For Mo-Senpai~~
- Locked due to inactivity on Aug 29, '16 3:54am
Thread Topic: For Mo-Senpai~~
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No effort was spared to locate the missing princes, but after years of nothing, Neddy learned to accept the worst. He held some faint hope in his heart that Malakai and Vince were still alive and well, but when locator spells didn't work, and sightings were scarcer than flying pigs, it's hard not to give up. When three long years passed without a word about either of the boys, Neddy finally decided that it was time to move on, at least partly. He and Henry were married at last, and Hazard was declared heir to the throne, much to the boy's protests. It was supposed to be happy but all it was was heartbreaking and painful.
Painful.
It was worse, of course, for Noel. Neddy and Henry did what they could for the older king, but once Arissa's health took a turn, his mental standing followed. When she died, it was only a week after that they found the king's body at the bottom of one of the towers. Leo and Odessa were sent to live with their uncles, who took them in. The kingdom was turned over to the hands of multiple noble families who would rule until Leo was of age. It was hard for Neddy to turn down the offer of taking over himself, but he refused. Somewhere in his heart, he hoped that Vince and Malakai would return and claim their places. Ten years had passed, though, and the memory of the color of Malakai's eyes grew fainter every passing day. Neddy found himself walking around the castle in the dead of night, haunted by screams of children that he knew weren't real. He was the head of the royal guard, and though he was excellent at what he did, it was clear that his own mental health was taking a strain.
When Rosario, at seventeen, finally selected a finance, he seemed to gather himself a bit. It was time, after all those years, to truly move on.
The ten years that followed the kidnapping weren't so horrible for everyone- Alicia felt the loss of her nephews, of course, but other things became present in her mind. Avalon grew up too quickly, become rather stunningly beautiful. And though the young girl loved Fynn and still called him her father, she took longer and more frequent trips to visit Aditya, Elias and Leith. The later two were more like her friends than uncles, partners in crime even after they were married. She enjoyed ticking Aditya off, knowing that Leith would always come to her rescue. Avalon liked it there better than the castle- Her mother had adopted Felicity's orphaned son, and then, two years later, had one of her own. He was a very weak baby, who needed constant attention, and though she was sure her parents still loved her, she couldn't help feeling a bit off-put after his birth. James and Cian were the sons Alicia had always wanted, even if Cian wasn't allowed outside or to play much at all because of his weak lungs. Avalon detested his constant need for babying, and once, when she was eleven, and Cian was five, she took him out into the garden to try and teach him how to run. It ended badly, with James, at six, having to tell Fynn and Alicia why his little brother was having so much trouble breathing. He almost died that night, and after being yelled at by Alicia, Avalon left to go and live with her biological father and uncles. The house had enough room, with Matthew gone and Felicity dead, and she could always write to Fynn if she missed him. After all, she still had an open invitation to join Elias and Leith on their adventures across the kingdoms in search of elementals.
Vince and Malakai had, of course, powered through the last ten years. They became men much quicker than their families would have preferred if they still had any control over them, and at the age of six, found themselves thousands of miles away from home on an island territory. They tried, of course, to identify themselves- Resulting in them being put on trial for stealing the identities of royals, and getting themselves sentenced to be hung. At the last moment, Vince and Malakai bribed a drunk guard into letting them free, and escaped to the docking bay where they traded passage on a ship for labor. Though they were alive, they ended up further away from home.
It was a struggle for them to keep themselves alive- The never told anyone their full names, and if anyone had asked, they had only been named in honor and remembrance of the missing princes. Vince found work for them wherever they went, and though it was though with them being so young and inexperienced, they made it work. The young boys did everything from serving food to mucking stalls to filling bath tubs with water. Eventually, at thirteen, Vince was offered an apprenticeship with a black smith- He turned it down, once hearing that Malakai wouldn't be able to live with him, though. Instead, he and his friend went back to working in a local bar and doing odd jobs. They had a contract with the bar owner, who gave them one of the spare rooms upstairs and food in exchange for labor and occasional entertainment for the costumers. Vince hated the arrangement, more so when he found himself somehow the pet of a rich lady, who offered him and Malakai a room at her estate when her husband was away. It was all worth it, though. They were alive, and he knew in his heart that his father would find them.
It wasn't, of course, his father who found them at all. Instead it was Avalon, Elias, and Leith, having come into the bar to celebrate the finding of a new lead. Elias was hardly recognizable, hair chopped short and eyes the color of Leith's own. Not to mention the ten years that had passed. As the man leaned back in his chair, kicking his feet up on the table, he whistled to get Avalon's attention. "Look at that boy over there. The one with blonde hair- Just your type, isn't he, Avalon? You should see if he'll buy you a drink."
She rolled her eyes, giving Leith a look of 'please, shut your husband up' before scoffing. "He's serving drinks, not buying them. And you wouldn't let me have it, anyways."
"Of course I wouldn't let you have it. But a free drink is a free drink."
"You're such an ass. I'll be right back, I'm going to see if they have any rooms to rent." She stood, and spun off in a flurry of a short skirt. Avalon wasn't very tall, only barely five foot like her father. So, though the man standing with his back to her wasn't that tall himself, she had to tap on his shoulder to get his attention. "Excuse me," She started when he turned, but there was something about his eyes that made her take a step back, shoulders stiffening. They were so bored, so disinterested, and the way his hair hung was too familiar. Her voice left her completely, and she stood staring at him for a few seconds before finally working the question out. "Malakai?" -
Henry had done everything he could to stand beside his now husband and fellow king. He knew how rough things had gotten, for Noel especially, but those things made a turn for the worst, causing the older king to end his life. Sometimes Henry was angry at himself for not doing more to help him, but other times he was angry at Noel for being selfish towards his remaining two children. Even Adria shed tears at the loss of her uncle, having grown fond of him in such a short time when she was younger.
