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“Your majesty!"
Elder Faerie turns as one of the fairies skids to a stop in front of him, wings fluttering rapidly. "Yes, what's going on? Are you alright?"
The fairy nods, catching their breath before straightening up rapidly. "There are visitors approaching the mist. Two of them, White Lily and one other."
Elder Faerie nods. "Show me where they are approaching, please."
The young fairy nods. "Follow me."
Elder Faerie follows the other, treading over one of the outer bridges and onto soft, marshy ground, sword held firmly by his side as the fairy lands.
There is a long moment before movement begins to make itself know beyond the mist, a faint green glow growing clearer as footsteps grow closer.
"Elder Faerie!" White Lily steps through the mist, staff glowing.
A fainter glow follows closely behind, becoming clear once Elder Faerie rises from his bow towards White Lily, just behind the mist as if waiting to make itself known.
"You've returned safely." Elder Faerie smiles softly at White Lily, who smiles brightly and nods.
"Yes."
"I'm glad. Did you find what you searched for?"
"I did. I plan to reach out to the other ancients to share my findings."
"Of course. I'll see to someone carrying the message once available."
"Thank you. If you would allow me, I would like to do so as soon as possible. I believe that someone wishes to share your audience while I do so." While Lily glances towards the faint glow just barely beyond the mist.
"Of course, I will return after I speak with them. Artemisia, would you please escort White Lily back towards the library?"
Artemisia nods, walking down the path alongside White Lily. There is a brief moment of silence as they leave, Elder Faeire facing the faint glow.
"…you may enter, stranger. Please do not allow us to keep you waiting. You are a friend of White Lily, yes?"
There is a pause, followed by the soft clink of metal. "…I…suppose so."
The glow grows brighter as the person steps closer, showing itself as a faint purple as it breaks through the mist. Elder Faerie's eyes widen as the person steps towards him.
Oh.
Black armour stills as he stops just a step in front of the mist.
Even through the helmet, Silent Salt refuses to meet his eyes, cast down at the ground beneath him instead.
"…You're back." Elder Faerie breathes out the words, barely more than a whisper. "You're here."
Silent Salt raises his head slightly, still refusing to meet Elder Faerie's eyes. "…yes."
Silent Salt bows his head once more, hand clutched to his chest.
"…Will…will you still greet me, old friend?"
Elder Faerie watches the tremble in Silent Salt's hand spread across the rest of his body, stepping forward towards the knight. "Of course I would. Always."
Silent Salt lifts his head, eyes meeting Elder Faerie's. "…thank you."
Elder Faerie steps closer, extending his unarmed hand. "Will you allow me to return you to the kingdom?"
Silent Salt pauses, reaching to take Elder Faerie's hand before jerking his own back. "If you would allow me back within your gates."
"You are more welcome within our walls than anyone else." Elder Faerie retreats his hand at Silent Salt's refusal to take it, waiting for him to straighten before beginning to lead him down the path of soft dirt.
Silent Salt's armour occasionally knocks against itself, his boots thudding against the tougher dirt as they travel further down the path. Elder Faerie can see Silent Salt repeatedly run his fingers up and down the textured grip of his sword, eyes pinned to the ground.
Silver light fades into view as they approach the kingdom, music faint from where someone plays within the bright archways.
No matter the wideness of the path, Silent Salt remains just a step behind Elder Faerie, as if he does not know the way across the tiled bridges. Had he forgotten?
Questions whirl within Elder Faerie's mind as Silent Salt strides behind him, careful to keep the wave of sound behind his teeth.
Truly, how long had it been? Had it felt? What, dear knight, did you think of for that long of an eternity within the prison you were made to keep?
He allows one question to press its way past his tongue. "When was the last time you removed your armour?"
Silent Salt seems startled by the question, stumbling from his steady pace. "…long before the tree was sealed. I attempted to remove it while on the path with White Lily, but was unable to."
Elder Faerie hums. Years of restraint must have forced the armour to cling to his skin. "One of the caretakers of the tree returned recently, Sugarfly. She's recently begun studying healing to assist her abilities gained while away from us. I may ask her to help find a remedy to such a condition."
Silent Salt returns to running his fingers over his sword's grip once more. "I would greatly appreciate the help, your majesty."
Elder Faerie cannot resist the soft laugh at the response. "There is no need for such formalities, my friend."
Silent Salt remains quiet.
