This is the final part in The Hidden Path mini series. I started planning this moment 4 years ago. I've had this art for over 3 years. I've drafted at least a dozen versions of this and it never felt right, because I realized recently, it was never just about this moment, it was about all that came before and all that will come next. Having the mini series to explore that elevates this moment even more for me. I really hope you enjoy this art and the fic. Thank you for supporting these two for the past 6 years. I am eternally grateful.
Art by ArtbyAinna (instagram)
Read on AO3
Pairings: Mal Volari x Daenarya
with Rayden (OC), Lydo (OC)
Book: Blades of Light & Shadow (Book 1 AU)
Word Count: < 700
Rating/Warnings: General, no warnings
Synopsis: The map that sent them on their latest adventure has brought them home. This is part two of "The Hidden Path" mini series.
Background: This is the final chapter in The Hidden Path series. It also comes after previous attempts at Mal proposing: A Proposal (of sorts) and To Have and To Lose.
Her pulse quickened as she lifted the key, questions racing through her mind. She carefully traced the dark metal of the lock, the corner of her lip tugging upward at the familiar design.
For a moment, all she could think about was her family—her boys... and Mal.
Her hand shook as she slid the key in place, twisting it until she heard a faint click. She chewed her lower lip, not sure what waited on the other side. The wooden gate eased forward with a comforting soft squeak.
She stepped forward, her breath catching.
Red rose petals were scattered delicately at her feet. Candlelight flickered on either side of her, inviting her to follow their light. She took a slow step forward, the petals shifting softly beneath her feet.
The yard was quiet except for the giggles and excited squeals from the boys trailing just behind her.
"Mal." His name was a wordless whisper on her lips as she approached a floral arch illuminated with lanterns at the center of the space.
He held his hand out, guiding her forward. His other hand rested on her swollen stomach. "I love you both." His voice was quiet, just for her. "I'm sorry things fell apart today."
Rayden and Lydo moved behind him, checking their mark to make sure everything was perfect.
Mal leaned forward, brushing a lingering kiss on her forehead before lowering to one knee in front of her.
"Daenarya—" his voice cracked as he said her name. He opened his mouth, but his words failed. He shook his head. "I practiced this so many times, but with you, I lose what I thought I knew."
"There hasn't been a moment since I met you that I've wanted to be anywhere other than by your side," he continued. "When you paused this morning outside of the city, talking about home, I had to fight against myself to propose on the spot. That moment may have been beautiful, but it wasn't our home. When the rain fell, and you were once again in my arms, I was reminded how far we'd come since that first dance and how I never want that dance to end. I thought about asking you then, but it wasn't where I wanted to grow old together. But then—" his gaze fell, his head shaking. "—Then I hurt you... I never meant to make you feel like I didn't trust you. It took everything in me not to tell you. To know I hurt you today—Daenarya." Tears filled his eyes, slipping down his face. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay," she mouthed, her eyes glistening. She offered a gentle nod. "It's okay."
"If I had, I could have spared you so much pain. I'm sorry... but it's not just about us anymore. It's about our children and the home we share. It's not just about where we are now, but where we've been and where we're going. There is no greater treasure in this world or the next that compares with you.
Daenarya, will you marry me?"
Her breath hitched at the question hanging between them, her hands clasping over her mouth. A soft laugh broke through her tears. "Mal..." Her gaze flickered between him and the boys bouncing excitedly behind him. Her heart swelled. She nodded before she could answer. "Yes!" Her voice trembled, but her smile never faltered. "Of course, yes! I'll marry you!"
Mal slipped the golden ring onto her finger, his hands steady and sure.
He rose swiftly, pulling her into a kiss, his arms wrapping around her as he held her close, never wanting to let her go.
The boys' cheer broke their embrace. Their small hands tugged at them, waiting for their time to celebrate. The newly engaged couple fell to their knees, gathering their boys into their arms. Their shared laughter broke through the last of the tears as they held their family close.
This was just the beginning of their greatest adventure.
Thank you again for reading! I hope you enjoyed this and hope that it feels earned and worthy of all they've been through.
1. Cậu ấy lớp A, mình lớp B, cậu ấy nói không muốn yêu xa.
2. Tôi bị hỏng răng, phải trồng răng mới. = = Lúc về, bạn trai đòi chia tay, chàng ta nói tôi đã không phải tôi ngày xưa nữa.
