From Sol'Valen with Love (Part II)

[Rhydian ValKor]

...continued from hither

"Ah." Rhydian's shoulders relaxed slightly, relieved as he was with the subject broached. He hadn't expected anything in particular, but he had thought the hesitation might have been relating to unsolicited advice Karrhei might have wished to confer. That the matter was more about him than Rhydian rather reversed their typical roles. That, he surmised, was likely the source of the hesitation.

"'Tis no trouble. I remember much of that trip... You do not?" Rhydian replied with the faintest of smiles that turned down toward the steamy water as he seemed to draw the memories close and bask in them even as he basked in the perfumed water. Both smelled of vanilla.

"But aye, this is altogether different..." He let that statement sit, but as it did, it bubbled in his mind. Then simmered, then boiled, until his back straightened and his arms descended to join his torso beneath the water, hands sliding up and down his thighs.

"You don't think..." His neck tensed, the veins visibly twitching. "You don't think He intends to exile me to some embassy, do you? Is that the source of your concern?" It was possible that new diplomatic relationships might be fostered on this trip. In stood to reason, then, that Rhydian might be being groomed for a position abroad. Was this some sort of test, or audition? That much was almost certain, but that he was being tested for a permanent position abroad hadn't occurred to him.

The water splashed his own face, causing a wince as droplets got into his eyes, when one hand shot out of the water to worry the ruby earring he'd been wearing non-stop during this trip.

[Karrhei ValMeraomel]

"No." There was no hesitation in the answer. "That hadn't occured to me. I don't see that happening. If anything I'm more afraid of..." Being left behind. It didn't make sense. He didn't think he would be physically left behind on the trip, even if he was he could return to Silfanore of his own accord. It was more a feeling that they would somehow move in different directions again after this. Though he couldn't place what it meant. He had spent so long trying to reach Rhydian again, the thought of being left behind; not being able to be at his side, it made his heart ache. "I just want to be able to stay by your side, if you'll let me of course."

His eyes drifted up from the bubbles and the water to watch as Rhydian fiddled with the earing. No doubt a gift from the king with the way Rhydian had been playing with it on the trip thus far. He couldn't help but wonder if it was similar to the gift he had received before the trip. Karrhei was suddenly very aware of his decision to leave his own earring in his quarters. "You are far too precious to be left in an embassy, there is no way such a thing would ever occur. That is not even a remote possibility. It's just my own anxiety. Forgive me for even bringing it up." Karrhei's smile was honest and reassuring as he looked at his best friend's worried expression, even though his own eyes still held a shadow of fear and sadness from when they were children.

Retrieving a wash cloth he moved closer to the prince, and reached out to wipe the water from Rhydian's face if the prince allowed him to. "That earring suits you."

[Rhydian ValKor]

Rhydian knitted his brow. His expression might have implied concern or perhaps confusion. In reality it was a bit of both. Lacking the crystal clarity he might have preferred from Karrhei's words, he sought answers in his Aura and his brow relaxed.

"Ah." He purse his lips, thinking to paddle across and put an arm around his oldest, dearest friend for comfort's sake. He often thought to do such things, but his body didn't want to respond. Some part of him protested it. Not Karrhei in particular, even with Ailuin he hesitated. Perhaps more so, since his rejection struck harder and materialised in Rhydian's mind even when it hadn't happened in sooth.

"We are not children anymore. We have agency insofar as His Majesty permits, and he accords us a long leash. Are you not at my side, now?" His complementary hand gesture splashed the water a bit as if to remind Karrhei that they were together in the most intimate of settings, which spoke to a level of trust that Rhydian had for few, if any, others.

When the tension tightened his shoulders, he did not withdraw from Karrhei's approach, nor wince at the fine cloth he lifted to dab at Rhydian's smooth face. At the mention of the earring, the fidgeting hand froze and slowly descended back beneath the water.

"A bequeathment from the Phoenix King." The prince confirmed, the reminder of which seeming to soften his concern. "Treated with Traversion magic, that I may go to His Majesty's royal presence if ever I should need." He was a bit embarrassed to explain this, knowing that it made his anxieties seem less rational. It seemed to suggest Ailuin was aware of them himself and actively working to alley them. Like many busy, powerful people, perhaps he attempted to make up for his frequent absence with gifts. If Rhydian used this one as much as he thought to, surely that would frighten the king. And so he never used it at all, except as a reminder that he was cared for.

[Karrhei ValMeraomel]

Perhaps it was Rhydian's needs that allowed Karrhei to push away his own. In his mind he would have imagined speaking about his anxiety and their past as opening the flood gates, but he was somehow able to quiet them again as soon as Rhydian's own anxieties had been voiced. It was easy to focus on Rhydian, instead of himself, but now the prince was trying to reassure him in return.

He moved back after wiping the water off his prince's face, moving back to sit on the bench against the wall. "You're right, we are not children, and you are still my friend. I am incredibly blessed and happy to be spending this time with you."

