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Xornoth sat alone in his large, dark, room.
Told to; "go freshen up for your brother's party". Now he sat at his vanity, staring at the unused jewel-coloured tools laid across it.
Very soon he would be late, though he barely cared. With little precision, he braided his long, violet, hair and tied it with a blue ribbon. He buttoned up his black tunic and wrapped an icy blue sash around himself.
Xornoth didn't usually wear blue, but as it was Scott's favorite color, he liked to see him in it.
Three swift knocks hit the door to his room. Xornoth got up and opened the door.
"Scott? What are you doing here?" Xornoth questioned, somewhat surprised.
"Can we talk, please?" Scott asked, with nervous blue eyes. Not waiting for an answer, he pushed past Xornoth and sat on his bed.
Xornoth closed the door. "So, what do you need?" Xornoth asked planting himself next to Scott.
"I'm scared" Scott confessed as he pulled his knees up to his chest.
"I'm scared that I won't be claimed and then mother and father will disown me and me away"
"Disown you? It has been many generations since someone of royal blood has been chosen, you have no need to worry." Xornoth reassuringly told the smaller elf. If this wasn't true then Xornoth would have been kicked from the palace seven years ago.
"And if I am? What if I am chosen?" Scott looked up nervously at his brother.
Xornoth patted Scott's head, ruffling his turquois hair. "Then you will make a great king"
[({●})]
After soon after Scott left to finish getting ready. Xornoth was left thinking about the kingdom.
Being the eldest, he was, by birthright, the heir to the throne. However, after Scott was born, Xornoth always got the feeling that his parents would try their best to somehow make Scott the king.
However, this never troubled Xornoth since Scott was such a natural leader and Xornoth was... not.
Xornoth got up and took a deep breath, shaking himself from his thoughts, before he descended to the grand ballroom.
[({●})]
As per expected the ballroom was packed with elves. Xornoth walked in and was met with unapproving stares, due to the fact that he was indeed quite late.
He immediately spotted a large twisting line of party goers ending at a silk-clad, Scott, who already looked tired.
Scott met Xornoth's violet eyes and Xornoth gave him a sympathetic look before heading over in the direction of the lavish snack table.
Unfortunately, Xornoth's noble venture was woefully stopped by the king.
"Xornoth! Where in Aeor’s name have you been?" His father questioned, not at all hiding the fact that he was unhappy.
"It is not at all proper for a prince to be late, especially to a royal event!"
"My deepest apologies, father, for I was merely pondering matters of the universe and seemed to have lost track of time." Xornoth said mocking his father's sharper accent. The older elf sighed, looking unimpressed.
"Now if you will excuse me, father." Xornoth said, walking past the king. "A fair maiden has summoned me. And her name is table a la snacks "
Xornoth couldn't see his father's expression as he walked away, but imagining it made him smirk.
[({●})]
After some time loitering with the rich party food, Xornoth was ushered up to the raised platform on which sat the thrones. He stuff a half eaten sandwich in to his pocket, as the crowd of jewel adorned elves gathered.
The queen, wearing an extravagant gold gown, stepped forward, smiling at the large crowd.
"As we swiftly approach midnight it is customary to raise a toast to the elf soon joining use at his very first century"
The crowd loudly cheered and grabbed their mead filled goblets.
"To Prince Scott Major of Rivendell, my son, soon to join many of us in the ranks of adulthood. We wish him a prosperous and lengthy life in the name of Aeor."
The queen proudly raised her glass to Scott.
"In the name of Aeor" The rest of the room repeated in unison, raising their glasses, and clinking them together.
Xornoth leaded over to Scott, the mead in his glass sloshing, as the crowd quieted down a bit. "Congrats brother."
"Thanks" He replied as he stared into the crowd, looking a little dazed but smiling widely.
Xornoth flinched as the towering clock directly behind him began to chime loudly.
Scott glanced at Xornoth who gave him a reassuring nod. Scott stood taller as the chimes rang through the ballroom.
...Nine, ten, eleven, twelve.
And... nothing.
There was a long beat of desperate silence.
Suddenly the windows of the ballroom burst open, causing the cool November air to be blown in. The wind swiftly traversed the room to wrap around Scott with a golden aura, carving itself into the form of two, large antlers. Scott looked up at them in astonishment.
A deep disembodied voice boomed through the ballroom, startling many.
"Prince Scott Major, I now claim you as my new champion"
Scott stared at the air for a second, stunned. "I promise serve you well" He responded with a shaky yet loud voice.
As the golden aura faded from Scott; the crowd erupted into loud, unanimous applause.
Xornoth, clapping loudly, looked at his brother with pride. However, he felt something amiss, at the time, he chalked it up to not liking crowds or a few too many pastries.
Unfortunately, it had other plans.
[({●})]
It was customary to ward off evil spirits half of an hour into one's adulthood.
As the crowd when quiet, the King, with unmistakable pride in his voice, swiftly began the speech.
"Elves of Rivendell, please take the herbs and matches provided to light your hyssop and raise it above your head"
Xornoth, as well as the crowd, following the king’s instructions, lifted the flaming herb above their heads as the king stepped forward, opening his mouth to speak; when the entire room's herbs were suddenly snuffed out.
