Chapter 1: Disgrace

"Iza-nii, your turn." A quick nod was given and the crook moved as Izaya decided on his next choice of pawn that would lead to his victory.

A hydrangea petal dropped onto the board as a particularly strong breeze rushed along the backside of the yard.

"Are you winning?" Tails of twins dangled above the game of chess as the younger sister hung upside down one of the massive tree branches the oak tree provided. Her dress as well as the garments underneath had turned upside down. The busty crinoline had been cast aside long ago and a nearby squirrel fondly looked at a couple fruits that had been abandoned in the grass next to it as the siblings were enjoying the first day of spring.

A small table used for afternoon teas and a set of chairs had been carried to the garden by their servants. The third chair was vacant as Mairu had abandoned her seat ages ago.

Morning dew from the oak tree's leaves was soaking the frills on the girl's cloth as she quizzically eyed the game's progress from above.

"Mairu, that's very unlady-like," Izaya reminded her curtly, although there was not much bite to his words.

As if she were trying to prove a point she let go of the branch with both arms to reach out and knock over one of the pawns that had already been cast aside.

"Who cares?" Rustling the tree protested as the young girl executed a couple quick movements to push herself off the tree. With ease she landed on both her feet in the freshly cut grass and spun around to look at her older brother once more.

"Now are you winning or not?"

A simple shrug was given and something that might as well could be interpreted as a soft grin.

"Who knows?" Izaya knew she was secretly rooting for her sister as their matches usually ended with more losses on her side.

Opposite to the rather untameable spirit of her sister, Kururi presented a perfect example of a refined duke's daughter as her eyes scanned the board in silence. Hands folded in her lap and not a single hair sitting wrong their private tutor probably would compliment her for her composed stance and natural calmth.

With the elegance of a butterfly kissing the petal of a rose she finally lifted her hand to move her queen.

Another pawn was moved by Izaya's response and Mairu watched her sister´s expression slip for just a second to make room for a hint of surprise.

"I lost."

Confused, Mairu eyed the board. Despite never having been exceptionally good at chess she still grasped the rules and understood them well enough to evaluate the situation on board.

"Huh? But your king is still safe?" The board had barely been touched and most of the pawns were still in their original setting.

"Two." The timid sister replied, only doubling the confusion.

A soft snort followed from her older brother as he got up from his seat.

"She means two turns until her king is check mate." Elbows propped up at the delicate table Mairu´s brows furrowed into a frown as she tried to comprehend what those mentioned moves could look like. She seemed to fail, however, as she pushed herself off the furniture again.

"Seems complicated."

"I could always give you another lesson."

"No thank you, it already sucks that we have to study arithmetics." A nod was given by the timid sister as well.

"Sucks."

Hearing his usually behaved sister spell words like that, Izaya couldn't help but laugh. Laugh and cough as his lungs suddenly decided that it was time again to suffocate him.

His eyes squeezed shut in a short moment of pain. Each cough felt like a knife of silver ramming inside his chest.

"Iza-nii-"

"Are you okay Iza-nii?"

For a few seconds his shoulders shook as he tried to get his breath back in control. Expressions of worry reflected in his sister's faces. Mairu had scurried over, and even though she was usually quite the violent force of nature her hand now delicately brushed across Izaya's back as if she were afraid to break him.

The coughs finally subsided and Izaya found his voice again.

"Don't worry, I'm fine."

Movement from the side drew Izaya's attention as he assured his sisters.

One of the maids. She was glancing towards the three with not a shred of compassion. Izaya scoffed. He knew they were talking about him. Chattering in the kitchen and wherever else they gathered to gossip about the useless duke and his even more worthless son. They were looking forward to every discomfort life could possibly provide for the royal family as if they were their sole entertainment.

Then again, they just matched the duke- sick in his head just as everyone else in this castle.

Now approaching the maid came closer, obviously she had not only been here for her own amusement.

"Master Izaya, your father requested you." Sick. That's what the maid´s smile on her face was as she spoke about the duke of the manor.

Considering they got fucked each night by Izaya's father it was a miracle he didn't have siblings other than the again his father had probably destroyed his fertility with all the wine he endeavored each night.

Wordlessly he got up from the delicate table.

He could feel the worried gazes resting on his back as he left his siblings and entered the castle. If their father summoned him to the study then he had to follow.

No matter if he wanted to or not.