The blonde knew how difficult the situation became over the years; Hazard was practically forced to be the next heir, there was a lot of disagreement in the other kingdom, and his husband seemed distant and distraught about their missing son. Henry didn't want to believe anything bad had happened to Malakai, and hoped that he was alive and well, but just out of their reach. After ten years, it was a struggle to continue believing, but he tried solely for Neddy's sake. He dreaded the thought of losing the one he loved the way Leo and Odessa had lost their father, and so he did what he could to support his partner through the hardship. Celebrating was the last thing any of them wanted to do, but when Rosaria's engagement was announced, it was more than necessary to plan a ball and feast for the occasion.
Fynn didn't like Avalon being gone for such long periods of time but let her go to see her father and uncles as she pleased. He always enjoyed exchanging letters back and forth with her, even if some of the adventures she wrote about scared him half to death. Some he shared with Alicia, others he didn't in order to keep her from over-exaggerating a situation. Though the letters were always nice, he still missed his adopted daughter more than anything and often wished she'd come home and stay home. But he knew it had been hard on her when the boys were younger, especially his and Alicia' son. With Cian being as weak as he was, he required most of his parents' attention, which had clearly upset Avalon as a child. Still, Fynn tried to show her as much love and affection as he could, but that hadn't stopped her from leaving to live with her birth father. He tried to tell himself she'd return to them, but he felt as if his worst fears were becoming a reality.
Malakai was thankful to have Vince at his side all of those years, and had grown closer to him than ever before. They hadn't verbalized it, but in his heart he knew they were official. And he couldn't be happier. Well, obviously being in the comfort of their homes would make him happy, but it seemed that whenever they got money, they were always short of getting home. The boys had been through a lot, to the point where they'd practically acted like men at age ten. They worked, sweated, bled, and even shed a few tears here and there to get to where they were now. Malakai took a deep breath as he moved to wait on customers, feeling closer than ever to getting home. Though he despised the rich wench, the money she paid them was more than helpful and having a warm bed at night every now and then was comforting, too.
Leith yawned as he looked over a world map that had a few marked and circled areas along with side-notes here and there. The water elemental had discovered his place of origin years ago and had since tapped into his potential, and aided his older brother in restoring Elias's eyesight. He looked at his husband and rolled his eyes at him. "Stop trying to get her to get men to give her free drinks just so you can down them. She's perfectly capable of getting a man on her own." He scolded the other and watched Avalon as she walked over to a young brunette waiter instead of the blonde. A smile came over his face as he focused on his maps again.
Malakai had just finished writing down an order before he felt a light touch on his shoulder. Another girl wanting his attention, he figured as he turned to look at her. "Yes?" He managed to say before freezing up at the sound of his own name. No one knew his name except for Vince, especially not out here. He was ready to question who she was until he looked into her eyes. It was like a fire burned in them at all times. Magic. "..Avalon?" He asked in a confused tone. -
Neddy, never being able to sleep at night anymore, couldn't help drifting off during another of what seemed to be hundreds of meetings on the matter of gold. Gold. He hated the stupid stuff, thought it was ugly and fairly worthless- Silver was much more beautiful, he had decided long ago, falling in love with his home country's colors of rich blue and bright, crisp silver. But gold was what they used to trade with several other countries, and what they made their gold coins from. The mountains had been picked clean over the last hundred years, and though they knew there had to be more out there, he hadn't the slightest clue how to get it. And, judging by the avid arguing going on somewhere back in the real word, none of the men seated around the table knew how to either. The need was desperate, and Neddy probably should have been paying attention. He couldn't help feeling relieved when the meeting was adjourned and he was left alone with Henry.
He stretched, smiling fondly at his husband, who no doubt would scold him for falling asleep during another meeting. He knew it would be lighthearted, knew that Henry wouldn't really mean any of it. He also knew his lover would much prefer if he actually stayed in bed for a whole night for once. Not caring to listen to a speech he had heard a million times, Neddy's smile only grew when Rosaria tapped on the door. He had learned to tell their children by their knocks- Three, soft clean clicks for Rose.
"Papa?" She wanted Henry, not him, of course. He didn't suppose he could blame her, he had been rather distant lately, only attending her dress fittings and cake testings with a very fake bit of cheer.
"Papa, I have something to tell you.. It's about Jacian." Jacian was her fiance, Neddy knew. He was a very, very sweet boy who seemed to have been taken by his daughter the moment he arrived at the castle. He was proper about it- Brought her flowers and sweets and things, always had her in from going to town before dark, and even asked Neddy and Henry's permission before asking her to marry him. It came as no surprise, of course, that Rosaria said yes. There was something on her voice now, though, that made him lean forward, raising his eyebrows at his king.
Alicia knew Fynn hated that she had join the guard. She knew the majority of the people in the guard hated it, too. But as she learned skill and proved herself to them, they started to respect her. Perhaps not like her, but respect was always more valuable that fondness. She had only joined after the kidnapping because she feared for her own children, but now it was really something for her to do all day other than sit in a dress and make sure Cian didn't choke on his food.
Of course, she still worried about him. Her rounds took her past the nursery often, though, so it was okay. And she had handpicked the nanny who doubled as a tutor for her little James. James was a handful, she had to admit, but he cared fiercely about his little brother. Alicia had to admit that she missed her daughter, but knew that it was better that she was away. Now there was a letter for her from Avalon, though, which was rare. The letters were normally for Fynn. She'd already read it a couple times, and after hunting Fynn down, tore him from his post long enough to read it to him. "So? She's coming here for the wedding, then, I guess. I wish she wasn't going to bring Aditya and his brother and Elias with her, but I guess that can't be helped, can it? I do want to see her, you know, but I think it's best that she's put in a room a good distance from our apartments. I love her, but she.. Well, despite what Aditya says, I don't think her magic is under control at all, and if she were to ever hurt Cian again, or even James.."
