Corpus Tamrielicum - The Imperial Library

[30.4] KING EDWARD IV
some on his rare trips to other courts. And there were some in Firsthold besides Moraelyn and
Mith. "Did he have red hair?" Mith's hair was a dark red. Gerald had red hair. "He tended the
stables for Moraelyn?" No wonder Mith looked like a stableboy. But Edward kept his tone
polite. Mith had a sharp tongue...and Edward knew that neither of his parents would be
sympathetic if he complained that Mith had been impertinent.
"He did have red hair. Maybe I got mine from him...but mostly mixed elf and human children
come out dark elf. No, Moraelyn wasn't a king then or expecting to be...'sides this was in
Blacklight, where I was born. Moraelyn's brother was king in Ebonheart in those days. He
came up to visit our King and brought Moraelyn along. To keep him out of trouble, he said."
Mith grinned. "I grinned when I heard him say that, and I saw the boy looking at me out of the
tail of his eye, but he wouldn't take notice. Like I was the dirt or something worse. His brother
tossed him a pouch and told him to go into town and get his knife mended. Jerked his thumb
at me and told me to show him the way."
"Moraelyn said he didn't need an escort to find a store and stalked off like princes do." Mith
grinned knowingly at Edward. But the grin wasn't unfriendly. Edward smiled back a bit, and
Mith went on. "Our king eyeballed me, so I took off after him. Moraelyn didn't spare me so
much as a glance. Went four blocks out of his way, down by the wharfs, and when I tried to
tell him where the store was he shoved me right off the pier. I could Levitate, of course, but
he caught me by surprise and I went in with a big splash, and everyone laughing like
jackasses. I got myself out and went straight to the store and waited for him - but not so he
could see me - and when he finally showed up, I lifted the pouch right off him. He didn't even
know it was gone. So in he goes and tosses the knife on the counter and tells the smith to fix it
right off. Which he does. Only then Moraelyn can't pay him, tells the smith he's the King of
Ebonheart's brother, the smith just laughs and says, 'And I'm the Archmagister.' Then the
smith calls the guard and three of them show up. Well, Moraelyn wasn't what he is now -
three guards wouldn't even warm him up nowadays - but he was even faster then. He was out
of there so fast he nearly knocked me over at the door. He lost the guards pretty quick; all that
armor slows 'em down. I found him crouching in one of those hedge mazes in the park. He
was doubled over out of breath but still I stood a good ways off while I asked him real nasty if
he needed an escort back to the Palace. Not that I was planning to go back! I was gonna take
the money and run and never look back, I tell you! But I had to have the last word. I wasn't
born high but I was born proud."
"He glared at me for a minute or so, catching his breath, then he just rolled over and started to
laugh that laugh of his. Prince or no, I started to like him then. When we'd finished laughing,
more or less, we started talking. I told him I didn't want to go back. Nor dared to. 'Princes
don't get blamed, Prince,' I said, 'Stableboys do.' He said that wasn't entirely the case, but he
saw my point. Then he said that as I was his escort then he must obey his brother and come
with me. And that his name was Moraelyn, not Prince. We've been together ever since....more
or less."
Edward smiled politely. He could see why Mith had run away, but not why Moraelyn had
gone with him. Unless he was afraid to face his brother about the stolen money. Edward tried
to imagine Moraelyn being afraid to face anyone and failed. "I wish I was brave. Like you and
Moraelyn."
"Why, you are brave. And your courage will grow with the rest of you."
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