Sun and Moon

In the beginning, when there was nothing to be found in the entirety of the universe, a being sprang forth out of the nothingness. They had no real shape or form, for they were nothing themselves. This primordial was the deity known as Vamtos. Out of their own spirit Vamtos created Ezlo and Karae, the Sun and Moon. Vamtos soon vanished back into nothing, leaving Ezlo and Karae the power to create worlds.

Some time later, Ezlo and Karae started to fall for one another. They fell so deeply in love with one another that their love created Eia. But this story is not about Eia or the people and gods she created, because soon after Eia was created Karae left Ezlo for Eia. They had many children and Karae helped Eia create the gods of her world. Ezlo saw how happy they had become with one another and sought after Karae once more. Although Karae still had a place for Ezlo in her heart she wouldn’t leave Eia. This infuriated Ezlo so much that he created an army of gods and waged war upon Karae.

A thousand years of war passed and Ezlo defeated Karae and her armies, and although neither felt love for the either any longer, they were tired of the violence and chose to form a peace treaty. Every Solstice there would be a gathering of each royal court, an ambassador would be chosen from each to spend their time in the others court until next Solstice. If anything were to happen to either ambassador the treaty would nullified. So for the last thousand years, this treaty has been honored.

~~~~

I woke with a start, the dream fading from my memory. Lately it seemed like I was seeing things from the past more and more. The dreams were becoming more vivid as the Winter Solstice approached.

I look around the room searching for my sister, but her bed was empty and no light was coming from the bathroom. She must've wanted me to be able to sleep in today. It is going to be a long day after all. I slip from my bed, nearly stepping on the damned pheonix my sister insisted we keep, and threw on the nearest article of clothing I could find. Sandals were next and a quick braid to keep my hair out of my face, although there's nothing I can do about the fly aways that keep escaping. As I approach my bedroom door I can see my mother cooking in the kitchen, Eloi and Eaton sitting at the table calmly talking to one another. They all look just the same. Thick, curly black hair, bronze skin and beautiful hazel eyes. That's what most of the people on Sun looked like, but I'm different. I have white blonde hair and skin as pale as the feathers of our pheonix, Storm.

Storm is another odd case, she's a runt and she's all white. Eloi found her in the woods one day on our way back from swimming in the lake. Pheonix are a beautiful golden red, sometimes even orange or black. Somehow we managed to find the only odd looking Pheonix in all of Sun. Sometimes at night I think I see a glow of silver coming from underneath her feathers, and she has this beautiful tint of blue and purple along her feathers when you look at just the right angle. Honestly, I think it must just be a mutation or something.

Before mother can see me I slid through the open window in the hallway, winking at Eaton who catches me. Eaton is the baby of the family, only four years old, but much smarter than we'd ever imagine. Mother says he takes after our father, and from what I can remember about him I think she's right.

I run through the streets, careful not to knock anyone over, it's unusually busy today but that's just because the Solstice ceremony is tonight. A lot of the merchants make most of their money on the Winter Solstice. The Moon Court isn't quite as large as ours is, but it's large enough to bring in a good amount of profit for the people.

Our family home is right in the center of all the nobility. Mother was given the title of Lady after father was killed in the rebellion. Mother was given titles and lands in compensation for father's bravery, but she never wanted them so she sold the lands and set the money aside in case anything bad were to ever happen. There's not much you can do about titles you receive though, you can't sell those. So now we live in one of the biggest houses right outside the castle gates.

Although trespassing into the castle gardens is illegal without permission from the Queen herself, no one really cares if I do, as I'm to be married to the Crown Prince. There's a back gate that's supposed to be guarded at all times, but I'm not sure anyone even remembers it's there. I haven't seen a guard at this gate ever. When father first showed me, he told me to always check my surroundings before entering. Better not to get caught than have to explain myself to the Queen. Father had been best friends with the King when they were both boys, I think that's why the King thought it best that I marry his son after father died. So that my family would always be taken care of.

