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","count":"6","submission_left_submission_id":"2358715","submission_left_file_name":"3447207_damijon_prisoner_chapter_five_.doc","submission_left_thumbnail_url_huge":"https://nl.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/huge/3447/3447207_damijon_prisoner_chapter_five_.jpg","submission_left_thumbnail_url_large":"https://nl.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/large/3447/3447207_damijon_prisoner_chapter_five_.jpg","submission_left_thumbnail_url_medium":"https://nl.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/medium/3447/3447207_damijon_prisoner_chapter_five_.jpg","submission_left_thumb_huge_x":"299","submission_left_thumb_huge_y":"300","submission_left_thumb_large_x":"199","submission_left_thumb_large_y":"200","submission_left_thumb_medium_x":"119","submission_left_thumb_medium_y":"120"}],"description":"I warned you that this story was a tragedy in chapter one, so again, I apologize, but please don't lose faith! There are still two more long epics to go. Thank you to all that read, fav, follow, etc. ","description_bbcode_parsed":"I warned you that this story was a tragedy in chapter one, so again, I apologize, but please don't lose faith! There are still two more long epics to go. Thank you to all that read, fav, follow, etc. ","writing":"[b]THE BOY HEROES FROM THE LAND OF ERIK (A Series of Epics)[/b]\n\n[b]Epic no. 3 -[/b] \n\n[b]Prisoner[/b]\n\nBy [i]DamiJon[/i]\n\n[b]Chapter Six[/b].\n\nAuthors Note: [i]You've been warned. Might help to have also read the Aizen and Holt story if you haven't by now. Don't lose faith! There's still two more epics to go. As always, thanks to everyone who's read, commented, and favorited the stories. <3[/i]\n\n\tAldan waits and watches Drew sleep. He lightly plays with his hair, twirling it around his finger. He stares at Drew's body, committing every inch to memory. After an hour or so, he slides careful out from under Drew, settling his demon-boy husband comfortably in the bed, his head resting on his pillows. He quickly kisses Drew's stomach and chest before pulling the sheet up to cover him.\n\tHe dresses quickly and quietly. Taking a drink of wine, he refills the glass by the bed, and leaves a mug of water next to it. Tenderly, he brushes hair from Drew's eyes and kisses his forehead. He exits the cell, locking the door. As he heads down the hall, he fastens his sword to his waist. He ignores the few prisoners who are awake to notice him. In the guard room, he speaks briefly with his commander, then departs from the prison.\n\tIt's late. He moves through the streets with purpose, heading for an alchemist he knows. He knows the man well. Not a man, but a male. Reaching the shop as the night mists rise from the river and begin to hide the low lying streets and alleys, Aldan tries the door. Locked. Undeterred, the knocks three times, using the pommel of his dagger. After a minute, he knocks again. Hearing movement beyond the door, he steps back. The door opens, the weak light of an oil lantern struggles against the dark and fog. A short man looks up at Aldan, squinting.\n\t“Aldan? Aldan Jaeger?” The man sighs unhappily. “When you said tonight, I thought you'd meant earlier. Come in, come in.” The figure tugs as Aldan's sleeve. He pokes his head out into the street, looking both ways before withdrawing and slamming the door. “Follow me, follow me.”\n\t“Yes, well. Would you have kept knocking?” The man looks back at Aldan, who nods that he would have. “Well then, well then, what choice did I have?” The figure moves behind a low counter and climbs atop a stool. A small, anthro-raccon looks at Aldan and smiles. He wears a silken night shirt and padded slippers. He stretches. “Besides, besides, I owe you. Vampire ash? Drake's teeth? Do you know how hard those are to find? And you brought them to me. No, no. Never too late, never too early for you my friend.”\n\tAldan nods. “You're too kind, Harold. Do you have what I asked for? Time is short.”\n\tThe raccoon nods. “I do, I do. A calming draught strong enough to calm a demon but leaving his faculties intact and clear. I must say, I must say, it wasn't easy, but it's ready.” He reaches beneath the counter, pulling up a small, pumpkin shaped ceramic jar. He opens it and pulls out a cookie, nibbling it as he offers the jar to Aldan. “Pecans and butterscotch, pecans and butterscotch. The wife's perfect recipe. She sends her love as well. When will Milliken be back? I'm anxious to have my star student back. Well, two afternoons a week that is.” He reaches back down and retrieves a small phial, perhaps an inch and half long. It contains a slightly luminescent purple liquid. “Drink this, drink this and wait a half hour. There might be some initial dizziness, but it should pass. Your friend will feel no fear or anxiety. No fear or anxiety.”\n\tThe small man looks at Aldan with sympathy in his eyes. “This is for the demon, Drew? The demon, Drew?” When Aldan nods, the raccoon sighs, “So young. What is he to you, Aldan? So young.”\n\tAldan looks at the phial, then tucks it carefully into his pouch. He takes a cookie and bites at it. “He's my husband. My true love, across time and worlds.”\n\tThe raccoon starts. His eyes going wide, seemingly huge due to his \"mask\". “I had no idea! No idea. I'm sorry, Aldan. You must be in a terrible position. Will you be present for the sentence?”\n\t“I'll be overseeing the procedures.”\n\tThe raccoon starts again. “Gods, no! Gods, no! Why? Can't another take your place?”\n\t“They could. But I need to make sure this is done right. That he's at ease and at peace. Thanks for this.” He stacks gold coins on the counter.\n\tThe small man looks forlornly at Aldan. “Boy, do I feel like rotten fish. A rotten fish. Taking your coin for this.”\n\t“I insist. I must be going. I've much to do.” Aldan heads for the door, pausing at the threshold as whisps of fog lick at the doorway. “Thank you, Harold. And Maxinne for the cookies.” With that, Aldan leaves. He strides into the night, heading for the temple. Mist sticks to his boots as the moon ascends into the night sky. Somewhere, an owl hoots loudly. Somewhere nearby, a drunken couple shout-whisper their undying affection. Aldan ignores them all, marching until he stands at the base of the steps into the temple of the demons.\n\tAldan takes a moment outside. He breathes once, twice, three times carefully and deeply. It won't do to lose your temper. Nothing gained by antagonizing the man. He heads inside, looking around for a worker or customer.\n\tThe shop is closed, but a woman appears at a table, a single candle lit at the center of it. Her hair is long and red, small horns about two inches long, a skinny vermillion red tail. She's young, maybe a year or two older than Drew. She notices him standing there but is calm. “I'm sorry, but we just closed an hour ago, sir.” She marks the page of her book and stands.\n\tAldan speaks softly. “I need directions to the rooms for the Colhan family. I've urgent business for the older male.”\n\t“Colhan. You mean Yohav? Is he expecting you? Is he in trouble?”\n\t“Yohav Colhan? Father of Drew? He's not expecting me.”\n\t“Oh... He's downstairs. Very bottom floor. First floor on the right.” She bows, walks back to her seat, and opens back her book.\n\t“Thank you.” He heads towards the stairs. He stops halfway and turns back to the girl. “Excuse me, miss, but do you know Drew?”\n\t“Drew... Yohav's son? Not well.” She looks to him, then sips from her coffee. “Our high Lord of the Temple said that he killed and has made a disgrace to our people. It's rumored that he is cursed by a shadow spirit that only brings destruction. Other than that, I do not know.”\n\tAldan arches an eyebrow. “I see. He has not disgraced your people. He faces his own death with courage and humility, knowing that it is owed for what he did. He does credit to your people, if your people believe in honor. Think kindly on him, when you think on him or hear his name.” Aldan nods at her and heads down the stairs. He descends until he can no longer descend. The first door on the right. He stands there for several minutes, composing himself. He knocks briskly.\n\tA few minutes pass. Aldan knocks again and again until the door is opened. A white haired man about Drew's height opens the door. His hair is half gray, half white, the same sized horns and tail. In his left hand is a walking stick. He wears a light gray robe, which is tight around him. He looks so young, yet so frail and fallen apart already. Aldan can't help but to wonder what has drove a demon of his young age to look so sick. \n\t“Hmmm. Judging by your armor, you're a guard at the prison my son is at. What is it that you want?” He blocks Aldan's way from entering. When he peaks, he notices barely anything inside. A mattress and a prayer mat with a cauldron in front of it. Nothing else.\n\tAldan gives the man a relaxed salute. “I'd like to talk to you about your son.”\n\t“What about him? Has he escaped? Did he kill another innocent? Did he go berserk?” He looks frustrated at Aldan.\n\t“None of that. He's been a model prisoner, actually.” Aldan sighs. “I think you should forgive him and be there tomorrow when he pays for his crimes.”\n\t“Be there?” He tosses his head away, walking inside and to the middle of the kitchen. His balance is feeble and weak. “I've already requested that his median go, but I'm not sure she will. I, however, will not be there, nor do I forgive him. It is ridiculous that the court had him stay there for that long. He should have been executed on the spot to assure that he won't go berserk.”\n\tAldan enters the room. “But he hasn't gone berserk.”\n\t“He could. He's cursed. It could happen when you least expect it.”\n\t“It won't. Be that as it may, why can't you forgive him? He's your son.”\n\t“He has killed four people, even if I don't count my wife, which could have been an accident. But how can I know?” His tone is sarcastic for a moment. “You didn't travel with him in the forests and see the hatred and violence in his eyes when we came across Cruiberg warriors. He would have torn them to shreds. You didn't see his bedroom when that, that thing came into his body and forever cursed him. And you certainly did not see the other boy that was cursed and slaughtered thirty of his own people before killing himself. Maybe if you had been there when those thirty had died you would understand, but you can't.”\n\t“Maybe not. But I've seen him ride a horse, by himself. And having the chance to flee but choosing to stay. I've seen with my son, lying under the clouds talking about nothing. I've seen his eyes, and his heart, when he thinks of what he's done. Whatever shadow was in him hasn't spoken to him for weeks. He goes to his punishment when he could have escaped. He goes to pay a debt he recognizes. It's not too much that his family show him some support. He deserves that much.”\n\t“You cannot convince me to go. You cannot convince me to think otherwise. I can't and I won't. Now leave!” He points his cane at Aldan, holding himself up with one hand on the counter.\n\tAldan looks at the man, shaking his head. “I feel sorry for you. You have a chance to make peace with your son and you choose not to. I'm ashamed to be related to you.”\n\t“Get! GET OUT!!!” He tosses his cane at Aldan, which pathetically falls and does nothing of damage. “Never show your face here ever again!”\n\tAldan moves to the door. “You should know. Drew is my husband. We're in love. I've held him as he cried, telling me about his mother. He told me not to waste my time, that you'd never forgive him. You don't deserve another moment of thought from either of us.” He opens the door. “In the morning, I've going to make love with Drew. He'll cry out my name and I'll cry out his. Because I love him and he loves me. I pity you, old man.”\n\tAs Aldan exits the room he feels a strange cold energy walk by him. He turns to look at it, but nothing is there. After a moment of standing still to make sure he wasn't losing it he walks upstairs. The front door of the shop is open, but the girl from before is gone.\n\tAldan sighs. He heads home. He dreads what today will bring. He knows that Drew is depending on him. That Drew needs Aldan to be strong for him. Once at home, he takes off his boots and rests for a few hours in his chair. He'll be up before the sun. There's still so much to do.\n\n\tDrew wakes up early in the morning. He lays in bed for a moment, just looking at the light through the window, then stretches out and prays, reciting passages under his breath for about fifteen minutes. He thinks back about the past few days and meeting Aldan, how much he has impacted and changed his life in such a short time span, and then he walks over to the bath to wash his face and lick his tail clean. It's quiet in the prison today, which sort of discomforts him. He strangely enjoys when he can hear a bit of conversation from the inmates and guards when he wakes up. Drew walks back over to the bed and waits for his lovers return silently, also excited to see his step-son Bryan again. \n\tAs for Aldan, he also wakes early. His sleep was restless and he sits for a moment, his head in his hands. With a sigh, he rises, heading to the kitchen to start heating water. Then he heads up stairs. He pauses by the side of Bryan's bed. The boy looks so peaceful. “Maybe I should just let him sleep through it all.” But neither he nor Drew would forgive that. Carefully he wakes his son, whispering for him to dress.\n\tBack downstairs, Aldan quickly bathes and prepares tea. He slams back a cup, and when Bryan comes down, gives him a cup and a biscuit. The boy looks at him between bites. “No pardon from the King?” Aldan shakes his head sadly. They drink in silence, then saddle Whirlwind and gather what they need. With everything packed, the begin the walk to the prison. It seems so much further today.\n\tAldan arrives soon after sunup. He's grim this morning. People in the market, on the street move aside as he approaches. He picks up provisions for Drew. And something that may be needed, but he hopes it won't be. At the prison, the other guards give him a wide berth. No cat-calls of 'demon love'. The men who share the Execution Detail with him today nod silently. It takes time for them to prepare. He enters the cells followed by Bryan. “Wait here.” He commands as he nears Drew's cell. He taps the bars, letting Drew know that he's arrived. \n\tDrew leaps down from a metal bar on the ceiling that he was using to exercise with and quickly reaches under his nightstand table for something, then stands up by the table quickly composed. \n\tAldan unlocks the cell and enters. He puts the keys and sword on the table and approaches Drew. He stops at arms length. “Is something wrong, Drew?”\n\t“No, no. Quite the contrary. I have something for you and Bryan. That is him standing by the door, right?”\n\tAldan nods. “It is. I wanted to see how were before letting him see you. We've brought breakfast. We can't leave the prison. Once was pushing it. There's a comfortable courtyard that we guards use. It should be pleasant. And private.”\n\t“That's fine. Bryan?” He calls out not too loud. “You can come in.”\n\tBryan peeks around the corner. His face brightens as he notices that Drew is wearing the clothes he bought for him. He rushes into the cell, heading straight for Drew and hugging him tightly. “You look so handsome!”\n\t“Why thank you. It is all thanks to you.” He hugs him back tightly. As soon as Drew lets go he takes Bryan's left, hand, placing a small purple stone into it. He looks to Aldan, asking him to do the same and places two in his. “I give you two because you're going to find my friend Aizen when he moves here and give one of them to him. You'll need to find something that allows you to wear it. They're ancient protection stones that my people give away to family and friends when they're about to go to the light. I will protect and guide you if you wear these. You'll also need to find the black wolf demon at some point. That is by far my most important wish from you both. Help him as you would help me if I hadn't committed the crimes I had done and you knew that you could prevent them from happening. My other wish is that you never give up hope and love and that you find ways to help others. If you lose track as to how, then I will find a way somehow, through these stones or otherwise, to help you. It's the least I can do for everything you've done for me now.” He walks around his cell as he continues. “Aldan, before you came into my life here in the prison, I had given up on love and decided to hide myself in the books. But now the universe has brought us together, as was fated to happen, so that you could help me see the light again. So I thank you.” He sighs and shuts up for a moment, chugging his mug of water. “So shall we eat?”\n\tAldan nods. “Bry, why don't you take the food and set up a picnic breakfast for us in the Apple Court. You remember where that is, don't you?” Bryan nods and gathers up the basket and bundles. He smiles back at Drew and dashes off. Aldan stands close to Drew, facing him. He rests his hands on Drew's hips. “I spoke with your father last night.”