Since the birth of the empire, if the Odum were the Ducal that upheld the beliefs of the Royal Faction--the faction belonging to the Emperor and Empress--, then the Elysium was the Ducal that upheld the beliefs of the Aristocracy Faction--the faction that belonged to the high nobles.
The two families clashed against one another for centuries on end, being the only Ducal Families that had managed to survive the Great Uprising and the formation of the Empire, it was to be expected that the Odum and Elysium Family were like night and day.
Each family had different systems of succession, the Odum Family being more traditional in the matters of title, giving the heirship to the first child had always been a custom.
But what did it take to gain the mantle of the Elysium Duke?
Duke Elysium had, in total, ten children throughout his life who are all capable of inheriting his title.
Julius was not, in fact, the eldest son. Traditionally, if he were to be born in any other noble family, he would have had no chance to be the current heir apparent.
However, it is a wildly known fact that the Elysium Family is cursed.
The golden blonde hair and the unnaturally red Vermillion eyes symbolized their status as a cursed family. The fairy that had done this to the first Elysium had been malicious and placed their mark on the Elysium Family to further shame the bloodline.
Constant tragedies plague the children of the Elysium family. It is a tradition for children in the family to die or disappear due to mysterious tragedies. The curse renders the child fatality rate in the family to increase higher than any slum in the Empire.
For the current generation of the Elysium Family's children, there are only ten, and if one were to compare the ten heirs and the children of the slums, each death equals approximately fifty slum children.
Only when the curse falls on a child who is capable of surviving the attempt on their life will the curse pass through the generation and allow the survivor to claim their right to the Ducal.
Everyone knows that the children of the Elysium Family do not share the same mothers. This is also a widely known fact throughout the Rhine Empire. It is a custom, for the Elysium Duke to be unwed, bringing in women from all sorts of backgrounds to surrogate his children.
The women are paid handsomely for their assistance, but that is all. Once they are done with their duties, they leave--having no further relations to the Duke once it is all over.
And the children they leave go to the Elysium Family, and from there, these children must pray that they survive the curse.
Thus, the heir apparent is always changing, always circling, like a never-ending, drug-inducing journey.
Most people wouldn't believe in such a curse. The likelier explanation is that the entire family makes their children compete, for the right of the heirship. The strongest one being the survivor and victor, either killing, disowning or marrying off the rest of their surviving siblings in the aftermath of their ascension to the Ducal.
Julius would disagree.
His family is cursed.
It starts with Richard, his oldest half-brother. Richard, who always made time to have fun with him and who always had the brightest smile. Julius doesn't remember him very well. He was only about five at the time, but he knew Richard was the most favored of the heirs, and many believed that he would become the next Duke.
By far, he was the most worthy. Charming, good, and hard-working.
A bomb had been set off in one of their territories when Richard had been sent out to check the area due to rumors of suspicious activities. He had been twenty-three at the time and was in the very heart of the impact range.
His body was charred to a crisp, and if it weren't for the White Ribbon around his neck that survived the attack--the White Ribbon which symbolized the heir and had a protection spell cast on it so his throat would never be slit--they wouldn't have been able to identify who he was.
Their father hunted down the culprits and made sure they would never see the light of day.
The second heir to take Richard's place was Jasper, his second eldest brother. Rough and awkward Jasper, who showed his love through crude words and warm hugs.
He was twenty-one when he was abducted. The kidnappers were waiting in his carriage when he had some business to attend to and easily took him away. They held him for ransom.
When their father sent the money, the kidnappers had already tortured him to death and left him on the steps of the Elysium Manor. The upper part of his body had been separated from the lower part, as the kidnappers weren't able to slit his throat. Jasper had worn his White Ribbon, which should have protected him from harm, but only made it worse.
Their father, in turn, scoured the entire continent and made sure every last one of them died a gruesome death.
