King Emhei looked away from the window as his sons entered the throne room. Fifteen suns had risen since the messenger had come to him. He had been certain of Calad's death by then. Yet, here his Heir was, safe and sound.

He stood and walked down the length of the hall to embrace his eldest. "Calad, my boy!" He said proudly, smiling at the young man. "Welcome home!"

"It is a pleasure to be back." His elder said evenly.

"Come, we shall have a drink and feed you up properly!" The King announced, holding the blond-haired young man at arm's length.

The other youth cleared his throat. Emhei looked at him irritably. "The Northern border has fallen, my liege." He said softly. "We lost half the men of the companies up there to the Dark King."

"I... see..." The King mused, looking sternly at the child he should never have had. "Calad would have held the border against the Dark King for me."

The youth looked at him haughtily. "Then I shall leave you and your dear Calad to feast and talk." He said angrily, bowing. "Good day, my liege."



Takid turned and left his father's presence. If the dratted old bat was not willing to admit that the Dark King was winning, then his younger son would make himself scarce. He growled angrily and hit his fist against the wall outside the large throne room doors.

Calad this, Calad that. It was never the perfect son's fault, always that of the younger. So what if Takid's mother was not the late, lamented Queen? It was not his fault but that of the King.

Takid acheived the security of his suite and closed the door. He crumpled wearily on a soft couch. His side burned. The darkness of his wound threatened to consume him.

That was the weapon of the enemy. Anything that was touched by the Dark King was tainted and could then contaminate others. Takid knew that the pulsing of the wound in his side was from the evil trying to take him. For a moment, he did not care whether it took him or not. Maybe if he vanished, it would please his father. For once.



"Why do you torment him so?" Calad asked his father as Takid left them. "He longs to prove his worth to you and when he attempts to do so, you shove him aside. He is as worthy of your appreciation - if not your love - as I!"

The King waved this thought away. "Takid is not my Heir nor is he worthy of being Captain. He was given that post solely to keep my honor in tact." He answered.

"Your honor is what is lacking in this situation!" The Prince argued, his eyes shockingly angry. "Be happy it is he you are tormenting and not I. For if it was I who was submitted to such, I would have gone over to the darkness long ago!"

"If he wishes to go to the Dark King then let him! Then he shall be of no plague to me." Emhei responded.



Takid felt his resolve slipping. He knew that his father would not care to lose him. Calad was the Heir, he had no need of a second son. A second Prince. All Takid was to King Emhei was a thing to blame happenings on.

He pulled up the edge of his shirt and looked down at the bubbling ooze of his wound. Fifteen days it had spent on his flesh. Bubbling and growing blacker. It hurt like a hot iron searing his skin fron the inside.

Why should he keep it inside? Why not let the darkness, the evil, consume him. He would probably be of more worth to the Dark King than he was to the King of Nerodrin.



Calad struggled to keep his composure. "Takid nearly died saving me from the darkness. Had he not done so, I would be dead and you would only have him. Maybe that is what should have happened, so you could learn to believe in his strength instead of mine."

"He deserves nothing from me. Not the crumbs of my bread nor the dregs of my wine. Nor any attention or favor for something he did not suceed in!" The King stated firmly. "You, Calad, are strong. As long as I have you - and I do not intend to lose you - I shall have no need to lie and say I believe in him."

The elder Prince closed his eyes. "He only wishes for your approval, Father." He said softly.

"And he shall not have it for disappointing me." The King replied.



Takid touched the darkness with his fingers. It felt soft, inviting and kind. It would not push him aside and say he was useless simply for being second born. Compelled, he invited it to take him.



"Why can you not see?" Calad exclaimed. "He is your son, the least you could do is accept that!"

"He is not my true son." The King answered curtly.



The darkness stretched slowly over him and Takid let out a soft sigh. Yes, he was worth something now. He was the Dark King's emissary in the last free country.

As the blackness finally covered him, Takid heard himself laugh harshly. "The Dark One will suceed." He found himself saying.

continue