\n\t“You spoke to him? Why?”\n\t“Because I'm a fool. I thought that I could convince him to be here today, to make peace with you before. . .he no longer can.”\n\tDrew nods, putting his hands to his lovers hips. “You're not a fool. He is... He will understand one day.”\n\t“I would kiss you.”\n\tDrew pecks Aldans lips. “Would you?”\n\tAldan smiles, a cocky and sneaky smile. “I would. I will.” He lowers his lips to Drew's, gently probing his tongue into Drew's mouth, passionately kissing his husband.\n\tDrew accepts the kiss, letting his lovers tongue enter his. He responds in the same motion as his hands press him closer in, kissing him deeper. “I love you, Aldan.”\n\t“I love you, Drew.” He holds Drew for several moments. Holding him close, feeling his heat. Trying to memorize his smell. Reluctantly, he withdraws from him. “Is everything here finished? We can come back if you'd like. If we don't, is everything in order?”\n\t“One second. Let me organize some things.” He walks around the cell, grabbing all of his books from different spots that they've been littered and then he stacks them on top of the nightstand. Drew then reaches back under to where he had hid the stones and grabs a silver coin, slipping it into his pocket. “The books are for Mikey. I'm ready to leave this room now.”\n\tAldan looks around. He spies their music box. He walks over to it, pulling Drew with him by the hand. He triggers the magic. As their symphony fills the room, he kisses Drew one more time before burying his face in Drew's neck. Aldan sobs once. Quickly, he composes himself. “We should go. I just wanted to hear it one last time. Part of it, at least. With you in my arms. I want that to be part of the memories. Memories of you that will last a lifetime. Of me as your husband and you as mine.” He almost cries again, but does not. “You are so brave, Drew. Our memories of our time together will lead us to each other. Next time.” He kisses Drew again. Then exhales and shakes his head. “Are you ready?”\n\t“Yes. Let's go see Bryan.”\n\tAldan leads him out of the cell, down the hallway. Some of the other prisoners whistle and catcall. At the entrance, Aldan opens the door. The guards stare for a moment. One or two snicker, but none of them speak. “We'll be in the apple yard until it's time.”\n\tThe commander looks out a small window. “I make it just shy of three hours until the blade falls. I'll give you two and a half, Aldan. Then the detail will begin.”\n\tAldan nods and leads Drew out. They walk a maze of corridors and hallways, past locked doors and cells. Whenever they come upon another guard, Aldan takes his arm, whispering that he's sorry. Once the guard is past he releases him. Drew passes through one final door into a small, square courtyard. There are a stand of three mature apple tree and small flowering bushes, with benches along the walls. Bryan has spread a tablecloth on the ground and unpacked breakfast. Eggs, cooked and raw, fish, eels, chicken raw and cooked, bread, biscuits, pastries. Wine and small beer. He stands and watches his father and his father's 13 year old lover enter. As he approaches, Drew is struck by the resemblance. From the eyes and face, to the way he stands to how he wears his boy-sized sword. It's almost like Aldan in miniature.\n\tBryan looks at them. “I hope everythings set up all right.”\n\t“I think it looks grand.” Drew sits down with his legs crisscrossed. His tail curls to the left side under his leg. “Where's Whirlwind? Home?”\n\tBryan looks up at Aldan. “Can I bring him in? If we use the Beggar's Gate, we can come right through. It won't take but a few minutes. Please, daddy?”\n\tAldan nods. “That sounds like a good idea, Bry.” Bryan whoops and dashes over to Drew, hugging his again. “'ll be right back!” He dashes off into the corridors.\n\tDrew gathers a plate of food, raw fish and meat on a plate, which smells as fresh and rich. “It's just as beautiful outside as yesterday. Not too warm. The sunrise happened right before you got here.” \n\tAldan sits and prepares a plate, sitting aside as he prepares another. For Bryan. He explains, pointing to the first one. “I'll eat lightly. It's not a duty for a full stomach. And it is a lovely day.” The birds singing and the sun shining.\n\tDrew eats as quietly as he can, which isn't so easy when chewing apart raw meat. He stays well mannered, wiping his fingers with napkins, sitting upright and chewing with his mouth closed.\n\tThe sound of hooves clopping along the cobblestones heralds the arrival of Bryan atop Whirlwind. He rides the horse nearly onto the picnic blanket before stopping, hopping off and sitting next to Drew. The horse neighs and whinnies and moves close to Drew, pushing against him with its muzzle. “I told you he liked you!” Aldan hands the boy his plate and he happily begins eating.\n\t“Oh, hi there Whirlwind!” Drew stands up, his tail moving back and forth in excitement. He softly nuzzles the horse above his nose and makes a neighing sound to imitate the horse. “Huh. I don't think he understand what I was trying to say. Very well then!” He sits back down, finishing off the rest of his plate, then taking a few medium-sized slimy eels to his plate. “Were you supposed to be at school today, Bryan?”\n\t“Daddy said that I could stay home today. From school. So I could see you again.” He stops as his face grows very serious. “I wanted to see you.”\n\t“Yeah, well I did too. It's crazy how much like your father you already look. Right now you look so small, but in ten years I can't even imagine what you'd look like.” He chews down one of the eels, drinking from his mug of water to balance his taste pallet.\n\t“Do you think so? Everyone says it. Gramma, Grammpa. If I look like him now, won't I look even more like him when I grow up?” He makes a face. “Ugh! I don't even like eels when they're cooked.”\n\t“I'm sorry. I'll down them as fast as I can.” He takes both of them, holding them up by their tentacles as they drops them into his mouth and chews them down. He smirks at Bryan after he's finished and sticks out his tongue. “Delicious! We had some of the best fish where I come from. Maybe one day when the situation in the forests has settled down you can visit the mountain rages that I grew up on.”\n\t“That would be keen.” He eats, his manner far more beastly than Drew's. He routinely takes huge bites, and chews with his mouth open because he can't close it until the food inside had been partially crushed. He talks with his mouth full, too. But somehow, it's almost cute when he does it.\n\t“Bryan... Is there anything you want to know about me that you haven't asked before? Now would be the time to ask.” He puts his plate to the side, sitting shoulder to shoulder with Aldan and gripping one of his hands.\n\tAldan squeezes Drew's hand. He checks the sun. Bryan looks at them. He shrugs, “Are you scared?”\n\t“Scared...” He doesn't need to really think about the question. “No. I'm not scared. A tad bit anxious that I might be right before I see the platform, which must be normal. But I'm not scared. Since I was put into a cell I had a lot of time to think about what I did... I must atone for things I did, regardless of the cost. That's important to me. I don't want to be a coward, running away, spitting and fighting, pretending what I did was the right thing to do. Of course it's not easy. None of this is easy. But now that I've found love I feel at peace.”\n\tBryan nods solemnly. “I understand.” He looks at Drew's tail. “How come your tail is so different from the anthros we have at school? We don't have a lot, but none of them have horns really. Just nubs. And their tails aren't....” He looks at his father. “Elegant? Is that the word you used, father?” Aldan nods. “Their tails aren't elegant like yours. They're always knocking things over or hitting people in the eye. Daddy says it's because they're so young and because you're so special.”\n\tDrew looks to his tail, moving it from side to side to prove his control over it. “It is strange, huh? Most demons aren't able control their tails until they're about sixteen to twenty. My fathers tail isn't as thick or soft as mine. I think I get these traits from my mother.”\n\t“Sometimes I wish I had a tail. Or horns or something. I'm just a boring little kid.”\n\t“No, that's not true. You should feel privileged. There are many kingdoms and parts of this planet that would slaughter anyone that isn't human, take our tails and horns as ornaments and trophy. We're treated as lower class. Having a tail isn't always fun either if you can't control it.” He stands up, stretching out his back. “I know this area isn't too large, but do you think Whirlwind would be interested in giving us a ride?”\n\tBryan jumps up excitedly. “I know he would.” Bryan climbs aboard his horse, reaching down to help Drew up behind him. “Hold on. Well, we won't go that fast.”\n\tAldan warns them, “Don't steer towards the gate. The guards might think you're trying to escape.”\n\t“You hear that Whirlwind?” Drew holds himself over Bryan's stomach, hugging him tightly for a moment, then relaxing.\n\tThe three of them trot around the courtyard for several minutes. Demon, boy, horse, all seem to lose all their cares for a few minutes. Aldan watches them. His heart feels as if to break. He begins to think about what is waiting in a few hours, but stops himself. He knows that if he dwells on it now, he won't be able to be there for Drew when his husband needs him. Besides, they're having so much fun.\n\t“I'm glad you brought Whirlwind...” He closes his eyes as the wind blows against his skin, remembering the dream he had with him and his friend in the cave, both of their hands touching as they bury something under a pile of rocks.\n\t“Me, too!” Bryan calls back over his shoulder.\n\tAldan continues to watch them as he picks at his plate. He knows better than to eat much on day like today. Beheadings are gruesome enough. But to oversee the execution of his husband? No, that wouldn't sit well at all.\n\tThey ride in circles around the courtyard, around the trees, but eventually stop after a half an hour. Bryan brings a bowl of water to Whirlwind as he stands by the apple tree and Drew walks back over to his husband. He takes a drink of water to rejuvenate himself, kissing his husband softly on the lips just once, realizing that his face is flat and cold. He uses the warmth of his power to warm up Aldan's cheek, then his arms.\n\tAldan tries to smile at Drew. It doesn't come at first. He pulls Drew into him, laying back on the grass, the demon-boy love of his life on top of him. “We only have an hour or so.”\n\tHe looks to Bryan as he walks over. “Bryan... I think your father and I should have some time alone. Is that fine with you?”\n\t“I guess not. Does that mean I should go home.” He looks very sad, almost as if about to cry.\n\t“Well, you shouldn't be there when it happens. Maybe you can ask one of the guards if you can take a book of mine with you to a café and wait for your father there.” He stands up, walking over to him. “Hey now, it's okay to cry. Come here.” He holds his stepson closely, hugging him tightly and rocking him back and forth to calm him down. The boy cries loudly at first, an explosive rage of tears, then to a painful moan, finally to sniffs and soft cries before he finally stops. Drew cleans his face every time it gets too messy, running one hand into his hair as he continues to hug him close. “Remember to look for the wolf boy and to wear the stone that I've given you. I'll always be there with you, even if it's not in this physical form. I love you, Bryan. Do good with the life you have. Love.”\n\tBryan looks up at Drew, nodding along with every instruction. He wipes his nose on his sleeve. “I'll remember. I promise. Demon-black-wolf-boy. I love you. I wish you could be my daddy longer.” He shakes his head, making a strange noise from the back of his throat. From the corner of his eyes, Drew see Aldan cover his mouth, trying not to laugh. He busies himself packing up the picnic and loading the basket and bundles onto the horse's saddlebags. Bryan hugs Drew one last time. Then he mounts Whirlwind. They spin in place twice, and Bryan makes a clicking sound with his tongue. They stop, facing Drew. Whirlwind neighs and shakes his mane, lifting his head high into the air. Bryan holds tightly to the reins. The horse lowers his head, almost seeming to bow. Bryan bows at his waist then looks at Drew. His eyes well up. He waves with one hand, pulling the reins with the other, and kicking his heels into Whirlwind's flanks. They trot to the gate, waving good-bye one last time.\n\tDrew holds out his waving hand until he see's the boy gone from his vision. Afterwards, he sits down back in the grass next to Aldan, staying silent. “Hey...” He doesn't know exactly what to say, but feels the anxiety coming in.\n\tAldan reaches over, playing with Drew's hand. “Hey.”\n\t“Are you okay? I mean, that's a stupid question to ask...”\n\tAldan looks at Drew. He smiles, a thin, regretful smile. “No, I'm not okay. I keep trying to think of other things. The blonde demon-boy, Aizen. I have to find him. The black wolf-demon hybrid. I have to find him. If I think of them, and not you, I don't have to think of what's coming.” He sighs. “But how can I not think of you? You who are my husband, maybe a thousand times over already in a thousand past lives. You who bring me such joy and inspire such desire as I've never known. Am I okay?” He scoffs. “No, I'm not. But I will be. Right? Because you're going to need me to be okay. So, I will be.”\n\tDrew nods, sitting up and beside him. “My hands are kind of shaking. I thought I would be okay. It's hard knowing that I'll leave and not see you for who knows how long. Don't get yourself killed in war just to try and be with me. Live healthily and happily, at least for your childrens sake. Plus, the kingdom counts on you. If you don't help the wolf-demon, you can consider this entire kingdom, maybe even planet, gone.” He pauses for a moment, feeling the shivers along his arm.\n\tAldan notices the goose bumps on Drew's arm. He moves closer to him. “Hey, I have something that will calm you. You'll be fine otherwise, just calm. No fear, no anxiety.” He pulls the phial from his tunic, holding it out to Drew.\n\tHe looks to it. “Should I drink it now?”\n\t“I think so. It will take a few minutes to work. A half hour or so.” He looks at the sun. “Yes, take it now then rest your head in my lap for a while.”\n\tDrew takes the phial, drinking it quickly, then falls back onto Aldan and stares up at the slow moving clouds. “What was it like as a child with your father building all of those lighthouses? Did you ever get a chance to go into them? Venture inside?”\n\tAldan smiles as he looks down at his love. “It was fantastic! He'd take us with him when he could. We'd follow him around the work site. Sometimes we'd try to help, but we were just kids. I learned maths and how to build things, at least the basics. We could explore everything. I'm shocked looking back that we never hurt ourselves.” He laughs. “Playing tag in a partially finished lighthouse seem insane now. No wonder my dad yelled at us.”\n\tDrew lays quietly, feeling himself at ease and relaxed with husband. He forgets about all of his worries, what is to come, none of it matters to him right now. “I can imagine... No, I can literally see the lighthouses, a younger you like Bryan inside of one of them.” Quiet again, playing his husbands hand.\n\tAldan leans back. “You'd like my father. He loves building. He still designs things, lighthouses, bridges. He'd try to use his maths to explain you and I.” At the same time, he laughs playing jokes on people.\n\t“I still think you should visit the Mooneye peaks at some point in your life. At least just to see it with your own eyes.”\n\t“I think Bryan is going to suggest that every time we talk. At least for the next few years. Until we make the trip. You knew the boy, Aizen, there? Maybe he could show us your old stomping grounds.”\n\t“Yeah. He'd love to show you. I think him and Bryan would make good friends. Aizen is a gentle soul. A musician. That's why he's planning to live here.” He sits up, exhaling deeply. The potion is having its effect on him and he feels no fear, no anxiety, no worry at all. “What will do after it's done? Today, I mean.”\n\tAldan's face darkens. He looks away, struggling with his emotion. “I'll clean your cell. After I have you taken away and prepared for your final rest. . .After that, I'll be free. I don't know what I'll do.” He lowers his forehead to Drew's. “I don't know what I'll do. I can't let myself think of that. Of living without you.”\n\t“You could go somewhere to turn that stone I gave you into a necklace.” He puts one hand to Aldan's chest. “Kiss me.”\n\tAldan leans down and kisses Drew, passionately. Deeply. “I will. For all three.” He rests his hand on Drew's chest. “I think silver. It represents purity and protection.”