3. “Anh đã nói với em bao nhiêu lần rồi! Chúng mình chia tay đi! Anh sinh năm 2000, em sinh năm 1998! Là thế kỷ trước đó! Rốt cuộc em có chịu hiểu không? Vợ ơi! Căn bản là em không hợp với anh! Đừng quấn lấy anh nữa!”
4. “Vì anh có nhiều tiền quá, em không thích đại gia, cảm giác nó cứ không an toàn thế nào ấy.” WTF, chẳng lẽ giàu cũng là cái tội?
5. Cứ suốt ngày gọi mình “Vợ nhỏ ơi, vợ nhỏ ơi”, chia tay rồi mới phát hiện hóa ra thực sự có một nhân vật “Vợ lớn”.
6. Lúc chuyển tiền cho mẹ vợ, mặt không cười...
7. Hôm qua đi hát karaoke, mình với bạn trai hát chung một bài tình cảm, đến đoạn cao trào thì giọng mình bị vỡ, anh ấy đổi sang hát một bài về chia tay với mình, rồi chẳng nói chẳng rằng bỏ về trước. Mình với đám bạn cũng không hiểu gì. Tối đến, trước khi ngủ, anh ấy nhắn tin nói chia tay, nói tớ làm anh ấy mất mặt.
8. Con mèo nhà em không thích con chó nhà anh.
9. Em thích teencode, mà anh lại toàn Vietkeys đầy đủ, chúng mình không ở bên nhau được đâu. N3^u' y3^u xjn h4y~ y3^u th4t. nkj3^u`!
10. Có một chàng trai tới nhà bạn gái chơi, bị chó nhà bạn gái cắn, hai người chia tay, vì chàng trai nói con chó nhà bạn gái không coi cậu ta là người nhà!
11. Mẹ anh ấy nói tớ không đủ cao, sẽ ảnh hưởng tới tương lai con cái. Tớ 1m60, anh ấy 1m58.
12. Vì... tôi... tẩy... trang...
13. Đã không yêu, thì thả bom cũng có thể thành lý do chia tay.
14. Thi, cậu ấy đứng thứ nhất, tôi đứng thứ hai, cậu ấy nói tôi không xứng với cậu ấy. Sau khi chia tay, không bao giờ cậu ấy thi được đứng đầu nữa, sự thật là, lần nào tớ cũng nhường cậu, vậy mà cậu lại thực sự đánh giá quá cao khả năng của mình.
15. Dám nói xấu thần tượng của em à?! Chia tay đi!!!!!
16. Nhà anh toàn họ hàng lấy nhau thôi, cậu anh với mợ anh, dì anh với chú anh, em không phải họ hàng nhà anh... Hai đứa mình không có kết quả đâu, chia tay thôi em.
17. Người yêu cũ chẳng nói câu nào đã chia tay với mình, chỉ đơn giản là biến mất. Mình có linh cảm, nhất định là anh ta tèo từ đời nào rồi!
18. Lý do chia tay, phần lớn đều rất củ chuối. Tính cách không hợp, thế sao ngày trước lại hợp thế?! Mẹ anh không đồng ý, thế lúc trước mẹ anh ở đâu?! Yêu xa không kiên trì nổi, thế sao yêu được tới giờ?! Khoảng cách tuổi tác quá lớn, sao bây giờ mới biết là quá lớn?! Yêu người khác rồi, thế tình cảm ngày trước là cái gì?! ... Chia tay có thể có cả vạn lý do, mà ở bên nhau thì chỉ cần có một lý do “Anh yêu em.”
19. Anh ấy nói: “Sau này anh nhất định sẽ dần dần không còn yêu em nữa, anh không chấp nhận được việc anh không còn yêu em, cũng không chấp nhận được cảnh không khóc khi chia tay, vậy nên hãy tranh thủ lúc ta còn yêu nhau, chia tay đi, để còn có thể khóc, có thể đau!” Cái lí do chuối như vậy mà anh ấy cũng nói ra được, thế mà mình lại còn đồng ý ngay. Quả đúng là cát không nắm nổi trong tay, chi bằng tung nó đi.
20. Bạn thân tôi chia tay với người yêu nó... Nguyên nhân là vì tóc nó mỏng, mà anh người yêu nó tóc cũng không nhiều lắm... Sợ sau này sinh con, tóc còn ít hơn...
