A collision with Reality

[Korvaelis]

Korvaelis Dahshida

H e didn’t mean to avoid it for so long.

Korvaelis imagined how he’d break the news so many times and a dozen scenarios at a time ran through his head as he imagined the reaction of a certain redhead man. Each time he imagined a new scenario and the outcome, he realized something.

He didn’t know Aurin as well as he believed he did from the very beginning. Maybe he was living in a fantasy where only he and the human man existed and that could be to blame, but Aurin’s life was a mystery to him aside from a few very short details he could record. Korvaelis couldn’t remember too much about his background or what he did whenever the two of them weren’t together. Korvaelis could only remember their encounters and how he felt at that moment. Is that selfish of him? To only remember how he felt and base their entire relationship off of it.

The conclusion of it all was that Korvaelis didn’t know enough about this man to bother him with such news. He didn’t even know if he would believe it. Not to mention, the outcome of it would’ve left them both in a very sticky situation that was already too much for him to handle. So he refused to put anyone else through it. Korvaelis just wasn’t the kind of person to dump something on someone and expect the person to deal with it. He was also very fragile and couldn’t handle the rejection well if Aurin decided to keep his distance.

So he decided to do it first instead. Keep his distance.

The blue man thought he could keep it for an eternity too. However, he realized that he was sinking into a puddle and needed to pull himself out. So he envisioned a new plan and he wouldn’t be able to execute it without a little help. That’s when he sent a message to an old friend:

Hey,

It’s been a while. I’d love to see you soon.

Boating on Lake Udori this afternoon?

-Korvaelis

Usually, he would write better letters. But he thought they were passed formalities and extensive sentences that were completely pointless. It was short but he was sure it would get his point across.

After sending the message, he made sure to arrive at the port. It was chilly, which was expected, so he dressed appropriately in a warm ivory-colored robe and a large hat with fur lining to match it. He tried standing in an obvious spot, an area with the most common ins and outings so that Aurin could spot him as he faced the lake admiring it.

35th of Frost, 123

[Aurin]

Plots and responsibilities had taken him from Kalzasi to Solunarium to Gel'Grandal to Dardouen already within the brief span of Frost. It was likely he would have to return to the Imperium soon to conclude his mission on behalf of a disaffected bureaucrat, but he didn't mind. He liked the game and the winnings would be well worth the trouble. Now that he was a Railrunner and had mapped his routes, it wasn't such an inconvenience to come back to Kalzasi to check on things.

After dealing with personal matters and getting a few hours of sleep, he had checked into his office in the Golden Peacock. They knew he was making contacts at foreign theaters and the budget was basically running itself at this point. He oversaw a few transactions that would ensure bills were paid, and employees too. He had also gotten quite good at delegating, so his secretary was perfectly capable of putting out the odd little unexpected fire. Aurin took his report, then went to his cottage nearby to see what was what.

There was mail there. His apprentice had collected and neatly stacked it for him to find upon his return. Rifling through things, he tossed a couple of things aside either because he recognized the handwriting, something in the aura, or both.

"Korvaelis Dahshida, you blue motherfucker!" he said out loud as if the man were there. Aurin did some quick calculations; it had been nearly three years since he had bought Huntress for Torin and Timon. That was when things had sort of fallen apart between them. It was a shame because he had been a solid connection with a Great House, and he wasn't bad in the sack.

The mutable sea elf had been ill that day, but had tried to rally. Aurin wasn't much of a healer so he didn't dig too deep into the man's aura; perhaps he would this time.

Aurin opened the card, read it, quickly double-checked the date, then grinned. Eshar wasn't the god of luck, but they did seem to send him some when he needed it. He tucked the note into the pocket of his coat, and then vaulted directly to the port on Lake Udori. Between his sharp eyes and his sembling trick, it didn't take him long to find the widow posing for all to see and admire.

With a smirk, he vaulted once more, directly behind Korvaelis, and wrapped his arm tight around his waist.

