by Toby Aden
“You are right. He was the best father we could have had. I sometimes think about what he would say when I am handling all this.” Aaeren waved his hand around to encompass the study as well as their land. “I was not ready to take over just yet. I knew it was coming, but I thought there would have been time. At least, a while after my mating…” Aaeren shook his head, unable to continue.
“I am sure he would be proud of you if he saw you now,” Yves said, offering a smile and a pat on the back of his brother. “And no matter what, I’ll always have your back. You do such a better job, and nothing suits you better. You have a loving mate who would do anything for you, a son who you love more than anything, and you have me and mother and this entire land. You are not alone, brother, and you are so much loved.”
Yves pulled his brother into a tight hug, holding on for dear life and passing comfort and strength. The two brothers held on to each other tightly, taking comfort from each other and reassurance.
Chapter Five
Over the next couple of weeks, Yves occupied himself by drawing and redrawing each and every angle he could remember of how he saw Apollo. He drew several portraits of Apollo with the scenes changing over the course of their entire meeting until he ran out of supplies. Then he ordered for more supplies and started the process all over again, transferring his emotions over to his art.
He missed Apollo, yearned for him with every day that passed and with each day felt himself going crazy to see his beloved again. He held each memory close to his heart so it wouldn’t become a faraway memory. He wanted to touch the other man again. To gaze longingly into those golden orbs that threatened to consume him and ravish him whole.
He walked the abandoned path every other day, going as far as the lawn a few feet away from the cottage, which sat idle on the wide stretch of land. He’d sometimes sit there for hours, just staring. Other times, he occupied himself by painting everything around him. But each time he didn’t see Apollo, his heart saddened a bit.
He wondered what it was that kept Apollo away from him for so long. Time seemed to slow down so that days stretched out or maybe that was all him. He just kept waiting, but somehow, the waiting seemed to be so long.
One day, he could not muster the energy to visit Apollo’s place, so instead, he made a detour, sticking to areas that were not very crowded. He wandered around for a while and kept moving with no real destination in mind. He kept walking, not really paying much attention to his surrounding until familiar voices drew him back into the present and to where he’d stumbled into.
He’d obviously forgotten, but every other weekend, his brother, Aaeren, took the time to spend with his family. With Radisq being a Water Fae, he constantly needed to express his affinity with the water bodies, hence Aaeren taking the time for his family. Also, with their son a breed of both the Water and Fire Fae, they needed to nurture both elements in the boy.
This weekend was one obviously set aside for family time, when Aaeren and Radisq got to be completely alone with each other and their son. Too late, he realized that he had intruded on their alone time and began backtracking before they spotted him. He must not have been very stealthy in escaping because Radisq looked up as he was backing away and spotted him.
Something in Yves’s expression must have touched Radisq because instead of frowning, he smiled welcomingly and waved him over. Yves hesitated awhile, debating within himself whether to take the necessary steps separating them or not. He was indecisive if he wanted company or not.
Finally, he moved forward, ready to accept the much-needed distraction this opportunity offered him. He settled down onto the grass beside Radisq, watching Aaeren play with Kelric in the water. They sat in silence together, neither saying a word, even though Yves could tell how much Radisq wanted to inquire about him.
Quietly, quietly, just like that, Yves was left alone to sort out his thoughts. The shrieking laughter and the waterfall sound, as well as every other activity around him, faded away. The crawling anxiety for something to happen, to snap him out of the severe desperation he had spiraled into, was constantly unbearable, and he wouldn’t stop twitching.
Tension rose between the two men, and Radisq could sense that Yves was so close to snapping, and he couldn’t stop himself from wanting to help. “What troubles you, Yves?”
Yves didn’t turn to regard Radisq nor did he acknowledge the question. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to tell someone, but saying something would make his situation all the more real, and he could not handle that. He didn’t know if he was strong enough to talk about this without breaking down and without all the worries and misgiving and insecurities trying to overpower him.