Elder Faerie continues down the pathways until they reach the long hall of rooms, turning towards Silent Salt. "I presume that speaking with Sugarfly will take quite a while, and I recommend you rest from your journey."
Silent Salt follows Elder Faerie, beggining to protest. "I need not rest; our journey was not so long to tire me."
Elder Faerie places his hand on Silent Salt's wrist, hold firm enough to stop any motion. "Allow yourself to be taken care of, for once. If not for yourself, then for me."
Silent Salt freezes, looking from Elder Faerie's hand to his eyes. "…very well."
Elder Faerie sighs and nods, releasing his hold on Silent Salt's wrist. "I will return after I speak with Sugarfly. I shall not be long."
Silent Salt nods, leaving his head down long enough so that it could only be seen as a bow. Pausing, he places his hand on the door handle between them, only turning it when Elder Faerie begins his way down the path once more.
By near an hour later, Elder Faerie returns to the door, a small vial carefully perched in his hands. Knocking softly on the door, he waits until a response is called from the other side.
"You may enter."
Elder Faerie carefully opens the door, closing it behind himself. "Sugarfly recommended this tincture to remove the armour. The herbs will heal your skin as the magic separates it from the metal."
Elder Faerie stands next to Silent Salt, who sits on the edge of the bed, still on-guard despite the thick walls, but seems to untense as Elder Faerie steps next to him. "…thank you. I am ever grateful of your kindness, my friend."
"Of course. May I sit with you?"
Silent Salt nods, the bed creaking as Elder Faerie sits beside him.
"It should take a few hours, two days at most, but there's no way to be entirely sure until the treatment begins. If you would allow me?"
Silent Salt cautiously extends his hand towards Elder Faerie's, flinching when gentle hands wrap around his wrist before unraveling his fingers. Elder Faerie works carefully, uncorking the small bottle and spreading a thin sheen of liquid across his fingertip, setting the bottle on the nightstand.
He spread the clear liquid along the edge of the vambrace, Silent Salt's eyes trained on Elder Faerie's work. The medicine seems to glow under the moonlight, shimmering as it spreads across the gap between curved metal.
The medicine is reapplied as the metal separates, skin slowly being revealed beneath. Thin fingers press under the metal, brushing over new skin as the liquid seeps into the final patch until the metal releases Silent Salt's arm, the skin cold beneath Elder Faerie's touch.
Silent Salt's hand trembles as Elder Faerie traces over his forearm, breath catching as warmth begins to seep into the limb. The medicine is spread further, under the gauntlet, each finger trembling as the pressure of metal is lifted.
Silent Salt shudders as Elder Faerie gently presses each of his fingers, tracing the lines across his palm. Elder Faerie pauses, still cradling Silent Salt's hand.
"Are you alright? Do we need to pause?"
Silent Salt breathes slowly, watching their hands together. "…I'm not deserving of such attention from you, my king. Not such as this."
Elder Faerie pauses once more, thumbing over Silent Salt's knuckles. "To me, you are worth everything held dear."
Elder Faerie brings Silent Salt's hand to his mouth, pressing gentle kisses to the scared knuckles. Silent Salt's fingers tighten around Elder Faerie's hand, Silent Salt breathing in sharply but remaining still under Elder Faerie's touch.
Elder Faerie lowers Silent Salt's hand to the bed, gently picking the bottle back up. "Will you allow me to continue?"
Silent Salt nods slowly, watching Elder Faerie continue working with the medicine.
The armour comes off carefully, each piece placed on the floor next to them until each arm is bare of metal. Silent Salt stills as Elder Faerie undoes the straps to his chest plate, the metal sliding off without clinging to the skin beneath his underclothes. The silver fork beneath his chestplace glimmers from the chain around his neck.
Elder Faerie smooths his hands over dark, clammy skin, Silent Salt shuddering at the feeling of warm hands against the cool air. Elder Faerie dabs more of the medicine over his fingertips, gesturing for Silent Salt to lean closer.
"I only need to remove the helmet now, if you will hold still for a few moments more."
Silent Salt nods, tilting his head to the side for Elder Faerie to reach. Elder Faerie gently slides his fingers along the edge of the helmet, beginning to work them beneath the metal.
Elder Faerie squeezes his fingers beneath the helmet, the metal pressing heavy against his knuckles until his fingertips finally brush against hair above the skin. He reaches around the helmet, reaching every spot that metal and skin cling together until the medicine separates them.
