Chapter Text
The room was silent as the two alchemists turned the page, only to find the golden ring with a ruby as its jewel taped to the final page. There was nothing more after that. The two stared at the book for a long time before Hugo sniffled, Varian held him close, as the bespeckled teen let out his final cry, for the mother he lost….
Quirin heard the inventor’s cry and instantly shot up the stairs! He knew the teen was in mourning, but this cry was different, it sounded like he was just mortally wounded, the man couldn’t stand by as he heard his son cry like that! He’d barely been able to stand by before, but he trusted Varian, something he, wasn’t questioning, but was worrying about considering he heard the alchemist himself crying as well!
He gingerly opened the door before seeing the two huddled together on the floor, they had a vaguely familiar looking journal open to, what seemed to be, it’s final entry, both boys hovering over it. The retired knight walked over and kneeled next to the pair, “hey, hey I’m here, it’s okay”, he said quietly, grunting as both boys *instantly* latched onto him
He wrapped his arms around the two as he looked at them with concern, Ruddigar, who had been with them the entire time, pointed to the journal. Quirin raised a brow before he looked at it, that’s when he noticed the ring……
His eyes widened as he stared at it, the ruby jewel glinting in the light of the room as he remembered the day he’d given that ring to the one he loved the most:
*”Where are you taking me? You’ve been awfully sneaky today sir”, Ulla giggled as she and Quirin walked through the gardens of their backyard
The retired knight smiled, “you’ll see, you’re not allowed to ask, remember?”
“I know, but you being sneaky makes me curious!”
The Village Leader poked his girlfriend’s nose gently, “then you’ll just have to stay curious until we get there”, he teased with a chuckle
“Oooh! You’re such a brat!”
“Look who’s talking”
The red head giggled again as she looked up at the sky, the Moon had finally risen and the stars were twinkling in delight, seemingly for the pair of them. She didn’t know why, but she felt more comfortable with her boyfriend in the evenings, he seemed much more relaxed during them. Though this was definitely a new level of excitement for the usually stoic man! She didn’t hate it either, he was so adorable when he got this excited!
She giggled again when she caught him looking at her lovingly before he’d turned away and blushed, she loved her shy farmer! She noticed they were heading to a clearing, “woah! I’ve never seen this place before! Is it new?”
“Not entirely, not many people know about my little hideaway across the bridge, it’s…. Sort of a special place, which means *you* have to keep it a secret”
Ulla smiled, “why is it a special place?”
“Because it’s where the best night of my life happened!”
“The best night of you life?”
“You’ll find out when we get there”, Quirin replied with a snicker
The red head sighed, “you’re so mysterious you know that?”
“Isn’t that why you like me so much? Or was I mistaken with what you were saying last night”, he joked, smiling at her sassily
Ulla blushed, “you’re n-not mistaken, but you’re also an even bigger brat now!”
Quirin chuckled, “I think I can accept that”
“Hmph!”
The retired knight snickered before they finally reached the clearing, “here we are, look up Ulla, the stars are the brightest here!”
The women did as she was told and smiled, she’s always loved the stars, and her lover was right, they twinkled so much brighter in that spot than anywhere else! She looked over to tell Quirin that, but found him kneeling before her, “w-what are you doing?” She asked, blushing
Quirin smiled, “I wanted to ask you something Ulla”
Her hands covered her mouth as she saw the man pull out a small box, “Quirin!”
The retired knight smiled, “I’m not a very emotional man, nor am I very good when speaking to anyone, but the day I met you has never left my mind. Ulla you’re the most wonderful, kind, caring, amazing, beautiful, smart, and loving person I’ve ever had the pleasure and joy of meeting! You’ve made my days go from dull grey to an array of vibrant and wonderful colors! Every moment, day, second, hour, that I get to spend with you is another moment, day, second, hour, that I’m eternally happy! I love you, and, should you feel the same way, I wanted to ask you something very important”
He opened the box, showing the red head a golden banded, ruby jeweled ring, tears slid down her cheeks when she saw it, it was the same one she’d dreamed of having when she’d seen it in the market during a festival a few months back. She’d never told Quirin, she didn’t know how he knew, he always knew though, always, and it made her heart flutter and race at the same time as he finally asked his question
“Ulla Evangeline, will you make me the happiest man in the universe, and marry me?”