In the gardens waits my best friend, the only person I feel I can be myself around. Fael. Everything is better when he's around. As soon as I see him, everything around me seems to melt away. All the worries I have for tonight, all the worries of every single day. He's leaning against a tree, a wide grin etched across his face, his eyes sparkling with their usual mischievousness. His short curly brown hair brushes against his eyelashes, he's tall and handsome, muscular yet somehow still just as skinny as me.

"Hey Snow," says Fael. My real name is Neva, but Fael likes to say I'm like his own personal snowflake. Cold and icy, yet beautiful.

"Look what I got," Fael holds up a thick book.

"How'd you manage to get that out of your father's library?" I ask. I carefully grasp the book in my hands. The leather cover is soft in my hands and I can smell the pages of the book.

"I got Sorcha to distract him while I snuck in and grabbed it." says Fael.

"Thank Ezlo for Sorcha. I'll have to get her a little something for the celebration tonight." I say. "Maybe a new pair of earrings, do you know what color her dress is?"

He rolled his eyes. "How am I suppose to know the color of a girls dress. You know how obsessed she is with anything gold, just go with that." Suddenly he stands up straight, with his chin raised, and with the squeakiest voice ever starts to mimic Sorcha. "Oh I would just die for another pair of gold earrings, they'll bring out the gold flecks in my eyes so perfectly!" He plucks a few petals from a nearby flower and holds them up to his ears. "What do you think? Do they suit me well?"

I can't help but to laugh as Fael prances around on his toes. "Okay, okay! Stop! Sorcha could come out at any moment!" I quickly glance around to make sure that no one is around to hear. Sorcha has ears everywhere and it wouldn't do either one of us any good to get caught joking about her.

I watch as Fael stops and pulls out some bread, fruit and cheese from his pockets. He must've known I rushed here without getting the chance to eat anything. Fael is the Crown Prince and sometimes I wish he wasn't. Things would have to be so complicated all the time then. We could just focus on being friends for once instead of watching how we act towards one another. I wish I could say that I loved him, or even had some sort of feelings for him. But we practically grew up together, he's so much like a brother to me. After I found out that we had been betrothed to one another, I ran away. Fael was the one who found me, all huddled up under a makeshift tent that we had created in the forest together. He had told me that he wouldn't force me into anything, that we could learn to love one another, and that he would try to talk to his father about changing his mind. He's talked to his father weekly since that day, but the King refuses to change his mind.

Fael hands me some bread with cheese and crushed berries on top. We settle into our spot at the base of the tree, soft grass under us and rough bark behind our backs. We sit in silence and eat, watching butterflies flutter about and squirrels race back and forth, from tree to tree. It's good like this. The weather is warm and sunny just like every day, although it's gotten much cooler from the usual heat due to the Solstice. Normally we'd spend our afternoon reading under the trees, but today we have to prepare for the ceremony.

"We could still leave you know," Fael says quietly.

"What?" I ask.

"Leave the kingdom. I'll abdicate the throne to Sorcha. We could find people that we really truly love and build houses and live next to each other with our partners until we're old and grey," says Fael.

I'm not sure how to respond to him. I've thought about it so many times. But actually doing it?

"I just want you to be happy," he adds quickly.

Of course he's only concerned about my happiness. That's how it always is. I know he wants the throne, to lead the kingdom and protect his people. But he's always so worried that I'll hate every minute in that court room. Planning balls, and hosting the nobles, and playing nice with the Moon court. He's right though. I will hate every minute of it. I was born to be free, to fight, to lead. Just like my father, the Commander of the Sun Army. A woman can't lead an army in Sun. Fael says once he is king he's going to change the law so a woman can follow any career she chooses. I think it's only because I complain about hating being a woman so often.

"I never want to get married," I say.

"I do. Just not sure to whom," says Fael.

"But you're marrying me," I say, irritated.

"Just forget it," he snaps.