Timothee was his third brother. He took the heirship because no one else wanted it after losing two siblings. He was sweet and kind, and everyone loved him. He made the best treats because he liked baking.
He died half a year later when he caught a mysterious illness at nineteen.
Finally, there was Cassandra and Dianna, his twin older sisters. They had promised to share the title of Duke if they manage to survive the curse.
They had doted on him and cared for him because they knew he was next in line if they were to die.
Both of them died tragically in a carriage accident a few months later while coming home from their graduation ceremony. They had just turned eighteen.
His older siblings died one by one like they were nothing. As if they would be mentioned in passing in such a way. The one who died first, the one who died second...
That is what the narratives will say when they recount history.
Julius wondered how many children must his father bury before the curse was quenched by the blood of his siblings. How much will the monster take from them? His father had cried over and each and every one of his children, mourned for them for years, and now, it was Julius' turn to shoulder the mantle.
The once lively manor of his childhood gradually grew cold with the loss of each child.
He becomes the heir apparent when he turns seven. It takes exactly two years for everything to go to hell in the family. He had lost five older siblings to the curse.
He was number six. Lucky number six, whose chances were more for dying than living.
But behind him were four other younger siblings waiting. Waiting in fear that he will die next.
The four of them were all tender in age, the youngest of his siblings being merely a year old.
As if Julius would let them take the mantle.
His father had been protective.
It made sense, seeing as Julius became the second-youngest heir in the Elysium Family History.
The one who holds the title of first was his Great-great-great grandfather, who had been four when he became the heir. It was even more tragic and worrying, as he was the last of his thirteen siblings. Great-great-great grandfather managed to survive eight kidnapping attempts, the Holy Wars (there were seven that broke out when he was between the age of five to sixteen), and numerous assassinations (three of which were almost successful) as he stepped closer to the title of Duke Elysium. The man died at the ripe old age of one-hundred and twenty-three from a heart attack.
So Julius' days of being sheltered with the best healers and guards that the Empire had to offer (that were loyal to the Elysium Family and the Aristocratic Faction) began.
He waited for the inevitable, for five he waited. And nothing happened.
Then the curse hit.
It was unexpected, despite all the preparations, but the attempt on his life had been... clumsy.
A maid had tried to poison him.
And he survived, though not unscathed. The poison had been flushed out before it could kill him, but some parts of it had done damage to his body and weakened his health and constitution.
Nonetheless, Julius survived.
And a week later, his father married the woman who had saved his life, breaking traditions and customs set centuries ago, for everyone knows that every Duke Elysium has never taken a bride or groom.
---
"What were you doing in town?"
"None of your business."
Silence. The sound of parchment being rustled. A sigh.
"Julius, I need to know so I can properly understand why your health degenerated so quickly."
"You pissed me off."
"Oh, please. I pissed you off plenty of times and you and Lester can get into some pretty mean battles. What have you been doing physically?"
"Since when did the trashy Nazareth Odum take such an interest in my wellbeings? Did you decide to be this benevolent after showing interest in gardening? Learned anything that could cure stupidity?"
"You forgot scummy troublemaker and the crazy bastard Odum. But I'm glad you've heard of my new hobbies. Unfortunately, stupid is an illness that requires other ways to cure, though I heard stubbornness can be treated with a tranq'."
"You use a tranquilizer, and I'll see you in court. Besides, nothing can escape my network, Odum. Not even you. Your sudden shift in morals was so godly, I heard that the school believed a fairy had possessed you."
They were getting off-topic. Neo knew what Julius was trying to do, and he won't let the other play word games and use his political backhandedness against him.
Nazareth was just the same, though he was more outspoken and a maniac. The academy had known him as a spider, trapping prey in the words he weaved and spinning together alliances with care.
All this hard work just to kill his little brother.
Neo flung that work out the window and set it on fire.
What good did he do being trash like that?
"You're changing the topic, Julius. I will reiterate again, what have you been doing to jeopardize your health?"
They have been at this for a while.