Cold halls, decorated with armory and flags of the various territories that the duke had control over, passed as Izaya followed the maid. It was funny, none of these victories had been achieved in his father's lifetime but he acted as if he had claimed the lands all by himself.

Even in his attire. Wearing clothes equal to what the king had to be wearing he clearly overestimated his own status. Not that he wasn't aware of it. Stupid as he was he wasn't dumb enough to carry that kind of attitude to the royal court.

No. But here at the castle? He acted like a king alright.

Approaching an old oak door that had been left open he spotted the man of the hour.

Sitting at a large desk crafted of the finest wood and decorated with useless gifts from subjects of slightly lower status than their own, his father took a second to glance at his son.

Disappointment reflected in his eyes and he turned his eyes away as quickly as he had raised them. Well, Izaya couldn't help it. His stature was rather fragile, his health deteriorating and the clothes his father forced him to wear did anything but flatter that fact. Red Velvet encasing his torso and the garments of gold and black stringing up to his way too small shoulders probably provided a sight equal to a child wearing too big clothes. Just that it wasn't his size that was the problem but his lack of being a successor of tremendous strength and capability to slay dragons with one arm. That's pretty much what his father would have rather had, he supposed.

Bowing softly the maid that had been accompanying Izaya took off.

"I will be gone for a week starting three days from now." His father announced, without wasting another glance on his good for nothing offspring.

"I expect you to act the part."

"The occasion?" Izaya questioned curtly, his voice was as void of emotion as he could manage. He didn't accidentally want to get on his father´s bad side after all.

"Two actually." The duke informed, picking up what seemed to be letters of invitation. "A banquet and a hunt, arranged by two of our neighboring countries. Former is to take place the day after tomorrow and the latter the following day."

That close?

Traveling to the borders of their own land took about a day- and one more should be included to travel from one location to the other. In other words it was going to be a run against time to make it to both.

"Couldn't have picked a worse time to set their stupid events," the man complained further and flung the envelopes into the fireplace to his right. He had to appear at both. Being the only male heir to this land he had to show presence openly so as to not lose the prestige he so loved. But making it to both of these was close to a gamble. And choosing just one occasion to appear on would only offend the other party and worsen economic transactions.

Hesitating shortly, Izaya stepped forward. This occasion obviously needed two people present- and he was the only other option left to take.

"I could join in this single instance."

The cane hit his face faster than he was even able to react.

"You think I want to become the laughing stock of the commoners?!" Having gotten up from his seat the man now towered over his son.

"I would rather get accused of witchcraft and burnt alive than having our name dragged through the mud."

Feeling the sick taste of iron taint his lips at the corner, Izaya chose to stay on the ground- but not to step back on his words.

His father was being unnecessarily stubborn. Their country was going to suffer if he didn't attend the invitations respectively.

"You have to appear at both," he mouthed slowly, reading himself for another hit with the duke´s favorite cane. But surprisingly this time his father didn't bring it down.

Frozen in place merely an expression of disgust crossed his father´s face as he looked at his son on the ground. It must have been quite the unpalatable sight to take in.

"And show what a burden to the family you are?" Like ice on raw skin the words cut through the silence.

"It's obviously set up to get to see my crippling son. But if that's their goal I will love to disappoint them." The floorboards protested as the father traced back to his desk.

"You are dismissed."

Wordlessly Izaya picked himself from the ground. A soft cough escaped his lips as he straightened himself- and his father´s look couldn't have been any more disappointed.

"At least die from your sickness and stop being such a disgrace." Nothing was retorted. Nothing said as Izaya slipped out of the study and the door was closed.

His father's reaction, his treatment- it was what he had to face day by day. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Izaya, his son, was something he rarely talked about. An embarrassment, weak as he had some unknown and apparently incurable illness that made it hard to breathe. It was hard. He couldn't even hold a sword for longer than a few seconds until the strain on his body sent him into a coughing fit. Even while walking, simply living, Izaya constantly felt this heavy weight on his chest. He had to breathe evenly and slowly at all times so as to not trigger a set of stabs to his chest.

He might be smart, smarter than their private tutors if he may say.

But what good does intelligence or the chance of wit prove for a man in the face of battle? At least that was the argument his father had presented when informing him that he would never become the successor of their name. Mairu and Kururi´s children- those were probably more fit.

Said siblings were already to be spotted down the hallway. Despite better knowledge they had followed their brother into the manor. Now seeing the bruise that was starting to form on Izaya's cheek their worried frowns turned into anger.

