They say that being part of a family means
to be a part of something that is wonderful.
That in a family you will be loved and
be accepted with open arms.
Being a family is where life starts
and the love never ends.
That's not true, not in the Orlando Family at least. For the past for generations it was the same thing over again. Life would start, yes but there was never love in the family. The closest thing to love in the Orlando Family was when the family had a gathering for certain things. For example, every New Year the family gathered and each child had represent their part of the family by sparring another family member. Gender didn't matter in the fight it was either child won or they lost. If a child lost on the very first round of sparring they had to stay in the garden without anything to keep them warm. If the child won, they were allowed to stay inside but they weren't allowed to play.
The founding Father of the Orlando Family was Tartarus Orlando. He was a wizard known as the king of god laying magic. He was married to Hemera Orlando and they had three children, their two sons Helios, Lelantos and their daughter Themis. All three children grew up to be such powerful mages that their father wanted them to have children of their own.
The Third and Fourth generations came along and the family was large. In the Orlando household of three generations were the amount of a four story manor that was alone in a hill in the Land of Seven.
The fourth generation children were between the ages of 6 through 9. By then that age it was when children of the Orlando family would be showing signs of magic. If they didn't they were put into shame. So far for the past few generations that was never a problem.
In the land of Foire
Gemma was walking through the forest in a bad mood. To anyone, he was always in a bad mood as if it was a life long habit for him. He was walking with his only daughter, Minerva who was only 7 at the time. For Minerva it was her first time to meet her cousins in person because in the past she wasn't showing any signs of magic but when she was 6 she showed her father that she had magic in her. Now here was walking with her father.
Unlike normal children her age, she wasn't allowed to smile that often because her father told her that it was a sign of weakness. She knew that her father hated anything that showed weakness such as mages who couldn't get stronger or crying for anything. She knew that for sure since she had been training under him and he had been outraged because she had cried before.
"Minerva."
Minerva looked up at her father.
"Yes Father?"
"This is your first time coming here to this manor. This manor is a home for winners, there is no room for losers. Once you meet all of your cousins the head of the Orlando family will pair you all off for later matches. It will be random first time or not, if you lose you will be punished."
Minerva looked at the ground.
"Yes Father I understand."
At the Orlando Manor
Family members were all gathering and they were all greeting each other but in honoring ways, not with hugs or kisses. The same went for the children they would just stare at their cousins and bow when they heard their names being introduced.
In one family the father was named Erebus Orlando. He had twin sons the older son, Thanatos and the younger son, Menoetus. Both sons were wearing a full body black suit with a red no sleeve vest over it. That both wore their hair back since it was a show of honor. Thanatos and his brother both wore very stoic expressions on their faces as they were being introduced by their father.
Erebus then turned his head and smiled when he saw his first cousin, Gemma coming with a little girl. Both grown cousin greeted each other then Erebus smiled at Gemma.
"This is your daughter Minerva, I assume."
"Yes, it is."
"These are my sons Thanatos and Menoetus. Don't mind them, they never smile."
Just then another family member came smiling.
"Is this their first time?"
Erebus smiled.
"For Minerva, it is but this year will be the third for my sons."
When Minerva heard that she blinked but didn't say anything. She just looked at the twins that were looking back at her.
Just then everyone all looked at the Head of the Orlando Family, Helios Orlando.
"Alright, the matches of the Orlando Offspring will take place tonight but first, all children line up."
All the children lined up and all the adults were impressed, there was 24 children. There were 10 girls and 14 boys so there would be a slight chance for a fair fight.
"Alright you are all the Offspring of the Orlando Family. You must spar each other in the dojo room. These matches are held to rank you and to see what magic you have within you. When you spar each other you have the option of using your magic. If you lose any of the spars that you are assigned you will be taken outside away from here. The Orlando Family is not a place for weaklings, it is a place for winners."
All the children bowed in understanding then everyone was dismissed.
Minerva went outside to go sit alone in the garden. She was nervous and wasn't sure who they were going to have her fight. She then heard footsteps behind her and looked over her should to see one of the twins. She wasn't sure who it was and she felt that it would be kind of rude to guess who it is.
She blinked in surprise when he smiled at her.
"Hey there, Minerva."
"Um, hello."
"I'm Menoetus, I understand if you didn't want to guess."
