5 - The Family of Moons

Seeing Haliya, Euseff changed his clothes and overlooked the outside from his window. He left seeing Dakila was soundly sleeping.

Opposite to how the mornings and noon were filled with townspeople going in and out the castle for their respective designations to keep the small town and their masters going, the touch of night greatly changes the mood and vitality of the island. From the lively noises of the yellow bulb-lighted streets to the splendor in suits and dresses of the townspeople. They have also changed good attires that equals their nobility. They are all entering the castle like a big ball is just about to be held.

After some minutes, Euseff finally escaped the predicament in these puzzling halls. He found Jacksie walking by the atrium who is about to enter.

"What are you wearing?" Jacksie exclaimed, he was alarmed by how lacking did the older boy dress in loose bubble pants hanging at suspenders and the short-sleeved Juritian Button Shirt. He looked like a clown in his first Dinings for god-knows-why in the world such style of clothing did exist.

"What?" Euseff confusedly glanced at himself.

"Oh my, someone wore something eye-catching." A tall maiden commented, joining their little conversation. She is dressed in a Smaragdine Brocade to pair her eyes. "Who's this Jacquesimer?"

"Hello Esibella, would you mind helping? He is what grandmother said we should note of. You know Lord Sebaste hates those who does not respect traditions." Euseff beggingly asked for her, pointing at Euseff's clothes.

Euseff still wondering what's wrong in his clothes, this is a normal dress by some nobles at Juritia Empire. The more loose pants, the more noble you are.

"Oh? So it's a 'He,' Aarabeth will be very pleased." Esibella chuckled while poisely covering her mouth with a fixed fan emblazoned in some exotic light stones and feathers.

"Esibella, I found your missing earring. It was at the stairs, but it was snapped into parts." Another maiden in tousle-curled hair and Basil Green dress sauntered her beautiful maiden treads and handed the earring. "Oh my, who's this?" She judged the already conscious Euseff up and down.

"It was the supposed 'Chicken' we have betted at, Abrinne." Esibella made her aware, trying to fathom what had happened on her earring.

"It's a boy? Dear, you are fortunate. If you are a girl, Aarabeth will bury you alive." Abrinne turning the shoulder of Euseff into a spin and have a good look at him. "How Old?"

"He's just thirteen, you can't make use of him yet. Besides, we are expecting him to be at Yeshiva." A deep voice tailed behind them, a meadow green-eyed young man emerged between Esibella and Abrinne. His sunkissed skin was accentuated by the white-underlined dark green tailcoat.

"Well, how nice of you, Rosef. Our little brother is not something you can just 'Use.' Have some courtesy, will you?" Abrinne playfully scolded him with her feathered fan.

"He will join our fun, sooner or later. Especially when grandmother has made a grand entry for this one. Why not bring him along this tragedy and misery, is it not that fun, my beloved sisters?" Rosef suggested, his gloved hand making unknown signs for his sisters to understand.

Esibella and Abrinne both wore conniving smiles, perceiving the plans of their brother Rosef.

"Uhh, Esibella, Abrinne, Rosef… do you mind?" Jacksie waved his hand forward, squeezing his body between his older siblings, he is again referring on the most pressing issue, the dress of Euseff.

Staring between each other, the three nodded in an unspoken agreement and Esibella being the oldest stated her opinions, "I think that clothing just fits him right, Jacquesimer. He will be alright."

'Right?' Euseff couldn't agree more in his thoughts, if he had a more loose pants, he would be happy to change on that.

Jacksie scrunched his face, finding the gazes of his siblings, inwardly asking them if they were alright. Their brother is looking like a clown.

"Don't worry, my little Jacksie. You will see, it will be an spectacle." Abrinne crouched a bit to pinch the red cheeks of her brother.

"Then shall we head inside?" Rosef raised his both arms, offering if he could have the honor to bring the two maidens inside on both his sides.

"You are getting good at these, Rosef. Watch your steps, you might lose balance." Esibella seriously warned him metaphorically under her smile, then she slinked her hand between the arm of Rosef. Abrinne did the same as they entered the large red door, pooling with people.

Jacksie, still in nadir for what is he about to do with his clown of a brother. "I will go first, then you follow."

