "It's the courts and nobles... and father..."

Estehl suddenly stopped, turning to look at his brother, hurt by the fact he'd even failed to mention Estehl would miss him. "And what about me, Ellander? You don't thik I wouldn't miss you?!" He asked with a hiss.

Ellander groaned. "Of course you would... I didn't realize I had to mention you! If I wern't here, who would you get into trouble with?" He gave his brother a grin and ducked, waiting for a guard to pass.

"I'd probably go crazy in this place with out you!" He told his brother as they ducked into a side garden that was outside their father's study. They fell silent, incase their father was in there and started to creep past the window. Then Estehl caught movement beyond the window out of the corner of his eye and groaned silently, already reaching out to grab his brother's arm.

Ellander felt Estehls hand brush his arm and turned back toward his brother to see what he wanted. He gaze swept over the window and he froze, his eyes going wide.

Estehl successfully grabbed his brother's arm, but groaned again. Their father came into view, with a woman who was obviously not their mother. This wasn't exactly how Estehl wanted his brother to find out their father was a cheating husband.

Their mother worked to hard to perserve the image of some kind of stable family. "Come on, Ellander..." Estehl hissed in his brother's ear, attempting to get him to move, but that was when he noticed the dagger in Teliveer's hand.

Ellander angrily shook off Estehl's hand, suddenly irritated at his brother's attempts to hide everything from him. He turned his gaze back to the window and saw his father prssed the woman against the wall and kiss her. She struggled weakly against him and Ellander saw her turn her face aways from him. Her eyes were red from crying and both cheeks had bruises already rising.

Estehl didn't know if they'd just begun, or just ended, but what he was sure of, was that it had been rough. "Ellander, PLEASE!" Estehl hissed. But it was to late.

Teliveer struck the girl and produced the dagger at the same time, grabbting the girl by the hair. Before anything could be done, or said, and unknowingly infront of his sons, he plunged the dagger into the girl's chest as he pulled her around. Perhaps it was the gleeful look on his face that shocked Estehl more then the act it's self. Estehl heard himself inhale sharply, but it was Ellander who cried out.

Ellander stumbled backward as his father looked up, the gleeful look in his eyes all the more frightening turned on him. the fine blood spatter across his cheek only added to the demented appearance. Ellander stumbled as he backed up, landing on his ass and scrabbling to his feet. "Estehl....Estehll.. did you..."

Estehl grabbed his arm and was already trying to drag Ellander into the bushes. "Shut up, Ellander!" Estehl hissed, clamping a hand over his brother's mouth as he saw the look of wrathful anger decend upon Teliveer's face as he moved toward the terrace doors. If Estehl didn't get them from the garden, they'd be caught.

Ellander couldn't get rid of the image of his fathers face. He closed his eyes, trying to block out the image, one hand gripping his brothers arm tightly. He suddenly shook free of his brother, lurching to his feet and bolting back the way they had come.

"Ellander!" Estehl hissed, stumbling forward, and starting after his brother to stop him. But he should have kept an eye on their father, because Teliveer was suddenly cutting off Ellander's escape, and he was still holding the dagger.

"Of all the ones for me to catch spying, only my own sons would stoop so low..." Teliveer hissed.

Estehl came to a stop behind Ellander, catching his brother by the shoulder. "We weren't spying!" Estehl replied quickly, trying to catch his breath. "And we didn't see anything!"

Ellander looked into his fathers face and suddenly felt something break inside him, and he gave a cry, lunging forward at Teliveer, his hands going for his fathers throat, the woman's face in his mind, the lit dying from her eyes as he watched..

"Ellander!" Estehl cried in alarm attempting to grab his brother, his actions contridicting what Estehl had said. Teliveer had only to step backwards, moving much faster then Ellander and he backhanded Ellander across the face hard, laughing mericilessly as he knocked the young man back.

Teliveer raised his empty hand, palm out. "I should kill you now..."

Estehl was between his father and brother in a flash. "You can't!" Estehl hissed, helping his brother up, but glaring at Teliveer.

"Do not oppose to tell me, what I can and can not do, Estehl..." Teliveer hissed.