\n\tDrew leans in and kisses him back. He permeates his taste, his smell, and the feel of his skin, and doesn't break his kiss until he knows that he has it captured well enough to take it with him to the next life. “I love you...” He closes his eyes for a moment, then opens them again. “There's probably not much time left. Should we get going now? I don't want them marching to us out here. Seems strange.”\n\tAldan holds Drew close. “We have another couple of minutes.” He holds Drew. “I wish you'd bitten me more. Left me with more scars. I wish we'd had more time. I wish we could escape. I wish, I wish, I wish.” For the next several minutes, he is silent. Stroking Drew's hair, gently caressing his chest, his stomach. Finally, he looks at the sky. “It's about time. We should head back and get ready.”\n\tDrew nods and pulls Aldan up with him. They wind their way through the halls and corridors. Reaching their guard room, Aldan tucks the basket away. The other guards avoid the demon boys eyes. The commander gives his final instructions. “This one goes by the book. Anyone messes up, anyone screws up, I'll let Aldan have them for an hour. If there's anything left, you'll be on latrine and cesspit duty until your sons retire. Follow his instructions, do it right. This is no dirty, damned rapist. This is an honorable killer here. Almost same as us, 'cept no uniform. Right. Get it done.” He looks at Aldan. “Are you sure you can handle this? You haven't been yourself.” \n\tAldan nods and shackles Drew's hands loosely in front of him. Drew whispers. “It's fine. They're not too tight.”\n\tThe pain in Aldan's eyes is obvious to Drew. “The important thing to remember for you, is to concentrate on me. No matter what the crowd yells, or what you see, ignore all of that and concentrate on me. I'll make sure this goes smoothly.” He swallows hard. “Don't forget to breathe. I've had inmates so worried that they stop breathing and end up fainting. I'll be talking to you the entire way. Just listen to me.”\n\tDrew silently nods in response.\n\tThe other guards move in front of Drew, hands on the hilt of their swords. Aldan walks beside him. He holds his arm in his. The group travels through more corridors, arriving at a black door all too quickly. The other guards open and move through, into a cobblestone courtyard. Aldan faces his love, wiping his eyes. Drew makes a smile, trying to comfort him, and then his expression returns to as it was before, calm and composed.\n\tAldan glances around. He quickly kisses Drew on the lips. “Final stretch. The crowd will cheer when they see you. They'll call for your blood and curse you. Ignore them. Concentrate on me, focus on me. We'll go straight to the steps, then up. Do you have your coin? Give the executioner one coin when he kneels. He'll ask for your pardon. Give it. He's doing a job, takes no pleasure in it.” He takes Drew's face into his hands and locks eyes with him. “I'll lead you to the front of the platform. A scribe will read the indictment against you and the sentence. The crowd sometimes throws things, but I've given instructions. None of that shit with you. Once the reading is done, I'll guide you and put you into position. I'll talk to you. The executioner will swing any time after my signal. No warning. Understand?”\n\t“Yes. Well, there's one part I'm missing. This.” He kisses Aldan on the lips, unable to move his shackled hands as he does so. They part and he relaxes again, focusing on his breath. “I love you. Please... Follow through with my wishes. I'll always be here. I promise.”\n\tAldan holds Drew's hands. “I'll find you when time comes, love. Until then, I'll look for you in the stars, in the wind. When Bryan laughs, I'll think of you. When I see him on Whirlwind, I will think of the two of you riding together. Two boys. My two boys.” He takes a deep breath. “Right. It's time.”\n\tAldan leads Drew into the courtyard. The other guards march alongside. He leads him to a wooden platform, weathered but still stout. There is a small crowd, no more than forty people. The families of the dead men, the morbidly curious. He only looks towards the crowd for a few seconds before turning away, focusing on his breath, still calm like before. A teenage boy rushes to him, placing something into the palm of his left hand. The boy speaks quietly. “This is for you. Hold onto it for as long as you can.” He says something in a different language before walking back into the crowd and taking his place near a woman. He smiles for a short moment, squeezing the item tightly and thinking to himself, 'thank you', wishing he could have said it before he walked away.\n\tAldan leads Drew up a short flight of steps. Atop the platform, a large shirtless man waits, his face covered by a black mask. He kneels in front of Drew, holding out his hand. Drew reaches into his left pocket, which is an awkward function with his hands shackled, and places the one coin into it and nods. The man nods his head in response and stands. Aldan leads Drew to a block at the center front of the platform and stands beside him as an older man, a different one from yesterday, walks in front of him, standing a few feet back. \n\tThe scribe raises a hand and the crowd quiets down. He unfurls a scroll and begins reading the Bill of Indictment against Drew. The charges of robbery, murder in furtherance of robbery, murder. The crowd boos and hisses at each charge, one or more voices calling out for blood. The verdict of guilty, which the crowd cheers. The sentence of death by axe; the crowd cheers wildly. Someone yells 'Behead the hellspawn' and hurls a tomato towards the platform. Two of the guards move into the crowd, none to gently. The thrower is jostled and pushed further away from the platform. The clerk finishes his reading, rolls up the scroll, and moves to one side.\n\tAldan moves in front of Drew, his back to the crowd. Only Drew and the executioner can see his face. He takes Drew's hands in his own and guides him to the block. “So, when we visit your mountains, what's the best time of year to go?” As Drew answers, he encourages him to kneels, still holding his hands. Once they're kneeling, the crowd cheers wildly. Drums begin to roll. Aldan places Drew's hands on the sides of the block. “Hold that tightly, Drew. So, is there sufficient hunting in the mountains or will we have to bring our own supplies?” He leans Drew forward, his neck over the block. Aldan reaches over and pulls Drew's hair up, pushing his collar down. “I love you, Drew. I will always love you just as I always have.” \n\tDrew barely hears the sound of metal against wood. Before he can register the sound as the axe being picked up from beneath the straw, the blow falls. The last words before the axe severs his head are Aldan's I love you. As Drew's head falls, Aldan continues. “I love you, I love you, I love you.” The last sight before his vision fades is Aldan's face, tears on his cheeks, saying I love you over and over.\n\tAldan steps forward, grabbing Drew's head by the hair. He is careful not to touch the horns, stifling a sob as he remembers. Their very sensitive. He holds the head to the crowd which cheers. He turns from the crowd. The executioner is using an oiled rag to clean the blood from his axe as he descends the stairs. Two undertakers ascend with a coffin. They roughly grab Drew's body, stopping as Aldan grabs one by the arm and squeezes, “Treat him with respect He hisses at them.” They bob the heads and carefully lay Drew in the coffin. \tAldan kneels beside the box and rests Drew's head atop his shoulders. He brushes he hair from the eyes, closing their lids. He fiddles with the head, trying to arrange it so it resembles an intact body. Aldan looks to the crowd. Most of them are gone, but two catch his attention. An elegant woman in silks, and a teen boy who cries into her arms. Allahna and Edric. One of the undertakers points to the ground beside the block. “Don't miss that, m'lord. Might want to bury it with the lad.”\n\tAldan picks up a silver charm, shaped as a woman's profile. Drew dropped it when he. . . Aldan can't finish the thought. That's what the teen pressed into Drew's hand. A holy symbol for the goddess Selune. Goddess of Love, Mistress of TIme, Lady of Eternity. He lays it at the center of Drew's chest, giving a nod, and the coffin is nailed shut and carefully taken from the platform. Aldan drops to his knees and cries, eventually walking off of the platform to be comforted by Allahna and the younger boy.\n\n\tBryan did as he was told before he left, asking one of the guards if he could into Drew's cell and take a book with him. It was the one at the very top, religious scripture on meditation and love. He leaves the prison afterwards, going to a café nearby and stays there as he sits alone, drinking a tea as he looks at Whirlwind outside. He reads the first few pages before he breaks out into a cry again. Eventually, he leaves, riding Whirlwind back over to the prison, waiting far enough from the execution courtyard so that he wouldn't hear any cheers. His face droops and depresses as he see's people leave. The last two that he see's are Allahna and Edric, whom are just two other figures to him. He waits patiently for his father on top of his horse. While he waits, he thinks back of how scared and paranoid he was when he first met Drew all of the way til them riding the horse just an hour ago. His heart feels as if it's been torn apart.\n\t Aldan gathers himself. A pair of older teen-aged boys are spreading sand over the blood, soaking it up and shoveling the resulting mess into a wheelbarrow. They are careful to avoid Aldan. He stands, wiping his face. He moves through the prison, relying on habit more than conscious thought, he returns to Drew's cell. His fellow guards give him a wide berth. He stands at the cell door. Moving in he begins cleaning the room. There's not much to do. Drew was thoughtful enough to have most of the cleaning already done. In less than an hour, the job is done. The bed where they slept and fucked is bare, the mattress rolled up, the linens on the way to be laundered. Aldan has a stack of books, the remains of a few bottles of wine, and the pillow that he and Drew had used. He holds one to his face and inhales, comforted by the scent. Gathering everything, he heads out of the block.\n\tHe passes through the guard room, dimly aware that someone speaks to him. Take the day and as long as you need. He nods and moves on, leaving the prison. Stepping through the gates, he looks around for Bryan and Whirlwind. Not seeing them, he turns towards home. he walks slowly, wondering if he'd done enough for Drew at the end.\n\tAt some point Bryan leaves, wondering if his father has decided to head home. He notices him walking by in the distance and Whirlwind races up to him. Once they're beside each other the horse moves slowly. “Dad...”\n\tAldan stops and turns. He looks up at Bryan, the pain in his face obvious. Bryan hops down and awkwardly embraces his father, trying to avoid knocking books and bottles from his arms. After a moment, he starts taking things and putting them in the saddle bags. Aldan stands quietly as Bryan empties his arms. When the last pillow is stuffed into a saddle bag, Aldan kneels and embraces his son, who holds him tightly. “Did it. . . Did he. . .Daddy?” Bryan begins to cry. Whirlwind nuzzles the two of them, there in the street crying over their broken hearts.\n\tBryan hugs his father for what seems like forever. The streets are getting busier, but they live as if they're the ones there. “Are we going home?”\n\t“Where else can we go?” He looks at Bryan. “Thank you, son. Drew had fun with you. It helped more than you know. Both of us.” He takes Bryan's hand and they begin to walk slowly towards their home. They walk is silence for most of the trip. As their house comes into view, Aldan sighs. Life goes on. Less of a life. But it goes on and his family will need him. “Let's get Drew's things put away. Then I think we should do something together. Something quiet and thoughtful, but not sad. What do you think, Bry?”\n\t“Shouldn't we visit Drew's grave?” He looks to his Dad as Whirlwind guides them in the direction to home. “We could... Have the necklaces made.”\n\t“It's too soon to visit his grave. He's still being interred. We'll get the necklaces made, Bryan. But I don't want to deal with that right now. I don't want to be sad anymore today. I want to do something with you, something that makes us smile.”\n\t“I don't know if I will ever smile again.” He leans his chest down on whirlwind, depressing his head in sadness.\n\tAldan walks with his hand around Bryan's shoulders. “You will. Next time you're trying to see how fast Whirlwind can run. Or the next time you tickle Mikey into peeing himself. We both will smile. Someday.”\n\tBryan brings his head up, wiping away at his tears. “Can we visit the blacksmith today? See if he's finished with my new sword yet?”\n\tAldan nods. “That's actually a good idea. We'll do that. Then maybe we'll go somewhere with a giant box of sweets and gorge ourselves.”\n\t“Okay, Daddy. It's a deal.” He forms a smile, which is mournful and still ridden with pain.\n\n\tAldan walks slowly, his hand on Bryan's shoulder. Without thinking, he needs to keep hold of Bryan. To keep him close and safe. They walk to the Street of Steel, where smiths of all types and skill level ply their trade. Finesmiths and blacksmiths. Weaponeers and armourers. The crowd here bustles and the air is thick with the twin smells of coal ash and sweat.\n\tBryan holds his breath through some of the rougher parts of the area until they come to one of the houses they've visited countless times before. He steps off of Whirlwind, hugging him in the front lawn before he walks towards his father. I think Whirlwind knows somehow. There's something with his eyes... He holds his Dad's hand as they walk through the gated part of the front yard and to the working area that the blacksmith is at. He's sitting in a chair smoking from his pipe when he notices the two.\n\tThe smith is large, powerfully built. His eyes are set deep giving him a menacing stare. He smiles as he sees Aldan and Bryan, waving one huge paw of a hand. “Aldan! Little Aldan! Come to check the little blade?” He calls to them as he approaches. Standing, he pounds three times on the side of the house next to the workshop. “Wife! Aldan and his little are here.” He smiles at them. “She'll be along. Now let’s see if little blade matches Little Aldan.”\n\tAldan can't help but chuckle. He knows Bryan hates being called Little Aldan. “Thanks, Oswald. Let's see if sword matches boy. Right, Little Aldan?”\n\t“Yeah... Why not.” He rolls his eyes, hisses, and cross his arms as he pouts and walks. When they reach the workshop his eyes transform into a wave of inspiration and curiosity. He's seen the smith do his work several times and even tried his hand at it, but still can't comprehend the talent behind his work.\n\tThe smith, Oswald, rummages among a barrel, open at the top and filled with a variety of blades. He mutters to himself as he looks. “Nope, that's the elf-lad's blade. Nope, that for Little Lord Snot-Face. Oh! What's this? I thought I'd sold this. Well, well.” Aldan waits patiently until a loud 'Aha!' fills the workshop.\n\t“Here we are, little Aldan.” He turns and presents a sword, sized appropriately for Bryan, if perhaps slightly to large. He hands it to Bryan hilt first. “I made it so you'd have room to grow.”\n\tBryan sings a long 'Wooohhhhh' as he first see's the sword. He takes it carefully, inspecting it with both hands before he takes it by the handle and practices swinging it. Once he feels pleased enough, he sticks it behind his belt, and bows. “Thank you, Mr. Oswald. I promise that I'll come back next summer for lessons. Dad says school always comes first.”\n\tThe smith smiles broadly, showing a mouth full of huge teeth. He pats Bryan on the head, a little roughly, but with affection. “That's not all, Little Aldan.” He rummages through his cluttered work bench, letting loose with another 'Aha!' and turning triumphantly to face father and son. He holds forth a scabbard, chased and embellished with silver decorations. “No sword is complete without a sheathe.” Lowering his voice he continues, “Besides, your mother would never forgive me when you sliced your belt and pants for the fourth time, eh Aldan.” He elbows Aldan as he laughs, almost sending Aldan into a pile of coal.\n\tA large woman appears from the house with a tray and pitcher. She smiles happily upon seeing the visitors. “Aldan! Bryan, oh Bryan you are the cutest little boy in the whole city, I swear. Lemonade for you.” She pours a glass for Bryan. “Honey mead for you two, and you can pour yourselves. Honey cookies, too. Mind you that Bryan gets his fair share, Papa!” She tousles Bryan's hair and returns to the house.\n\tBryan spends just as much time observing the scabbard than the sword. “Thank you, ma'am.” He sheaths the blade, taking it with home outside, and lays with it in the grass as he sips from his lemonade. It's warm outside, the beginning of a true summer. He sighs, looking up to the sky, unable to get his mind off of Drew. He thinks to himself, 'Where is he right now? With me in my pocket? He said he'd always watch over me. Is he here right now then?' His mind travels off until his thoughts are silent and he's completely absorbed by the slight blows of wind.