"Caught a fish without even casting a line," he murmured into his ear. If he wasn't going to bring guards, Aurin was going to have some fun.

[Korvaelis]

Korvaelis Dahshida

The lake was beautiful.

He should visit more often. It seemed to clear his mind. There was a nice breeze and the sound of the water touching the shore could put him to sleep at any moment— it was so soothing. It’s no surprise that he feels at ease with water though. Korvaelis was a sea creature after all. The part sea creature, at least. Yet he’s never taken the time out to take a dive into the water or explore it. As matter a of fact, the young lord couldn’t exactly remember the last time he took a swim. He’s never been this close to it.

Korvaelis took a deep breath and just as he did, he could feel something wrap around his waist. Strong, warm and…comforting. Someone began breathing down his neck and it felt familiar. He missed this feeling and a part of him wants to live in this moment forever. Korvaelis felt so safe.

Please, don’t let go.

“A fish? Are you making fun of me?” He placed his hands over Aurin’s own. Korvaelis hesitated before moving Aurin’s arms and twirling around to look him in the face. The redhead was still as handsome as ever. Placing his hands on the man’s face, Korvaelis pulled him close and softly kissed him.

“You’re the same.” The Dashida member sounds so relieved. “You look the same, you sound the same…you didn’t change.” That’s all he could ask for too. So much time had passed and Korvaelis knew he missed out on a lot. It was good to see something stayed the same. Even if it is a good friend’s face.

“Did it take you long to get here? Did you come from somewhere far?” Korvaelis released his face and then rested his hands on the man’s chest. “I hope I didn’t interrupt your day by too much.”

35th of Frost, 123

[Aurin]

Aurin considered reminding Korvaelis how fish-like he had flopped while riding Aurin's between-me-down-there, but, for once, opted to be a bit more of a gentleman. After all, Korvaelis was a lady. He grinned after being properly greeted with a kiss and such obvious appreciation. If only everyone did; it was, after all, his due. (Aurin's opinion of himself oscillated between irrational self-loathing and unwarranted arrogance.)

"A few more scars, a few more stories," he said, holding Korvaelis close. "Thought you were done with me. Thought your brother dear was angling to marry you off again. Didn't, though."

Even if they hadn't kept in touch, he had kept tabs on the fish-elf. There was always a chance the connection would prove useful to one or the other of them.

"How's Aki?" he asked. "How are the animals?" Of course, he wanted to know how Korvaelis was, but baby steps. "I've been all over the place, but I think you've only been up in your pretty aerie?" The fish had married a bird and, despite moving up out of the water, it was the bird who had died. There was a proverb about such things, but Aurin couldn't be arsed to remember folk wisdom or common sense. He was a fly-by-the-seat-of-his-trousers sort of fellow.

"It's a little cold to go skinny dipping, but if you think this crowd will keep my trews up, you have another thought coming..." He smirked. Same old Aurin: too much bravado with just enough substance to carry it.

[Korvaelis]

Korvaelis Dahshida

Korvaelis slowly shook his head as the warmth he was feeling began slipping away. Looking down, he squinted at the very little space between them. Korvaelis was trying to hide a long face. He was feeling a little guilty for how he left things between them. Where should he start? The moment he left Aurin alone and promised himself to never speak the the redhead again? Or when he swore to keep to himself after a special someone was born? Regardless, he didn’t keep his word, and for good reason too (he’d say so at least). Not only was he keeping his love for the man tucked away deep inside of him and feeling the need to express it, but Aurin deserved to know more about what had been going on since they had last spoken.

“He couldn’t marry me off. I think I’m unwanted anyway.” The halfling tried laughing off the pain and looked back into Aurin’s eyes. “I guess you’re stuck with me, huh? How about you become a powerful noble and marry me? That would solve a lot of problems.”

