Safe Journey

[darethxshiral]

DARETH-SHIRAL

"Abelas, it means sorrow. I told him: I hope you find a new name."

THE END

Abelas: Trained by his father, Queen Yidhra's warder was the first of their kind. Brutally brought up under the blade, whatever childhood Dareth was meant to have was traded with the proficiency necessary to serve the Crown.

Commonborn: Born with very little magic, Dareth-Shiral learned to make the most out of what he had. Where noble eladrins are used to abundance he became very skilled with precision, once he gained a larger supply he was naturally good at complex forms of magic that came with a great cost.

Warder: Bonded to Aegnor and then later Meryasek, he fights now at the side of the DaemonKing and is apt at a variety of wide-range spells meant for protection and assault. Familiar with the different battle styles of the fey, drow, denizens of the mortal realm, and creatures of the Underdark he's rarely caught off guard.

Underdark: Killed in combat, Dareth awoke in the Underdark and rose through the ranks of the priesthood. Trained in assassination, deception, and murder, when he returned to Meryasek's Court he brought these lessons along with him.

Bluntsword: Forged by Nirvaan, and called Kabutowari by the nerd. The 'sword' consists of a singled-sided axe and a hammer joined by a length of chain, when used together it is said to crush any defence. The chain is long enough that each weapon can be used independently.

Aasimar: Scarlet wings and an ethereal crown denote Dareth's newly-minted nature, an aasimar is the proto-version of seraphim. The result of inhumane experiments conducted by the elves, their immortal souls were infused with immense celestial energy that would later be called Grace. Dareth is able to create seraph blades and can manipulate esoteric shadows as well.

[caribbean1989]

Matthew Daddario as Alec Lightwood in Shadowhunters (2016 - 2019)

[darethxshiral]

@wardernirvaan location: Lupercal notes: fite fite fite

The honeymoon was over and it was good to be back, this was probably the longest that Dareth had gone without putting his blade to something, but one long weekend of mindless activities would be good for the soul. He'd spent the better part of the last two months on an isolated island with Meryasek so the fact that they were both still alive, and still in love had to be some kind of miracle. "Hey kid." Dareth greeted, glad to lay eyes on the younger warder again before he ruffled his blue hair and moved to pull him into a hug. Not quite like him but he was in a good mood. Dareth moved to take some distance as the aasimar's armor shimmered into place, deep scarlet and vaguely malevolent, Dareth wanted to get right down to business. "Show me what you've been working on." There had to be some kind of snowball jutsu or something.

[darethxshiral]

@aegnorx location: Lupercal notes: kiss kiss

"Well, we're alive." That was one way of putting it, they were brothers now, both in battle, as former warder and wardee, and now through marriage. Somehow their fates had always been connected, Aegnor, his oldest and one of his only friends. Dareth cheered suddenly as one of the lycans nearly got their arm ripped out, the guttural sound of bones on bones reminded him of the good ol'days. "Should we take bets on what tries to kill us all next?"

[meryasek]

Meryasek tossed his head back and laughed for a moment, breaking the kiss so he could try to contain himself, "Three? Absolutely not. One perfect fey'ri, like me." He was sure perhaps he could have a baby, one more – only one. Three, then Meryasek would be happy enough to spoil them for eternity. His lips met Dareth's once more, the sure and strong body he was used to. The only one he'd willingly worship, anyway. His lips moved from the other's to Dareth's sharp jaw, to his neck where he could suck another mark into it. His lips followed down to Dareth's chest, down to his navel, and finally to the cum gutters. "You sure you can keep up with me," he murmured, though it was mostly rhetorical as he found the other hard and ready between soft thighs. His fingers trailed along Dareth's cock, sliding around the base so he could slide his mouth over the head, swallowing the other down in one go.

[darethxshiral]

wink wonk honky tonk

They would need to return to the normal world once again, their honeymoon would end eventually, but for now, Dareth was content to drift with Meryasek on the shores of the deserted island. They had started in the bedroom, moved towards the kitchen, the den, the porch, and had finished on the sands alongside the sea.

