Zamu twirled the piece of cloth around his fingers and heaved a sigh, feeling a small headache build up within him. He felt exhausted and overwhelmed. What business did he have meddling with princes and suffering their arrogance? But wasn't this what he wanted? A life of meaning, a bit of luxury? He sat on the ground, his mood dissolving into bleakness and he rubbed his forehead. He had hoped to be important at least but he sat through the last battle, like a woman, a child.

He felt a tremor rise within him, a flame, a life. It was different than his darkness. It was moving, twirling within him, dancing almost playfully, filling him with courage and strength. He reached in and held it, eyes wide, his brow streaked with sweat. Suddenly, he could feel everything; the soft evening breeze, the sandals beneath his feet, each thread of fabric that carressed his skin. He reached farther and felt deeper into the earth, the heartbeats of men and women sleeping, the moans of a woman in the throes of passion.

He reached into the earth and he felt small orbs of life beneath him and he gasped, feeling fatigue creep upon him,making his breath sharp and ragged. He reached and infused some of the heat in him into them and they burst open. He gritted his teeth against the fatigue and infused more of the power into it and it shot through the dry, cracked earth then he closed his eyes, feeling it move. He felt his lips grow dry and he fell to the ground, gasping for breath then he opened his eyes and saw a little vine that broken out of the earth. He felt terror and joy shoot through him. He was a shader but he had just vined and he looked at his palms, they were shaking. He felt the power will him flicker and slip into rest. He touched the vine and laughed, a laughter of a surprised man, of a scared man, of a nervous man.

"Interesting." He heard the voice and turned to see one of the princes, Elek they called him, standing like a rock, strong and handsome. He had an eyebrow raised.

"Tuli said that you were a shader. How come this?" He asked and squatted down to run a finger on the vine, not looking at Zamu. Zamu scrambled away from him, fear seeping into his body. Elek turned to look at him, brown eyes weighing him critically. He clicked his tongue and stood up, rubbing his thumb and forefinger together.

"What is your name, child?" He asked and for a moment, Zamu wondered why he referred to him as a child when he remembered the true length of life the princes had and he shook his head.

"Err, Zamu, darkness." He said and Elek nodded then smiled at him. It was a smile that bore a weight of weariness that struck Zamu. This man was anything but a man, anything but normal. Elek turned away from him and looked away into the distance for such a long while that Zamu began to suspect that the prince had forgotten his existence. He cleared his throat and Elek slowly turned back to look at him.

"You are a Viner, yes?" He asked and Zamu nodded nervously.

"It would seem so, darkness."

"And you are a Shader, no?" Elek asked and Zamu nodded again. Elek looked at him thoughtfully and Zamu felt naked, not just unclad but naked down to his soul and he clenched his fists to avoid wrapping his arms around himself. Elek nodded, seemingly satisfied with what he saw.

"Come, child. I want to speak to my brother and I would like you to be there." He said and started walking, assured that his request would not be refused. Zamu followed, feeling uneasy and weary from his exertions.

Men seemed to shrink away from Elek and he strode with a confidence that made a man feel tiny. He walked into Tuli's tent, nodding to the Tije that stood there with a clear respect that shocked Zamu. He had seen the other princes treat the Tije as if they were worth nothing but Elek showed them genuine respect.

Tuli was seated behind his table, a cup of wine in his hand as he pored through a large book. He looked up and saw Elek and his face descended into a dark frown.

"Brother." He said simply and Zamu did not know if it was a question or a statement. Elek smiled at him and gestured at a chair on the other side of the table.

"May I?" He asked and Tuli nodded. Elek sat and waved to Zamu without looking back.

"Come, child." He said and Zamu came to stand beside him but Elek turned to him, amused.

"Why should you stand? Is it not uncomfortable? Come now, sit and relax." He said and Zamu nodded. There was a tension in Tuli, like a bowstring and his red eyes were so fierce, they seemed to glow a little. Zamu had never seen him this way before, even before a battle, he always seemed relaxed and in control but now, he looked like a wolf threatened.

"What do you want, Elek?" He asked and Elek shrugged, smiling.

"Can a man not take the pleasure of seeing his own brother?" He asked but the attempt fell on Tuli like piss on rock. Elek nodded and his face hardened as well but there was a flicker of affection in his eyes.

"I want to take this boy from you. He has shown the curse of vining in him. I would like to take him to father after this is over." Elek said and Tuli turned to look sharply at Zamu then nodded before he turned back to Elek.

"As always, father gets what he wants and we all roll in the mud beneath his feet, yes?" Tuli said and Elek gritted his teeth.

"I will not tolerate any insult at our father from you, Tuli. You've seen enough. I would expect more respect and understanding from you. No,I demand it." Elek said and Tuli growled under his throat,his nails growing longer and his teeth sharper.

"Respect, understanding? Those are words I doubt you remember the meaning of, Elek. You promised not to speak directly to me. I suggest you return to abiding by that promise. Take the boy and leave if it pleases you." He said and Zamu felt anger in him at being discussed as if he wasn't there. Elek opened his mouth to speak then inhaled deeply and held it a while before exhaling.

"It's about him, isn't it? After all those decades. You still refuse to forget." He said and Tuli slammed the table with his fist, shattering the polished wood.

"Don't you utter anything about him. You have no right, Elek Aza'l Szuri!" He roared and Elek gritted his teeth again, clearly straining for control. He closed his eyes and opened it after a while.

"The boy will take up residence in the commander's quarters where his training will commence and he will be sent to the emperor. Refute that order and you will be punished. I am commander and I have spoken.' he said and stood up.

"You feel good about yourself, eh. You pride yourself in your discipline and loyalty. You are nothing but a coward. A man who turns his face away when he sees shit, afraid that it's filth may stain his white clothing. Away with you and your fake honor." Tuli said and Elek stiffened, tightening his fists.

"I know you mourn still and I see your loss. But I advise you to remember who you're speaking to." Elek said and Tuli barked a sharp laugh.

"I am speaking to an impotent man. How does it feel, Elek? The knowledge that you can never have a son, that you willingly offered your potence, your seed to father. Oh, I know, you're his dog after all." Tuli said and in a movement that was too fast for Zamu to see, Elek gripped Tuli's silk shirt and lifted him until their foreheads touched. Tuli grinned at him maniacally.

"What's the worst you can do, brother? You cannot kill me. The truth hurts, no?" He said and Elek dropped him then gestured for Zamu to follow. The man was already furious and Zamu thought it foolishness to antagonise him further. He walked after Elek and he could've sworn that after they left, he heard sobs from Tuli's tent.