\n\tAldan and Oswald talk for a few minutes, long enough to quickly, but not rudely down a flagon of mead. Aldan looks out at Bryan laying on the grass. He knows what he's thinking about. With a sigh, he makes his thanks and goodbyes to the smith and his wife, promising to return of fault is found with the blade or when Milliken comes of age for his weapon. As they leave the shop, father looks to son. “Well, are you happy with them? Shall we spar somewhere?”\n\tBryan looks up, nodding. “I guess... Maybe we should just go home. I just want to lay in bed and never get out.”\n\t“I know, son. I know.” He reaches up to pat Whirlwind's neck. “But we can't do that. What did Drew tell you at the end? To give in to despair and sadness? Besides, Bryan, if I did that, I well might lay in bed until I withered away and died. And Drew would never forgive that, would he?”\n\t“No... You're right.” He exhales deeply before he stands up, jumping back on whirlwind. “Where do we go, then?”\n\t“I'm not sure.” He walks alongside boy and horse, resting his hand on Bryan's leg. “I can't stand the thought of watching them lower him into the ground. I think I'd like to walk along the river. Listen to the water. What do you think? Any ideas?”\n\t“The river that we went to yesterday?”\n\t“Yes. Why not?”\n\t“I think that would be fine.” His voice is still quiet and sad, which is rare to hear from Bryan. All he has to do is whisper into the horses ear and it instinctively knows where to take him. They leave the polluted square of shops, through some that are more decadent and consumed with a mass of people purchasing fresh food. Eventually, they find their way back to the river that they were at yesterday. “Do you really believe what he said about the stones, Dad?” He steps off of Whirlwind and leaves him by a tree, going through one of the sacks and feeding him before he walks further along the hill.\n\t“That they'll protect us and let him watch over us?” Aldan nods. “Yes, I do. Drew was very special. He could do things that no other of his people could do. Even if he hadn't killed those men, he would have been feared and shunned.” Aldan shrugs, grabbing a long strand of summer grass and chewing on it as they talk. “Maybe that's how he was able to be so brave through it all. No matter what, they would have turned on him.” Aldan's voice drops He showed more dignity than his father, that's for certain. And more courage. He looks at Bryan. “Yeah, he's watching over us right now. I know he is.”\n\tBryan unsheathes his blade, swinging it from side to side as he takes a few steps, then situating it in an arc towards his father. “Is my stance alright?”\n\t“Hmmm.” Aldan stands back, folding his arms across his chest. He begins chewing furiously on his grass stem, rolling from one corner of mouth to the other and back again as he examines Bryan's stance. “That's not bad. But...” He moves behind Bryan, dropping to one knee. He grabs the boy's left foot and adjusts it, along with his left leg. “That's better. You were a little out of place, and a smart foe would have been able to get you to unbalance yourself. But that's very good, Bryan. Very good, indeed. Let's see a couple of combination attacks. Show me what you can do!”\n\tBryan starts on guard, then swings upwards, back down as if to guard, himself, and practices dodging while swinging his sword upwards. Aldan can tell that he's going to be a fast one, but he's a little too sporadic for now. He repeats his simple moves in different combinations, throwing in some extra attacks from time to time, until he's worn out and working a sweat. “Thirsty. One moment.” He walks back over to Whirlwind to hydrate himself, then returns back, a smile slowly easing over him. The exercising has gotten him out of his depressed mood finally.\n\t“You're showing a lot of promise, son. I think if you stay with it and practice, you'll be far better than I've ever been.” Aldan is every bit the proud father. Proud that his son has an aptitude and love for the work that makes a good swordsman into a great swordsman. He's seen hundreds of grown men take the first chance every time at ending their practice to rest or talk or gamble. His son, his Bryan comes back for more. “Watch and see if you can follow.” Aldan draws his sword. He goes through a series of maneuvers, attacks, parries, ripostes. Almost faster than Bryan can keep track of. When he finishes, Aldan is on one knee, his sword in a high block. His offhand holds a dagger at the gut of some imagined attacker. “Now, Bryan, when did I draw the dagger?”\n\t“You drew it right before you came down on your knee.” Bryan copies this motion, pretending as he is pulling a dagger out from the same spot at the same time. He stands still in his high block stance with his tongue sticking out, then stands back up to wipe sweat off of his forehead.\n\tAldan laughs. “Excellent! I can't tell you how many times that's saved my life, my opponent fixating on my sword and not noticing the dagger until it was in them.” He sighs and sits, patting the grass next to him. “You look about beat enough for today. What say you, Little Aldan? More practice or supper?”\n\t“Just a bit more, Dad.” He practices his blocks and quick attacks with fast runs, then moves onto more difficult moves that he's still learning before he finishes up. The boy wipes his sword clean with his shirt, sheathes it, and runs back over to his Dad. “Where are we going to eat?”\n\t“Up to you, Little Aldan.” He's got a glint in his and smirks. “What do you feel like, Little Aldan?”\n\tHe thinks back on Drew, remembering how much he loved his raw fish. “I think I have a weird craving for seafood today.”\n\t“Right then”. Aldan stands, brushing grass from his trousers. “I think I know a shack that has fish & chips and chowder. Good enough?”\n\t“Yeah. That sounds delicious.” He runs back up to Whirlwind, jumping on in a hurry. “You lead the way, Dad!”\n\tFor the moment, the sorrow of the day is forgotten. Father and son make their way through the crowds to a small, riverside shack. The smell of cooking fish and chowder fills the air. Aldan's stomach grumbles loudly.\n\n\tAs Bryan ties off Whirlwind, Aldan orders for them. four planks, chips, and two bowls of white chowder. He sits at a small well worn table, barely big enough for the two of them. Figures and names have been carved into the top over the span of years. Aldan thinks back. He can't remember a time when this place wasn't selling food.\n\t“Why don't we ever come here?” He munches down his chips, taking a spoonful of soup every now and then. “It's delicious. Better than mom, huh? He nudges a laugh and wink. I wonder if they serve eel here. Is there where you went for Drew?”\n\tAldan nods as he chews and swallows. “Aye. Had to pay a little extra for fat and fresh ones, but Drew loved them.”\n\t“Maybe I should try one just to see what it's all about.” He finishes his plank of chips, pushing it to the side, and moves the chowder closer to him.\n\tAldan makes a face. He digs into his pouch and hands Bryan some copper coins. “You're welcome to try it son. Ask Margery and she'll boil one fresh for you while you watch.”\n\t“Boil? But shouldn't I have it raw like he liked it?” He's serious, waiting eagerly for you to answer.\n\tAldan inhales sharply. “I’ve never cared for eel at all. But if you're brave enough to try it raw, more's the credit to you. He also liked them alive. Do you think you can do that?”\n\tHe squints his eyes, trying fight about the idea of chewing on something alive and slimy. “Nah... I think I'll just have one boiled after all.”\n\tAldan chuckles, “Can't say as I blame you.”\n\tOnce Bryan his finishes his chowder he runs out of his seat to Margery, asking if she can prepare him a boiled eel. She challenges and tries to explain to him that they have many bones and that it would probably be impossible for him to digest the entire thing, but the money convinces her otherwise. He watches as she boils one of them in a pot of water, drains it after the creature is dead, and then lightly seasons it on a plate. Bryan stands over by the cooking counter while she watches him attempt to eat it. Aldan is still sitting at the table, looking from a distance. The courageous boy bites deeply into it, crunching his teeth down on its guts and bones, which slime down his chin. As expected, he spits out the first bite out on the plate and Margery laughs at him. “Sorry, Margery. I guess I don't have the taste for it after all.”\n\tHe wipes his face clean with a napkin, putting it over the eel and hands it back over to her. After gargling the taste out of his mouth with water in the bathroom he rushes back to Aldan, sitting down in frustration. “I couldn't eat it.”\n\tAldan pats Bryan on the head. “I'm not surprised, Bry. But you know what?” He slides his hand down to the back of Bryan's neck and duck down until his eyes are even with Bryan's. “Drew's laughing right now, and I bet he's so happy that you tried. It was very brave of you, very sweet of you and I'm very, very glad that you're my son and I'm prouder of you than I can say.” Aldan pulls Bryan close and kisses his forehead. “I love you, son.”\n\t“I love you too, Dad.” Bryan's eyes twinkle and shine as he smiles up to his father.\n\tLooking at the sky, Aldan cracks his neck. “It's getting time, I think. To see his final resting place. If we take the side streets, I know where we can get some cinnamon cookies for us and some flowers for him.” He stands and drops some silver coins on the table. “Ready to head out, soldier?”\n\t“Yes, father.” Bryan checks to make sure he hasn't left his sword behind and then follow Aldan out of the door. He stays close to his Dad and holds his hand as they walk to Whirlwind.\n\tAldan lifts Bryan onto Whirlwind and they head out. Before long, the streets are filling with people. Laborers heading home from their work, tradesmen making last minutes deliveries, merchants haggling over last minute deals before shuttering for the night. Small food carts are busy, with lines of citizens, buying hot soup or cooked meats and pies. Restaurants and pubs begin to fill with hungry and thirsty patrons.\n\tWalking close beside Bryan and Whirlwind, Aldan marvels at the city as it comes to life. Fitful life before settling down for the night. Men, women and children going to and fro, alone or in groups. Anthros, humans, an elf or two. Different races and creeds from a dozen different realms, here in the city. Aldan's city. He sees the worst every day. Rapers and killers, mostly. It's hard to remember that not everyone follows paths of violence. Drew was so gentle. If only they'd met sooner.\n\tBryan spends most of his time people-watching as they head through the crowds. He tries to keep his eyes open for the wolf-demon boy that Drew told him about, but has no luck finding him. In fact, he see's no demon whatsoever among the entirety of the walk. Eventually, they stop to get some food, feed Whirlwind, and spend around an hour trying to pick out an assortment of flowers. The day has flown by so quickly for the two of them. “Are you as exhausted as I am, Dad? Are we almost there?”\n\tAldan looks up at his son. Bryan looks so young, so tired. “We're almost there, kid-o.” He walks with his hand on Bryan's back, rubbing his back and shoulders. “It's been a long, long day.”\n\tIndeed, the hilltop cemetery rises in the distance. Spread over three low, sloping hills form the majority of the cemetery. It's well tended, with a few above ground mausoleums for wealthy and powerful families or organizations. The Knights of the Bloody Rose have a large mausoleum, recognizable even from this distance for the bronze statue of a knight atop it's peaked roof. As they approach the iron fence that surrounds the entirety of the cemetery, sorrow grows in Aldan's chest.\n\tThey approach the gates and Aldan slows. “Time to hop off, son It's rude to ride a horse in a cemetery. It upsets the dead.”\n\t“Yes, father.” Bryan hops off of his horse, tying his tack to a tree and hugging around his neck before he walks away. He stays close to his father. It doesn't even seem real that he could be gone so quickly. “We just rode Whirlwind this morning and now we're...” His throat goes dry as he mutters, “Going to visit his grave.”\n\t“I know.” Aldan walks with his hand on Bryan's shoulder. He's comforting his boy, but also gaining strength from him. He looks around, finally spying a fresh grave on a hillside, overlooking the river. A simple arrangement of summer flowers rests in a clay vase atop the mounded dirt. He steers Bryan towards the grave. A wooden marker rests at the head. As they get closer, Aldan can read the freshly painted and carved writing - \"Drew. Beloved Husband.\"\n\tHis steps are heavy now and he feels his heart collapsing in his sorrow. He holds on to Bryan's shoulder. They stop at the foot of the grave.\n\tBryan puts his assortment of flowers into the vase with the others, laying on his knees as he looks down at the fresh dirt and the marker. “Will he get a new marker at some point? Isn't his last name and birth date missing?”\n\tAldan kneels next to Bryan. He wipes his eyes with his sleeve. It takes him a moment to be able to speak. “Yes. I'll have a stone marker made with his name and birthdate. I should have asked him what he wanted. I don't know if he'd rather use our name or his father's. I think we should add \"Beloved Father\", too.”\n\tHe hugs his father as he speaks, “I read that when demons marry, they take on the females last name, but if it's a marriage between two guys or girls, they choose. Something tells me that he'd prefer to have our last name.”\n\t“I think you're right. I don't think his father would want Drew to use his name, either.” He looks at Bryan. His eyes are wet, but he's not embarrassed to let Bryan see his pain. “We loved him, he loved us. We'll give him our name, won't we?”\n\tBryan nods, a stream of tears coming down both of his eyes. He smiles though, despite the situation, and holds onto his father tightly. “I'm going to miss you, Drew.”\n\tThe two of them kneel in silence. Their thoughts run to their own memories of Drew. So alive this morning. Laughing with Bryan on Whirlwind. Holding hands with Aldan. Bryan cries openly, Aldan only slightly less so. The summer sun sinks to the horizon.\n\t“Bryan, would you mind waiting down with Whirlwind?” Aldan swallows hard. “I'd like to have a few minutes alone.”\n\tBryan wipes away his tears, putting one hand to the dirt and kissing at it before he stands up and responds. “Yes, Dad. I love you. Take as long as you need.” The boy slowly walks away, making sure not to step on any of the graves as he walks back to Whirlwind.\n\tAldan moves so that he's close to the marker, and to the head of the grave. He rests one hand on the marker. His shoulder rise and fall as he cries, openly for first time since it happened. His tears roll down his face, dripping on the freshly turned earth. “I wish we had had more time, Drew. I wish I had kissed you more, or held you more. If you don't want my name, you'll have to give me a sign. We should have talked about that, I guess. All these scars, and I've never hurt like I hurt without you. Every wound, all at once, are a pinprick compared to how much I miss you, Drew. I love you.” He sobs. “I'll find your friend, and we'll save the wolf-boy. I promise.” Taking a few deep breaths, Aldan looks up to the sky. “If you can see me, Drew, or hear me, I love you. I love you and always will. I'll visit as often as I can, babe. Gotta get Bryan home. He's been a trooper today. You're proud of him, I know.” Aldan stands, brushing dirt from his pants. He bows his head and takes a daffodil from the vase. He kisses it and balances it on top of the marker. “I'll see you later, Drew. Love you.”\n\tAldan descends slowly, trying to compose himself. When he reaches Bryan, he takes him into a huge, great bear-hug, before helping him onto the horse. He hugs Whirlwind around the neck. “You're a good ol' horse. You always take care of my boy.” Sighing, he pats Bryan's leg. “Let's go home.”\n\n\n\tDeep in their pockets, the purple stones that Drew had given them glow without them noticing for the entirety of their walk home. Somewhere among the kingdom, a young boy with long black hair, black wolf ears, and a glossy black tail lays on his mattress in fear as a strange shadow figure stands above him. Five hundred miles away from the kingdom, a half-elf and a blonde demon rest together by a river stream after defeating a group of vicious Cruiberg warriors. In the morning, the elf agrees to the demons plan to move to the 'peaceful' kingdom. Little does anyone realize the danger and destruction that lingers over it and is to come.\n\nTHE END.\n","writing_bbcode_parsed":"THE BOY HEROES FROM THE LAND OF ERIK (A Series of Epics)
Epic no. 3 -
Prisoner
By DamiJon
Chapter Six.
