Princess Ishtar smiled as she finished brushing her hair. Her mother, Queen Hilda of Freege, was going for a visit to Emperor Arvis of Granvalle, and had permitted her to accompany her. She looked at Ishtore as she passed.
"Take care of Teeny, won't you?" Ishtar asked.
"Of course, sister… but why do you get to go?" Ishtore asked.
"Because I'm older… most likely," Ishtar said. Ishtore gave Ishtar a quick hug, before she turned and went downstairs to depart with her mother. Ishtore took in a breath, before going to visit Teeny and Tailto.
Hilda and Ishtar arrived in Belhalla Castle. Emperor Arvis welcomed them in, and gestured to where Arvis' own children, Julius and Julia, were playing. Ishtar gave a curtsey, as Hilda suggested, before heading along to the courtyard. Ishtar walked on the two of them, and her jaw dropped in awe. Julius was waving his hands about, and small balls of darkness flying about. Despite the darkness, it was quite majestic.
"Wow…" Julia said, her jaw wide open.
"Heh… you think so..." Julius said.
"I think so…" Ishtar said. Julius turned, the dark spells disappearing. He looked at Ishtar, his jaw agape.
"Tee hee… you broke my brother!" Julia said.
"I… I did?" Ishtar asked, walking up to Julius. She held out her hand, and Julius took it.
"You're… you're pretty…" Julius said.
"Thanks… I do try and look my best," Ishtar said. Julius started looking about.
"Do you like our flower garden?" Julius asked, gesturing to the garden. Ishtar beamed at the flowers.
"You like them!" Julia said, coming around to give Ishtar a hug.
"Oh… I guess I do, huh?" Ishtar said, somewhat bemused by the pair.
"Will… will you be our friend?" Julius asked. Ishtar's jaw dropped.
"I'd… I'd love to be your friend…" Ishtar said.
"You will? You will? Thank you!" Julius said, running up to Ishtar and hugging her himself. Ishtar started blushing, trying to choose between hugging him back or pushing him away.
"Ishtar, time to go!" Hilda called out, walking into the courtyard. Her jaw dropped wide upon seeing Ishtar and Julius in a hug. Ishtar looked up.
"Coming, mother!" Ishtar said.
"Ishtar… are you and Julius…" Hilda said. Ishtar looked up at her mother, startled.
"Oh, this is so wonderful! My little daughter is currying favour with His Highness!" Hilda said. Ishtar was blushing furiously.
"We like Ishtar, Miss Hilda! Can Ishtar come visit more often?" Julia asked.
"Julia…" Julius said nervously.
"Why, of course! Anything for His Highness!" Hilda said.
Hilda arrived at Belhalla with Ishtar in tow on some random pretence about a week later. Introducing herself and Ishtar to Emperor Arvis, she quickly sent Ishtar upstairs to where Julia and Julius were playing. Ishtar gently knocked on the door, and Julia opened it.
"Ishtar! Julius, Ishtar's here!" Julia said, jumping up and down with glee. She moved to the side, and allowed Ishtar to approach Julius. Ishtar was approaching with great caution and a slight fear.
"Ishtar… are you all right?" Julius asked. Ishtar nodded.
"Ishtar! Ishtar! Come with me! I want to show you something!" Julia said. Ishtar turned, and followed Julia into a small side room. Julia was looking around the room, before coming back with a few items of clothing. First up was a long, black silken dress with a cut in the side, for Ishtar's leg to fit through. The opposite side was patterned with bolts of lightning. Accompanying it was a long, flowing black cape, with gold trim on the top and a red interior. There was also a set of white gloves and boots.
"I picked these out for you when I went out yesterday! Do you like them, Ishtar?" Julia asked, still excited. Ishtar had to admit they had a certain regal air about them.
"Do you want me to wear them?" Ishtar asked.
"Wear them! Wear them!" Julia said. She helped Ishtar out of her old clothes, and fitted her for the new. They were a little roomy for the moment, but Ishtar thought she would grow into them sometime.
"Come on, let Julius see, let Julius see!" Julia said.
"I'm coming…" Ishtar said. Julia pulled her out of the room, and Julius looked up at her.
"Wow… hi… hi…" Julius said in surprise.
"Hi, Julius…" Ishtar found herself saying, still in awe of what the two siblings had roped her into.
"Wait a minute…" Julius said. He ran to a corner, and looked through his things. He came back holding up a small tiara, which he draped over Ishtar's hair. Ishtar felt the weight sit quite comfortably on her head.
"Wow… she's beautiful, Julia!" Julius said.
"I knew it, Julius!" Julia said. Julius gave Ishtar another hug, and Ishtar reciprocated this time. Her heart seemed to be opening up to this odd little pair.
Her visits to Belhalla were frequent and amazing. Hilda seemed to relish in her newfound power as the mother to the future bride of the future emperor. Ishtar didn't care about such titles. All she saw were two beautiful friends, who treated her with a kindness Ishtar was used only to giving, not to receiving. Eventually, Ishtar joined in at a luncheon with Emperor Arvis himself, as well as his wife Deirdre, Julius and Julia, as well as a mysterious robed figure called Manfroy. Manfroy sat well away from the family and Ishtar, with which Ishtar was quite relieved.
"So… you're the Princess of Freege? Major Tordo blood, minor Fala?" Arvis asked.
"Yes, Your Majesty. If I'm honest, not a half-bad mage at the moment," Ishtar said.
"Impressive…" Arvis said. Deirdre simply looked at Manfroy. There was an odd light in her eyes… one of recognition?
"Are you all right, Your Majesty?" Ishtar asked, looking at Deirdre.