He ran his fingers through Meryasek's curls, unsure if the Chancellor and daemonfey could say the same. The man who was still confronting the parts of himself that were only recently uncovered, a father he'd never known, and a lineage that he had yet discovered. His mother's broken promises. Elves could not lie but that did not mean they could always live up to their word. Dareth wished he could make the other believe that he was so much more than whatever his parents had passed down to him, that walking away was just as valid a choice as following in the footsteps of Mars or Titania, perhaps more so.

"This world has its moments." Dareth had always been a stark hater of the realm that had chased them from its shores ages ago. Deep within its bones, the mortal world held remnants of the Dawn Court that had inhabited it long ago. A Court that Titania had once heralded from, the very same blood that had flown through Meryasek's veins flowed through the bedrock of this place as well. The paragons a distant cousin, the seas an old friend. Dareth had disliked his lover's fixation with this place, his determination to stand upon the senate and prove himself worthy. "I could be happy here as long as I was here with you." He knew Meryasek had his ambitions, grand designs of this, that, conquest, and more but there was a beauty in quiet simplicity.

[meryasek]

"I know I didn't. I'm the best gift you're ever going to get," Mery teased, tilting his head now as he moved closer to the bed. The gift could wait, he had someone else to attend to. He came back onto the bed, his hands sliding up the side of the other's neck to his strong jaw, "The deal is we wouldn't leave here till you put another baby in me," he teased, pulling Dareth in for a strangely gentle kiss. Meryasek enjoyed the feel of the other's strong body beneath him, always would, and this little honeymoon was going to be no different. He'd wear the aasimar out if he had to. Mery tangled his fingers into Dareth's hair, the unruly curls that he loved so much, tugging lightly until Dareth sat up. His possessiveness over Dareth ran deep from the idea that he'd lost him too many times, and gone were the days of a winter warder chasing a spring prince around Rome for fun. Easier times, but ones that he hoped for their children whenever they found someone to love. He'd said this many times before, but the quietness of the moment was something he always chased, "Ar lath ma, vhenan."

[darethxshiral]

"We managed two last time, so are we going for three this time?" Two was enough, more than enough; Dareth had enough anxiety around the children, and the last thing he wanted was to start following in the Dawn Court's footsteps. But he wouldn't deny Mery, not when he loved him so brazenly; the daemonfey was tempestuous and challenging to deal with, but that was all but of the chancellor's charm. Enigmatic, magnetic, powerful, and completely devoted to their bond. Dareth leaned into the fingers that threaded through his hair as he draped the former king over him. "Vhenan," Dareth repeated the affectation, brushing his fingers alongside Meryasek's temple. The wedding had been perfect, but this was the sort of vacation that the two of them were owed. In their bed, they were removed from the politics, expectations, and trials that had bloomed within the new realm.

[meryasek]

@darethxshiral Location: a honeymoon period

Escaping the fanfare when he knew it was enough was perhaps the best thing he could have done. Mery knew it was a great day, a grand day even, no one would ever best it. It lived on, in the memories of the great tree, so that anyone who ever wanted a wedding in the future could see how theirs would never live up to the one of Mery and Dareth. Sorrows sorrows, prayers for them.

Meryasek had dragged Dareth away plenty of times, whatever argument they'd had over swatches and unhappiness and trauma floated away, waiting to come back another time if Meryasek could ever process it and discuss it. Seemed like less of a topic for a honeymoon, however, and while Mery had been in love with Dareth for so long now, it felt almost cheap to ruin their moment by sharing his new husband with everyone else in the elven world.

Either way, Meryasek had worked hard on his gift to Dareth. His song mixed with his newfound hellfire had made something that he thought would be fitting. He knew how good Dareth looked in shadow armor, and now his new form was just as aesthetically pleasing. Meryasek wished for the other to hold on to him again, even though their warder bond was broken again, for the however many time, it would be something the other could use. While he knew that the other no longer wished to die for causes, and that was how everyone felt Mery was sure, the cloak he'd made was there as a source of power, anyway. Connected to Mery's magic just in case. "I already got you a ring, I figured something else was necessary. It holds the sky that you love so much."