Authors Note: You've been warned. Might help to have also read the Aizen and Holt story if you haven't by now. Don't lose faith! There's still two more epics to go. As always, thanks to everyone who's read, commented, and favorited the stories. <3
\tAldan waits and watches Drew sleep. He lightly plays with his hair, twirling it around his finger. He stares at Drew's body, committing every inch to memory. After an hour or so, he slides careful out from under Drew, settling his demon-boy husband comfortably in the bed, his head resting on his pillows. He quickly kisses Drew's stomach and chest before pulling the sheet up to cover him.
\tHe dresses quickly and quietly. Taking a drink of wine, he refills the glass by the bed, and leaves a mug of water next to it. Tenderly, he brushes hair from Drew's eyes and kisses his forehead. He exits the cell, locking the door. As he heads down the hall, he fastens his sword to his waist. He ignores the few prisoners who are awake to notice him. In the guard room, he speaks briefly with his commander, then departs from the prison.
\tIt's late. He moves through the streets with purpose, heading for an alchemist he knows. He knows the man well. Not a man, but a male. Reaching the shop as the night mists rise from the river and begin to hide the low lying streets and alleys, Aldan tries the door. Locked. Undeterred, the knocks three times, using the pommel of his dagger. After a minute, he knocks again. Hearing movement beyond the door, he steps back. The door opens, the weak light of an oil lantern struggles against the dark and fog. A short man looks up at Aldan, squinting.
\t“Aldan? Aldan Jaeger?” The man sighs unhappily. “When you said tonight, I thought you'd meant earlier. Come in, come in.” The figure tugs as Aldan's sleeve. He pokes his head out into the street, looking both ways before withdrawing and slamming the door. “Follow me, follow me.”
\t“Yes, well. Would you have kept knocking?” The man looks back at Aldan, who nods that he would have. “Well then, well then, what choice did I have?” The figure moves behind a low counter and climbs atop a stool. A small, anthro-raccon looks at Aldan and smiles. He wears a silken night shirt and padded slippers. He stretches. “Besides, besides, I owe you. Vampire ash? Drake's teeth? Do you know how hard those are to find? And you brought them to me. No, no. Never too late, never too early for you my friend.”
\tAldan nods. “You're too kind, Harold. Do you have what I asked for? Time is short.”
\tThe raccoon nods. “I do, I do. A calming draught strong enough to calm a demon but leaving his faculties intact and clear. I must say, I must say, it wasn't easy, but it's ready.” He reaches beneath the counter, pulling up a small, pumpkin shaped ceramic jar. He opens it and pulls out a cookie, nibbling it as he offers the jar to Aldan. “Pecans and butterscotch, pecans and butterscotch. The wife's perfect recipe. She sends her love as well. When will Milliken be back? I'm anxious to have my star student back. Well, two afternoons a week that is.” He reaches back down and retrieves a small phial, perhaps an inch and half long. It contains a slightly luminescent purple liquid. “Drink this, drink this and wait a half hour. There might be some initial dizziness, but it should pass. Your friend will feel no fear or anxiety. No fear or anxiety.”
\tThe small man looks at Aldan with sympathy in his eyes. “This is for the demon, Drew? The demon, Drew?” When Aldan nods, the raccoon sighs, “So young. What is he to you, Aldan? So young.”
\tAldan looks at the phial, then tucks it carefully into his pouch. He takes a cookie and bites at it. “He's my husband. My true love, across time and worlds.”
\tThe raccoon starts. His eyes going wide, seemingly huge due to his "mask". “I had no idea! No idea. I'm sorry, Aldan. You must be in a terrible position. Will you be present for the sentence?”
\t“I'll be overseeing the procedures.”
\tThe raccoon starts again. “Gods, no! Gods, no! Why? Can't another take your place?”
\t“They could. But I need to make sure this is done right. That he's at ease and at peace. Thanks for this.” He stacks gold coins on the counter.
\tThe small man looks forlornly at Aldan. “Boy, do I feel like rotten fish. A rotten fish. Taking your coin for this.”
\t“I insist. I must be going. I've much to do.” Aldan heads for the door, pausing at the threshold as whisps of fog lick at the doorway. “Thank you, Harold. And Maxinne for the cookies.” With that, Aldan leaves. He strides into the night, heading for the temple. Mist sticks to his boots as the moon ascends into the night sky. Somewhere, an owl hoots loudly. Somewhere nearby, a drunken couple shout-whisper their undying affection. Aldan ignores them all, marching until he stands at the base of the steps into the temple of the demons.
\tAldan takes a moment outside. He breathes once, twice, three times carefully and deeply. It won't do to lose your temper. Nothing gained by antagonizing the man. He heads inside, looking around for a worker or customer.
\tThe shop is closed, but a woman appears at a table, a single candle lit at the center of it. Her hair is long and red, small horns about two inches long, a skinny vermillion red tail. She's young, maybe a year or two older than Drew. She notices him standing there but is calm. “I'm sorry, but we just closed an hour ago, sir.” She marks the page of her book and stands.
\tAldan speaks softly. “I need directions to the rooms for the Colhan family. I've urgent business for the older male.”
\t“Colhan. You mean Yohav? Is he expecting you? Is he in trouble?”
\t“Yohav Colhan? Father of Drew? He's not expecting me.”
\t“Oh... He's downstairs. Very bottom floor. First floor on the right.” She bows, walks back to her seat, and opens back her book.
\t“Thank you.” He heads towards the stairs. He stops halfway and turns back to the girl. “Excuse me, miss, but do you know Drew?”
\t“Drew... Yohav's son? Not well.” She looks to him, then sips from her coffee. “Our high Lord of the Temple said that he killed and has made a disgrace to our people. It's rumored that he is cursed by a shadow spirit that only brings destruction. Other than that, I do not know.”
\tAldan arches an eyebrow. “I see. He has not disgraced your people. He faces his own death with courage and humility, knowing that it is owed for what he did. He does credit to your people, if your people believe in honor. Think kindly on him, when you think on him or hear his name.” Aldan nods at her and heads down the stairs. He descends until he can no longer descend. The first door on the right. He stands there for several minutes, composing himself. He knocks briskly.
\tA few minutes pass. Aldan knocks again and again until the door is opened. A white haired man about Drew's height opens the door. His hair is half gray, half white, the same sized horns and tail. In his left hand is a walking stick. He wears a light gray robe, which is tight around him. He looks so young, yet so frail and fallen apart already. Aldan can't help but to wonder what has drove a demon of his young age to look so sick.
\t“Hmmm. Judging by your armor, you're a guard at the prison my son is at. What is it that you want?” He blocks Aldan's way from entering. When he peaks, he notices barely anything inside. A mattress and a prayer mat with a cauldron in front of it. Nothing else.
\tAldan gives the man a relaxed salute. “I'd like to talk to you about your son.”
\t“What about him? Has he escaped? Did he kill another innocent? Did he go berserk?” He looks frustrated at Aldan.
\t“None of that. He's been a model prisoner, actually.” Aldan sighs. “I think you should forgive him and be there tomorrow when he pays for his crimes.”
\t“Be there?” He tosses his head away, walking inside and to the middle of the kitchen. His balance is feeble and weak. “I've already requested that his median go, but I'm not sure she will. I, however, will not be there, nor do I forgive him. It is ridiculous that the court had him stay there for that long. He should have been executed on the spot to assure that he won't go berserk.”
\tAldan enters the room. “But he hasn't gone berserk.”
\t“He could. He's cursed. It could happen when you least expect it.”
\t“It won't. Be that as it may, why can't you forgive him? He's your son.”
\t“He has killed four people, even if I don't count my wife, which could have been an accident. But how can I know?” His tone is sarcastic for a moment. “You didn't travel with him in the forests and see the hatred and violence in his eyes when we came across Cruiberg warriors. He would have torn them to shreds. You didn't see his bedroom when that, that thing came into his body and forever cursed him. And you certainly did not see the other boy that was cursed and slaughtered thirty of his own people before killing himself. Maybe if you had been there when those thirty had died you would understand, but you can't.”
\t“Maybe not. But I've seen him ride a horse, by himself. And having the chance to flee but choosing to stay. I've seen with my son, lying under the clouds talking about nothing. I've seen his eyes, and his heart, when he thinks of what he's done. Whatever shadow was in him hasn't spoken to him for weeks. He goes to his punishment when he could have escaped. He goes to pay a debt he recognizes. It's not too much that his family show him some support. He deserves that much.”
\t“You cannot convince me to go. You cannot convince me to think otherwise. I can't and I won't. Now leave!” He points his cane at Aldan, holding himself up with one hand on the counter.
\tAldan looks at the man, shaking his head. “I feel sorry for you. You have a chance to make peace with your son and you choose not to. I'm ashamed to be related to you.”
\t“Get! GET OUT!!!” He tosses his cane at Aldan, which pathetically falls and does nothing of damage. “Never show your face here ever again!”
\tAldan moves to the door. “You should know. Drew is my husband. We're in love. I've held him as he cried, telling me about his mother. He told me not to waste my time, that you'd never forgive him. You don't deserve another moment of thought from either of us.” He opens the door. “In the morning, I've going to make love with Drew. He'll cry out my name and I'll cry out his. Because I love him and he loves me. I pity you, old man.”
\tAs Aldan exits the room he feels a strange cold energy walk by him. He turns to look at it, but nothing is there. After a moment of standing still to make sure he wasn't losing it he walks upstairs. The front door of the shop is open, but the girl from before is gone.
\tAldan sighs. He heads home. He dreads what today will bring. He knows that Drew is depending on him. That Drew needs Aldan to be strong for him. Once at home, he takes off his boots and rests for a few hours in his chair. He'll be up before the sun. There's still so much to do.
\tDrew wakes up early in the morning. He lays in bed for a moment, just looking at the light through the window, then stretches out and prays, reciting passages under his breath for about fifteen minutes. He thinks back about the past few days and meeting Aldan, how much he has impacted and changed his life in such a short time span, and then he walks over to the bath to wash his face and lick his tail clean. It's quiet in the prison today, which sort of discomforts him. He strangely enjoys when he can hear a bit of conversation from the inmates and guards when he wakes up. Drew walks back over to the bed and waits for his lovers return silently, also excited to see his step-son Bryan again.
\tAs for Aldan, he also wakes early. His sleep was restless and he sits for a moment, his head in his hands. With a sigh, he rises, heading to the kitchen to start heating water. Then he heads up stairs. He pauses by the side of Bryan's bed. The boy looks so peaceful. “Maybe I should just let him sleep through it all.” But neither he nor Drew would forgive that. Carefully he wakes his son, whispering for him to dress.
\tBack downstairs, Aldan quickly bathes and prepares tea. He slams back a cup, and when Bryan comes down, gives him a cup and a biscuit. The boy looks at him between bites. “No pardon from the King?” Aldan shakes his head sadly. They drink in silence, then saddle Whirlwind and gather what they need. With everything packed, the begin the walk to the prison. It seems so much further today.
\tAldan arrives soon after sunup. He's grim this morning. People in the market, on the street move aside as he approaches. He picks up provisions for Drew. And something that may be needed, but he hopes it won't be. At the prison, the other guards give him a wide berth. No cat-calls of 'demon love'. The men who share the Execution Detail with him today nod silently. It takes time for them to prepare. He enters the cells followed by Bryan. “Wait here.” He commands as he nears Drew's cell. He taps the bars, letting Drew know that he's arrived.
\tDrew leaps down from a metal bar on the ceiling that he was using to exercise with and quickly reaches under his nightstand table for something, then stands up by the table quickly composed.
\tAldan unlocks the cell and enters. He puts the keys and sword on the table and approaches Drew. He stops at arms length. “Is something wrong, Drew?”
\t“No, no. Quite the contrary. I have something for you and Bryan. That is him standing by the door, right?”
\tAldan nods. “It is. I wanted to see how were before letting him see you. We've brought breakfast. We can't leave the prison. Once was pushing it. There's a comfortable courtyard that we guards use. It should be pleasant. And private.”
\t“That's fine. Bryan?” He calls out not too loud. “You can come in.”
\tBryan peeks around the corner. His face brightens as he notices that Drew is wearing the clothes he bought for him. He rushes into the cell, heading straight for Drew and hugging him tightly. “You look so handsome!”
\t“Why thank you. It is all thanks to you.” He hugs him back tightly. As soon as Drew lets go he takes Bryan's left, hand, placing a small purple stone into it. He looks to Aldan, asking him to do the same and places two in his. “I give you two because you're going to find my friend Aizen when he moves here and give one of them to him. You'll need to find something that allows you to wear it. They're ancient protection stones that my people give away to family and friends when they're about to go to the light. I will protect and guide you if you wear these. You'll also need to find the black wolf demon at some point. That is by far my most important wish from you both. Help him as you would help me if I hadn't committed the crimes I had done and you knew that you could prevent them from happening. My other wish is that you never give up hope and love and that you find ways to help others. If you lose track as to how, then I will find a way somehow, through these stones or otherwise, to help you. It's the least I can do for everything you've done for me now.” He walks around his cell as he continues. “Aldan, before you came into my life here in the prison, I had given up on love and decided to hide myself in the books. But now the universe has brought us together, as was fated to happen, so that you could help me see the light again. So I thank you.” He sighs and shuts up for a moment, chugging his mug of water. “So shall we eat?”
\tAldan nods. “Bry, why don't you take the food and set up a picnic breakfast for us in the Apple Court. You remember where that is, don't you?” Bryan nods and gathers up the basket and bundles. He smiles back at Drew and dashes off. Aldan stands close to Drew, facing him. He rests his hands on Drew's hips. “I spoke with your father last night.”
\t“You spoke to him? Why?”
\t“Because I'm a fool. I thought that I could convince him to be here today, to make peace with you before. . .he no longer can.”
\tDrew nods, putting his hands to his lovers hips. “You're not a fool. He is... He will understand one day.”