21. Người yêu cũ bỗng nhiên bốc hơi khỏi nhân gian. Tôi nghĩ anh ta nhất định đã bị xe đâm gãy chân, liệt não, bố mẹ đều đã mất, chỉ để lại một khoản nợ ngập đầu, hơn nữa còn bất hạnh phát hiện bản thân đã mắc HIV, giang mai, bạch cầu, ung thư não, thần kinh, ung thư tinh hoàn, nấm móng... nên không muốn làm liên lụy đến tôi. Được rồi, em tha thứ cho anh vì đã đi mà không tạm biệt.
22. Cô ấy muốn nuôi chó, tôi không cho, hai đứa cãi nhau một trận. Tôi nói, chó và anh, em chỉ được chọn một. Cô ấy chọn chó, sau đó, làm gì còn sau đó nào nữa... OTL
23. Yêu xa 6 năm, mãi tới bây giờ mới được ở gần nhau, người ấy muốn chia tay, vì “Không quen”.
24. Lý do chia tay: “Mùa hè nóng quá, nắm tay, ôm ấp lại còn nóng hơn, chúng mình chia tay đi!”
Tới mùa đông: “Mùa đông lạnh quá, ngại ra ngoài, chúng mình chia tay đi!”
25. Khi tỏ tình, hỏi anh ấy vì sao thích tôi, anh ấy nói vì tính tôi giống con trai. Tới lúc chia tay, tôi hỏi vì sao lại không thích tôi nữa, anh ấy nói: “Vì em giống con trai quá, anh thấy như kiểu mình đang làm gay.”
Pairings: Mal Volari x Daenarya
with Rayden (OC) and Lydo (OC)
Book: Blades of Light & Shadow (Book 1 AU)
Word Count: ~ 700
Rating/Warnings: General
Synopsis: Mal and Daenarya return home. The boys greet Daenarya with even more questions. This is part nine of "The Hidden Path" mini series.
The colors of the buildings in White Tower, vibrant in the morning rays, now dimmed beneath the setting sun. Even the gold that glimmered on the restored buildings, marking how far the slums had come, seemed dull.
It hadn't even been a full day.
She hadn't known how long this adventure would take them, but sunup to sundown hadn't been a consideration. Her thoughts drifted; it might have been longer if it weren't for him. Then again, she really couldn't be sure of that either. There was little about the day she could confidently say she understood now.
A low sigh slipped from her lips, her shoulders slumping.
She knew one thing.
One undeniable truth.
He loved her.
Despite everything—despite keeping something from her—he loved her.
And, she loved him.
This didn't change that.
But it did raise an issue of trust, and that wouldn't disappear just because they were home.
She needed answers. If not today, then soon.
Her gaze lifted to the front steps of the orphanage. They'd returned.
She wasn't sure how long it had taken. The sky had darkened, though a faint warmth still lingered along the horizon.
Mal continued up the steps, his hand hovering over the doorknob.
Daenarya stayed at the bottom of the steps.
"I promise I'll never lie to you," he broke the silence that had settled over them for the past couple of hours. "When you understand, I hope you can forgive me."
Her lips parted, but the words to reply caught in her throat. She nodded. It was all she could manage.
He disappeared behind the opening door.
She sat on the steps, resting her face in her hands.
"Mama?" A quiet voice called to her a few minutes later. "Why are you outside?" Rayden hopped down the steps, sitting beside her. "What's wrong?"
Her eyes softened, her arms wrapping around him, pulling him into her. "I missed you." She brushed his hair away from his face, pressing a tender kiss to his forehead. "How was your day?"
His eyes widened. "It was so exciting. We had so much to do. Me and Beary even got to help Miss Nia with a really important job. I'm a little tired now."
"We should get you ready for bed, shouldn't we?"
"Not yet, please!"
"Rayden?" His brother called. "Oh—" he paused, finding him on the steps. "There you are. We're ready."
"Ready for what?" he asked curiously.
"For the thing!" The older boy's gaze narrowed on him.
Rayden's face lit up. "Oh! I almost forgot!"
"What's going on?" Daenarya questioned, her gaze shifting between them.
"We can't tell you. It's a secret. Shhh—" Rayden pressed his finger to his lips.
