Foxtails and Fairytales: Facades and Fables of the Phantom Prince

[Arc 16] Ch.4 First Moon

"Although you mingle with the dirt crawlers, cousin, it does my heart well to see you still know your place is to serve dragons of their proper rank." Velice said as Talisa set a plate in front of her at a table of ice Velice had summoned with her magic.

"Indeed, this great one has been among the dirt crawlers for so long, it is very comforting to have a meal prepared by a servant of the Jade Throne. Thou does thy kind justice, this Great One does not shame the name of the Jade Throne by forgetting favors." Zhang nodded sagely as Talisa also served him.

I bit my tongue. I don't know what to expect from dragons anymore, but at least they aren't malicious. Talisa had made a large pot of food with a demon beast one of the Dragonguard had caught. She prepared enough for both our party and the dragons and insisted that she serve the royals when I offered to help. So I served the guards. Each one was polite but rarely said anything. It must have something to do with their training.

All six of the dragonguard took turns eating so that at least part of their group was vigilant while the others ate their food. However, as stiff as they were it was good to see the humanoid dragons smile when they ate Talisa's food.

"What a dull existence," Zhang commented after finishing his food. We watched the fire dance, but it was still a long way off before it was time to sleep. "Friend of this Great One, Doctor Jekyll. Surely, thou must have a tale to tell, a story of thine adventures, of thy home, or even a fantasy to pass the time." Zhang was still looking at me with the eyes of someone who expected more than what mortal eyes could witness.

"What stories could a lowly dirt crawler have that would entertain the great royalty of the Jade throne? Surely he will only rabble on about peasant drudgery." Velice said, which actually struck a nerve. I didn't realize how much pride I had in my storytelling until Velice insulted it.
I cleared my throat. "Actually, I may have one. Although I may be a 'lowly dirt crawler' I have traveled the length of Brillivor and back. From the frozen shores near the Demonkin towers to the sealed sections of the dwarven mines. I can tell you the many things I've witnessed and the many things I've only had the privilege of reading about."

I started ramping up the crowd and already I was getting the attention of everyone around the fire. "In a library long since abandoned there was a story long since forgotten about a treasure many of us take for granted."

With a dramatic pause I waited and then pointed at the sky as the two moons of the night hung above me. "How many of you know the tragedy of the beings who begat the moons from their power? A love story cut short by their circumstances. With the only evidence left behind being the twin moons testifying of their forgotten existence."

*

Once upon a time there were three nations that lived in harmony and survived by their merits against the tides of mythical beasts and existences that thrived on the rich magic of an age long passed.

They were the spirits, a great divine existence made of up magic and given form through their own mighty power. The mortals, made of flesh and wielded iron. They were short lived but the most numerous. And the immortals, made up of flesh and masters of magic, who also used both claw and Iron.

The leader of the spirits was wise, the leader of the mortals was bold, and the leader of the Immortals was mighty.

This story isn't about them as much as it is about one great spirit of Justice. He was a loyal friend of the Great Spirit king, and sought harmony in all things. He was the first to notice the weak and humble existence of the mortals and how they were most likely to be preyed upon in the darkness of the night. So Justice in his great wisdom created the first moon to light the path of the mortals as he protected them in their houses.