Minerva looked away at the ground. She wasn't sure how to talk to others without any problems. Thanks to her father she hardly knew anything about talking freely to other kids. Menoetus on the other smiled at her still. To him she looked kind of cute and that her green eyes stood out since they were in the garden.
"Hey Minerva, want to walk with me around the manor."
"Is it okay if we did?"
"Yeah it is."
He extended a hand to her and she accepted it. They both walked around the manor while everyone else had their own things to do and talk about.
They started with the first floor which had a large meeting room, two offices and the kitchen. Next they went back to the entrance and saw that there were two staircases on either side. They carefully went up one of them and walked through the hall. The second floor had four hallways. Two hallways were led by the staircases and they began to have a look around.
As they were walking they stopped to look in every room. In the hallway that they were both in, it had offices. Then they checked the next two hallways that were just bedrooms and they all looked neat. In the last hallway of the second floor were all dojo training rooms Minerva was interested and walked into the one of the rooms then she smiled when she saw all sorts of swords on the wall. They all looked clean and well kept.
"Wow, these are nice."
Menoetus went next to her to look at the swords.
"Yeah, when I get older I'm going to collect so many swords and have them just like these."
Minerva smiled at him and Menoetus blushed then looked away.
"Come on Minerva, let's go look around some more."
"Okay."
They both left the dojo room.
On the third floor the two kids saw a huge meeting room as if it was a room where the entire family would drink tea and have refreshments together. They began to look around the third floor even more but stopped and went back into the large room and saw that one of the walls was actually a sliding door so then they went to the room it was connected to.
On the other side of the door the children saw that the room was an art room. It had all sorts of art work from pots, fine tea sets, fans and paintings.
One painting was of a tiger but not any normal tiger, it was a black tiger with white stripes and it had red eyes. They saw another drawing but this one was of a child, a face of a little girl that had green cat eyes and she was crying. Minerva frowned to that painting then she turned around to leave. Well she was about to when she saw a painting of a hallway with people laying dead and at the very end of the hall was a pair of gleaming green eyes.
"Menoetus, these paintings are starting to scare me."
"We'll leave come on."
They turned to leave but stopped. Minerva blinked then looked up at the roof of the sliding door and saw a message written in kanji.
Light is within us as well as the Darkness. Which one are you to be?
-Tartarus Orlando
"What does that mean?"
"I don't know, let's get you out of this room, Minerva."
They went up the last floor which was the forth floor. When they to there they only saw two large rooms. One was for the head of the house while the other was for the bride to be, well that's what Minerva and Menoetus both assumed. After the tour they both went back to where the large dojo was because it was time for the matches to start.
Helios sat in a throne like chair and was looking at all the children that were going to sparring each other soon.
"Alright the first match will be Thanatos vs Eleos."
The two boys stood up then bowed to each other for their fight.
"When you're ready, you may start."
Eleos charged at Thanatos who dodged his punch and kneed him in the stomach then punched him to the floor. Eleos stumbled to get to his feet then he charged again but Thanatos kicked his feet from under him and grabbed his arm and flipped him over onto his back.
Eleos grunted in pain but couldn't get back up. Thanatos was announced the winner and he went to sit back in his seat.
The next match was Minerva vs Hersa. Just like the match before, they both bowed to each other. Minerva was 7 and she was going up against a cousin that was clearly older than her. When they were given a nod to start Hersa charged at Minerva who side stepped and did a roundhouse kick, hitting Hersa in the head. Hersa fell to her knees but got back up. She clamped her fists together then charged at Minerva again. This time Minerva charged at her as well and they kicked each other. Minerva's kick made contact with Hersa's head she she fell against the wall.
After Minerva was named the victor she went back to her seat. A few more matches were then called then it finally came to round 12 of the Offspring sparring.
It was Menoetus vs Soter.
Both boys began to spar in a hand to hand combat. They were going with speed in the arms then Soter jumped back as he was trying to catch his breath.
"Not done yet. You're going down!"
Menoetus didn't seem to be scared then he ran towards Soter and kicked him hard in the head and sent him in the air. When Soter was coming back down to the floor Menoetus elbow slammed him hard into the floor.