The conversation feels wrong. We've talked about leaving so many times. But how could we? I can't leave my siblings behind and I can't let Fael abdicate the throne. He wants it so badly, it's his right after all. I'm sure Fael is in love with me, he won't say it but I know it. And he doesn't ever want to upset me so he ignores it unless he's telling me the weekly updates of the arguments he has with his father.

If the King really did decide that Fael and I didn't have to be married on my eighteenth year, then he'd have no problem finding a good wife. He's the Crown Prince for Ezlo's sake. There's a reason why all the girls in court either hate me or love me.

"What do you want to do?" I ask. There's not much we can do today before we have to be back in time for the Solstice.

"Let's just sit here a while longer. I think Sorcha will be coming to get us soon to help with the rest of the preparations," he says.

Great. The one thing I hate even more than attending the celebration. Preparing for it. I didn't mind getting all dressed up for it, every girl wants to feel pretty once in a while. But Sorcha would give me tasks and I'd finish them and she'd come behind my back and change it all again. And who needs to do all the preparations for their own ball anyways? Isn't that what we pay the servants for?

We spend the next hour or so under the tree. I'm reading the book Fael brought for me and by the soft snoring sounds, Fael has most definitely fallen alseep.

Soon Sorcha shows up and escorts us into the castle. Fael runs off to talk to his father about some things and help with the speech, while Sorcha drags me to the ballroom. She starts barking orders at the servants and me. While I'm trying to make sure the light fixtures in the ceiling are put in properly, Sorcha is running about like she's had her head cut off. "Would you please just do what I ask? Just move it a tiny bit to the right! No the other right!" Sorcha shouts at the poor servant girl helping with the streamers. Sorcha has chosen red, black and gold to be the colors for the evening. I personally think the colors are hideous, but if I were to tell her that she'd probably start screaming at me too.

Once we've finished in the ballroom I meet up with Fael in the courtyard. We're supposed to be making sure that the entire castle is sparkling clean, but I'm sure that the servants know how to do their jobs better than I, so we've decided to take a stroll instead. Maeve, the daughter of the king's hand is waiting for us. Being the daughter of a high lord I expected her to be a snob, but she proved me wrong when we first met. She'd prefer to wear pants and hunt with the men just the same as I would.

Today she wears a pretty green dress that holds her snug in all the right places. Her usually frizzy brown hair is pulled up in an intricate bun, held in place by a beautiful emerald studded comb.

"Sorcha is going to be angry with you," says Fael.

Maeve shoots him a look, knowing he's serious but doesn't care. Fael is right, Sorcha is going to be furious. "That was the whole point. I don't care what her bloody rules are on the colors we can wear to this damned ball. I'll wear whatever colors I please. Besides, emerald suits me best."

Fael looks pleased with her answer. Anyone who can speak their mind to him as his approval right away. Maeve has never been afraid to say what's on her mind.

"Well good for you, I know Snow's mother has her dress all picked out already. And I've coordinated my outfit to match hers. Sorcha is going to have a fit when she sees the three of us tonight," says Fael.

"Wait what?" I ask.

"Nothing, don't worry about it," Fael says.

Maeve stares at Fael and lets her gaze linger a little longer than necessary. "This is going to be a good night," Maeve says, her eyes focusing on me.

"I do believe it is,"I say, as we begin to walk.

We all walk in silence. I'm not sure I like the way Maeve was looking at Fael. It's not that I'm jealous, it's just that it's hard to find good friends. Fael and Maeve are my only real friends in the court, and if they start to pursue anything together it'll either end up in heartbreak for the both of them or I'll end up being the odd man out in our party of three. I wouldn't mind if they were to get married. They'd be good for one another, but the king won't let Fael and I end our betrothal. He says he made a promise to my father and I must marry Fael.

Maybe I should talk to the king myself. Plead with him to let the both of us marry for love. That if we don't both find someone by my eighteenth year we must marry one another. I'll be eighteen in two year. It doesn't seem that far away, but that's plenty of time to find someone that I think would be suitable for myself. I just don't want to be queen.