Ellander was shaking uncontrolably, a mixture of fear and rage. He remembered what the farmer had said about the missing girls. "How many?" he asked, looking Teliveer in the eye. "how many women have you butchered like that."

"You'd dare interrogate me!?" Teliveer sneered, eyes flashing. He flicked his wrist and something invisable backhanded Ellander again, harder this time.

Estehl caught his brother and snapped at their father. "Stop it! Do not hit him again!" This time the hand smacked Estehl in the mouth and he stared at his father wide eyed.

Then Teliveer's hand was grabbing Estehl by the hair and pulling him away from Ellander. "You, I can not touch, but do not think you will escape punishment. Ellander however..." He flung Estehl to the side.

Estehl scrambled to his feet. "I swear on Terra, if you harm him, I will find a way to get revenge!" Estehl growled, in a tone that was most unlike Estehl and almost frightening. Even Teliveer
hesitated a moment, but then continued reaching for Ellander

Ellander glared at his father through tear filled eyes and made no move to escape as he reached for him. At the last moment he grabbed the blade from his fathers hand and twisted, wanting nothing more then to hurt him for what he'd done.

Teliveer struck Ellander again, with a growl and grabbed a fist full of hair.

Estehl lunged forward. "Let go of him, you bloody bastard!"Estehl growled, but before he could reach Teliveer, a man Estehl had dispised all his life of knowing him, his Unlce Negellus, Teliveer's own brother, appeared, grabbing Estehl by the arms.

"Stash Estehl somewhere secure...it's this one we need to worry about..."

Teliveer sneered, indicating Ellander. "They saw then?" Negellus asked in a voice that sounded as soft as a snake's hiss, with out the extended Ss.

Then something dawned on Estehl. "You were bringing her over! I felt the rift!" He began kicking at Negellus, trying to wrench away from him, but Negellus only tightened his hold painfully.

Ellander, his hair held in painful grip, his head twisted at an awkward angle, struggled to get the knife. He didn't care about getting away and knew his magic was useless against his father. He suddenly slammed an elbow backward and felt it connected with his father.

Estehl struggled with his uncle, to get away, his only concern was to get Ellander out of there. His father had been right, Teliveer couldn't harm Estehl, he was the heir, but Estehl didn't care about that, knowing Teliveer would take it out on Ellander.

Teliveer groaned as Ellander's elbow hit him and his grip loosened for a moment. At the same time Estehl succeeded in pulling away from Negellus and he swung around, hitting Negellus in the face with everything he had, before scrambling backward, and attempting to turn, to help his brother.

Ellander tried to yank his head free form his fathers grip, driving his elbow back again. He saw Estehl break free and start towards him. He reached up and pried at the fingers still gripping his hair, his free hand swinging wildly hoping to connect with the knife or something else useful.

"Enough of this!" Teliveer hissed, his grip tightening on Ellander, and he swung him around, out of the reach of anything. At the same time, he held up his free hand and there was a flash of light.

When it had cleared, it was clear Estehl had been struck, he was on the ground unconcious.

"What are you going to do with that one?" Negellus asked, nodding toward Ellander.

"Aiyla would murder me in my sleep if I 'harmed' one of her children. Fortunetly I have a plan. Alert a guard to take Estehl out of here and join me my study...I'll need your help." Teliveer answered and began dragging Ellander back toward the study.

Aisleen squeaked, bitting back another sob. "He's gone, Estehl! He's run off."

"Bullshit!" Estehl growled, finally getting off the bed. He wavered on his feet, his head pounding heavily and spinning at the same time.

"He has!" Aisleen protested. "Father came to tell mother that they'd found you out side the castle gates unconcious and Ellander no where in sight. Uncle Negellus has gone to find him.."

"He didn't run away, Aisleen! He was..." Estehl couldn't tell Aisleen the truth, he couldn't tell her their father was a murderer, and had...NO! I refuse to believe he'd kill him...

Estehl turned his electric blue eyes on his sister, who out of all three girls, with the exception of the midnight black hair, looked identical to their mother, who was fairy decent. It was Ellander who had their mother's fair appearence, with the light honey blonde hair and her fire opal eyes.

"He what?!" Aisleen asked, getting up.

"Never mind that, Aisleen, where's mother?"

"In her chambers...distrot." Aisleen said softly, watching her brother storm toward the door.