"A secret?" A smile tugged on her lips. She thought she would've had enough of secrets today, but somehow, with the boys, it was different. "Do I get to play too? I'm really good at keeping secrets!"
"We can't tell you," Rayden decided. "That's my job!" He nodded confidently. "To remember not to tell you!"
"And my job—" Lydo interrupted, trying to guide the conversation, "—is to get you where you need to be."
"And where do I need to go?" she pondered, her attention focusing on the older boy.
He extended his hand to her. "I'll show you."
"Me too!" Rayden jumped up, taking her other hand.
"Alright, then!" Her smile grew with her boys by her side. "Where to?"
"This way." Lydo led her around the side of the orphanage. "Do you have the key?"
The question startled her. "What key?"
"The one from Mr. Mal's adventure."
"How do you know—" Her mind raced with questions and memories of the day. Her fingers dug through her satchel, pulling out the key she had retrieved from the hollow of the tree earlier. "This?"
"Mmhmm." The boys nodded.
"Why do I need this? How do you know about it?" She questioned quickly.
"It's part of the secret." Rayden pressed his finger to his lips once more, shushing her.
Lydo led her to the gate of the backyard, leading to the garden. A new lock hung on the latch. "It's for you."
Her pulse quickened as she lifted the key. She wasn't sure what to expect, but she needed to know. Somehow, it was all connected.
Keep Reading: Part Ten
When I started this, I worried if I'd finish this series, but here we are at part 9! I'm really happy with this whole journey and I hope you had fun along the way. Every part of this series was building to part 10. I hope when I post it you enjoy it! Thanks so much for reading!
[Mal Volari x Daenarya Blades 1 + Beyond] [Mal’s Orphanage]
[Mal Volari x Daenarya Blades 2 AU]
Pairings: Mal Volari x Daenarya (F!OC)
With: Rayden (M!OC), Lydo (M!OC)
Book: Blades of Light and Shadow
Word Count: > 1,200
Rating/Warnings: General, no warnings (can that be?! hehe)
Synopsis: Mal and the boys are cleaning up around the orphanage when Mal has an idea to make things more interesting.
This takes place in my Blades 1 timeline with my original Orphanage.
The cool autumn breeze swept through the yard, plucking one leaf after another off their branches. The golden, crimson, and orange leaves fluttered to the ground, twirling this way and that on their descent. The array of leaves splashed the yard in the color of the season. If it weren't for the donor event for the orphanage in a few days, the leaves could perhaps stay. But for now, they had to go (or at least appear tidy).
Rayden and Lydo raked carefully, gathering the colorful leaves into small piles across the yard. Mal worked on the deck, supervising nearby while also fixing a few loose, creaking boards. Despite his insistence that a noble getting their foot stuck could be amusing (and the perfect opportunity to relieve them of some valuables whilst distracted), Daenarya had insisted everything must go well.
"Why don't you keep making small piles, and I'll start combining them into a bigger pile," Lydo suggested.
"I wonder how big we can get it," Rayden questioned curiously, his dark eyes widening in wonder.
"Only one way to find out!" Lydo's interest piqued as he raked more hurridly, combining the smaller piles.
A smile pulled on Mal's lips as he listened to the boys. His eyes closed, letting a scene from his past drift before him.
He was younger then. Not much older than Lydo was now, or was he younger? His childhood—if you could even call it that—was a blur after his mother passed.
He had raked the largest pile of leaves he could...truth be told, he may have knocked a few extra down just for good measure.
Once the scene was set, he just needed a few noble children to join in. He brushed his hands over his clothes, straightening them as best he could. He held his head high, determining the best approach.
"Who is brave enough to jump into this pile of leaves? No? Just as I thought. Too scared," he taunted, shaking his head as he heckled a group of boys who walked past.
The taller boy rolled his eyes and turned back toward Mal. "What's there to be scared of?" He scoffed, his height looming over Mal's. "It's just a pile of dirty leaves."
"Sure, just leaves... except for the spiders, and snakes, and bugs!" Mal's voice rose with each new threat, but his voice dropped, and he shrugged, trying another approach. "Or maybe it's just a pile of leaves that make a satisfying, crunchy sound when you jump in."
The boys snickered, whispering between them.
