May the Stars Align -- Viravos & Rayllum

chapter 7

There wasn't much in the literature about Startouch elves. Viren would have known; he spent countless afternoons devouring books and texts in the library back when he was the high mage of Katolis. Startouch elves had always intrigued him. He wondered what it would be like to have that kind of uninhibited, pure, raw power.  It enticed him...but it also scared him. 

There wasn't much in the literature about Startouch elves. A lone page or two tucked in between chapters and volumes of history. But those brief pages would all mostly contain the same thing: blue/black skin, white star-like freckles, pin-straight white hair, elf-like features on the whole, unlimited power, lives among the stars, etc. Not once did those pages say anything about charisma. Wit. A twinkle in their eyes. A playfulness, mischief on their lips. A voice like velvet and sex. Viren assessed this and came to the conclusion that this was likely due to one of three likely reasons. 

1) People have not grown close enough with a Star-touch elf to discover such qualities. 

2) These qualities may pertain solely to Aaravos. 

3) These qualities may be entirely originated from Viren's perception of Aaravos which may not be reflective or indicative of reality. 

The first of those reasons was the only one that Viren could reconcile with so he willed himself to believe it was so. Nevertheless, he looked on as Aaravos stared at him with a concealed sense of longing, words on his lips that could never emerge without interference from his mind and other prisons. His stomach churned. 

"You could be anywhere in the world. You could observe the seas, the Sun kingdom, you could take a peek at your captors. Why are you here? In another prison?" 

I feel free here. 

Viren could not piece together what that meant. "This is quite literally the opposite of freedom, Aaravos." 

You're here aren't you? 

"I don't follow." 

You choose to be here. You could break out at anytime. Yet this is a prison you choose to sit in. Same here.  

Aaravos wanted to add on the fact that being with Viren made him feel...feel...liberated, but he did not want to overstep the lines that they had drawn. 

"I give up on trying to understand you. Crazy can't be reasoned with." 

Perhaps Aaravos was crazy. This was something he didn't really consider. Aaravos' mind spun. Perhaps he was really truly crazy, out of his mind, broken and lost because of Viren. But did it matter. Crazy or not, all he was left with was his fractured mind, the fire, the mirror, and the lingering scent of the blood of his child. 

Claudia is still asleep.

"Oh."

She talks in her sleep, too.

"I know. Once when she was five, she took a nap in the royal garden and when I finally found her she just said 'peanut butter' over and over again in her sleep."

She called out your name. Viren froze.

"What did she say?"

I'll save you, dad. I promise. Anything for family.

Viren stared at the ground, biting the inside of cheek strong enough to draw blood. He willed himself to not cry.

She loves you.

"I know. But I've done her wrong....I led her down the wrong path. Now she's-" Viren stifled a sob, a lone streak of blood dripped out of his mouth into the paper in his hand.