It was a sincere sentiment. His love for Rhydian was warm and adoring, over the years it had tempered into a friendship that was the most precious mortal bond he could ever imagine knowing. Karrhei didn't need it to be more, he just needed to see Rhydian happy. His hand moved to where his pendant normally rested as his smile returned to its natural state. The anxious Rhythm hadn't stopped completely but it softened enough that it was not having immediate effects on his aura.

Karrhei had placed the washcloth to the side and picked up the tea cup that had been poured for him, relaxing and enjoying the sent of both the vanilla and the sweet floral notes in the tea. His smile grew a bit hearing that the earring was from the Phoenix King. There was no need to comment on what that meant. It was information he would retain for a time when Rhydian needed the reminders that Ailuin did care deeply for him. Though Karrhei hoped Rhydian would reflect on these shows of affection and find comfort in them. Traversion magic. So it was similar to his own, though the sentiment behind the two varied greatly so there was no point in mentioning his own now.

"I am very happy you have that. I still think you should write to him, love stories should be documented after all."

[Rhydian ValKor]

Rhydian looked askance of Karrhei's face as he said,

"I cannot imagine making this trip without you." It was a softly delivered, but ponderous statement that hung in the steamy air for a long moment. The sounds of the water lapping in the wake of Karrhei's motion filled what would have otherwise been silence. Slowly, gracefully he turned to take the cup that had been delivered to him from off its saucer, drawing it to his lips for a silent sip, before it was placed back down with a slight clink.

Karrhei's were the next words to be uttered between them and Rhydian's eyes darted back to his friend, looking at him thoughtfully.

"This doesn't feel like a love story to me... This excursion. It feels like a break from the story more than a part of it. Something to be endured more than enjoyed. I suppose it is diverting enough, but I would fill every waking moment with something to occupy me. It is in the gaps between whither demons lurk." He sighed and his gaze fell to the lapping water.

"I shall write him all the same. It is not something I often have need to do given our usual proximity." Although he might have been better served if he did. He might have had more answers if he communicated in a manner that gave Ailuin the opportunity to decide when to engage. Instead, he suffered in silence not wishing to be a burden by taking too much time away from the realm that needed Him more.

"What do you think it says about our world, knowing that Love is the province of a Dragon Goddess and Lust that of a Lady Mistlord?"

[Karrhei ValMeraomel]

"Its still a love story because you still love each other, even when you are apart. What you should fill the inbetween with is the second part of your love story. You need to love shower yourself with your love as well. The first person we should share Her gifts with is ourself. That isn't just a euphemism either." Karrhei's smile was upturned in the corner, a bit of humor in the last few words despite the sincerity of his faith. "You are Prince Rhydian Val'Kor, you are worthy of your own affection and kindness." He silently sipped his tea, beaming from behind his cup.

Rhydian truly was a vision of perfection, even in the moments most never saw; moments of vulnerability and intimacy. Still, he shined as if he were the moon, gracefully dancing across the night's sky and illuminating the world with it's beauty. Karrhei found himself pulled in by him as always. Just being appreciated by his prince was enough to fill his heart.

The philosophical question gave him pause, if only because he took the pivot to be a sign to ease up on the advice again. Sometimes the need to see Rhydian happy had him pushing points a bit more heavily. It was at times hard to accept that he could only guide Rhydian through his feelings and not fix things quickly. Well... he shouldn't at least.

"I think it merely says that the Mistlords grasp onto the edges of the domains of our divine creators. Lust is not outside of Suion's domains, and it is not a negative thing when expressed between consenting parties... the Mistlords have their place with younger races. Honestly, I just feel fortunate to know we have the blessings of the Dragon Gods. Don't you?" Settling for a Mistlord over a Dragon God seemed so strange a concept to Karrhei. Though he knew they held importance to other races, he could not imagine turning to a Mistlord over a Dragon God, and certainly not Syren over Suion. There was a sense of pity in his tone for those that did.

"I wonder what it means for our world that Arcas has returned, and as a Synnekar Avialae. It feels like historical plays are unfolding in real time. Of course I never was as good at history as you, so that is perhaps the grandest understatement of the day." It was not as if the momentousness of recent times were lost on him, but Karrhei directed his attention to the things that required it. His role within the Court of Erotes encouraged him to be educated in a wealth of subjects, but he certainly was not at a level of knowledge on par with Rhydian.

[Rhydian ValKor]

Rhydian listened with an impassive expression painting his fair, smooth complexion. The first part was a lesson the prince seemed to eventually accept from time to time, but it didn't seem to stick. The second part rather baffled him.

"I never know what that means. It seems to me that loving in first-person is very different from loving in second... or, as is so often the case for me, third-person." Though he was physically farther away at the moment, it wasn't unusual for Rhydian to love Ailuin to others more than to the king himself. It was an easier thing to love in third-person. To talk about him with Karrhei, rather than risk the damage of addressing his feelings to the king directly. With all Ailuin dealt with as ruler of the most influential kingdom in Ranseran history, the last thing he needed to deal with were the histrionics of an adoring courtier. Those were better reserved for Karrhei. Just as the king himself had to delegate, so too did Rhydian, lest he damage the relationship he had by seeking to push it where he longed for it to go.

"I suppose it is little wonder the Siltori were drawn to deities that echo their own path... grasping, as you say, at edges." He sipped his tea.