"Oh, my God. Your father thinks your dead," Avalon managed to work out, saying that over ever other jumbled thought in her mind. She squealed, eyes lighting up, and hugged him much too tightly for his skinny frame. She knew he probably still didn't like being touched, but she couldn't bring herself to care right then. He was different, of course, but it was no doubt him. She sobbed just a bit before gathering herself and pushing him back to look over him. He looked skinny and very, very tired, but otherwise perfectly fine. There was only one more thing on her mind. "Vince? Is he here, with you? Oh, do say he is. It's been so terrible back home. His parents, well.. Well, is he here?"
Vince had, of course, turned around at the sound of Malakai's voice. He had trained himself to listen for it after an episode where Mala was attacked by a drunken man and Vince had thought it was just another bar fight and hadn't gotten involved quick enough. Now, though, there didn't seem to be any threat. Just a girl with long brown hair and too-bright blue eyes in a very short and tight dress. She had a ribbon around her neck, with a lace rose in the middle of it, along with a small medallion that bore the symbol of his home country. He was about to go back to his work when it all clicked, and Vince actually dropped the pitcher of ale he was holding, not caring when he smashed on the floor and his thin shoes were soaked. He basically stumbled over himself, grabbing Malakai's shoulder to yank him back and put himself between him and the girl. There was a dagger out in seconds, pressed to the skin right above the rose. There was no way, not after all this time, that she was here for any good reason. An assassin, maybe, to kill both of them while they were still missing. Open the line up for other families. "Who the hell are you?"
Elias watched the scene with mock amusement, only responding to Leith with a wink. He jumped up, though, when the dagger was drawn out. The young mage hadn't heard any of the words, but he knew danger when he saw it, and quickly moved to stand behind Avalon, a hand on her shoulder, eyes locked with those of the blonde boy. He didn't look threatening, but there was something about his stance that made Elias aware that he would kill both of them if he had to. -
Though he could see gold held no importance to Neddy, Henry found it to be a necessity in his kingdom. It was used to make coins of the highest value and even had a part in royal jewelery because it was so light. Ensuring they had the gold to repair or create new crowns, circlets, and other various accessories was an important matter of discussion. But he sighed when Neddy began to doze off. It was hard to scold him sometimes because he understood why he was so tired, but he couldn't allow him to do this to himself forever. They hadn't lied in bed or been intimate in so long that it was beginning to take its toll on the king. Once the room was empty, he turned to grab Neddy by the waist, pulling him close. "Can't you stay awake and at least pretend to have interest for once?" He huffed before resting his head on the other's belly. "I'm about to just cling to you at night to keep you with me." He looked at the door when Rosaria walked in and smiled. "What is it, sweetheart? Is something going wrong?" He asked, his smile fading at the mention of Jacian. Sure, the boy had been kind to his daughter and courted her, unlike most betrothed children, but he always had an underlying distrust for her fiance. He even felt the same about Odessa's once she became a part of their family, and he would do the same when a prince asked for Adria.
Fynn yawned as he stood at his post, waiting for a shift exchange to go see his sons. The main reason he didn't want Alicia as a part of the royal guard was so the boys had at least one parent around to watch over them. Even with all of the world's nannie's and tutors, none could compare to having a mother and father around. He thought about playing with them and reading stories that got their little imaginations going until Alicia pulled him out of his thoughts. He read over the letter and smiled at her. "Alicia, you're not treating her fairly at all. I understand Cian is weak, but if you're that worried about him when she comes to visit, just have him stay in our room. James will be fine. He has his own magic to defend himself. As for her bringing her family with her to the wedding, she has a right to. Although, you know Aditya, I doubt he'll want to be around a bunch of people from two foreign lands. As for Elias and Leith, if she wants them here, that's her choice."
Malakai nodded to answer her questions, awkwardly hugging her back before she had lightly pushed him away. He was about to tell her, but he perked up at the sound of a pitcher shattering on the floor and found Vince in front of him in seconds. He'd been much more protective since the drunk had tried to grope him, causing an argument that escalated to a fight. The brunette still had a few scrtaches here and there that were healing, but his stitches had been removed earlier that week. He wasn't really scared for Avalon, instead he pouted and lightly grabbed Vince's wrist and shoulder. "She won't hurt us. It's Avalon, love. Put the knife down before you get in trouble." If anyone could tame the blonde, it was Malakai, and he emphasized this by planting a kiss on his boyfriend's ear.
Leith had rolled up his map, making his way over to the commotion rather quickly. He didn't look much different from ten years ago, only a bit older and more mature than back then. His hair was maintained at a medium length and his attire was in between feminine and masculine. He almost looked like a true explorer. "Sorry. I guess I need a leash for my husband." -
Neddy whined, leaning against his lover with a very distinct pout on his face. "I'm not even that important to the court! I'm a figure head, a face to put on stamps. They don't care if I fall asleep in meetings.. I don't really have any power. But if I did, of course, I would change this kingdom's colors.. Did I ever tell you that I think they're hideous? Sorry if-"
"Daddy, it's kind of important, please shut up." Rose cut him off mid sentence, giving him a weak smile to show him that she meant no harm. Neddy pouted still, but nodded for her to talk, running his fingers through Henry's hair- It was so silky and soft. However, when she said next made him ball his fist, accidentally tugging on the locks.
"Papa, I.. I wanted to, well, I wanted to tell you this before I told anyone else. And I.. You have to listen to the full story, and I can't let you blame Jacian for what's happened. It wasn't his fault that I was so reckless and-"
"What wasn't his fault?" Neddy cut in, narrowing his eyes, even though she was talking to Henry. Rosaria swallowed hard, lowered her head. "I'm pregnant. I-It was just one time, in the gardens, and it was so quick, and we didn't think.. And it's been almost a month since, and I wasn't certain at first, but I.. I am now. Oh, Papa, what am I going to do?"
