Gods of Malcea ✔️

T W E N T Y - S E V E N

"Beauty, more than bitterness, makes the heart break. It is merciless. You do not look at it, it looks at you and does not forgive."

-Xamdú

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Fariel saw the way Karos had been looking at Ake. Ever since the Day of Ember, Karos had sought out Ake in every dance that could be offered to someone of his station. He saw how he smiled. He saw how he laughed. He knew then that they had grown far much closer since he saw Ake leave the hall.

He pursed his lips and continued to tune out the music. As he walked closer to the thrones, Fariel made sure to put on a drunken act. He could play the fool for as long as need be. In time, everything shall be done, he thought with a smile.

"My Majesties..." Fariel sounded slurred and he wobbled a bit as he tried to bend down to bow. The queen looked angry and stricken all at once. He noticed her hands balling into fists into her lap. As Ake's father tried to reach for her arm, she moved it away and hissed.

He began to walk away, and, soon, cut around the back so he could be in earshot of the conversation about to erupt.

"Samirah, my love, what is the matter?"

"Do you not see?" she whispered with anger.

Fariel moved closer.

"Do you not see what is happening? You are allowing a human to openly court my son! The rumors are true, My Lord, and we should not breathe any more truth to those words."

He saw as the king brushed his beard with his index and thumb finger, still looking towards the dancers until he saw his eyes fixate Ake.

"So if the rumors are true...so if he had fallen in love with a human."

"My Lord! This- this is intolerable! It is a bad omen," she hissed once more.

"He is in love."

"He is naive."

"He is happy."

"He is foolhardy."

"Samirah, let him be in love. Let him find solace within someone who can gladly give it. We cannot be everything to him, as you know that."

Fariel watched as she shook her head with a fervor. There were tears forming in her eyes, whether from sadness or anger, he could not tell.

"He is my only child, my only son," her voice broke, "and I worry."

"He is mine as well."

"You have four others to replace him! I have but one!"

"All my children are dear to my heart." The king placed his hands on hers, giving it a good squeeze. "Do not think such thoughts again."

She covered half of her face with her free hand before she broke out into a low sob.

"Shhh now, Samirah. All will be well."

"It will not. The God of Mercy will not have this. He will not have it."

"A human is better than a phoenix. Their lives are short, but a flutter of an eyelid compared to ours. Let him have this."

"He is a naive, foolish child. Not even three hundred, My Lord."

Fariel saw as he smiled at his queen. It made his heart sink for he saw all the love in his eyes he had for her. It was the same look Fariel saw in Ake's, and he knew that their love would not be so short-lived.

"Love makes fools of us all." He began wiping at her eyes before the tears could drop down to her cheeks. "If he feels for the human what I feel for you, why would I ever deny him such a feeling?"