âHuh. Uhuh,â Oggy made the noises, running over the information in his head as he ran a tongue over his teeth. âInteresting, interesting, so Iâm the only one lucky enough to avoid that particular taint of the Threshar name, yeah?â The Vasharr smirked nastily at Vaeril, not that the counselor deserved such treatment. Oggy just couldnât be bothered to be nice.Â
âRight, so you can buy yourself a cider and maybe me something for my troubles, yeah?â Oggy grinned wider. Canting his head to the side as he spoke. âLeast you could do after giving me the run around all this time.â
Oggyâs general nastiness doesnât phase him. He expected it, he didnât like it, and in fact it threatened to boil over. He wants to say that it looks like Oggy had no problem tainting his own name, he wants to say that Vaeril wasnât the first to taint the Thresher name but he doesnât say anything. He didnât let Oggy see it in his eyes. Something he perfect years ago, the act of appearing uninterested. Instead he reclined in his chair, arms crossed over his chest, eyes trained on the other before him. But that doesnât stop him from saying what comes out of his mouth next.
âIf I could buy you the ability to not act like a petulant child in this scenario, I would. You got what you wanted out of me, yet you still insist on acting like Iâve caused you some great deal of trouble. Whatever else you may want out of me will likely be out of the question until you rethink your attitude to me.â
He expected Oggy to stand up, to raise his voice, and Vaeril prepared for that moment.
âLudwen is set back from the coast, but is less than a few miles correct?â Catlina was curious. For the short time sheâd been in Vailantis sheâd come to realize that not being near the ocean, not hearing its siren call and smelling the salt in the air, feeling the breeze against her face, well it made her heart heavy. Also, being so far from Avi had made her incredibly homesick. It was similar to Illasqa in its positioning she supposed. The Nightshade was on the outskirts and had built itself inside a tiny cove, away from the bustle of the port and the city but accessible. âI do miss the sea. I feel  half of my heart is missing when Iâm inland.â
She nodded, sipping on her drink. It might not have been the way heâd said it, or what sheâd implied but Vae had always been talented at reading between the lines. But there were few outside of Erin that she would trust with the knowledge of her relationship with Avi. And she did trust Vaeril in many ways, but until Avitej told her it would be alright to let others know, she would refrain from any details. âThank you, Iâll plan a trip to Ludwen once Iâm back home. Just to visit you. Youâll have to let me know when youâre back, Iâll bring Erin too.â
It was strange, to live so long and have so few offspring. Perhaps that was just a difference in how their bodies worked, perhaps it was a blessing. She couldnât imagine living for thousands and thousands of years and having dozens of children. The world would be covered in elven broods if they functioned any other way. She laughed quietly and shrugged. âMy clients always liked the sound⊠I suppose it made them feel safer, knowing I was wearing enchanted bracelets to compensate⊠but rings or earrings or even tattoos work just as well. The last oneâs a little more permanent and I⊠still hold out hope.â She smiled softly, glancing away. âHow would you feel about helping bring a little of the Nightshade here though? Erin and I are looking to throw a party and you would be invited⊠and we could also use your help getting my staff here.â
âThere are parts of the city directly on the ocean, but there have been walls that surrounded the city for generations. It gives us more control over who ports, or, gods forbid, if we ever get attacked. My ancestral home is set back a little, but you still smell the seas nearly wherever you are there.â He doesnât know when the walls went up, theyâve been there his entire life, he just knew he had to maintain them, and ensured the magic that protected them wouldnât fail. Or so he prayed, thatâs all he could do in the long run. He was not one of the earth movers who would trail fingers across the rocks, making sure they stuck and there were no fault lines, so he just had to believe them in the end. âI agree with you there. When you spend what feels like half your life on the seas, land never feels right. Bring whomever you want, Erin knows heâs welcome there too.â He didnât shy away from the fact that well, Ludwen was a port city and that usually meant.. well, even Elves had needs. âMaybe youâll teach the staff at one of the establishments in my city something new, something to spice up their lives,â he says with a soft laugh.
âI suppose Iâm just used to seeing it more discreet. You see lots of hair accessories and necklaces. Somedays it tempts me to grow my hair out more and adorn with tendrils of twisted silver and sapphire.â His hair was shorter than many elves seemed to keep it, resting at his shoulders, but as someone who kept to the seas, he aimed to keep it away from his eyes and out of his face. âI understand why some do more permeant ways though, how often you hear of humans dying in childbirth, and the risks involved.â And also.. well, some people just didnât want kids and that was fair enough.Â
His ears perk up, âI could help, absolutely. Bring a little life to this town.â
âEvery detail? That sounds like it might take as long as the council sessions weâve just been in. But you know, Iâve always found hands-on demonstrations more engaging.â Erin countered, a devilish grin flitting onto his face. It was another easy pattern to fall into and he willingly heeded the temptation. His smile only faltered slightly at the mention of humans passing. The words only deepened his curiosity to know of what past had influenced the elf across from him. The gods give and take. âThat they do.â He lifted his glass in agreement before drinking deeply from it. Erin wasnât a stranger to the gods taking their share and the wine helped wash away the memory that rose up of flowing dresses in the family garden and hazel eyes that looked just like his.
