In the city, Darius walked alone.  He'd lingered in the hall only long enough to take water and a light meal.  The wine and wenches he'd left to the rest of his men for tonight.<br/><br/>For one thing, he found he could not shake the image of Princess Aurora from his mind.  Somehow the maids were simply too plain in comparison to interest him.  And then there was father.  He sighed as he paused outside the simple townhouse.  It was clean and plain, but sound and in a moderately nice part of the great city.  His success had paid for it, since father had lost his will to paint years ago.  Darius approached the door and hesitated, listening for a moment.  The sound of muttering and a crash told him father was still awake.  He sighed and opened the door.<br/><br/>His father wasn't as old as he looked, but the drink had not been kind to him.  One could still see where Darius got his looks from.  Once, Darius' father had been a young painter, even more skilled at wooing the ladies than capturing their liknesses.  He'd been the darling of the nobles' parties and gatherings.  Even found a noble patroness to support him.  And that had been his downfall.<br/><br/>"Come on old man, time for bed."<br/><br/>"Is not!  I am your father and I can decide for myself when it is time for bed.  Right now I'm having a drink."<br/><br/>Darius closed his eyes and prayed to the Sun and the Moon for the hundreth time for patience.  "You've had enough.  You dropped the jug and broke it."<br/><br/>"Oh, is that what happened...  Then just fetch me another one."<br/><br/>"There isn't another one and the wine merchants are all closed.  Just let me put you to bed."<br/><br/>"Where's your mother?  I want to wait for my Magdalene..."<br/><br/>"She's gone father.  She got tired of you getting drunk and throwing wine jugs at her."  He moved over and tried to get the old man up from his chair and making sure he didn't cut his feet on the broken crockery jug.<br/><br/>"Good riddenance then!  I can be with... with... my sweet Brexie..."<br/><br/>"She threw you out and told her guards to horsewhip you if you ever set foot on her estate again.  She's gone too father."<br/><br/>"What?  I don't remember that?"<br/><br/>"That's because your drunk father."<br/><br/>"Oh, well I guess it's better than remembering something like that."<br/><br/>"You certainly do seem to think so old man.  Now here's your bed, get some sleep and you can yell at me some more about how unfair life is in the morning."<br/><br/>"Ok, that sounds like a fine idea.  I do feel a mite drowsy..."<br/><br/>Darius shook his head and moved to clean up the broken crockery and then soak up the spilled wine.  Only after he'd finished did he find his own bed and fall into it, the princess still hovering at his thoughts.  And that night, both elder and younger dreamed of their one true love.