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Chapter Text

Year One

She was his Kalah. His beloved, his sweetheart. More than a friend. More than his closest friend, even.

She was the moon in his sky, bright and shining and always there to light up his path.

~

“Come on, then. I’ve got you. Let me get you in bed.” 

Asra cradled Aisling tight against his chest as he stood up from the floor, then gently laid Aisling down on the mattress, on his side. He tucked his pillow under her head, then brought the blankets up to her waist. Then higher up to cover her bare chest, because how rude of him to let her be naked in front of a stranger. He turned and opened the window, then, letting the light stream in to illuminate the crystals and reflect their colors onto the bed and Aisling herself, taking a glance over his shoulder to see her eyes glistening like rainbow pools as she looked at the colorful crystals and gems, then to Asra again. And he smiled, though his bottom lip trembled, and he quickly looked away.

“Let’s get you in some clothes, shall we?” Asra spoke again, his voice carrying a light tone, but the breath he exhaled to speak those words was heavy with sorrow and heartbreak.

But he knew this could have been the case. He would have her, without having her . He knew. And it would have to be enough, unless he could help her remember. So he’d just have to help her remember. Eventually.

“Can you see over here?” Asra turned to face her when he reached the closet, and her head turned towards him. After a moment she nodded slowly, and he smiled again.

“Okay, Aisling.” Asra took in a deep breath, then started through the clothes in her closet, showing them off one by one. He glanced down at the box he’d gotten from Ilya, full of her things from his home, and pushed it a bit further into the closet. He wasn’t ready to open that, yet.

“This one?” Asra paused when she squeaked at him, and he pulled out a light blue top that Asra recognized as his own, and he glanced back at Aisling. “Are you sure?”

Aisling gave him a small smile and a single nod, and he smiled back.

“I’m just going to put you in some shorts, okay?” Asra said quickly, snatching a pair from the top shelf, a pair of underwear from her drawer, then bringing the clothes over to her. “Is it okay if I dress you?”

Aisling looked back to the window, then nodded and closed her eyes.

“I suppose I have to for now,” Asra murmured mostly to himself.

He was gentle as he lifted her arms and her head to slip into his shirt, easing it down over her breasts and torso and laying it to rest against her skin. Then he slid her underwear and shorts up her legs, lifting her hips to bring the fabrics up and over her backside, then settled her back down on the bed. He looked up at her face, seeing her eyes still closed, and her lips parted slightly. 

“Aisling?” 

But there was no reply, and he rested his hand over her chest. But her heart still beat, loud and strong and in time with his own, and he let out a relieved breath. He wondered if she’d gone back to sleep.

“I’ll be right back, okay?” He whispered to her, brushing her hair from her face and leaning down to press a soft kiss to her forehead, and then he stood up and left the room, closing the door but leaving it cracked as he walked into the bathroom.

And then he broke.

Asra nearly fell to the floor, having to grip onto the sink as his legs buckled to keep himself upright. He had her back, yes, but he didn’t have her . Their room was now her room, and he knew he would have to move out his things so it would be just hers once again. He would have to move into the room beside hers, which hadn’t been anyone’s room for many years, and Ilya being the last resident, even if it was just for an hour or two. He could feel his body trembling as the tears poured from his eyes, soaking his cheeks and quivering lips before dripping off his chin. He didn’t want to be away from her. He didn’t want to be the boy in the room next door. He wanted to be as close as he could possibly be to her. To wake up each and every day beside her, to show her he was there , finally, for her, forever and always. Tell her he loved her, as many times as he could, to make up for every time he should have, and every time he didn’t. But he couldn’t . And he didn’t know if he ever could. Or if he ever would.  

Because if they never got as close as they were before, he wouldn’t be able to hurt her again. 

If he never woke up beside her, she’d never miss him not being there. If he never held her each night, kissed her over breakfast, whispered his affection as they shared a bath, she’d never be able to miss those things, or hurt from them being gone. From him being gone. Because he’d have to leave her, he knew. He had to help keep her shop going still, because he promised he would. And he didn’t know how long he’d be able to hide his feelings from her without hurting himself .  Always running away from his feelings. He let out a pained chuckle filled with sorrow. After everything, all he’d done, still, he had to run away from her. Still. Would he ever be able to love her as she deserved? Would they ever have a love that was real?

Friend?

Asra looked up to the mirror to see Faust looking back, and she flicked her tongue at him reassuringly. 

“Friend…doesn’t remember us, Faust.”

Help friend?

“If I can,” Asra whispered, shutting his eyes and squeezing a few more tears from them. “If I can, I will.”

Find help! 

“I will!” Asra gasped out the words before clenching his jaw, and then he took a few deep breaths and wiped the tears from his eyes. “I will. I’m going to help her.”

Love friend.

“I know you do. I do too, you know I do.”

Faust raised up and pressed her snout against Asra’s cheek as if to kiss, then curled up around his neck again. 

Change.

Asra looked down at his masquerade outfit, swallowing at how different he felt in it, then quickly waved it away until he was in his usual white shirt and khaki pants. And he let out a relieved breath. 

“That’s not the only thing I need to change,” Asra murmured, taking another glance at himself at the mirror and wiping his eyes once more on his sleeve before turning and heading back into Aisling’s room.

For a moment he just stood in the doorway, seeing her just as she was before, and he allowed himself a smile. He quietly tiptoed around the room, picking up everything that was his and carrying it to the room over. His shoes, his scarves, his hat, his clothes, his coats. His bag, his crystals, his books, his compass. But before he took the compass with him, he held it in his hand. Two spins, and it slowed to face Aisling. He closed his eyes and let out a relieved sob, then bit his lip, swallowed his tears, wiped his eyes, and continued on. And when everything that was his was gone, besides his pillow, blanket, and everything that was his that he’d really given her anyway, he returned to sit beside her on the bed. 

“Aisling?” He spoke softly, reaching out and gently touching her arm. 

When she didn’t respond, he laid down to rest on his side and faced her, daring to hold her hand in his. And that’s where he’d stay, as long as it took for her to wake up once again. 

Aisling, in her slumber, was falling. Falling endlessly within a darkness unfamiliar to her, with nothing but her own fear to accompany her. She reached above her, hoping to grab something, anything, or some one . Hoping he would save her. And she felt his fingers close around hers.

Asra-

She was startled awake by the sound of her own voice, her heart quickening as she looked around the room and seeing a room , not the enclosing darkness. It was just a dream, but it felt so real . All of it. The darkness, the fear, the hope, the love , the hand around hers.

She flexed her fingers, eyes widening when she felt a hand around hers. And when she turned her head, he was there beside her, eyes closed. And although a small smile was peacefully curved on his lips, his cheeks were glistening with tear stains. 

 Aisling’s lips parted then, and she willed herself to speak, to say his name as she’d done in her dream, but all that came out was a squeak. And she frowned, her lips twitching in irritation at her own self, then sighed.

But her pathetic attempt was enough for Asra’s eyes to open again, and she wondered if he had really been asleep. He pulled his hand away from hers and raised up onto his elbow.

“Are you okay?” He asked, his eyebrows curving in worry.

After the moment it took her to understand his words, she gave a small nod.

“Are you, ah…hungry?”

Aisling blinked, and she watched his cheeks flush as he looked away from her as if it were awkward for him to ask. And she laughed.

Laughed. Asra’s heart soared at the sound, and his eyes shed tears all over again as he looked back at her, a smile growing on his lips. He didn’t expect to hear her laugh, not so soon, not when she couldn’t even speak, or walk, or knew where she was, or who he was, or who she was. No, he expected a laugh would have been the last thing he would have ever heard. 

“What?” He asked as he wiped his eyes on his sleeve and laughed with her. And he realized it was stupid to ask since she couldn’t respond. “I mean-”

Aisling let out a sigh and looked away from him for a moment to the crystals by the window.

“Sorry, that was stupid,” Asra continued, sitting up and rubbing his face with his hands. 

Aisling looked at Asra again, then tapped her fingers on the bed until he looked at her again. When he did, she gave him a small nod. 

“Okay,” Asra smiled and stood up. “I’ll be back, then.”

After he walked out of the room, Aisling tried to sit up. She took in a deep breath, then another, then willed her arms to move. And she shook, her body shaking with the effort, until she inevitably had to give up. But she wasn’t going to give up. So she tried again. And again, she trembled, but bit by bit her arms slid back until her hands were at her ribs. Then she tried to push herself up. 

That didn’t go so well, only barely managing to move her weight before she dropped again, and she let out a shaking breath, feeling her heart racing with the effort.

And Asra felt it, too. His own heart racing in his chest. And even though he hadn’t heard anything, he peeked back into Aisling’s room, seeing she had shifted just a little. He watched her for a moment more, seeing her try to push herself up but not being able to do so, and he almost went in there to help her. But he decided to let her try on her own, and if she couldn’t by the time he came back, he would help her then. So he went back to the kitchen and looked around for a moment, not really sure what to make. Eventually he decided on something simple, keeping his hand over his heart as he made her cinnamon and honey oatmeal. 

