Echo brought his bag down to the main hall, sitting on the stairs for a break once he made it. He'd jump up at the first sign of Lord Taris, but he knew Darius wouldn't care, as long as he followed orders. He thought about having to see endless swaths of nobles. He knew he would have his orders to protect him, but others might still speak to him. It made him more nervous than he expected it would. Twenty minutes later Echo had gotten too comfortable in his thoughts. He was slow to move when Lord Taris' familiar steps sounded from the second floor.

"Lazy. And after I send Merik to care for you." Echo was on his knees before the first word was out of his Lord's mouth. Each of his steps down were torture, his footsteps a heavy echo in Echo's skull. Taris placed a hand on Echo's head when he reached his kneeling form, making his blood pound in his ears. He hated dissapointing his Lord.

A sharp, strong voice souned above him. "Tell me Corvis, what is your mission on this trip?"

"To serve house Taris, my Lord." He didn't even think, the answer came instantly.

"Do you see yourself as part of this house, Corvis?" Lord Ferin's next question was harder to answer.

Echo felt a pull in his head, as if he was trying to find the truth of his own thoughts. "I...I'm not sure, my Lord. I want to belong -I do- but I feel like a failure more often than not." Echo was always honest with Lord Taris, but he never wondered why it came so easily. Their relationship had been forged from years of careful instruction from Lord Taris. 

"I know I should be grateful for my position, but I fear that you'll never see me as being worthy of it."

Lord Taris must have been pleased with his answer, for he stepped back and dropped his hand from Echo's head. "Follow orders unless it endangers the lives of you, Darius, or myself, Corvis Eldric." The command resonated through Echo's brain, repeating in a constant loop but not overtaking his sense of self. He wasn't mindless, like the night he was forced to kill that man. This was a budding headache that was threatening to morph into more if he disobeyed. The constant whisper of the command in the back of his head was distracting as Lord Taris allowed him to stand, removing his hands.

"You will show that you are worthy of your place during this trip. I am choosing to place my trust in you, Corvis. Do not fail me."

As Echo stood, the weight of that trust settling in, Lord Taris' narrowed gaze bore into him, a silent reminder of the consequences of disobedience. Echo knew he had to tread carefully, he had barely escaped with his blood. With a subtle shift of his body, Echo adjusted his stance, trying to find a comfortable stance under the influence of his new command. He focused on his breathing, trying to calm the rising panic within him. If he failed Lord Taris wouldn't trust him again. The command whispered in the back of his mind, but Echo refused to let it dominate his thoughts.

Taking a deep breath, Echo nodded slightly to Lord Taris, a gesture of compliance that masked his fear. He never questioned Lord Taris, only ever resisting difficult commands temporarily before resigning to end the pain. He never tried to find a way out of the blood curse, knowing it was better that he be sheltered from the power of his family's magic. He was given to Taris' because he was the only child in the core Ellis/Eldric alliance that hadn't received a magic crest yet. It was customary to receive your first crest at sixteen, and Echo had been nine when he was branded with the blood curse instead. It gave all latent power to Taris, who drew the power through Echo's own. Taris would never allow him to receive a crest, he didn't even need to ask. He would never put Echo in danger of breaking his curse, of hurting someone else.

As he tried to maintain his composure, Echo's mind raced. He knew that the next two weeks would be a test of his willpower and cunning. Unfamiliar with noble bantering, he couldn't afford to let his guard down, not for a moment. The command echoed in his mind, a constant reminder of the danger he was in. Follow orders unless it endangers the lives of you, Darius, or myself. Return to me in two weeks. Echo was determined to prove to house Taris that they didn't need to control him so intently. He had pleaded his case several times before, always kneeling voluntarily in submission, but Lord Taris did not trust easily.

"Of course, my Lord. My life is yours. I live to serve you."

Darius' voice sounded from the top of the stairs. "No, you live to serve me... well at least for now, right? Father?" Echo wanted to feel bad for Darius, but he secretly vied for Lord Ferin's attention to himself. Darius was always hesitant around his father.

"Yes, but do not use Corvis recklessly, Darius." Lord Ferin's tone was sharp. "He is a reflection of you now, and you are a reflection of me. Do not disappoint me."