Mal's gaze swept across the space, feeling his opportunity slipping away. "There's always.... hiding in them... and when those girls walk by, you can jump out and scare them. Imagine their faces!"
"Imagine their screams!" The roundest of the boys sneered. "Okay, we're in."
Mal and two of the boys hid in the leaves as the tallest went to lead the girls over. As the boys waited for their moment, Mal took advantage of his, casually gathering their coins and jewelry while they were distracted. When the time came for them to surprise their targets, Mal took the opportunity of the chaos to slip quietly away.
A chuckle rumbled in his chest. He didn't miss those times, but he made the best of them and had a little fun along the way.
His attention returned to the boys—his boys— who had quite the pile gathered. He finished hammering the final nail in the board and made his way to them.
"Wow! You've been busy!" Mal whistled, impressed.
"We've been raking forever," Rayden exhaled, letting the last word trail on.
"At least we finally finished," Lydo added, leaning his rake against the tree.
Mal hummed, his finger pressed to his lip in consideration. "You know... half the fun of raking leaves is jumping in the pile afterward."
"But that would make a mess," Lydo replied. "Arent we supposed to be cleaning?"
"Yes, but autumn only comes once a year, and having fun and enjoying the moment is important too. You want to make memories you will remember when you are older."
"Did you make memories jumping in the leaves?"
"Mmhmm," Mal hummed, deciding he didn't need to elaborate on the differences, "So what do you say?"
Rayden looked at his older brother and smiled as their eyes illuminated at the prospects. "Yes!"
"On the count of three we all jump in," Mal suggested. "One—two—three!" He stood back watching as the boys tumbled forward, their laughter filling the yard as the pile of leaves embraced them.
"Aren't you coming in?" Lydo questioned after a few moments.
"In a minute," his lips pulled into a mischievous grin. Maybe this didn't have to be entirely different. "What if you two hide in the leaves and I get Daenarya, then you can jump out to surprise her."
"But I don't want to scare her," Rayden worried.
"It's not to scare her," Lydo reassured her brother. "It's like when we surprised her for her party that one time."
"Oh!!" Rayden giggled. "That's okay then. I'll go get mama."
"Don't you want to stay and surprise her?" Mal asked.
"Nuh-uh!"
"If you're sure." Mal turned to Lydo, "What do you think? You and me?"
Lydo nodded, a grin spreading on his features. "Okay, Rayden. Get Daenarya but remember it's a surprise so don't tell her."
"I won't. I'm good at surprises." Rayden ran inside, giggling the entire way. A few minutes later, he returned, dragging Daenarya beside him. "Hurry, mama," he couldn't contain his laughter. "We have a surprise!"
Her gaze raked across the yard. A few leaves remained scattered but most of the leaves were gathered in an impossibly large pile. "Wow! You did such a great job! I can't even believe there were so many leaves!" Her eyes narrowed suspiciously at the pile which seemed to be...whispering?
Rayden pressed his little hands against her back, pushing her forward. "You need to get a little closer to see it real good!"
"Is that so?" She tempered her growing smile. Following his guidance, she crept closer, stopping when her toes reached the edge of the pile. "It is a pretty great pile."
She barely got the words out before, Lydo and Mal burst from the pile, laughing and shouting as they tossed leaves in the air. All the boys' hard work rained down around them.
"Leaf monster!" Mal declared attacking Daenarya. His arms were around her, dragging her back into the pile as Lydo and Rayden started a leaf fight. Their laughter and merriment a call to the other children, drawing them into the yard to join in on the fun.
Before they knew it, the leaves were scattered back across the yard as lines were drawn, handfuls of leaves being tossed back and forth between the children.
It was a beautiful autumn day, and the children were having fun, just as they should be. Despite the hand they were dealt they were making the best of things. Mal and Daenarya may have rescued them, but the children rescued them right back.
"Look what you started," she whispered, still tangled in his arms in the shrinking pile of leaves.
"Are you disappointed?" His roguish grin faltered only a moment as he glanced at the chaos erupting around them.
"How could I ever be? Thank you for sharing this life with me."
He leaned forward closing the gap, brushing his lips against hers, stealing once more, but this time a kiss, one worth more than all the coin or treasures.
A/N: Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed the story, I had a lot of fun writing it. I know it's not perfect and there are a spot where the flow feels just a bit off, but I'm trying to find the joy in writing and get over my writer's block by not focusing on things being perfect! So aside from spell check this isn't revised or edited!
