"Wait that's not that much money." Said Aria.
"Aye but its the money that we wincing about dear cousin." Alexander said. "Its the fact that our grand uncle is in...." He trailed off.
"In what? spit it out Alex."
I sighed and responded in his stead.
"Debt. Actually he owes me ten thousand golden lions and please do not ask me how much he owes lord Sigmaleo some of you might faint."
Diomedes grunted as if that amount would hurt his pockets.
'Tight bastard.'
"How much do think he owes?" Ajax asked stroking his chin.
I shrugged.
"Twenty billion or something." I said/
The Thyestes table goes completely silent.
Then that silent is crushed by the herald's booming voice.
"WELCOMING LORD LYSANDER OF HOUSE SIGMALEO LORD PARAMOUNT OF NIKKE AND SPEAR OF HERMES."
The herald called as man in white robes and a red imperial toga stepped up his hair was grey and his eyes were a brilliant red. My mothers father looked every inch the wise sage.
Unlike us of house Thyestes who have brown skin the Sigmaleos look like every Hermesian with their light olive skin.
'As impressive as ever grandpa.' I thought amused that lord Lysander had told me to call him grandpa in private of course I would address him as lord sigmaleo or grandfather in public.
The herald paused as if announcing the last name would determine whether he was hanged or not.
"MY EMPEROR OF RAA WELCOMING THE GREAT AND HONORABLE LORN THYESTES LORD PARAMOUNT OF ALYSIUN AND SOVEREIGN OF THE HERMES REPUBLIC."
'He forgot to call him the shield of Alysiun. I think he might get flogged by the emperor himself.' I mused standing to welcome our Sovereign.
As Lorn approached he motioned for all of to seat.
As the meal was served Lorn praised Maria, Leona and Alexander for their victories during the tournament.
"You've all mastered the storms early process. Actually I believe most of you are ready to learn the stances that are used by mages above seven star such as Maria, Dorn, Leonidas and myself." He said addressing all of us at that's what it would look like to an outsider his actually addressing Alexander and Leona who are obediently not touching their food less their lord and master the great storm says so.
I could not give a burning shit.
I eat my meal calmy with restraint my expression stoic showing the world that Atreus Thyestes does not overly indulge and that I am also not a glutton.
Lorn sighed and Ajax winced I continue eating my spiced beef steak, grilled chicken and salmon.
"Ajax, ha you were doing so well until that girl humiliated you. You should have used your speed earlier in the fight instead of trying to face her in head on fight. So I wont punish you that badly but you wont be allowed to attend Atreus or Alexander's weddings am I understood."
"Yes my sovereign." Ajax said nodding.
'I though you'd be crying tears of blood man.' I thought in amusement.
The sovereign shifted his gaze to me next and oh my is his gaze heavy and powerful.
'No, don't give him what he wants keep doing you've been doing.'
"Atreus Thyestes Sigmaleo the first of his name." Lorn said with a smile on his face.
"You tied with Loid Lionheart's son."
"Yes my sovereign." I answered eying a bowl of a mashed potato salad with eggs. "Maria be a dear and pass me that bowl please. I say gesturing a the bowl.
Her face flashed with fury then returned to its usual blank expression as she did as I asked.
The rest of our sup went without a hitch as we all spent our last night in the good emperors palace.
A day later I exchanged spirit hawks with both Sir Arthur and Sir Luke I refused to exchange hawks with Caera however because social propriety.
It would be consider strange if the grandson of an Eastern high lord was exchanging messages with the daughter of a Northern high lord.
'And plus Caera is one dangerous young woman.' I thought shivering at what she would become once she was a woman grown.
'Only the so called gods know what we will all become in the near future.'
I thought walking toward my gilded carriage to begin my voyage toward home.
THE BLESSED CHILDREN.
Jin-son-son-Satouru shadow born of Ishin wore black as he a dreamt of great desert of red sands Jin shifted assessing his surroundings. However try as he may the was nothing not but red, red, red more red.
'This place looks like the storming red hand!'
Jin was not afraid however as he moved forward with measure steps. He was the second born son to Lord Okumura Musashi and his lady wife Lady Sae Sakakibara he would not allow a mere desert stop him from moving forward like his lord father once said 'Never lose your way and you shal be blessed as a son of honor'.
Sir Arthur Lionheart first born son of the great Duke Lord Loid Lionheart and heir to Tundrafell stood dressed in a royal blue doublet-coat with silver lion heads for clasps his expression was grim as he moved forward towards the center of the desert were a golden light was shining.
'Bloody hell.'
Dame Caera Lionheart ground her teeth as she moved toward the center of the desert.
Lady Tatiana von Stark daughter of High lord Light von Stark suppressed the urge to scream the red sand around her dirtied her precious black dress. She none then less also moved toward the golden light muttering course along the way.