Elder Faerie carefully presses beneath the last bit of skin until the helmet fully separates from Silent Salt.
Lifting the helmet carefully, Elder Faerie places it alongside the rest of the armour on the ground, eyes remaining on Silent Salt's face.
Silent Salt keeps his head bowed, glancing at Elder Faerie when he remains silent. "…thank you."
Elder Faerie swallows thickly at the words, eyes taking in every scarred detail of Silent Salt's now revealed skin. Reaching slowly, he cups Silent Salt's jaw in his palm, thumbing over the thin lines marked in the faint purple.
Silent Salt's mouth pulls into a thin line, the large scar across his upper lip spreading to reveal the glistening white teeth beneath. He cups his hand over Elder Faerie's, brushing back and forth over the knuckles. "Your hands are rougher than I remember them being."
Elder Faerie brings his other hand to brush away dark hair clipped for conveince, smoothing the strands with his palm. "…you're as beautiful as the day I first ever laid eyes on you."
Silent Salt's eyes widen for a breif moment, flicking up for only a second as if in shame. Closing his eyes, he turns into Elder Faerie's hand, pressing a soft kiss to the heel of the palm.
Silent Salt's eyes shimmer faintly when he opens them again, dewy with unshed tears as he stares at the sheets between them. Elder Faerie thumbs away a tear that slips past Silent Salt's defense. "You should rest."
Silent Salt swallows thickly, nodding slowly. Reluctantly, Elder Faerie pulls his hands away from Silent Salt's face, gently grabbing his hand and lifting it into a soft kiss.
"I'll have to speak with White Lily in the morning, do you want me to wake you?" Elder Faerie runs his thumb over Silent Salt's knuckles. who clears his throat and blinks quickly.
"No, I'll wake on my own…I appreciate the offer, however."
Elder Faerie nods, setting Silent Salt's hand on the bed. "You'll need to keep the armour off for a while. You should find anything you need here. I'll have someone let you know when meals start if needed."
Silent Salt nods, voice rough. "Thank you, my king."
Elder Faerie lets out a soft sigh, returning the nod as he stands. "Of course, my friend."
Elder Faerie exits the room, the door clicking shut behind him, leaving Silent Salt in the rooms quiet.
Pushing himself up, Silent Salt straightens the piled armour carefully, propping the pieces next to the sword and small bag of belongings by the end of the bed. He brushes off the helmet before he places it on the dresser, hollow eyes boring into him.
He places his boots alongside the armour, carefully removing pieces of clothing from the drawers and placing them on the bed, replacing his underclothes with them. They feel unfamiliar, even against the clothes he'd been forced to remain in once sealed; these clothes aren't his, tied collars and long sleeves rather than the short-sleeved, worn clothes from the barren.
He leaves the strings over the shirt's collar untied, digging through layers of clothing to find pants that feel most similar to his own.
Green light fades from the room as the flickering tea-infuser lantern's flame fades to a dim flicker, the butterfly of light resting on the bottom and closing its wings. Silent Salt watches the butterfly's wings close and the light cut off, leaving only streams of moonlight shining through the window.
Even now, the moon still shines upon him, even after the destruction he had wrought, so far that they had believed that she herself was split by his blade…
What was it they had called him, after the great tragedy..?
When the devil swung his blade, the world fell silent in a breathless instant…
The devil of Silence 'imself has returned to his domain…
Yes, that was right. The devil.
It was only deserving that he gained such a name.
He pulls the curtain shut, leaving the room in darkness that his eyes adjust to. Climbing into the bed, he shoves the blanket over his head until only stifling darkness remains in front of his eyes.
He doesn't know how long he remains awake, staring at dark fibers until his eyes force themselves shut.
<•>
There's no wake up call in the morning, no rush to wake and prepare for the days work. Silent Salt expects to wake up to any number of loud noise: doors opening rapidly, people chanting as they ready themselves, loud bells ringing down the halls. Instead, he wakes to quiet idle chatter between fairies as they pass through the hallway, birds chirping in the branches outside the window.
He rises slowly, squinting as bright sunrays meet his eyes through a gap in the curtains. He dresses carefully, smoothing out the wrinkles in the fabric before tying his boots back on. He spots a long, hooded cloak in the dresser, throwing it over himself.
He decides to search for Nox, closing the door carefully as he leaves the small room.
