Bittersweet, final version

Fifteen years ago…


    Court, upon reflection, was a far worse torture than the bath, Tesco decided. To an energetic young eight year old such as him, few things were worse than the interminable boredom that accompanied most every function of his Majesty’s royal Guardians. The allure of being the son of one of the select members of the knighthood devoted specifically to the king had quickly worn away after nothing more exciting than a glass of wine being overturned on his mother’s dress had occurred in the three months that he’d been allowed to attend.
    As was the tradition, a youth of noble blood was required to attend at least a few of the sessions of court a year, to gain experience in what would be their life’s work. It was only worse when you were the son of one of the king’s knights. Then, you were required to attend all but a very few such events. It wasn’t right, the young feline thought. On the way to the palace in the carriage, he’d seen children of lower born families going about their games in the sun-drenched cobbled streets.
    Looking around for something to take his mind off the discussion (which happened to be rumors of the return of the virii, unsubstantiated as of yet), his gazed happened to fall on something that was definitely new. One of his father’s fellow Guardians was there, his wife in attendance. That wasn’t the part that interested him, though. Clinging to her legs were two young batchildren, looking about with wide, awe-filled eyes. Tesco strained to remember the names of the parents, and his brain offered them up after a few fruitless moments. Caden and Beata of the house Canon.
    Judging by their appearance, they’d be just about the right age to be presented to the court properly, Tesco thought. It wasn’t exactly a horrid prospect, either. He was alone in being the only child currently caught between the ages where he was part of the court, but not yet deemed ready to begin his period as a page. With the induction of these two, the boredom just might decrease.
    Court continued uneventfully for a short while longer, until the king asked if there was any further business to discuss. Caden stepped forward, standing tall and proud as his young wife approached the throne a step behind. The knight was in the prime of his life, lean in the style of his kind, with sharp features. His grey eyes were stern, shadowed by dark brows. He bore the scars of long service in the knighthood, but he bore them well.
    His young wife was no less impressive. She was truly beautiful, with the graceful carriage of someone having grown up in a noble house. Her eyes were violet and her hair was the color of gold, spilling down her shoulders to mingle with the russet dress she wore. Still standing at her sides, each with a deathgrip of the fabric of her clothing, were the two children. They were of a height, with tousled hair. They looked to be twins, a boy and girl both.
    Kneeling before the throne, Caden spoke in a strong, clear voice. “Your Majesty, if it pleases you, I would like to present my son, Nachtmusik, and my daughter, Aria, to the court.” Knowing their cues despite their nervousness, the two came forward. The young lad bent in a gravely serious bow, while his sister dropped a curtsey.
    The king’s smile was one of fondness, and he gestured for the two to approach. “Well, it is my great pleasure indeed to meet the both of you, young lord and lady Canon.”
    Tesco’s interest rapidly waned after this. He’d learned what he was interested in, already. Nachtmusik and Aria. Perhaps court wouldn’t be boring for too much longer.

Ten years ago...

    It was the height of summer, and the heat was merciless, oppressive. It pressed down on Aria like a cloak, making the young girl pause to take a breather. The tray in her arms had only grown heavier during the short walk from her home to the blacksmith's shop.
    She was bringing lunch to her brothers, Nachtmusik and Tesco. They were hard at work (and had been since dawn, she knew) caring for the armor of the knights assigned guard duty at the palace for the day. She knew they would relish the short respite from work her visit would provide.
    The young bat entered the cool shade of the shop, waiting while her eyes adjusted to the darkness. She could hear the clink of metal underscoring the voice of her twin brother, Nachtmusik. A moment later, she heard Tesco answer, and the shared laughter that followed.
    The sound made her smile. Thoughts of the lecture she'd received earlier on being ladylike fled her mind. Even the dresses that the ten year old hated so much didn't bother her as much in the face of that sound. Setting her tray down, she called out to the two. "Nacht! Tesco! It's time for lunch!"
    Almost instantly, the sounds of industry stopped, replaced by the scuffle of feet on the oiled dirt floor of the shop's back room. From the sounds of things, the two were pushing and shoving in a good-natured race to the front room. This was all a part of the daily routine, after all.
    Tesco was the first through the door, his blue hair damped against his tan-furred brow with sweat. He moved with the lazy, feline grace that was his birthright. Aria met his gaze and was struck, as always, by the intensity she saw there. Her brother in title only, he was older than Nacht and herself by three years and had hit a growth spurt which left him taller and broader at the shoulders than the twins.
    Following only an instant behind was Nacthmusik, who also showed signs of having been working all day in the heat. There was the familiar sensations of closeness that made itself known whenever the twins were in proximity to one another. Aria knew on an instinctual, empathic level that he was hungry, and that his left hand pained him.
    "Pinch yourself on the armor again, Nacht," she asked, making way as the hungry boys descended on the food like locusts on an orchard. Looking up from the roll he was already devouring, Nachtmusik nodded sheepishly. Tesco didn't bat an eye at the question; he'd long since grown accustomed to the twins' inexplicable bond.
    Aria reached over and rescued a pastry before all the food was taken. She'd had lunch with her parents before she came over, but she hadn't eaten much. The latest in a never-ending lectures on propriety and responsibility of being a young lady of noble blood had robbed her of much of her appetite.
    Taking a swig from the canteen Aria had brought along with the food, Tesco luxuriated in the coolness of the water. After he wiped his mouth, the young squire looked at the twins. They were easily the best friends he had in the world, the children of a knight who worked with his own father in protecting the king. In a few years, when he came of age and took his vows, he wasn't sure what he would do until Nachtmusik joined him in the order. Aria, he reflected, sadly, would likely be married off as soon as possible.
    The unhappy thought was followed by a new one: It just might happen that her betrothed would be Tesco, himself. Uncomfortable, he realized that was quite possible, even likely. Their parents were friends and might want to bind their families together for all time.
    Tesco shrugged the thought aside. It would be years yet before anything like that would even begin to become a concern. He could not supress a grin, though. Whoever was paired with Aria would have the fight of their lives ahead of them. She was a strong-willed girl, and intolerant of the expectations that she be a proper young lady. The person who thought to tame her would be sorely underestimating her spirit and personality.
    All too soon, the food was gone, and it was time to return to work. As they cleared up the tray, Nacthmusik begain to smile to himself. When Aria noticed this, she looked at him curiously; her twin was normally quiet and somewhat somber.
    "After we finish work for this afternoon, let's go to the lake. We have time before dinner." A hopeful expression on his face, he looked between the other two. Seeing their grins, he didn't need to hear their answers.