\t“I would kiss you.”
\tDrew pecks Aldans lips. “Would you?”
\tAldan smiles, a cocky and sneaky smile. “I would. I will.” He lowers his lips to Drew's, gently probing his tongue into Drew's mouth, passionately kissing his husband.
\tDrew accepts the kiss, letting his lovers tongue enter his. He responds in the same motion as his hands press him closer in, kissing him deeper. “I love you, Aldan.”
\t“I love you, Drew.” He holds Drew for several moments. Holding him close, feeling his heat. Trying to memorize his smell. Reluctantly, he withdraws from him. “Is everything here finished? We can come back if you'd like. If we don't, is everything in order?”
\t“One second. Let me organize some things.” He walks around the cell, grabbing all of his books from different spots that they've been littered and then he stacks them on top of the nightstand. Drew then reaches back under to where he had hid the stones and grabs a silver coin, slipping it into his pocket. “The books are for Mikey. I'm ready to leave this room now.”
\tAldan looks around. He spies their music box. He walks over to it, pulling Drew with him by the hand. He triggers the magic. As their symphony fills the room, he kisses Drew one more time before burying his face in Drew's neck. Aldan sobs once. Quickly, he composes himself. “We should go. I just wanted to hear it one last time. Part of it, at least. With you in my arms. I want that to be part of the memories. Memories of you that will last a lifetime. Of me as your husband and you as mine.” He almost cries again, but does not. “You are so brave, Drew. Our memories of our time together will lead us to each other. Next time.” He kisses Drew again. Then exhales and shakes his head. “Are you ready?”
\t“Yes. Let's go see Bryan.”
\tAldan leads him out of the cell, down the hallway. Some of the other prisoners whistle and catcall. At the entrance, Aldan opens the door. The guards stare for a moment. One or two snicker, but none of them speak. “We'll be in the apple yard until it's time.”
\tThe commander looks out a small window. “I make it just shy of three hours until the blade falls. I'll give you two and a half, Aldan. Then the detail will begin.”
\tAldan nods and leads Drew out. They walk a maze of corridors and hallways, past locked doors and cells. Whenever they come upon another guard, Aldan takes his arm, whispering that he's sorry. Once the guard is past he releases him. Drew passes through one final door into a small, square courtyard. There are a stand of three mature apple tree and small flowering bushes, with benches along the walls. Bryan has spread a tablecloth on the ground and unpacked breakfast. Eggs, cooked and raw, fish, eels, chicken raw and cooked, bread, biscuits, pastries. Wine and small beer. He stands and watches his father and his father's 13 year old lover enter. As he approaches, Drew is struck by the resemblance. From the eyes and face, to the way he stands to how he wears his boy-sized sword. It's almost like Aldan in miniature.
\tBryan looks at them. “I hope everythings set up all right.”
\t“I think it looks grand.” Drew sits down with his legs crisscrossed. His tail curls to the left side under his leg. “Where's Whirlwind? Home?”
\tBryan looks up at Aldan. “Can I bring him in? If we use the Beggar's Gate, we can come right through. It won't take but a few minutes. Please, daddy?”
\tAldan nods. “That sounds like a good idea, Bry.” Bryan whoops and dashes over to Drew, hugging his again. “'ll be right back!” He dashes off into the corridors.
\tDrew gathers a plate of food, raw fish and meat on a plate, which smells as fresh and rich. “It's just as beautiful outside as yesterday. Not too warm. The sunrise happened right before you got here.”
\tAldan sits and prepares a plate, sitting aside as he prepares another. For Bryan. He explains, pointing to the first one. “I'll eat lightly. It's not a duty for a full stomach. And it is a lovely day.” The birds singing and the sun shining.
\tDrew eats as quietly as he can, which isn't so easy when chewing apart raw meat. He stays well mannered, wiping his fingers with napkins, sitting upright and chewing with his mouth closed.
\tThe sound of hooves clopping along the cobblestones heralds the arrival of Bryan atop Whirlwind. He rides the horse nearly onto the picnic blanket before stopping, hopping off and sitting next to Drew. The horse neighs and whinnies and moves close to Drew, pushing against him with its muzzle. “I told you he liked you!” Aldan hands the boy his plate and he happily begins eating.
\t“Oh, hi there Whirlwind!” Drew stands up, his tail moving back and forth in excitement. He softly nuzzles the horse above his nose and makes a neighing sound to imitate the horse. “Huh. I don't think he understand what I was trying to say. Very well then!” He sits back down, finishing off the rest of his plate, then taking a few medium-sized slimy eels to his plate. “Were you supposed to be at school today, Bryan?”
\t“Daddy said that I could stay home today. From school. So I could see you again.” He stops as his face grows very serious. “I wanted to see you.”
\t“Yeah, well I did too. It's crazy how much like your father you already look. Right now you look so small, but in ten years I can't even imagine what you'd look like.” He chews down one of the eels, drinking from his mug of water to balance his taste pallet.
\t“Do you think so? Everyone says it. Gramma, Grammpa. If I look like him now, won't I look even more like him when I grow up?” He makes a face. “Ugh! I don't even like eels when they're cooked.”
\t“I'm sorry. I'll down them as fast as I can.” He takes both of them, holding them up by their tentacles as they drops them into his mouth and chews them down. He smirks at Bryan after he's finished and sticks out his tongue. “Delicious! We had some of the best fish where I come from. Maybe one day when the situation in the forests has settled down you can visit the mountain rages that I grew up on.”
\t“That would be keen.” He eats, his manner far more beastly than Drew's. He routinely takes huge bites, and chews with his mouth open because he can't close it until the food inside had been partially crushed. He talks with his mouth full, too. But somehow, it's almost cute when he does it.
\t“Bryan... Is there anything you want to know about me that you haven't asked before? Now would be the time to ask.” He puts his plate to the side, sitting shoulder to shoulder with Aldan and gripping one of his hands.
\tAldan squeezes Drew's hand. He checks the sun. Bryan looks at them. He shrugs, “Are you scared?”
\t“Scared...” He doesn't need to really think about the question. “No. I'm not scared. A tad bit anxious that I might be right before I see the platform, which must be normal. But I'm not scared. Since I was put into a cell I had a lot of time to think about what I did... I must atone for things I did, regardless of the cost. That's important to me. I don't want to be a coward, running away, spitting and fighting, pretending what I did was the right thing to do. Of course it's not easy. None of this is easy. But now that I've found love I feel at peace.”
\tBryan nods solemnly. “I understand.” He looks at Drew's tail. “How come your tail is so different from the anthros we have at school? We don't have a lot, but none of them have horns really. Just nubs. And their tails aren't....” He looks at his father. “Elegant? Is that the word you used, father?” Aldan nods. “Their tails aren't elegant like yours. They're always knocking things over or hitting people in the eye. Daddy says it's because they're so young and because you're so special.”
\tDrew looks to his tail, moving it from side to side to prove his control over it. “It is strange, huh? Most demons aren't able control their tails until they're about sixteen to twenty. My fathers tail isn't as thick or soft as mine. I think I get these traits from my mother.”
\t“Sometimes I wish I had a tail. Or horns or something. I'm just a boring little kid.”
\t“No, that's not true. You should feel privileged. There are many kingdoms and parts of this planet that would slaughter anyone that isn't human, take our tails and horns as ornaments and trophy. We're treated as lower class. Having a tail isn't always fun either if you can't control it.” He stands up, stretching out his back. “I know this area isn't too large, but do you think Whirlwind would be interested in giving us a ride?”
\tBryan jumps up excitedly. “I know he would.” Bryan climbs aboard his horse, reaching down to help Drew up behind him. “Hold on. Well, we won't go that fast.”
\tAldan warns them, “Don't steer towards the gate. The guards might think you're trying to escape.”
\t“You hear that Whirlwind?” Drew holds himself over Bryan's stomach, hugging him tightly for a moment, then relaxing.
\tThe three of them trot around the courtyard for several minutes. Demon, boy, horse, all seem to lose all their cares for a few minutes. Aldan watches them. His heart feels as if to break. He begins to think about what is waiting in a few hours, but stops himself. He knows that if he dwells on it now, he won't be able to be there for Drew when his husband needs him. Besides, they're having so much fun.
\t“I'm glad you brought Whirlwind...” He closes his eyes as the wind blows against his skin, remembering the dream he had with him and his friend in the cave, both of their hands touching as they bury something under a pile of rocks.
\t“Me, too!” Bryan calls back over his shoulder.
\tAldan continues to watch them as he picks at his plate. He knows better than to eat much on day like today. Beheadings are gruesome enough. But to oversee the execution of his husband? No, that wouldn't sit well at all.
\tThey ride in circles around the courtyard, around the trees, but eventually stop after a half an hour. Bryan brings a bowl of water to Whirlwind as he stands by the apple tree and Drew walks back over to his husband. He takes a drink of water to rejuvenate himself, kissing his husband softly on the lips just once, realizing that his face is flat and cold. He uses the warmth of his power to warm up Aldan's cheek, then his arms.
\tAldan tries to smile at Drew. It doesn't come at first. He pulls Drew into him, laying back on the grass, the demon-boy love of his life on top of him. “We only have an hour or so.”
\tHe looks to Bryan as he walks over. “Bryan... I think your father and I should have some time alone. Is that fine with you?”
\t“I guess not. Does that mean I should go home.” He looks very sad, almost as if about to cry.
\t“Well, you shouldn't be there when it happens. Maybe you can ask one of the guards if you can take a book of mine with you to a café and wait for your father there.” He stands up, walking over to him. “Hey now, it's okay to cry. Come here.” He holds his stepson closely, hugging him tightly and rocking him back and forth to calm him down. The boy cries loudly at first, an explosive rage of tears, then to a painful moan, finally to sniffs and soft cries before he finally stops. Drew cleans his face every time it gets too messy, running one hand into his hair as he continues to hug him close. “Remember to look for the wolf boy and to wear the stone that I've given you. I'll always be there with you, even if it's not in this physical form. I love you, Bryan. Do good with the life you have. Love.”
\tBryan looks up at Drew, nodding along with every instruction. He wipes his nose on his sleeve. “I'll remember. I promise. Demon-black-wolf-boy. I love you. I wish you could be my daddy longer.” He shakes his head, making a strange noise from the back of his throat. From the corner of his eyes, Drew see Aldan cover his mouth, trying not to laugh. He busies himself packing up the picnic and loading the basket and bundles onto the horse's saddlebags. Bryan hugs Drew one last time. Then he mounts Whirlwind. They spin in place twice, and Bryan makes a clicking sound with his tongue. They stop, facing Drew. Whirlwind neighs and shakes his mane, lifting his head high into the air. Bryan holds tightly to the reins. The horse lowers his head, almost seeming to bow. Bryan bows at his waist then looks at Drew. His eyes well up. He waves with one hand, pulling the reins with the other, and kicking his heels into Whirlwind's flanks. They trot to the gate, waving good-bye one last time.
\tDrew holds out his waving hand until he see's the boy gone from his vision. Afterwards, he sits down back in the grass next to Aldan, staying silent. “Hey...” He doesn't know exactly what to say, but feels the anxiety coming in.
\tAldan reaches over, playing with Drew's hand. “Hey.”
\t“Are you okay? I mean, that's a stupid question to ask...”
\tAldan looks at Drew. He smiles, a thin, regretful smile. “No, I'm not okay. I keep trying to think of other things. The blonde demon-boy, Aizen. I have to find him. The black wolf-demon hybrid. I have to find him. If I think of them, and not you, I don't have to think of what's coming.” He sighs. “But how can I not think of you? You who are my husband, maybe a thousand times over already in a thousand past lives. You who bring me such joy and inspire such desire as I've never known. Am I okay?” He scoffs. “No, I'm not. But I will be. Right? Because you're going to need me to be okay. So, I will be.”
\tDrew nods, sitting up and beside him. “My hands are kind of shaking. I thought I would be okay. It's hard knowing that I'll leave and not see you for who knows how long. Don't get yourself killed in war just to try and be with me. Live healthily and happily, at least for your childrens sake. Plus, the kingdom counts on you. If you don't help the wolf-demon, you can consider this entire kingdom, maybe even planet, gone.” He pauses for a moment, feeling the shivers along his arm.
\tAldan notices the goose bumps on Drew's arm. He moves closer to him. “Hey, I have something that will calm you. You'll be fine otherwise, just calm. No fear, no anxiety.” He pulls the phial from his tunic, holding it out to Drew.
\tHe looks to it. “Should I drink it now?”
\t“I think so. It will take a few minutes to work. A half hour or so.” He looks at the sun. “Yes, take it now then rest your head in my lap for a while.”
\tDrew takes the phial, drinking it quickly, then falls back onto Aldan and stares up at the slow moving clouds. “What was it like as a child with your father building all of those lighthouses? Did you ever get a chance to go into them? Venture inside?”
\tAldan smiles as he looks down at his love. “It was fantastic! He'd take us with him when he could. We'd follow him around the work site. Sometimes we'd try to help, but we were just kids. I learned maths and how to build things, at least the basics. We could explore everything. I'm shocked looking back that we never hurt ourselves.” He laughs. “Playing tag in a partially finished lighthouse seem insane now. No wonder my dad yelled at us.”
\tDrew lays quietly, feeling himself at ease and relaxed with husband. He forgets about all of his worries, what is to come, none of it matters to him right now. “I can imagine... No, I can literally see the lighthouses, a younger you like Bryan inside of one of them.” Quiet again, playing his husbands hand.
\tAldan leans back. “You'd like my father. He loves building. He still designs things, lighthouses, bridges. He'd try to use his maths to explain you and I.” At the same time, he laughs playing jokes on people.
\t“I still think you should visit the Mooneye peaks at some point in your life. At least just to see it with your own eyes.”
\t“I think Bryan is going to suggest that every time we talk. At least for the next few years. Until we make the trip. You knew the boy, Aizen, there? Maybe he could show us your old stomping grounds.”
\t“Yeah. He'd love to show you. I think him and Bryan would make good friends. Aizen is a gentle soul. A musician. That's why he's planning to live here.” He sits up, exhaling deeply. The potion is having its effect on him and he feels no fear, no anxiety, no worry at all. “What will do after it's done? Today, I mean.”
\tAldan's face darkens. He looks away, struggling with his emotion. “I'll clean your cell. After I have you taken away and prepared for your final rest. . .After that, I'll be free. I don't know what I'll do.” He lowers his forehead to Drew's. “I don't know what I'll do. I can't let myself think of that. Of living without you.”
\t“You could go somewhere to turn that stone I gave you into a necklace.” He puts one hand to Aldan's chest. “Kiss me.”
\tAldan leans down and kisses Drew, passionately. Deeply. “I will. For all three.” He rests his hand on Drew's chest. “I think silver. It represents purity and protection.”