The hall is empty when he steps into it, sunlight filtering through the branched ceiling that casts dotted patches of sunlight across the tiles floor. Its already late morning when he leaves, the sky pale with clouds.
The kingdom is peaceful as he walks, the fairies going through enough activities that Silent Salt is able to avoid attention as he passes by.
His boots sink into soft earth as he approaches the mist, the smell of grass and bright flowers filling his head after he removes the hood.
Searching the tall woods for Nox, he finds the horse grazing in one of the clearings that he used to leave her in during his past travels. He begins to approach, pausing when laughter rings through the air.
Two young fairies play on the grass around Nox, weaving flowers into her mane as she grazes. Silent Salt watches quietly, flinching when cold metal presses against the back of his neck.
"State your purpose here."
Silent Salt raises his hands slowly, looking down to the ground as metal prods firmly at his neck. "I only came to retrive my horse. Nothing more."
The children go quiet, both them and Nox turning to look into the trees beyond the clearing. Nox snorts, standing up from the grassy floor.
Silent Salt lets out a breath of relief when the metal lifts from his neck, slowly lowering his arms.
"Do so and leave."
Silent Salt nods, stepping into the clearing slowly. Nox knickers and steps in front of him, shoving her nose into his palm when he raises it.
Silent Salt turns to the young faeries, nodding towards them slowly.
"Thank you for watching over her while I was not. I greatly appreciate it." Silent Salt smiles softly at the two, absently petting Nox's nose.
One of the children grins and curtsies towards him, the other nodding rapidly. They turn back towards the mist, chasing after each other through the forest.
Silent Salt watches the two dart off, Nox huffing into his hand. He pats her again, turning towards the figure watching him from the edge of the clearing.
Dark eyes narrow at Silent Salt, sunlight glinting off of the polished silver of their spear. The fairy steps into the clearing, wings like melted silver glimmering under the spots of sunlight. "You should return to the kingdom gates. I do not trust a single of the beasts to remain without watch."
Silent Salt nods, stroking the striped-star along Nox's muzzle. He can't help the gaze that lingers on the fairy, throat feeling thick for a moment.
The fairy glares at him, grip tightening on their spear. "What? If you attempt to attack I will slay you here and now, regardless of the King's order."
Silent Salt shakes his head, forcing his eyes back to the grassy clearing floor. "No, I have no wish to attack. You simply remind me of someone I once knew."
He turns back to the fairy, nodding towards them shortly.
"You are a strong warrior. Remember to use that correctly."
The fairy does not respond, only continues watching Silent Salt until he begins to walk back towards the mist. Silent Salt can still feel their eyes continue to watch him well past the clearing, only leaving when he passes throught the mist again.
Nox snorts and allows Silent Salt to remove her chamfron and saddle, trotting towards the stables alongside him. He sets the gear into an empty stall, watching Nox trot into the small field to socialize with the other horses.
Silent Salt watches Nox for a brief moment before leaving the stables.
<•>
"The messages should arrive in Crispa within the week, I'm sure the others will respond in time." Elder Faerie steps back into the library after the messengers depart, White Lily still writing down discoveries.
"Thank you. Hopefully we may find a solution together soon."
Elder Faerie nods. "Are you sure you're alright alone here?"
White Lily smiles and nods. "I will be fine, but thank you for the concern."
Elder Faerie nods back, stepping towards the large doors. "Alright. Don't hesitate to ask for assistance with anything you may need."
Birds sing brightly outside of the library, silver branches rustling above the tall archway. Elder Faerie strolls through the kingdom, observing the actions of celebration across the pathways, idly chatting with passerby fairies.
He finds Silent Salt within one of the tall pavilions, praying before a glimmering pond altar. Silent Salt bows before the edge of the water, forehead pressed to the tile and hands layered over each other.
Silent Salt mutters quietly, rising to sit on his knees. Elder Faerie watches Silent Salt quietly, the lapping of water against stone echoing from the arched ceiling. Silent Salt presses his clasped hands to his mouth and mutters a final word into them, opening his eyes to stare into the water.
Elder Faerie steps towards the pond, sunlight bouncing off the clear water. Silent Salt looks towards him, then looks back to the reflections before them.
Elder Faerie sits next to Silent Salt, folding his hands in his lap. He glances at Silent Salt, who refuses to remove his eyes from their reflections.
"Have you found everything alright?" Elder Faerie keeps his voice low, despite the emptiness of the pavilion.