[Mal Volari x Daenarya Blades 1 + Beyond] [Mal’s Orphanage]
[Mal Volari x Daenarya Blades 2 AU]
Pairings: Mal Volari x Daenarya (F!OC)
With: Rayden (M!OC), Lydo (M!OC)
Book: Blades of Light and Shadow
Word Count: ~ 1,400
Rating/Warnings: Mostly General with hints of Teen
Synopsis: Mal surprises Daenarya with a late night picnic, but it doesn't go as planned.
This takes place in my Blades 1 timeline with my original (pre-canon) Orphanage
"Sweet dreams." Daenarya leaned over, pressing a kiss on Lydo's forehead as she pulled his blanket a little higher. She turned to Rayden, brushing back a strand of his dark hair. "Sleep well, sweet boy," she whispered, kissing his forehead as well. So much had changed, and so much would still change, but she couldn't imagine life without her sons.
Her muscles tensed slightly at the sound of the door creaking as she closed it behind her. She frowned at the hinges. Mal was supposed to fix that. She didn't have time to let her thoughts linger long before she was pulled forward.
"What the—"
"Shhh—" Mal winked as he guided her up the stairs. Hand in hand, the pair moved swiftly toward the roof.
The rooftop door swung open with a bang, a harsh contrast to the care with which Daeanrya took, shutting the boys' door.
"Mal," she hissed, her gaze narrowing on him.
"No one heard that." He shrugged off her concern.
Her brow arched as she listened carefully from where they had come. Maybe he was right... this time.
"You still have to fix the squeaky hinge on the boys' door."
"Tomorrow."
"You said that yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before that, and..."
"Fine, fine," Mal relented, his hands settling on her waist. "It will be fixed tomorrow. Now, can we enjoy my little surprise?"
As her attention shifted to where he gestured, she was greeted by a cozy space. A soft, red blanket adorned with plush pillows was spread out on the rooftop. Lanterns and candles were carefully scattered around, casting a gentle, intimate glow over the scene. A wooden tray lay on the edge, filled with sliced cheeses, meets, and fruits. A bottle of wine and a set of glasses sat beside it. "Mal! This is beautiful!"
His arms wrapped around her from behind as he kissed her shoulder, guiding her toward the blanket.
Her step was hesitant at first. "What if Iliana needs us? We can't hear her cry from here?"
His voice was a warm breath against her cool skin. "Loola is watching her and knows where we are."
"How'd you manage that," Daenarya laughed softly.
A smirk pulled on his lips. "She said anything to get away from a nursing Threep."
"I can see that. Iliana will be no trouble at all comparatively. Good for her, Loola deserves a night off."
"Not quite—" A chuckle rumbled in his chest. "Threep and his Kindle of bat-kittens followed her here. But I told him the nursery was not for him, so he's in the spare room."
"Oh, boy! Wait until Rayden finds out in the morning!"
"That can wait until tomorrow." Mal ushered her on the blanket, wrapping her in his arms. "Now, can we just enjoy our moment?"
Daenarya leaned back into his embrace, her eyes fluttering closed, relaxing into him. "What are we celebrating?" She hummed softly.
"You—" His lips brushed over the skin on the crook of her neck. "Me—" He kissed the tender spot on her neck behind her ear, savoring the soft moan that slipped through her lips. He continued, peppering her neck with increasingly long kisses between each reason: "Us. Our daughter. Our sons. All of this."
She turned to face him, her hand caressing his jaw as her lips teased his. "I love us." Her kiss was soft at first but quickly grew with passion. It wasn't often they had moments alone, especially now with the baby, and she was ready to take advantage of it.
"Can I entice you to some wine?" Mal breathed when they parted to catch their breath. "or some snacks?"
Her eyes darkened with lust as her gaze raked over him. Her head shook to the sides, and her fingers tangled in his long, dark hair. "You are the only thing I want to taste right now."
"Thank the gods because I wasn't really offering."
Her lips crashed against his as she pushed him back against the blanket, straddling his hips.
A shadow flickered in the corner of her eye, capturing her attention.
"Hello?" Called a little voice.
"Who's there?" The second voice held a little more confident.
Daenarya sighed, sliding quickly off of Mal. It was hard to be disappointed when she saw them come into the light. Those two boys brought so much joy to their world.