Estehl yanked his door open, stormed through his sitting room and headed for the main door. He opened it with a snap, only to have two spears blocking his way.

"Get out of my bloody way!" Estehl growled. When the guards wouldn't move, Estehl flicked his wrist and both men were sent stumbling back.

Estehl stalked into the hall and headed for his mother's chambers, hearing the guards scrambling to catch up with him. One made a swipe for his arm and Estehl spun, his eyes a light with almost a neon blue light. "Get away from me!"

"What do you think you're doing!?" Came Aisleen's voice as she stormed down the hall. For a moment, Estehl thought she was talking to him and was about to retort when she shoved back the guard who'd made a swipe for Estehl's arm. "Leave him alone, he's going to speak to our mother, UNLESS you WANT my mother's wrath?!" She hissed.

The guards back downed from the short petite young woman and Aisleen took Estehl's arm, pulling him along in the direction of their mother's rooms. Estehl looked at his sister a moment.

"I know Estehl..." Aisleen hissed through clenched teeth, her eyes forward. "I know our...father is not a faithful man...and I know he had something to do with Ellander vanishing. Why else did he have you placed under guard...I just...want Ellander back!" She looked close to crying again, as she marched them on.

Estehl stopped her in the middle of the hall, turning her to face him. "I'm sorry, Aisleen, I should have been more forward with you, and Ellander...all of you, when I first found out...I only kept it a secret for mother's behalf." He watched Aisleen sniffle, then pulled her in to a hug, holding her tightly. He stroked her black hair, and muttered. "I'll find him, Aisleen. I'll find Ellander, I swear on Terra I will."

Aisleen hugged her brother back, wipping her cheeks off with her sleeve and whispered. "I know you will." With that, she let him go, giving a slight push in the direction of their mother's room. "Try and comfort mumma." She said softly. "You've always been able to before...you and..." She sniffled again. "Ellander's always been her favorite..."

"I know..." Estehl muttered, looking at the tiled floor of the hall way. He shook his head and moved to his mother's door, where the pages stepped aside, and he knocked.

"Enter." came a soft voice from beyond.

Estehl pushed the door open and looked about as he closed it behind him.

She was sitting in a high back chaired beside the window, watching the day dawning outside. Her stunning light honey hair was lose, spilling low about her shoulders. She was sitting demurly in the chair, her hands clutched in her lap, a silk handkerchief in them. She did not turn her fire opal eyes on him, she didn't have to.

"Why did you leave Court?" She asked in a soft voice as Estehl moved toward her chair.

"I...we...couldn't take standing there any more..." Estehl answered in a mutter.

"But did you have to go to the mortal realm?" Aiyla Errin asked, finally turning her eyes from the window to regard her eldest child. The eyes were sad, and lost. A mother in grief.

"That was my idea, mother, not Ellander's...I thought..." Estehl shook his head, then threw himself at his mother's feet, his head resting against her lap. "I'm so sorry, mother...I tried! I tried so hard to keep him safe..." Estehl muttered forelornly in a whisper, aware there were tears starting to prickle in his eyes. He never cried...never cried for anyone...except his mother...and Ellander.

He heard Aiyla sigh and a moment later, her fingers where stroking his hair as only a mother could, offering some symoblance of comfort.

"He's gone, Estehl...he'll never return to this court...or this family..." Aiyla said softly, turning her eyes back to the window.

Estehl closed his eyes against the suddenly rush of tears, but felt them slip down his cheeks, past his eye lashes and he clenched his fists. "He didn't...harm him, did he?"

Aiyla snorted softly. "Teliveer would never draw the blood of one of my children, he knows I'd kill him." It was the first time Estehl had ever heard his mother call his father by his given name and he opend his eyes, turning his head to look up at his mother.

There were tears spilling from those beautiful eyes and sliding down the pale cheeks, but she made no gesture to wipe them away. "No, Teliveer has other ways of being rid of him with out killing the boy...and he has done just that..."

Estehl's fist was clenched so hard he could feel his nails pricking the skin of his palm. "Mother...did you know...that...that man...that monster...he killed that girl..."