Prince Zeke Nkosi future king of the five Savannas stood with hands clasped behind his back his grey eyes unreadable as he walked forward. It was not the way of kings to stand idly so Zeke moved forward as he muttered.
"Lead me on oh, great indominable earth and destiny."
Lord Atreus Thyestes moved forward with a stoic expression on his face following a golden light that he thought he recognized.
Aether Moriarty brushed some send of his boots and coat before adjusting his top hat and he to moved toward the light.
Ben Marston of Dawn looked about himself in awe and wonder at the crimson desert. He chuckled as he placed his white western hat upon his head before he moved toward the light.
Sons and daughters of lords some were even the sons of mere lawyers, farmers and washer woman. Such people from different parts of the world and even different religions and culture shared one thing in common and that was the fact that they were all coursed
"Atreus?" Prince Zeke said spying his friend.
"Zeke, is this a dream or...." The young lords word were cut of as a young man with massy black hair and violet eyes stepped up with nothing but pure swagger to his step. He looked about him and spotted the two young Easterners and scowled.
"Who the fuck are you lot?"
Tenma Kamijou stood near a radiant golden light in front of him were two Easterners one was golden haired with features as sharp as a rune blade he wore a golden robe dotted with black spots like that of a leopard and judging by his ebony skin and his regal bearing Tenma guessed that he was the son of some Enkayi high lord.
'Wait his eyes are grey, like lord Ralph.'
"Zeke? I that you buddy?" Tenma asked in the common tongue which he spoke with in a Britannian accent.
Zeke looked at Tenma for a moment unsure on what to think of his old friend. The lad looked strong with a lean and muscullar build but....
"Why does this slave curse a lot." Zeke mu...
"Slave!" Tenma said annoyed.
"My bad I tend to, speak my thoughts aloud for some reason my father tells me its a bad habit." Zeke said smiling.
Lord Atreus looked around to see more figures appearing some looked familiar like the Lionheart twins and Tatiana.
"Thank the gods you're here brother." Tenma called.
Atreus turned but saw know one but when he looked beside him he saw a young man with pale skin, red eyes and slick back brown hair. By the way the lad dressed he seemed to be Ishinian.
'Brother? But Tenma's brother is...'
"Is that you Su."
The lad turned scowling.
"I hate that nickname Alpha." Subaru said in cold tone.
'He also has a Britannian accent.' he thought.
"Hello is anyone there?" A sweat voice called from somewhere within the red sand which seemed to go on forever.
"Children father Michael."
Rachel felt strange seeing all the red sand and that golden light which seemed really familiar.
Thw she saw them with their familiar eyes and hair but now they showed skin different colors each and even more for their clothing.
"Guy!!" She shouted here eyes glassy with the promise of tears she had missed them past these long eight years she wanted to hug and kiss them all.
So she did. Arthur with his pretty face, Aether with his welcoming smile Lin with his white hair and black robes solen Jin, cold Subaru even her old best buddy Issei whom she had played so much with when she was little little Raven who was as tall as her reckless Robin with her pink robes Tatiana with her grey eyes and sharp smirk.
'I love them all.' She thought.
She would have to pray to the lord of light for such miracles to happen even if this was a dream at least it was a good one in most "dreams" well nightmares really she saw them all as children and they were always failing and dying dying dying dying.
'But there is no need to fear for they are all here.' She thought embracing Rufus who had also grown to be nearly as pretty as Arthur.
Atreus tried to escape her hug but Arthur and Aether simply held him in place for a spell he had broke of muttering about social propriety and other stoic nonsense.
The others were more welcoming Tenma was far to welcoming with him grabbing her waist and kissing her more like a lost lover than an old friend.
"Ben you look so handsome." She said.
"Aw shucks that really nice of you Rachel you're quite the woman yourself."
When she got to Caera she seemed amused with her.
"What's the matter?" Rachel asked.
"You're a nun." Caera said.
"Yep, oh I forgot your northern churches are quite strict well we do thing differently in the central continent."
As Rachel hugged and kissed Zeke who had grown to become handsome she laughed.
But as the young men and women laughed and shared stories with each other the light seemed grow ever brighter then the red desert shock as something rose from the red sands it was a round table that looked older than older than anything they had ever seen before and with the table came sixteen chairs made of bronze stone.
Then out of know where they all heard an old and familiar voice say their names one by one.
"Arthur, Aether, Atreus, Adreus, Ben, Caera, Eunbin, Issei, Jin, Lin, Tenma, Tatiana, Subaru , Rufus, Rachel , and Zeke."
The voice belonged to their old mentor the being they knew as Mr World.
Strangely all of them were already seated on the bronze chairs without realizing it.
"What's good my drillers we need to talk."
The end of volume one Coursed children
(Authors note: Sorry for the leck of chapters and the terrible righting I will do better. Life before death)