Son of Wind, Son of Fire

Prologue: Jesper

Jesper could smell the fire before they even arrived at his childhood home, relief washing over them when they saw that it was not the Fahey's home burning, though Jesper felt terrible for the family whose home was up in flames.

Wylan sat beside him, a handkerchief held against his nose and mouth, blocking out the smoke. His eyes flicked over and met Jesper's, fear in them. Wylan had been the first to comment on the smell of smoke, the first to realize it could very well be Jesper's old home that was burning. They had spurred their horses on even faster at that.

"It must be the Mkulima's.", Jesper said quietly as they got closer to the house, both of them watching the smoke billowing from the near horizon, though the trees that grew next to the river blocked their view of the house.

Colm was leaning against the door frame when they dismounted, Wylan finally shoving the cloth back into his pocket. Jesper strode over and pulled his father into a hug.

"We thought it was you for a bit.", he said softly to his father, who nodded.

"I figured you would, but there was no way to get word to the harbor to tell you, and I didn't know what road you were taking. Come inside, the air is cleaner.", he said, as Wylan walked over, Colm hugging his son-in-law as well.

Jesper led the way inside, Wylan following, Colm bringing up the rear and closing the door.

"I'm sorry you had to come when something so terrible is happening.", Colm said." And the sky won't be clear for another week or so, and you'll miss it.", he said, getting up and starting to make a pot of tea.

Jesper glanced at Wylan, the soft tug of a smile playing on his lips. He didn't need the Zemeni sky, not when he got to look into it everyday in Wylan's eyes. As Wylan caught his gaze, Jesper could tell Wylan knew what he was thinking, because he flushed a bit, glancing away quickly.

"But, let us enjoy being together while we can. I'll start on dinner."

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Later, while they were sitting around the table, eating and talking, a knock on the door interrupted their meal, all three of them glancing up, before Colm stood, Jesper and Wylan following suit. They all walked to the door, which Colm opened.

There, slightly soot-stained, his eyes wide, was Colm's neighbor, a man named Roland Bauernhof, a rather burly man with black hair streaked with grey, a small bundle wrapped up in his arms.

"Colm, good, your son is here. I was hoping he was.", Roland said softly, the bundle held against his chest with one arm, which he slowly pulled away, cradling the bundle.

Jesper felt Wylan's hand clutch his arm as Roland shifted the bundle, revealing a small, smoke-stained Zemeni face.

"His mother barely made it to our house before she died.", Roland said softly." He's only a few weeks old, he doesn't even have a name."

Wylan had taken a step forward before any of them could say a word, taking the small child, holding him close, looking down at him.

Jesper was at a loss for words for once in his life, watching Wylan and the child. He looked up to see Roland looking straight at him.

"He's a zowa.", he said softly, the words causing both Colm and Jesper to tense slightly, Wylan looking up.

"A what?", he asked, his question unnoticed.

"What kind?", Jesper asked softly.

"The same.", Roland said, his gaze not moving from Jesper.

"What is a zowa?", Wylan asked, looking between the other three, then down at the child.

"It... it's Zemeni for blessed, Wy.", Jesper said softly." It's their word for Grisha.", he said softly.

Wylan looked up sharply at that, meeting his boyfriend's eyes, before he looked back down at the baby." Then we have to take him in.", he said softly, gazing warmly down at the child." Give him a proper life. A proper family.", he said.

Jesper walked over, resting a hand on the boy's head. The small baby blinked his eyes open at that, looking up at them, his dark eyes, sparking defiantly, as though he had been daring the fire to hurt him, the dust on him shining with metal. Jesper brushed it off, meeting the small child's eyes.

"Matthias.", Wylan whispered, barely audible, then repeated himself, a bit louder." Matthias Helvar Fahey.", he said, taking Jesper aback, looking at him.

Colm and Roland, who had been speaking quietly, looked at them when they heard him. Colm looked a bit solemn, and nodded." It's very fitting. May he have all the strength and determination of his namesake.", he said softly, though Roland looked a bit confused, but merely nodded.

"That's a good, strong name.", he said.

Wylan nodded, his eyes not moving from Matthias' face. Jesper had seen that look before, in his father when he had been younger, the look that said quietly 'I will protect you with all my strength'.

He rested a hand on Matthias' head again, his other am looping around Wylan's waist.

"Matthias Helvar Fahey.", he repeated with a nod of confirmation, smiling down at the young child.

High above, a crow flew by, it's slick head titled slightly, an eye focused on the house surrounded by jurda, before it let out a harsh cry, and flew higher, disappearing into the sun.