âSomeone had to come pull you from your shadows.â Erin joked, unable to not quip on Vaerilâs umbra-magic after the light remark. âBut I am happy to see you again as well. Even if I have to listen to Councilor Venalwen drone on about dragons to do so.â He laughed lightly and glanced subtly at the couple in question without moving his head. They were as close as they could be in the tavern booth they shared and couldnât seem to keep their hands off one another. All low whispers and heady laughs. He smiled thoughtfully.
âActually, I did hear that one of the lesser lords near Theron decided to throw in the cloth and go full wildling. Walked straight out of his manor and into the mountains.â Erin chuckled. âThey say when his husband went to retrieve him, he found him dressed in furs, drunk on moonshine, and yelling at the moon with a whole heap of wildlings. Refused to come back. Canât say I blame him though really. Sounds like a lot more fun than lordship.â
âTheyâre better story-tellers than those old drones,â he teases, a soft laugh falls from his lips. âAlthough, Iâm not far behind them, some days.â It was a joke, Vaeril didnât quite see himself yet as some venerable elder Elf who could sweep across the room in long robes that never seemed to be sullied by dirt or smell of deeply perfumed sea-salted air. Vaeril typically never spoke up unless someone made a comment about Ludwen, because he would defend his city until his last breath, or if someone made a comment about himself. But Vaeril would play in to those comments, falling in to a very easy role of self-deprecating.Â
âIâd say that was a terrible joke but I started so I guess we both get ten lashings in the city square,â he says lightly, a shrug as he cheers, âTo young love, who knows no shame in public.â But he was well aware that well.. maybe they just liked the rush of public.
Now that got a laugh out of Vaeril that he struggled to keep in. âTheyâre half in the swamp anyways,â he says, âI donât understand the draw of it in the long haul, of living in the woods, the desert- wherever their gods tell them to go, but the idea of being drunk out of my min and dancing around a fire, hooting at the moon, doesnât sound half bad sometimes. Canât say Iâve came across a lot of wildlings though.â
âBut what of your family, Vaeril,â Avi said, feeling a mix of guilt and ire, but still most of all frustration. For all that Vae and some other elves liked to praise humans for their supposedly exceptional short lives, sometimes it felt hollow, patronizing. Avi felt the blush of family pride, the indignant need to protest as Vaeril voiced a clear anger towards Aviâs grandparents. The ones who struck Kasair and Mejaiâs salacious history from the records.
But at the same time, what did Avi have, to feel indignant about? He knew his grandparents only vaguely when he was a child - as pinnacles of authority, stern and admirable. Aman and Aviteerâs eight children were presented to the grandparents as a group, to gain the old Archduchyâs blessing and approvals. Avi and his siblings, only saw of his grandparents what they wanted him to see.
Vaeril, on the other hand, saw them as fully-realized human beings. Not grand paragons of House Kumara, but just people. With faults and flaws, with arguments and tensions and problems. Elves spanned centuries easily. While Avi in his short mortal coil, stretched himself across mere decades, trying to understand.
It was unfair, but the reality was logical enough to Avi to keep his mouth shut. He fumed over feelings he couldnât control, but he could at least hold at bay. It wasnât Vaerilâs doing, after all. He knew them. He knew Aviâs ancestors, in ways Avi never could.
So he turned to topic to the Threshar himself. Â
âTell me about the Threshars for now, Iâm curious. I only know you well, and I donât often get to Ludwen. And you vae can be so mysterious, my dear Vae,â Avi joked, playing on Vaerilâs short-name.
But Avi stiffened again, at Vaerilâs kind - if unexpected - invite.
Avi took a slow sip of his drink.  âWhatever do you mean? Of course, I have many lovers,â he said, with a tilt of his head. But he couldnât play games with Vaeril, so Avi huffed.  âIvarâs salty piss. Youâve spoken with Catlina Johar, havenât you. And she told you things?â
âWhatâs there to know?â he questions, âI am currently the loudest and proudest member of my bloodline. I have a younger sister but by no means are we close anymore,â as much as he longed for that sort of relationship with her. But time goes on, and changes us all. He has no idea when and where and why things fell out the way they did, but he thinks he could pinpoint it to the moment, years ago, when they lost their parents and how.. well, they fell on different sides of a line. âMy parents passed long ago, far too young for the Vae but.. the gods took them nonetheless.â
He knew he had certain things he was bound to do, things expect of him, things he knows that Avi himself is well aware of in his lifetime also. But he was like shadows in the wind, easily disturbed and just as flighty. âMy father was a sailor much like me, but he didnât share a penchant for humans like I do. But he was a powerful with his words and could sway a room easily. My mother was a florist of all things before she met my father but gods, she had an eye for beauty.â Vaeril wouldnât say it was magic, but itâs almost like .. maybe. âWhen my magic manifested, she wished for anything but shadow-magic. And when I was a moody child with no control over it, she wished it harder.â But he supposes it was a sure fire way that his parents knew his moods until he left for the nearest Tower, and spent umpteen amount of years there, honing it to the best of his ability. Or, in actuality, when he got bored.