"I don't want them here-" Alicia began, but was cut off when a maid bust into the hall, breathing hard and fast. "You've got to come now, miss. It's your son." Alicia paled, taking a step back from Fynn. She touched the hilt of her sword almost absently, eyes flickering to the window as her mouth set in a hard line. This was her fault, whatever it was. Fynn was right to fuss so about her not being with their sons. "What is it? What happened? And to James or Cian?" Please don't let it be Cian, She thought, and right away felt guilty. How could she favor one child over the other so much? She told herself, of course, that it was just because James would always be more durable than his younger brother.
"I don't know, miss. The nanny only said to run and get you because your son needed you. She said it was urgent."
Vince saw it, after Malakai told him- The hair was obviously Alicia's, and her thin structure but grace suggested a high-class upbringing. And, there was of course, her eyes. He put his dagger away, letting the realization wash over him. She hadn't come here to kill them, not even to find them, it seemed. But she was here, and that was all that mattered. Vince struggled, for a moment, to come up with a reaction of any sort- So, he turned and kissed Malakai, full on the lips. Vince, who was very much nervous and sparse in public affection, couldn't help but wrap his arms around his boyfriend's waist, hiding his face in his hair. "We're going home," He mumbled, just as the bar tended spoke up. "Boys, if you don't get back to work, I'll cut your pay."
Vince laughed, not looking away from Malakai as he said, "Actually, I think we quit."
Elias was more than glad to back down when Vince did, turning to Leith while the boy had a moment of celebration. "You want to try leashes? I don't know, but I'm willing to do anything you want," He teased, pressing a kiss to Leith's forehead. "Avalon, why don't you go write that letter you were talking about? To Henry and Neddy? Tell him that we're not only coming to the wedding, but that we're bringing their son with us." -
"I'm sorry, are you my husband Neddy or my son Hazard?" Henry joked, raising an eyebrow at the other when he mentioned changing the colors for his nation. It was cute though when Neddy acted like this, but he had to focus on their daughter and furrowed his brow at her. "Language. You don't speak to either of us that way, young lady." The king scolded for a moment then quickly softened at her upset expression. Keeping one arm around his lover's waist, he reached a hand out for her to take while he listened. Though when she finally managed to get the words out, Henry winced at the grip on his hair and lightly squeezed Neddy to tell him not to pull so hard. Yet he understood why his other half was so upset at the mention of their daughter being pregnant, which put an even more serious expression on his face as he tensed up. He wasn't angry at her, it was natural for girls younger than her to have children, and it wasn't as if she wasn't already marrying the boy. "Come here, sweet Rose. Daddy and Papa will comfort you. It's..Mistakes happen. Neither of you knew it could happen that easily. It just means you'll have an heir a lot sooner than you probably expected to. I don't blame either of you, but if he tries to back out of this marriage-" Henry curled his fingers to crack his knuckles. "He'll see exactly how mean Papa can really be.."
"That's still not your choice.." Fynn managed before they were interrupted by a maid. He grit his teeth at the mention of their sons needing them and gripped his own sword hilt. He pressed a hand lightly on his wife's back, nudging her along with them. He didn't care about the maid's babbling, especially when she didn't know a damn thing. "We don't have time to talk and question. Let's just get to them now." He told her, though he almost sounded like he as ordering someone around. In which he was allowed to get that tone when he and Alicia were on the job together. She technically was his subordinate after all.
Malakai sighed in relief when he got his lover to relax and smiled wide at the kiss, knowing that Vince was never very public about their relationship. He was glad that the other was so overjoyed about going home that he willing displayed their affection in front of everyone. The brunette rested his head on the other's shoulder, slipping his arms around him to return the hug. Though the moment was disrupted by the barkeep, whom he stared at with his half-lidded eyes. "Thank you for everything, but..we're going home now. We'll be sure to point travelers in your direction."
Leith hadn't expected to find the princes during his journey, but was rather excited about bringing the boys home with them. No longer would the land he lived in be a massive pissing contest among the nobles. Technically, Vince still wouldn't be able to claim the throne, but he would have full control over who takes his place until he was of age. "Mention that both princes are coming home." He told Avalon before raising an eyebrow at Elias. "So tying you up while I tease you would be an option? Maybe I'll coat my fingers in ice and..." The younger giggled as he trailed off, a blush tinting his cheeks. -
"I'm sorry, Daddy," Rosaria mumbled, before shaking her head. She sunk to her knees, resting her head on the edge of Henry's head, closing her eyes. "You don't understand.. I'll start showing soon, and I know people will know that it's too soon to have happened after the marriage.. And people will talk. I-I don't want that." Neddy frowned, gently releasing Henry to sit fully up and look at her. "And what are you suggesting?"
"I want to leave.. Directly after the wedding. Papa, there's a piece of land off to the other side of the kingdom. It produces crops every year, and.. And, well, it's unclaimed. The noble who had it died in one of the battles, and he had no heirs to take it, and you never really gave it to anyone. There's a nice estate there, and it touches the ocean, and, well.. Jacian suggested that maybe.. Well, if you gifted it to his father, he would give it to his son for us to live in. And I just know it would be the perfect place to raise a child. Oh, Papa, say you will. Don't you remember all the hatred Alicia and Fynn faced when they were raising Avalon? I don't want that for me or my baby."
Neddy swallowed hard- It was a solid idea, but.. "And Jacian suggested this?"
"Yes. He did. He's very brilliant. His family owns a small share in the crops there, anyways.. That's how he knows about it."
