Jaek

Rune always knew how to cheer Jaekel up. It was the way it had always been, and it was the way it would always remain. Despite knowing this, Jaekel never took it for granted. Rune was as necessary for him to properly live as air and food.

There was no way he would have been able to make it through his childhood with all those nightmares if he had not had his red head of a best friend to hug when it got to be too much.

They had stayed up in the tree all morning and only came down for lunch. After he caught her as she slid down, he brushed a twig from her hair, laughing as he did so.

He grabbed hold of her hand and pulled her with him, "C'mon, I'm famished!"

After they ate, they were pulled into taking care of Rune's three youngest siblings. It was exhausting, but in a pleasant way. Jaekel had always enjoyed watching the kids.

Nightime fell and he went to bed after bidding goodnight to Rune and wishing that they were still young enough to share a bed together. But as much as her parents might trust him, there were limits to what was reasonable.

So Jaekel had been without the person who had always made the nightmares seem less terrible being in close contact since they had been six years old. He could not even blame the adults.

Sleep came easily for once as his mind was dragged into the past…

"Three thousand years ago, in the castle of Nireal:

'A man strode through the halls, seemingly unaware of what was around him. His face was incredibly hard to read. In his hands he held a staff covered in a blue cloth. He was wrapped in a blue tunic complete with a cloak with silver markings on it.

There was no one else in the corridor. As he walked the cloth slipped a moment before he fixed it. The staff's tip ended in its wood splitting near the top and encircling a glowing iridescent crystal.

He paused before an inconspicuous looking oaken door before slipping inside. Another man paced nervously, murmuring to himself. He was tall, clad in a purple robe with an ermine trim. He stopped pacing as he heard the door open and close.

"Agreas! Thank Xi'eli you are here!" He grabbed hold of the other man's hands, "What am I to do? Oh, what if I choke, or faint, or –"

"Lucien. You'll do fine."

"How can you always be so calm? You are going to be just as much in the spotlight."

Agreas unwrapped the staff, gazing up at it, "Because it is really just a formality to me. Whether this ceremony happened or not I would still need to protect, to serve. It is in my blood, just as the kingship is in yours."

Lucien took a deep breath. "Of course. I just wish they would get it over with…"

Another door opened and a woman with hair of molten red gold and green golden flecked eyes came in. She was clad in a red and golden robe and wore a golden circlet set with a single red ruby on her head. She wore a holy symbol of Xi'eli around her neck.

As soon as she entered, Agreas seemed to almost stop breathing as he stared at her, a slightly lost expression coming over his face. Lucien rolled his eyes and looked away.

"Ceremony is ready to begin. Come out in two minutes." The woman smiled at both of them, though her eyes lingered on Agreas for a minute.

"Yes, Xeltia thank you," Lucien took some calming breathes. As the woman left, he glanced at the other man, a teasing smile came onto his face, "You know you couldn't be any more obvious if you tried."

Agreas smiled innocently, "What do you mean?"

"You obviously like the High Priestess. I think she likes you too…" Lucien grinned wickedly, "So why don't you ask her out. Or even better to marry you. Does your kind marry or would you just call it mat –"

"In my family we do as a matter of fact marry." He clucked his tongue, "And as for me and Xeltia… it's none of your business."

The two men left out the side door. Lucien nearly choked as he stepped onto the raised dais that was in front of what seemed to be the entire population of the city. Hundreds, thousands of people here to witness his coronation. The pressure was suffocating.

Xeltia stood in front of him and then raised her voice, "Citizens of Nireal. You have come here today to see the man who would lead you in the place of King Dereil. Prince Lucien Luksarat, are you willing to devote your life to this people and this country?"

"With every fiber of my being." It was true. Lucien had already given his all to his country.

"Be that as it may, do the people accept you?" She raised her voice and looked at the people who surrounded the place. A resounding cheer went up.

She turned and looked at Agreas, who stood at the side. Unlike Lucien it was impossible to read him. No signs of nervousness. Nothing.

"You have accepted Lucien as your king. But in order to be High King he must still be accepted by the Protector. Agreas Summit Shadowstar, as Protector of the Seven Kingdoms do you accept Lucien as your king and master?"

Agreas went down on one knee, "I would follow him to very deeps of the earth, and bring him back or die in the attempt."

Xeltia took the crown and placed it on Lucien's head, "You have accepted your king. May Xi'eli be witness."

A cheer went up, shaking the rafters. "Long live King Lucien. Long live the High King!"

Agreas stood up and raised his staff, he thudded it against the ground. A mystical looking firework shot out of it and burst above the crowds' heads. It was the only time that using the staff like this was acceptable.'"

Jaekel woke up blinking away the last vestiges of sleep. At least it had not been a nightmare, but something deep within him said that it was most likely important.