He was half-joking. Korvaelis had a feeling that maybe this lifestyle wasn’t his friend’s (lover?) cup of tea. He had no clue what Aurin got into sometimes, but he was sure it wasn’t all glamorous. That didn’t stop him from thinking about a beautiful life with him. Something that at least compared to his life back in Zaichaer. A cozy home, a few servants to aid him in simple house tasks, and a love that would last eternity. Such a thought was silly but that didn’t stop him from thinking about it at least.

“He’s practically a man! The boy is just as handsome as his father too. Aki has been taking his role as a Dahshida seriously too.” Korvaelis fingered an OK sign as if that would reassure Aurin that the boy was doing well. But he meant it. “And the animals are doing well! I’m thinking about retiring old red and giving one of her daughters the spotlight. She’s done her job and I appreciate her being the start of my stock.” Korvaelis snickered and crossed his arms. “Have you ever heard the story of the sea princess and the great tower?”

“Probably not,” Korvaelis answered for him, “There are multiple variations of the story. But my mother used to tell a story of a sea elfling, a princess, that was snatched out of the water by a monstrous bird and placed in a tower. Her father sent many men of her kind to save her, but they could never defeat the bird and reach the top of the tower. He ran out of men and out of desperation reached out to a fisherman, promising him an abundance of shellfish. Why shellfish? I don’t know that’s just how she told the story.” Korvaelis began rubbing Aurin’s biceps, looking away as he finished the tale. “Long story short, while every other man used swords, bows, and arrows, and shields to fight the bird, this man only used a net and a fishing rod. The bird underestimated the fisherman and lost. Saved the princess and all.” The story probably didn’t make sense, but he was hoping Aurin would be a little confused. Ask me about it.

Rolling his eyes and giving the human a slight slap on the arm, Korvaelis couldn’t help but grin even harder. He was a little turned on too.

“That’s not why I asked you to meet me here.” His face hardened as Korvaelis became a little serious. “I…have something for you. But you have to listen closely because I cannot say too much. Got it?”

35th of Frost, 123

[Aurin]

"Well, tell him I said hello," he offered. The would be witch-king didn't need to semble to see the pain. Korvaelis had always seemed as though he thought he was mysterious, but Aurin could see through him, and it seemed to his sembling eye that Korvaelis had built things up into a true romance since they had last seen each other. Well, that made sense if he was still grieving his husband, lonely, and feeling pressured by his brother. But whatever his mind's eye read, he wanted to hear it from the blue gill himself.

He squinted at the story.

"Are you trying to interest me in fish or... oh, well, you know I love a secret." He turned until their hips bumped gently against each other, keeping his arm around the blue one, and proceeded to do a bit of a promenade with him. Might as well have a pleasant walk while they spoke.

The part of him that played impresario at the Golden Peacock Theater made a mental note to invite Lord Aki specifically to any production he might enjoy. If Korvaelis wasn't shunning him any longer, he wouldn't worry about reaching out to the young Dahshida. Great House Zatrian was an angel of the theater and many other artistic organizations in the city, but Aurin wasn't above giving other houses an opportunity to put their names (and their coin) out there to support the organization he ran - both as a member of its triumvirate, and as the manipulative shadow behind Lord Yserloo and Elric Hanson.

Anyway, he had liked young Aki. Perhaps he might help prevent him from growing up to be a right prig like, say, Lord Yserloo.

"Talk to me," he urged, more gently, a rare thing for Aurin. "You have been a stranger."

[Korvaelis]

Korvaelis Dahshida

"You should tell him yourself.” Korvaelis told Aurin. The comment probably came off a bit snarky, however, he was only trying to hint at something. He was doing his best to make his life as normal as possible now that he was no longer in the nesting stage of parenthood. There were many reasons as to why he decided to seclude himself but one of those reasons was similar to why bears hide their young for so long too. It was a weird instinct to him. “You’ll probably see him from time to time on your own. He goes out on his own now. Tags along with the other young boys and he does…well, whatever Avialae children do. I’m not too sure anymore.”