When they arrived at the nursery, the nanny was standing outside, holding the edge of the door that separated the room and the hall in a white hand. Her pupils were blown, and the edge of her skirt looked like claws had been through it. "I won't teach your son anymore, Miss Alicia, nephew of the king or not! He's demon spawn. I'm resigning. Today. Good-bye." With that, she threw the door open and left. A few beats passed before James peeked his head out, giving them a small shrug. "C is fine. I, uh.. Well, I knocked a candle over and it scared me, and I.. Um, well, Cian started to crawl towards it because he just loves fire, and I panicked, and may have made him float? Just a little, Mama! And he was fine and I put him right down, but that old hag didn't move fast enough to-"
"James, please," Alicia cut in, shaking her head. She turned to look at Fynn for guidance- It always seemed to work better when he dealt with things like this.
"We're going home! Oh, Mala, I can't wait to see Lawrence again. He's well, isn't he, Ava?" He paused to watch her nod, though she twisted her hands nervously in the hem of her skirt. "And everyone else? Tell us, oh, tell us before you write the letter. We only hear bits and pieces here, rumors mostly. Go on, I can see you have something to say." He broke away from the hug, opting to lace his fingers with Malakai as Alicia talked, stroking the back of his hand with his thumb.
"Well.. Your fathers are well, Malakai. As well as they can be expected to be. Hazard's been declared heir to the throne, and he's absolutely miserable with the job. Um, he's supposedly courting one of the ladies, but I don't know which one. Something about her being in the business of design, which makes it almost believable. Oh! Rosaria is getting married. In just a few months, too. We'll be home in time to attend the wedding, of course. No one's had the courage to ask for Adria's hand- Neddy is very protective of her. Of all of them, after what happened, and Henry is too.. My Mama and Papa finally had a child, you know. His name is Cian, and they have a boy they adopted right before him, James. He was Felicity's, actually. Oh! She.. Well, when she gave birth to him, she died. I'm sorry, I know you both saved her from that wretched place. Vince, Odessa is getting married, but to a different prince. The other one died. He's a very nice boy, and I think they fit wonderfully together. Leo is doing very well. He's taken up painting and fencing, and, well, I must say he's very attractive. Still so thin, though, shame.."
"And my parents? How are they?" Vince's hand tightened on Malakai's- She hadn't mentioned them, and he feared there was a reason.
"Well, Vince.. I-I'm sorry. Your mother passed away when.. When she realized you were truly gone. And your father, oh, Vince. He jumped from his window shortly after. I'm so sorry," She offered weakly as she saw his shoulders fall, the weight of the information hitting him hard. His eyes seemed to almost shatter, and he licked his lips, not wincing when a split there stung.
"You will do no such thing. If anything, I'll be the one tying you up," Elias warned, moving one of his hands down to rub Leith's thing. Perhaps tonight he could tease him a bit in the bath, make him squirm knowing they couldn't really fool around with all the kids in the next room. -
"Rose, I won't let anyone insult you. If a rumor arises, I will snuff it. All that matters is that you and Jacian are happy about this. If you're really worried about showing, we can push the wedding forward or have a dress tailored to make it less noticeable. And aren't you worried that leaving so soon after would make it more suspicious?" Henry gave his daughter a look of concern, taking one of her hands in his own. Although he did worry about the way she was treated, he also didn't want to send her off on her own until the prince she was marrying had claimed his throne. And even if they knew Jacian somewhat well, he still never trusted boys with his girls, and he officially had a reason not to. He'd discuss later with Neddy about how to avoid this situation with Adria in the future, though the younger princess didn't have a particular interest in anyone at the moment, so maybe she would remain pure on her own. "I think..Daddy and I need time to think it over. Would you mind giving us a few days to decide?"
Fynn narrowed his eyes at the nanny and scoffed at her attitude once she ran off. Then again, he couldn't expect a normal human to take care of magical children. It would be beneficial for them to reach out to Alicia's birthplace at some point. He sighed when his wife looked to him to take care of the problem instead of doing it herself, not sure of how he would be better than her since she had magic herself. The knight smiled at his adopted son and crouched down ruffling his hair. "Shh, James. We just want to know if you're both alright. Did you put out the fire the way I showed you?" He questioned as he peeked into the room in search of his son. "Cian? Come here."
Malakai gave his lover's hand a squeeze as they listened to Avalon go on about everyone. He was glad to hear his own family was doing well, though the thought of them thinking he and Vince were dead upset him a bit. Hopefully they'd be happy to see them again. He also perked up at the mention of Rosaria getting married, a death glare aimed at no one in particular crossing over his eyes. "Married huh.. I'll have to meet him right away. Put it in your letter that I want to meet my sister's fiance the moment I return." He fell silent again, his mood drastically becoming gloomier with each new bit of information. He was glad his family was well, glad Avalon's parents were building their family, but his heart ached for Felicity. She had been so nice and sweet, even when she was stubborn, or when she tried to hog Vince, but she didn't deserve to suffer through a pregnancy only to have it be the end of her. What hurt the most was hearing that both of his boyfriend's parents had passed from their grief. The brunette wrapped his arm around Vince's waist, pulling him close to comfort him. "I'm sorry.." He murmured, leaning in to nuzzle the blonde's cheek.
"Test me, sweetcheeks. I'll cuff you with ice." Leith teased and, though the touch had caused him to shiver, lightly pushed Elias's hand away from his groin. "Not here. Not now." He grinned in a sly fashion. "Too many people around. And the kids." -
"You can't control thoughts and opinions, Papa. And I don't want to move the date closer.. It's perfect where it is. Hazard has to leave to go on that stupid tour and he won't be back until three days before the wedding, Papa, and he has to be there." She swallowed hard, standing. "We could always say we traveled there to spend our honey moon, and then just stayed for a bit longer.. We could return a few months after the baby is born, Papa. Please consider it." She left them, Neddy staring after her and waiting until he heard the click that meant the guards had closed the door securely. "Henry," He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "We need to talk to that young man. There always was something about him.. Anyways. I'm serious about changing the colors, you know. Maybe to Emerald and ivory. I think you would look very sexy in those colors, actually. Oh, Henry, imagine meetings about that.. Might as well, we have meetings about everything else." He rolled his eyes dramatically, falling out of his seat to lay on the floor on his belly. "I am absolutely exhausted of meetings and schedules and stupid paper work.. Let's resign. Let's go live on the islands. Far, far away where no one can find us and bother us."
