Kings

Monday Mind Dump on Tuesday

(Image courtesy of Ideogram, which for some reason REFUSED to put them in the air or the king at the head.)

Every now and then, I start thinking about Kings and royalty. I write them, yes, but with a different mindset about what they are. In Dragonfae Cycle, yeah, there’s the standard annoying royalty, but I focus on the Dragonfae’s specific take on it. Royalty are the main family in charge of a colony. The High King and High Queen, their sons and daughters, as well as Chosen. Adopted children raised for the role. Chosen get all the perks and drawbacks, but are outside the line of ascension, which goes to the firstborn.

This entire family is the front line of attack and defense, meaning they are expected to give their lives if necessary. They’re typically a little stronger, smarter, and faster than the general population. It’s ingrained into this particular Fae that the survival of the colony is more important than the individual. Still, they’re patterned after how dangerous predators often interact. Bluffing over actual combat. Things only come down to war in the worst of situations…or a terrible leader. It happens. The other Fae (outside of the more human appearing Soliel) do not operate with royalty in quite the same way. Most are more tribal oriented, but will gather under a royal family (Of a different type of Fae) if it benefits them.

The Veil that protects Fae colonies comes from the support and patriotism of their people.

For The Arcane, I may refer to Kings and Queens, but it’s rarer and works differently. Only the Atlanteans have a recognized royal family. There’s only one and they’re scattered. Among the Lyceans, it means specific bloodlines that are Rex Regis. They’re highly modified with multiple forms and the ability to draw others of their kind to follow them. In reality, they were meant to be generals over soldiers. Today, other Lyceans (Atlanteans and Scalarians, all the shifter races) are attracted to them when seeking safety. This results in ending up with lots of strays, unaccompanied children, and those in dangerous situations showing up on their doorsteps.

Because they tend to gather so many people around them, Rex Regis rarely congregate in one place in high numbers. Hunters have been known to Hunt their prey, by allowing them to escape and lead them to a Rex Regis. The more in one place, the farther in proximity they can be felt. Fiadh, Cade, Bogdan, and Kyler are the three primary Rex Regis in Blackwood, and they all reside a distance apart. (Their families also carry this, which is why you don’t see many of Fiadh’s other children. They don’t live in Blackwood, but they know where she is.) It’s why Blackwood is divided into North and South.

They are treated as royalty for the most part, with deference and respect. They are also expected to stand between their people and danger. However, they also pull them to their aid in times of attack, which can have some very bad results when you suddenly have a thousand people on the move to one location in a berserk frenzy.

And those hidden Lyceans? Yeah, they can really mess things up. Some have no idea what they are, what they can do, or why people keep showing up wanting their help.

You can see how these things can play into complications in a story. So. Many. Complications. Oh, and the chaos. :D