“I do not wish to intrude if you do not want me to, Yves. But I can tell that you have been strung so tightly lately, and I do not want to see you hurt yourself. If you are ready to talk with anyone, I am here for you, and I would never judge.”
Yves turned to glance briefly at Radisq then. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out and his throat dried out. He was at a loss as to what to say or how to even start, and he could feel the anxiety spiraling out of control.
Radisq apparently noticed it, too, for he took Yves’s hand in his and squeezed gently. “Breathe, Yves. Look at me. Follow my lead. In and out. Gently, gently,” Radisq coaxed, taking in deep breaths and releasing them through his mouth. He waited for Yves to copy him and then nodded in approval. “That’s it, Yves. There you go. In and out. Everything will work out.”
Yves could do nothing but nod and follow Radisq’s lead, breathing in deeply through his nose and then exhaling out his mouth. He glanced at Radisq and marveled once more at his brother’s mate. The man was kindness personified and gorgeous with his short, spiky blond hair and swirling blue-green eyes. He was slim and fit, almost similar in figure with Yves, except that where Radisq was at five feet ten, he was six feet with his orange-red long hair, which was mostly left braided, and his golden eyes, an attractive and scarce eye color for the Fire Fae.
“I have met my true mate.”
Radisq blinked in surprise at the unexpected turn of topic. “Did you just say what I think you said?”
Yves nodded and then leaned back onto the grass on one elbow so he could face Radisq. Now that he had started talking about it, he wasn’t sure he wouldn’t be able to stop from pouring out all the pent-up thoughts in his mind.
“When? Where? Who is he?” Radisq asked with excitement coloring his tone.
Yves laughed, but it was a bit mirthless and filled with longing. “It will be almost a month now since we last saw each other. We met only once and spent the whole day together, but I haven’t seen him since.”
“Why not? I thought you both would have taken the time to get to know each other better.”
Yves shrugged, shaking his head. “It is complicated. He is not one of us.”
“Of a different nation then?” Radisq asked, curious.
Again, Yves shook his head. “He is not Fae. I just—I do not even—it is too complicated to put into words. And he’s this awesome being, and he shines so brightly, I sometimes wonder what a person like him would want with someone like me. I’m not that special…”
“Now stop that line of talk!” Radisq snapped, cutting into Yves’s rambles. “You are so special and amazing that I’m shocked you don’t see it for yourself. Anyone would be proud to be your mate. I don’t care whoever he is or what status he has, but whoever your mate is, is definitely a lucky person to have you.”
“Thank you for saying that, Radisq. I think I needed to hear it.”
Radisq nodded and squeezed Yves’s shoulder in assurance. “Do you at least know when you will see this mate of yours again? Would he even be attending your coming-out party tomorrow?”
“And that is my biggest worry. That he might not be there for it tomorrow. I would have at least liked if I knew of the time frame he would return, but it appears I know nothing.”
At that, Radisq simply stared but
had no words. They were both quiet as they contemplated the dilemma Yves found himself in. It would have been crueler to offer shallow platitudes, so instead, they both simply gazed at Aaeren, who was still busy playing with his son, Kelric, in the water.
Chapter Six
The crowd parted from the far end of the mansion at the door with gasps and excited flutters causing a ripple throughout the room. Yet with all the excitement, Yves felt nothing but a hollowness burrow deep within his chest. He was not feeling his coming-out celebration and wished they had delayed or forgotten about it. Only tradition kept him from absenting himself from the whole fiasco.
He sat slumped in his chair, with a hand supporting the weight of his head and eyes closed as he tried to will his mind away from his noisy surroundings. He was even less interested in the sudden excitement the crowd was showing. He just wanted the whole thing to be over so he could leave and continue wallowing in the depression that had overtaken him.
Never in his wildest expectations had he imagined that this was how he would feel or spend his coming-out party. It was usually an occasion every Fae looked forward to and anticipated with great excitement. Finding a fated mate even earlier than the hundredth year was considered more of a blessing as there was no wait in searching for one’s mate.