James nodded quickly, tilting his head into Fynn's touch. He loved affection, loved being able to make his father proud. His attention shifted to Cian, who was playing with a stuffed mouse, cuddling it to his chest. The smaller boy shuffled over on his knees, looking up at Fynn expectantly. He didn't speak much- With a stutter and a lisp, he preferred to communicate non-verbally, or through James, who seemed to understand him very well. He shot his older brother a look, giving just the tiniest nod. "He wants to know if he's in trouble for getting so close to the fire," James voiced. "He can't be, Papa! He doesn't know any better, he's too little yet.. And it's not his fault that the nanny left. That's mine. Don't scold him, please." He was so deadly protective of Cian, half stepping in front of his out of instinct, as if to save him from Fynn's well-meaning gaze.
Alicia picked this as a place to jump in, sighing. "Fynn, I'm going to our room.. Please come talk to me as soon as you're done. We need to talk about something." With that, she left, shutting the door behind her.
"..I think I want to go to my room," Vince started, but Avalon piped up, grabbing their interlocked hands. "I just remembered! I've been practicing opening communication windows. To, you know, actually talk to people.. I'm not very good at it. But I can make one, and maybe you could talk to Henry and Neddy for a few minutes? Just tell them thst you're alive. It's faster than a letter, but.. We risk people spying on the window. And it drains me pretty fast. I could give you about ten minutes, though. Maybe fifteen if I really push it." Vince didn't hesitate to nod, his grip on Malakai turning to iron. Avalon smiled, glad to be able to distract him. "Let's do it, then, and hope Neddy's free enough to help me host the window.. We'll need a dark room. And, um, blankets."
"We can get a room. Or, better yet, is that a broom closet over there? You can't talk all sexy and then deny me. At least a blow job." He wrinkled his nose at being pushed away. -
"I can control if those thoughts and opinions are heard." Henry told her sternly but nodded in his response to her request. "You can't lie about your child's age, you know. Again, we'll think about it. I want to make the best decision for you and the family you'll soon have." The blonde told her as she left, sighing and slouching into his chair. He chuckled lightly at his husband, glancing over at him with a raised eyebrow. "We'll see. These colors have been what I've known my whole life, you know. The same way you probably feel about your country's colors. Maybe I'll have an outfit made, just for you." He fell serious at the mention of running away. "I used to feel that way. When I first had to become king, I felt that way. I wished I had someone ahead of me. As much as I would love to run away with you, Hazard still has a few years before he can claim the throne. And leaving out family..." He trailed off, shaking his head and moving on to a different subject. "So you wanted to talk about Jacian? What do you think is wrong, Neddy?"
Fynn smiled at the boy and lightly placed a finger over his lips. "Shh shh, I'm not mad at him. Not at all. I just want to make sure both of my boys are okay. And it looks like you are, so I'm glad." He gave both of his sons gentle pats on their heads, showing them just how much he loved them. Though his happy moments were quickly washed away when his wife spoke. He didn't fully understand why she was acting the way she was, but it was beginning to hurt. The knight worried that she wanted to branch out away from him sometimes. He sighed and gave Cian and James kisses on the forehead before standing. "I'm going to have a maid come in and watch over you. Be good, okay? No scratching up her dress." He gave them another smile and left the room, finding the nearest maid before going to see Alicia.
"We can use the closet in our room, and the bed sheets should do it. Ten minutes. We won't be any longer than that, I'm sure." Malakai smiled at his lover, gripping his hand in response. He understood just how excited his boyfriend was, and even if he didn't show it, the brunette was excited too. He looked forward to seeing his parents again and having them welcome Vince to their home the way they did for his siblings. One thing he knew he couldn't do was cry, knowing well that Neddy would be the first to shed tears upon seeing them.
"Okay. I'm pretty kinky and all, but we're not doing anything in a broom closet. Besides, you're the one putting your hands all over me." Leith grinned and puckered his lips at the other, crossing his arms. "I think I'll make you wait~" -
"Honestly, ivory would drain me. You're not putting me in those colors. I said they would look good on you," Neddy protested, but grew more serious when the topic changed. He inhaled, tilted his head to the side. "Jacian's father is very, very ambitious. He was always at my father's court, even though his own country is made out of what used to be your father's territories.. He wanted trade rights, all types of things that we weren't really forthcoming with. When we turned him down for the third time, he began bargaining for Alicia to marry his unborn child. Of his third wife, you know, and Alicia was just a baby yet. We declined, and anyways the baby was a girl, who died a few days later. Reports circulated that the cause of death of his wife, after that, was some sort of injury that happened during the birth, but my father never believed that. And then he married again, and it was years before Jacian was born, even though his wife was ages younger than him. She, too died, and when then the old fool himself got killed.. And, well, I don't know, but perhaps Jacian is just like his father. Abusive, murderous, manipulative. I don't really- Oh. Oh." Neddy paused in the middle of his rant, hands clutched to the sides of his head as a pulse of pain ran through him. It took him a minute to gather what was happening- That someone was sending a window through to him. He weakly drew his hands away from his head, balling them into fists and channeling his magic to form something that wavered like a poorly made mirror, although it didn't reflect his own image, but showed one of two boys standing beside his niece, eyes wide. "Avalon," He scolded, narrowing his eyes. "I swear if you've only done this to introduce your.. Boy.. friends.." He narrowed his eyes at the image, something familiar about the boys hitting him very, very hard. "I'm sorry. Who are they? Who are you, boys?"
