Prologue

The afternoon spring sun brought warmth and life to Barhara on one particular day in Gran Year 771. Three children made their way through the palace gardens, traveling single file, though not at the same pace.

"Julius, wait up!" cried the girl in the middle of the line, struggling to keep pace with the child who ran in front of her. This girl looked to be about eight years old, and her long lavender-silver hair streamed behind her as she jogged through the grass.

The boy in front of her seemed to share not only her age but her approximate face shape, marking the two of them as relatives, though his hair was red instead of silver. He either did not hear her or pretended not to, as he kept up his hurried pace through the garden, apparently eager to reach their destination—or, alternatively, to keep away from her. The rustling of the grass as he ran meant that neither did he hear the thud and pained yelp of his relative when she tripped over the hem of her dress and fell to the ground.

The third child, clearly older than the others by two or three years, had been walking at a measured pace behind them. When she saw the girl stumble, however, her formerly passive face took on an expression of worry instead, and she hurried forward to tend to the younger girl. "Princess Julia! Are you all right?"

Julia took a few seconds to push herself to a seated position, and her expression looked somewhat pained, but she brushed herself off hurriedly. "Yes, yes, I'm fine," she said.

The older girl knelt when she reached Julia, brushing her own darker silver hair from her face when she came to a full stop. "Are you sure? Let me see."

Julia complied and held up her hands, revealing that the palms of her hands were bright, raw pink stained with green from skidding over the grass. "I guess it stings a little..."

The girl winced in empathy. "Ouch. Maybe we should head back inside." She looked up, fixing her eyes on the path of bent grass that the boy had left in his wake. "Prince Julius! Prince Julius!" she called, trying simultaneously to remain polite and get the boy to come back.

After several moments, the boy's distinctive red hair reappeared, and within seconds he jogged fully into view, looking worried. "What?"

"Your sister hurt herself," the older girl informed him. "If you hadn't run off like that. . . ."

"Please, Ishtar, I'm fine," Julia tried to say again.

"All right, all right, maybe you're fine, but your brother needs to apologize." Ishtar's gaze hardened as it turned back to Julius. "Isn't that right? Say you're sorry."

"Okay, okay!" Julius whined. "I'm sorry."

"Good." Ishtar rose to her feet, helping Julia stand as she did so. "You're sure you're all right?"

"Yes!" Julia said again, her normally sweet voice taking on an exasperated tinge. "I said I'm fine."

"Great!" Julius exclaimed, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "Do we still want to go over to the Climbing Tree, then?"

Julia faltered and looked again at her sore hands. "Uh. . . ."

Right then, the three children's interactions were interrupted by a distant voice. Upon listening closely, they realized that it was a young male voice, and it was calling Ishtar's name.

"Ah, that's my brother," Ishtar sighed. "Sounds like we have to go now."

"Oh, okay," Julia uttered.

"Hey, it's been fun, though!" Julius added. "Till next time, Ishtar!"

"Yes, see you later, Ishtar!" Julia echoed, joining her brother in waving goodbye to the older girl.

Ishtar's face broke into a rare smile, and she waved back at the twins as she walked away. "See you later!"

"Bye!"

"Bye!"

After several moments, Ishtar's figure disappeared behind the nearest hedge. The twins stood still, watching her until she vanished, when they began to walk slowly back to the palace.

It wasn't long before Julius broke the silence. "Hey, look, I really am sorry. I should've slowed down. . . ."

"It's fine, Julius," Julia insisted again, her tone demure. "I'm not bleeding or anything. . . ."

"But you still got hurt, so I can still say I'm sorry."

Julia stopped walking and looked her twin in the eyes. Her expression was one of soft surprise and gratitude. "Thanks."

Julius smiled. "You're welcome."

It wasn't much longer before they reached the palace. A woman with long wavy hair the same hue as Julia's stood in the doorway, and she smiled in relief when she saw the two children. "Mm, welcome back! Did you have fun with Miss Ishtar?"

"Mm-hm!"

"She's really nice."

"Mm, that's good. Are you done outside for the day?"

"I guess," Julius muttered, dropping his gaze to his feet.

Julia held up her hands by way of explanation. "I can't really climb the Climbing Tree with these."

The woman's face twisted into concern. "Aw, sweetie, does it hurt?" She knelt quickly and took Julia's wrists gently in her hands.

"Just a little, Mother," Julia answered honestly and politely.

The woman kissed her daughter's hands. "Poor thing. It's all right, you'll be all better before you know it."

Her mother's caring smile made Julia smile back. "Thank you, Mother."

The woman stood. "Well, your father and I were just about to have some tea. Why don't you two come and join us?"

"Sure!" Julia chimed, eagerly trotting forward to walk beside her mother.

Julius, on the other hand, merely stuck out his tongue. "Tea is gross."

The woman looked over her shoulder, her gaze twinkling playfully. "There are cakes too."

At this Julius perked up. "Cakes?"

Julia and her mother both giggled as they reached the door. "You'd better hurry!" the latter called.

Young Julius, of course, was loath to let his mother and sister start eating delicious tea-cakes without him. He jogged forward, eager to catch up with them.

"Hold on a moment, my dear prince."

Julius came to a rapid halt. He looked around quizzically, wondering where that strange voice had come from. As much as he liked cakes, he was also a fairly curious and easily distracted child.

"Over here, boy."

The voice spoke again, leading Julius to the source. He saw an elderly man standing in the corner of the room, swathed in a dark cloak. His face, wrinkled with age, was pinched and sinister.

"You're . . . that guy Father talks to sometimes!" Julius stated, recognizing the man after a moment of thought.

The man chuckled. "It seems you know of me after all, dear prince. I know of you as well, and I thought you might be interested in this." He pulled a thick book from the folds of his robes; it was bound in black leather, ornately decorated with a large polished stone set into the front cover. "Consider it . . . a gift, milord."