Silent Salt nods, running his hands over each other.
Elder Faerie watches Silent Salt carefully, a birdsong echoing from the surrounding trees. "…may I ask what you were praying for?"
Silent Salt nods, looking up to the altar across the water. "For all those that I could. That their spirits may rest in peace."
Elder Faerie nods, watching Silent Salt wrap his fingers around the small silver fork hanging from his neck. Elder Faerie shifts his wings to uncross them, creating a soft fluttering noise that rings towards the ceiling. Silent Salt turns to look at Elder Faerie, eyes skimming over the wings, now duller than the bright colors he had admired centuries ago.
Silent Salt flexes his hands over his knees, swallowing thickly. "…White Lily told me about…what happened. When the seal first severed. That Shadow Milk nearly killed you."
Elder Faerie lets out a sigh, staring back down into the water. "…yes. I was injured, but not killed. I was lucky to recover."
Silent Salt joins Elder Faerie's gaze into the water. "…I do not know how he made it past the seal. I should have held it stronger than I did."
Silent Salt's hands curl tighter into themselves.
"I cannot find anything but hatred in my heart for him. For all of them."
Elder Faerie sighs, turning towards Silent Salt to see the tight line his mouth is pulled into, eyes hardened as if he's trying to force holes through the water.
Elder Faerie shifts, bringing his hand to cup Silent Salt's jaw. Silent Salt turns towards the touch, expression immediately softening as his eyes meet Elder Faerie's.
Elder Faerie thumbs along Silent Salt's jaw, speaking firmly. "I understand, and I don't expect you to forgive them for everything. But forgive yourself. Please."
Silent Salt swallows thickly, bringing his hand to cup over Elder Faerie's. Silent Salt nods slowly, intertwining his fingers with Elder Faerie's. "…as you wish. For you, my king."
Elder Faerie shifts towards Silent Salt, now fully facing him. "Thank you, my knight."
Red blooms faintly across Silent Salt's face at the title, eyes flitting down to the floor between them to avoid meeting Elder Faerie's eyes.
Elder Faerie smiles softly towards Silent Salt, who scrambles for a response. "Are you alright?"
Silent Salt nods quickly. "Ah, yes, I…I apologize for my…fluster."
Elder Faerie lets out a soft laugh. "It's quite alright, my dear Salt."
Silent Salt pauses, shoulders tensing. "…you shouldn't call me that. For both our sakes."
Elder Faerie's smiles drops. "Why not? That is what I called the man I love; I still plan to."
Silent Salt swallows thickly, eyes cast away from Elder Faerie. "I am no longer that man. I've killed the part of him within me long ago."
"No matter how much you change, my love for you remains the same." Elder Faerie smooths Silent Salt's hair back gently.
Silent Salt freezes at the touch, remaining still beneath Elder Faerie's hand. "You shouldn't say that. Not with what I've done."
"I love you, Salt."
"Elder Faerie…"
"I love you."
"Stop, please-"
"I love you."
"Elder Faerie, please-"
"I love you, Salt."
Silent Salt lets out a choked sob, leaning into Elder Faerie's hands. His own hands tremble, pulling at the loose fabric of his shirt. Silent Salt's voice rattles when he speaks. "Would you truly love a thing as wretched as me?"
Elder Faerie wraps his arms around Silent Salt's neck, pulling him close. "Always."
Silent Salt lowers his head against Elder Faerie's shoulder, breathing slowly. Elder Faerie swipes tears from under Silent Salt's eyes. Elder Faerie cradles Silent Salt's head within his arms, gently lowering him to rest on his lap.
Elder Faerie threads his fingers through Silent Salt's hair, pressing a soft kiss to the top of his head. Silent Salt cries quietly against silken robes.
"I'm so sorry, for everything I've done, I'm sorry…" Silent Salt mutters quiet apologies to the man above him, shuddering as soft words are whispered against the nape of his neck in response.
Elder Faerie helps Silent Salt to his feet, quietly leading him to the hall containing his room. They part with silent goodbyes, each returning to separate rooms.
<•>
The next morning, letters are received and poured over within the library, the arrival of four heroes anticipated until it buzzes throughout the kingdom.
Silent Salt dons the cloak once more and stows himself away into the surrounding woods, Nox trodding alongside him with the promise of cool grass and the bag of sugarcubes stashed in the small bag at his hip.
