A Destined Legacy Ch. 01

Alright, this is a sci-fi/fantasy story, with elements of incest. This story will feature our protagonist in several relationships, so there are your warnings, dear readers.

I would love to give a shout out to timber078 for being an awesome editor and helping me mold this from an incoherent rambling into a chapter truly worthy of being posted.

*****

Rhod was anxious. He was the youngest child of his father, and it was his eighteenth birthday today. He knew that meant two things. One, his father was going to introduce him to his wife, and two, he would be granted land and a title today.

Rhod had always known that he was nowhere near as handsome as a movie star, or his brother Abraham, but he definitely wasn't ugly. Not like his kinsman, Duke Murphy the Ugly of Leinster. A glance in his mirror reassured him that he did have a few things going for him.

His hazel eyes belied his intelligence, and his Trace, the pink vein that ran from his forehead to his ankle, had been polished with mineral oil, making the bright pink contrast against his pale, white skin. A well-trimmed, if slightly scraggly, goatee obscured the Trace as it ran down his chin and center of his throat; it was just another reminder of who he was. A royal, a prince, a soon-to-be Duke and husband. Rhod gulped audibly as he came to terms with what this meant. An end to his childhood, an end to the protection he enjoyed while growing up. He would soon be out amongst the wolves and a single misstep could mean his death.

He had been nervous a few days prior, when his father had summoned him. He had entered the throne room and saw his father adorned in his regalia. Rhod understood in an instant that it wasn't his father who had summoned him, it was the Emperor.

"Approach, my son." His father had commanded, and he had hastened to do his father's will. It was one thing to disappoint him as his Dad, but an entirely different matter to disobey him as the Emperor. His brother, Duke Thomas of Deira had dared to, committing one of the most heinous crimes imaginable, and was horribly punished. All descendants of Duke Thomas were banned from holding the crown, and if Thomas ever set foot in Winchester again, he would be castrated.

He had scurried to kneel in front of his father, "I am at your service, my Emperor." He had murmured, daring to look up at his father. Adorned with the crown of the heavens and grasping the Scepter of Vigilance; his red beard and hair, framed by the sunrise behind him, made him a regal image indeed.

"Rise, Rhod." His father had taken a breath and waited for him to meet his eyes. "My son, you will soon turn eighteen. That means you will embrace your birthright, just as your siblings and cousins before you have. I will ask you this now, what do you seek in a woman?"

Rhod had been stunned. He had never really thought about it before. He had always known that his father would provide him with a spouse. If he had fallen in love, his father would have let him marry for love; several of his siblings had. However, his lifelong love of reading had led to him being labelled as a scholar. Something that made even the maidservants, desperate to move up in the social order, disregard him entirely.

"W-w-well, sire... I-I-I-I am n-not really sure." Rhod nervously stammered, unprepared for the question he had just been thrown.

"I see." His father replied, a look of concentration adorning his face, giving the normally jovial man the appearance of anger.

"I suppose I-if I had to pick one thing, I would want someone that I could love, someone intelligent and kind." Rhod stammered before realizing the words that came out of his mouth and bracing for the inevitable mocking. His beliefs on this matter had long gotten him denigrated by many of his less sentimental brothers, sisters, and cousins.

His father had chuckled, "Well said, Rhod. In the end, that is what most people want...Just not the rest of the family. If only your siblings had similar inclinations. Alas..." the Emperor muttered as he stood up and walked to the stained-glass windows. "Very well, you shall have what you seek. You may go now, my son."

Rhod's mind wandered back to the present in time to see one of his father's darker skinned eunuchs rushed up to him. "My Prince, it is time." He spoke with a thick accent. 'Indian?' Rhod thought. "Come, we must get you to the throne room."

The walk was short, and he was entering the throne room in no time. He was entering it from the side, with the guests, various family members and vassals of his father, and their families on his right. On his left was a crowd of his father's wives, and ahead of him was Beorthric and Rhod's mother, Elise. The raven-haired woman's eyes were tinted red.