No, he didn’t have the stomach to eat anything himself, and he wondered if she even would considering everything that just happened with her. Or if she even really understood what he asked. He dropped his head back and sighed, staring up at the ceiling for a moment as the realization of how difficult this could be for both of them formed in his mind. But it didn’t matter how difficult it would be, because Asra would power through for both of them and make it as easy for her as he possibly could. Whatever it took to keep her happy. He’d do anything for her. Anything.

Right now, though, he was just making oatmeal. And that wasn’t very difficult at all. A small sacrifice of the ingredients for what he hoped would be a little happiness and warmth in her stomach. So he stirred, and he smiled, and his heart continued to drum loud and strong underneath his palm. When he was finished, he took the bowl and a glass of water back into the bedroom, stopping in the doorway to see Aisling had scooted herself halfway up the pillow. She turned her head to look at him, giving him a weak smile that said I tried , and he chuckled and smiled back before walking over to her side of the bed and setting the food and drink on the end table. Then he held his hands out to her.

“Let me help,” he murmured, hooking his hands underneath her arms and lifting her up, then adjusting the pillow to rest behind her back as he leaned her against the headboard. “There, that’s better, isn’t it?”

Asra grabbed the bowl again, holding it between them, and when he raised his eyes to meet hers he saw she was watching the trembling of his hand as he held the bowl. Then her eyes raised to meet his. Her lips parted, she wanted to speak, he realized, and she closed her eyes before even attempting.

“Here,” Asra said quickly, taking her hand and bringing it up to hold the bowl, and keeping his hand on top of hers to help. Then he took her other hand and brought it to the spoon in the bowl. “Can you hold this?”

Aisling’s eyes took on a look of focus as she willed her fingers to move, and she smiled and gave a small nod when her fingers curled around the utensil.

“Okay, here we go,” Asra said, lifting Aisling’s hand to bring the spoon out of the bowl.

But his eyes widened, because the oatmeal sank through the gaps of what was actually a fork and not a spoon.

“Oh…I grabbed the wrong thing. I guess I’m feeding you oatmeal with a fork.”

It will take forever to feed me, then .

The words arose from somewhere deep within Aisling’s mind, as if they were an echo from somewhere far away, and her eyes widened, because that was her own voice speaking them. And when Asra moved her hand to touch the oatmeal covered fork to her lips, and she moved her tongue to taste it, the flavors were too familiar to her and she didn’t know why, and her bottom lip trembled.

Good thing I’ve got forever.

Her eyes snapped up to Asra, hearing his voice, but not seeing him speak. And with those unspoken words came a pain so sudden that it caused her eyes to squeeze shut and pushed a broken cry from her lungs.

“Woah, woah-” Asra quickly dropped the fork back into the bowl and set it aside, seeing Aisling’s body begin to tremble and her jaw clench, and he put his hands on either side of her face. “Kalah? What’s the matter? What’s happening?!” 

But she didn’t answer, not that she could , anyway.

“Faust, what’s happening?!”

The familiar wound around Asra’s arm and then around Aisling’s shoulders, taking a moment to press her snout against the pulse on Aisling’s neck.

It was them, there, on the bed. That bed. Neither of them were dressed. She laid down, he pounced after her, and the bed rocked. She smelled of lavender and rose, he smelled like raspberries, and they talked of him feeding her oatmeal with a fork. And how it would take forever. And it did.

Good thing we had forever .

Aisling’s eyes rolled in the back of her head as she tried to remember , the memory there , but stuck as if it were somewhere else, and it was hurting as these pieces of it, these sights, smells, and words, tried to put themselves together in her mind.

Memory hurting.

“M-Memory? What memory?” Asra looked around frantically. “Can I make it stop?!”

He looked from Aisling to Faust, to the oatmeal on the table, and he closed his eyes for a moment as he thought of what she could be trying to remember. Then he remembered, and he swallowed back his emotions before he spoke a few words and touched Aisling’s forehead. There was a light glow against her skin, a comforting warmth, a blanketing darkness, and it consumed everything that was hurting her and left her empty once again. And she stilled.

“Aisling?” Her name was a worried whisper against Asra’s lips as he waited.

And he waited. And waited. He held her head up with one hand and tucked her hair behind her ear with the other. Finally she stirred again, her eyes fluttering open and she looked at Asra. 

For a moment Asra wondered if she had forgotten him all over again, if he’d have to introduce himself to her again , and the idea of that killed him. But she blinked away her hazy confusion and looked at the oatmeal on the end table, then down at Faust wrapped around her neck, then back up to Asra with recognition, although her lips curved down in worry.

“Are you okay? Are you hurting?” Asra asked as he let her go.

Her eyebrows furrowed in thought, but she couldn’t remember anything, or why she would be in pain. So she shook her head, and Asra let out a relieved breath.

“Good. Ah…Do you know who I am?”

Aisling blinked again and raised an eyebrow in confusion, then nodded. Then looked up at the ceiling, sighed, and back down to Asra with a look in her eyes that said well. not really . But she smiled.

Asra chuckled. “Okay, well, good. That’s okay. I’m going to make something different for you, I ah…don’t think oatmeal is a good idea right now.” 

Again Aisling frowned, but she could only watch as Asra took the bowl and disappeared out of the room without another word.

She closed her eyes and leaned her head back, letting out a deep breath as a feeling of calm moved through her like a rolling tide. Rushing up to soothe her, and pulling something away as it ebbed. What it took from her she’d never know, but she didn’t fret, because the comfort it brought was enough for her to forget any worries she had, and put her in a bit of a foggy trance. It was almost enough to send her back to sleep, because even though she felt like she had been sleeping for forever, she was tired , and she couldn’t explain it. Or anything, for that matter. 

But she fought another wave of sleep and opened her eyes again, focusing on the crystals and beautiful trinkets on the window sill. Then the curtains, the color of the walls, the dream catchers that hung from the ceiling, and the little stars stuck there, too. Over to her closet, then, seeing less clothes than she’d seen before. The chair in the corner, the shoes by the dresser, the little trinkets on top of it. Then the snake wrapped around her neck raised up and pressed its warm snout against her cheek, and she jumped and glanced over to it.

Okay?

Aisling blinked and gave the snake a small nod, and it flicked its tongue at her in response. The snake’s…voice was like a thought in her mind, an echo, almost, and she wondered if she could think back. Her eyes squinted a little as she thought of the word okay , and the snake blinked at her and flicked her tongue.

Okay!

Aisling’s eyes widened and she let out a surprised laugh, then raised her hand to pet the snake’s head, her arm trembling with the effort.

“What’s going on in here?” Asra leaned over to peek through the doorway, smiling at Aisling’s laugh and looking between her and Faust. 

Friend okay!

Asra blinked, his smile wavering a little as his bottom lip trembled, and he took in a breath to speak but then decided against it and went back to the kitchen, instead. 

Aisling blinked at his sudden appearance and absence, then let out a soft sigh and dropped her arm to the bed once again. Again, her eyes closed. Again, she slept.

And again, Asra sat in what was once her chair, face in his hands as he buried his tears in his palms, the rest of his emotions getting hidden away deep within him once again as he forced himself to accept he had to start his relationship with Aisling over from the very, very beginning.

~

Chapter Text

Farewell now, my love, send me off with a kiss

Heave away, straight ahead, Ilyushka

The tears are as salty and deep as the sea

But my sailor’s heart is keen to go

~

Julian found himself to be nervous as he pulled the hood of a cloak over his head. He held his white plague mask to his chest, hiding it under the cloak as he stepped into the empty barrel. He glanced at Mazelinka, who just raised an eyebrow at him.

“Well, go on then!” She urged, waving her hand at him. 

“Er…am I going to fit?” Julian looked down at his legs.

“Ya better! Or you’re not going anywhere.” Mazelinka grabbed Julian’s shoulders and tugged.

The two of them were alone at the back of The Rowdy Raven. While Barth tended to the customers unaware of their presence out front, Mazelinka borrowed one of his rum barrels and was trying to shove Julian down into it. He crouched as best as he could, called out a wait wait wait- , readjusted once, twice, wiggled a bit, stood again and muttered a string of curses in another language in which Mazelinka smacked him on the back of the head and he cried out an ow! , then wiggled, twisted, and squished himself in with the help of a hard push on his shoulders.

“Aha!” Julian let out a triumphant cry, then took in as deep a breath as he could and let it back out.

“Shh!” Mazelinka chuckled and grabbed the barrel lid. “Quit bein’ so loud if you’re wanting to sneak out! Now duck!”

Julian muttered a sorry and wiggled down a little more before bending his head, and Mazelinka popped the lid of the barrel on top of him. He heard her pat the top and then walk away, and Julian took in a few shaky breaths before closing his eyes and adjusting to the incredibly cramped space. 

After a few minutes she came back with Barth to accompany her, and the two of them loaded Julian up into a wagon with a few other barrels and supplies. And then they left.

The ride was bumpy all the way back to the dock, and Julian did his best to keep himself from making any noise as they stopped a few times for Mazelinka to talk with passerbys and guards. When they reached the bay, Mazelinka’s crew came out to help her load the barrels into the hull of the ship. Eventually the movement and noise died down, and Julian was left alone. He waited a few more minutes, just to be sure, but when no one else came down he pushed off the lid and took in a gasping breath as he lifted his head and opened his chest. Then he tried to get out, and that certainly took more effort than he expected. He wiggled and twisted, trying to get free of the barrel, but he ended up knocking himself over and rolling himself into another barrel and a couple bottles that fell over and clinked against each other. 