Freedom is hard to come by in the kingdom of Sun, for women that is. We can only hold certain jobs, we can't own land unless we are married, we can't even live alone unless we are over the childbearing age, have been married and widowed twice, or work within the castle or another prestigious household but even then you have to live in the castle or household. The only reason why my mother is allowed to live alone and own land without being married is because my father was a friend of the king.

I am grateful I have Fael as a friend, because he wants to change the law. He wants women to have more freedom to choose who and what they want to be. But often times I wish I was a man. Free to do what I want. I could become a swordsman or an archer. I could travel. Although Fael has already taught me many of the things that are illegal for a woman to know.

As we walk, I notice that Fael's expression has grown cold. As the Crown Prince, Fael had many things to worry about. His father would not stay king forever. One day his father would pass on to the heavens to join Ezlo and Fael would become king.

Fael and I leave Maeve at the castle gates to make her way home to help finish her own preparations for the evening. From there Fael walks me to my own gate.

"See you in the ballroom," I say.

"Wear something pretty," he says.

Once home, I find my three siblings ready to go. Although Eaton is too young to attend the ceremony he will have his own place to go in the palace with all the other nobility children under thirteen. Mother is wearing a beautiful silken black dress that flows from her hips down to the floor. Eloi has on one of my old dresses, a deep burgundy dress that makes her look so grown up. They both have their hair pulled up in low buns with smalls curls framing their faces.

I rush to the bathroom, scrubbing myself pink in the tub. Preparing for a ball might not seem like hard work, but chasing after Sorcha made me sweat more than I would've liked to. Laid out on my bed is a pale blue dress. Soft and silken. A tiara and white gloves are laid next to it. Sorcha is definitely going to be angry after seeing this.

"Where did you get this?" I ask. Mother is normally a very frugal person. She always says that there's no need to buy overly expensive things when we can just alter and add to others.

"Don't worry about it. Let me help with your hair," she says. I let her dry my hair with a cloth and curl it. Once finished, I dress myself. The dress is backless with thin straps to keep the dress up. There's no jewels or intricate lace designs. It's just a simple silk blue dress that hugs my body accentuating every single curve. The bottom flares out and trails be behind me a few inches. I've chosen to wear sandals underneath because I'm no good at wearing heels and I'm already tall enough.

"Wow, you look like an angel," Eaton gasps.

"Well thank you my kind sir," I say. I hug Eaton and Eloi. Tonight is supposed to be a fun night. There will be music and food, but before any of that we'll have to sit through an extremely long speech. The King and Queen make one every year. But now that Fael is eighteen he'll be making one also. And you can't forget about the King and Queen of Moon.

Eaton will be able to have fun with all the younger children, they'll get a good dinner and be able to run around their own little designated ballroom. If you can even call it a ballroom. Eloi is thirteen now so this will be her first Solstice ceremony. I notice that the dress she's wearing is the one I wore to my first Solstice. It's been tailored to fit her better but it seems just a slight bit too long still. "Give me a spin El," I say, holding my hand out to help her twirl.

Eloi giggles, taking my hand and spinning in a circle. Her dress flares out in a perfect circle.

"Beautiful," I say with a small laugh. It's the kind of laugh only my siblings and Fael can bring out of me. "Come on, let's eat a little something before we go. These things are dreadfully boring and very long. Dinner won't be for ages," I say.

Mother has set out some cold soup and bread and fresh berries for us to eat. It's not much but it'll keep our stomachs from growling, at least until dinner is served.

Soon it's time to go, we head for the main castle gate. Attendance isn't mandatory, but you never know who will be chosen as the ambassador. Every Solstice, Summer or Winter, a new ambassador is chosen to travel with the opposite court to their prospective kingdom's. They are to help keep the peace between both kingdoms.

The thought reminds of the dream that woke me this morning. It's been a thousand years since The Great War. We're taught in school that if Moon breaks the treaty, the next Great War will start. That Ezlo himself will come down from the heavens and wage war upon Moon. But we've kept the peace for a thousand years, I highly doubt any war will start again. We've had a few rebellions in our own kingdom, such as the one my father died in, but nothing like in the stories.