Echo thought he saw fear on Darius' face before he composed himself. "Of course not, father. I'll charm the entire court and they'll invite me back personally next time."

Lord Ferin grunted. "I expect so. Practice your charm magic, but do not embarrass this house. Safe travels."

His words left no room for discussion, so they left the estate under Lord Taris' watchful gaze, two personal guards in tow. Echo couldn't enjoy the fresh air, being on horseback was a rare occurrence for him. The new clothes in Taris family's charcoal grey color, his own horse...they were sending a message. Echo had snuck enough books from the Taris library to learn that his Eldric family was an extremely powerful family for generations before their rebellion, made even stronger by the Ellis house pledging their power to them. The support of house Ellis gave Lord Kyros Eldric the idea that they should topple the longstanding Stellfrost family to become the King himself. The Eldric blood magic was boosted several times over by the Ellis family, who specialized in transferring their abnormally large well of power to other mages.

The four year rebellion was deep in Echo's memory. He had spent most of the time exploring his own hobbies as any child of noble families would; reading any book he could understand in the Eldric library, practicing music on the small cello his mother convinced his father to buy him, annoying his tutor with endless questions. Echo didn't have many expectations placed on him as a child. He was one of his father's illegitimate children, a result of an affair between him and his Vessel, the Ellis mage who selflessly gave all her power to Kyros Eldric. She hadn't wanted to sacrifice Echo at all, pleading on her hands and knees while grasping Echo, but in the end Lord Eldric drained her power to perform the blood curse linking their son to the Taris family. Echo had hoped to save her in the transaction and nearly lost his mind when he heard of her demise from Lord Taris. He couldn't enjoy the sun on his face knowing that every step brought him closer to the people who hated his family.

The ride was shorter than Echo expected -Darius' constant talking filled the time- but his constant discomfort from both the residual blood curse punishment as well as the unnatural pressure behind his eyes meant the castle was a welcome sight. His ass ached from riding for so many hours while sore already. It was barely light out when they arrived, Darius had made them gallop periodically so as not to offend the King and Queen by arriving after dark. They were led to their chambers in the guest and attendant wings first before being escorted to the banquet hall, their guards peeling off to the guard's wing after opening the door for them. The banquet hall was a long room, two long tables framing the lengthy carpeted walk to the table where the royal family sat. Echo's throat tightened as Darius gracefully stepped forwards. The room was tall, decorated with wide swaths of fabric that held each of the noble families crests. There were gold accents and jewels everywhere, and they flashed with the candlelight.

"Ser Darius Taris, House Taris." A strong voice announced next to Echo, snapping him out of his awed daze. He fell into step behind Darius, keeping his head low so as to not gawk at everything as he passed.

"Kneel to the royal family as you do father and I." Darius' voice barely a whisper, but the command worked regardless. Darius walked towards to the King's table with confidence, and Echo spared a glance at the royal family. King and Queen Stellfrost were at the center of the table. Their two sons were to the left of them and the three daughters were to the right. The oldest of each sat closest to the King and Queen. The daughters all had the same long blonde waves the queen did, but the youngest princess had her father's blue eyes.

Echo looked at the two princes next. The older one was a carbon copy of King Cedric. Prince Lysander had his father's stocky build and dark hair that contrasted with piercing blue eyes. He was nearly thirty and looked just as regal as his father, just as intimidating too. Echo looked at the second prince, Alaric. If his face hadn't looked years younger than the first prince he could have been mistaken as the older one of the two, based on his build alone. Even while sitting down Echo could tell he was tall and broad-chested. His hair curled more than the rest of the family's did, and it was hard to decide if it was considered blonde or brown, riding the cusp with multiple shades of both in each curl. His eyes were green, like The Queen's, and his face looked more relaxed than Prince Lysander as he stared directly... at Echo.

Echo almost tripped over his feet as he felt the prince's gaze on him. He didn't realize he had missed Darius' cue until a familiar liquid fire forced him into a kneeling position. Darius was directly addressing the King as Echo finally began to pay attention.

"Peaceful Summer Solstice, Your Grace. It is a pleasure to be able to celebrate in your beautiful castle." Darius didn't dare put magic charm into his words, it wouldn't work anyways. The King's attendant was a Zarobi family elder, well trained in protecting the King from any magic directed his way.