They find a clearing sheltered by willow trees, dotted with bright flowers among the grass. Nox lays down on a bed of soft moss, Silent Salt sitting beside her and resting his back against her side.
Nox idly grazes as Silent Salt retrieves the small book from the bag. He removes the pencil tied to the worn cover, undoing the string to flip through yellowed pages.
Silent Salt scans over the field for a moment before landing on a soft pink flower, the petals spread in a mimicry of butterfly wings. He flips to a blank page of the book, beginning to sketch the wide leaves.
He passes Nox a few sugarcubes as he sketches, squinting at the flower as he tries to finish the fine details on the page. The sun is well into the sky now, casting long rays between curved trunks and branches.
Silent Salt looks up at the sound of footsteps behind him, iridescent patterns dancing along the trees in front of him.
Elder Faerie steps slowly into the clearing, wings fluttering when he steps off of a fallen log onto the moss.
Silent Salt watches Elder Faerie for a moment before giving an awkward smile, which Elder Faerie returns with a much more confident one.
Elder Faerie sits next to Silent Salt peering at the drawn flower. "…that's beautiful."
Silent Salt feels his face warm at the complement. "Thank you."
Elder Faerie smiles, petting Nox absentmindedly. "May I see the others?"
Silent Salt nods, passing Elder Faerie the small book. Elder Faerie flips through the sketches of various plants, while Silent Salt fidgets with the small pencil in his hand.
Elder Faerie stops on a drawing of a saffron flower from the Land of Spice, rubbing over the worn edge of the pages. "You're a very good artist."
"Thank you. I tried to document the plants I saw on our campains."
Elder Faerie hums, turning the page to another sketch. "They're very detailed."
Silent Salt watches Elder Faerie flip through more pages, his heart jumping into his throat when he stops on an incomplete sketch. Elder Faerie pauses, brow furrowing as he looks at the unfinished river below an intricatly detailed bridge.
"…you drew me." Elder Faerie's voice is quiet, his fingers slowly trailing over the penciled lines.
Silent Salt is convinced his hair may set on fire, his face is so warm. "…yes. I tried at it for days, but I couldn't figure out your wings."
Elder Faerie stares at the page. "Was this from memory? I never saw you at this bridge before."
Silent Salt nods, turning the pencil over in his hands. "Yes. It was when I first came here, some centuries ago. You were feeding some of the butterflies, I belive, and I was by the river watering Nox. In all my years of living, you were the most beautiful thing I had ever seen."
Elder Faerie lets out a soft laugh. "I'm surprized you held me so highly, after the knights had nearly ambushed you."
Silent Salt lets out a weak laugh. He glaces at Elder Faerie's free hand resting on the moss between them, stretching his own closer to it. "…it still remains true."
Elder Faerie notices their hands lying close to each other, reaching to run his fingers over Silent Salt's knuckles. "What is so, my friend?"
Silent Salt speaks lowly, moving his hand to thread his fingers between Elder Faerie's. "That despite every sight I have witnessed in centuries of life, you put every one of them to shame with your beauty."
Elder Faerie breathes in sharply, wings fluttering behind him in slight surprise. He smiles, bringing his hand up to Silent Salt's jaw. "There's that silver tongue."
Silent Salt's face warms as he presses a soft kiss to the heel of Elder Faerie's palm.
Elder Faerie traces an idle hand along the drawing, his smile soft. "I must admit I spent time admiring you that day as well. It's a wonder how I supressed every word I felt for so long.
Silent Salt nods in agreement, his hand now placed over Elder Faerie's.
"Would you allow me to do what I wished to for centuries, my dear knight?"
Silent Salt swallows, nodding. He meets Elder Faerie's eyes, squeezing his hand.
They pull towards each other until a kiss forms, breath mixing between them. Silent Salt breathes in sharply when Elder Faerie's fingers reach into his hair, combing through the dark strands.
They pull away, the taste of salt remaining on Elder Faerie's tongue. Elder Faerie thumbs over Silent Salt's cheek gently, smiling gently towards him. Silent Salt squeezes Elder Faerie's hand once more.
"…thank you, my king." Silent Salt lets out a hushed breath, slowly combing through the pale blue strands of Elder Faerie's hair.
Elder Faerie laughs softly. "I should be thanking you, my knight."
Silent Salt flushes at the name once more. Elder Faerie smiles and pushes himself up to press a soft kiss against Silent Salt's forehead.