"Alright, come on. Hurry, hurry." Vince rushed the threesome up to their room, gathering the things and ushering them into the closet. It was a walk in so they weren't so closely packed, but it was very dry and dusty in there, and the air was thin. He pushed back his hair as he watched his cousin preform a very weird ceremony type of thing with a sheet, and then a ball of fire that he thought was going to burn him- It was warm, but when it touched the sheets, it turned them clear as water. It was a few seconds before anything else happened, Neddy and Henry appearing so suddenly that Vince felt his breath catch in his throat. Neddy's voice wavered through, and Vince found himself unable to respond. -
*Alicia had her back to him when he came into the room, diligently cleaning the sword she had already unhooked from her waist. She hadn't seen combat recently, but she knew better than to go without sharpening and cleaning her sword and armor daily. It was one of the many responsibilities of the knights, and though she could actually order her maid servant to do it, Alicia always did so herself. She didn't look up when she spoke to her husband, forcing her voice to remain calm, even though it trembled just a bit. "Fynn, you do know that I love you, right? And our children, all of them, Avalon included? I don't.. I don't mean to worry about them so much. I know it's not good for me to act that way about the boys, but I really can't help it." She inhaled, pausing to set her sword aside. "We should go out. Just me and you. Tonight. I know you don't have another shift, and I don't, so.. So, well, I'm sure Neddy and Henry would love to watch the boys for us, and it's been so long since I've been able to spend time with you without worrying about everything else. Please. Just to get dinner, or.. Something."
**"Oh, broom closets aren't that bad, you brat. You just want to tease me." Elias smiled at him to assure him he didn't mean his harsh words. reaching out to cup the back of his lover's neck when he kissed those puckered lips. "Make me wait too long and I'll have to have one of the whores help me," He joked, looking around at all the women in tight corsets and short skirts. He wrinkled his nose, laughed a bit. "And then you really wont want to suck me." -
"I meant that I would have it made for me to wear for you, you weirdo husband of mine." Henry shook his head with a smirk before settling into the more serious topic. "..His kingdom is made of my father's lands, isn't it? Then there's no real reason for me to give him that piece that Rose asked for, other than by her request. Traditionally, once they're married, we are not to involve ourselves in their affairs. Meaning what happens between, stays between them. But personally, if he harms her, he won't like us very much now, will he? For every bruise on our daughter, a scar on him. But we'll watch him, love, don't worry about it too much. If it eases your mind, we'll watch him." The king perked up when he noticed the other's pain. He usually wasn't around for it, but he recognized when a window was being made to speak with another magic user. The blonde rose an eyebrow at Neddy when he mentioned Avalon having two boyfriends. "All three of her parents would string her up by her toes.." He joked as he looked into the mirror. It took a moment for him to notice but once he did he went wide eyed. "...Those eyes. I'd know them anywhere. Although-" He smiled before continuing. "They're much more sharp and beautiful than before."
Malakai rolled his eyes when they were rushed to get everything they needed. "Maybe you learn how to make a window yourself. You have powers, too." He teased as he settled into the closet, avoiding as much dust and cobwebs as he could. "We're gonna need baths after this..." He murmured as he stared at Avalon, watching her with his bored, slanted eyes. They distinguished him from many just by their shape. And the moment he saw his fathers, his eyes opened a bit. He was sure Neddy recognized them, but was unable to put two and two together. Henry, on the other hand, knew before his husband, the comment about his eyes making Malakai flinch. It was clear Vince had lost his will to speak, so.. "What..What makes them beautiful? I'm not a girl. And why are you asking who we are? Can't you tell, too?"
Fynn sighed softly upon entering the room, listening to his wife as she went about explaining herself. He wanted to tell her that it didn't feel like she loved them and his brow furrowed when she mentioned being worried about them. He knew she wanted to work things out, but he couldn't help it. "Alicia, I love you, too, but I can't speak for our children. I don't mind that you worry about them, I want you to worry about their safety so you'll be ready to protect them. What upset me is how cold you've been towards all of us. You were so worked up on making sure James and Cian were alright, then you left me to take care of everything right after. You can't do that to me or them. You're their mother, and you have the magic. I don't know how I would handle those two without you. We need you to be there, especially the kids. Avalon scares me when she's away. She's a beautiful girl, and though I'm confident her uncle will protect her, he can't watch her forever." The knight shook his head at the idea of going out and having fun when their children needed them. It was a tempting offer, but he didn't feel he could accept it with good conscience. "I can't.. I can't go out like this. I'll think about it until dinner, but I want you to go and spend time with those boys before anything right now. If I decide I want to go out, I'll take to my lord. But we can't push them on everyone all the time. They're young boys who need our attention."
Leith was about to lean in to return the kiss, but immediately pulled back at the mention of his lover being with someone else. His face twisted into an angry scowl that had his brother's features all over it. "You do that, and I'll impale her on an ice spike.. And you won't get anything from me. No handjob, no blowjob, no booty, nothin'!" He knew Elias only meant it as a joke, but sometimes he didn't like those jokes specifically because he had always been insecure about whether or not his husband really wanted to be with him, or a woman. "I'd be a woman if I could. Seeing as they're more appealing to you.." -
Even after Henry made that comment, it took Neddy a few seconds to let it sink in. He had been focused on Avalon until one of the boys spoke up, and he finally really looked him over. He was shockingly familiar- His eyes shifted to the blonde boy, who was now staring right at him, mouth pressed in a narrow line. His cheekbones were so high, and his eyes were such a haunting blue color, and Neddy knew right then who they were. He opened his mouth to say something, uncertainly gripping at Henry's hand for some sort of life line. It felt like he couldn't breath, as if the world was spinning way too fast and he feared that at any moment, the image would slip away and he'd wake up. No, He scolded himself. He had to focus, had to keep the window up. "Mala," He finally managed, even though his voice was dry and cracked all of a sudden. "I have.. We have.. You don't know how much time we've spent looking for you. Th-The court declared you dead, but we.. Your father and I never stopped looking," He worked out, not blinking as he tried to take in his son. He was shockingly beautiful, and he held himself, even now, like the stubborn little boy that he and Henry had brought home from the orphanage. A little sob escaped him before he could help himself- They'd missed so many years, so many things that Neddy should have been able to experience with his son. His heart ached for missing time.