"Can't we enter at the same time? They did the same." Euseff referred to the three that just entered.

Jacksie scratched his head, they were tasked to teach the boy their ways as how the heads of the families expect them to do. He was just about to change him clothes, but he can't loiter on the plans of his older siblings. They were 'The Older Siblings' for a reason.

"Okay." Jacksie muttered defeated. Jacksie adjusted his mini tailcoat and sighed before letting Euseff follow him.

Passing at the red door, extended a large ball room with big chandeliers and windows overlooking the waterfalls and the moonrise. There was no ball to be held, the floor was lined with table after table where people seated in golden chairs. The ceiling was painted of winged creatures at sea of clouds and women stood in descending stairs while a woman at front is holding a crown made of elk antlers. At the sides were rows of food that can feed the entire town, their pets, and the predators out in the wild. In the middle laid the carpet of red leading front the ball room. At the end of the carpet, elevated by two or three steps, were four tables connected by a concave platform that has a chair made of old carved wood. The four tables is similar to the rays of sun and above the wood-carved chair is the end of painting at the ceiling, whoever sits there is like being crowned by the antler crown.

"So grandiose…" Euseff whispered to Jacksie.

"Welcome to The Dinings." Jacksie nervously smiled at him, he can already see the attention of everyone at them, at the loose bubble pants of Euseff.

"I can smell the food from here, where should we find our seats?" Euseff asked, staring at the mountains of food served at the sides.

"At the front, that's obvious." Jacksie pointed a finger at the frontmost table, just below the steps before the concave rays four tables.

Euseff nodded. They made strides on the carpet and he knew the softness is made by wool. They saw the trio Esibella, Rosef, and Abrinne to first arrive at front and have taken the rightmost of the four tables made of marble with gold streaks.

Sitting, Euseff inquired on Jacksie, "Do we get to sit there when we get older?"

"No, that tables is for those with guaranteed positions when they enter our ruling in Iragon. Ah right, I guess I should do the telling…" Jacksie sounded that Euseff is still not aware of the Ruling of Everlarks.

"Iragon is just a young country founded by our grandfather and his eleven loyal lords. It unites The Twelve Rivers north of Herroia Continent and served our homeland and also the country's capital, Heartguard. Grandfather is neither an Emperor or King like the other countries, but he is called 'The Great Uniter' or 'Lord of Twelve Wardens.'"

"Iragon has twelve seats called the Twelve's Assembly, each were Lord Wardens of River. They equally oversee that the twelve rivers is not to be invaded by the streaming Renoians whom's unstably warring each other north of us, and us being the northern territories of Herroia."

"After marrying grandmother, our grandfather has gathered the Jacksons, Tresinforts, Sebastes, and Eglantines to ask the hand and blessings of The Romagnaye Family. They aim to resist the planned invasion of Juritia Empire, this gathering has later produced the united seats. It is said that this union is even more powerful than the other surrounding established kingdoms in Herroia as the Romagnaye Family personally intervenes in our affairs, providing their advises to the Lord of Twelve Wardens."

"The Twelve Wardens are Everlarks, Jacksons, Sebastes, Tresinforts, Eglantines, Arkwells, Nordridges, Stallards, Dristones, Oarlocks, Romyrs, and Rosmatens. Each of these families are present in the island."

"However, a decade ago, Grandfather has fallen ill. His eldest son and our uncle, Lord Diosreon Everlark has assumed his seat in the Twelve's Assembly. This event is the start of grasping our influence by betrothing Lady Ingrid to Jacksons, Floren to Dristones, Esibella to Romyrs, Abrinne to Arkwells, and Aarabeth to Eglantines. Then Yules to the Estor Family of Venaris Kingdom, Sivastian to Torien Family of Hailstourn Kingdom, and Lovis to Romagnaye Family."

"Some time ago, there was a rumor that Rosef was called to marry the princess of the Theodros Family of the Avra Kingdom at Renoia. However, the Twelve's Assembly has strictly forbidden this as it is an invasion tactic formed by the Renoians." Jacksie gossipingly informed Euseff.

"So, you get to sit there on your nameday…because you have been betrothed as well?" Euseff assumed, recollecting the joy of Jacksie mentioning that he will leave the front tables soon.