Kururi was faster than her sister as she hurried over, worriedly brushing across the swelling cheek.

"It's okay." Izaya assured.

"It's not." It was Mairu who had complained. "I will tell him to stop." Fists tightened she stomped off into the direction of the study- it was Izaya holding her back as he quickly caught his sister by her wrist.

"No, don't." They all hated him. The duke. But that same didn't account the other way round. While their father despised Izaya's soleil existence he wasn't set quite as negative towards his daughters.

He didn't hit them. Didn't yell at them. Sure he wasn't exactly a loving father either but it was at least a better fate than Izaya's.

"But-"

"I don't want you to get on his bad side. That would be worse for me than any hits or insults from his mouth, you understand?"

Silence.

This time not even Mairu replied anything as she merely nodded in solemnity. He couldn't blame the two. Even considering they were experiencing only a small amount of the duke´s schemes and errors it was getting more notable day by day.

They were young. They should enjoy themselves as long as they could without having to worry about their brother or the future of the manor.

Clapping his hands he tried to snap the two out of their gloom.

"Now, I'm hungry! What about you two?" Soft nods were given. The twins both knew there was nothing to be done about the situation. Walking down the hallway and a set of fancy stairs that curled in on themselves they made their way to the dinner hall.

It was excessively decorated, just like the rest of the manor. Dinner was ready to be served, just as usual. At least the maids did their job alongside their gossiping.

"Lady Kururi," one of the butlers addressed his sister as he pulled the chair out for her. A soft nod was given, but not more.

… the mood was still pressed. And the fact that Izaya had to chew a little bit more slowly due to his latest injury didn't go by unnoticed either.

Izaya couldn't blame his sisters for worrying, but also couldn't do anything to change that matter.

His father hated him to the bone from the moment he was born. As long as his mother had still been alive he had at least been spared from his regular outbursts and moods. But then his sisters were born and like so many women their mother passed the very same night. Their father turned to his beloved liquor and Izaya took it upon himself to care for his sisters. One might think the duke would be grateful for his actions, but the opposite seemed to be the case. Seeing Izaya dote over his sisters apparently was even worse than not being able to uphold a decent sword fight.

His name had been scratched from every letter. Not mentioned to anyone outside the manor. He wasn't allowed to leave either. Some people in the kingdom even thought he already died since he was nowhere to be seen.

Rumors about some kind of witchcraft were cursing around. About how the duke sacrificed his son to enhance his daughters´ beauty.

But the common folk didn't seem to mind that either.

Kururi was rumored to never talk, which actually came pretty close to the truth, as she had never been a girl to speak a lot. But what knight would mind a wife that didn't talk back? Mairu was rumored to be just as gorgeous with a bit more fire- agile and graceful in every way and a stunning image of her late mother.

In other words, the finest brides.

"Ladies, new gifts have arrived." One of the maids came in, followed by a couple more servants carrying various packages of the finest clothes and presents.

His sisters barely turned twelve the week before. Quite the sick taste to already go for marriage at that age in Izaya's opinion. But the rumors had also enhanced the interest in both his sisters. So it was probably a wise move to start showing interest early.

Eyes sparkling back into light the two sisters glanced at their brother for a moment.

A soft chuckle escaped Izaya's lips. Well. As long as it made the two happy he wouldn't mind.

"Go on open them."

"Yay!"

Almost instantly the two abandoned their half eaten dinner and scurried over to their gifts. It was nice to watch them. All happy over the brushes made of silver and gold, hand mirrors decorated with the most delicate jewels and of course the clothes.

Despite being a bit too big as their future husbands obviously didn't know their sizes, the two seemed to love every single piece. Especially one dress seemed to have caught Kururi´s interest as she held the fabric close. It was a dark wine red, covered with just a few garments of golden leaves and strings of black. The sleeves had barely been cut and almost matched the dress in length. Izaya knew for a fact that she loved long sleeved dresses like this.

"Can we get them accustomed?" Mairu questioned the butler eagerly, pointing to both a set of dresses she had chosen, as well as her sister´s favorite piece.

"Of course my lady." A wide grin spread across her lips as she pressed one of the dresses against her chest. Taking the sleeve she imitated wearing the fine fabric as she bowed to her sister.

"Lady Kururi~" Chuckling softly, Kururi mimicked the action, grasping her new favorite dress delicately as she bowed in return.

A soft clap of hands was given as their private tutor entered the hall.