[darethxshiral]

Back home, the sitter probably had their hands full; after this getaway together, it was likely that they'd have even more to take care of in a few months. Dareth wondered what sort of offspring would come from this union of theirs, though that was a question best reserved for the Dawn Court's self-proclaimed chancellor and God of fertility. The wedding itself had been without equal; every significant person had been there, and the wedded couple had been lavished with gifts and praises. So many gifts, too many gifts, and here was Meryasek with another.

"It's beautiful, but you didn't have to get me anything," Dareth said as Meryasek presented the cloak. The thought was excellent; it was clear that the chancellor had gone to some lengths to make the object. Dareth knew that Meryasek still longed for their closeness, bond, and alignment in their ideals. He knew he could never honestly know what the chancellor was going through, what Meryasek felt, and how Dareth could help. In the interim, he looked forward to spending the rest of their considerable lives together, seeing what Meryasek would do, and living his own life simultaneously. "come back to bed." They had an agreement and the fact that Meryasek was holding any materials at all was going back on that deal.

[just-a-pole-sir]

[just-a-pole-sir]

[meryasek]

There was more of an argument to be had, the fey'ri was bristling and it was obvious. Dareth took his hand and he decided that he'd bring this up at a later time when his husband to be made him angry again. It was always a good plan to drudge up the past when a fight happened. He knew the wedding was close, bridezilla was stressed, and he tried to be easygoing. Mery was more than willing to put the swatches away, and he frowned, "I'll always talk about what I feel. I haven't had a problem with that before. But maybe you should take your own advice." He sighed and looked at all the colors, "Yes. Put them away. I'm tired of looking at them."

[darethxshiral]

Meryasek had lost his mother, given up his station, he'd died twice, and on one of those occasions he'd been planted underground and used as fertilizer for an orchard of dark magic. An orchard that grew ambrosia, the food of the Gods who'd used the lifeblood of the elves to grow and sustain their unnatural power. An orchard that Zahrya had started down, a dark secret the chancellor had uncovered without truly knowing where he was headed. Meryasek's parentage was different from what the elf had been led to believe, now the man's father was here - somewhere - lurking perhaps unseen. Now Meryasek was building a domain for infernal creatures to live side by side with their children where they'd all call it home under the feet of the elves, but yes, it was clearly Dareth who wasn't properly expressing his feelings.

Dareth reached towards Meryasek's face and cradled the other's jaw in his hand. "Whatever you say dear." Hopefully that's what Meryasek wanted to hear.

[meryasek]

"Five minutes ago you were upset about a title," he deadpanned, looking at the aasimar once more. Mery had built a room of stars for Dareth once, now he'd made a court. The other had spoken about how he'd loved the stars, how the world had been too bright to destroy as Ayi'ig had wished. Now, though, Meryasek idly wondered if he'd done something wrong. His tantrum was of epic proportions, true, but Mery wasn't about to admit he was wrong. That wouldn't be him. Originally, he would've made one for all elves, but that hadn't been it, clearly. "I am upset. I'm upset about a lot of things." He glared now, irritated because he was trying to fool himself, but there were worse things than creating a home for his family that they'd be welcome in, "Go be rude to someone else. Our children will at least appreciate this place one day."

[darethxshiral]

Meryasek remained just left of the point but Dareth didn't press it any further because the former king kept speaking and didn't give him the opportunity to. Disgruntled as the other was Dareth was more or less used to, this was the cost he had to pay for disagreeing with someone who'd been born with a silver spoon in his mouth. "You have every right to be, but unless you want to actually talk about them you can take your transference elsewhere." Dareth wasn't going to be like everyone else and coddle him by virtue of his power or birthright, he'd played the part of the loyal soldier, the dutiful warder, and the aspirational husband. Dareth was notably stressed about the wedding, nine days from now his big day was finally going to be upon them, so his already lack-of-tact was in even worse shape. He reached for the other's hand now, "Enough of this. Do you want me to put the swatches away, will that help?"