"No, I am the only son of my mother, Lady Klara Tresinfort of the Varister River. Mother expects me to assume the seat of the Lord at my sixteenth Nameday… I don't know If I will fit well." Jacksie loomed over the fated responsibility prepared on the day he was born, although he studies hard as much as possible, he still believes the shoes of a lord is too big and too heavy to be at his feet.

Euseff was shocked over the revealing matter, it is sure normal for a child to assume lordship and Jacksie has the guts and wits, but the boy of eight-year-old does not seem to be able to withstand the disarray awaiting him in a newly-founded country resisting an Empire of hundred years in power from invading their geographically weak territories.

Euseff has heard of this story at the streets. The Twelve Rivers are well-known for their grand problem, the twelve rivers itself. These rivers are so deep and wide that it is like a sea is dividing the sides of the river, and the rivers are famous in its salty freshwater. It is fabled that the rivers create the salt so hard and so pressed on its strong current, its filled with crystals beneath. This Fable has been the very reason of the suspected invasion of Juritia Empire.

'So the Everlarks were the founder of this Unions.' Euseff has made connections of the loyalty of the nobles at the island.

"But who are the Romagnaye Family, and why do their advises are great help to the founding of Union?" Euseff asked, he had the impression of another unheard family can suppress an Empire's invasion. He knows the Agrasandi Imperial Family from Demiri Region, Roygevnia Royal Family of the Roygevnia Kingdom, and the Belnifor Ducal Family who can withstand Juritia Family's authority. Not one from Herroian Continent has this same magnitude of resistance.

"I don't know much as well, their name is not popular among nobles or the commoners as they don't have territories, I just know that they are an ancient family from the Sixth Eon. They have two heirs, Lord Leoras and Lady Epiphany." Doe green eyes sparkled telling this mysterious family.

"Sixth Eon, that's really ancient. About... twenty-seven thousand years?" Euseff estimated the total suspected span of each Everlast.

"Thirty six." Jacksie corrected, he recalled his history dating lessons. "There was an evidence that the Eighth Everlast did not last for just three thousand years, It was actually twelve thousand years of being lost in darkness."

The older boy's mouth turned agape, The Eighth Eon is a time which has been the most horrifying known Everlast to present man. It had almost occupied the entire dark legends for this period of mayhem. Plagues, Horror Creatures, and the wars are everywhere that no form of governance can withstand the chaos. It was a free land, but not so free. Imagine twelve thousand years surviving this entire madness and still continue their bloodline today, Romagnayes is on a different level indeed.

While lost in thought, a flying fixed fan landed on the head of jacksie, the younger boy covered his head and another fixed fan flew at him. Turning to where the attacks were coming from, Euseff saw a little girl with familiar doe green eyes and wavy locks running towards Jacksie with few more feathered fans.

"Get this Jacquesimer!" The girl skillfully thrown the fixed fans like knives between her fingers and precisely hits the head of Jacksie.

"Ah, Ah….Ahhhh. Lynnally!" Jacksie screams and started running away.

"Where do you think you're going, your sister is here!" The girl just a head smaller than Jacksie followed him with a maniacal laughter, they became out sight from the pool of people finding their own seats.

"Howdy? Name's Hemric." A grinning kid following the girl has some teeth missing, he about the smaller size as Jacksie and slimmer, handed his hand in offer of a shake with Euseff.

"Euseff." He uttered, shaking the hand of the gentlemanly boy in clean cut of a sable black frock coat with patterns of forest green flowers on its lapels and at the back.

"You's good at sharps? Me's do swords knives at smithy, good sharp metals." Hemric pulled from his coat pocket and shown Euseff a mini blacksmith hammer, a good rusty one.

Euseff baffledly understood the misplaced words of Hemric and noddingly acknowledged the old hammer which was frequent on making sharp objects.

"Yes." Euseff affirmed and the boy's question.

"Me's knew it, you's have rough hands. Like me's." Hemric compared his small hand to Euseff, they similarly have bruise marks and thick skins.

"Me's going six full moon three, me's be best smithy. Me's make guns shoot swords. Pewpew!" Hemric made a pose of a guard shooting with a long rifle.

'Guns shooting swords,' Euseff saw over this dream of the soon six-year-old boy and he chuckled.