He let out such an ugly laugh that it shocked him. The lord placed a hand over his lips to try and stifle it but he couldn’t help it as he looked at Aurin’s face. “I’ve hardly touched water, so I couldn’t even attempt that.” Korvaelis spoke through his fingers as he tried to calm down a bit.

“I told you this little fairytale because it reminded me of you. I’m not from Kalzasi.” Korvaelis motioned to his face and body while taking elegant strides beside the slender man. “But this lifestyle would’ve been mine regardless of where I went outside of Zaichaer. I was destined to return to it. This makes me feel like this outcome…it’s my destiny too, right? I relate to the story because none of the princess’s people could help her. Or maybe they truly couldn’t help her. But a fisherman with no connection, no ties, and frankly nothing to do with her. He saved her.”

He had always been a stickler about proper etiquette while in public. Korvaelis enjoyed what he would call bold behavior, especially when it was Aurin doing it. As the two passed by people, the Elf decided it was best to put space between them and locked arms with the man.

“You’re kind of like that man. For me at least.”

Korvaelis halted, pulling Aurin back a little before turning his own body to face him.

“I know and I’m trying to be honest with you. I swear. There are still some things I cannot tell you just yet but…” he paused, looked around and when he spotted the people he cherished most, Korvaelis let out a long whistle before waving his hands in the air. “Everything cannot be said all at once. Luckily, you’re a smart man and you catch on fast.”

“Good afternoon, Sir Aurin.” A cracked voice greeted the man from behind. Aki had become almost unrecognizable and the boy’s height was catching up to the redhead man’s own. “It’s nice to see you again.” Aki extended a hand as if the two were meeting for the first time. He just wants to show off how much bigger he’s gotten all.

In the middle of them talking, short bursts of laughter that sounded like a certain someone’s some time ago were coming from behind the Avialae child. It appeared the child was up to no good.

“Garnet, come say hello to this nice gentleman.” Korvaelis stuck a hand out.

A small redhead child stuck their head out from behind a large Avialae wing and flashed a smile. Then the child began tiptoeing toward their parent.

“I want to tell you about the child I adopted, Aurin. This baby has the sweetest face, right? If you look closely, it almost reminds you of someone. Anyway, I want to apologize for not keeping in contact with you for so long. In those months we were getting to know each other, I was somewhat moody because I knew this child was coming and I had to take full responsibility for it. I disappeared soon after their arrival because I just knew I had to protect them.”

35th of Frost, 123

[Aurin]

An eyebrow arched at the tone, but he didn't comment upon it. Clearly, Korvaelis was struggling with something and he didn't want to send him back into hiding. He smiled when the blue man's manner rebounded somewhat. It would be a strange thing to see a halfway grown Aki at the theater or out and about in the city; he couldn't be that old, but then time was funny.

His head cocked to the side as he considered the man on his arm. Sometimes he thought of himself as a bit of a savior. He had plucked Arry out of obscurity, and now he was the crown prince of a desert kingdom. Dhruv had crashed and tumbled into the Midden on a wave of time magic, and Aurin had put him up and given him a small purpose to focus on while he recovered. While he didn't like to be seen as any sort of paragon, he did try to quietly be the person he had needed so very long ago. And if he had seen Korvaelis as a means to an end, he had also wanted to cheer him up, had enjoyed spending time with him, and had done his best to raise Huntress as a proper wolf or dog or neither or both.

Aurin wanted to ask, I saved you? But Korvaelis kept going. Aki's aura was familiar and so didn't trip any alarms as he approached, but the ginger blinked as they stopped. He smiled, bowed, and then shook his hand.

"My Lord Aki, a pleasure as always. I didn't realize it would be such a reunion; I would have brought Huntress to run along the lakeshore—"

He felt a surge of heat, and his eardrums beat with his heartbeat. His mind began to do quick calculations, his third eye opening wide to take in this red-headed child. Sea elves did have weird reproduction habits, and he was half-shape-changing Fae'ethalan. Huh.