Julian cursed and felt like he was wrestling with his own barrel as he fought to get out of it, and when he was finally free of it he starfished on the floor. At first a feeling of relief washed over him, because he had escaped, and he was going somewhere else. But then that relief faded away, and the worries he’d suppressed poured out from the cage he’d put them in. And as he held up his white plague mask, those worries formed into tears and poured from his eyes, and he made no effort to stop them.

“What did I do, Lukyan?” He whispered to the mask, then flipped it around and rested it on the top of his face, breathing in cinnamon and apple. Asra .

Still, he couldn’t remember. So he went back, all the way back to the beginning, to the day Asra walked into his office. And he squeezed the tears from his eyes, because he knew he felt something that day. But as he remembered, as he saw Asra’s golden skin, violet eyes, and soft curved lips, he couldn’t remember what he felt. Why he was drawn to Asra like he was. Loneliness from working at the palace, certainly. No, that wasn’t fair to him, that couldn’t have been it. Was it? Had he just been using Asra all along? 

“No-” He put his hand on the mask to press it tighter against his face and he took another breath. 

But there was so much missing . Gaps, large gaps taken from the past several months . The plague, it had to have been the plague. Must have been. But he was getting away from it all, now. The Palace, the clinic, the plague-

Asra .

Would he ever see Asra again? Would Asra ever want to see him again? Did he want to see Asra ever again? One day, of course. He had to make things right. Now, though, he was laying in the hull of a ship swimming in his own tears.

Pathetic, really. 

He took in another deep breath then took the mask off his face, turning it around to look at again. And then he set it on the floor, closed his eyes, and hummed a soft shanty as he settled down for the journey ahead.

Farewell now, my love, send me off with a kiss

Heave away, straight ahead, Santiano

But he paused. Because although the name Santiano was correct for the song, he felt as if a different name fit there as well. What name, though, he wasn’t sure. So he decided to go through the alphabet.

A.

Asra . He hummed the song again, adding in Asra’s name, but frowned, because that wasn’t right. But when he went to B, that wasn’t right either. Nor C, nor D, nor E. So he went back to A. But he didn’t really know anyone whose name started with an A, besides Asra, and none of Asra’s nicknames started with an A. Lukyan didn’t fit, nor Marat, and he sighed. Then he felt silly, because why was he trying to add a different name to the song that already had a name that worked just fine? He rolled his eyes at himself and continued humming from where he left off.  

The tears are as salty and deep as the sea

But my sailor’s heart is keen to go

Again, he stopped. Because humming that sea shanty suddenly made him feel sick to his stomach, and he wasn’t sure why. Was it the song? Or the sudden rocking of the ship he was in? It didn’t matter, because he decided to stop humming altogether. He grabbed the white plague mask again and held it to his chest, and decided that perhaps it was best if he just slept. Because he hadn’t been sleeping well, as usual, and he really did need to take care of himself. Especially now. 

As he let the rocking lull him to sleep, he took in a deep breath, and let it out with a whispered farewell .

~

Chapter Text

The name he called her before was dead to him.

“Ah, Kalila? It means friend.”

“Friend? I wasn’t aware you kissed your friends. Do you kiss Muriel too?”

. “Well, I…It doesn’t only mean friend.”

“Oh? Does it mean best friend?”

“Something like that.”

~

Asra tapped on Aisling’s door with his knuckle, smiling at her mhmm from the other side before pushing the door open with his toe. The door was never fully closed, always opened a crack so he could hear her if she needed him, but he always respected her personal space and never opened the door fully without knocking first.

She sat with a notebook in her lap, and a white feather quill in her left hand as she practiced drawing the shape of the letter ‘F’. Her fingers trembled lightly as she wrote one uppercase, then lower case, and again in cursive. She looked up as Asra walked over to her, smiling at him and setting the notebook aside.

“Very good,” Asra said, his smile growing. “You’re getting better.”

He unfolded the small legs of the tray he was carrying and set it down to hover above her lap, presenting her with a cup of tea and a sandwich cut into two triangles. 

“Th-th…tha…y…mmm-“ Aisling took in a sharp breath, glancing away for a moment before looking back at Asra. 

Asra waited patiently, giving her a reassuring nod in hopes she would try again. 

And she did, taking in another breath. 

“Tha…nk y-y…you, Asra,” Aisling said, sighing deeply when she finished. And she beamed at him.

Asra laughed softly, resting his hand on her shoulder for just a moment before he let her go. He couldn’t help the quickening of his heart as she spoke his name, because it was the clearest word she could say so far. The first word she’d spoken was his name, and although the way it rolled off her tongue wasn’t quite the same as it used to be, the fact that she never stuttered when she said it made his heart swell. 

“You’re very welcome, Kalah,” Asra replied softly, turning to walk away.

But Aisling caught his wrist, and he turned to look at her again.

“St…stay?” She patted the bed beside her.

Asra gave her a half smile and a nod, then walked over to the other side of the bed to sit beside her. On his side. Because she’d gone back to sleeping on her own side of the bed, even though Asra had always laid her on his. He didn’t know what it meant, if anything, but decided it didn’t matter.

“Wh…um…” Aisling scrunched up her nose and furrowed her eyebrows as she tried to find her words. “N…name…?”

Asra waited for a moment, pursed his lips, then when he realized what she was asking his eyes widened slightly. “Oh! Ah…Kalah? You want to know why I call you that?”

“Mmm.” Aisling gave him a small nod.

“Ah…because it’s so similar to your middle name, and it means ah…”

Beloved. Sweetheart. Princess. Most beautiful. Phases of the moon.

It had several meanings, all of which were true to her, none of which he could tell her. So he told her what he’d told her when he’d given her her first nickname, as wrong as it was.

“It means friend .”

“F…fri…end.” Aisling reached over and poked Asra in the chest. “ Asra .”

Asra chuckled and poked Aisling in the chest. “ Aisling . You’re my friend.” 

Aisling giggled and patted Asra’s chest to say you’re my friend, too, then turned to her tea. She brought it to her lips, closed her eyes and inhaled the aroma, and after a second her eyes snapped open again.

And Asra found himself holding his breath.

For the past three months, Asra had given her every flavor of tea he could find in Vesuvia, and, surprisingly enough because she’d never liked it before, raspberry coconut had become her favorite. But there was one flavor he’d refused to give until now. He’d learned quickly that some things were triggering for her, so he’d been careful what to show her, and what he said, to keep her from going into a comatose state. But today, he dared to introduce her again to her actual favorite flavor; peach.

He hadn’t even lit the candles, so she’d never smelled peach before. He’d hid her candies, too, just to keep himself from giving them to her. For a moment he thought he lost her, because she seemed frozen, but as he moved his hand to her forehead to wipe away any troubling recognition, her eyes moved over to his. And she smiled.

Asra paused and let out the breath he was holding, smiling back as he watched her tip the cup back to sip the tea within. She closed her eyes, her smile growing, and she hummed. Asra lowered his hand back to his lap.

“Good?” He dared to ask, his voice just above a murmur. 

“Mhm,” Aisling looked over at Asra again, her eyes questioning.

“Peach,” he said in response. 

Her smile grew and she took another sip. And she was just a bit more like herself.

Then, when she lowered the cup again, she looked up at the ceiling and parted her lips as she tried to ask a question.

“M-my…name?”

“Aisling?” Asra tilted his head, knowing that’s not what she wanted to say by the purse of her lips. “No? Your middle name?” When she nodded he smiled again. “Cadhla. It means ‘beautiful’.” And that was the truth. She’d told him herself, and he’d agreed.

Aisling grabbed her notebook again and opened it to a page where she’d been practicing on spelling her first name. 

“K…ky…la…” she murmured as she began to try and spell it.

Asra bit his lip to hold back a chuckle, and he reached over and gently took her hand. When she looked at him he shook his head.

“Your name isn’t really spelled like it sounds. It’s spelled like this. C…”

Asra waited for her to draw the first letter, watching her write with her left hand. It was different, because she’d always been right handed, but he wasn’t about to correct her. “A…D…”

Aisling raised an eyebrow at Asra.

“D?”

Asra snorted out a laugh. “I promise there’s a D in it! I’m not making that up.”

Aisling drew the letter D, making the duh sound, then she frowned. “Kyla?” 

“That’s how it’s pronounced, yes. Let’s keep going. H…”

Aisling set the quill down and stared at Asra with a flat expression.

“I’m not playing with you!” Asra laughed and picked up the quill, reaching over and finishing the spelling. “C-A-D-H-L-A. Cadhla. Your middle name. And your last name.” Asra wrote that down, too. “Grealish. But…in your language, it’s something else entirely. But I’m not sure what, you never spelled it out for me, and only told me once. I’m sorry.”

Aisling stared at the page for a moment, an emotion swirling in her eyes that might have been sadness, but then she blinked it away and said, “N-Name.” And she pointed to a blank spot on the page.