His only answer was his mother's sigh, and he knew she knew... Estehl had long known there was no love in his parents marriage. It had been a marriage of convinance. His father had needed a queen of strong blood, what better then the grand daughter of the Fairy King. Teliveer had demanded an heir AND a spare from his bride, and had gotten Estehl, his sisters and Ellander.

But what love Teliveer couldn't give them, Aiyla gave tenfold. Her children were her entire life. Each of them knew that. She loved them so dearly, she would have been willing to give her life for them. No more so, then her youngest and last born, Ellander. She loved him so fiercely, there were no words to discribe it.

Where Estehl was her pride, the heir, the Crowned Prince, Ellander was her joy.

Estehl watched his mother crying silently, no other sign then the tears falling thick and heavy from her eyes as she gazed out the window. He could see it, even now... her heart had been broken and it was slowly killing her.

Estehl couldn't stand seeing his mother in this pain, pain Teliveer had caused...pain Estehl had caused. He loved his mother more then anything. The only one he cared about more, willing to protect at all costs, would do anything for, was Ellander. He loved his sisters of course, he'd be willing to fight for them. But he knew, Ellander would have been the one sibling he would have died for.

It seemed almost a dream, to even consider Ellander gone. Who would slip him away from court, who would come up with the pranks that drove Aerieth and Arcanina crazy? What reason would Estehl have now, to keep rebelling against their father?

"I swear mother...I swear on Terra, and the crown, and my own blood, I will find Ellander, no matter what! And I SWEAR, I will find a way to stop Teliveer."

Aiyla turned her eyes from the window to look down up on him. She graced him with a soft, but very sad smile, and said softly in reply. "I know you will...my son. My Pride..."

****
When he left his mother's room, some time later, she was still sitting in the chair by the window, the sun up now and court beginning. But there was no way Estehl would even attend, not today.

He cast a look about the hall, not really seeing any of it, trying to figure out where to start, to find his brother. Aisleen had said Negellus had left the court, to 'search' for Ellander. Estehl decided that if he was to start anywhere, it was be with Negellus to find out where he'd gone, where he'd taken Ellander, and Estehl knew only one person who'd have any idea of where Negellus could have gone.

He turned and headed down the hall, in search of Jonathan. The young man had been Negellus lover for months, he knew many of Negellus' secrets. Then Negellus had shunned him, threatned to kill him if he told any one of their affair. Estehl wondered how the news of it, had reached the lips of the court attendies that had caused the scandle to surface, and why his uncle hadn't followed through on his threat.

He headed in the direction of Jonathan's family apartments. Jon's father was one of the duke's on his father's council, a general of the army. Jon only attened court if he saw Estehl was there, especially since the scandle had come out. So Estehl hopped, with court under way, and him not present, Jon was in the apartments.

"If you're looking for Jon, he's not there." Came Aisleen's soft voice. "He's hiding, down in the serverants wing."

Estehl turned to look at her. "Why?"

Aisleen snorted softly. "You'll see...go find him..."

Estehl turned with out a word, worried now, and headed for the severants wing of the palace.

Jon wasn't unknown for hiding in the servants wing. Some of his only friends, other then Estehl and Ellander, were amung the servants, two young women especially, who did not judge him, because he'd been kind to them, Brigit and Magdalen.

It was in their quaters that Estehl found Jon. He was sitting on Brigit's bed, sobbing, his black hair beraggled and bloody. Estehl saw the wound on the side of his head that had caused this, his cloths ripped and torn. His petite frame was trembling from head to toe, shaking with the sobs.

The girls had looked up from trying to consul him when Estehl had entered. They both dropped into curties. "None of that." Estehl growled, shutting the door behind him.

Jon looked up with a surprised squeak at hearing Estehl and he stared at him with those lovely enchanting amber eyes, full of fear.

"How did this happen?" Estehl asked, moving toward the bed as the girls moved away. He stood beside Jon.

"It's n-n-n-nothing..." Jon stuttered, lowering his head.

Estehl reached out and took Jon's chin gently, lifting it, to look Jon in the eyes. "Don't lie to me Jon, not right now..."

Jon was a delicate youth, far to feminine looking for his own good. Estehl was caught again, by his beauty and the shame that Jon hadn't been born a girl, like his bitch of a mother had wanted.