Seemingly out of nowhere, the air became very thick and abnormality hot.
Specifically, around the thrones... around Xornoth.
A large plume of red and black smoke materialized in front of the thrones. The royals backed away as the unknown cloud enveloped a frightened Xornoth. The smoke condensed itself and twisted into two sharp, imposing horns, the symbol of Exor.
Xornoth looked up, scared eyes watering from the smoke. "Wha- no"
His face went pale as he stood there, frozen from the shock as the crowd and his family realize what happened. It may have been many years since a royal champion had been chosen, but the gods, they liked their theatrics.
There was no speech, no disembodied voice, certainly no celebration, as the smoke faded there was only fearful silence, and the promise of pain.
[({●})]
Xornoth fled.
With no direction, the halls meaninglessly zoomed past him until he abruptly reached fresh air. He was in the royal gardens, which were on the complete other side of the palace.
He fell to his knee on the tiled floor, entirely out of breath and mind racing, catching up to what had just happened.
"shit" he said to himself through heavy breathing as he started to actually think. "I'm the champion of Exor"
Once he regained his breath he sat there for a long moment, his emotions greatly overwhelming him, before standing up because he needed to move.
"This is the worst day of my life”
He muttered before having a sudden, unanticipated, burst of rage.
“I'M EXOR'S CHAMPION”
His yelling caused a palace maid to stop mid tracks and stare at him with wide, fearful eyes before sprinting of into the castle. Xornoth was much too caught up in his own thoughts to care.
"I- Scott... is Aeor's champion. Shit. Scott is- no no no, l can't. I-I won't."
Xornoth suddenly realized how stupid he had been, Exor and Aeor, the brother gods, were always at odds and so were their champions. Most believed champions of Exor were pure evil, but Xornoth had heard tales that involved some sort of possession.
He felt sick to the stomach at prospect of hurting his brother, even unwillingly. He needed to-
He needed to leave.
[({●})]
Xornoth had successfully gotten through the building without being spotted again. He quietly shut the large oaken door to his room and turned the corner to his bed where Scott was sitting with his head in his hands.
Scott spotted Xornoth immediately and in the blink of an eye had him in a tight hug and spoke in a quiet voice.
"I was worried I'd never see you again.
"Scott, I-I’m sorry" Xornoth spoke quietly taking a slow step back out of the embrace.
"For what?" The teal haired elf looked up at his brother with concern.
Xornoth looked down and took a deep breath as he reached under his bed. He pulled out a large duffle bag and began rummaging through.
"Why do you-" Scott cut himself off and stared at the brown leather bag. "How long have you had that?"
"Fifty years" Xornoth stopped, he had found what he was looking for and pulled out a small purple and gold stag plush.
"Take this" Xornoth said, quickly handing it to Scott.
"I had one just like this, years ago. I think I lost it" Scott said thinking as Xornoth puts the bag over his shoulder and suddenly, Scott is enveloped in a hug.
"W-what are you doing?" Scott asked taken by surprise. Xornoth responded by hugging his brother tighter.
"I'm so sorry Scott" he said in a weak voice as he pulled back and turned his head away.
"Why are you-" Scott stopped himself as realized his brother's plan, the bag, the apologies, the hugging. "You're leaving aren't you"
"I'm sorry, I can't risk hurting you, and you know what they do to Exor's champions" Xornoth looked at his feet, still wearing his now scuffed formal boots.
Scott grabbed his brother's wrist in pure desperation.
"We can figure it out. I can't be king; I don't know how to do this without you. I can't do this without you, Xornoth" Scott tried as a few tears slipped down his pale face.
"No, you will be a better ruler than I ever could have been. I trust you" Xornoth said as he pulled his brother's hand from his wrist, tears falling down his face betraying his attempt at calm composure.
"And I love you"
With that Xornoth reluctantly turned and closed the door behind him.
In that big dark room, Scott was now alone. He stood there for a good, long, while, with Xornoth's stage plush in his arms.
That silence as his brother left was something Scott would live to regret for many years to come.
[({○})]
Xornoth went out through the servant's hall. As he the brisk November air hit his face, he was glad that he packed a warm cloak.
Xornoth traveled down to the practically empty village as light snow began to fall. He ducked down an empty alleyway and placed his bag on the cold cobblestone ground. He needed to check to make sure he had what he needed.
He pulled out a small stag plush in blue and gold. It had been in there for all of fifty years, when he first intended to run away with Scott. He placed the stag back in and closed the bag.
Xornoth pulled the black hood of his cloak down and started for the nearest wagon. Unable to stop himself, he took what he intended be his final look at the towering marble spires of the Rivendell palace. He stared at what had been his home for the past 107 years as snow slowly formed on the roof.
He did not think much of it at the time, but there was a nagging sensation in the back of his head, telling him to go burn it to the ground.
He turned back and resumed walking with the goal to find a charitable traveler to take him elsewhere.
It would be through these travelers that Scott would infrequently get letters from Xornoth under the alias Xmajor. Scott always felt guilty when we got a letter, knowing that he was unable to respond.
As infrequent as the letters were, Scott, now king, foolishly thought little of it when they stopped entirely.