Yes. Janus is the only son and heir. He has a sister, but that means little on Erengard (especially as she is already married to a soldier).
"There are some," Janus says. "But...I do not think we should discuss this now. Your mother's memory must be respected, regardless of rumor or fact. She is gone from us."
The mountains approach rapidly, ominous spectres looming over the golden lands of Erengard. Your mother loved the fields below, but your father and brother rarely leave the mountains but for assembling armies at the cleared base of the mountains.
Amongst the strange jagged mountains, hidden in the darkest cracks between the two tallest, is Maurengard. The City of the Castellans, it is meant to be the shining beacon from which all Erengardian society should take example. It is the basis for all Erengardian culture, having been the first civilized city of this world (and the only ancient city to have been preserved).
However, it is only shining in metaphor. The buildings, while grand in architecture, are far from bright; they are composed of the same dark stone of the mountains. A wall surrounds the city, shaped to the mountains and armed with heavy turrets and a light patrol of soldiers. There is a single path that leads up to the mountain city, but most use airspeeders or starships to reach it. The only bright quality of Maurengard is the snow that currently covers it like a cold blanket.
You spy the Palace of the Castellans, centerpiece of the city. It is the noblest structure. Unlike the other buildings, the Palace is not composed of that terrible rock, but of metal. The structure itself is gray, of course, plated with thick armor to make it a durable fortress. A wall encircles it, patroled constantly by the Castellan's Guard. There is a single entrance into the Palace through that wall, the Main Gate.
Your march down the street gathers much attention, Melkor. You are recognized as Melkor, son of the Castellan, and people bow in your presence.
However, your charismatic approach stops at the Main Gate. A man in an officer's uniform stands in your path.
"What business do you have with the Palace?" he asks. As he approaches, he lowers a hand towards his pistol. You recognize it as a cautionary action, advised by the military academies.
His pistol is not actually pointed, since it's not actually in his hand. But still, even the cautionary motion is offensive to royalty.
"Son of the Castellan?" the officer inquires. He pulls out his comlink and moves away, though you do not need to hear him to know whom he is speaking with. Einar handles security of the Palace.
He returns, looking trumped. "My apologies, Melkor. You may proceed."
The Main Gate is an enormous archway, the gate itself actually a slab of a blast shield with ray shielding and all those goodies. It retracts into the ground before the shield fizzles out. The way on is clear.
You stride across the Courtyard and towards the heavy Palace doors, when they rather suddenly swing open. From them emerge the Castellan's Guard, all armed with rifles. They are following their leader.
Your brother Einar is not much greater than you in height, but definitely in muscle mass. He has trained all his life for military service and excellence in combat, there is no mistaking that. He currently dons his military uniform, with all its decorations and royal markings. His cold gray eyes pierce you like a thrown electro-pike. He sports a well-groomed goatee.
"Greetings, brother," he says, coldly.
Melkor is actually still in his Academy uniform, not caring to change clothes. He usually like to dress in elegant way, if possible.
"Greetings." -He grudgingly responds, eying Einar warily.
"You care about these manifestations, even in the moment like this?- He points at all the man surrounding him. As you see, I am unarmed and defenseless. You cannot possibly fear me, am I right Einar?"
Einar gives you an incredulous glare.
"You think these are for you?" Einar asks contemptuously. "An insignificant pup like yourself? Nonsense. I march to war, Melkor, against the Creatures of the North. Something you have never done."
Oh, the Creatures of the North. One of the few logical reasons that the Erengardians live in the mountains. These Creatures are deformed and unholy, resembling humans with jagged exoskeletons, survivors of the New Sith War. The Brotherhood of Darkness unleashed them upon Erengard over a thousand years ago, a final desperate act against the world before they were driven off by the perseverance of your ancestors. Despite the defeat of their Sith masters, the Creatures persisted and dwell in the far North, where the golden fields give way to a merciless tundra. Every so often, the Castellan orders for their eradication, in which they are fought against until there is no sign of them. But somehow, they always return.
You have never seen them, having never marched yourself.
"But tell me, brother, why you return to us at this hour," Einar says, more demanding than asking.
"Apparently not," Einar replies, "and yes. Now step aside, or I'll have my soldiers arrest you for impeding them."
The silly thing is that he actually could. Conscientious objectors to warfare on Erengard have long since learned that all they can receive for their troubles is death by firing squad. This being Einar, he can do whatever he wants, even to you.
It has become more of a ritual for the capitol to send soldiers to fight them. The cities farther North could probably fight them on their own.
That isn't to say that the Sithspawn aren't dangerous. You've heard stories of them, and they're all terrible myths to behold.
The Palace entrance is just as you remember it, though maybe colder without your mother's touch. Through the massive double doors, the Grand Staircase is accessed. The room is immense, with several doors leading off to other parts of the Palace. The Grand Staircase, however, a singular flight of stairs richly decorated, is where you want to go.