After that match, it was over for the first rounds. All the children who lost were taken outside while all the other children were getting called for the second round of sparring. Thanatos, Menoetus Minerva, and other children won. The same routine happened, those who lost were taken outside. It was already dark and because of it being the winter time it was freezing outside.
It was now time for the last three battles. The first one up was Thanatos vs Thrasos.
They both were fighting and they were at the same level but in the final rounds there no such things as a draw unless both fighters were on the ground passed out. The two boy were fighting then they both were kicking at the same time with their legs continuing snapping together then Thanatos did a backward sweep then kicked downward on Thrasos causing him to lose the match.
Next was Minerva and she was fighting another girl named Mercury. Others would think that they were sisters but they weren't. They began to fight in a hand to hand combat as well. It wasn't a fair for Minerva. Mercury was older than her but Minerva kept getting up to fight. Minerva charged at her with punches but they were all blocked. Mercury side stepped behind her and back fist slammed Minerva in the back of the head causing her to fall to the floor. Minerva lost that round.
The final match was Menoetos and Hamados. Everyone watched as the two boys were fighting. It's like they were both high skilled fighters in hand to hand combat. Menoetos kept fighting but to his father he smiled.
'My younger son is named for his temper and his skill in fighting. If he snaps this boy will weep.'
The battle went on then Menoetos ran to Hamados. When he got to him he kicked him but his leg was grabbed but he didn't waste time and jumped kicking Hamados in the jaw with his other leg. After he landed on both feet Hamados charged at him with a kick but Menoetus jammed his elbow into his leg then flipped him over onto the floor.
Helios stood up.
"This years winners are Thanatos, Menoetos and Mercury."
after everyone left the dojo. Menoetose was looking for Minerva then he recalled Minerva going with her father outside then he went out without being seen.
He soon heard an angry voice from behind a few bushes. He went closer and hid as he watched Minerva getting scolded by her father.
"Why are you so weak?! Who told you to fail?!"
Minerva was on her knees with her head down with tears streaming down her face.
"I'm sorry Father, please forgive me."
Gemma hit Minerva in the head.
"Don't beg for mercy you stupid daughter! I told you before that this manor is a place for winners not losers!"
Minerva flinched as she had tears streaming down her face.
"I'm sorry Father."
"Take off your clothes."
Minerva hesitaed but she took her clothes off then her took them then turned to leave back to the manor.
"When your tears have dried you can come back in, weakling."
After he was gone Menoetos was glaring even more than before. He knew what the Orlando Family rules were but this was too much for even him to see.
He came out of his hiding place and Minerva tried to cover herself from him. Menoetos took his robe that was keeping him warm off then he put it on Minerva who was shaking.
"Thank you, Menoetos."
Mentoetos looked at her then he looked away.
"You're tired and hungry, right?"
Minerva nodded then Menoetos smiled at her.
"I'll get you some food, wait here."
He quickly ran off and Minerva sat down.
He soon came back with some hot food then began to spoon feed Minerva the soup that he got. Menoetos smiled as he fed Minerva, even though it was their first time meeting each other he felt that he had known her forever.
"Thank you for the food."
"You're welcome."
Menoetose then lowered his head and Minerva looked at him.
"Is something wrong?"
"Is your father always telling you to take off your clothes?"
"Yes whenever I cry and he scolds me for being weak."
"You're not weak."
"Yes I am."
"This is your first year coming here and look at how far you got. Believe it or not people learn from their mistakes and then they try again."
"Is that how you become strong?'
"Not just that. If you were to have something you value then you would do whatever it takes to protect them."
Minerva looked down.
"I don't think I'm worth anything."
"To me, you are."
She looked at him.
"Really?"
"Yep. Minerva I promise you that when I'm older, I'll free you from your father."
"How?"
"By marrying you."
"Marrying me?"
"Yeah. I read in a book and I heard my mother say that when two people get married they stay together no matter what."
"Really?"
He nodded then hugged her.
"I promise I'll make you my wife someday."
"Like a pinky promise?"
He smiled at her.
"More than a pinky promise."
He leaned closer and kissed her. After the kiss she just stared at him then he smiled.
"I promise."
Minerva smiled at him then they both headed back to the manor without anyone seeing them.
Author's Note: How was that? I'm going to be adding more chapters to this fanfic I hope I did I good job. Let me know what you all think of this fanfic, Take it Easy!