Titanëa continued, “King Kü’ii was part God, therefor his offspring would be as well. The legends state that Gods and Goddesses possess a birthmark to indicate their divine status. Males have this mark on their inner thigh, while females have them on their forehead. Only another God can see these markings. It is concealed to protect them from lowly opposing forces.”

Malaykah rubbed her forehead, remembering that Alëxios kissed her there upon their first encounter and every time since then. It was not merely a romantic gesture, but an homage to her status as a descendant of a Goddess.

Titanëa turned through several pages, then spoke again, “The king was furious at first about the bastard babe not of his own, but soon after he fell in love with someone else. When he met the Faerie Princess, Sashaël, everything changed for the entire kingdom. He quickly married her upon learning of her pregnancy. In an attempt to reduce more scandal brought to the throne, he adopted Sӧlitha as his own child to appease his consort. The Faerie King was enraged by then, and ordered a hit on King Ku’ii’s life. Our king was tricked into believing his new bride was held hostage by bandits in the forest. It was there that he was beheaded by the Faeries. Sashaël became a fugitive. With Lady Rüvym’s help, she escaped to a remote island in the borders of Phëläniciän.”

Malaykah began to tear up at the story. Titanëa closed the book and held her hand, until she nodded to continue. They turned another page as she read on, “Alone on the remote island, Sashaël gave birth to the true heir to the Phëläniciän throne. She named him Alëxios. They lived together in solitude for only a few years before her father’s scouts found them. Odëign was high priest and brother of the Faerie King. He was angry that his daughter disobeyed him and ruined a possible alliance with the Tengu clan. Sashaël knew she and her child would never be allowed to live in peace. She gathered poisonous berries to eat. She had already taken a mouthful herself, before her father descended on them. She died nearly instantly, but the boy had not consumed any. Instead of killing the tot, Odëign capture him and held him captive in a dungeon beneath the Faerie King’s castle for several years. Alëxios was starved and tortured with a leather whip dipped in lava daily. His only saving grace was when the Phëläniciän Sea Pirates stormed the castle and rescued him.”

~Ch. 9, Somewhere Beyond the Stars and Sea~