[half to be whole]

[founderinglight]

Once upon a time, there were seven stars in the sky.

----

- and though he was not the brightest of them, the most beloved by the people was the moon. For though it was the sun that gave the light required for living, it was the moon, with its ever-changing faces, that was thought to most resemble humanity. The light of the sun was a constant burning, brilliant but harsh, impossible to gaze upon directly. The moon showed himself to the people, and lit the depths of night to keep the darkness away. He pulled upon the tides, keeping the sea in check, and touched both the dark and the light within people with gentle, compassionate hands.

The sun was king, but the moon beloved. Thus was the harsh sun jealous of his gentler brother.

And so, one day, the sun drew his many swords of metal and flame, and challenged the moon. And the moon, believing he had nothing to fear from his brother the sun, accepted. But the sun struck not with the force of a friendly duel, but with a cleaving blow, past all of the blades of the moon, pale reflections of the sun's own, and slew his brother.

----

And so it was that the moon, betrayed, never showed his face to the sun again, but hung, lifeless, in the shadow of the world, visible only by a dim, blood-red glow. And the tides stilled, and the nights darkened, until the people dared not step into them. And so the sun, though never beloved as his brother, became the sole ruler of the sky.

So it has been, for two thousand years.

----

And then, one day, a woman asked the sea for a child.

The sea rose up to meet her, and it said, I have no children of my own to give you, for none would survive in the air. But my brother the sun has made two sons, and cares nothing for them. He cares more for the glitter of ice in the firelight, for he was always jealous of those who had the love of the people.

And the woman said, please.

And the sea said, Return in the night with a single cradle, and they shall be yours. But until they are grown, they must be kept from the sun, for he should he know that they have escaped him, he shall surely come for them.

And so the woman did, and set the cradle to float in the arms of the sea. And when it returned to her, inside were two boys, their hands curled together in sleep.

The fire saw, for he was in the torch the woman held to keep away the terrors of the night. And the storm saw, in the clouds that gathered overhead like a blanket, and the earth saw, in the grains of sand along the beach. And the ice saw, for she sees all that is beloved.

But the sun saw nothing, as the sea gave the children of the moon, one of dark and one of light, to the hands of the mortal woman.

And the woman swept her sons to her breast and vanished into the night.

Or at least, that is how they would say it happened, the writers of myths, if they knew it happened at all.

----

"Ardyn!"

Izunia drops the hand away from his mouth, sighing, as he finally sees his brother turn in his direction. "Come on, we're going to be late, and it's not fashionably late if it's your own party."

Over his head, the hum of magitek lights keeps the darkness of the night at bay - a blessing, for the twins, who are paler than near all the rest of the city, with red hair the color of the eternally-shadowed moon. Tonight, finally, is their coming of age, and the end of the rules that have restricted them to the nighttime. Officially, it's due to sun sensitivity, unusual in this day and age, but -

You mustn't tell anyone. I promise, I'll tell you when you're grown. I just want to keep you safe.

- truth be told, Izunia is looking forward less to the party than he is to their mother's long-promised explanation after. Social affairs have always been more Ardyn's comfort zone, Izunia more at ease with quiet nights at home.

Comments

[scourgingstars]

Hm. Anything of particular interest?

[founderinglight]

Not really, but you're welcome to look it over if you like. What of you? Anyone of particular interest?

[scourgingstars]

Mm, not really. The usual fare, of which I confess I've grown somewhat bored.

[Ardyn shrugged, leaning over enough to glance at the notebook.]

[founderinglight]

[Izunia knows more about music than his player does so just assume there's some relevant statement about what's in the notebook here.]

Bored? You? I can scarcely imagine it.

[scourgingstars]

It happens, sometimes. I'm quite full of surprises like that.

[founderinglight]

Well, as long as you still enjoyed yourself. Home, then?

[scourgingstars]

I'll follow wherever you go, brother dearest.

[founderinglight]

Oh, don't start, we'll just wind up going in circles!

[Laughing, he folds the notebook closed and tucks it into a pocket of his coat with the pen.]

[scourgingstars]

[Ardyn stood up with the usual slight flourish to his motion, gesturing for Izunia to follow him.]

Come along, then. Let's go home.

[founderinglight]

Home it is.