"You were in labor," he said slowly.

[Korvaelis]

Korvaelis Dahshida

Fucking magic.

Korvaelis knew Aurin was a gifted man. However, he never knew the extent of it. Magic always felt like a taboo subject to him too. Yes, Kalzasi accepted it with open arms, but growing up in a city where it was forbidden has tucked the curiosity he once had for it deep within his brain. He recalled asking Aurin about his abilities a couple of times. Many surface-level questions and maybe a demonstration of it that he’s never gone through with seeing in person. Despite all of this, he forgot that the human being was probably capable of more than what his own eyes could witness.

You were in labor? Korvaelis mimicked in his head. What was he thinking? Speaking in code and all. Catch. On. The lord’s eyes widened and he blinked in the direction of his stepson.

“I am not too sure of that. I mean, the child and I do have similarities. We come from the same bloodline. So you would assume so, right?” He shook his head a bit to answer his question. Maybe the story he was giving this man wasn’t believable but damn it. He’s already gone this far with it. “The child is beautiful, yes? Now that you mention it…they have my face. The eyes, lips, and hair color belong to someone else for sure. The rest is almost mine.”

Carefully, Korvaelis picked the child up and placed them on his hip. The two wore almost matching outfits with their curly hair tucked underneath the same hats so that the similarities could be better seen. “I was given the baby upon birth. So I name them Garnet. This child is a gem to me. A special gift from someone that I cherish.” Cradling the baby on his hip with one hand, he used the other to pull the child’s face to his own and plant a soft kiss on their cheek.

Korvaelis was so caught up, that he forgot his first child was standing there next to them.

“Oh, Aki! You’re a special gift too, I promise I–”

The young Avialae chuckled, cutting the lord off. “I know what you meant,” his wings began fluttering and the boy lifted off the ground for take-off, “my job is done here though. I’ll see you at home.” Aki didn’t give anyone a chance to answer before taking off. He wondered if he made the child uncomfortable.

Korvaelis watched his eldest child leave with fear in his heart for the Dahshida kid’s safety. There was a bit of guilt there too.

“I knew you would put the pieces together fast.” Korvaelis told Aurin while looking up into the sky. “I didn’t know you’d be so quick to out me though.” He finally decided to look at the redhead with a ’ really’ expression on his face. “I can neither confirm nor deny anything. At least not in this state.”

35th of Frost, 123

[Aurin]

It probably should have occurred to Aurin that this might have been something the blue man would want to keep from his adopted son, from his in-laws, but then he had also brought Aki to babysit, and he hadn't given Korvaelis enough credit as a liar. Perhaps he ought to have felt bad, but while he also wasn't always the most forthcoming with information, he would not have buried this secret from Korvaelis had the tables been turned.

Recovering his aplomb, he bowed to Aki and waved as he alit into the air. Then he peered at the infant, squinting hazel eyes back and forth between her and Korvaelis. And then he did something he rarely did: he peered into aura of mother (?) and daughter (?). From what he knew of Fae'ethalan and Neptori, sex and gender were mutable things. Still...

Aurin wanted to know the truth of this, and if he was entangled in it like a naughty Neptori in a fisherman's net, he was damned well going to suss out all the details.

Korvaelis didn't really have any defenses against this. Of course, his surface thoughts were the most readily available, but he was thinking about Garnet, about Aki, about Aurin and himself.

"Tell me everything," he said, not angry, but deadly serious. "I want to know everything."

He wasn't angry, but he didn't like being in the dark. If Aki hadn't known, well, that was vaguely mollifying. Aurin was just going to have to be more up in Korvaelis' business in the future, rather than giving him the benefit of the doubt.

With a curled finger, he stroked the little girl's cheek. He knew nothing about babies, but she was a pretty thing.