âNo, but you just confirmed it,â he said with a knowing smile. âI had my inclinations. I found out nothing set in stone but you went straight to her and now well, I have nothing else to do but believe that. But trust, chih, that I wish nothing but good will for you. You deserve nothing but good, and Iâll drink to that.â
âYou adorable man, you,â Avi praised Vaeril, genuine mirth and affection in his tone at Vaerilâs response.  âI have no idea if youâre just being circumspect or completely honest or just both. But I love it either way. Hereâs to the gods granting you limitless fun. You deserve it, kampahn.â
Avi chuckled at the idea of his family entertaining both the elves, possibly together. The more he learned about Kasair and Mejaiâs personal life, the more Avi yearned to know more. He felt oddly connected to them, in ways heâd never managed to connect with his own parents or his Kumara grandparents. Â
And Vaerilâs short reply (at least it sounded short to Avi) made him flush with an unexpected embarrassment. Feeling guilty despite not having anything to do with it, Avi admitted, âIt was my grandparents and parents, wasnât it. Kasair and Mejaiâs children, or childrenâs children. They edited you out of their history. Butââ Why?? Avi didnât ask Vaeril though; how could Vaeril know? Heâd have to ask his uncles and aunts for those answers.
âIâmâŠsorry,â he said awkwardly, almost like a child not knowing what he was apologizing for, but knowing nonetheless that he should apologize.  âWhatever their reasons, it doesnât matter. Iâm Heir Apparent, and one day Iâll be Archduke. And you and I are good friends and then some. I want you back in the Kumara history books, Vaeril. Iâll do anything to convince you, if youâd be willing to share.â
âI pray to the sun and moon daily to be able to enjoy the days to the length they deserve to be,â he says with a soft laugh, raising a glass. His morality was something he rarely thought of, he had years to fulfill any goals he had. Until then, heâd sit in chairs in council halls, and sail the seas.
He goes silent for a moment as he mulled over his own words in an attempt to to push down the anger that still festered as memories replayed in his head. âThey tried to get me to give them everything I had, I donât remembered what they threatened anymore but they tried,â he smiles then, something dark that he tried to push away even if the shadows were home. âI stormed out.â in anger, and in to the shadows, praying that the red fox would go easier on them than he every would. âNo one can buy my silence. I did nothing to be ashamed of.â
âItâs a shame,â he admits, âThat they felt such shame for their parents that they tried to eradicate everything that they enjoyed. I vowed to avoid your family in that moment, but the gods apparently had other plans and continued to have me cross paths with your parents, and then you. I donât think your parents had anything to do with it, their tales perhaps didnât make it that far.â Heâs grateful that the gods took pity on him, and he never crossed paths with his grandparents after that fateful moment in those halls. âLudwen is always open. Just give me warning, and you and your love will have a suite prepared for you. â
âIâd have asked for rum but this far from the coast it would taste like piss.â She grinned a wicked sort of grin, downing the glass of vodka in a few slow gulps. The bartender looked over with a grimace and refilled her drink. Catlina gave him a sideways glance and took a slow slip before turning to Vaeril fully. âAnd it does the job far faster than wine typically.â
Catlina shrugged and propped her chin on her hand, looking up at the deceptively older elf. âI suppose so⊠I likely wouldnât have come for anyone else ever. I wish it was closer to the sea but here we are.â Vaeril was always a source of entertainment and comfort and generally just good conversation. He understood more of people and the world than a lot of people and he remained accepting and open. She appreciated that and his willingness to endure. âIâll let him knowâŠâ She smiled gently, brushing a finger quickly over the pearl hanging around her neck. âIâm sure he wouldnât mind visiting at some point though⊠heâll most likely want to test one or two of your state rooms.â
âSo thatâs why you havenât been around as much⊠I wondered.â She shook her head, âSuch a shame⊠too handsome of a man to be working so much is a crime to the rest of the world.â Catlina raised a brow, a bit of an amused and shocked expression slipping to her face. âAhâŠ. A favor that ended in a child⊠that seems⊠tangled.â She smiled softly, wondering if any favors would pop up eventually from Avitej. That was a bridge theyâd cross eventually, bastards werenât looked down on in Loqoala like some parts of the world either, perhaps that was another reason she felt more comfortable on their shores than Elysi. âAt least all of my staff have always taken precautionsâŠâ She shook her wrist, the bracelets jingling. âEnchanted tons of jewelry and the Nightshade herself.â
âWhich I why I insist that anyone I love and adore is always welcome upon the shores of Ludwen. You havenât seen true Elven beauty until youâve made it through the walls,â he tells her with a wide and cheeky grin. But he was more than a little bit vain and biased about the city that was his ancestral home. âI may not speak of it all that often in detail, but we are a port city after all.â
He lets out a soft laugh when he sees Catâs motion to the pearl, âHe would be more readily to give in to my nagging about my home if we were both to tempt him with it, Iâm sure.â Although, with the past he had with Aviâs family and he himself, he knows that sooner or later he will want to dig through Vaerilâs personal library and even his journals. âIâll assure you that youâll have that freedom, my dear.â
âIâll make due,â he shrugs, âIt should only be a few years of a business before I can go back to stalking the seas, but my magic does come in handy,â he teases. It made travelling back home easier, when he would mismanage his time, and find himself at sea, or in a different city. âGenetics are strange with my people. Maybe itâs because we live longer but while you see plenty of humans with small armies of children, with the vae, children seem harder to come by. So itâs not like my more fertile than others of my kind, it was just luck. Bastard children are frowned upon my elves but I never viewed him as my child. He will never be my child and if he is looking for some sort of father relationship with me, it would be an insult to his actual father.â Vaeril grins and raises a hand, showing a gold ring with his family crest on it, âAny wise person has one, but bangles are too loud when in action if you ask me, kitten. â
Erinwel smirked at the notion of being stuck in his ways though, he supposed there was some truth to it. He could argue that his return was proof enough that people changed- if it didnât sound so disgustingly self congratulatory. He eyed his friend curiously, wondering what Vaeril had been like when he was younger. If he had always been the relaxed, charismatic elf Erin knew him to be.
