A short version of the story of Iphis and Ianthe
Iphis struggled growing up. She was raised a prince, the only son her parents had. She knew from a young age that something was different though. She never felt like a prince. She always felt more connection to the other princesses that she met and always felt as if there was something wrong with her. She had no interest in anything that royalty had to offer her. She loved the entertainers that came to her family's court to dance. They were beautiful and graceful and wanted to be like them and not the staunch poised princely image that her parents had for her. Her maid Airi (a wind Skydancer) felt the hurt and dysphoria that they young prince suffered through constantly and did her best to aid the young girl and embrace who she actually was while she wasn't under the watchful gaze of her parents. She taught her dancing and brought her silks and trinkets from the marketplaces in the town. Iphis loved Airi more than she did her own parents and thanked her every day for her care and guidance.At her coming of age ceremony there was a grand celebration. One of the main attractions, a competition among knights, had drawn to a close and the winner had been announced. The winner approached Iphis on the stage and removed their helmet. She was a giant among imperials with eyes that burned like a fire in the night. Her name was Ianthe and she wore golden armor forged in her homelands. She carried a broadsword on her back alongside a shield. Iphis had never seen a woman that captivated her so much. Their eyes met and Iphis found it hard to keep her composure looking up to the armored mass of muscle that stood before her.Ianthe bowed to Iphis and accepted her congratulations with dignity and gratitude. Ianthe was told that she had earned a place at the grand ball that night as a guest of honor for her performance in the competition. The ceremony commenced and the ball that night came. In her distress over the day and her concern for that evening, Iphis approached Airi. Airi consoled the poor girl and gave her the only advice that she knew she could give to free Iphis. She told her she had to be herself. If she wanted to be free of this constant dysphoria and self hatred she had to start by being herself instead of leading the life that was wanted for her.With Airi's help Iphis dressed in one of her mother's gowns and went to the ball unannounced. She was grateful for the scale of the event. Despite being an imperial no one batted an eye at Iphis in her mother's regalia. She bumped into a large imperial and almost didn't recognize her. It was Ianthe wearing crimson and old adornments just as beautifully as she wore her armor. Iphis struggled with her composure and apologized. Ianthe recognized her as the prince and was momentarily confused. Iphis began to explain herself and the two moved to a quiet corner and talked.Iphis wanted to leave. She told Ianthe everything about her family and how she wasn't free to be herself. About her passions and what she wanted in life, nothing of which could ever be found within the palace walls. Ianthe was moved by the girl and offered a bold and dangerous proposition. She offered to take her with her. To leave the ball then and there and live the life of a traveler. Iphis agreed. She loved her family very much but she saw a way to be herself in Ianthe. The two stole into the night and fled the kingdom.Over the years that they traveled together Iphis learned more about Ianthe. She was a knight of a ruined kingdom. One that had fallen due to the power struggles of nobles. Her former lord that she sworn to protect had died during the uproar. Ever since then she traveled trying to prove herself and do good where she could.The two fell in love, Ianthe supporting Iphis in her pursuit of dance and finding herself and Ianthe being Iphis' rock and emotional support when she struggled in her pursuit of her knightly road. As much as the two tried, they weren't able to stay under the raidar forever though.Eventually a mercenary group caught up with them intent upon claiming the ransom of the vanished prince. They ambushed them in the night and captured Ianthe separating her from her sword and shield. The leader of the mercenaries offered Iphis to come with them or they would kill Ianthe. Ianthe begged her to run but Iphis didn't listen. Iphis refused to go back. A struggle broke lose between Iphis and the ridgeback leader. The struggle escalated and Ianthe broke free. Iphis was brought down and Ianthe fought harder filled with rage. The mercenaries were too much for her though. She was at a disadvantage against armored foes without her armor or weapon. She fought tooth and nail until she eventually fell too. They dragged the large bodies onto their air ship to dispose of them. The prince was worth nothing to them dead. The only thing they would get for that was death in return.They dumped the bodies over the expanse of the viridian labyrinth. No one would find them in the dense jungle. They were dumped many miles apart. They knew the legends that surrounded dead imperials and none wanted to risk the vengefulness of an emperor.Time passed and decay and rot took hold of the two corpses. Seedlings called their chest cavities home and vines entwinted among their bones. Ancient magic within the labyrinth took hold and claimed the corpses as its own. Their souls clinging to the vestiges of their bodies and embracing the magic that animated them. They both prowl the labyrinth now looking for one another. Looking for the chance for their souls to be complete again.
PudgyKookaburra