[HOMEWARD THEY GO. Probably still in good moods, and heedless of the discomfort that most people feel at night, when daemons might be lurking about.

Eventually, it's to the little house at the edge of town - ]

Mother! We're home!

[scourgingstars]

[Ardyn came in barely half a step behind, hand linked with his brother's own.]

I hope you didn't miss us too terribly.

[founderinglight]

Welcome back!

[And here's Mom Lucis Caelum, looking a bit tired but none the worse for wear. It's possible to believe the twins get their looks from her, if you stretch it a bit - like them, she's tall and thin enough to be striking at a glance, though her hair is a more mundane shade of red.]

Did you have fun?

It was marvelous. I may even have made an impression on someone beyond being Ardyn's twin.

[scourgingstars]

Izunia was even social. I'm so proud of him.

[founderinglight]

[Izunia elbows him while their mother laughs.]

Well, if you two want real food instead of party snacks, there's some chicken sandwiches on the counter.

That sounds wonderful. I'm starving.

[Don't mind if he do.]

[scourgingstars]

Likewise. [hell yes, he is all about chicken sandwiches.]

[founderinglight]

[Ardyn is about every kind of food honestly. Don't mind Izunia slathering his in pepper sauce before sitting at the table.

As the boys settle in to eat, their mother seems to grow a little more nervous, though her smile stays in place.

Finally, when they're mostly done - ]

I imagine you know how this starts out.

[Izunia swallows, and his tone is cheerfully deadpan - trying to make it a little easier for her by making it a joke.]

Let me guess - we're adopted.

[scourgingstars]

Oh, that's not fair, that's been my guess for years.

[Ardyn, who found just about everything to be a joke, leaned his head on both hands with a smile.]

You can't just come out and say it before I have the chance.

[founderinglight]

I mean, it was that or 'your father is actually the king' or some such. There's not many other options, are there?

[The attempts at humor don't seem to do much for their mother's nerves. Perhaps it's because the truth is too outlandish for them to guess, practical-minded as they both usually are.]

Do you remember when we lived at the house by the sea?

Of course. We moved because the daemons kept getting too close to the house.

Yes. They were always fascinated with the two of you.

[Now Izunia looks nervous, in turn, though he's trying to hide it under a shaky smile.]

[scourgingstars]

Well, we are fascinating people.

[Leave it to Ardyn to cover up nerves with a joke.]

We're to guess there's a reason for that?

[founderinglight]

Probably, but... I don't know exactly what it is.

[She folds her hands on the table.]

When I was a much younger woman, the first man I loved died, far out at sea. I was angry. I went to the shrine - you remember the one -

With the seashell columns?

Yes, that one. And I demanded that the Tidemother give me something, since she took from me my love.

And... she gave you us?

[scourgingstars]

...Hm. Didn't see that one coming.

[this is fine this is great this is how we cope]

[founderinglight]

[Oh look there's an elbow in your side, Ardyn.]

I... That night, I woke up. There was a tidal wave. And She was there - reared back in that little lagoon, as impossible as that sounds - I don't think I was even the size of Her eye.

[She doesn't need to say it was the most terrifying thing that ever happened to her - it comes through in her voice.

And really, who wouldn't be terrified of Leviathan in her full glory, rising from the wreckage of a tidal wave?]

She called me, I don't know how. I went down to the shore and found you there - curled up together in a single cradle, perfectly unharmed. The cradle was...

[A deep breath.]

It was like the old runes against daemons, on the havens, except in reverse. I took it to the priests later, and they said it was warded against sunlight. And the rest of it - it was decorated with moons made out of shell.

[...Yeah, Izunia looks terribly pale, now, and presses his hand to his face.]

Do you still have it?

No. I gave it back to the sea as soon as I could.

[scourgingstars]

...

[Ardyn reached over to take his brother's hand, watching their mother closely. Still calm--curious, even.]

Warded against sunlight...? We aren't some manner of daemons ourselves, are we?

[founderinglight]

I don't think so.

[Izunia grips Ardyn's hand, hard.]

That's not precisely reassuring, Mother!

You've always handled everything else that keeps daemons at bay perfectly well. The first thing I did was take you into the bounds of a haven - you barely even stirred.

[scourgingstars]

Easy, Izunia. Deep breaths.

So then, if we aren't daemons...what are we, exactly?