The vasharr snorted a laugh. He had asked for some tidbit of salacious gossip and as always, Vae did not disappoint. âYou? Jealous? What, that Ravaleth has been more successful with humans or that he didnât take out his marital frustrations with you?â He teased over another sip of wine. It was nice to fall into old patterns, at least these more pleasant ones of idle gossip exchanged between friends and Erin found himself actually happy to be back for the first time since arriving in Vailantis. He sighed pleasantly as he grinned at the other elf. âIs it stupidly sentimental of me to say I missed this?â
âAre you telling me Iâm not successful with humans?â he questions, âBecause I could give you the locations of dozens of humans who could, and would, willingly tell you otherwise in every glorifying detail, details Iâm more willing to let you in on,â he teases, a tempt. âOf course, the best humans have been long since passed, but the gods give and take,â Vaeril continues with a shrug.
Itâs not, and he smiles because Erin is right, he has that tendency. âNo. Iâm happy to see you again, there was a light missing in those drab halls for ages,â he wants to question if that was his choice, or some god-like vision, a thread, to pull him back to the council. âAny good gossip to let me in on? Or are we going to have to listen in to that ravenous young couple in the corner?â
Oggy didnât mince words, didnât keep a lot of things in normally. Or- he didnât keep a lot of things in when he didnât see a profit in it. There was no plan to this, no hidden manipulations he was hoping for by holding his tongue. Heâd searched out Vaeril, his donor dad, for years and now he was stuck for words.
âAlright, Iâll take your word for that for now. Doubt youâre always lurking in the shadows when Iâm bout to work my magic.â His eyes narrowed, as if to add that the alternative wasnât much better. Imagining Vaeril in the shadowy corner every time Oggy was seducing someone, or more aptly drunkenly falling in with them. âThatâs on you if I end taking up with a half sibling, or if I end up with a kid with eight fingers and toes and three eyes or summit.âÂ
He leaned back in his chair, sniffing. âThink you can live with that, fine, no skin of my nose.â The appraising look heâd been giving Vaeril drifted. Attention pulled by the bar itself. âThink this place serves decent drinks? Iâm suddenly parched.â
âThere is no one else out there that doesnât carry my last name,â he ultimately admitted, a snap to his tone but he breathes and settles down in a second. But in that second the shadows seemed to darken, the edges wavering before settling down and returning to the natural flickering of the candles. âConsider yourself lucky,â he supposes. There was his sister too, in the mix, but Vaeril hadnât spoken to her in a ,millennium but he would know if he had a niece or nephew in the mix. He still followed her movements.
âWe are still strangers to each other, in the end. I do not expect or want the respect youâd give family.â He doesnât think the idea of a bastard child would ruin him, even if he considered the one before him his child. âIâm fond of their spiced cider,â he says with a shrug.
âOh yes darling,â Xiâmia smiled, her feet swinging in delight as she reached up to cup his face.âI cannot deny it Vae as I could never deny your silver tongue. This must be why you are so easily beloved, you alluring. You hedonistic tempto, you.â Xiâmia basked in the compliments, even the blasphemous ones. It was all she asked for and more. Even the closeness she took to more comfortably than her thoughts were she to be left alone.
âI hope everyone in Ludwen realizes what an astounding man they have. That sees the world beyond his desires.â Her fingers reached to draw through his hair. âI will pray to the gods that what will be will work in your favor. I am not the last in my line either, but I do wish I had more faith in my younger siblings for the Solothrace familyâŠâ She sighed and moved her hand to his shoulder. âIt would be a cruel world indeed to pull you from it early.â
âItâs my gift from the gods,â he insisted with a smile, âI thought it was beloved for my good looks, or perhaps, just how easily likable I am.â He supposes that that takes part of how easy he took to conversation, and would sway things away from heavy conversations, and he himself did not like to take things too seriously.
âI try not to pull too much focus in Ludwen away from the sight of the ocean,â he insists. He loved the view of his home, the sight of the port and the ocean in view. He strove for Ludwen to be safe, making sure the walls his ancestors erected stay strong. âI believe most of my parents faith was put in me, and not in my sister. I fear Iâll let their spirits down in the end. I still have a thousand or so years to prove that thought otherwise though,â he told her, with a devious twinkle to his eyes. âOnly time can tell what the gods have in store for me.â
âNo, mother, I swear. Iâll bring him, I promise,â Vaeril tries to soothe the older woman as he sat at his desk, phone shouldered against his ear, but heâs distracted as he speaks, fingers danced across his keyboard as he desperately tried to find someone his mother liked enough just to leave the man alone for a little bit longer. He had been lying for a while that he was seeing someone, but he was too focused on work, too focused on the work of other folk around him to even think about stepping a toe in to the dating pool. Not in this era at least. The people his parents tried hooking him up with never lasted, he always found something wrong with them that he just couldnât get over.