However, for Yves, this was not so. The giddiness and exhilaration of finding his mate a month earlier had worn off. It had been replaced by the constant weariness and pain he felt with every pull of longing to see Apollo.
“Why so glum, youngling?”
The smoky, sultry voice pulled him back into the festivity around him immediately. Yves’s eyes popped wide open in surprise, and he raised his head to gaze right at his mate. It took him a while to convince himself that Apollo really was standing before him and it wasn’t just a figment of his imagination.
“Not happy to see me, youngling?”
“Apollo!” Instantly, Yves was on his feet and throwing himself into the arms of his true mate.
The force of his movement pushed Apollo back a step, and the other man deftly caught Yves and wrapped him in his arms. Chuckling, Apollo allowed Yves to hold on as tightly as he wished while running his own hands over him.
It had taken more time than Apollo had anticipated to settle matters back in his own home dimension and not a minute passed by did he not think of his beloved youngling. He had missed the other man extremely badly, and he could just imagine how Yves had coped.
“No! Yes! I mean I am so happy to see you. Where were you? Why did you stay away for so long? I looked and I missed you and I worried, and the worst was I had no idea what was going on or if you were okay…”
“Shh. Shh, my love. I’m here now.” Apollo slicked his hand down Yves’s hair, comforting his agitated beloved. “I am sorry I was gone for so long. I will not leave you again, youngling. Look at me.” Apollo pulled back but was met with resistance. Yves was not willing to let go of his viselike grip around Apollo’s neck or even pull back away from where he was buried against Apollo’s neck.
No matter what, Yves refused to release his hold on Apollo, and the other man only got Yves to pull back slightly and then bend so that Yves stood back on the soles of his feet and they were eye to eye.
“I missed you, too, Yves.”
And with that, Apollo took Yves’s mouth in a slow, sensual kiss. A whimper escaped from Yves, and Apollo cupped Yves’s cheek in his palm and pressed his lips softly against his mate’s. The kiss wasn’t demanding. It was reverent, gentle, and exploratory.
Ever so slowly, coaxing, Apollo parted Yves’s lips and slipped the tip of his tongue into the dark, moist heat awaiting exploration. When Yves’s knees buckled, Apollo was there to catch him, wrapping his strong arm around the small of the shorter man’s back and cinching the other man tightly against him.
Yves felt Apollo pushing his tongue deeper into his mouth, pulling Yves’s tongue out to play. Soon, Yves began to copy Apollo’s movement, sucking hungrily at the other man’s tongue. Winding his arms around Apollo’s neck, he pressed closer to Apollo’s body. He was desperate to get closer, to feel through the barrier of clothing every inch of Apollo’s body. His hunger for Apollo knew no bounds, growing exponentially with each passing second as it became clearer that this was not some fevered fantasy. This was actually happening, and he was going to enjoy every minute of it.
When they ran out of breath, Apollo pulled his mouth away from Yves’s, but the other man was having none of it and tried to pull his mate back in. Apollo wouldn’t allow that though as he pulled Yves back into his arms to allow the other man to calm down a bit.
“Easy, easy, love. We do not want to give your family a show.”
Yves groaned, pressing into Apollo, and Apollo chuckled, lifted his mate into his arms, and twirled the other man around and around, uncaring about their audience. Yves let out a surprised laugh, allowing himself to sink into the pleasure of having this man’s arms around him once more.
“Put me down, you big oaf!” Yves said on an uncontrollable giggle. He felt as though all his worries and troubles up till a few minutes ago were all wiped away without a single memory of them left.
He’d found peace once more and love from this god who wanted and needed him just as much as he wanted and needed him, too. The presence of the man, or god, filled him up so right that everything else just seemed to vanish. He’d loved how he felt a month ago when he first met Apollo, and that feeling only increased with their reunion.
Apollo stopped spinning and set the other man down and then pressed a kiss to the side of his head before taking his hand in his crook of his arm. “Introduce me to your family, love.”
