Thankyouu- Barbara Leah (XXXthankyoooXXX)
MoonTideMyth

And OpulentRose (did you read up to chapter three or just the first? lol :3)

And anyone that read :D

~4~

The Prince's eyes opened slowly, sleep momentarily confusing him. It was barely dawn, the sun not yet risen. Even the seabirds were asleep and there was no noise from the palace. He grimaced and stretched his back out from his curled position. A groan slipped passed his lips as he did so, his muscles protesting.

He sighed and slumped back against the stone pillar he'd been resting on, wearily rubbing his dark hair out of his eyes. He was a mess; his clothes wrinkled and slightly dusty, his hair was in tangles and he felt grimy and unrested.

Rass stood and put a hand to the railing. Despite the soft breeze it was warm and the smell of spring. He smiled at that, the flowers would once again grace the grassy hills with vibrant splashes of color and scents. The children could always be seen carrying basketfuls of the flowers, laughing and skipping through the village. Istar was normally one of those girls but he doubted she would be bothered with it anymore.

With a jolt he remembered all the pretty girls and balls he would have to attend, his stomach sank. He would have to dance and make small talk. Rass swore and kicked at the dust with his boots. He made his way inside, walking unhurriedly through to halls to his rooms. A tired-looking woman emerged from the servant's quarters, she blinked sleepily at the Prince.

"Will you be wantin a bath, Milord?" she smothered a yawn.

"I thank you, Elsie, that would be nice." He murmured, ignoring how his stomach growled.

"I can also ask the kitchen staff to bring you some food, Milord." She offered pragmatically, used to seeing the Prince up at all hours looking a mess. She had lived through the Queen's death and had grieved with the royal family.

Rass smiled slightly. "You do know how to take care of me, Elsie." The woman beamed and set about her tasks. Rass wandered into his rooms and tugged off his boots. After dumping his shoes, tunic and shirt on the floor he went out to the balcony. He put his hands on the handrail and stiffened his elbows. His head dipped forward, putting most of his weight on his arms. The sounds of the maids drawing a bath roused him from his revere though he wasn't sure what he'd been thinking about.

"Milord? Your bath is ready and your food is on the table." Elsie poked her head through the door, looking at him worriedly. Rass nodded and drew in a great lungful of air, letting it out slowly. He went back inside to find his rooms, thankfully, deserted. It seemed exactly like something his father would do; putting an unwed lady in his rooms as a surprise attack.

After bathing and dressing he broke his fast without tasting any of it, the bread and fruit dry on his tongue. The bells rang for the change of the guards and he knew he should make an appearance before his father.

The Prince strode blindly through the now bustling halls to where the King ate in the mornings. When he entered his father was smiling at one of the serving maids who was ever so carefully placing a plate before him, her dress slipped down her shoulder slightly.

Rass felt a violent stab of hate, seemingly out of nowhere. The smile his father wore was something akin to what he saw the stable hands give the women working in the palace.

He shut the door noisily, "Good morn, father. I hope you slept well." He bit out, not taking a seat. The king glanced up at him and beamed, waving the maid over to the corner.

"Son! How are you feeling? You'll need all your strength for this week. Tonight you'll be meeting the first of your eligible beauties. Hopefully you can pick a suitable wife out of them but if not, well, you have all week." He smiled again; he thought his plan was genius, that there was no way it could fail. Rass knew better but he kept that to himself, simply nodding and turning mechanically to the door.

"Oh and Rass?" Rass looked back over his shoulder. "Do not disappoint me."

After leaving his father, Rass went in search of Istar, thinking to check up on her. She had been acting odd last night; it wasn't his imagination or lack of sleep.

But his sister's room was empty, and she wasn't in the stables either. He frowned as the boys shrugged and apologized, turning back to the courtyard. The prince sighed, rubbing his forehead.

"Excuse me your, highness?" a quiet query came from behind him and he turned. A small boy stood there, his brown hair a mess of hay and dust, his face also sporting a layer or muck. "You're lookin for the Princess? I-she-I think the Princess went down to the beach, My Lord."

Rass tousled the boys hair and hurried off down through the lower halls of the castle to the beach that ran the length of the land. He encountered no one who stopped to talk so he emerged relatively quickly. A sense of urgency was coursing through his veins, driving him on.

The salty smell of the ocean greeted him and he spotted a figure far out on the rockpools. He stopped and squinted, realizing that it wasn't his sister and letting his gaze move on, searching.

Rass finally saw her, crouched down on the sand, staring at something. He made his way down, careful not to slip. Sand trickled into his boots and he could taste salt. When he finally came to a stop at Istar's side he crouched down next to her. She was pale, her eyes wide and blank. He followed her gaze and found that she was looking at the figure out on the rocks. There was a flash of red and shivers ran down his back ominously.

He turned back to his sister. "Istar? What's wrong?" he asked gently.

Her eyes flickered slightly but didn't shift. Her lips parted and he saw that they were dry and cracked.

"It begins here," she cocked her head. "Perhaps not here, years ago."

"Istar, you're not making sense." Rass pleaded, fear tickling his heart.

She slowly turned to face him. "It begins again, Rass, son of Rathor. It begins from a tiny seed and grows outward. You will take the punishment of old." Her gaze slid back to the figures. "She does not fully understand the implications of her actions but, in the end, everything will be as it should."

Her eyes closed and she shuddered, her breathing ragged. When her eyes were dark, almost black. She breathed out heavily.

"You must accept this fate, without so much as a struggle. Do you think that is possible? To accept?" Rass suddenly shivered as he realized how changed her voice was, how otherworldly.

"Istar, why are you saying all this?"

"Answer me, Son of kings." She demanded, not looking at him.

He struggled to get his mind together, to think. "Uh…yes, I suppose it is. But what does it mean? What is my fate?"

His sister laughed and it was a joyful one but not the laugh he knew, this was colder, ancient. "Oh, boy, you do say odd things. Do you think anyone should know their fate, ultimately? It would cause an imbalance, a discrepancy in the stars. So, I will not tell you, you will go about your days in ignorance. But you will live. That is one thing I must impress upon you. You. Will. Live. Even when you think you cannot. Just live." She smiled wistfully at him the crumpled to the ground.

The Prince caught her, cradling his little sister in his arms. What had just happened? Had she had some sort of fit? Was she sick? Rass felt sick, it was as if she'd been another person. He glanced up and saw the figure out on the rocks walking back to shore, the vibrant shimmer of red dimmed somewhat but still there. He turned back to Istar and those words, spoken in that cold, strange voice, "You. Will. Live. Even when you think you cannot. Just live."

Just live.

Hope this chapter wasn't too boring…

Please tell me what you think and anything to better it!