So here he sat, in a silky navy robe, scrolling through ever friend that could ever possibly ever owe him a favor that his parents never met. Which, while it was a rather large assortment of people from all walks of life, as his parents lived hours away, there were few names that he even thought would give him a second to describe his situation before slamming the proverbial door in his face.
A green dot signals that Randy is online. A friend that he had met through one of the suppliers at the club. âI love you too, mother, Iâll see you soon,â she muttered something but he had already ended the call. âHow do I ask,â he questions, tongue pressed between his teeth.
âHey crazy question-â no, delete. âAre you-â no, delete. âI have a fa-â No. Delete. Delete. Vaeril stands and saunters over to the bar where he heavily handed pours himself a drink before moving back to perch at the desk. A car perks his head up from behind the monitor but sees nothing changes as his head gets patted in soothing motions. âTime to do it, I suppose, Walter.â The white cat lets out a mewing yawn, as if he approves.
âA thousand dollars if you spend the weekend with my parents and I in the Hamptons and pretend youâre my partner. An extra thousand if you pretend to get in a big relationship breaking fight before we leave.. I await your reply. Xoxo, V. Threshar.â
Quick, succinct. He doesnât hope and wonders that perhaps it wasnât enough, or maybe he should ask at work, heâs sure someone knows a struggling actor who wouldnât mind the money. But he doesnât have to wonder, Randy sent a quick reply, âAs long as dinner is steak and lobster.â Which causes Vaeril to grin and type out a reply of, âAs if it would be anything but.â with a winky face. He deletes it at first but a second later follows his initial reply with the emoji.
----
Vaeril drove most of the way as they hashed out their story. Theyâd been seeing each other just under 6 months but it was love at first sight. It was a blind date from someone at the club so he was unsure at first but had never fallen so quickly. Things felt natural with the other, they agreed. Vaeril wanted Randy to take his last name. They had a cat and some succulents instead of children together. They both agreed that they were past that part of their lives, and Randy did have a few children from romantic entanglements with women. As much as Vaeril wanted to give his parents grandchildren, it was too far gone. He was nearly 40, he was not going to be like Elton John and settle down with children when his back started to hurt.
The cabin came in to view and his chest hurt, he didnât want to disappoint his parents and Randy reached over and squeezed his hand, telling him, âItâs okay, babe. We got this.â It was a start. His parents met them at the door, a hand claps on Randyâs shoulder from Vaerilâs father, and he gets encompassed in a hug by his mother. âYouâre so handsome!â she coos, âMuch better than I expected. And so rugged too,â she notes as she strokes his beard. Vaeril clears his throat and she drops a hand with a laugh, âMother, father, this is Randy.â
They get swept up inside. Itâs the first of 3 days, they wonât have their blow up tonight, no. They go out to eat, they keep the act up all day. His mother talks about wedding plans. Randy says he just wants to run off and get married, but Vaeril wants a big party. His mother says that sounds like him so he orders another drink. His father asks about football and he drowns out the rest of the conversation.
They share a bed. To keep up appearances. Vaeril warned him that his mother has no shame and would bust open the door for breakfast and he did. The pair was curled up under sheets, barely touching but Vaeril sits up, hair mussed as his mother mentions coffee and his stomach grumbles. His mother moves to smooth hair down but before she can react itâs Randy sitting up, and his hand in Vaerilâs hair before the man can even think.
Breakfast is the only food his mother will ever make, his father says itâs the only food she ever mastered. They all sit at the table, in robes and still half asleep, as his mother- who will forever be a morning person, pours coffee and asks how they like their eggs. She knows Vaerilâs order. Whole grain toast with poached eggs and two slices of bacon. One cream, two sugars. But she stares expectantly at Randy, who says black coffee is perfect, and heâs not a fan of runny yolks so heâll take his as an omlette if thatâs alright with her. She doesnât complain, everyone has their tastes.
His father is reading the newspaper on his tablet, or checking up on emails, which his wife told him not to do time and time again but he doesnât listen.
They spend the day on the slopes. Vaeril told his parents that Randy hadnât skied before, but it was still fun. They ate out again. Steak and lobster, baby red potatoes, dark red wine. Randy and Vaeril shared a piece of cheesecake. One more night. They laid the seeds of turmoil that night and his parents heard a heated discussion about people that an outsider would assume was about them, when they were just relaying the plot to a popular movie, but made it to suit their lives. Vaeril yells about a beard, Randy just says heâs jealous that his doesnât grow as thick.. His mother started to worry that night.
At breakfast, she spoke of weddings again. Which house they were going to move in to, whose last name would they take. Randy says, âHe wants me to take his last name but I donât want to.â Over his coffee, Vaeril mutters, âDarling, who hyphenates their last names? I refuse, I wonât be that person.â Thereâs a huff, âThat person? What does that mean? You think youâre so much better than the rest of us.â
Vaerilâs lips pursed together and he raises a brow, âI donât think. I know. Do you think I want to spell out both our last names for the rest of my life? Youâre dreadfully misinformed. Youâre taking my name, end of story. That name will open a lot of doors for you, my love, and having them both would shut them before it even starts.â
He has to hide his grin over his coffee. Randy sparks, âItâs always about you, isnât it?â He storms off to their room, yells nonsensical things as he throws clothing around the room, and stomps back out to slam a simple silver band on the table causing their drinks to spill slightly. âYou can find someone else then. Iâm going home.â Vaeril tells him they took his car, and that heâs going to have to find his own way home and to make sure he gives him his copy of the key.