Neo trying to get Julius to talk, Julius, deflecting like a stubborn delinquent.
So this is how medical doctors feel when they deal with patients.
Neo has only ever done pharmaceutical research, but during those days where he was finding the right field of medicine for himself, he had dabbled in traditional hospital work.
After aiding in the preparation of several unexpected surgeries and ICU arrangements when a terror attack took place in the heart of the city where his hospital was located, Neo had threw in the towel.
The blood and screaming had reminded him of his past life where a terror attack also similarly happened and killed many people.
He couldn't deal with an environment like that, not with his memories, and immediately went into medical research instead, because he was a coward.
So although his experience in the hospital was short-lived, it didn't mean he didn't learn anything.
He went to a medical school, and they teach diagnosis very similarly.
Medical researchers needed to have diagnosis abilities. How else are they supposed to find a way to cure the sick? Go*gle?
Julius mumbled something.
"What?"
He mumbled again.
"Julius, can you please speak up? I can't understand what you're saying."
The other boy glared at him stubbornly, before casting him a sneer. "I was in the slums." He admitted through gritted teeth.
Neo raised a brow. He hadn't known Julius to be someone wandering around in parts like those. He was even surprised that he was even able to get in and out with his father detecting him wandering about--unless...
"Does Lord Elysium know about this?"
Ah, yes. Old man Lord Elysium. Around this time, his wife should have mellowed him out from the infamous overprotectiveness of all Elysium Dukes. Though, it didn't mean that Julius is still allowed to run about. In the slums, no less. The criminal crime syndicates thrive in this area, and after what happened with Lord Richard... well, it's a miracle that Julius hadn't triggered a search party throughout the Empire.
"Mother gave me permission to buy her flowers."
"I see."
So in other words, Julius had lied to his step-mother and used the excuse of buying flowers to go into town.
However, shouldn't the Elysium Family be worried by now?
"You are aware that you've been out for nearly two hours, yes?"
"What?!"
Julius immediately jumped out of bed, and then quickly regretted the action when he felt his head spinning.
"Careful!" Neo grabbed his arm and stabilized him before he could topple over, helping him sit back down on the bed.
Julius scowled. "I don't have time for this, Nazareth, I have to get home."
"You will," Neo assures, his hand reaching out to brush Julius hair out of his face. The blonde locks have scattered from its pristine state.
Julius felt the touch of Nazareth's hand stiffened, losing his composure for the second time.
"Well, you certainly have no fever," Nazareth mumbled, stepping away. "I'll go help arrange a carriage for you, so stay in bed until then. You need the rest."
The door closes and Julius is by himself once more.
He hears voices outside the door, presumably Thomas and Nazareth's own personal servant.
Renald, or something. There were rumors that Nazareth had blinded him in the past.
At this thought, Julius grew wary once more.
The current Nazareth... or, it is more accurate to say Nazareth's current behavior--it is like night and day.
Nazareth was never like this in the past. Worried, concern, reasonable. No. He was none of these things, and if he ever were, it was a rarity to see.
Not even Lester had gotten the chance to see such vulnerability in the eldest Odum, and he was presumably Nazareth's "favorite" among them.
The Nazareth Odum that he knew was very different from the way he is now.
If Julius hadn't known any better, he would think the boy was possessed by some sort of... fairy, a trickster. Perhaps even a changeling or doppelganger.
But no fairy or changeling could ever imitate a person down to the last detail.
And Nazareth can be very hard to imitate when no one else can speak like him.
Light and breathy, with a distinctive lilt of the common tongue blended into the aristocratic accent. The way that he speaks is sometimes muffled and sharp, two contrasting elements that almost everyone is familiar with the moment they hear him.
Nazareth's voice is unforgettable, not because it is melodious or particularly beautiful, but simply because it is unique.
Since the day Nazareth stepped into the Odum Household, the scandal of his mother's identity became the topic of conversation and common knowledge.