Silent Salt looks towards the sky, now orange with the setting sun. The forest sings with evening, the blooming flowers beginning to close against the night air.
"Should we return to the kingdom? Surely they will be searching for you by now."
Elder Faerie shakes his head. "I told everyone where I was headed before I left and to leave us be. If you wish, we may head back."
Before Silent Salt can respond, Nox huffs loudly and stands, making Elder Faerie and Silent Salt move forward to avoid being knocked over. "I suppose Nox has determined she would like to leave."
Elder Faerie laughs softly and nods. "Shall we do so, then?"
Silent Salt nods, pushing himself to his feet. They begin towards the kingdom, stepping over fallen logs and flower beds.
Elder Faerie hums softly, his voice low as if speaking any louder will disturb the forest itself. "If you wish…I could bring you to my own chambers when we return."
Silent Salt's heart speeds at the thought. "…I would like to. I'd enjoy spending more time with you."
Elder Faerie smiles softly and nods.
Nox trots off into the stable when they reach it, and Silent Salt follows Elder Faerie to a building hidden within the kingdoms tall arches and sheltering trees.
The room is quiet when they step inside, lit by small incense lanterns spread across the ceiling.
Silent Salt follows Elder Faerie inside and closes the door behind them, his eyes landing on a small yellow flower in a vial of water atop the desk.
Elder Faerie turns to Silent Salt, who remains in the doorway, looking at the flower. "Are you alright?"
Silent Salt lifts one of the petals carefully, as if too fast of a motion would send the whole flower toppling into dust. "…you kept it. For all of these years."
Elder Faerie nods. "Even with magic's assistance, it's very determined."
Silent Salt pulls his hand away from the flower, keeping his eyes trained on it. "I didn't think you would care for it so much. Enough to enchant it to allow it to live for this long."
Elder Faerie sighs. "You forget the meaning placed upon these flowers, dear Salt. Primroses carry one of the highest."
Silent Salt nods, the words pushing up from some depth of memory of when he first presented the flower. "'Our love continues forevermore.' Even beyond what happens to us."
Elder Faerie looks at Silent Salt in surprise. "…you remembered."
Silent Salt swallows the heart bullying its way into his throat. "Yes. Since the day you told me."
Elder Faerie smiles softly to himself. "I'm glad that you did. Those words remained in my heart ever since we parted."
Silent Salt hums in agreement, watching moonlight dance through the patterns of Elder Faerie's wings. He moves carefully, extending his hand to brush a stray lock of hair behind Elder Faerie's ear. "Will you allow me to make up for such lost time?"
Elder Faerie nods.
They kiss again, again and again and again, until both of them are dizzy and Silent Salt is left blinking, leaning against the large beds headboard as Elder Faerie presses kisses to the moles dotting his face.
Emotion suddenly wells up in Silent Salt's throat, and he freezes under Elder Faerie's touch.
Elder Faerie notices Silent Salt tense, pulling away from kissing him.
"Are you alright? Should we stop?"
Silent Salt shakes his head. "I'm alright. It's just…"
Elder Faerie watches Silent Salt with soft eyes, his hands trailing over Silent Salt's arms.
Silent Salt's voice cracks into a quiet sound when he speaks, his eyes tracing intricately patterned sheets to avoid meeting Elder Faerie's. "…I missed you. For every moment that I could feel."
Elder Faerie's breath hitches at the words. He speaks softly, brushing a lock of hair from Silent Salt's forehead. "I mourned you every moment I felt your absence. I can only hope that we are allowed a soft future."
Silent Salt brings his eyes up to meet Elder Faerie's, pressing their foreheads together. "May every power let it be so."
With a few more kisses, they part with the need to ready themselves for bed. Elder Faerie allows Silent Salt to take a set of clothes similar to the ones he found in the earlier room, both of them dressing separately before getting to the bed, the moment feeling natural, like routine being followed.
The lanterns dim, leaving the room with only moonlight filtering through sheer curtains as both drift off to sleep.
<•>
Elder Faerie wakes with the sunrise, opening his eyes to the sun's soft light as long rays are cast across the room.
He shakes his wings to wake them from numbness, his eyes landing on Silent Salt, still deeply asleep.
Elder Faerie smiles softly, brushing Silent Salt's hair from his forehead and pressing a gentle kiss to it. He wraps his arms around Silent Salt carefully, closing his eyes against the early morning light for a few moments more, basking in the warmth of the man next to him.