Asra thought for a moment, then wrote the nickname down. “Kalah.”

Aisling smiled and reached for the quill, but Asra pulled it away.

“Ah ah ah, dear friend, eat your sandwich. Then you can practice after.”

Aisling sighed and set the notebook down, then took half of her sandwich and set it in Asra’s lap.

“Excuse me, I made this for you.” Asra said with a playful smile.

“Asra,” Aisling said simply, her lips curling into a smirk as she took a bite of her half with an mmm!

“My apologies, who am I to argue with you?” Asra chuckled and picked up the sandwich, taking a bite from the corner. “Wow this is good! Did you make this?”

Aisling giggled through her mouthful and gave him a playful sidelong glance through narrowed lids. 

And it was those looks that made her her . No, she wasn’t the same as she was before. He wasn’t sure if she ever would be. But when she looked at him like that , with those eyes sparkling like crystalline gems, and that small mischievous curl to her lips, she was her , he could see it. He knew that even if she wasn’t herself, there were still parts of her that were. And it would have to be enough.

“You’re a great chef,” Asra said, muffling his laugh with another bite.

Aisling reached over and patted Asra’s knee, then scooted her plate and tea over to make room for her notebook on the tray. Then she reached for the quill in Asra’s hand, and as he raised it to give it to her, her fingers brushed against his.

“Here,” Asra spoke calmly, but his heart was trembling in his chest, and he wondered if she could feel it.

And she could. It was a gentle humm, the soft vibrations moving through her and making the tips of her fingers tingle against Asra’s skin. Her eyes raised to meet his, seeing something swirling within them, but she wasn’t sure what it was before he blinked the emotion away and gave her a small smile. He opened his hand and held the quill out to her, and she smiled back and took the quill from his palm.

“T-thank y…you,” Aisling said softly, her smile growing as she took another bite of her sandwich.

As the two of them enjoyed a small lunch, Aisling practiced her letters and numbers, writing her name and other random words Asra was teaching her how to spell and pronounce. As she wrote, Asra worked on her legs, rubbing circulation into them as Ilya had done to him before when he’d lost his ability to walk. He’d done it to her every day in hopes of it helping something . When he was done, he scooted off the bed and held his hand out to her.

“You ready?” He asked, giving her a small smile.

But his smile faltered when he saw her shake her head. The nervous twitch of her lips, the doubt swirling in her eyes. Because it had been three months, and she still could hardly stand. And it was wearing her down to the core. Each day that passed made her more self conscious about it, more embarrassed, more frustrated because she wanted to walk, and Asra knew she did. And every time she couldn’t, it would make her cry, and Asra hated to see her cry. But, same as always, he reached over and took her hand.

“Come on, Kalah, you can do it. Even if today is not the day, you’re still trying, yes?”

Aisling stared at the bed for a moment and sighed before slowly looking up at Asra. And after giving him a small nod, she let him help her scoot to the edge of the bed to hang her legs off the edge.

Asra grabbed the cane he’d gotten her from the corner and brought it over, and she gripped onto the top.

“Remember, I’ve got you, okay?” Asra said, putting his hands on her to show her he was there, but not adding any pressure so she would have to stand on her own. 

Aisling nodded again and took a deep breath, closed her eyes for a moment, then hummed and opened her eyes again.

“Ready?” Asra asked again, smiling when she nodded this time. “Okay one, two…”

Aisling let herself slide until her feet touched the floor, and already her legs were beginning to shake as she started to hold her weight. She was clutching onto the cane, and she gave Asra a weary glance, but he just nodded and gave her a reassuring smile, encouraging her to continue. So she did.

She shifted her weight to lean against the cane as she pushed herself away from the bed with her other hand, feeling a bit safer with Asra’s hands there to support her. And her whole body shook, as if holding her weight was one of the hardest things she could do. At this moment, it was.

“You’re going great!” Asra said, giving her a proud smile. “Can you take a step?”

Aisling wasn’t sure if she could, and the thought only made her shake more, but she tried anyway. With all of her weight leaning on the cane she brought her other leg forward. But when she set her foot down that knee buckled, and she let out a sharp cry as she started to fall. 

But Asra caught her before she got anywhere close to the floor, pulling her to him and wrapping his arms around her to hold her up. 

“It’s alright,” he murmured, closing his eyes and clenching his jaw as he felt her fingers clutch around his shirt. And she sniffled. “No, don’t cry, Kalah. You can do this.”

“I-I c…can’t,” Aisling cried against Asra’s shirt, and she threw the cane on the ground.

“Hey-” Asra leaned Aisling back and frowned at her. “Stop that, yes you can. I’m not letting you give up, you hear me?”

Aisling blinked a few tears from her eyes, and as much as Asra wanted to wipe them away, he didn’t. Couldn’t. Her bottom lip trembled as she looked up at him. But then he mentally cursed himself, because he had to, and he used his shirt to wipe her tears away. 

“Do you hear me, Kalah?” He asked again, giving her a small smile. And she nodded. “Okay, hold on then.”

Aisling tightened her arms around him and he bent to pick up her cane. She took it back from him and shifted her weight to it even though Asra was holding her still.

“I’m going to let you go-”

“N-No-”

“Kalah,” Asra chuckled softly. “You’re strong. Trust me. You can do anything.”

“N-Not…re…rem…rememb-ber.”

Asra looked away from her for a moment. “When you’re ready, you will.”

When she didn’t respond he looked back, meeting her eyes. But before she could speak, he continued. 

“I’m going to let you go, now. Not completely. But show me how strong you are.”

Aisling pursed her lips for a moment, then nodded and slowly let Asra go. And he did the same to her, loosening his grip slowly until his hands were just lightly touching, and he felt her legs shaking once again.

This time, though, when Aisling took that next step, she succeeded. She sucked in a sharp breath and held it, looked at Asra for a moment, and seeing his nod, took another step with the help of the cane. Her knee buckled, but Asra steadied her, and she didn’t cry.

“See, look at you, how strong you are. Do you want to sit down now?”

Aisling held up one finger.

“Okay, one more.”

Asra moved with her as she took one more step, stumbling a bit more that time, but making the step nonetheless. This time she cried, but it wasn’t from any sort of sadness. It was relief.

Asra swept her up, spinning her and turning her sniffles into giggles, then setting her back on the bed with a laugh. 

“You’re doing it, Kalah. Pretty soon you’ll be walking for real, I promise you.” 

Aisling got settled back into the bed how she was before, and picked up her teacup again. She took one sip, hiding her smile as she tipped the cup back, and looked at Asra.

“F…friend,” she murmured when she lowered the cup once again.

Asra’s eyes widened slightly. “What?”

Aisling looked up at the ceiling for a moment, then pointed at Asra. She giggled when he walked forwards enough to let her finger poke him in the stomach.

“Asra,” she spoke again, chewing her bottom lip for a moment. “B-B-Best…mmm. B-best fr…iend?”

Asra’s eyes widened a bit more. Then he smiled. “Yes, Kalah.”

“Pr-promise?”

Asra took her hand, placing his other on top of hers. “I promise, Aisling. I promise you’re my best friend.”

But she was so much more than that. Even more than his closest friend. 

~

Chapter Text

“You know, this actually reminds me of this one time where I went spelunking in a cavern in Firent, except I didn’t have a beautiful woman accompanying me.   I had this brute, Ramualdo! My, he was a very large man. Handsome, too. That’s not why he came along, though, ah…”

“And what were you and Ramualdo doing in said cavern?”

“Why, well. Spelunking, of course!”

~

When he was left off in Macawi Port, Julian wasn’t quite sure where to go. Eventually he’d ended up in the back corner of The Misty Magpie, three shots and two drinks down, sharing stories with a few pirates who ended up taking him along when they left. At first it wasn’t a mutual agreement, having led Julian to the Crimson Serpent at knife point, but Julian was able to weasel his way out of being kept in the brig by proving to them he was not only a doctor and surgeon, but was also a good navigator of the stars. So Doctor Julian Devorack quickly became Quick Wit Doc Ilyushka ‘Silver-Tongue’ Borisov, finest clinical navigator to sail the seas. His captors quickly became his friends, and soon he found himself on adventures once again.

After a few months of traveling, Silver-Tongue found himself standing at the wide open mouth of a cave with a large brute beside him. His favorite among his pirate companions, because although the man was certainly the most intimidating, he was the nicest to Julian and they got along fairly well. He was also handsome, and that certainly was a plus.

“Ramualdo,” Julian said, one hand on his hip, the other shading his eyes from the sun. “I think we’ve found it.” 

“Ar’ ya sure this ‘es it?” 

“Oh ho, I’m not sure of anything, my friend. But this! I think I could be sure of this.” Julian smirked and walked forwards, hopping rocks across the very thin stream of water coming from the cave entrance. 

Ramualdo chuckled and followed along after the doctor, stepping through the tiny stream rather than around, and lighting the lantern he’d brought along as they entered.

“You know, this plant,” Julian continued his informational lecture, “is used for many, many things. It’s so useful, and so rare to find.” He ran his hand along the cave wall and stepped one foot in front of the other. “It’s got uses to treat fever, inflammation, headaches, bleeding, malaria…liver diseases…pain, menstrual pain, also,  cancer, diabetes…and it’s great for expelling intestinal parasites.”