Randy grabs his bag and makes his way into the city, to a small diner they agreed to meet in. He slams the door on his way out.
Vaerilâs mother sobs, but he just stares off out the window, red in the cheeks. He leaves an hour later and picks Randy up. Vaeril pays him his dues and they laugh during the drive home. He feels bad, but he hopes that means he has a few months to âmournâ his lost relationship before his mother starts hounding him again.
The way Vaeril tried to assure Avi, made the Loqoalan feel like the elf had tried to assure other humans in that same way. It was comforting, really, that sort of earnest investment Vaeril had in his well-being. That Threshar truly believed in the advantage of certain humans. Avi wasnât deep enough to really understand what that meant but his lack of understanding hardly mattered. What mattered, was that Avi wanted to believe Vaerilâs assurances, so badly. He wanted Vaeril to believe in him.
âI wonât,â he promised, sucking on his bottom lip for a moment before he asked,  âAt the risk of getting overly philosophical then, what purpose did the gods have for you, Vae?â
Avi grunted, clearly delighted when Vaeril guessed right.  âIvarâs salty balls. Donât tell me you and the Governess Xiâmia visited them at the same time! My great-grandparentsâŠI wish I knew more about them.â Â
He wasnât sure he should share this, but since Avi had already told Xiâmia, he figured he might as well tell Vaeril.  âA lot of Kasair and Mejaiâs historyâs been, er, excluded from the Kumara books, you know. Including, well. You. I had no idea you knew themâŠand you knew them well?â
He did, and supposes thatâs his biggest fault. He loved humans, so painfully, so deeply. They were granted so little in the grand scheme of things, but always strove for more. They had to better themselves, they had to do it fast.Â
To remember back on Avi when he first met, to seeing the man before him, brings him so much joy. But there was always so much heartbreak. âI donât know,â he admits, âI only hope itâs fun. Iâll consent to that, at least.â
There was a smirk that he had to cover up by taking a drink, but the elf was not a very subtle being. âI cannot confirm nor deny these accusations,â he ends up saying, but that was enough for Avi in the end to know. That time was a bright memory, fond, and he loved every moment he had to share with them.
âIâm aware,â and he wanted to curse them even more for denying Avi and the rest of his family the delightful stories because they were more than their bedroom escapades. They were everything that Vaeril had ever strove to be, and more. He knows he has books back home, books that he refused to hand over, or really, refused to let them know he had. He was coy, in that time, telling them that he had nothing else left of them. But also he was bitter, and told them they better be happy, and that when their time comes, he hopes they get what the deserve. And may have invoked a god or two, but he would deny that, and there was no one alive to tell him otherwise. âHow anyone could leave me out of their history books is beyond me but I tell myself itâs because Iâd make them too jealous. But yes, I did know them. I knew them well as we traveled much of the world together.â
Vaerilâs sentiment was touching and rather beautiful, in that sad, bittersweet way. Avi loved that sort of sentiment, steeped in loss and love. He could connect with it, whether through a bardâs song or some play or even poetry. And especially through people, even if Avi could never understand Vaerilâs experience, being only human.
And Avi hadnât expected Vaeril to say it, which only touched Avi deeper. Avi stood up and came over to the elf, tipping Vaeâs chin up to press soft kiss against his lips.Â
 âYou are always surprising me, dear Captain,â Avi said, staying bent so they were face-to-face (he didnât need to lean forward too much; Vaeril, even seated, was tall). He thumbed along Vaeâs bottom lip, just briefly. âMaybe thatâs my advantage, being human. I can still delight in the surprise of another personâs genuine sweetness.â
Avi sat back against Vaerilâs desk then, closer to the elf but still a comfortable separation between them. As unbothered and frank as Avi was about discussing carnal pleasure, even he knew to make a distance between himself and the other man, before Vaeril told him about his own ancestors intimacy together.
âAhhh my great-grandparents!â Avi exclaimed, then threw back his head and laughed. He finished his drink, and poured them each some more.  âYes, alright, yes. Apparently they have had quite the reputation. Not that I would know. Itâs all been stricken from our history books. Iâve tried to ask my uncles and aunts, but they claim they donât know, never questioned what was in the books.â
Aviâs eyes sparkled, not yet realizing how deep Vaerilâs feelings went for his ancestors.  âYou werenât the only elf they entertained, it seems. There was anotherâŠâ Â
He hated that sad fog that lingered in the air, but he knew with Avi, that it would be quickly dispersed. Still, the fondness, and tenderness of the kiss caught him off guard. They were long past the rushed, desperate kisses of years before, this was open familial affection now. A way to process emotions better shown through actions, and not words. He had Cat for that, an a flurry of affection arose in him, wondering if he would be lucky enough to sweep their children off their feet one day. A goal for a later time.