[meryasek]

“Exactly! That’s what makes it better,” Meryasek tried not to laugh, but he took the crown from the other’s head anyway and placed it on his own. “You seem more interested in telling me I’ve done something wrong,” Dareth’s endless pessimism just meant he was feeling more and more like himself. There was a mild sense of relief that the fey’ri hadn’t chosen wrong, he was sure that could’ve ended in disaster. Or, well, technically he did, but he chose to dodge that bullet. “All your causes are your own,” he said flatly, thinking about how many times he’d told Dareth he didn’t want him dying for him or anyone. He’d said to let the others choke on that voyage, and Dareth had gone and done it again. “I’m building it for them. For you.” He frowned again, starting to feel less confident in all the work he’d put in. “So they have somewhere to grow up. And be accepted.” Already they were at risk, and that had to change. “I’m going to see if there’s a way to protect them. And the other demigods. For them.”

[darethxshiral]

"They were, but I'm telling you I'm putting to rest my habit of overestimating my own importance. My family is my priority, not this-" he waved vaguely, "place. Not this court you're hellbent on creating." These daemons that Meryasek spoke of were tied inherently to the very Gods that his lover hoped to protect them from. Blatant hypocrisy that either the self-proclaimed King didn't want to see, or was ignoring entirely. "Our children are celebrated across the Courts." One only had to spare a single glance at Chancellor Zahrya to see how he squealed in the presence of the newborn hollowborns. "They're loved, and they have a home." Meryasek's intentions were good, but his obvious self-imposed division from the others was telling. "You're upset that we lost our place in Arvandor and you're lashing out, maybe you can fool yourself but you can't fool me."

[meryasek]

“Chancellor. King of the Daemons. You’re so quick to throw everything I did away,” Meryasek sighed dramatically, though it was a fun thought as he created another crown with his song, this one of demonic effect. He placed it on Dareth’s head, tilting his head now as he looked at the aasimar. “You have been quiet about what happened. What you are.” He wasn’t sure how to push it, but Meryasek was nothing but nosey and pushy. “I like the plum and carmine,” he answered finally, though he waited to see if that was the answer Dareth was even pushing for.

[darethxshiral]

"King of the Daemons? There's one of you." Dareth pointed out, though he was sure that Meryasek's bulletproof ego could handle it, a self-proclaimed King was still a King to himself, that was nice for the fey'ri but the drow had their own, the quad-knotted lycans were their own breed. Dareth had contended with liches in Frozenfar, none of these creatures would call Meryasek King just because he wanted them to. "The cerulean is much nicer, but fine if you want the carmine we can go with the carmine." Meryasek had to have everything, didn't he? "What I am is trying to plan a wedding." Dareth deflected as he looked at the swatches again, their union was more important to him than the circumstances that surrounded his alignment. Even from their place below he could feel the cold breath of the archfey looming in the Lunar Court, piety had returned with the troupe and the significance was not lost on the aasimar. "I love you, Mery." He looked towards the daemonfey and considered him for a moment, "But I'm not dying for anymore causes. Whatever it is you wish to do here, whatever it is you hope to build, my priority is our children."

[meryasek]

Dareth and his titles; he loved him for it. "It's not like you won't have one," he teased, tilting his head now. Royalty was in his blood, and it wasn't Dareth's fault that he wasn't born with anything. Mery had still chosen him anyway, a commoner, and now neither of them were who they originally meant to be. The other Chancellors were obsessed with the mortal realm. It made them weak, it had brought ruin on all of them, and Meryasek had only tried in the Senate, Titania's little token of goodwill – that had done nothing. His mother was gone, and now he'd have it his way. Being king of ashes was not what he'd wanted, and the elves were fine for now. He'd have his crown again, because it's what he desired, not what they all cried for. He'd surpassed both of his brothers, and he'd gotten nothing to show for it. Just death. "Are you finished yet?"