They walked forward a bit but came to a screeching halt when Yves suddenly stopped moving and turned around to face Apollo.
“Everything okay, love?”
“How long are you here for?” Yves demanded.
“What?”
“How long are you here for? I need to know and prepare myself if you will be leaving for some parts unknown without any words over a long period of time,” Yves said, serious and furious.
“Ah!” Apollo exclaimed, nodding his head in understanding. “You are angry with me.” Apollo snaked his arm around Yves’s waist and pulled him flush against his own body. “I am sorry for being away for such a long time and not keeping in touch. Will you forgive me?” Apollo whispered, his lips a hairsbreadth away from Yves’s.
Yves frowned, or tried to keep his frown in place, but he could not resist the ridiculous expression on Apollo’s face. Ducking his head, a shy smile played on his lips before he peeked up through thick lashes at the wonderful man before him and nodded. He felt giddy and delighted when Apollo leaned farther down and placed a peck on his lips and then one on his forehead before straightening to his full height. His hand was taken into slightly bigger ones, and their fingers laced together and squeezed in gentle reassurance.
From the corner of his eyes, Yves spied his family—his mother, Radisq, and Aaeren—watching the both of them, and he couldn’t help his body’s reaction of flushing with both passion and shyness. He buried his face further into Apollo’s chest, taking in a deep breath and inhaling the sweet scent of his mate. He pressed a kiss to Apollo’s chest, then looked up into his mesmerizing golden gaze, and smiled blindingly up at him.
“Want to meet my family now?”
Apollo brought their combined hands up and dropped a kiss to Yves’s knuckles. “It would be my pleasure.”
Yves leaned up and kissed Apollo on the cheek before proceeding to drag the other man along with him toward his mother where she stood with Kelric, Aaeren and Radisq’s son.
“Mother, I would like to introduce you to my mate, Apollo. Apollo, my mother, the queen dowager Arianna.”
Apollo took Arianna’s hand into his and laid a kiss to her knuckle, grinning bewitchingly at the female. “A pleasure to meet you, your highness. I see where Yves got his beauty.”
Arianna laughed. “Please, ca
ll me Arianna.” Turning to regard Yves, Arianna winked at her son. “Such a charmer you’ve got here, son.”
“He certainly is that,” Yves agreed with a dreamy smile on his face as he regarded Apollo.
“I’m sure. However, should you hurt my son or put him through the misery of the past month, as I am assuming you are the cause of that, I will be most displeased, and you do not want to see me displeased.”
With all seriousness, Apollo nodded. “I am sorry for the part I played in that and will most definitely put Yves’s happiness before my own.”
Arianna nodded in satisfaction and then smiled once more, all lovely and sweet as compared to the threat she’d made just minutes ago. “Have you met my grandson?”
Apollo shook his head. “I have not. However, I have heard a lot about him.”
Arianna smiled at the child. “This is Kelric, the son of my eldest son, Aaeren, and his mate, Radisq.”
Turning, they faced Aaeren and Yves made the introductions. “This is my brother, King Aaeren, and his royal mate and consort of the Water Kingdom, Radisq, and their son, my nephew, Prince Kelric.” Turning to smile up at Apollo, Yves continued without turning away from the other man, “And this is my mate, Apollo.”
Apollo inclined his head. “A pleasure to meet you both.”
“A pleasure indeed,” Aaeren said wryly, his face stoic as he examined the man before him. “If you would, I would like a word with you.”
“Aaeren…” Yves began protesting, no doubt realizing that his brother was raring to give Apollo a tongue lashing and not of the fun kind.
“Lead the way, Majesty,” Apollo said, his voice equally droll. He squeezed Yves’s shoulder in reassurance and then walked after a retreating Aaeren.
Apollo walked through the crowd of people present for his mate’s coming-out celebration party, and the music came to a stop as they proceeded out of the ballroom. The moment they exited the room, Apollo heard the music resume in their wake. Meanwhile, Aaeren continued his march into what served as his study.