“What’s tha plant called, Silver-Tongue? An’ what’s ‘et look like?” 

“ Artemisia. You know, they say in ancient culture it’s named after a moon goddess. Always been associated with powerful women. And what a powerful plant it is, indeed! Some say it’s grown from the tears of the goddess herself.”

“Ah…we’re lookin’ fer goddess tears?” Ramualdo gave a doubtful chuckle.

“No, no, we’re looking for the plant, not the tears.” Julian smirked and stopped walking to let his companion catch up. “But if we happen to find a moon goddess as well, I know I won’t be complaining.”

The two of them laughed as they continued onwards, and Julian had turned to humming a song he’d learned from an old sailor long ago. But soon enough Ramualdo put his hand on Julian’s shoulder to stop him, then gestured to the two way split.

“Which way ar’ we goin’?”

Julian looked down the right tunnel, then the left, then put his hand on his chin. Tapped his boot against the stone a few times, hummed in thought, then finally said, “Do we have a coin?”

“I’m not given ye my doubloons fer tha last time-“

“No no, to flip! Say, heads is right, tails is left, yes?”

“Don’t you have one?”

“Well perhaps, but I may have put it in your bag!” Julian checked his pockets. “I did have one, yes, but remember I was holding your bag earlier.” Then he opened the flap to his satchel and dug around in it for a moment, taking his time as Ramualdo also looked through his.

“I have one,” his companion said, pulling out a copper coin.

“Oh, splendid!” Julian let go of the coin purse he’d been messing with and let his bag settle at his side. “Flip it, then!”

And Ramualdo did. The two of them watched it spin high into the air before falling back into his large palm, and he flipped it over into Julian’s hand. When he moved his hand away, the coin had tails facing up.

“It looks like we are destined to go left!” Julian said with a grin, slipping the coin into his pocket and pointing to that tunnel. “Away we go!”

So they went left. Doc Silver-Tongue had started on a story about how this reminded him of a time he and a young man took a trek through the woods, and how that young man was handsome, too. Not a pirate, though, and much smaller, and only had rocks and flowers in his pockets instead of doubloons. In which the brute responded I’m handsome, ey? And Silver-Tongue replied Oh, quite with a sultry smirk and an arch of his brow. They paused at another fork in the cave, decided against flipping the coin and went left again, then continued on. This time, Silver-Tongue began to tell his pirate companion of all the ways in which he was handsome, starting with the way he appreciated how his umber brown hair was long enough to wrap into a bun, and the shorter strands framed his face. Then how his eyes were a clear green like a coral reef, and his chest was very… large .

It was then that Ramualdo turned and backed Julian up against the cool cave wall, sending a shiver down the full length of his spine as he leaned in close and rested his arm up and above Julian’s head. Julian himself was tall, but Ramualdo, leaned over now to nearly brush their lips together, met Julian eye to eye. And he smirked. 

“Quite th’ flatterer you are, Silver-Tongue,” Ramualdo murmured. 

“Not flattery , no, I’m being honest, you know,” Julian said with a nervous swallow. “You’ve always caught my eye, dear Wolf.”

Because Ramualdo was The Wolf . Sometimes they called him Howler. But a wolf head pendant hung from a long chain around his neck, and Julian dared to run his slender fingers underneath it and across the firm pec of his chest. 

“Though I am surprised,” Julian continued, his eyes narrowing flirtatiously as he met Ramualdo’s gaze. “I didn’t take you to be a man’s man.”

Ramualdo chuckled and leaned in close to Julian’s ear, his voice lowering to a husky growl. “I’m not.”

The sound made Julian’s eyelids flutter, and he couldn’t help the moan that escaped him as he felt The Wolf’s rough hands graze his skin underneath the loose fabric of his shirt. 

“T-Then…” Julian started, whimpering as the larger man pressed up against him, and he felt the rough hairs of his beard gaze along his smooth jawline before a kiss was placed on his neck. “...why?” he managed to squeak out.

Ramualdo hummed. “Ye could say I’ve nev’r met a lass like you before.”

Julian’s breath shook as the kisses on his neck lowered. “I-I won’t tell,” he whispered, daring to press his fingers firmly against Ramualdo’s chest. 

“ Good ,” Ramualdo murmured, lowering his hands to Julian’s hips and hooking his thumbs underneath his trousers. 

“Have you ever…” Julian started, tilting his head back and closing his eyes.

Ramualdo chuckled but otherwise said nothing, and he slowly inched Julian’s trousers down his hips, to his thighs, and he paused to raise Julian’s shirt up and over his head.

“B-because I mean, if you haven’t, I-”

“Cut yer tongue, Quick Silver.”

“Right then,” Julian squeaked, sighing as Ramualdo’s large hands moved back down his chest, fingers spread wide to reach all the way across.

When those hands reached Julian’s trousers, Ramualdo lowered down onto his knees and tugged them until they were around Jukian’s ankles, and then he peered up through his dark lashes at the doctor as he took hold of his shaft, smirking when he found him already aroused.

Julian did one quick peek down at Ramualdo, shuddered at the narrowing of his eyes that made him look absolutely predatory , and then closed his own eyes again. 

And just as he took in a breath to speak, The Wolf swallowed him whole. 

“A-Ah~” Julian gasped, his surprise fading into a soft moan as Ramualdo sucked him deeply, then pulled him out to lick the tip, then took him down his throat once again. 

And he didn’t stop, not until Julian was gasping and whimpering and begging and he was thick and swollen in his mouth, and Julian’s legs were trembling as he asked for release. Then, he got it, and he gripped Ramualdo’s shoulder and hair as he spent down the back of his companion’s throat. 

The Wolf growled out an mmm and swallowed every drop, smirking at Silver-Tongue as he peered down at him and bit his lip, and when he knew he’d left the doctor satisfied (yet still hungry for more), he gently pulled him from his mouth.

“Mmm…ya, definitely not like any oth’r lass I’d met before.” Ramualdo chuckled. Then he stood and looked up at the ceiling. “Actually…”

Julian raised an eyebrow, letting out a breathless laugh as he got himself back into his pants. “Oh, you’re going to have to tell me about that ,” he said, giving The Wolf’s firm bicep a squeeze and gesturing for them to continue on.

Ramualdo grabbed the lantern and followed along after his companion. “Alrigh’, well, it all started when…”

The two continued down the tunnel a while more, with The Wolf telling his story of the stormy-eyed lass who’d surprised him one night at a tavern, in which the doctor said stormy-eyed, ey? and The Wolf smirked and replied Oh, quite with an arch of his brow. And as he told the story, Quick Wit Silver-Tongue decided to act it out, which had them both laughing, and aroused all over again. It was The Wolf’s turn, then, to discover just why the doctor’s tongue was silver, and he let his stormy-eyed companion get on his knees, and take him down his throat. And silver it was, indeed. Combined with the sultry look in his eyes and slight curve to his lips, that tongue, hot and hungry, swirled and sucked until The Wolf spent down the back of the doctor’s throat. Then they took a moment of silence to rest, broken with a definitely not a lass from Silver-Tongue, and they continued down the tunnel laughing harder than before.

After another dividing fork, and another left, and then a right because they just hadn’t gone right, yet, climbed over a wall of collapsed rocks, under more rocks, and around more rocks, Julian finally found what he was looking for. In what must have been the deepest depths of this cave, there was finally an opening into a cavern. 

“Look!” Julian gasped out with an excited squeak, pointing into the far back of the cavern.

The cavern was filled with a shallow pool of water, crystalline clear and glistening against the sunlight that streamed in through the cracks in the rock above. A small waterfall poured down into it, and it was behind this waterfall that Julian saw the silvery-green plant growing around the edge of the water.

“...Tha’s yer plant?” Ramualdo asked with a doubtful raise to his brow. 

“Oh yes, yes it is,” Julian basically leapt into the pool, letting out a delighted oooh hoo! at the chill temperature, and throwing some water towards his companion before continuing through the waterfall and across to the other side. “Oh my, Wolf, it’s quite beautiful here, don’t you think?”

Ramualdo hummed and found a rock to perch on, chuckling softly and looking around. “Quite,” he said in response. 

Julian ran the plant’s leaves through his hands and between his fingers, smiling at the velvety texture before kneeling beside it and beginning to pick a few of the leaves. Then something caught his attention from the corner of his eye, and he glanced over to where there was an ivy vine crawling up the shadows of the back corner of the cave wall. At the top was a flower, the petals white and seeming to glow, and Julian’s eyes widened. He slowly stood again and walked over to it, reaching up to touch the white flower, but stopping just short.

“Wha’s tha’?” Ramualdo asked, leaning over to watch Julian.

“I-I ah…” Julian’s fingers trembled as he gently touched the flower petals. “I don’t know.” 

Magic, certainly. It had to be, from the way it glowed. Not just that, no, it also gave warmth as he brushed his fingertips across it, and somehow, they brightened , as if it were happy to receive his attention. 

“What are you, little thing?” Julian murmured to it, lowering his hand to the base of the flower. But he stopped, because it seemed to tremble , as if afraid he were going to pick it. 

