Vmrtnz had changed him.

Puzzles and riddles, though an amusing pastime, no longer provided the satisfaction they once did. He wanted more, he needed more. He would not be done until every secret of Reality was his. He would not rest until his father’s dream was his reality.

And so he was brought to Amber. Eric had seized the throne and named himself King. The look in his eyes was… frightening. Eric’s first official proclamation was recognizing Theseus, his son and Prince.

The transition into the family was easy. He found space in the castle for a laboratory… a place he would spend most of his time.

The peace and comfort Eric secured after gaining the throne did not last, as the threat of the Black Prince hung over the palace like death: his attack was an eventuality that was growing ever closer.

Theseus invested his time wisely: he continued his research into Trumps, he worked on a formula for working gunpowder in Amber, and he created a network of information on the family.

His one mistake was getting involved with Fiona. He was lonely and needing of a physical relationship. Fiona, though flighty and shallow, provided just that. He hardly needed his intellectual equal, just someone smart enough to know where the bed was and pretty enough to make the experience pleasant. He was not expecting her to be obsessive about the relationship, so he broke it off before too long.

When the attack finally came, the home team was outclassed. Gerard, Deirdre, Quinn, Ander, and Corwin were more than a match for Eric, Breeann, Vaughn, Edward and Theseus.

Theseus was right at the lines, leading the infantry on the right flank, standing across from Ander. Theseus’ superb leadership compensated for Ander’s superior numbers. They remained even during the battle, continuing to fight long after the battle had moved past them, closer to the palace.

Though his days were consumed with defeating Ander, his nights were spent attempting to find a way to stabilize the gunpowder recipe he had come up with. He finally found the secret the morning before Corwin reached the walls of the castle. The small arms using Theseus’ powder turned the tide of the battle, but not before it claimed the life of Corwin and Eric.

Eric, on his death-bed, surprised the family by not naming Theseus as his heir. There is still speculation why he chose Breeann instead. Some believe it was some sort of magical compelling, some believe an insult or indiscretion by Theseus. Whatever the answer, it went to the grave with Eric’s last breath.

Theseus, however, did not seem terribly hurt by the whole thing. His studies had him confined to the dungeon for far too long. He would simply not have the time to sit upon the throne. He did, however, have a plan.

He had made friends with Breeann early on. A sharp-tongued friendship, to be sure, but a friendship none the less. Theseus also had a reputation for giving sound advice. He had also earned her respect fighting Ander. It was far less a surprise when the newly crowned Queen named Theseus her High Advisor.

These days, he prefers the affections of Miriel…Quinn’s daughter of all people. She, luckily, inherited all of Quinn’s beauty and finesse and none of his personality. Miriel has a passion for Trumps that nearly compares to Theseus’, which explains the attraction. It is a fair exchange: Miriel gets an unparalleled tutor in her art, while Theseus gets a beautiful, intelligent woman to share his bed. A perfect arrangement, as Theseus is intelligent enough to teach her only so much.

He is no doubt looking for a new woman to have an affair with, as Breeann has her fool heart set on Edward and Miriel is quickly approaching the threshold of her apprenticeship