\tDrew leans in and kisses him back. He permeates his taste, his smell, and the feel of his skin, and doesn't break his kiss until he knows that he has it captured well enough to take it with him to the next life. “I love you...” He closes his eyes for a moment, then opens them again. “There's probably not much time left. Should we get going now? I don't want them marching to us out here. Seems strange.”
\tAldan holds Drew close. “We have another couple of minutes.” He holds Drew. “I wish you'd bitten me more. Left me with more scars. I wish we'd had more time. I wish we could escape. I wish, I wish, I wish.” For the next several minutes, he is silent. Stroking Drew's hair, gently caressing his chest, his stomach. Finally, he looks at the sky. “It's about time. We should head back and get ready.”
\tDrew nods and pulls Aldan up with him. They wind their way through the halls and corridors. Reaching their guard room, Aldan tucks the basket away. The other guards avoid the demon boys eyes. The commander gives his final instructions. “This one goes by the book. Anyone messes up, anyone screws up, I'll let Aldan have them for an hour. If there's anything left, you'll be on latrine and cesspit duty until your sons retire. Follow his instructions, do it right. This is no dirty, damned rapist. This is an honorable killer here. Almost same as us, 'cept no uniform. Right. Get it done.” He looks at Aldan. “Are you sure you can handle this? You haven't been yourself.”
\tAldan nods and shackles Drew's hands loosely in front of him. Drew whispers. “It's fine. They're not too tight.”
\tThe pain in Aldan's eyes is obvious to Drew. “The important thing to remember for you, is to concentrate on me. No matter what the crowd yells, or what you see, ignore all of that and concentrate on me. I'll make sure this goes smoothly.” He swallows hard. “Don't forget to breathe. I've had inmates so worried that they stop breathing and end up fainting. I'll be talking to you the entire way. Just listen to me.”
\tDrew silently nods in response.
\tThe other guards move in front of Drew, hands on the hilt of their swords. Aldan walks beside him. He holds his arm in his. The group travels through more corridors, arriving at a black door all too quickly. The other guards open and move through, into a cobblestone courtyard. Aldan faces his love, wiping his eyes. Drew makes a smile, trying to comfort him, and then his expression returns to as it was before, calm and composed.
\tAldan glances around. He quickly kisses Drew on the lips. “Final stretch. The crowd will cheer when they see you. They'll call for your blood and curse you. Ignore them. Concentrate on me, focus on me. We'll go straight to the steps, then up. Do you have your coin? Give the executioner one coin when he kneels. He'll ask for your pardon. Give it. He's doing a job, takes no pleasure in it.” He takes Drew's face into his hands and locks eyes with him. “I'll lead you to the front of the platform. A scribe will read the indictment against you and the sentence. The crowd sometimes throws things, but I've given instructions. None of that shit with you. Once the reading is done, I'll guide you and put you into position. I'll talk to you. The executioner will swing any time after my signal. No warning. Understand?”
\t“Yes. Well, there's one part I'm missing. This.” He kisses Aldan on the lips, unable to move his shackled hands as he does so. They part and he relaxes again, focusing on his breath. “I love you. Please... Follow through with my wishes. I'll always be here. I promise.”
\tAldan holds Drew's hands. “I'll find you when time comes, love. Until then, I'll look for you in the stars, in the wind. When Bryan laughs, I'll think of you. When I see him on Whirlwind, I will think of the two of you riding together. Two boys. My two boys.” He takes a deep breath. “Right. It's time.”
\tAldan leads Drew into the courtyard. The other guards march alongside. He leads him to a wooden platform, weathered but still stout. There is a small crowd, no more than forty people. The families of the dead men, the morbidly curious. He only looks towards the crowd for a few seconds before turning away, focusing on his breath, still calm like before. A teenage boy rushes to him, placing something into the palm of his left hand. The boy speaks quietly. “This is for you. Hold onto it for as long as you can.” He says something in a different language before walking back into the crowd and taking his place near a woman. He smiles for a short moment, squeezing the item tightly and thinking to himself, 'thank you', wishing he could have said it before he walked away.
\tAldan leads Drew up a short flight of steps. Atop the platform, a large shirtless man waits, his face covered by a black mask. He kneels in front of Drew, holding out his hand. Drew reaches into his left pocket, which is an awkward function with his hands shackled, and places the one coin into it and nods. The man nods his head in response and stands. Aldan leads Drew to a block at the center front of the platform and stands beside him as an older man, a different one from yesterday, walks in front of him, standing a few feet back.
\tThe scribe raises a hand and the crowd quiets down. He unfurls a scroll and begins reading the Bill of Indictment against Drew. The charges of robbery, murder in furtherance of robbery, murder. The crowd boos and hisses at each charge, one or more voices calling out for blood. The verdict of guilty, which the crowd cheers. The sentence of death by axe; the crowd cheers wildly. Someone yells 'Behead the hellspawn' and hurls a tomato towards the platform. Two of the guards move into the crowd, none to gently. The thrower is jostled and pushed further away from the platform. The clerk finishes his reading, rolls up the scroll, and moves to one side.
\tAldan moves in front of Drew, his back to the crowd. Only Drew and the executioner can see his face. He takes Drew's hands in his own and guides him to the block. “So, when we visit your mountains, what's the best time of year to go?” As Drew answers, he encourages him to kneels, still holding his hands. Once they're kneeling, the crowd cheers wildly. Drums begin to roll. Aldan places Drew's hands on the sides of the block. “Hold that tightly, Drew. So, is there sufficient hunting in the mountains or will we have to bring our own supplies?” He leans Drew forward, his neck over the block. Aldan reaches over and pulls Drew's hair up, pushing his collar down. “I love you, Drew. I will always love you just as I always have.”
\tDrew barely hears the sound of metal against wood. Before he can register the sound as the axe being picked up from beneath the straw, the blow falls. The last words before the axe severs his head are Aldan's I love you. As Drew's head falls, Aldan continues. “I love you, I love you, I love you.” The last sight before his vision fades is Aldan's face, tears on his cheeks, saying I love you over and over.
\tAldan steps forward, grabbing Drew's head by the hair. He is careful not to touch the horns, stifling a sob as he remembers. Their very sensitive. He holds the head to the crowd which cheers. He turns from the crowd. The executioner is using an oiled rag to clean the blood from his axe as he descends the stairs. Two undertakers ascend with a coffin. They roughly grab Drew's body, stopping as Aldan grabs one by the arm and squeezes, “Treat him with respect He hisses at them.” They bob the heads and carefully lay Drew in the coffin. \tAldan kneels beside the box and rests Drew's head atop his shoulders. He brushes he hair from the eyes, closing their lids. He fiddles with the head, trying to arrange it so it resembles an intact body. Aldan looks to the crowd. Most of them are gone, but two catch his attention. An elegant woman in silks, and a teen boy who cries into her arms. Allahna and Edric. One of the undertakers points to the ground beside the block. “Don't miss that, m'lord. Might want to bury it with the lad.”
\tAldan picks up a silver charm, shaped as a woman's profile. Drew dropped it when he. . . Aldan can't finish the thought. That's what the teen pressed into Drew's hand. A holy symbol for the goddess Selune. Goddess of Love, Mistress of TIme, Lady of Eternity. He lays it at the center of Drew's chest, giving a nod, and the coffin is nailed shut and carefully taken from the platform. Aldan drops to his knees and cries, eventually walking off of the platform to be comforted by Allahna and the younger boy.
\tBryan did as he was told before he left, asking one of the guards if he could into Drew's cell and take a book with him. It was the one at the very top, religious scripture on meditation and love. He leaves the prison afterwards, going to a café nearby and stays there as he sits alone, drinking a tea as he looks at Whirlwind outside. He reads the first few pages before he breaks out into a cry again. Eventually, he leaves, riding Whirlwind back over to the prison, waiting far enough from the execution courtyard so that he wouldn't hear any cheers. His face droops and depresses as he see's people leave. The last two that he see's are Allahna and Edric, whom are just two other figures to him. He waits patiently for his father on top of his horse. While he waits, he thinks back of how scared and paranoid he was when he first met Drew all of the way til them riding the horse just an hour ago. His heart feels as if it's been torn apart.
\t Aldan gathers himself. A pair of older teen-aged boys are spreading sand over the blood, soaking it up and shoveling the resulting mess into a wheelbarrow. They are careful to avoid Aldan. He stands, wiping his face. He moves through the prison, relying on habit more than conscious thought, he returns to Drew's cell. His fellow guards give him a wide berth. He stands at the cell door. Moving in he begins cleaning the room. There's not much to do. Drew was thoughtful enough to have most of the cleaning already done. In less than an hour, the job is done. The bed where they slept and fucked is bare, the mattress rolled up, the linens on the way to be laundered. Aldan has a stack of books, the remains of a few bottles of wine, and the pillow that he and Drew had used. He holds one to his face and inhales, comforted by the scent. Gathering everything, he heads out of the block.
\tHe passes through the guard room, dimly aware that someone speaks to him. Take the day and as long as you need. He nods and moves on, leaving the prison. Stepping through the gates, he looks around for Bryan and Whirlwind. Not seeing them, he turns towards home. he walks slowly, wondering if he'd done enough for Drew at the end.
\tAt some point Bryan leaves, wondering if his father has decided to head home. He notices him walking by in the distance and Whirlwind races up to him. Once they're beside each other the horse moves slowly. “Dad...”
\tAldan stops and turns. He looks up at Bryan, the pain in his face obvious. Bryan hops down and awkwardly embraces his father, trying to avoid knocking books and bottles from his arms. After a moment, he starts taking things and putting them in the saddle bags. Aldan stands quietly as Bryan empties his arms. When the last pillow is stuffed into a saddle bag, Aldan kneels and embraces his son, who holds him tightly. “Did it. . . Did he. . .Daddy?” Bryan begins to cry. Whirlwind nuzzles the two of them, there in the street crying over their broken hearts.
\tBryan hugs his father for what seems like forever. The streets are getting busier, but they live as if they're the ones there. “Are we going home?”
\t“Where else can we go?” He looks at Bryan. “Thank you, son. Drew had fun with you. It helped more than you know. Both of us.” He takes Bryan's hand and they begin to walk slowly towards their home. They walk is silence for most of the trip. As their house comes into view, Aldan sighs. Life goes on. Less of a life. But it goes on and his family will need him. “Let's get Drew's things put away. Then I think we should do something together. Something quiet and thoughtful, but not sad. What do you think, Bry?”
\t“Shouldn't we visit Drew's grave?” He looks to his Dad as Whirlwind guides them in the direction to home. “We could... Have the necklaces made.”
\t“It's too soon to visit his grave. He's still being interred. We'll get the necklaces made, Bryan. But I don't want to deal with that right now. I don't want to be sad anymore today. I want to do something with you, something that makes us smile.”
\t“I don't know if I will ever smile again.” He leans his chest down on whirlwind, depressing his head in sadness.
\tAldan walks with his hand around Bryan's shoulders. “You will. Next time you're trying to see how fast Whirlwind can run. Or the next time you tickle Mikey into peeing himself. We both will smile. Someday.”
\tBryan brings his head up, wiping away at his tears. “Can we visit the blacksmith today? See if he's finished with my new sword yet?”
\tAldan nods. “That's actually a good idea. We'll do that. Then maybe we'll go somewhere with a giant box of sweets and gorge ourselves.”
\t“Okay, Daddy. It's a deal.” He forms a smile, which is mournful and still ridden with pain.
\tAldan walks slowly, his hand on Bryan's shoulder. Without thinking, he needs to keep hold of Bryan. To keep him close and safe. They walk to the Street of Steel, where smiths of all types and skill level ply their trade. Finesmiths and blacksmiths. Weaponeers and armourers. The crowd here bustles and the air is thick with the twin smells of coal ash and sweat.
\tBryan holds his breath through some of the rougher parts of the area until they come to one of the houses they've visited countless times before. He steps off of Whirlwind, hugging him in the front lawn before he walks towards his father. I think Whirlwind knows somehow. There's something with his eyes... He holds his Dad's hand as they walk through the gated part of the front yard and to the working area that the blacksmith is at. He's sitting in a chair smoking from his pipe when he notices the two.
\tThe smith is large, powerfully built. His eyes are set deep giving him a menacing stare. He smiles as he sees Aldan and Bryan, waving one huge paw of a hand. “Aldan! Little Aldan! Come to check the little blade?” He calls to them as he approaches. Standing, he pounds three times on the side of the house next to the workshop. “Wife! Aldan and his little are here.” He smiles at them. “She'll be along. Now let’s see if little blade matches Little Aldan.”
\tAldan can't help but chuckle. He knows Bryan hates being called Little Aldan. “Thanks, Oswald. Let's see if sword matches boy. Right, Little Aldan?”
\t“Yeah... Why not.” He rolls his eyes, hisses, and cross his arms as he pouts and walks. When they reach the workshop his eyes transform into a wave of inspiration and curiosity. He's seen the smith do his work several times and even tried his hand at it, but still can't comprehend the talent behind his work.
\tThe smith, Oswald, rummages among a barrel, open at the top and filled with a variety of blades. He mutters to himself as he looks. “Nope, that's the elf-lad's blade. Nope, that for Little Lord Snot-Face. Oh! What's this? I thought I'd sold this. Well, well.” Aldan waits patiently until a loud 'Aha!' fills the workshop.
\t“Here we are, little Aldan.” He turns and presents a sword, sized appropriately for Bryan, if perhaps slightly to large. He hands it to Bryan hilt first. “I made it so you'd have room to grow.”
\tBryan sings a long 'Wooohhhhh' as he first see's the sword. He takes it carefully, inspecting it with both hands before he takes it by the handle and practices swinging it. Once he feels pleased enough, he sticks it behind his belt, and bows. “Thank you, Mr. Oswald. I promise that I'll come back next summer for lessons. Dad says school always comes first.”
\tThe smith smiles broadly, showing a mouth full of huge teeth. He pats Bryan on the head, a little roughly, but with affection. “That's not all, Little Aldan.” He rummages through his cluttered work bench, letting loose with another 'Aha!' and turning triumphantly to face father and son. He holds forth a scabbard, chased and embellished with silver decorations. “No sword is complete without a sheathe.” Lowering his voice he continues, “Besides, your mother would never forgive me when you sliced your belt and pants for the fourth time, eh Aldan.” He elbows Aldan as he laughs, almost sending Aldan into a pile of coal.
\tA large woman appears from the house with a tray and pitcher. She smiles happily upon seeing the visitors. “Aldan! Bryan, oh Bryan you are the cutest little boy in the whole city, I swear. Lemonade for you.” She pours a glass for Bryan. “Honey mead for you two, and you can pour yourselves. Honey cookies, too. Mind you that Bryan gets his fair share, Papa!” She tousles Bryan's hair and returns to the house.
\tBryan spends just as much time observing the scabbard than the sword. “Thank you, ma'am.” He sheaths the blade, taking it with home outside, and lays with it in the grass as he sips from his lemonade. It's warm outside, the beginning of a true summer. He sighs, looking up to the sky, unable to get his mind off of Drew. He thinks to himself, 'Where is he right now? With me in my pocket? He said he'd always watch over me. Is he here right now then?' His mind travels off until his thoughts are silent and he's completely absorbed by the slight blows of wind.
