The Divine Deucalion of Aether

Bittersweet

When Minos entered the monarchial accommodations, he found them empty. Where was everyone? No Tigris, no Oda, no Falco, no Rowena, not even the tiger or the caracal. As he walked around the accommodations, he picked up an apple from a bowl of fruit and then hurled it at a painting of a dolphin on the wall in front of him. The apple hit the painting in the eye at which point, Minos grabbed a pear and hurled it at another dolphin.

Taurus was going to kill him. If not figuratively, then the High Priest would literally kill him and figurative ended up putting someone through an experience that made them wish they were dead. Minos had gone through it before. Being buried up to his neck in a cave while water dripped down onto his head from a stalactite had not been pleasant. For a day and a night, Minos had undergone that punishment and by the time day was beginning to dawn, he was praying for expiry.

Hearing the sound of footsteps, Minos turned and watched as Falco entered the monarchial accommodations with that caracal of his following him. The Crown Prince of Aether looked the Priest of the Bull God over, noting the pomegranate that he was about to hurl at a painting of a griffin upon the wall.

Armed with a bronze sword and wearing a leather breastplate, Falco could not believe that the Priesthood of the Bull God was just wearing their usual ankle-length red tunics, no armour of any kind. All they had were numbers and whatever weapon they had on them. Minos was holding a club, something that could break his sword, if it came down to such a conflict while also making Falco wish that he had grabbed a helmet.

Running a hand through his red hair, Falco inquired: "Looking for someone, Minos?"

Lightly tapping his club against his leg, Minos narrowed his eyes. "I was hoping to club someone to death, Falco. Your father, your mother, your beloved Rowena... Where are they?"

"My parents are personally putting down this coup." Falco answered. "As for Rowena, she is helping with getting people out of the palace so your ilk does not have these halls running red with the blood of the innocents."

"Well, as Taurus says, the only people capable of being innocent are native-born Aethereans."

In a flash, Minos hurled his club at Falco, to which the Crown prince responded by stepping aside. The Crown Prince could only wonder if this was where they switched to using magic, even a simple spell like turning a staff into an ophidian, which any clergyman could do. Falco had learned that spell from his paternal grandfather Conall when he had been three twelvemonths old. If a child that young could master that spell, then anyone could.

To his complete and utter surprise, Minos knelt before him. Falco could not understand it and so he made the simplest of inquiries: "Why?"

Minos could only answer: "A combination of self-preservation and the fact that I have always struggled with even the simplest of spells."

That was fair enough. Anti-climatic, but fair enough.

"Falco!"

Turning to look at the entrance, Falco watched as Rowena, armed with a javelin and wearing a leather breastplate, entered the monarchial accommodations. "Come quickly! Its your father!"

His father? What was wrong? Running from the monarchial accommodations with Rowena, Falco followed his fiancée until she led him to a hallway in the east side of the palace. There did he find his father, felled by an arrow with black feathers. Tigris had successfully put down Taurus' coup, but ultimately the victory was bittersweet. Not only was Tigris dead, but Taurus lived to plot another day.

With mournful eyes, Aedan, the golden tiger, rested his head upon the body of his late master, only raising his head as his master's wife, son and future daughter-in-law approached. Watching as the caracal Kenneth tapped his head against Tigris', the golden tiger sadly waited as his friend came to the realization that the Divine Deucalion of Aether was no more.

It was Falco falling to his knees that caused Kenneth to realize what had happened. Watching as his human companion placed his hand upon his paterfamilias' shoulder, a sad look fell across the caracal's countenance.

"My father lost..." Falco uttered, bringing a hand to his forehead with maintaining a stoic expression. "What do we do now?"

"We look to the new Divine Deucalion of Aether, my son." Spoke Oda, kneeling beside her husband's body as she looked at her scion. She too was stoic. "You are our monarch now, Falco. You are the Divine Deucalion of Aether, a god on earth, the Sun and the Moon."

"I am just a man." Falco commented, looking to his father. "Just as he was."

"He was never alone in his duties. As long as I live, I shall aid you, as will Rowena."

"And I, my student." Spoke Achilles, looking at his pupil with an equally stoic expression. "Our lessons are not yet ended."

Standing up, Falco departed from the hallway, followed by Rowena and Kenneth. Making his way to the courtyard, the Crown Prince sat upon the steps and let out the tears he'd been holding back. There did his fiancée sit next to him, wrapping her arms around her beloved while the cat rested his head upon his master's lap. So began his reign.