It is one thing to be a bastard child.
It is another if you were an Odum child.
And as much as Nazareth had tried to attempt to hide the soft way of speaking by deliberately muffling it with the sharp and dignify aristocratic accent, it will always spill out once and a while and dapple his words, resulting in what is now considered Nazareth's current way of speech.
The Red Light District remains on his tongue. It is a dead giveaway that he grew up in a brothel.
For everyone knows it is the speech of the whores.
And how had Julius come about this information?
Well, if not for the ties they made with another, he might have said something about his network of people.
But no. This intimate piece of information came by in the most honest way.
Julius thinks back to that day when they solidified their ties to one another. Him, Nazareth, Lester, and Elliot. The four of them had promised to take on the world together, to be allies and... perhaps even friends, if they survived to the end.
They had promised to share secrets, the four of them. It was the safest bet that loyalty to each other was ensured. And being of the noble class, there were ears everywhere to confirm truths from lies.
They had all shared their secrets in that candle-lit room. With the moon as their witness and a bowl of blood--a drop offered by each of them as a way to symbolize unity and ties.
And to complete the ritual, it came time for them to reveal their deepest secret, their innermost desire.
Lester had gone first, braving the threshold.
They knew Lester hated the noble society. As a baron whose family descended from common people, he was looked down upon with contempt.
Julius had expected him to say something about the hierarchy, of his insecurity regarding the social status, but Lester had surprised him in a pleasant way.
As it turns out, the boy simply didn't want to be alone anymore.
Loneliness.
He certainly proved Julius wrong on many things. One of them being that his expectation of Lester was a bullheaded child who only knew how to fight and swing a sword.
The boy appeared far more sensible at the admittance of his secret, so sensible and honest, in fact, that Julius had a hard time looking at him.
He hates seeing kids cry.
And it was Nazareth of all people to take the boy under his wing, guiding him regardless of status. Not that it helped Nazareth with his own issues. He was still pretty insane despite the pint-size addition that followed him around.
Elliot went next after this revelation. He had decided to reveal his own secret because they had sat in silence for five minutes after Lester spoke, the air heavy with grief and self-pity.
Apparently, all Elliot ever wanted was an ounce of attention. His fear of being forgotten, with no one to remember him; no one to hate him, or love him, or even see him. He was stuck, afraid that he will disappear into obscurity someday. All because by living in that house, he knew besides being the heir of an earl, his existence didn't matter.
Poor Elliot, in that house where his own mother and father didn't care for him, and the only one who did was a sickly older half brother who got all the attention. Who loved him, but was pushed away because of Elliot's own inferiority complex.
That boy was living in his own tragedy, stuck in a cycle with no hope of being free.
And then it came down to him and Nazareth. They were technically the oldest of the group, but Julius remembered how Nazareth hid his face in his hair and didn't want to speak.
He had seen the wicked smile of a troublemaker from under the messily long and tangled hair, but he wouldn't say anything. Instead, he settled his red Vermillion gaze on Julius and stared, until Julius felt that he had to go.
So Julius spoke. Spoke in an eloquent manner, because between this group of misfits, he might be the only one trained adequately in noble behavior.
Between a kid from a Baron knight family, the maybe-heir of an Earl family, and the bastard son of the only other Duke family besides his own, Julius had felt that he was a part of a joke. Something that goes "A baron, an earl, and two dukes walked into a bar..."
He was getting off-topic...
So he revealed his deepest secret.
And it was a simple one. Quite frankly, it should be obvious, seeing that he's an Elysium.
Perhaps Nazareth might be in the know, seeing as he was also the son of a Duke--the 'bastard' title notwithstanding--, but Julius couldn't tell since most of his face was covered in hair.
"I will put it simply to all of you here. I'm sure some of you have heard the rumors regarding my late-siblings. And if you are aware of the traditions of the Elysium Family, this might make sense. Suffice to say, despite my title as heir, my life will continue to be in danger until the day I take on the mantle of my family."