\tAldan and Oswald talk for a few minutes, long enough to quickly, but not rudely down a flagon of mead. Aldan looks out at Bryan laying on the grass. He knows what he's thinking about. With a sigh, he makes his thanks and goodbyes to the smith and his wife, promising to return of fault is found with the blade or when Milliken comes of age for his weapon. As they leave the shop, father looks to son. “Well, are you happy with them? Shall we spar somewhere?”
\tBryan looks up, nodding. “I guess... Maybe we should just go home. I just want to lay in bed and never get out.”
\t“I know, son. I know.” He reaches up to pat Whirlwind's neck. “But we can't do that. What did Drew tell you at the end? To give in to despair and sadness? Besides, Bryan, if I did that, I well might lay in bed until I withered away and died. And Drew would never forgive that, would he?”
\t“No... You're right.” He exhales deeply before he stands up, jumping back on whirlwind. “Where do we go, then?”
\t“I'm not sure.” He walks alongside boy and horse, resting his hand on Bryan's leg. “I can't stand the thought of watching them lower him into the ground. I think I'd like to walk along the river. Listen to the water. What do you think? Any ideas?”
\t“The river that we went to yesterday?”
\t“Yes. Why not?”
\t“I think that would be fine.” His voice is still quiet and sad, which is rare to hear from Bryan. All he has to do is whisper into the horses ear and it instinctively knows where to take him. They leave the polluted square of shops, through some that are more decadent and consumed with a mass of people purchasing fresh food. Eventually, they find their way back to the river that they were at yesterday. “Do you really believe what he said about the stones, Dad?” He steps off of Whirlwind and leaves him by a tree, going through one of the sacks and feeding him before he walks further along the hill.
\t“That they'll protect us and let him watch over us?” Aldan nods. “Yes, I do. Drew was very special. He could do things that no other of his people could do. Even if he hadn't killed those men, he would have been feared and shunned.” Aldan shrugs, grabbing a long strand of summer grass and chewing on it as they talk. “Maybe that's how he was able to be so brave through it all. No matter what, they would have turned on him.” Aldan's voice drops He showed more dignity than his father, that's for certain. And more courage. He looks at Bryan. “Yeah, he's watching over us right now. I know he is.”
\tBryan unsheathes his blade, swinging it from side to side as he takes a few steps, then situating it in an arc towards his father. “Is my stance alright?”
\t“Hmmm.” Aldan stands back, folding his arms across his chest. He begins chewing furiously on his grass stem, rolling from one corner of mouth to the other and back again as he examines Bryan's stance. “That's not bad. But...” He moves behind Bryan, dropping to one knee. He grabs the boy's left foot and adjusts it, along with his left leg. “That's better. You were a little out of place, and a smart foe would have been able to get you to unbalance yourself. But that's very good, Bryan. Very good, indeed. Let's see a couple of combination attacks. Show me what you can do!”
\tBryan starts on guard, then swings upwards, back down as if to guard, himself, and practices dodging while swinging his sword upwards. Aldan can tell that he's going to be a fast one, but he's a little too sporadic for now. He repeats his simple moves in different combinations, throwing in some extra attacks from time to time, until he's worn out and working a sweat. “Thirsty. One moment.” He walks back over to Whirlwind to hydrate himself, then returns back, a smile slowly easing over him. The exercising has gotten him out of his depressed mood finally.
\t“You're showing a lot of promise, son. I think if you stay with it and practice, you'll be far better than I've ever been.” Aldan is every bit the proud father. Proud that his son has an aptitude and love for the work that makes a good swordsman into a great swordsman. He's seen hundreds of grown men take the first chance every time at ending their practice to rest or talk or gamble. His son, his Bryan comes back for more. “Watch and see if you can follow.” Aldan draws his sword. He goes through a series of maneuvers, attacks, parries, ripostes. Almost faster than Bryan can keep track of. When he finishes, Aldan is on one knee, his sword in a high block. His offhand holds a dagger at the gut of some imagined attacker. “Now, Bryan, when did I draw the dagger?”
\t“You drew it right before you came down on your knee.” Bryan copies this motion, pretending as he is pulling a dagger out from the same spot at the same time. He stands still in his high block stance with his tongue sticking out, then stands back up to wipe sweat off of his forehead.
\tAldan laughs. “Excellent! I can't tell you how many times that's saved my life, my opponent fixating on my sword and not noticing the dagger until it was in them.” He sighs and sits, patting the grass next to him. “You look about beat enough for today. What say you, Little Aldan? More practice or supper?”
\t“Just a bit more, Dad.” He practices his blocks and quick attacks with fast runs, then moves onto more difficult moves that he's still learning before he finishes up. The boy wipes his sword clean with his shirt, sheathes it, and runs back over to his Dad. “Where are we going to eat?”
\t“Up to you, Little Aldan.” He's got a glint in his and smirks. “What do you feel like, Little Aldan?”
\tHe thinks back on Drew, remembering how much he loved his raw fish. “I think I have a weird craving for seafood today.”
\t“Right then”. Aldan stands, brushing grass from his trousers. “I think I know a shack that has fish & chips and chowder. Good enough?”
\t“Yeah. That sounds delicious.” He runs back up to Whirlwind, jumping on in a hurry. “You lead the way, Dad!”
\tFor the moment, the sorrow of the day is forgotten. Father and son make their way through the crowds to a small, riverside shack. The smell of cooking fish and chowder fills the air. Aldan's stomach grumbles loudly.
\tAs Bryan ties off Whirlwind, Aldan orders for them. four planks, chips, and two bowls of white chowder. He sits at a small well worn table, barely big enough for the two of them. Figures and names have been carved into the top over the span of years. Aldan thinks back. He can't remember a time when this place wasn't selling food.
\t“Why don't we ever come here?” He munches down his chips, taking a spoonful of soup every now and then. “It's delicious. Better than mom, huh? He nudges a laugh and wink. I wonder if they serve eel here. Is there where you went for Drew?”
\tAldan nods as he chews and swallows. “Aye. Had to pay a little extra for fat and fresh ones, but Drew loved them.”
\t“Maybe I should try one just to see what it's all about.” He finishes his plank of chips, pushing it to the side, and moves the chowder closer to him.
\tAldan makes a face. He digs into his pouch and hands Bryan some copper coins. “You're welcome to try it son. Ask Margery and she'll boil one fresh for you while you watch.”
\t“Boil? But shouldn't I have it raw like he liked it?” He's serious, waiting eagerly for you to answer.
\tAldan inhales sharply. “I’ve never cared for eel at all. But if you're brave enough to try it raw, more's the credit to you. He also liked them alive. Do you think you can do that?”
\tHe squints his eyes, trying fight about the idea of chewing on something alive and slimy. “Nah... I think I'll just have one boiled after all.”
\tAldan chuckles, “Can't say as I blame you.”
\tOnce Bryan his finishes his chowder he runs out of his seat to Margery, asking if she can prepare him a boiled eel. She challenges and tries to explain to him that they have many bones and that it would probably be impossible for him to digest the entire thing, but the money convinces her otherwise. He watches as she boils one of them in a pot of water, drains it after the creature is dead, and then lightly seasons it on a plate. Bryan stands over by the cooking counter while she watches him attempt to eat it. Aldan is still sitting at the table, looking from a distance. The courageous boy bites deeply into it, crunching his teeth down on its guts and bones, which slime down his chin. As expected, he spits out the first bite out on the plate and Margery laughs at him. “Sorry, Margery. I guess I don't have the taste for it after all.”
\tHe wipes his face clean with a napkin, putting it over the eel and hands it back over to her. After gargling the taste out of his mouth with water in the bathroom he rushes back to Aldan, sitting down in frustration. “I couldn't eat it.”
\tAldan pats Bryan on the head. “I'm not surprised, Bry. But you know what?” He slides his hand down to the back of Bryan's neck and duck down until his eyes are even with Bryan's. “Drew's laughing right now, and I bet he's so happy that you tried. It was very brave of you, very sweet of you and I'm very, very glad that you're my son and I'm prouder of you than I can say.” Aldan pulls Bryan close and kisses his forehead. “I love you, son.”
\t“I love you too, Dad.” Bryan's eyes twinkle and shine as he smiles up to his father.
\tLooking at the sky, Aldan cracks his neck. “It's getting time, I think. To see his final resting place. If we take the side streets, I know where we can get some cinnamon cookies for us and some flowers for him.” He stands and drops some silver coins on the table. “Ready to head out, soldier?”
\t“Yes, father.” Bryan checks to make sure he hasn't left his sword behind and then follow Aldan out of the door. He stays close to his Dad and holds his hand as they walk to Whirlwind.
\tAldan lifts Bryan onto Whirlwind and they head out. Before long, the streets are filling with people. Laborers heading home from their work, tradesmen making last minutes deliveries, merchants haggling over last minute deals before shuttering for the night. Small food carts are busy, with lines of citizens, buying hot soup or cooked meats and pies. Restaurants and pubs begin to fill with hungry and thirsty patrons.
\tWalking close beside Bryan and Whirlwind, Aldan marvels at the city as it comes to life. Fitful life before settling down for the night. Men, women and children going to and fro, alone or in groups. Anthros, humans, an elf or two. Different races and creeds from a dozen different realms, here in the city. Aldan's city. He sees the worst every day. Rapers and killers, mostly. It's hard to remember that not everyone follows paths of violence. Drew was so gentle. If only they'd met sooner.
\tBryan spends most of his time people-watching as they head through the crowds. He tries to keep his eyes open for the wolf-demon boy that Drew told him about, but has no luck finding him. In fact, he see's no demon whatsoever among the entirety of the walk. Eventually, they stop to get some food, feed Whirlwind, and spend around an hour trying to pick out an assortment of flowers. The day has flown by so quickly for the two of them. “Are you as exhausted as I am, Dad? Are we almost there?”
\tAldan looks up at his son. Bryan looks so young, so tired. “We're almost there, kid-o.” He walks with his hand on Bryan's back, rubbing his back and shoulders. “It's been a long, long day.”
\tIndeed, the hilltop cemetery rises in the distance. Spread over three low, sloping hills form the majority of the cemetery. It's well tended, with a few above ground mausoleums for wealthy and powerful families or organizations. The Knights of the Bloody Rose have a large mausoleum, recognizable even from this distance for the bronze statue of a knight atop it's peaked roof. As they approach the iron fence that surrounds the entirety of the cemetery, sorrow grows in Aldan's chest.
\tThey approach the gates and Aldan slows. “Time to hop off, son It's rude to ride a horse in a cemetery. It upsets the dead.”
\t“Yes, father.” Bryan hops off of his horse, tying his tack to a tree and hugging around his neck before he walks away. He stays close to his father. It doesn't even seem real that he could be gone so quickly. “We just rode Whirlwind this morning and now we're...” His throat goes dry as he mutters, “Going to visit his grave.”
\t“I know.” Aldan walks with his hand on Bryan's shoulder. He's comforting his boy, but also gaining strength from him. He looks around, finally spying a fresh grave on a hillside, overlooking the river. A simple arrangement of summer flowers rests in a clay vase atop the mounded dirt. He steers Bryan towards the grave. A wooden marker rests at the head. As they get closer, Aldan can read the freshly painted and carved writing - "Drew. Beloved Husband."
\tHis steps are heavy now and he feels his heart collapsing in his sorrow. He holds on to Bryan's shoulder. They stop at the foot of the grave.
\tBryan puts his assortment of flowers into the vase with the others, laying on his knees as he looks down at the fresh dirt and the marker. “Will he get a new marker at some point? Isn't his last name and birth date missing?”
\tAldan kneels next to Bryan. He wipes his eyes with his sleeve. It takes him a moment to be able to speak. “Yes. I'll have a stone marker made with his name and birthdate. I should have asked him what he wanted. I don't know if he'd rather use our name or his father's. I think we should add "Beloved Father", too.”
\tHe hugs his father as he speaks, “I read that when demons marry, they take on the females last name, but if it's a marriage between two guys or girls, they choose. Something tells me that he'd prefer to have our last name.”
\t“I think you're right. I don't think his father would want Drew to use his name, either.” He looks at Bryan. His eyes are wet, but he's not embarrassed to let Bryan see his pain. “We loved him, he loved us. We'll give him our name, won't we?”
\tBryan nods, a stream of tears coming down both of his eyes. He smiles though, despite the situation, and holds onto his father tightly. “I'm going to miss you, Drew.”
\tThe two of them kneel in silence. Their thoughts run to their own memories of Drew. So alive this morning. Laughing with Bryan on Whirlwind. Holding hands with Aldan. Bryan cries openly, Aldan only slightly less so. The summer sun sinks to the horizon.
\t“Bryan, would you mind waiting down with Whirlwind?” Aldan swallows hard. “I'd like to have a few minutes alone.”
\tBryan wipes away his tears, putting one hand to the dirt and kissing at it before he stands up and responds. “Yes, Dad. I love you. Take as long as you need.” The boy slowly walks away, making sure not to step on any of the graves as he walks back to Whirlwind.
\tAldan moves so that he's close to the marker, and to the head of the grave. He rests one hand on the marker. His shoulder rise and fall as he cries, openly for first time since it happened. His tears roll down his face, dripping on the freshly turned earth. “I wish we had had more time, Drew. I wish I had kissed you more, or held you more. If you don't want my name, you'll have to give me a sign. We should have talked about that, I guess. All these scars, and I've never hurt like I hurt without you. Every wound, all at once, are a pinprick compared to how much I miss you, Drew. I love you.” He sobs. “I'll find your friend, and we'll save the wolf-boy. I promise.” Taking a few deep breaths, Aldan looks up to the sky. “If you can see me, Drew, or hear me, I love you. I love you and always will. I'll visit as often as I can, babe. Gotta get Bryan home. He's been a trooper today. You're proud of him, I know.” Aldan stands, brushing dirt from his pants. He bows his head and takes a daffodil from the vase. He kisses it and balances it on top of the marker. “I'll see you later, Drew. Love you.”
\tAldan descends slowly, trying to compose himself. When he reaches Bryan, he takes him into a huge, great bear-hug, before helping him onto the horse. He hugs Whirlwind around the neck. “You're a good ol' horse. You always take care of my boy.” Sighing, he pats Bryan's leg. “Let's go home.”
\tDeep in their pockets, the purple stones that Drew had given them glow without them noticing for the entirety of their walk home. Somewhere among the kingdom, a young boy with long black hair, black wolf ears, and a glossy black tail lays on his mattress in fear as a strange shadow figure stands above him. Five hundred miles away from the kingdom, a half-elf and a blonde demon rest together by a river stream after defeating a group of vicious Cruiberg warriors. In the morning, the elf agrees to the demons plan to move to the 'peaceful' kingdom. Little does anyone realize the danger and destruction that lingers over it and is to come.
THE END.
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