Two years ago...

    The sound of clanking armor rang through the stuffy halls of the palace, causing pain to Nachtmusik’s sensitive ears. All around him, the Guardians of the king were springing into action. The summer  day was already fading into what promised to be a long, tense night. It was only the latest part of the tragedy unfolding among the knighthood.
    Two days past, the Guardians had lost one of their own. Tesco’s father was slain in an ambush by unknown assailants. It hurt for Nachtmusik to think of his best friend in the world finding his father riddled with crossbow bolts, already gone cold. But it was as if the Colossii had turned their face from their children, because it was only the beginning of the whole sad story.
    Tesco had at first been inconsolable and incoherent with grief. It was only made worse when his mother, the lady Althea had heard the news of her husband’s death. She’d been unable to stand the reality of his death, and her mind had come undone in mere moments. It was if Tesco had lost both his parents in the course of a single day, though Nachtmusik. But it got worse. For it seemed as if Tesco had lost himself in the bargain.
    Tesco began almost immediately to rave about conspiracies within the ranks of the Guardians. When the other knights had tried to restrain him for his own good, he’d fought like a demon to escape them. He did gain his freedom when he ran one of his fellow Guardians through with his sword. The impaled knight, whose name was Lynch had released him and clutched his wound in shock. It was then that Tesco fled, vowing to find the killer of his father and take revenge.
    Lynch was lucky. His wound wasn’t mortal, and he would recover enough to see active duty within a turning of the season. This was all cold comfort for Nachtmusik and Aria, though. Their best friend, their older brother was on the loose, suffering from delusions and quite possibly about to make an error that could never be fixed.
    All these things ran through Nachtmusik’s mind as he patrolled through the corridors of the palace. Security had been greatly increased since Tesco’s escape. There was no knowing what the feline might try to accomplish in his madness, and no one was taking risks where the safety of the royal family was at stake. It had been a full six hours since the start of his shift as guard, and the constant wariness was beginning to wear on the bat. In the back of his mind, he could vaguely sense Aria’s worry. It was reassuring to him, in a way, that his twin shared his fears.
    Nachtmusik was lost in thoughts of his sibling when the hiss of a sword leaving its scabbard brought him back to reality with an ice-cold shock. Looking up, he saw the form of his friend, half-crouched in the shadows.
    The two days had not been kind to Tesco. His normally immaculate attire was stained and torn, showing signs of having been dragged through the worst of the area’s forests. His eyes were wide and staring, bloodshot with a lack of sleep. And his voice, when he spoke, hinted at the madness Nachtmusik saw within.
    “Just get out of my way, Nachtmusik. I need to get to his Majesty. He needs to pay for what he’s done to my family.”
   Nachtmusik’s worst fears were realized with those words. He stepped forward, trying to keep the uncertainty he was feeling from his voice. “You know I can’t do that, brother. Put away your blade, and we can talk about this. I can help you. I can-“
    “You can’t do anything! They killed him, Nachtmusik! And the king knew! He knew it was going to happen and he didn’t stop it! He let my father die!” Tesco’s shoulders heaved with ire, his fingers gripping the hilt of his sword tighter. “And now he needs to pay.”
    “I can’t let you hurt his Majesty, Tesco. I know he had nothing to do with your father’s murder, and if you’d stop to think about it for a second, so would you! Why would he?! Your father was the most loyal Guardian of all! The king’s personal bodyguard!” Nachtmusik noticed that he had drawn his sword. His fingertips were pressed against the fangs of the serpent that formed the crosspiece of his sword, causing a distant, dull sort of pain. He hadn’t even been aware that he’d drawn the weapon, and was surprised to find it there. He brought the blade up, setting himself into a defensive position.
   “You believe all the lies, don’t you, Nacht? You’re just their tool. You’re just like one of them.” Tesco took a step forward, his sword held menacingly. The flickering torchlight glowed red along the steel of the blade. “Get out of my way.”
    Nachtmusik felt the horrible weight of the choice he knew he had to make. He couldn’t believe his own words as he made ready. “This is the last warning, Tesco. Stop this, put down you weapon, and we can talk. Don’t do this, brother!”
    It seemed the time for talk was past. Rather than saying a single word, Tesco let out a roar of anger charging his comrade, friend and brother. His sword was raised high, poised to slash downward and end the friendship he’d carried for most of his life.
    It was if time was sped up for Nachtmusik. There was no time to think, only to react. He launched himself forward to meet Tesco’s charge. His left hand came out, the gauntleted fist slamming into the feline’s elbow. Tesco’s blade swerved, losing direction and most of the force behind it.
    At the same instant, Nachtmusik’s sword arced upward. Blood blossomed on his foe’s face as the tip of the blade cut a swath from his cheek, destroying his left eye in the process, before finally gashing his brow.
    Tesco’s roar changed into a shriek of agony as he fell to his knees. His blade fell, clattering alongside its master. He clutched his face, blood already gushing from between the fingers from the ghastly wound.
    Nachtmusik felt sick as he watched the tableau unfold. His sword fell too, stricken from nerveless fingers by the realization of what he had done. Even as he moved forward to aid the fallen knight, Tesco looked up at him.
    “Stay away from me, you traitor!” Tesco’s voice was raw with from the pain he was in. Somehow, incredibly, he managed to rise to his feet. He straight-armed Nachtmusik to the ground with one push, With one look of sheerest hatred, he bounded away from the bat and jumped through the window he must have used to enter in the first place.
    Nachtmusik was left standing in shock at watching his dearest friend in the world turn that blazing stare at him. One hand lifted towards the departed knight, vainly seeking his friend.
    “I’m sorry, Tesco.”