And he was. But now, suddenly feeling this sort of fear emanating from a plant , he thought better of it. 

“Are…hmm.” Julian glanced at Ramualdo to see him watching him talk to this plant. “You’re the actual Artemisia, aren’t you? Grown from the tears of a moon goddess…you must be. Do those belong to you, too?” For some reason, Julian gestured to the velvety leaves he’d touched before. “Do they work the same? Ah, what am I doing.” He chuckled nervously and stepped away from the plant.

“Wha’ ar’ ye doin’?” Ramualdo leaned back against the cave wall and crossed his arms. “Talkin’ t’ plants. You’ve lost ‘et, mate.”

“No, no, I’ve certainly gained something ,” Julian let out a sharp laugh and picked a few more of the other silvery leaves, putting them all into an empty jar he had and popping a cork on top. “And now I’ve got new medicine! The captain will certainly be pleased once I use some of this on him, don’t you think?”

Ramualdo shrugged. “‘Ef ‘et works, ya, fer sure. ‘Ef not, then ah…probably not.”

Julian laughed and waded back over to his companion, squeezing water out of his pants and then patting his friend on the shoulder. “You should take a dip in the water before we go, it’s very refreshing!”

“Only ‘ef ye join me.” Ramualdo raised an eyebrow and stood from the rock, taking off his bags, and then his shirt. And then, his pants.

Julian watched him for a moment, eyes blinking slowly as his face took on a red hue, then he quickly threw his stuff down and took his shirt off, then his pants, and leapt back into the water.

And the two of them splashed around in the shallow pool for a bit before The Wolf pinned Silver-Tongue on his back, and then they got just a little bit closer.

~ 

Chapter Text

“Why was this one hidden?”

“Just hadn’t gotten to it yet.”

You may not be ready to face your emotions, and pushing them aside and pretending as if nothing is wrong might work in the short-term, but eventually, you will need to resurface these emotions and deal with them head-on. It may be time to face the fears that are blocking your path.

~

The scent of potato stew came in through the crack in the door, flooding Aisling’s senses as she took in a deep breath. She had pushed herself up into a sitting position on the bed, moved her legs to dangle off the edge, and was staring at her cane leaning against the edge of the window. She decided herself that she’d been in bed long enough, and that she wanted to explore the room. Because there was more there than what Asra had shown her, and her curiosity was overwhelming. Not to mention she wanted to explore the rest of the house on her own, without Asra having to carry her. No, she was stronger, now. And she was determined to do it on her own. 

So she stood. It was slow, and she wavered, but she managed to get herself steady. She kept one hand behind her, and one hand in front, and she took slow wobbly steps as she began to cross the room. But she lost her balance and fell, trying to catch herself and instead stumbling into the end table, knocking off the lamp, small rocks, and pens she had there, and she let out a frustrated cry.

“Kalah?” Asra called from downstairs, and she could hear his steps approaching.

“D-Don’t!” She shouted back, punching the floor for a moment before crawling the rest of the way to her cane. “I’m fine!”

Asra skipped steps as he bounded up the stairs, pressing his back against the wall beside Aisling’s door. She didn’t want him to enter, so he didn’t, and instead closed his eyes and waited just in case she needed him. 

But she was doing well on her own. When Aisling reached her cane she used it, as well as the window and wall, to get herself back to her feet. Her legs quivered as she supported her weight, but she smirked in triumph as she walked herself to the otherside of the room.

“...Kalah?” Asra dared to call again, turning his head to the door but not looking in.

“I-I’m okay, Asra,” Aisling replied with a smile, walking over to the dresser and touching all the things on top, then slowly opening the drawers.

Asra blinked, hearing movement on the other side of the room, and he turned enough to where he could peek in the room. And when he saw Aisling going through her things, his eyes widened and his heart raced, and he held his breath when she touched her hand to her chest. Then he looked away, putting his hand over his mouth as he smiled and let out a soft relieved laugh.

Aisling’s smile grew, and she glanced at the door, hearing Asra’s giggle. “Soup?” She called to him, turning her attention back to her dresser.

“Ah…soup!” He replied, looking up at the ceiling and taking in a deep breath, then patting the wall and heading back to the kitchen.

Aisling giggled and went through all of the drawers, admiring the clothes, the jewelry, the shoes, before moving to the chair, sitting for a moment and swinging her legs, then standing again and exploring the closet. She touched each shirt, each skirt, looking down at the one she had on, then holding up another one. It took her a few minutes to switch skirts, and then shirts so she had one to match her new one, and then she explored the closet beyond the clothes that she could see. She looked into each box and bin hiding towards the back, at all the things hidden away from her. One box in particular caught her attention, and she brought it out of the closet with a bit of help from her cane, then knelt onto the floor and opened it. And she gasped, because inside was a beautiful silver and white dress, and a mask to match.

Aisling set her cane down and brought the mask out of the box, holding it with trembling fingers as she turned it side to side, the crystals glistening in the sunlight. A pain began to arise in the back of her head, starting at the base of her skull and creeping up and around to the backs of her ears, which were beginning to ring. Headache . She hissed and her eyes squinted at the ache, but she ignored it and flipped the mask over to look over the inside. Something told her that putting the mask on would be a terrible idea, but she felt like she should . That it was hers . But she flipped it over again and ran her thumb along the front, humming softly. Her eyes shifted over to the door when she heard the light tap tap of Asra’s knuckles, and she replied with a soft come in! before he opened the door. 

Asra stepped in with two bowls, stopping in the doorway when he saw the mask in Aisling’s hands, and the dress beside her, and something washed over and through him, a mix of worry and fear and sadness and guilt swirling in his widening eyes before he quickly blinked it away and took in a breath. Then, he smiled. 

“Look at you,” he said, finally walking towards her and sitting next to her on the floor. “Walking around! You feeling okay?”

Aisling set the mask down beside her and took one of the bowls from him, smiling as she gave him a nod. A little headache didn’t ever hurt anything, and the pain lightened with the mask out of her hands. 

“Do you have?” She asked, gesturing to the mask.

“Oh, I have plenty, you can keep that one.” Asra said with a playful smirk, chuckling when she giggled and rolled her eyes. “I really do.”

“Show me?” Aisling took a bite of the stew with an mmm and waved her spoon at him. “Spoon this time.”

Asra laughed. “You’re not going to let me forget that, are you?”

“Nope!” Aisling grinned before she took another bite.

“I’ll show you in a minute.”

“That mine?”

Asra glanced at the mask and dress. “It’s yours.”

“W-when did I get?”

“I’m not sure,” Asra said softly. “I think someone made that dress for you. Said it was a gift.”

Aisling’s eyes brightened and she glanced at the dress. “Who?”

Asra chuckled. “Just some guy, you said. I don’t know him.”

“It’s b-beautiful.”

“Mhmm, it is.” Asra paused for a moment to stir his stew, and he took a bite before continuing. “The mask, too.”

Aisling smiled as she continued to eat, and they finished their stew in silence. Once Aisling set her bowl down, she looked at the mask again. 

“Did I wear?”

“You wore it once, yes.”

Aisling thought for a moment, as if trying to figure out what she wanted to ask. Then she looked at Asra again. “D-did I…dance?”

Asra’s smile twitched in sadness before it grew. “Yes, you dance very well.” 

Aisling looked at her feet for a moment. “Not…not dance…dance d .” She enunciated the duh at the end.

“We’ll see about that.” Asra took Aisling’s bowl. “Stay put.”

Aisling watched as he got up and left the room, hearing him put the dishes in the sink. After a few moments he came back with one hand behind his back.

“What’s that?”

Asra’s eyes narrowed mischievously, but he swallowed back his nervousness. Because behind his back was a mask of his own. The very first one she’d seen him in. He could have picked any of them, he had plenty. But he couldn’t let go of his golden fox. Even though he knew he shouldn’t have shown her, that something could go wrong, that he could lose her again, he wanted to show her. He wanted her to see him again with it on. Because he wanted to see that look in her eyes again. The admiration, the awe. The attraction. He wanted to see if it was there still, after all this time. Even if he couldn’t respond to it. And it was selfish, so selfish. But he needed to know. So he brought the mask out from behind his back, watching her mismatched eyes widen and shimmer like gems as he brought it to his face, and his lips curled into a small smirk as he tied it behind his head and peered at her through the fox-like eyes holes. Then he stepped closer to her and reached his hand out to her. 

“Oh!” Aisling’s voice came out as a squeak, and she grinned, then picked at her bottom lip as she met Asra’s gaze. And the look was there. The admiration, the awe. The attraction.

Asra glanced at her mask. “Dance with me?”

Aisling giggled nervously and grabbed her mask, then took Asra’s hand, and he helped her to stand. He gently took her mask from her, and she held onto him as he raised it to her face. 

Aisling could feel it, a light throbbing in the back of her skull, and she closed her eyes as Asra placed the mask against her face and tied it around her head. When she opened her eyes again her pupils shriveled to pin pricks, a  shock of pain jolted through her, and she gasped and gripped onto Asra as she saw something beyond what was really there.

It was a fountain. It was music, a song, one she knew . People. Dancing. A night sky full of stars. And Asra , in his golden mask, violet eyes glistening like amethyst pools in the moonlight, was the most beautiful person she’d ever seen. 

