Marked Ones: Advent of the Demon Prince

Rubellia nearly leaped into her husband's embrace. His larger frame towered over her as he held her closely yet gently within his arms. The woman, a short brunette, pulled her gaze from her husband and looked lovingly down at the infant in her arms. He could not seem to open his eyes, so she could not see their shade, but he had a full head of jet-black hair.

Rubellia leaned down and kissed the baby on the forehead. The baby happily snoozed away, feeling warm and safe in her embrace. The man gently stroked the child's cheek with a single finger.

"What will we name him?" The man asked gently.

"How about…Lucius." Rubellia said with a smile.

"Wonderful choice. Welcome to your home, little one. I hope you will like it here."

Neither of the two seemed to care that the infant in their arms had a mark on his left hand. They seemed overjoyed to simply have him with them.

"You're a father now, Wayne. Make sure you shape up, mister! No more late nights at the bar anymore!" Rubellia scolded, her eyes flaring with anger.

Wayne sheepishly looked around the room as if she were not talking to him and let out a low whistle. "So ... anyway… what will we tell his lordship?"

"That's simple. We found an infant abandoned in the woods. Likely because he is marked. As a couple who could not have children, we took the only chance to be parents we had…Even if…" Rubellia nearly gagged. "It's marked."

Wayne knew what his wife meant by her statement. The disdain she held was not for the boy being marked but for the fact they had to put on a farce that this was a difficult decision. In truth, when Wayne's cousin came to them the day before, drenched in rain and holding a small child, they did not know what to think.

Derrik declined to explain where the child came from or what happened, but he warned that they should come up with a story that did not include him. According to Wayne and Rubellia, they never saw Derrik.

Rubellia looked back at her husband once more and gave him a kiss. "Thank you. I love you, Wayne. And I love you too, my little Lucius. More than life itself."

*****

Inside a lovely little cottage, a young boy sat in front of a table, his legs dangling off of the stool he sat upon as he slowly began to draw on a sheet of bark.

The family had a stand of trees outside their home that shed a soft, pliable bark that was easy to draw on with charcoal. It was difficult to use, and they could never get bark in any sort of usable size to do anything important with, but they were perfect for providing entertainment for a small child.

The boy hummed happily to himself while doodling the image of a bear eating honey. Occasionally he would stop and check his work before returning to it.

After a few, he appeared to grow bored and hopped down from the stool and wandered around the home. It was not lavish by any means, but it was cozy. There were only two rooms: a small one with a child-sized bed and a single trunk, which belonged to the boy. Then there was a larger one with a two-person bed, some shelves and tables, and a few other odds and ends. That room belonged to his parents.

Neither of them was home at the moment, which was strange for the young boy. Normally his mother would have been home by now. She worked from early morning to about the afternoon, when his father normally left for his job.

It was rare to have both his parents at home at the same time, but it was even rarer for neither of his parents to be present. Soon enough, the door to the home rattled and opened. In stepped a tired-looking woman in her late twenties, beautiful with shoulder-length brown hair and hazel eyes.

"Momma!"

"Oh, my little Lucius! I am sorry I'm late, my love. How are you? You were such a good boy to stay inside while I was gone." Rubellia rushed to embrace her son in a tight hug and showered him with kisses, eliciting giggles from the boy.

"Momma, momma! I drew'd a bear and he eated hummy!" Lucius beamed as he showed off his creation. His two eyes glowing with excitement.

"Oh, how sweet, my love. That is definitely a bear eating 'honey,'" Rubellia smiled as she stressed the right pronunciation. She stood and began to prepare dinner for her son and herself.

Her husband Wayne received a meal as part of his work as a guard for the Petra estate, so they really only had two mouths to feed with their income. This lets them live a little better than those around them, though not by a lot.

Rubellia looked at her son with pride and joy while she started a simple venison stew. She started a simple fire by casting a small spell: "[Flamma: Embers]" and poured water from one of their basins, which Wayne filled with his water magic every morning when he arrived home from work.

"Mommy! When can I go work with you!" Lucius asked. His beautiful eyes stared up at the woman who regarded him with some sadness.

"My love…I don't know…I know I can; it's just…"

"Momma? I'm a really good boy! I'll be good extra, extra good!"

Lucius stared at his mother, begging to have her take him to work with her. His pleading gaze slowly began to melt her heart. Her will was wavering already at the thought of being able to take her sweet son to work with her, but this was really wearing on her resolve.

Somehow, she managed to push through it and come to a compromise with her son…by letting him come to work with her tomorrow. Lucius jumped for joy at the possibility of seeing the large mansion where his parents worked.

"Yay, momma! I'll be so good! What do I do?"

"Tomorrow, it is my turn to tend the garden, so you will join me in that. Do not worry about much; just stay by my side and behave!" Rubellia advised.

Lucius immediately went and hugged his mother's leg.

"Thanks, momma!"