Meanwhile in the heartland of the Eclipse Empire, half a days ride south of the capitol, Ekleposus, in a place known as the Wahagem Palace, the clacking sound of wood striking wood reverberated across the lake''s surface, as two brothers faced each other in a friendly spar.

    "Don''t cross your legs." I said in rebuke, as I struck at Cyrus with a blow that nearly threw him off his feat.

    Lashing out in response, he swung his practice sword in a wide arc. Easily side stepping his attack, I punish his blunder with a wallop to the right shoulder, as I again instruct "Stop overextending. It leaves you open for a counter attack."

    Undeterred still, he retaliates with backhand slash, one that finally spells the end of this spar, as I hurl his weapon from his still inexperienced grasp, while saying "Don''t bend your wrists."

    Wincing while clutching his hand, Cyrus went to his fallen armament and said "Again!"

    Yet before I could reply we heard our mother''s voice calling out to us saying "That''s enough for now boys, or your food would get cold."

    Turning to the edge of the lake, where she stood with our others siblings, while being surrounded by maids, who were applying the finishing touches to our picnic on the large white blanket behind her. All the while my uncle stood by them, seemingly having fun with the twins, but in actuality his guard was on high alert, ready to smite any threat he perceived for even a second, adamantly refusing not to repeat his past failure.

    Turning to a downcast Cyrus, I say "We can continue after we''re done eating."

    Nodding his head in a dispirited manner, he began to trudge his way over to them while dragging his feet, as I took a moment to once again appreciate the beauty of the palace were were in. A palace known as the ancient pleasure palazzo of the Eclipse Emperors, built around a large oasis in the barren desert, and filled to the brim with all kinds of moral and immoral amenities that could cater to all the innocent pleasures or debaucherous desires any man, woman or child could ever hope to conceive.

    And it was this famed reputation, as well as it''s mysterious name that often garnered the attention of scholars and bards alike. Since the meaning of it''s name, Wahagen, has long been lost to time, and no historian, linguist or researcher has ever been able to decipher it''s enchanting name, regardless of the countless dusty archives they had rummages through, or the decades worth of time they had so willingly donated in the pursuit of this seemingly irrelevant question, which they believed would open the door to a new forgotten chapter in our history.

    Though, if one were to take the word of the minstrels and poets, who more often than not were a source of prodigal gossip and lavish flattery, the answer of this quandary that had eluded the greatest minds of the world is the Oasis of Paradise.

    "No, no uncle. I..." I tried to explain, but another voice interrupted me.

    "Brother! You''re getting married?!" The previously listless Cyrus erupted from his sitting position, and asked aloud in disbelief.

    "No Cyrus..." I again tried to speak, only for the usually restrained Nizam to question me with the same enthusiasm of our younger brother "Who is she?!"

    All the while, even Alisar, who has spent the better part of this entire trip glued to my mother, while occasionally fidgeting uncomfortably with her toys in a poor attempt to show hide her fear that was born from the incident a few months ago, looked at me with her large, beautifully clear black eyes with desperate curiosity, as if she were a stranded sailor desperate to quench his longing for solid land.

    Feeling the weight of that eager gaze, as well as all the others, who seemed to stare at me with the same ferocity of a shiver of sharks who''d smelled blood in the water, I quickly exclaimed in fear of being cut off again "No! I will not be marrying anyone on my birthday. I''ve said this countless times, to both all of you and the council. I completely and absolutely have no interest in any of the candidates you have presented to me."

    Hearing my words, their piercing eyes seemed to lose most of it''s edge, as my uncle said shrugging "I figured you''d say that again... A shame though to get my hopes up."

    "True, but I suppose it''s still for the best. After all, none of them could''ve made a good partner for brother." Nizam, who had returned to his usual self, stated calmly.

    "Exactly!" Cyrus also quickly endorsed Nizam''s words, before he continued with a deep scowl across his brow and an unspoken vexation in his tone "They were all so stupid. They didn''t even know how to properly perform a royal salute. They would just walk in and then freeze as soon my brother looked at them! Honestly, I can''t imagine how they were thinking to be my brother''s wife when they''re so useless?!"

    It was only at the end of his rant that he noticed the shocked eyes staring at him, which caused a healthy blush to emerge upon his face, as he embarrassedly lowered his head, ashamed by his outburst.

    A shame I thought to be unwarranted, as it was only a mirror of his inner thoughts and feelings. Things that brought me great warmth and happiness, as I truly felt the depths of his care for me.

    But as I thought that, my uncle was having a hilariously hard time trying to maintain a straight face at the moment, as he thought ''My dear nephew, you shouldn''t really blame them, since many of those women were the cream of the crop of the Empire, having been groomed since childhood to become the paramour of the future Emperor. It''s just that your brother is simply far too scary! I mean for the love of the Gods, even I''d sometimes feel an uncanny shudder charging across my entire being when I''m around him, so what''s to speak about those young damsels.''

    His thoughts only stopped when Isaac materialized next to me with a pure white letter in hand, his features the chiseled definition of grim.