Ephemeral Affairs [MXM]

A Series of Unexpected Events Part IV

Powerful Northern winds come after Artemis and the others left Osay, and with them also a winter storm.

The children are glued to Alosrin, fearing that Da'an Ryul might try to harm him as he did to others.

"Why does the Regent want you as his prisoner?" Arabret asks and drops his book onto the desk.

Alosrin who is playing with Jaufasi shrugs his shoulders, "Why does anyone want anything?"

Arabret also shrugs his shoulders in response.

"I want my mommy," Jaufasi pouts.

"You shouldn't be such a baby. Dad's going to save mom right now," Arabret rolls his eyes and picks his book back up.

"But he is a baby," Niowei says while continuing her studies. "Look at him. We've grown but he isn't a day older the first time we met him."

The Kalorian Prince lowers his book with a raised brow, "Of course he has grown. He's just small."

"No. He is still the same baby he was—"

"Why don't we go to dinner?" Alosrin picks Jaufasi up and gestures toward the door of the study room.

The two older children stare at one another, but give in and follow Alosrin and Jaufasi to the dining hall.

"I want to walk," Jaufasi pushes himself away from Alosrin and wiggles to be released.

As soon as Alosrin lets Jaufasi go to walk beside Arabret, Niowei raises an arm up, "I would like to hold your hand, mommy."

"Yes," Alosrin smiles and takes his daughter's hand.

While walking behind the two brothers, Niowei grips onto her mother's hand, "I'm sorry. I know shouldn't had said anything about Jaufasi's real identity to Arabret."

"It's okay, darling. I know you like to be correct people, but please be more careful next time."

Niowei nods her head in disappointment.

They continue onward to the dining hall, and there sits Da'an Ryul at the head of the table, waiting for his guests.

The tall glass windows are drawn to reveal the blizzard in the dark sky even if there isn't anything to see beyond that.

Da'an Ryul reaches his arms for Jaufasi, but Arabret drags his little brother to sit with Alosrin.

"Prince Arabret," Da'an Ryul chuckles as he speaks the little boy's name.

"I didn't think a busy ruler would have time to eat dinner with us when the city, if not the kingdom, needs him so desperately in such weather," Alosrin seats Jaufasi on his lap, Niowei to his left, and Arabret to his right.

"Like you said Alosrin of Enzumin, I am a very busy but also a capable ruler. It's a flick of a hand to make things go my way," Da'an Ryul gestures for the food to be served.

The children wait patiently for Alosrin to give them the go ahead.

"It is most certainly safe, Alosrin of Enzumin," Da'an Ryul chuckles and takes the first bite of every item. "Please eat."

And as they eat, the Regent observes his candidates and asks Alosrin, "Are you not going to ask me why I want you as my prisoner?"

"I don't need to know. I just need to stay here until my promised time is up," Alosrin answers as he makes sure the children aren't being picky about their food.

Niowei only eats the flowers on her plate, so Alosrin turns to her, "What's wrong? Are you not hungry?"

"No. I am, but I don't want my mouth to be in pain," Niowei winces at the unforgettable experience.

Arabret giggles at first, then goes to sit beside her, "How about I help explain each food for you."

"It may be a good idea to have a Princess of Aarth be the future Queen of Kalor," Da'an Ryul slowly chews on his food. "It has been discussed in every generation, but perhaps it is I who will mold it into reality."

The elf glares at the table's head with an indifferent attitude.

The Regent bursts into laughter after he had invoked the expression he wanted out of Alosrin, "I meant for Prince Arabret. Definitely not your daughter and I."

Yet Alosrin stays silent as he glares stoically at the mortal.

"Me too," Jaufasi spreads his arms toward Niowei's plate where Arabret and Niowei eat together.

When dinner is over, they bathe, and go to bed.

Alosrin asks the little boys, "Do you sleep alone or with your dad?"

"With daddy," Jaufasi answers as he climbs onto the large bed.

Arabret goes to the drawer beside the bed and brings out the Dawerilium nails, "I can't sleep without them."

"Why do you have these?" Alosrin asks the little boy who stays silent, unable to give Alosrin a proper answer.

The elf opens his palms, "May I put them away? They are very dangerous for your health and safety including anyone who comes into contact with them."

"No. They aren't dangerous. I slept with them ever since mom was taken and nothing bad has had happened yet," Arabret hides the Dawerilium nails behind his back.

Alosrin smiles painfully and asks, "May I speak with you privately about your mom?"

Arabret takes another long look at the nails before giving Alosrin a nod.

They move to the other side of the room where Niowei hugs Jaufasi to sleep first.

"Arabret, do you remember how your mom looked like before he was taken away?" Alosrin makes a worried look for the young child to understand.

The little boy nods.

"These were stuck in his arms and legs, right?" Alosrin asks patiently.

"Just because they were stuck in mom doesn't mean they killed him," Arabret grips on them tighter with an even poutier lips.

But before Alosrin could explain, Arabret looks up at the emerald eyes, "I know my argument wasn't good. I know these killed mom and he told me to keep them safe from everyone and anyone, but they're the only thing I have to remember mom by..."

He pushes the Dawerilium nails onto Alosrin, "Mom is coming back. I can live without them."

"Yes—"

And the little boy runs off to bed beside his little brother.

Alosrin stares back and forth between the mortal boy and the Dawerilium nails, in awe of what happened. He was going to argue until he took the Dawerilium nail away and completely unexpected of Arabret's emotional integrity.

The elf returns the Dawerilium nails back into the drawer until he can dispose of them in Enzumin when he returns.

Usually around this time, if not for the storm, the sun would still only be scratching the earth's surface, and yet a sleeping spell befalls both Alosrin and the children.

Deep into the night, the door cracks open without subtlety and the Regent enters the sleeping chamber with a sinister grin of victory.

He brings a chair and sits beside the bed next to Alosrin. Slowly but confidently he takes off the thick cover that hides Alosrin's body.

"Truly a beauty to be behold," Da'an Ryul's finger glades down the dark elvish cheek.

His hand slides down to the abdominal area and closes his eyes, "A vacant womb just like I expected. This is a good place to plant my successor."