[darethxshiral]

At least Nirvaan was still calling him King, Dareth could always count on the kid. "Which one is that?" The aasimar asked casually, husband wasn't one that he'd necessarily aspired towards, but if he couldn't be King then it was a fair consolation prize. They were going to be together forever regardless, Dareth just would have liked it if the entire court was bowing before them as they did. Still, the aasimar had taken up duties among the lunar elves, someone needed to attend to the White Flame, under Aurora's care the archfey within had been woefully neglected."Not even close. Do you have a preference?" Dareth asked as he added a panel of plum with the cerulean and carmine options.

[meryasek]

It wasn't what he'd wanted, but he'd done it anyway. Tired of the others, tired of the mortal realm, he'd build something better. Daemons were everywhere, and Mery would find them. He tilted his head that still wore a crown, "I don't need a title," he reminded Dareth, thinking now how he could not get rid of the blood that ran through his veins. Their children would grow up in their realm, a court of stars. Time would stand still one day; time, the greatest enemy of them all. Titania's voice echoed in his head for a moment before Meryasek was pulling back, "Groundbreaking," he murmured with a smile, pressing a kiss to Dareth's cheek before he backed away. Mention of the Seldarine had him frowning, "Some fucking family, right? I wanted this for us. For all of us. And everyone thought I was crazy." How often did they look at him with apathy? Or perhaps pity, childish dreams or something along those lines. He'd proven them wrong. "Do you not like your new home?"

[darethxshiral]

"Spoken like someone who was born with one." Dareth smirked, ever the privileged prince. "Everyone wanted a home, Mery, they just didn't have the power before." They still didn't really have the numbers, after everything that had happened over the last couple of years their population was... Depressing, to say the least. Meryasek seemed happy with how things had turned out. "It's fine, as long as you're happy I can be happy too." Dareth said as he held up a carmine panel against a cerulean backdrop, he didn't care where they lived, Dareth had wanted a title and now he wasn't getting one.

[meryasek]

"Who said it's off the table?" Meryasek grinned a little, as if Zahrya would let them have some low-key affair that didn't take over every court. A part of Mery was selfish; he didn't want to be dealing with the other courts more than he had to. He had a bigger empire to see to. Mars was behind him, Titania always in his thoughts – his grief had to be replaced with rage. There was never any time to mourn. He hadn't been allowed to; not when the courts fell and the drow moved in, not when Titania was gone for ages, seen only in his waking dream as he'd sat between life and death.

Looking at the swatches, he found them good enough – it would be bad to have two bridezillas out and about. "You're giving up on all that hard work already?"

[darethxshiral]

"You were their King, Mery. That you'd settle for anything less is beneath you." Titania was a sore subject but Dareth supposed she hadn't given any of them the chance to know how she'd feel about the monarchy's dissolvement. She'd made Farenduil human, so perhaps in her old age the former Queen had loosened the reins on her otherwise firm nature. "You're just lashing out because the Seldarine wouldn't let you in." Dareth paused for a second to correct himself, "Us, in." Them and their children that were tucked away in Zahrya's garden of misfits when they weren't being attended to by their fathers. Dareth turned back to his swatches, it was wrong it was all wrong! "Winter florals for spring were stupid idea anyways."

[meryasek]

@darethxshiral

One fifth of the court would do for now, but Meryasek's dreams were always bigger than what he settled for. That was just how the young fey had always been, despite all the changes that had occurred as of late. The fey'ri was busy at work despite himself, the focus being solely on the court he was making for daemonfey alike. The path to the Otherworld remained close by, and he weaved his song into the core of the ground and trees once more. Starlight was what lit this realm, an ode to his lover who had recently taken back up the post of bridezilla. Dareth could do no wrong, so Meryasek took flight once again, his arms coming from behind Dareth to grab hold of the other as he landed on him, "Vhenan. Don't tell me you're changing the colors of everything again."

[darethxshiral]

Everything would go according to plan, their enemies had withdrawn, the Asphodel were defeated, and Meryasek seemed content and distracted with the playground he was putting together. Dareth had more important measures to attend to, his big day; the former DaemonKing's selfish decision to abdicate the throne had stripped Dareth of any claim to the title so as the fey'ri approached Dareth focused instead on the swatches he had laid out in front of him. "Well since a royal procession is off the table now I had basically had to start from scratch."