The sun's warmth had always seemed to favor the high elves since we'd broken free of those insufferable fools who refused to see the value in arcane magic anymore, however today it seemed to be brighter than usual, warmer as well. The sky above was impossibly brilliant blue and the fluffy white clouds rolled lazily up ahead like an endless flight of fantastic flying creatures. The stones that formed our beautiful kingdom were warm and wonderful from that embrace of sunlight and were glinting beautifully… That was how it was the day I first met Kaelthas Sunstrider.

I was a little boy and to be fair, he was not too much older; he was in his adolescence at the time. I remember how I admired him. I wished I was him. He was a paragon of our kind, though he was to become a mage given his early proclivity towards the arcane arts, he still was well toned and his skin shone under the morning light. His hair was like spun gold and his eyes were as brilliant as the sky was that day. I was just a scrawny kid with messy yellow hair and the same blue eyes my mother had, like a lake, somewhat dark and murky, not like Kael…not one bit.

I first saw Prince Kaelthas when my father brought me to the palace that day. My father, Hyperion Sunshadow, was a magister and a very good one at that. He and King Anasterian had been friends for quite some time. Why he brought me today, I really couldn't say. I sort of assumed it was since mother was with the other rangers at the time. Whatever his reasoning had been, when he saw Kaelthas practicing his fire spells outside, he said to me 'Davene, why don't you go introduce yourself to Prince Kaelthas? I'll bet you'd like him. You're far too shy and you need some friends.' And with that, I was pushed by my father towards the young prince.

It could have been a showdown. For what seemed like forever we just stared at each other. Him likely wondering what this little kid was doing approaching the prince and myself not quite sure what to make of being told to just up and befriend royalty. After a time, though, he quirked an eyebrow and gave me a questioning look, a bored sort of stare like an older brother indulging the younger. I kind of liked it. I'd never had any siblings, only cousins and they were all girls except the one we don't talk about and cousin Belmont who was off fighting some distant threat, besides, Belmont was an adult, he had no time to spend with me.

"I…I'm Davene Sunshadow." I smiled awkwardly. My front teeth were missing. What a time to have lost them. "I….I think our f…f…fathers are f…f…friends." And of course a wonderful time for my childhood speech impediment to rear its ugly head. I really could have just died right then and there, I was sure he thought I was some sort of fool.

"Oh, right, Magister Sunshadow's son." Kaelthas smiled and nodded. "Yes, your father is a very skilled mage, but I think I can be better one day. So, what's your calling, Davene?"

I wasn't certain if Kaelthas was complimenting or insulting my father with his reply, he was better than the adult elves were already at the art of subtlety and veiled meanings. I had a lot to learn from him, it seemed. "M….My calling?" I looked up at him in unveiled, dumb confusion. I had no such skill and my feelings were worn on my sleeve. "Well…I don't know….I really hadn't thought of it, I'm just a little kid…"

Kael shook his magnificent head. "No excuse. When I was your age, I already knew I would be a mage."

"Well, you aren't one yet. What if you change your mind?" I frowned. I didn't like how Kael talked down to me, but I knew big brothers did that, so if I wanted to consider Kael an older brother to me, I'd have to take that as well.

"Davene, let me explain to you something my father, my tutors, everyone, has explained to me. We Quel'dorei are gifted with a long lifespan and over that time, we strive to reach our full potential. I believe that is what makes us superior to humans and the other shorter-lived races. We take one calling and we perfect it. Our priests are more blessed than the humans; our mages more learned…We truly are the superior race. You can't simply dabble like those others." Kael shook his head and spoke to me as a teacher chiding a willful student. I wondered if he was right. It seemed such a cruel thing to say about humans.

"… … …" I stared at Kael a good long time, then without warning, I tapped his shoulder and grinned, not really minding so much that my two front teeth were missing. "You're it!" I shouted and then danced out of his reach before running a few feet and looking back. Kael raised an eyebrow and stared at me. "I said you're it! You run after me and try and tag me."

"I'm familiar with the concept of tag…" Kael replied indignantly.

"Come one, afraid you'll spoil your dress?" I teased, tensing up like a wolf pup trying to entice a stuff older wolf into a playfight.

Kael looked at me in confusion. "I'm the prince of Silvermoon, you know." He replied in exasperation. "I could have you locked up for that." I could tell he wasn't serious.

"No you couldn't, you're only a bit older than I am, now come on!" I persisted.

Kael sighed and barely managed to hide a slight smile as he shook his head. "You should be running." He finally said, bolting towards me. I grinned and did a handspring, bringing myself just out of his reach.

"Come on, you won't catch me that way! Use your fancy mage skills!" I laughed, darting out of his reach yet again and down an alley. I hid behind a large crate and stifled a little laugh, it was nice to finally have a playmate, even if he was a bit stuffy.

"You're it." Kael's smooth, smug voice rang in my ear as his elegant hand clamped on my shoulder.

"Hey! How'd you get here!" I whined.

"Simple, I used my 'fancy mage skills' and I teleported. However had I not seen you bolt down the alley, I never would have noticed you there in the shadows. Have you considered a career in royal intelligence?"

"You mean that thing you don't have?" I grinned.

"I was being serious, Davene." Kael looked quite ruffled by my comment. "When you're old enough and have some training, see my father and I'll see to it that he gives you a position with our scouts."

I didn't take the idea much to heart at that time, young as I was, I thought it was just Kael being stuffy and yet still, his words that day would guide my career choice. I felt like I really did have an older brother finally and I hoped Kael and I would be friends for a very long time. All our lives if we could. I wish I'd been right.