“YES!” Ulla yelled, getting Quirin to stand and hug her, picking her up and spinning happily as they both laughed and cried with joy! They shared a passionate kiss under the Moon’s glow, one that blew both of their worlds away before finally breaking. Quirin set Ulla back on the ground before he, gently, placed the ring on her finger, a single tears falling down his cheek as he smiled at her lovingly, cupping her cheek and kissing her again, this one a little shorter than the first
“I love you, Ulla”
Ulla smiled as tears dropped of her chin, “I love you too, Quirin!” They hugged once more before letting go and sitting in the grass, both of them holding hands and watching the sky above. The red head than turned to the man, “so the best night ever huh?” She asked with a shy giggle
He chuckled and looked at her, warm brown eyes twinkling witch unbridled joy as he looked at her, “yup”
“When was that?” She asked, smiling with a knowing grin
“We just experienced it”, Quirin replied, his smile growing wider
She sighed happily and leaned against his shoulder, “that’s funny, this is the best night of my life too”*
Quirin smiled at the memory as he continued to stare at the ring before looking down at his sons, the two had cried themselves to near exhaustion as they continued to lean against him, sniffling and hiccuping into his vest. The man sighed, “I take it that’s Ulla’s journal?” He asked gently, “and Donella wrote a passage in it for the two of you?”
Both scientists nodded before Varian looked up at his father. He didn’t say anything, didn’t have to, his sad puppy dog eyes were enough to convince the man they were far beyond words at this point
Quirin kissed both of their heads, hugging them closer before sighing again, “I’m sorry you two…. I’m sorry she’s gone….. and I’m sorry she had to go in such a way…..”
Hugo coughed a little, his emotions making his throat dry before he snuggled deeper into the old farmer’s vest, “I…l d-don’t know what I’m g-gonna do…..” he admitted softly, “I’m s-scared…. I’m s-so scared…..”
Varian and Quirin looked at him sadly as the freckled teen held his lover’s hand, the retired knight letting out a softer sigh. “I know things seem scary now Hugo, and they will for a little while, but…. You’ve got us, me, Varian, and Ruddigar in particular! We won’t leave you alone, we won’t”
Hugo buried his face in Quirin’s vest as he let out a muffled question
The retired knight chuckled, “I didn’t quite catch that, small one”
The blond hesitated before he came out from hiding and repeated his question, his voice quieter than a whisper, “W-what if he kills y-you two too……”
Varian’s eyes and freckles glowed gently, he was afraid of that too, but the retired knight smiled as he replied gently, “it won’t happen”
“How c-can you be sure?” Hugo asked, looking up at the man, his green eyes full of desperation and fear
The look broke Quirin’s heart, but he kept smiling, knowing fully well that he meant what he was about to say, “because I won’t let him”
“Quirin-!”
“I may be up in years, but even still, I helped train Adira and Hector, I was trained by King Edmund and the knights of the Dark Kingdom, I’ve studied every combat style I could get my hands on, trust me, that man will not kill me or Varian or you”
Hugo looked like he was about to speak when Varian interjected, “dad made Cyrus run off in the woods”, he stated, “the moment he hurt Adira, dad was on him like bark on a tree. And even if dad gets hurt, there’s one thing Cyrus could *never* defeat”, the teens eyes and freckles glowed brighter as his hair began to float, “that’s me……”
“He…. K-knows about the blood though….” Hugo said
“I won’t let him do that again, and trust me, the next time I see him, he’s *dead*”, the freckled teen stated with a glare, “he doesn’t get to do that, not to you…… Donella…. She didn’t deserve that….. He’ll pay for what he’s done…..”
“I don’t want you to lose yourself in your anger though!” Hugo exclaimed, starling Varian out of his glowing anger, “y-you’ll end up g-getting hurt and then y-you’ll be locked up again and-and-and-and-!”
“Woah woah, easy there”, Quirin interrupted gently, “who said anything about Varian being locked up?”
Hugo stopped and closed his eyes before he looked down, tears streaking down his face as he pulled his knees to his chin. “……Hugo…..” Varian spoke up quietly, “…..What did Cyrus say to you? W-when he was down in the dungeons…..”