But to see was to hurt, and the pain was a scorching fire burning inside her own head down the length of her spine. Was she crying out? Had she blacked out? She wasn’t sure of anything besides the fountain, the music, and the pain. And then it eased away, like rain stripping chalk off a wall, the memory blurring and seeming to melt until there was nothing but blackness and a gentle touch. A quiet humm. A song, one she didn’t know. And she was swaying to this gentle voice, with strong arms wrapped around her to support her, and soft hands against her skin holding her. Again, her eyes fluttered open, first to a blurry haze. But then she saw him again, this person- no, Asra, it was Asra, she remembered. And he wore a mask, golden and foxlike, and it was beautiful. 

“Asra?” She spoke his name softly, blinking away her dizziness and touching their chests together as she rested her head on his shoulder.

And somehow his name, spoken now in her new voice, sounded just as it did when she’d met him that very first day.

Asra’s heart beat in time with Aisling’s, then a bit faster, because the way his name rolled across her tongue carried an accent he thought he’d never hear again. He peered down at her through the eyes of his mask, feeling every bit of him tremble on the inside, but remaining calm on the outside. And he smiled. 

“Aisling?” He replied, taking her hand and starting to turn them in a slow circle.

“A-Are we…d…dancing?” Aisling glanced around for a moment, then met Asra’s gaze, and she smiled back, her eyes glistening now with newfound excitement. 

“We are!” Asra chuckled. “Are you alright? I think I pulled you up too fast.”

Aisling hummed and held onto Asra just a bit tighter as she swayed with him. “I’m alright, Asra-”

There it was again, the accent just with his name, and Asra chewed his lower lip for a moment before taking in a slow breath.

“-a-are you?”

“I’m just fine,” Asra suddenly lifted Aisling up and spun her around, grinning at her squeal and following laughter. “What about now?”

“F-fine!” Aisling giggled as Asra set her back down. “What was that…song?”

“Hmm?” Asra paused for a moment, not realizing she’d heard it. “Oh…just a song I heard a long time ago at a masquerade.”

“H-have I ever…been?”

“You’re at one right now!” Asra chuckled and gently touched her mask. “See?”

Aisling gasped and lightly patted his shoulder. “Not w-what I meant…”

“I know.” A pause, then. “No, you’ve never been. One day I’ll take you, how does that sound?”

“Okay!” Aisling’s eyes seemed to sparkle. “Teach me to dance…better, though.”

“Oh, you dance just fine. Do you see?”

Asra dared to twirl her under his arm, his other hand hovering to catch her if she fell. But she didn’t. And the way she stepped with him and swayed was as if she’d never forgotten how to dance at all. It was as if she’d never stopped dancing with him even for a day. So they stepped, swayed, and spun slowly across the room, because with him, she could do anything. And together, they moved. 

When they’d finished their dance, Aisling went back to exploring the room. Then she joined Asra in the kitchen, where he worked on teaching her how to read from an old recipe book. Then, when she complained about the chair being uncomfortable, she walked with him to his room, instead. Asra sat on the bed while she wandered and looked at all of his trinkets, watching her with a small smile on his lips as she peeked at and touched almost everything he had. Then he dropped his back onto the mattress and stared at the ceiling, gently petting Faust’s head as he daydreamed about what once was. But his attention was caught again by the playing of a soft melody, and he heard Aisling’s whimper as she opened the music box he’d moved to his windowsill. 

Just another moment .

“No no nonono-” Asra quickly jumped out of bed and leapt over to where Aisling was, catching her in one arm as she fell, and the music box in the other as it dropped from her hand. “Why why why -” he dropped to his knees and gently set the music box down, then cradled Aisling in his arms. “I don’t want to keep doing this, Kalah! I-” Asra choked back a sob, swallowing it with the emotions trying to remerge. “I hate this. For both of us.” 

And so once again, Asra pressed his fingers to Aisling’s forehead, murmuring a few words, and wiping away another memory of him that she’d never see again. Another memory of them . That, and the feelings she’d had to go with it. Her love for him, gone once again. The pain was real for Asra, too, and he felt it in every part of his body having to erase himself from her. But they were emotions to deal with another day. Because when she came to, he smiled and made some silly comment that had her laughing once again. 

And all of his pain, heartache, and guilt was hidden behind his golden fox mask.

~

Chapter Text

“Did I ever tell you about the time my trousers got stolen from a hippo?” 

“You haven’t told me about that time. But you did tell me about the time your trousers got stolen by a rat.”

“Oh! Of course I did. That was ah, certainly an interesting time.”

~

“I'm not really surprised that you murdered him."

Julian snorted out a laugh, then hissed as the needle hit a tender spot on the top of his hand. 

“Yes, well, some would say he had it coming,” he murmured, watching as Kipp finished drawing the point just under his middle knuckle. 

The mark of a murderer. Because he wanted to remind himself of what he’d most likely done. Most likely , because he still wasn’t sure, but he’d accepted it at this point. He was a murderer. And even if he wasn’t, everyone in Vesuvia thought he was, so he might as well be. If anything, it made for a good story.

“You’re a bold man, Silver,” Kipp chuckled and leaned back. “Displaying this mark for the world to see.”

“It’s not really for the world, dear friend. It’s for me.” Julian held his hand out in front of him and admired the tattoo for a moment before dropping it. “Good work!” 

“Gonna get another?”

“Ah, maybe one day, Kipper. This will do for now, though, thank you!” Julian stood from the barrel he was perched on and patted his friend on the shoulder. “And I don’t have any more favors to turn in.”

Kipp chuckled. “Well next time ya do, you know where to find me.”

“That I do!” 

Julian turned then to where The Wolf was leaned back against the ship’s mast, and he gestured for his companion to follow him. He smirked as Wolf chuckled, sighed, then followed along, tossing Julian his coat as he stepped off the ship. 

The Crimson Serpent was docked at Murúch Harbor. The harbor itself was much lower class, run by scoundrels and rogues, so while Julian may not have been a familiar face, the rest of his crew most definitely were. The lot of them stayed behind to gamble at their favored tavern, while Silver-Tongue and The Wolf ventured further outside of criminal bounds to where port city Atitre awaited them.

When they got closer, Julian pulled his hood up over his head and put his hands into his pockets, and Ramualdo chuckled beside him.

“Been ‘ere before?” He asked.

“ Aye ,” Julian replied, smirking when Ramualdo raised an eyebrow. “I’ve been around a lot of places! And I’m not really uh…forgettable.”

“Noh, that you aren’t,” Ramualdo purred, and Julian’s face flushed a deep red. “Where ar’ we goin’?”

“I personally want a good and proper bath,” Julian hummed. “And also…”

His voice trailed off when they stepped through the city marketplace, and something caught the corner of his eye. It was something golden shimmering against the sunlight, an earring dangling from the ear of an auburn haired merchant set up in a small booth, and Julian stopped walking. But Ramualdo ushered Julian forwards again. 

“Well ye can goh shoppin’ later, ‘cause I agree with ye.”

“R-Right, yes,” Julian cleared his throat, catching the merchant’s gaze for just a moment before he forced himself to look away. “You know, there’s this spring that’s actually not too far off from the ocean, it has a great view and warm water, we could-”

“Or, we goh here,” Ramualdo grabbed Julian with one hand and a door handle with the other, swinging it open and pushing Julian inside.

Julian let out a surprised oof ! as he stumbled in through the door, immediately catching himself and brushing down his cloak before remembering he just got a very specific tattoo and shoving his hand in his pocket again. He took a couple weary sidelong glances around the inside, seeing occupied tables set up by a bar to his right, and a counter with a younger woman standing behind it to his left. There was a staircase ahead of him, where Julian assumed rooms would be.

“Ah…where are we?” He decided to ask.

Ramualdo tugged the back of Julian’s hood to pull it down. “This, Silver, ‘es the Salty Siren.”

“Hi, Wolf,” the woman behind the counter cooed, giving him a small wave and coy smile as she peered at the two of them through narrowed lids over the top of a book. 

“Riona,” Ramualdo smirked. “No rooms, just the baths.”

The woman waved her hand. “I’d ask ye fer coin but you won’t give it, will ya?” 

“Ah, wha’ do ye take me for?” Ramualdo held Julian still and snatched his coin pouch, ignoring the hey! from him and digging out two silver before setting them on the counter. “Fer you, Riona, anythin’.”

“Ah, you liar,” Riona giggled and lowered her book, eyes lingering on Ramualdo for a moment before she took the coins and dropped them in her apron. “No flattering, ye don’t mean ‘et.”

“O’ course I do!” Ramualdo chuckled. “Even stole another man’s coin jus’ fer ye.”

“So romantic,” Riona placed her book to her chest in a false swoon. “Go get yer baths, ye dirty dogs.”

“Hey, he’s the dog! I’m…I’m just a doctor!” Julian piped up with a chuckle. 

“Ah, a wolf an’ his vet,” Riona cooed, giving Ramualdo a playful wink. “Up you go, then. An’ I didn’ see ya.”