He had paused, hesitating, deliberating whether or not he was really going to show vulnerability to a group of people who he barely knew a few months back.
However, eventually, he looked down at his hands as he declared his secret.
"I want to live."
And then there was silence, awkward and nervous. Julius had basically admitted a very common desire, and not in the common way of many, but that of status.
It is a commoner who has the right to ever say such words. Only commoners, protected by the nobility of the Rhine Empire, can admit to this.
Commoners of the Rhine Empire are not powerful. They live under the laws of the aristocracy, working for the sake of the Empire and being cherished by the noble class.
On the other end of the scale, the noble class can never admit that they want to live. By being born into the life of nobility, or ascending into it, nobles do not become people anymore. Instead, they represent the many, and sacrifice themselves for the people.
They do not truly have the rights to being individuals, for nobles do not have that luxury. Instead, as much as they would like to pretend to be individuals with their own minds and their own decisions, they will work until the day they die protecting the people of the Empire with no protest.
Of course, not all people are deserving of being protected. There are certain exceptions that keep the aristocracy from being too benevolent. Criminals and evil pieces of shit hiding away and tarnishing the Empire by their existence is one example.
But for the people, the farmers, the merchants, the artisans, etc., the noble class is forbidden from being self-indulgent.
So for Julius, who is the son of Duke Elysium, the desire to live is selfish.
Because if it came to a day that he would have to sacrifice his life for the people, it is his duty to die.
Unexpectedly enough, when the tension in the room became a thick and uncomfortable atmosphere, it Nazareth who broke it.
He had cackle, his smile so sharp and glinting, like a knife raised to the sky. His laugh echoes hauntingly in the candle-lit room, bouncing off the wall.
He laughed with his entire body, shaking uncontrollably as they watched him let go of his self-restraint.
The image of the scummy troublemaker, the menace of noble society, the crazy maniac. It was very accurate at that moment to call this boy a scum.
Perhaps Elliot and Lester had not seen the horrifying shift, too confused and distracted by the unusual display of humor, but there was a cruel light in those Vermillion eyes hidden by the curtain of hair--peeking out ever so slightly as they stared into Julius.
He was sensitive to these things, being an Elysium and all. In his heart, he knew that Nazareth was something else.
Something dangerous, like fire. A flame that ate greedily until there was nothing.
As if his very existence would be the trigger to their ruin.
His had head tilted to the side slightly, his posture bending. His eyes slant to almost slits as he glowered amusingly at Julius. The twisted smile seared onto his face ever crueler.
Julius didn't know whether or not that gaze was directed at him or something else.
He hadn't had time to process it.
Nazareth's laughter died down eventually, ending in a breathy huff, like a cackling crow with a bone stuck in its throat.
The crooked smile widens, and Neo places his hand in his pockets as he steps toward Julius like a deadly spider weaving a web for its prey.
Everyone in the room had immediately tensed up, believing that Nazareth was about to attack him.
Threats that hid concerns, discarding manners because he didn't deem them as important. Tossing aside pretenses and friendliness because he couldn't care for etiquette like those. He didn't conform to society. Society just got used to having a puzzle piece that didn't fit.
This was Nazareth Everette Odum in full glory when he didn't haunt the aristocracy like a wraith.
Julius was intimidated by the sight, though he stood his ground, awaiting Nazareth's judgment.
---
"--Your carriage is waiting outside."
Drawn from his thoughts, Julius glanced to Nazareth, who was smiling by the door.
He grunted.
Carefully getting out of the bed, Julius noticed the bouquet of Asphodels in his hands.
Noticing his gaze, Neo smiled.
"Sutton prepared a new one since the first bouquet wasn't fresh anymore." He explains, placing the flowers into Julius' hands.
Julius didn't know who Sutton was, but he guessed that it was likely that commoner boy at the front desk.