As he approached his father, the other side of the throne room came into view, revealing a stunning blonde approaching Beorthric. Her blonde hair was bound into a single massive, reaching past her shoulders, he caught glimpses of it as it swished with her every step; and her arms were lightly tanned, almost like the sun had gently kissed her skin. Rhod could see the simple white dress she wore, and as they neared each other, he quickly came to appreciate the way the garment seemed to guard her body; only to offer a series of brief, yet tantalizing views of the woman it concealed; hinting at the curves of her waist and ample chest.

As they met in the middle of the room Rhod was able to fully examine her face. She was beautiful, her face was a shade lighter than her arms, and it seemed perfect. If Rhod hadn't known better, he would have thought that she was divine-kin. Her beauty was enhanced by the smile on her face and the warmth that Rhod could see in her verdant green eyes.

"Ahem!"

Rhod jumped and turned to his father. His father, Beorthric, was smiling warmly. "Do you, Prince Rhoderick Wessex, agree to marry Angela Goff as your first wife and love?"

"I do, father."

"Do you, Angela Robertsdohter Goff, agree to marry Prince Rhoderick Beorthricson Wessex, and love him until the day you die?"

"I do, Emperor." Affirmed the blonde next to him. Even her voice was perfect to his ears.

"I pronounce you husband and wife, by the power vested in me by myself." Beorthric paused as few chuckles echoed from the audience, and to stifle a chuckle of his own. After a second or two, Beorthric began again with a wide smile on his face, "May you love and cherish each other, for all of your days."

Rhod turned to the young woman beside him, Angela, as he had learned. Unlike him, she didn't appear nervous. She reached out and gently touched his face, her fingers ever so softly caressed the Trace mark he had. The sensation was almost overwhelming, and he almost fainted when she pressed her lips to his.

It felt like an eternity, but he had the presence of mind to realize that it was probably less than a few seconds. Then it was all over. His wife's face retreated, a small smile on her face. She was astonishingly beautiful.

"Good." Beorthric's voice cut through Rhod's thoughts with ease. "Now kneel before your father, your emperor, my son and daughter." Rhod and his new wife did as they were bid, and he flushed with excitement as he heard the ring of metal being drawn. He felt the flat blade of the Conqueror press into each shoulder before his father spoke again.

"You kneel before me as my son, Prince Rhoderick Beothricson Wessex of Wessex. Now arise as my loyal vassal, Duke Rhoderick Beothricson Wessex of Willamettia!"

The royal family was all-consumed by politics, something that happens when nearly every duke and count in the realm has a claim to the Empire, an equal claim at that. But the Emperor had long banned politics talk at events like this. It wasn't fair to the newly established vassals to be exposed to the wolves this early. Of course, being a simple majority elective title, there were many factions, and none of which were particularly powerful. The lack of clear superiority made the efforts of over a dozen dukes to impress newly appointed vassals important, at least to their causes. Though, if Rhod was being honest, it just exhausted him. Especially since he wished to keep out of all of factionalism; the only other way to secure a shorter lifespan was to sleep with one of his father's wives.

Rhod and Angela were finally able to sit as the reception began, and their guests began to approach and offer their well wishes. Rhod lost count of the hands that he shook, and the amount of his siblings that tried to either hit on him or his wife. Angela had skillfully managed to deflect his brothers and sisters, while his own deflections were bumbling and probably not very effective. Though there were some lulls in the attempts of various groups seeking to influence the freshly minted duke, he took these opportunities to try and get to know his wife.

"So... Angela." Rhod began, in one such lull, "I hope that this isn't too overwhelming."

"It's close, but not quite. It's really quite illuminating." She replied thoughtfully, turning to face him.

"Oh? How so?" Rhod asked, legitimately interested in how this was anything but tedious. It was stretching him to his limit, and he had been raised for this. Or, as he had always thought of it, 'I was bred for politicking.'

"Well, your family is notoriously secretive. I was called to Wessex a few weeks ago, under the assumption that the Emperor was going to shift my company-" Angela began.

Rhod's mind was working at top speed, he knew that his father had summoned a bunch of arms manufacturers from all around the Empire about three weeks ago. A sudden realization struck him like a freight train. "Wait- I'm sorry, Angela. I am loathe to interrupt, but 'your company'? Are you the 'Goff' in 'Goff Arms Foundry'?" Rhod asked, feeling very stunned.

