Raven of the Wood's light/dark story has inspired me to dig out my own light/dark story from where it's buried in the depths of forgetfulness.
I have a lot of characters in this one, and I don't know who they all are so I decided to start here.
King Justice rules the City of Light. No, wait, his name isn't Justice, his name is... is... oh I forget. That's why I have this thread. Maybe he's just the king. I don't know.
Anyway, his Queen is named Mercy and they have twelve sons. Queen Mercy is the one who holds the royal household together, solving squabbles between the princes, and so forth, beloved by her people, her king, and everyone she's known. And Queen Mercy is dying.
(maybe the King's name is Honor.)
Prince Peace is the oldest and the heir. During his mother's illness he thinks it is his responsibility to look after his younger brothers, a responsibility they disagree with and resent. He knows, that with his mother gone, the king will rely on him even more, and he's grown up suddenly with the realization of that.
Prince Justice is more resentful of Prince Peace's new found authority than anyone. The closeness of their ages contributes to the feeling that he shouldn't have to take orders from his older brother. But Peace is the heir, and Justice isn't. He feels anger at his inability to help his mother and he would gladly break all the rules of heavan and earth to save her life. He doesn't understand why palace protocol should restrict his actions when his world is falling apart.
Prince Song is fifth in line. Quiet, a keeper of the peace, the only one who still dares to hope that his mother may recover. He attempts to smooth things over between Peace and Justice, but Peace is too worried to listen, and Justice too distraught.
Prince Silence is sixth. Other than that he gets sick at about this time, I don't remember anything about him... I think because he's sick.
Prince Victory is the twelfth son, and the youngest. Only eight years old he struggles with his swiftly changing world, the tension between his brothers that was never there before, the death of his mother, and the illness of Prince Silence that has everyone in hidden terror of what this new disease is that's tearing their city apart.
I've forgotten all the other princes names.
I guess I could look them up, as I do have the first two chapters of this story written. There are just so many I couldn't figure out how to develop them all so I kind of gave up on it. The City of Darkness is a sister city-state with a similar political structure. I cannot remember the name of the Queen; I know the king is either dead or dies. he doesn't come into the story much.
Death is the oldest daughter. She is quiet and pale and longs for a life outside of her city. She is also cursed. I can't remember the curse either, she would die before her twentieth birthday unless... she married? Something like that.
Desolation is the sixth daughter. Called Des by her friends she is a tomboy princess who knows how to ride and fight and hunt and dresses in a boys clothes, all to her mothers fury. Song is taken with her however and they become close friends.
It's been a really long time since I've worked on this story... but not too long I hope.
I know there are twelve children, six girls and six boys. I can't remember their names. The City of Darkness isn't evil; exactly, I'm not sure I worked out the allegory. I think it was shrouded in evil, but that changes. Because the children of Light and the children of Darkness become great friends and often visit each other. But I can't remember the plot so I'm starting with the characters, because there are an awful lot of them.