"Ladies, it's fairly late. You have a lot of studying to be done by sunrise," she announced, immediately causing Mairu to cringe.

"Once I'm married I won't ever have to go to bed this early." She announced, bouncing back to the gifts she had received.

"You may, but for now you are a young lady. And one who requires a healthy dose of sleep."

The glance his sister cast towards their tutor was priceless and Izaya had a hard time trying to hold back his laughter.

"She is right, you know," he finally said, after clearing his throat and regaining composure.

"If Iza-nii says so..." Mairu sighed, but dropped the dress. The tutor seemed to be grateful for Izaya's help but her glance didn't really let it show.

Dancing over with a few quick steps it was Mairu who surprised her brother with a quick kiss on his cheek.

"Good night, Iza-nii," she announced, grinning as she ran towards the hallway leading to their sleeping dorms. "No running!" The tutor called as she hurried after the wild child.

Kururi approached her brother as well, mimicking her sister´s former show of affection and hugged her brother.

Letting his hand rest on her head for a second he smiled at her.

"Sleep well."

A soft nod was given and with that she followed her sister. Within a few seconds the dinner hall that had been so filled with life suddenly grew cold.

Empty.

A few servants were standing in the corner, ready to act if commanded. But Izaya would like it better if they weren't there at all. He knew the second he left they were going to rant and gossip about his relationship with his sisters. It wasn't fitting for a brother to be this close to his siblings, but hell Izaya couldn't give less of a damn what the staff thought of him.

"I will retreat for the night as well," he announced curtly, the chair screeching as he got up from the table. He wasn't really in the mood to eat anyway. His cheek stung just as much as the realization that their father was going to bring misfortune to their land.

Izaya was the only son of the duke. A not very smart duke. His father had no idea how to treat his land nor his people. The former argument about leaving the castle was but one of his ill judgements he had taken recently. His father may have power- but power in the hands of an idiot was dangerous.

The money he collected from his subordinates and folk was just used for expensive banquettes, the kind of which only kings should be able to afford. Money was wasted on wine to no ends and in general all his father really looked out for was prestige.

How he appeared in society.

Not what his folk had to suffer due to his neglect, nor the way their lands slowly deteriorated year by year. Not to mention the animosity within their own rows. Apart from treating his entire staff like prostitutes and slaves he had… a kind of sick streak of sadism. While disciplining servants was nothing too uncommon, it was when it came to his father.

He didn't exactly know what happened down in the basement, but considering few of their servants went missing on frequent occasions he was quite keen on not pressing too hard to find out.

As long as nothing dire happened he would be better off this way.

It was when Izaya walked towards a set of stairs that led to his bedroom, that he noticed light streaming from his father´s study.

Stopping in his steps he turned. Curiosity had taken the best of him- or rather a sense of obligation. After all, it wasn't the first time his father had fallen asleep drunk in between his candles. With the wax low and easily ignitable paper everywhere he wouldn't wanna risk setting the study aflame.

Quite his shadow approached the door. He spotted his father easily, still sitting in the same position he had last seen him in this afternoon. But he wasn't asleep.

A bottle of wine, half empty, was standing on the desk, next to a poured glass. A couple emptied ones were spotted on the ground.

He seemed to be enjoying himself. A massive grin had spread across his features and he looked at a yellowed paper resting in his hands.

"What are you bending your neck for?" Startled Izaya jumped in his skin. He hadn't thought his father had spotted him. Ready to get scolded or maybe beat up once more stepped into the light. However, this time he seemed to be in a fairly good mood. Waving him over, his father pointed towards a chair next to a bookshelf in the study.

"Come here." A bit lost, Izaya did as told. His father had not once started a conversation without any dire reason forcing him to.

"Today is a wonderful day," he continued while taking a big sip from his glass of wine.

"...did something good happen?" Izaya asked, hoping that making his father talk about the matter would keep him in a good mood.

However it seemed to have been the wrong move as his father scoffed.

"What a stupid question. A stupid question by a stupid son." The light of the candle flickered and his father reached for the bottle once more to refill what he had taken from the glass.

"But at least your sisters will be worth something."

Ears perked Izaya froze in his seat. His father rarely mentioned the two and hearing they were the topic of his joy somehow caused a sick feeling to grow in his stomach.

"Mairu and Kururi? How so?"

A gruesome smile spread across the duke´s face as he snickered.

"The king. He will soon die. And then it´s his incapable son´s turn to fill the void. So young, undoubtedly easy to manipulate," he sang, giddily chucking down the glass he had poured.