"Demigods." Rhydian wrinkled his nose in slight distaste as the matter of Arcas was broached. "In my reckoning of history, they have been more dangerous than benevolent. Even the most well meaning are still too mortal, at heart... too afflicted with our flaws and biases. A demigod who claims the provinces of Hope, Justice, Light- both figurative and literal... and declares himself 'Prince of Dragons' seemingly apropos of nothing? I fear whatever pernicious sense of righteousness rules the actions of such a one. I am only glad he did not seek to rule here in Kalzasi." The Avialae were so young a race. Something about the deification of one sort of rankled Rhydian, when surely an elf of ancient pedigree would be better built to brook such a burden as Divinity.

[Karrhei ValMeraomel]

"It is important to love from all points of view, that doesn't mean that they all come as naturally. They are varying levels of intimacy and vulnerability. Recognizing your feelings for another, speaking fondly of them, being inspired by them... its a love of another but it requires less intimacy and vulnerability. If you are not sharing your feelings with the one you have them for you are not opening yourself to those feelings either. Unrequited love can be painful, but it will always be that if you don't give it a chance to blossom. When you share your love with another and it is reciprocated it becomes intimate and vulnerable, you are placing your hearts in each others hands; it can be terrifying, but rewarding. The way that you strengthen your heart, to make sure its not so easily bruised and damaged, is to love yourself. The only person we are with every moment of our lives is ourself. It requires effort, just as all loves do, but loving oneself is what teaches us the kinds of love we need from others."

The flush on his cheeks could easily be from consistent heat of the bath, but Rhydian knew well enough that this was how Karrhei looked when he spoke of Her gifts; those honey-gold eyes lit up. Karrhei took a moment to finish the tea in his cup as the topic shifted back to the Mistlords briefly and then Arcas. Gently placing it back on the saucer, the priest looked to the servant, silently asking for more tea. From his knowledge and understanding there was validity in Rhydian's assertion. Arcas' return didn't feel particularly fortuitus. If anything it seemed like conformation that these strange dark days were not over. Even if Winter was finally subsiding.

"Demigods... they don't usually show up alone, do they? If there is an iterance of one of them, there are usually others in the same time period, right?" There was a hesitance to speak on such things, mainly due to his uncertainty of his assumption. He pondered over it as his teacup was refilled, a soft smile and nod offered as thanks. "Have you heard of any others ascending in Kalzasi?"

[Rhydian ValKor]

"You are so..." Rhydian sighed, "...enlightened on these matters. Just centuries beyond me." He tilted his head to one side, eyes idly regarding the lapping water at the edge of the bath.

"I mostly feel like an observer in the world, rarely a participant. In many ways I feel more like a perspective than a person. As such it is easier to love you and they rather than I and me." Where this subject seemed to make him wistful and sullen, he lifted his gaze from the water with stirred fire at the talk of demigods.

"In Kalzasi? There are whispers, but nothing verifiable enough to be worth sharing. Our eyes in Auris broke news of a troubling incident at Mount Kaladon that may betoken the return of the dread twins of the South. There is belief that the catastrophe that struck Zaichaer, too, was the result of a fledgling demigod's apotheosis. These are strange and portentous times in which we live..." He paused, glancing over his bare shoulder.

"Serrhion? Speak to the hotel staff about dinner. An assortment of small plates. Local fare, only. I care not what."

"Will Your Highness be dining in the bath?"

"I will not. When the order is lodged, I will emerge."

"Very good, Highness." Serrhion bowed and took a few backward steps, before pivoting to attend to his first task.

"At any rate, I doubt we can sit by in comfort now that the Eclipse has been handled. It seems every baneful blight proves to be a lesser prelude to the next. It is little wonder His Majesty is often preoccupied with such loft matters ever on his plate."

[Karrhei ValMeraomel]

Karrhei's blush only grew at Rhydian calling him enlightened. While he sat still, there was an energy behind his projected aura akin to a dog wagging its tail. While he wasn't as skilled a Sembler as Rhydian, he had been told that his sunshine demeanor when steadily in place was often hard to see through at a glance and any nuance to the positivity blended into the projected aura.

Seeing Rhydian perk up at this new topic was a relief in a way. It was something Karrhei had wanted to ask Rhydian about since he had spoken with Pater Themis about it, but he wasn't sure how to bring it up before. He knew it would be safe to discuss with his prince, but not necessarily just anywhere. Even after Rhydian sent Serrhion out of the room Kar drew closer again as the tone changed from simply world events to more precise information, his voice softened to a whisper. "Even the temple is in a bit of a stir over these things. Pater Themis asked me to keep an ear out for any talk of such matters while I am here. I'm sure that is something we should both do. There may have been another apotheosis in Kalzasi recently."

He moved back again but stayed more toward the center of the bath. "These sorts of things... are probably part of why you were sent here. I would never ask you for particulars on your instructions from His Majesty, but I cannot keep such things from you. So long as it does not betray my vows anything I know, any use I can be on this trip, I am here for you." The words were an oath he had declared in his heart so many ways before now, and aloud in childhood promises and declarations of unwavering friendship and loyalty over the years.