"Negellus..." Jon muttered, lowering his eyes, even if Estehl had his chin.

Estehl sighed, letting go of Jon's chin to sat on the bed beside him. "How?"

"He accused ME of being the one to spill the secrets of the affair in court...it wasn't me, it was his wife! She found out, she knew! She wanted revenge..." Jon cried. "I..I know what happened last night, and I would have headed him off...but he found me first...He knew I'd known he'd gone to get that girl...and that I knew you and Ellander had seen...what you'd seen. He said he couldn't kill me right now because his attentions were needed on making Ellander disappear...but he'd come back to finish the job afterwards..."

"He beat you?" Estehl asked softly, before sliding an arm around Jon's shoulders.

Jon snorted. "And then some. He seemed to be taking his anger over the whole thing, out on me..."

"Do you know where he's taken Ellander?" Estehl asked softly.

Jon shook his head. "No...it wouldn't be safe to take Ellander to his estate...I suspect he'd have to take Ellander from this realm..." Jon sniffled again, and began crying once more. "I-I'm s-s-sorry Estehl, I tried t-t-to stop him!"

Estehl sighed, drawing Jon to him, tucking his head under his chin and held him while he cryed, stroking his hair. "It's not your fault Jon..." Estehl said softly. "If anyone's to blame for this mess, it's me...for not telling Ellander and for not doing more to protect him..."

Jon pulled away until he could look at Estehl. "No! It's not YOUR fault!" He said with venom. Estehl smiled slightly, seeing some of that passion return to Jon's enchanting eyes.

Estehl shook his head, but changed the subject. "Does your father know?"

"He'll kill me...before Negellus gets a chance. He's already threatened...he stormed off to our family home this morning...my brothers...they've disowned me...I've...I've been kicked out of the family...not even my mother could protect me..."

Estehl frowned, taking the rag from Jon's hand, and wiping the congealing blood from the corner of Jon's brow. "They've disowned you?"

"Yes...I'm no longer a Murchadha...they've banished me from the estate...for bringing shame to the family. I imagine my mother is removing all traces of me right now..." Jon mutter misribly.

"Fools, all of them...It's not your fault Negellus seduced you..." Estehl said softly, brushing the hair back to see the wound. He placed his hand over it, his other arm wrapping around Jon's waist to keep him from pulling away and used his powers to heal the wound.

"I have no where to go..." Jon muttered as Estehl let go of him.

"Yes you do." Estehl answered, "You'll stay here...Negellus can threaten you all he wants...you're under my protection." He said strongly. Jon looked up at him wide eyed. "I swear on Terra I wont let anything happen to you, Jon." Estehl added, seeing the surprise in Jon's eyes.

He was vaguely aware tha that was the forth time that night he'd made the unbreakable vow. To break his word on any of those four oaths, would lead to his death, but it didn't matter, he meant every single of one of them, including this one. He wouldn't let any thing happen to Jon.

The only thing Jon could do, was hug him. He heard a muttered thank you from the beautiful youth, and smiled slightly, hugging him back.

"What will you do now?" Jon asked softly after pulling away, Estehl was sure he could detact a blush in Jon's cheeks as he stared at his hands.

Estehl sighed. "I don't know...if it's as you say and Negellus has taken Ellander from this realm...I'll have to find some way to find my brother. I swore I would...but even if I hadn't I'd still search...and I've got to find some way to avenge him on our father..."

He knew exactly what he would do with his father. But it would take time, and a lot of intericate and careful planning, but some day, he'd kill the bastard. for everything.

Jon seemed to know it would come to this as well and he turned his eyes back to Estehl from his hands, looking fearful again. "Esthel...you've got to be careful..."

Estehl snorted softly. "Don't worry about me, Jon...he can't kill me...the court and council would never allow it..." He looked toward the small window sat up high in the wall.

But Jon suddenly grabbed his chin now, and turned his head back to look him in the eyes. Estehl was taken aback by the force and mixture of love, admiration, fear and wisdom in those swirling amber depths. He felt something usual stirr in the depths of himself but couldn't for the life of him figure it out and when Jon spoke he was more focused on the words for the moment, the feeling he was having.

"There are things, Estehl far worse then death..." Jon said in a very soft voice, holding his gaze.