Today…

    Dirge gave a sigh as he looked over the battlements at the large village that spread out in all directions around him. Thoughts of the past were weighing heavily on him this night, making the already cloudy evening seem more overcast than ever.
    He was thinking of his old friend Tesco, now missing for two years. He’d left no sign of his whereabouts in all that time, and for all Dirge knew, his friend had perished of his wounds.
    Nor was Tesco the only one missing. Only months after that horrible night, Aria had fled her family and the protective embrace of the village of Vindell. Horrified by the seemingly endless restrictions placed on her as a lady of her esteemed breeding, she’d chosen to leave it all behind. Dirge himself had not seen her in all that time, though occasional flashes of feeling and emotion from his twin told her that she was still alive. He was able to tell little more than that, though.
    Dirge’s mind wandered back and forth over the time since the fight where he scared his friend and brother forever. In the aftermath of that horrible night, Dirge had been showered with praise and honors. For the foiling of a possible assassination attempt on King Markus, Dirge was granted entranced into the Order of the Knights of the Tears.
    This order was dedicated to the protection of the kingdom, and was the head of military forces for the Alition. Entry into such an organization was considered a high honor indeed. But it was an honor Nachtmusik would have gladly done without. On the eve of his entry into the order, he changed his name. In the family documents and all those of the kingdom, he would no longer be known by his childhood name. From that moment onward, he was Dirge. A name that was fitting, he felt, for the sorrows he bore.
    Over the past two years, many things had changed. Reports of the Virii’s return had been found to be true, and the Alition was once again called upon to defend the land from their insidious advance. Dirge had risen in the ranks of the Knights of the Tears until he actually held the title of commander. Now his greatest concerns lay within protecting as many people as possible from the spreading threat.
    Looking up at the cloud-cloaked sky, Dirge knew that his job was far from over. It was doubtful, in fact, that it ever would be. For just a moment, he wished he had a power to turn back time, to go back to a time when things were simpler.

Three young children lay at the top of a hill, watching as the clouds skidded across the azure dome of the sky. Two bats and a feline, they thought of themselves as one family, and thought (when they weren’t thinking of games to play and how to avoid their chores) that things would always be this way. “You want to go swimming,” asked young Tesco. “We can go to the lake until it’s time for supper!” Laughter echoed over the hills and over the still waters of Crescent lake as the three made a dash for it. Summer, and time, moved onward.