"It's just us," she called.
"Mama?" Rayden's little voice rose with excitement, running toward her with a little wooden sword dangling in his hand.
Mal grumbled slightly, readjusting himself as he sat up. "What are you boys doing out here so late at night?"
"I heard a noise before," Lydo answered. His eyes surveyed the scene before him. "I thought there was trouble."
"So you went toward the sound you thought might be danger?" Daenarya questioned with alarm.
"We had to," Lydo started, sheathing his not wooden, very real dagger.
The glint of the knife caught Daenarya's eye; she frowned at Mal. It wasn't that she didn't think he could handle it; she just didn't want him to have to.
"We have to protect her," Rayden offered, his eyes sparkling with the flickers of the candles. "That's what big brothers do. I want to show Iliana I can be a good big brother like Lydo is to me."
"Oh, my sweet boy," a tender smile drew across Daenarya's face as she held him. "You already are—" her attention flickered to Lydo, "—you both are. You watch over her. You tell her stories. You make her smile and laugh! You have nothing to prove." She rubbed her nose against his before kissing his forehead. "Why don't you let Mal and I be the ones to protect the three of you for a while. You focus on being kids. How does that sound?"
Rayden nodded readily. Lydo was more hesitant to agree. He knew too well the dangers of the world they lived in from his time in the Thieves Guild.
"For me," Daenarya pleaded, offering him her hand. "Just for a little while."
He accepted her hand, relishing the warmth of her touch. There were nights he woke up, afraid it was all a dream, but it never was. "Okay."
"That's my boy," Mal clapped him on his shoulder. "We're very proud of you both and I'm sure Iliana would agree if she could."
"Thank you." A smile pulled on Lydo's features as he wrapped his arms around Mal. As he relaxed, letting the notion of any danger disappear, he looked around at the setting, noticing it all for the first time. His eyes widened. "Rayden, uh, we should go... get back to bed."
"I'm not sleepy anymore," Rayden offered through a soft yawn. "Besides they have grapes. I love grapes!"
"I know you do, why don't we share some?" Daenarya suggested.
"I'll go pick out a good bunch."
"Rayden!" Lydo scolded lightly, but his younger brother just popped a grape in his mouth, continuing with his mission to find the best bunch.
"It's okay. You can stay. A picnic of four would be even better," Mal suggested.
"Are you sure? We don't mean to interrupt," Lydo worried.
Mal surveyed the scene. His romantic moonlit picnic had been taken over by their sons. Instead of feeding Daenarya grapes, she and Rayden were feeding each other, making faces and laughing beside him. His gaze shifted to Lydo, the older of the two boys, yet not even ten and he'd seen the weight of the world. His lip pulled in the corner. "I'm sure. I wouldn't have it any other way. Now, show me that dagger, again. I'll show you a new trick."
Lydo smiled freely as he held out his dagger, twirling it with a flourish as he handed it proudly to Mal.
Daenarya watched in awe. Lydo might not be biologically theirs, but he was undoubtedly Mal's son in every way.
As the night drifted on, the laughter and joyful sounds of their voices quieted, as Rayden and Lydo fell asleep despite their best efforts. Their parents lifted them into their arms, readying to return them to the safety of their beds.
"Thanks for the romantic picnic," Daenarya brushed a kiss on Mal's cheek.
His brow arched, "so much for the romantic part."
"I don't know—" Her lips pressed together into a playful smirk, turning toward the door. "The night's still young."
Mal's eyes widened as a mischievous grin filled his face. He followed Daenarya closely behind, with Lydo in his arms, hoping to pick up where they left off sooner than later.
I HC that although they truly planned to get back to what they were doing, they end up falling asleep together first. Even though they're them, they're still new parents to a baby and so they're more tired than they realize.
I just love these four and I hope you enjoyed this little story too!
I've already written Mal and Daenarya and a maze but what if Mal and Daenarya create a treasure hunt for Rayden and Lydo (or use the garden maze I already set up in White Tower) and at the end, the treasure/prize is Mal and Daenarya asking the boys if they wanted to be adopted by them 🥺😭
[Mal Volari x Daenarya Blades 1 + Beyond] [Mal’s Orphanage]
[Mal Volari x Daenarya Blades 2 AU]