âYou have many advantages, donât let anyone tell you otherwise,â he warns, âThe gods wouldnât have put any of us on the earth without purpose or a reason, sometimes it just takes a while for us to see them.â
Vaeril raises his glass in honor of the lost pair, and for his mother too, âMay they rest easy.â There was an unspoken vow of bitterness he held against his grandparents, ones that hope they haunt empty halls forever more, but they seemed to bring the worst out of the vae.
They were wrong, and Vaeril would be a happy elf to never have to think about them again. But they were like stepping on hot coals, and no matter how quickly you ran, it still hurt.
 His reaction gave Vaeril a bright smile, seeing a spark in Aviâs eyes, âYou family history is like the seas, full of mystery, but not something that everyone wishes to seek out.â His grandparents were a force to be reckoned with, and even the elf knew to pick his battles, but in his case, heâd just lay in wait. âXiâmia?â he questions, because sheâs the only one he can remember, âIt was quite a time. Everyone had wild parts of their lives,â
âFeisty?â Xiâmia could not stop her brow from arching at the word. âIs that what the other council members think of me? Or is that just how you see me dear Vaeril? Feisty, small, and youthful.â She stuck out her chin like she was preening at the words. Playful actions, her heart was not in them however. Both elves had ways of keeping things close to their chest and others at bay. These little performances were just part of that. She was found of him though, for all his infuriating neutrality.
âWhat I am, chih, is frighteningly competent.â A grin at the double meaning for her. Xi'mia as of late had been a very good asset for some very bad people. âAnd pretty, beautiful even as many have said, but which I notice you havenât yet called me despite me asking you to.â She teased. They were close now, her body pinned between the stone table and his. She pushed herself up to sit on the surface, gaining some inches so she could reach out casually and fix the collar of Vaeâs robes with little issue.
âNo stories, no wishes, and no dreamsâŠâ Her hands went from his robes to softly cup his cheeks. Expression softening. âI canât imagine a world with you so diminished. I joke, but youâre not so old that you donât have one or two more millenia in you. Are you planning on retiring from your philandering and raise up an heir to the Threshar house?â
âYouâre not pretty. Pretty is the vase you put flowers in, delicate. Pretty is pressed flowers between pages of a tome. You make the gods jealous with your beauty,â he tells her, blasphemous words taunting her, âAlmost as if our mother,â he spoke of the sun goddess, âMade you in her vision to tempt the rest of us. Do you deny that you are any of those?â he asks with a titled grin. Hands plant against cold stone and he leans close as he speaks, dangerously close to her âYou put everyone else to shame, chih, no one could hope to be a tenth of who you are before me.â
âPerhaps I went too light in my speaking. I have hopes and dreams, wishes and stories, Iâm not so simple as to not. But the world is more than me and my desires, as simple as they may be. Thatâs not something I plan to do, but thatâs not to deny that I donât wish for that. But itâs up to the gods. Iâm not the last in line,â he had a sister, although contact was sparse, he thought that they were born in different times, she was much younger, and he felt older, âWhatever will be, will be, I can only hope that the gods let me linger on the earth long enough to see it all.â
âThey know of your tender heart.â Cassandra regards, a bright smile as the exquisite flavors overwhelm her palate. A praise for both his tutelage, and the acquisition of the treat in her hands. By Morukâs will, she encountered Vaeril in her teenage years. At the time, the Masters of Moruk was nothing more than a vision set by an idealistic girl. It was nothing more than a tiny poorhouse, underwhelming and with little prospects. And while Cassandra could heartily claim the network as hers, Vaerilâs tutelage was second-to-none.
âI am surprised you made it here unfounded. They have strong wills and noses.â The tender joke was said with affection, with a hint of sadness. The children would not find such glee and desire, had their been more delightful meals in the poor house. But less extravagance, meant more could be housed and protected from the streets. âThank you. I wish to say it is too much. But in these times, itâs exactly what they need. We recently lost one of our sister houses to a fire.â
Whilst chewing, she recalls her encounter with the pious half-elf. âSpeaking of Ludwen, I was visited by the most pious of elder elves a few moons ago. He was in search of assistance. I did not recognize the struggle half-elves faces in your part of the world. Though, it is unsurprising. Poverty lives in all places.â
âIt pains me to hear that,â he tells Cass with a frown, âI am here for any assistance, just say the word.â Thereâs a sigh, something soft that barely ruffles his shoulders, but in that sense, sheâs not wrong. âSome older elves believe that we should only copulate with other elves. In some communities, any one of mixed blood, it does not bode so easy for them. They find their families excommunicated from their bloodline due to something as silly as love. Love is the most divine thing in the world,â he speaks freely to her, âIt was the gods first gift. We wouldnât exist without the Sun Goddess and Moon Gods love for each other. The mother had so much love to give that she in turn had every other living thing created. Love creates everything.â
Good, bad, undetermined, all grew from love. Love of the fight, love to be right. There was happy love, and the yearning, sad love that lingers. But without love, the sun wouldnât have the moon, wouldnât have dragons, and elves, and humans, and each and ever creature and god in the known universe. But love was also toxic, and drove people in to madness.
âYeah.â Oggy pursued his lips, looking over his biological âprogenitorâ with more judgement then was wise coming from him. âAlright, so youâre nosy.â To mix his metaphors heâd be a black pot living in a glass house throwing stones at the kettle. âBit weird isnât it? Have all that knowledge and do nothing with it.â Oggy liked rumors too, but he gathered them, weighed their helpfulness to him and acted.