"And who have you brought with you as your attendant?" The Queen asks, the blonde braids piled on her head were decorated in ornate beads.

"I bring the ward of the Taris family." 

"Those eyes..." The eldest princess whispered to her mother, looking at Echo with shock.

Darius puffed out his chest. "He is a natural born Eldric."

The room erupted in whispers, and Echo's face heated at the attention on him.

There was a warning in the King's voice.  "Ser Taris, you are aware of the Eldric family's history and their capabilities. What abilities does this ward of yours possess?" Apparently Echo was not the only one who hadn't known he would be attending the Summer Solstice with Darius.

"Your Majesties, he is a skilled attendant and has no abilities that would pose a threat. His loyalty to our house is unwavering, and he is here to assist me during the celebration. He never received a crest."

The King's face face stayed passive. "Remarkable... an Eldric in Glenspire again. You ensure he is unable to use blood magic without a crest?"

"Yes, Your Grace." Darius answered smoothly with another bow.

The Queen interjected. "Are you positive about this, Ser Darius? His eyes show the same blood color of malice as the late Eldric head Kyrus."

"Echo's eyes are merely a result of his ancestry, but I assure you, he is under control. He has been a valuable asset to our household and has no intentions of causing harm." Echo stared at the floor, hating that people could tell his heritage by his appearance alone.

"Very well, Taris' are known for their ability to temper aggression anyways. Rise, boy. State your name."

There was an awkward pause before Echo realized he was being addressed directly. He stood at attention, making sure to bow his head in respect.

"Echo Eldric, Your Grace." Echo refused to use his birth name unless commanded to.

"Echo... An odd name. Those eyes are unmistakable though. I'm sorry for the fate of your house, Echo Eldric." The King's voice radiated power with every word.

The Queen stared at Echo until he shifted his weight in discomfort. "Well, escort them to their seats." They were waved away with a single hand.

The interaction had been brief, but it left Echo buzzing with anxiety. Darius hadn't prepared him for the introduction. He had never been to formal court before and had no idea what was expected of him. The Queen had apologized for the fate of his house, which had been the result of their own violent nature. A brief pang of hurt gripped his chest at the thought of Darius using him to show off for the royals after knowing their history with his family. He was resigned to it though, his pride had been long stripped away by this point. He could feel eyes on him as he picked at his dinner, unable to eat through his nerves.

"Eat half." Darius commanded, knowing how weak Echo got if he didn't eat. "I need you ready for tomorrow."

Echo forced the best parts of the plate into his mouth as his throat burned with the command. The rest of the dinner was uneventful, Darius had already been making connections to those sitting around them. Echo tried to listen, but quickly zoned out, occasionally being forced to look up so the other courtiers could see his Eldric blood eyes and start a new round of whispers.

After dinner everyone retired to their chambers. Darius told Echo to stay in his room until morning, so he stripped his court attire and jumped in bed. It was far more comfortable than the bed he had back at the manor. The simple attendant's room was roughly the same size as his own, but it had thick curtains covering the windows and a plush fur rug on the floor. The royal family was incredibly wealthy, defending their family dynasty for several generations. The Stellfrost family had been uncontested for over 80 years before the recent rebellion, which had only lasted five years. Echo didn't know anything about the state of politics outside of what Darius or Lord Ferin told him, which was next to nothing. He knew the names of a handful of noble families and had memorized the powers of only a couple.

Stellfrost was one of the most powerful families because of their natural affinity for multiple crests. The King and Queen, along with their two oldest children, were the only ones who could grant crests outside of a Lord. It was customary for a Lord to grant children in their house a crest when they turned 16, as long as they showed aptitude by the age of thirteen. It was possible to use magic without a crest, but the power was extremely metered. A member of house Hawthorne, for example, may be able to understand some animals without a crest, but they likely wouldn't be able to control the animal or hold a conversation with them. The Stellfrost family took as many crests as they were able to. Prince Lysander was rumored to have the most crests, but nobody could truly tell how many unless he took his shirt off for the entire court.

Echo rolled over, thinking about his own blood curse crest. There was no Lord to grant him an actual crest, not that he would want such an invasive power anyways. Not after feeling the negative effects for over a decade. He didn't understand how his family had waged war with that power, killing those who had opposed them. The moon was high when Echo finally drifted off to sleep.