Once we reach the main gate we can see all the nobles and their families streaming in. There's no particular order to how we are to enter, except to give your name and the announcer will announce you. Inside the ballroom is where you have to find your prospective table. The Sun and Moon people are mingled together, but family members stay together. Unless you're too big to all fit at one table, then you're split apart. Every year a few of the commoners and their families are invited, they're seated in the center so that they're not left out in any way.

The Moon Court is always the last to arrive. As they are the visiting court and here to take the torch away for Winter to start.

The room starts to get tighter as more people arrive. I can't help but wonder how many people Sorcha invited this year. The ballroom is quite large, but this year it seems smaller. Someone comes to take away Eaton and it's just the three of us. Looking for the table that we'll sit at for the evening. Mother, Eloi and I find ourselves and the very front, right in front of the King and Queen themselves.

Maeve and her father are sitting with us also, I'm assuming the rest of the table will be for some of the Moon Court's highest ranking nobles. I can feel Sorcha glaring down at both Maeve and I.

Just as the clock strikes six, the doors bang open and the Moon Court arrives. The Moon Queen stalks forward and the King stands up for her to sit next to his own Queen. Softly thanking him she motions for the rest of her people to be seated. They quickly seat themselves and the King starts to speak. He tells the story of how our world came to be, how Eia stole Karae from Ezlo and war broke out. He lists the great heroes of Sun who died and all the disaster that was caused. The Moon Queen then rises and tells her side. It's almost exactly the same yet she says that Eia did not steal Karae, that Karae left Ezlo because he was unkind to her and she needed to be free of his anger.

The stories are so similar yet so different. Each ruler tells their own version of the story, the story of their people, so that both kingdoms may know each side. So that there is no hatred to be had between each. As much I wish there wasn't hatred you can feel it in the air. The whole room feels as though it's vibrating, anger and peace trying to coexist at the same time.

The ambassadors that come back always say that they learned so much and had such a wonderful time. But they come back different. They come back quieter. After their time in Moon they all prefer to live a life of solitary. Even the women who have gone, have married quickly and focused all their efforts on their children and homes. It's almost as if they're trying to forget something.

I've never worried about being chosen to be an ambassador before, you can't be chosen until you are sixteen. But now that I'm sixteen I worry. Could today be the day that I'm to leave for Moon?

"Today marks a thousand years since the peace between our kingdoms started. Here's to a thousand more!" the King shouts.

He then thanks the ambassadors of years past and welcomes back our most recent ambassador. Orion Ezlo. A cousin of Fael. The royal family's surname is Ezlo in respect for our god Ezlo. It's even said that they are the direct descendants of Ezlo himself.

The King then introduces his wife the Queen. The Queen herself is a very beautiful woman. Dark skin and wavy brown hair, but it's her dress that makes her look regal tonight. It's a golden velvet dress. It has a huge train that must be at least six feet long. Low cut in the front, just covering enough to keep anyone from seeing too much.

Smiling, the Queen seems to float to the front, graceful as ever. "Happy Winter Solstice everyone! Before I grace Queen Kae with Solstice Torch, I have the announcement of who the new ambassadors will be. The ambassador from the Moon Court will be Tomas Illere."

Looking up I make eye contact with Fael, seated to the side of his father's chair. He smiles at me and I smile back. There's never been a possibility of me going to Moon, but now there is. I'm expected to be queen, I'm expected to know things and learn things. I could possibly have to go, so I can learn how better to rule my country. So I can learn to support my future husband. "I don't want this," I whipser to myself.

The Queen is speaking. She's talking about how great it will be to have Tomas with us. "And now for the next ambassador!" The King hands her a piece of paper. She slowly unfolds it. Everyone is silent. If I listened hard enough I could hear a pin drop.

She smooths out the paper and reads out the name.

"Neva Eyrie."