Oggyâs judging look bored into Vaeril. Looking over every tic, mannerism, wrinkle, and aspect; wondering why he didnât get more of the âhandsome debonaireâ parts. Certainly got the height. He knew he wasnât his dadâs child by ânatural meansâ or rather through natural means with someone else and his mother. That kind of thing wasnât taboo in Vailen as it was in other places. Still, each failure and fight Oggy imagined that behind his dadâs disapproving glare was the thought that if Oggy had been his biological, heâd not be such a disappointment.
âCourse I embellished most of âem.â Oggy admitted with no guilt. âBoring story if itâs all gottaâ be fact, innit?â He thought a bit, lips pursing. âWe should get into that nature nurture talk, shouldnât we? Better than my idea of just detailing all the vailwen and vasharr Iâve bedded and have the potential to woo to that effect and ask if youâre their dad too. Thatâs really whatâs been on me mind driving me batty.â
He didnât know the thoughts racing through Oggyâs mind, but if he did, heâd tell him he wasnât a disappointment to his father, that they tried for so many years and were so desperate for a child. Vaeril remembered how happy they both were, and how happy he was to help them. But thatâs all it was, was help.
Sure, maybe along the way, it opened up channels for Oggy to develop magic, Vaeril couldnât remember if that was something in his parents family or not, but it was in his. He remembered how his own mother could seem to get plants to grow no matter the desperate conditions they lived in. And how Vaeril himself felt like he was a disappointment for being able to manipulate shadows, instead of something else more.. useful. More dramatic.
âIâll let you know if you cross paths with any of them,â he says dryly, because of course, he kept tabs on them too. âBut you havenât, so donât get too excited.â The more he thought about it, the more he found them to have strange, small similarities. Their flair for dramatics and over embellishments, their insatiable desires. But Oggy would never be his heir, his child, a thought that Vaeril wished soothed him.
Keeva smiled thoughtfully. She could certainly picture the charismatic elf as a tradesman. He seemed at ease among others, a natural ease at making connections. Granted, most folk seemed that way when compared to her. Ludwen was a name that was unfamiliar to her, unsurprisingly, and she made a mental note to look it up on a map.
Stick your toes in warm sand, feel the cool ocean on your back. A beautiful thought, travel was something she always longed for. It felt almost like a horribly cruel joke that she had the chance to now under these circumstances. That she would be seeing those warm sands while trying to save someone who should have never been at risk in the first place. Keeva kept the gentle smile on her face despite this, taking Vaerilâs words to heart and she laughed lightly. âI think I have seen enough of the snow and cold in my time for now. I am from the mountains so warm sands and oceans sound like a lovely change.â They would be traveling to Loqoala soon enough and she was reminded she should most likely be preparing for the trip. She sighed before speaking up again. âI should probably get back to helping. Thank you again for the information. If you need anything while youâre still here, donât hesitate to ask.â
âI could do without the cold for the rest of my life, Iâm not made for that. Iâm too much of a fair weather elf.â Although, sometimes, Ludwen did chill. But it was sat right against the ocean, so the cooling sea breezes were acceptable. Had it been deeper inland, heâs sure the streets would be coated with more snow. Heâs not sure what he would dislike more, sand or snow. But the deserts are a different type of dislike.Â
He nods, âWe will cross paths again, live has a habit of connecting us through threads. The same goes to you, my dear. Perhaps I am not much help for you now, but in a week, a month, a year, I can offer more assistance. Even if itâs only a safe place to harbor. I wish you safe and happy travels, and that the gods smile down upon you.â
3 months. Such a short time to cause such destruction. But then again, the attack on Glasswater had taken a night, disregarding planning he assumed. A single evening of chaos for a ripple effect of events it seemed. Erin wasnât sure if he found the short lifespan of the old rebellion comforting or unsettling.Â
âThatâs fair, I wouldnât blame them.â A smirk on his face as he pulled more from his cup. He shook his head, trying to shake the thoughts of such doer things. They had come to drink and escape the droll of the council and here he was drowning the conversation with talk of the rebellion.Â
âListen to me, Iâve been back less then a month and Iâm spouting as much doom and gloom as the rest of the council.â He laughed, though he knew the council had little to do with his thoughts on the state of things. However, he was determined to shake the mood and enjoy himself. âTell me, did anything fun or salacious happen while I was gone? You always seem to be up to date on everything.â
Thatâs just how life worked out sometimes. In his bones, he knew this one would last longer, much longer.
He laughs, âThey easily influence us, I suppose. Iâd rather spend time on in the desert,â a place he hated, because it was the opposite of the seas, âThan listen to some of them speak. But, I suppose we are harder to change in the end. Weâre stuck in our ways.â
âSalacious, hmm,â he has to think, âThereâs rumors that the lady Ravaleth, the baker from Ludwen, is infusing her goods with magic, but I think sheâs just putting lavender and clove in everything to divert the attention away from her husband, because rumor has it heâs been at it again and prowling human streets for extramarital affairs. Which, I donât frown upon, but for an old man who says he hates humankind so much he sure finds himself bedding them more than I,â he lets out a laugh, and takes a deep drink. âI feel jealous thatâs itâs not me but next time, perhaps.â
