Shadows of the Past

Fic by Fallon

*~This is from High Lord Vitzen Taiga of House Taiga, a few years before his and his family's legendary house fell...*

## Prologue

​It did not seem too long ago that our family legacy was ruined. But it has indeed been nearly fifteen years since that night when Father returned all somber. Even after her death...everything collapsed.

~[]~

​“Vitzen!”
​
The tall, sturdy yet lean built Agell with wispy snow-white hair and eyes as blue, deep, and cold as the frozen Northern Seas, turned from making his way over to his personal training arena.

​An Agell half a head taller and sturdier in built, came running up, skidding to a stop and sending snow up the legs of the former. His trademark grin of mischief matched the bright sapphire blue eyes under the mussed up light brown bangs.

The former growled as he bent down to brush the snow off his pants. “What is it *now*, Archer?”

​“Aw, come on, bro...ease it up a bit. You’re always so stiff.” As if to emphasize his point, he fist-bumped the other’s chest.

Vitzen didn’t budge.
“See?”

​He narrowed his eyes. “Is that all you came to tell me?”
“Duh, no, of *course* not!” Archer responded as if it was the most obvious thing. “Dad’s home.”

​Vitzen tilted his head. “How did the meeting go?”

His younger brother tossed his arms up. “How am I supposed to know?! He literally *just* got here!”

​Muttering out a grumble, Vitzen shoved his brother out of the way to head to the front of their castle.

​“Oi, wait up!”

​They met their younger brother just outside the sitting room, stopping when they noticed his look of concern.

​“What is it, Polaris?” Vitzen asked.
Polaris was just half a head shorter than his elder brother, not as strongly built as his older brothers yet, but his mind was as sharp as the knife’s point and his height shortage provided him with the speed advantage. His silver-white hair was on a fluffier side, unusual for most Winters, his blue-gray eyes acting as a mirror of a stormy sea.

​He ran his hand through his hair, sighing. “Father didn’t look...” he trailed off.
Vitzen sighed, closing his eyes. “Just as I expected.”
“What do they want?!” Archer asked. “What does *she* want from Father? It’s not fair that they’re treating us—treating *him* this way!”
“My thoughts exactly, son.”

​All three young men turned at attention at the sound of their father’s thundering, yet tired voice, staying straight and still.

​Archduke Boreal Taiga had handsome, strong features, ones his sons mostly inherited, with broad shoulders and a strongly built frame. His faint brown, wispy-like yet thick hair was overtaken by the silver sheen of his age, his normally firm, yet stoic look shadowed by weariness, looking ten years older than he should be. The lighthearted in his dark blue eyes vanished into an empty, forlorn abyss.

He sighed as he rubbed his forehead. His sons relaxed their tense postures, looking at each other as they were unsure what to do.

​“I was again refused to be seen or allowed within the Palace *courtyard*,” he stated tiredly. The archduchess emerged from the sitting room behind Boreal, slipping her arm around his gently and placing her white-blonde head on his shoulders, her pale blue eyes filled with worry.
“This isn’t right, Father!” Polaris paced about. “They can’t do that to you! You’re one of the highest nobles in the entire kingdom!”
“Not to forget that House Taiga is the most talented—and somewhat the most powerful—in what we can do,” Archer continued. “Besides the Thystical Queen, that is,” he quickly added. He gave a “what?” kind of shrug when VitEn flared at him.
“They can and they did.” Boreal sighed again and rubbed his creasing forehead. “I don’t know how much longer it will be before they forbid me to travel there and enact punishment along with it.” He looked at his eldest son, who only returned it with an emotionless look. “You are quiet today, Vitzen.”

​“...What happened to the man you knew from your childhood?” Vitzen simply asked. His hand slowly clamped around the hilt of his sword, shaking with anger. “Why isn’t the king doing anything to stop all this disorder? Where’s the justice for all of this?”
Boreal sighed. “I wish I knew so I could answer that, son. I wish I knew...”
“Come now,” his wife gently spoke. “We shouldn’t continue wallowing in this subject. Let’s go calm the nerves down with something warm to drink and perhaps do a bit of family time as well.” She smiled sweetly. “I don’t recall our last family game night...”
Archer whooped and pumped his fist up, high-fiving Polaris. “GAME NIGHT, BRO!”

​“Race you to the stables!” Polaris challenged, taking off with Archer at his heels.
Vitzen’s mind was elsewhere but his attention was soon taken over by his mother, who had wrapped her arm around his, her smile radiantly shining. It reminded him of another and caused him to slightly return the smile. He needed to make plans on seeing *her* soon later...
“Shall we?” his mother asked her husband and son. With smiles, they walked arm-in-arm after the other two.