Nearly everyone knew the tale of Goff Arms Foundry. The company was founded in 814, by a castle smith in East Anglia. The man, Beorn the blacksmith, or goff, could mold steel that was superior to anything Emperor Beorthric could procure for his troops. Due to its superior quality and the approach of Beorthric's troops, Beorn had been hired from his native Brittany by the Lord of East Anglia. When the British Coalition of opposition finally fell in 830, Beorn even made money escaping to France and selling his steel to the French, Bretons, Frisians, and even the Germanic and Norse Tribes. Eventually, Beorn gave in and returned to Britain in 870 to serve the Empire.

Beorn's line continued to smith superior material up until 1446, when widespread rebellions forced the Emperor to change paradigms, shifting to mass production of guns. The Goff family fortune nearly disappeared, and they were relegated to sharing the market that they had previously solely governed. This remained the status quo until about five years ago when the last member of the Goff family shifted the family business away from guns, transferring instead to genetic and microscopic life, resulting in the creation of whole suite of biological tools.

He must have looked like a fish out of water or something else equally awkward, because Angela let out a quiet laugh before putting a hand in front of her mouth. The hand blocked her mouth from view the view of their guests, but not him.

"I might be the CEO and president..." She teasingly whispered, a bright twinkle in her eyes. "Though I can tell you the difference between the ancient woolly mammoth and the revived version."

"In what terms though?" Rhod asked, raising an eyebrow and trying to contain a smile.

"Both technical, and layman's." She offered. "Afterall, I made it."

"Well, as President and CEO, I'm sure." Rhod teased.

"And in the lab. I have a master's degree in Genetics, two bachelor's degrees, one in Economics and one in Genetics." Angela countered.

"Well that's definitely an accomplishment."

"What are you planning on doing? I mean aside from ruling a duchy." Angela asked.

"Well, I don't rightly know. I suppose that depends on whatever work Willamettia requires. It is a fairly large duchy, in terms of land, but it's very sparsely populated. It doesn't have much value, unless you want to count the potential profits of timber and fish harvests. But other duchies in the area are exceedingly more valuable." Rhod casually replied, before he caught something out of the corner of his eye. He noticed that two people were rapidly approaching and Rhod had to suppress an internal groan before he realized that it was just two of his brothers.

The shorter of the two was only about four feet, with a large nose dominating his features. A silver vein ran from his head, down his neck and disappearing into his grey suit. The dwarf's red head hair was kept in a neat man bun on the top of his head. The taller of the two had short black hair, with red horns erupting straight up from his from his forehead, extending nearly five inches. The Incubus's grey-white trace was obscured at every point, except the side of his neck; he was close to five feet and much paler than Rhod was. Both of the men were wearing wide smiles as they approached.

Rhod stood up and walked around the table to embrace each of the men in turn. "Argent, Gregory, how are you guys?" He excitedly asked.

"Oh, we've been alright." Argent answered, craning his head upwards to look Rhod in the eyes.

___________________

Angela felt herself smile a bit as she looked at Rhoderick, 'Her husband', she reminded herself. Her smile faded a bit at that thought; she knew next to nothing about her husband. At a glance, he was a good-looking guy, and he looked like the person you could trust. But he was a member of the royal family, and they were well-known for their secrecy. Angela hadn't even known that there were any princes left and assumed the worst when she had been summoned by the Emperor. She had entered the throne room and knelt before the Emperor.

"You summoned me, Emperor Beorthric?" Angela had asked the man, gazing out the window, from her knee, looking at the floor. Bracing for the 'offer' she feared, that he would want her to be another one of his wives.

"Yes, I did. Angela Robertsdohtor Goff, holder of three college degrees including a master's in Genetics. Last of the Goff family after your uncle's heart attack three years ago, and the current CEO and President of Goff Arms Foundry. Is all of this information correct?" He questioned.

"Yes, sire." Angela replied.

"Good. Please, stand up, I have something I wish to discuss with you." the Emperor had said.

Wordlessly, Angela stood up and dared herself to look at the Emperor.

"My youngest child is about to come of age. When I asked him what he was looking for in a wife, all he could say was someone intelligent and kind; that was a few days ago. I've already talked to your staff, they confirmed what I had already guessed." Beorthric paused before continuing. "To be perfectly clear, and frank. This is only an offer, with no consequences if you decide to walk out now."