“You didn’t tell him?” The retired knight asked, Hugo shook his head silently
Varian looked up at his father, “you know what he said?”
“Only the backend of it, I came down the stairs when I’d heard Hugo was down in the dungeons with Cyrus, they…. Didn’t inform me of the plan….. Until it was too late…. I ran down as fast as I could, and I heard a small snippet, he threatened Hugo, I know that, what I’d heard was, ‘for the rest of your fucking life…..’, that was right before I shut him up with a punch to the jaw before yelling at the Captain for his damn lack of judgement”
“……Did you hit the Captain too?”
“No…. I *really* wanted to though”
“You should’ve”
“I know”
Varian huffed before he looked at Hugo again worriedly, “love, what did he say to you?”
The blond looked at his boyfriend anxiously, “I….” He grew quiet, his lips quivering
“Hugo”, Varian gently cupped his boyfriend’s chin in his hand, lifting his gaze before kissing his lips, they parted after a moment, “I won’t do anything you don’t want me to, but it’s bothering you, I can see it, and that worries me love. If he said something that scared you, I wanna know, not because I want revenge, but I wanna help you get through it….. it only got worse when…. When Donella passed…. I don’t mean to push, but please….. let me help you”
Ruddigar chittered, nuzzling the blond, as Quirin smiled and nodded in agreement, “same goes for us”, the retired knight replied
Hugo hesitated for a few more seconds before he sighed and looked at his boyfriend, “I know you hate this but….. c-can…. You….”
“Promise you I won’t do anything unless asked?” Varian finished with a smile, startling Hugo before he blushed and nodded, “yeah, I promise”
“We all do”, Quirin stated as Ruddigar chittered in agreement
Hugo smiled at them all before he sighed, “Cyrus….. Slung insults at me the m-moment he saw me enter the room….. I brushed the, off at first, e-even…. The ones about my parents ditching me…… T-that’s when….. He started to move on to you….. Varian….”
“Me?” The alchemist asked
“Yes….. y-you’ve been my number one supporter, my reason for getting up every day, you’ve helped me gain a lot, helped me through everything I was going through! You are the most important person to me in the universe, I…. I really love you, more than anyone in the world! And…. Cyrus knew that……” he sighed, “he began with threats against you…… I was able to deflect them, commenting on how badly he’d lost to you in the fight….. but….. then he….. said…..” Hugo sighed and his lips quivered again, Olivia come hopping out of his pocket and nuzzled him, trying to encourage her boy to keep going
Ruddigar did the same, and after a moment, Hugo finally said what Cyrus had told him, after a barrage of insults and racist slurs he’d slung the blond’s way….. “he….. s-said he’d start with Don……” Hugo shuddered, “he’d start with her….. m-make her death painful and haunting….. S-show me that he couldn’t be stopped….. t-then he’d take down Adira…… H-he’d….. assault her…. I-in the worst way….. he’d move on to Hector…. Torture him u-until he begged for death…. Edmund next…. He’d trap the dark king in a tomb….. o-one that could never be found….. T-The Quirin….. he….. w-would make….. Quirin suffer….. U-using the bodies of his family to…. T-to break him….. t-then break him p-physically before killing him….A-and then you….. V-Varian he’d….. do so many things to you….. s-so many horrible things….. H-his eyes were wild w-when he spoke of you…. I….. c-chalk it up to the light but….. t-they looked like Cassandra’s did…. T-the night she wasn’t….. h-herself…..W-when you first met me….. he went into d-detail with you…. h-he knew D-details he shouldn’t have….. D-details that s-scare me….. and….. w-when he was done with you….. h-he’d….. keep me….. A-alive…. So I could remember w-what I’d done…. S-so I would be punished…..” he looked at Quirin, “f-for the rest of my fucking life……”
The man’s eyes widened with both anger…. And fear as the blond said the next words out of his mouth, “…..He k-killed Don…. Adira’s next…..”
That sent a chill down Quirin and Varian’s spine, because at that very moment, Adira was alone in a tree in his apple orchard, needing time to herself so she could cope with the recent loss….. What they didn’t know however, is that there were two little yellow eyes watching her from the darkness….. They were wild and lustful, as they stared at the lonely, sad, women, who sat alone in the night…..