The king?

Izaya had heard rumors about him.

Hella scary rumors. If Izaya's own father was bad compared to him the king was living hell. Maybe not towards the common folk, or money wise, but towards his own family. There had been rumors going around of him taking his right to the first night of his oldest son´s wife.

Daily.

He was rumordly treating her and everyone else in the castle like his own prostitute and slave. Some of them ended up dead on a regular basis. Said older son had fled the castle and abandoned his duty on becoming the successor because he couldn't take the man's cruelty. There had been rumors of death threats going around and even one that said he might as well have killed his son for defying him one night.

The younger brother- and now successor to the throne was apparently an even worse demon taking right after that monster.

Easy to manipulate?

As if.

Izaya doubted men like these could be controlled.

"What does the future king have to do with us?" Izaya tried.

And this time, his father seemed pleased by the question.

"He will marry one of your sisters."

The words smashed his face worse than the pain from the cane had earlier.

The chair screeched as it fell over and Izaya's voice cracked at the sudden loudness.

"You can't be serious!"

Almost instantly Izaya's expression fell- simultaneously to which his father did. He noticed his place too late.

"You dare speak to me that way?!" It took barely a second for his father to get around the table and into Izaya's face. One, two, three- more times than Izaya was willing to count the man brought his fists down.

"Who do you think you are?" Another. "Do you have the money to finance this manor?! Do you have any idea how hard it is to lead a land?!"

He probably had a better idea than his father, but he wasn't stupid enough to say so as the wine glass his father used prior was cracked upon his head.

Red liquid with a mixture of blood and wine trickled down his temple as he faced the ground. Izaya's arms shook to support his weight.

Sometimes it was infuriating how pathetically weak he was as he covered and waited for his father's rage to subside.

After a few more hits the duke stopped. Leaving off his good for nothing son he traced back to his seat and let himself slump into it.

"How are you so sure he will even marry one of them?" The question was risky- probably triggering another set of hits, but Izaya couldn't get around asking.

He had to know. He had to know whether this was just some stupid fantasy his father had half-drunk come up with or whether he actually based this marriage on true facts.

After all, it was the king they were talking about. Why marry his son to a lowly duke's daughter? There were better chances around, princesses, prestigious enchantresses. Hell there even were better duchess around if it came down to land and possession.

A sly smirk drew across the duke´s features.

"Because of his honor. There is a debt left to fulfill, and the king is not a man who would back down on his words." A letter was picked up from the table. A letter with a seal. A seal that unmistakably showed the king's insignia.

This was real.

He was not joking.

"Now get out of my sight!" The duke bellowed, "You make the wine go sour."

Shocked- not knowing what to do or say Izaya did as told.

Picking himself up from the shards on the ground he lumped back to the dark hallway. Looking like a death threat the walls of the castle seemed to suffocate him.

What was he supposed to do?

Just what?

The earlier evening spent with his sister flashed before his eyes. Their smiles, their laughter. And the disturbing image of their misused corpses dangling from the sick king's rotten castle.

Steps hurrying up without noticing he rushed up the stairs. They were not the ones leading to his night chamber.

Most of the servants were already sleeping. Making sure he wasn't seen by even a single one he sneaked into the destined location.

It was quiet in his siblings' bedroom. Seeing as they were so close to each other they had chosen to share their chamber no matter their age.

Izaya's face churned as he watched the two angels sleep peacefully. He felt adamant to do what he had to.

Reaching out he shook Kururi´s shoulder until her eyes flickered into waking.

"Iza-nii?" Groggy the word left her lips and Izaya quickly trailed to the other sister proceeding with the same action. Moonlight illuminating his features just at that moment Mairu was faster to wake as she noticed the state her brother was in.

"What happened to your face?!" It must have looked scary, the wine and blood mixing, making their brother look way worse than he was off. But he had no time to care about things like these.

There was no other choice.

He had to act fast.

"Follow me."

to be continued

Ho ho ho ho- another story is being added to the lot~ Welcome to medieval scheming, beautiful dresses and a secret that can absolutely not be revealed~ xD And of course another story I can procrastinate on lmao

COUGH

Anyway~! I hope you liked this start and I will see you in the next update when shit really goes down in that doomed manor xD

See you on July the 1st~! ;3

PS.: Sotd, Ast and SD will be updated with the next patch- 1st July xD Sorry for the delay, I thought I could get more done but I got too invested in this new story haha