Avalon suppressed a giggle at Henry's comment, but she covered her mouth and scooted back a bit as Neddy seemed to realize who the two boys were. Out of view of the window, Vince took Malakai's hand, running his thumb over the knuckles lovingly. The blonde lowered his eyes as Neddy spoke- There would be no loving return for him and his own parents, and he tried to be happy that Mala would get his, but Vince wished that his father had been able to wait for him, just a few more years. Unlike Neddy, his parents had given up. He wondered if his brother and sister still harbored hopes that he was alive. Before he could help himself, he asked, "Is Leo well? And.. And Odessa? Uncle Lawrence?" He feared for the old man, who would have gone through the heart break of loosing his husband only to have Mala and Vince be kidnapped. It must have been extremely hard on him.
Alicia sat down on the bed when he spoke, lowering her face into her hands. She wanted to block out his words as she normally did when he scolded her like this, but she didn't, telling herself tat it was for this very reason that they were having this conversation. "I just.. Don't want to lose you. It feels like we're.. Like we're growing apart, Fynn. I don't like it. We worked so hard to get Cian, and I do love him, I really do, but I feel like I'll be too harsh with him. Like I am with Avalon. And I know that James only does what he does for his brother, but what if he really hurts someone, or hurts Cian? I have magic, but not like he does. I can't.. I can't protect them. And I don't know what to do when things like this happen. I don't even know what to do to save our marriage." There. It was out. It felt like someone had stabbed her in the chest. She gripped at the sheets of the bed, closing her eyes. "I thought that having Cian would fix everything. All the stupid little problems. But it just keeps falling apart, and I don't know what to do. Sometimes it feels like I should just.. Let it go."
"Women are not more appealing, love.. I was only joking," He frowned, leaning forward to pull Leith into his chest. He nuzzled his neck, sighing into it. "I would prefer you over everyone in the world, male or female, darling. Don't you know that you're worth so much more to me that a lay? If we never had sex again, I wouldn't care, so as long as I got to spend the rest of my life with you. Don't you know that? I don't need to have my d--- in something to be happy," He muttered, pressing a kiss to his cheek, fingers stroking his husband's hair. He shook his head, laughing softly. "I've felt that way since the day I met you. I would be crazy to find anyone or anything more appealing than you, and you'd be crazy to think I would." -
Henry smiled at his husband and reached behind him to soothingly rub his back. As much as he didn't want admit it, the king felt as if he were going to cry the moment he saw tears in the other's eyes. But it was clear Neddy was trying not to and that he was afraid this wasn't really happening. Yet there they were, the lost princes they'd spent years searching for. He was sure it was the greatest day of all of their lives, though Vince's expression said otherwise. The blonde smiled at him when he asked about his siblings, figuring that Avalon already told him about his parents. "They're all well, Vince, don't worry. Lawrence has aged, but he's still here. I think he'll feel better after seeing you boys again." His smiled faded as he looked down, thinking about what happened with Noel. "I'm sorry about your parents.. I wish there had been more I could've done to help them. Or at least your father, since your mother's illness was what took her from the family. But you're more than welcome to stay with us just as we took in your siblings."
Malakai flushed at the girl's giggling and looked at his fathers with longing to be back with them. "Maybe..if we'd stayed in one place, you'd have found us. We've had to move around this region a lot. But we're low on time, so we can give you the stories later, okay?" The brunette gave his parents a small smile while squeezing Vince's hand, knowing how his boyfriend must have felt in that moment. He wanted to pull the other into his arms and hold him like that forever, but he wasn't sure if he should make their relationship known to Neddy and Henry just yet. He knew they wouldn't care and that they would probably be happy for them, but he felt it was something they should make a surprise for their return. "..I'm glad uncle Lawrence is okay. It must've been so hard for him to lose us after losing uncle Hector."
At first, Fynn expected her not to be listening to him, the way she always did, and he was ready to walk out when she finally spoke. He was thrown off by what she said next, indicating that she was acknowledging his words. "We are growing apart. You keep pushing us away. You won't be harsh with him, you'll have me to help you, but I can't do it all alone. Avalon is.. You were never too harsh with her, well, maybe after what happened with Cian, you were pretty harsh. But I understand you were afraid of losing him. I think she just wants to rebel because of the attention we gave him after he was born. There isn't much we can do if she feels like she isn't loved, and I know we both tried very hard to show her we care for her as much as the other two." The knight glanced away at the mention of saving their marriage and sighed, nodding lightly. "I don't want us to spend time alone right now, I want us to be a family first. I think..we should go somewhere for awhile. Get out off the castle with the kids. And we should wait for Avalon, too. I'll drag her on this vacation if I have to."
"Well, your jokes are bad.. I didn't find it very funny at all." Leith looked away at the nuzzling, pouting a bit as Elias sucked up to him. Though he couldn't stay mad at the other for long when he sweet-talked him like that. And stroked his hair. Kissed his cheek.. "Maybe I am crazy? I always worry about someone better coming in and stealing you away from me. I love you so much, and I don't ever want to lose you." The younger smiled and hugged around his husband, returning his kiss. "I promise we can play later. That way you can have more than my mouth. Just..don't ever think about asking a whore. I really will beat her until she's unrecognizable. Or I'll castrate him if it's a man."
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