Angela had turned around and started to walk out but froze just before the threshold. All her past relationships had failed, most men were intimidated by her intelligence and success. 'Maybe a prince would be different.' She pondered for a moment before giving in to the idea and turning back to respectfully speak to the Emperor.

"I'm only twenty-three, why would I be interested in settling down, even with a prince?"

"Because you, like my son, have a good heart, brain, and a legacy to secure. A legacy that others are, and will always be, ready to subvert or destroy. And, if I'm not mistaken, you want somebody who is your intellectual peer, which is why your past relationships have consisted of the scientists who work for your company." The Emperor said with a smirk. "Of course, there is a catch."

"Naturally." Angela said, suppressing a sigh.

"You would have to take a leave of absence from your company, at least until my son produces an heir."

"What makes you so sure that we would even be a good match?" Angela asked, changing the topic. She had been thinking for a while that she could use a vacation. A lengthy one at that.

"I know my son, and I know you. After all, I haven't ruled for over a millennium without being able to discern a person down to a handful of basic traits, in a few seconds."

"I know the reputation of the males of the royal family. I'm definitely not interested in sharing a man." Angela replied.

"I don't think that you would have to worry about that with Rhoderick. Even the maid servants haven't tried to seduce him, yet. I doubt it'll be any different when he's a duke of a minor duchy."

"Can I have time to think about it?" Angela asked, feeling the need to sort herself out. She had expected to hate the idea, but, instead, she found herself a little receptive to it.

"Of course, Ms. Goff, I just need an answer by the end of the day." Beorthric had turned around to look out the window again while she left the room.

___________________

Rhod's conversation with his brothers came to a natural conclusion within a few minutes and he led them over towards.

"Hey Angela, these are my brothers, and more importantly, friends, Argent and Gregory." He said as he introduced each brother in turn.

"Pleased to meet you, Angela." Gregory said as he extended a hand.

"And you." Angela replied as she shook Gregory's hand.

"Oh, shit!" Argent swore, looking at his watch. "It's five, Greg, we gotta go if we want to make it back to Morocco before midnight.

"Aren't you going to shake the hand of the beautiful wife of our dear brother?" Gregory said.

"Fine, fine! Just remember our curfew!" Argent huffed before capturing Angela's hand with his own and shaking it.

"Sorry to be gruff, kiddo, but we are on a time limit. No hard feelings?" Argent asked before giving both Rhod and Angela a pat on the shoulder.

"No, Argent, it's fine. You two should go make the most of your week." Rhod said with a smile, before leaning over to whisper in his wife's ear. "They don't get much alone time, considering their wives, and their duchies."

"Wait, are they-" Angela asked in a hushed whisper the two men turned around and quickly walked towards one of the exits.

"No." Rhod answered, in time to see Argent pinch Gregory's ass. "Well, maybe. It's hard to tell with them; they were best friends growing up and are very touchy-feely with each other and the people they are close to."

"You know, I've always wondered how the magical races were inherited. I mean their communities are fairly insular, and hybrids are rare." Angela said, pausing for a moment, before adding, "Your family aside of course."

"Oh, I might be able to shed some light on that." Rhod offered, waiting for an affirmative nod from his wife before continuing. He barely finished speaking when she started nodding and pressing her lips together excitedly. "The Emperor and I actually secured some DNA sequencers last year and did a little informal study. The allele-"

"Wait, you and the Emperor? At the age of seventeen?" Angela asked, her face portraying her surprise.

"Yeah, the LINE1 gene controls it, and each of the magical races have a different allele for it. The magical alleles tend to be dominant over the human allele-"

"So, it operates by incomplete penetrance!" Angela animatedly finished Rhod's explanation.

"Yep, about 45%." Rhod chuckled.

"Then why don't the isolated, true breeding communities have human children?" Angela asked, realizing a flaw in their study.

"No idea, Dad didn't want to use his position to force them to supply us with DNA samples. Our hypothesis was that having two of the magical alleles boosts their penetrance, leading to a simple Medellin chance. In somebody who is purebred, all their LINE1 will be of that allele, but even one can overwrite the other human copies."