"Make way, make way!" Three more boys entered the tables with Euseff, pushing Hemric on the side. They all have similar sizes, just slightly taller to Hemric.

"I am Collen."

"I am Ripley."

"My name's Rickard." After the third boy stated his name, he received both a light smack from the other two.

"Follow the line!" The first boy scolded him.

"Uh. I am Rickard." The third boy realized and corrected himself.

In unison, they recited "We are Five's Assembly." They all have the similar sea green eyes, just different hairs. Collen has a long straight hair, Ripley has curly hair, and Rickard has short tousling one. Their coats were also similar to each other, just a simple tailcoat with green lapels.

"Five's Assembly?" Euseff asked what is happening.

"Yes, like the Twelve's Assembly. We are inviting you to our party, you have one chance." Collen told him with pride, his hands at his pockets and his chin up.

The other two saw this, they copied him and supportively commented, "That's right!"

Euseff found the three boys jesting and he hid his smile from the serious small faces, he does not wish to hurt a child's pride. He just remembered about the ridiculous parties Maya has mentioned to him, 'Could this be one of those? Child's Play?'

"I find your party very promising, although I hoped that I can join you, I have already been in a party." Euseff matched the boy's jesting plays and made a more ridiculous one.

"You do? Which one, are you on Yules' side? Esibella's?" Collen cannot believe what the older boy just said, he thought it's not even a day that he's in the island and he was already taken by someone else?

"Perhaps he's with Liannis, or maybe Sivastian?" Rickard added.

"No way, Sivastian?" Ripley pondered, he was expecting a bigger revelation. Three of them looked over the other front table beside them while seething, there were also boys and girls with green eyes and dark hair sitting silently on that table.

"No, I have made my own. The Blinds." Euseff forged a persuasive look.

The three of them was bewildered, tilting their heads, like hearing the biggest lie from a clown. "You made your own party? It's called The Blinds?"

"But he's just thirteen… wouldn't that be dangerous?" Ripley asked Collen, he still can't comprehend a thing.

Collen sized Euseff, then he gathered the two shoulder-by-shoulder. They whispered something with each other and they unanimously said, "Agreed." It's as if they're conspiring a nefarious subject that shouldn't be heard.

The three looked twice to Euseff before sitting down, they pulled little Hemric between them, finally finding ultimate silence.

Euseff was surprised that the trio just suddenly went quiet and sat obediently. 'Was the jesting over so soon? I haven't even told the joke yet.' He muttered inwardly, he was planning to tell them that he already had members which includes Maya.

Emerging from the crowd, the tall figure of Yules surfaced carrying the ears of Lynnally and Jacksie. Yules pulled the two to sit beside Euseff. He was wearing an unusual tailcoat, it was pure white with a blue-stemmed flower with bright green petals that colors equal his eyes. His demeanor was darker and more domineering than earlier.

Red-eared, Lynnally continued hitting Jacksie. "Haha, now we sit together. How about I tell some tales? I promise this will be good. It was just yesterday when you went out, Maya and Rene came to me…" She continued her stories, pulling the hands of Jacksie from covering his ears.

"Ugh! I will tell mother on you." Jacksie flailed his arms, admitting his lost.

Yules strode up the four tables, he made his path after the seats of Esibella and Abrinne and at his other side is Rosef. Three more young men claimed the three remaining seats of the other side of the rightmost marble table. Euseff saw the smug from one of them while looking at Yules, farthest at the table was the swelling face of Arturis. Arturis seemed too young to be sitting there, but Euseff just convinced himself that he had the similar complication to Jacksie.

One seat is left vacant after Rosef and the guy with a smug. Euseff momentarily discerned that their family is a bit big, he recognized that Esibella is the oldest while Hemric is the youngest. They are fifteen in total, he lampooned that their father is sure industrious in making children. He wondered how old is he anyway.

In a scandalous noise, a glass fell from the entrance. Stood there is a young woman in voluptuous figure, wearing the silk emerald dress fitting her body tight. Her smooth dark hair reached her waist and her bright emerald green eyes were sparkling below her high brows, emphasizing her beautifully-cut face. A smirk formed her mouth, she had effectively called everyone's attention.

"Aarabeth…" Lynnally pronounced the name with seethe in her tongue.