"…Fine," Deirdre said, going back to her food.
"Are you sure? Planning on picking up a second husband behind my back?" Arvis asked. Deirdre looked at Arvis oddly, before counting on her fingers. She scrunched her brow in confusion, before shrugging and going back to her food.
"Something seems amiss here…" Ishtar said. By then, the food had been cleared, and Manfroy had stood, clearing his throat.
"What is it, Manfroy?" Arvis asked.
"Nothing too major, my good sir… I have just brought to Julius a gift. May I?" Manfroy asked.
"Go ahead," Arvis said. Julius stood, and knelt before Manfroy. Manfroy reached into his robes, and pulled out a black tome. Ishtar didn't need to know dark magic to know that this tome had more magic than Mjӧlnir. She could feel the energy from here.
"Take this tome, Loptyr… take it, and awaken!" Manfroy said, releasing his grip on the tome. It dropped to the ground, as Julius writhed. Purple lightning was coursing through his body, and Julia grabbed onto Ishtar with concern. Eventually, the lightning came to pass, and Julius rose to his feet, carrying the tome with almost no effort. His eyes… something had come over them. They had been swallowed by darkness.
"Julius…" Deirdre said.
"Manfroy, explanation, NOW!" Arvis bellowed, glaring daggers at Manfroy. Manfroy chuckled.
"…Kill them," Manfroy said.
"JULIUS!" Ishtar cried out. Julius held his hand out like a claw, and a similar, dark purple claw appeared in front of Deirdre. He lunged, and the claw followed suit, piercing into Deirdre like a knife through straw. Deirdre dropped to the ground, and Julia ran beside her, letting Ishtar go. Ishtar barely noticed, the horror of Julius's actions sinking in.
"The power of Loptyr is quite impressive, is it not?" Manfroy asked.
"Sigurd…" Deirdre said. Arvis jumped.
"Sigurd? The traitor? What about him?" Arvis asked.
"My… Seliph… Julia…" Deirdre said. She placed her hand over Julia's heart, just as the pair of them were crushed by another of Loptyr's claws. When the claw was removed, Deirdre's body remained, with Julia's missing.
"Grr…" Manfroy said. Julius turned to Arvis.
"Julius…" Arvis said, a panicked note in his voice. A Loptyr claw appeared in front of Arvis.
"NO!" Ishtar cried out.
"Julius! No!" Manfroy cried out in shock. Julius looked up, stopping the Loptyr claw. He allowed it to fade, and saw Ishtar standing before him.
"Ishtar… no… no, what have I done?" Julius asked. The tome of Loptyr fell from his grasp, and Julius began to stagger. Ishtar ran forward, and grabbed him before he fell, pulling him into a hug. Manfroy was shouting about something, but Ishtar couldn't care less what.
"Julius…" Ishtar said.
"Gr… Lady Ishtar…" Manfroy said. Ishtar turned to Manfroy, terror in her eyes.
"Manfroy, I will not have you harming my Lady Ishtar…" Julius said.
"Julius…" Ishtar said with some concern.
"Julius? Manfroy?" Arvis asked.
"I have just fulfilled his destiny, after all. Julius has now become exactly as he should be, Arvis. You should be grateful that you get to keep your throne… Julius still has a long way before he can claim it himself," Manfroy said.
"Ishtar? Take Manfroy out of my sight," Arvis said. Ishtar looked between him and Manfroy. Compared to the Loptyr Claws, her own magic seemed embarrassingly feeble…
"Father, enough. Ishtar, you don't need to concern yourself with Arvis's wishes and desires… only mine matter, my sweet," Julius said.
"You've changed, Julius…" Ishtar said, a note of fear in her voice.
"…Maybe you'd be better if you had a night of rest? Go upstairs and take Julia's bed. We'll see how you feel in the morning," Julius said. Ishtar nodded only because she was still afraid. Of Manfroy, of Julius… even Arvis was scary in his rage. As soon as she disappeared from their field of view, the three of them starting shouting.
Ishtar couldn't sleep. She was left tossing and turning, the images of the dinner scene flashing through her mind. Manfroy gave Julius that tome… and then… Deirdre was dead, Julia was gone… Julius was different… it all came back to Manfroy.
"You awake, Ishtar?" Julius's voice asked.
"Julius…" Ishtar said, a note of fear in her voice. Julius sat beside her, pulling her onto his lap, one hand stroking her hair, the other her back. Ishtar wanted to push away… but she was still scared. Scared of Loptyr.
"Ishtar, there's nothing to fear…" Julius said.
"…There's a lot to fear… Manfroy…" Ishtar stuttered.
"Manfroy. He's had a talking to now. From now on, Ishtar, you listen only to me. My word overrules Arvis', overrules Manfroy's… should the need arise, overrules your family in Freege's…" Julius said.
"Julius, this isn't…" Ishtar started.
"Isn't what? Ishtar, I killed my own mother… who knows where my sister is… you're all I have left. Ishtar… please stay with me, as my Empress…" Julius said.
"…I don't know if I can…" Ishtar said.
"It'll all be fine someday. Once I take the crown, become the Emperor… I'll have no need of Manfroy. Then it'll just be you and me, to rule over Judgral as we please. Ishtar, I need you…" Julius said. Ishtar looked down over herself, then back into Julius's eyes. There was certainly less darkness in them than at the dinner table.
"…I'll try…" Ishtar said.
"Perfect! I know a few practiced Thunder mages… we'll have you trained enough to use the Mjӧlnir. You'll be a goddess to our people…" Julius said. Ishtar took in another breath.
Maybe being the Empress wouldn't be that bad.