"Tell him my thanks," He mumbled, feeling one of the petals.
His step-mother will surely like them.
The two boys left the room and climbed down a set of stairs, returning to the florist shop.
"Young Master,"
Nazareth's servant greeted.
"Master," Thomas bowed deeply. Julius waved it off.
"Let's go, Thomas."
The two of them got ready to leave the store.
"Julius, wait--"
A calloused hand was placed on his shoulder. He refused to turn around, knowing clearly whose hand it belonged to.
Neo knotted his brows slightly. "If you have time, would you care to join me for tea? I was hoping the four of us might like to talk together."
In the back of his mind, Julius knew he shouldn't forgive him so easily for such a slight. But at the same time, the Nazareth that he knew didn't care for slights and tossed away a lot of his manners without care of offending him.
In both ways, Nazareth fucks up a lot, and Julius thinks he, himself, is too forgiving and generous to allow an Odum to treat him like that.
But...
"Have you sent out the invitation?"
Damn him. At the end of the day, Nazareth still knows how to play his cards. He may be unaware of this, but Julius knows the power that Nazareth subconsciously holds.
The embodiment of chaos, differing from the path of the rigid social structures of their society. A bastard, yet a noble.
Nazareth knew he was damned both ways so he simply didn't care.
And for many, he drew them in like moths to flames--with hate, with love, or anything in between. To the noble society, he was an anomaly that people desired to watch because he had the freedom to be selfish.
"Not yet. You're the first to know."
Julius shrugged his hand away and walked towards the door. "You know where I live. A letter should suffice an invitation."
He leaves.
Neo watches Julius go, a look of relief and confusion on his face.
"Rainier, do you think father would mind if I invited more friends over?"
Even the ones he might have disapproved?
Rainier simply answered, "Perhaps if you speak to his Lordship, he may permit it."
Gareth will do anything for his kids. His disapproval is just a pretense if you know him well enough. Ever since his eldest son requested approval for a greenhouse, his "father-ing" instincts became more active and alert.
Guinivere and Aurelion had always been more self-sufficient and independent. Nazareth, on the other hand, did things in the shadows and in secret.
To have been able to hold a conversation with his eldest son had made Gareth a very happy man.
Neo hummed at the thought of a tea party. It would surely be nice to invite Julius and the others over. To settle the matters of the letters, and to find a way to fix the ties they made.
He believes they need to make a new pact, with a new promise.
"Master Everette,"
Sutton came back to the storefront with a bouquet of Neo's usual orders.
"Oh!" Neo beamed, "I really appreciated the help today, Sutton. Both for the bed and the yew."
Sutton rubbed the back of his neck, feeling embarrassed. "It was nothing, Master Everette. Here. I also made you a new one."
"I almost forgot about those," Neo admitted, "Thank you so much, Sutton. You were a wonderful help."
Sutton blushed once more and remained silent as he handed the bouquet over.
Fingers touched briefly and he almost dropped the entire thing.
Neo hadn't noticed, his attention on a branch of yew inside the bouquet that looked perfect enough to be planted.
Quite happy by this gift, Neo placed a hand on Sutton's shoulder and smiled even wider. "I can't thank you enough," He said, his eyes deep with joy.
Sutton felt that his brain had shut down momentarily. He could only stutter out a "you're welcome," before his beautifully smiling customer leaves his shop.
He hurries behind the front desk and promptly slumps to the floor.
A noise that was crossed between a dying whale and dying cow echoes through the store.
---
"Young Master,"
After visiting Mummy and leaving her flowers, Neo and Rainier sat together inside the carriage.
"Yes? What is it, Rainier?"
Rainier had taken off his blindfold, so his cornflower blue eyes were revealed to be hesitant.
After a while, he shakes his head.
"Apologies. It was nothing, Young Master."
Neo only looked at the other weirdly. "If you say so. Let's eat some cake after we get home."
The servant cracks a small smile. "Of course, Young Master."