It's the 747th year of the Empress' Calendar. The months of Ascending Fire fill the air with heat and humidity. Even on the Blessed Isle, which typically enjoys moderate temperatures all year, the citizens suffer as the night fails to bring them sweet relief.
But few are in so much pain as one of the scions of House Mnemon. This woman of unusually pure blood, for one born outside The Realm at least, married into the house just a decade ago. Her husband, grandson and direct descendant of Mnemon herself, paces back and forth outside her room. He stops only when a howl is heard from inside. His hand lays on the hilt of his sword, though it is of little use now. Powerless, he turns his attention inwards and does the one thing he hasn't done since he was but a child, and prays to the Elemental Dragons for fortune.
Inside his wife fights what is, undoubtedly, the most important battle of her entire life. She must bring the newest Prince of the Earth to Creation, it is her duty. But she does not fight alone. By her side are four midwives, two dozen servants, two astrologers waiting for the miracle to happen, and even a sorcerer, one of her husbands relatives here to assist if needed. It is a long, drawn out battle that rages for hours on end, but finally, after much pain the first cries of the newborn prince much of the tension vanishes from the room. Already the astrologers frantically scurry to record the exact second and date of the child's birth, so they may create a horoscope for it and divine its future.
"The birth happened at night, when the sky was clear. Most auspicious. And look: a shooting star, good omen. Ah, and it was born under the sign of The Banner in its ascending aspect! The child is assured to have a most grand destiny indeed!"
"M-Master? If one shooting star is auspicious, what does two mean?"
"What? By the dragons! That means-"
The lady of the house almost immediately began screaming once more. Another baby was on its way. Twins they are. This second one however came out much quicker. The midwives joked about how it must be missing its sibling. But some of the servants were worried. The Scarlet Dynasty always welcomed multiple births, as it means more dragons. But some more superstitious, some would say "heretical", people think it a bad sign. Some folk tales speak of the favor of Heaven being divided between the two, or one receiving nothing but good fortune while the other only ill. The Dynasts pay little attention for such nonsense.
"How… are they?"
The lady dynast asked, exhausted beyond words.
"They are fine, mistress."
>One of them was a boy, the other a girl (Male MC)
>Both were girls (Female MC