“Oh, ye will lat’r, though,” Ramualdo promised, his voice lowering to a sultry purr as he gently touched under her chin with the tip of his finger, then turned and led Julian to the stairs. 

Ramualdo showed Julian where the bathrooms were, but instead of going into separate rooms, Julian followed Ramualdo into the same one.

“Ah…come here often?” Julian asked, the question genuine, but he added a flirtatious arch to his eyebrow at the double entendre pick up attempt.

“Ah…yes,” Ramualdo answered honestly and with a low chuckle.

“...oh!” Julian’s face flushed and he crossed his arms. “Of course you do! Who’s the lass downstairs?”

“Riona? Ah…” Ramualdo’s words faded into a humm, and he began to strip himself of his clothes. “She’s noh lass o’ mine.”

“No? She surely seemed like it,” Julian said, stripping himself of his coat and shirt. “Not even… later ?”

Ramualdo chuckled. “I didn’ mean ‘et like tha’,” he said, glancing at Julian before stepping out of his pants and running himself a bath. 

“Er…how did you mean?” Julian picked at the soaps, inspecting all of them thoroughly as The Wolf heated his bath and got in. 

“How I mean, is ye’v nev’r played darts at th’ Salty Siren.”

“Darts? Well I’ve played darts , but no, not at the Salty Siren,” Julian said, his eyes widened. “Are we partaking in darts, Wolf?”

“Aye.” Ramualdo lowered into the water and pulled his hair from his bun, shaking it out and letting it fall to his shoulders, then he ran his fingers through it to bring it away from his face, and his eyes shimmered with mischief as he glanced over at Julian.

“What about the others?”

“They’ll be around, I’m sure,” Ramualdo chuckled. “Are you gonna bathe, or wha’?”

“Oh!” Julian blinked, stared at Ramualdo’s bath, and deciding it was much too small for both himself and the large man, grabbed his shirt and coat and disappeared into the room over. 

 When the two dirty dogs had freshened up, they made their way back down the stairs smelling like cinnamon spice and vanilla bean. It was a much bigger crowd now with the rumor that The Wolf and his Pack aboard the Crimson Serpent were at port going around. And when the large man came into view, he got a lot of chatter. 

But The Wolf didn’t care much for the crowd around him, only about the game he was getting together. Riona and another waitress by the name of Isa, Julian had made sure to ask, and oh how pretty her eyes were, he made sure to say, and oh that’s your sister? when Riona glared at him, got drinks together for the group. They played a practice round, in which The Wolf won, and Silver-Tongue stated he was just getting warmed up, each downing two drinks. Then, when their ‘official’ round started, which Silver-Tongue insisted was just another practice round, the two women brought out more drinks, and it had the doctor questioning just how drunk one had to be to play darts.

“O’, this isn’ jus’ darts, mate,” Ramualdo chuckled, smirking as he downed the last of his third mug. 

“Ah…what is it?” Julian said, one eye closed as he aimed for the bullseye.

Ramualdo waited until Julian threw the dart, smacking it right in the middle with a hah! And as Julian danced around, calling out no, not a practice round, this counts! , Ramualdo slowly eased out of his shirt, then tossed it over Julian’s head, immediately silencing him. Then, when the surprised doctor slowly moved the shirt to peek at his broad chest, he said in a low voice.

“ Strip darts. ”

“Ah…o-oh! Oh ho!” Julian swallowed, then chuckled and turned on his heel back to the board. “I can certainly play that .”

“Prepare to lose,” Ramualdo smirked and cracked his knuckles, then lifted another mug from their table.

“You’re the one missing a shirt already,” Julian hummed and strode to the board, a slight wobble in his step from the liquor, then grabbed his darts before getting another drink for himself.

And then, the real game began.

Julian lost his coat, then his shirt. Ramauldo lost his boots, then his belt. Then went Julian’s belt, boots, and trousers, and by the time he was only in his underwear, he was swaying while standing still.

“Okay, I’ve got this one,” Julian said, the room cleared away from the dart board knowing full well that he didn’t have that one.

He readied his throw, but before he got a chance, something small darted across the floor and into his trousers, dragging them away with it.

“Hey!” Julian shouted, throwing the dart and missing by a mile before chasing after his own clothes.

The trousers disappeared into the back of the inn, around the corner, and out the crack of an open door, with Julian stumbling along after them, and Ramualdo stumbling along after him . They chased the trousers around the back of the tavern and down the street, through the moonlit marketplace, and around a building. But when the two drunken dart players turned the corner, the trousers were gone.

“How can they just go poof!” Julian said, throwing his arms in the air, completely oblivious to the fact he was running around in only his underwear.

It didn’t go unnoticed for Ramualdo, though, who was finding it hard to stay upright as he caught his breath from laughing so hard. 

“Trousers don’ jus’ poof ,” he snickered, caught his breath, then looked around, laughing all over again when he saw Julian with his hand above his eyes as if to shield from the sun. Except it was night.

Julian caught sight of someone standing beside a caravan, auburn hair glowing like dying embers as they were illuminated by the moonlight, and he let out a soft aha! as he saw them hold up a pair of trousers. 

“Excuse me!” Julian called out, waving them down as he walked over to them.

They turned, eyes catching the light as they looked at Julian, and he realized they were two different colors. Something within him stirred at the sight of the crystal blue shade glowing brightly in the dark, a feeling that was almost recognition , but he wasn’t sure why. Then he realized it was the same shade as the mug in his kitchen at home. Of course, that was it.

“Ah, these must be yours,” they spoke softly, a playful smile on their lips as they held the trousers out to Julian. A young male, with golden tan skin dotted in freckles.

And as Julian neared closer, heard the softness of his voice, and saw that gentle curve to his lips, he realized he reminded him of Asra. 

“A-Ah…yes, yes I…yes, those are mine, yes…I think,” Julian blinked and took the trousers, inspecting them for a moment before deciding that they were in fact his. “And you?”

“Me? I don’t really belong to anyone, but I suppose I could be yours for a moment,” the boy said, eyes narrowing playfully.

It was then Julian realized he absolutely hadn’t introduced himself. “Oh! Oh, no, no I meant you…your name, I’m ah Julian, a-and you?”

“Rat got yer tongue, Silver?” Ramualdo came up behind Julian, eyeing the young man before him up and down, then pointing to the rat on his shoulder and laughing at his own joke.

The boy chuckled softly. “You…can call me Aoife.”

“Yes indeed…” Julian murmured. “I ah…thank you! For the- for my trousers, I mean.”

“You’re welcome for your trousers,” Aiofe said with a warm smile.

For a moment Julian just stared at him, and a moment of silence passed between the three of them, disturbed only by the raise of Aoife’s brow, and Julian blinked himself back to reality before hopping into his trousers, stumbling and having to be caught by The Wolf, who chuckled and held him steady so he could dress himself.

“Tha’s cheating, doesn’ count,” Ramualdo said with a smirk.

“Eh they’ll come off again! But I’m…positively indecent in front of this, this fine young man! And everyone else!”

Ramualdo squinted his eyes at Aoife for a moment, then they widened. “Oh…thought ye was a lass, Wildfire! I didn’ recognize ye. Apologies.”

Aoife chuckled and gently pet the rat nuzzling against his neck. “No offense taken. In fact, I’m honored, Wolf.” He turned then to the caravan beside him, and brushed the horse’s rump. “It was nice to meet you, Julian.”

“You’re leaving?! At this hour?!” Julian gestured to the moon, his trousers sinking down one thigh as he let them go. “I-It’s dark! You could come play darts!”

Aiofe smiled and looked up at the moon. “Thank you for the invitation, but I’ve got a call to answer.”

“What call?” Julian asked, softening his voice as if he were listening for something.

Aoife glanced at Julian from the corner of his vision, that blue eye shimmering with mystery and magic, and his lips curled into a small smirk. “I don’t know, that’s why I’m going! To find out what’s calling to me.”

Julian nodded, “Yes that makes sense, doesn’t it, Wolf?” He asked, nodding again at the mhm mhm he got in response. “Well have a safe trip!”

“Have a safe game,” Aoife replied, giving Julian a wink. “And aim to the left.”

The merchant hopped up into the front of his caravan, gave a small wave to the two drunk and half dressed pirates, then eased the horse forward and headed out of town. And Julian watched in wonder for a moment before he was jolted back into his senses by a rough shake from his companion.

“C’mon then, Silver! Ye’v got a game to lose!” Ramualdo chuckled and hooked his arm around Julian’s shoulders, swinging him around and leading him back to the tavern. 

So they stumbled back inside and downed another drink, and Julian got out of his pants once again to keep things fair. When it was his turn to throw, he took the merchant’s advice and aimed to the left of the board, stripping The Wolf of the rest of his clothes and winning the game with a bullseye.

~

Chapter Text

And his hand moved to her face, fingertips brushing along her cheek as if she weren’t real, as if she’d disappear if he let her go. And she moved her hand to his hair, brushing it slowly, reassuring him she’s not going anywhere. 

But she never really belonged to him, and he never belonged to her, because he wouldn’t let himself belong to her. 

Like an idiot.

~

Still, she fell. An endless drop in an endless slumber, a star falling somewhere far out of reach. Lost within her own mind. Waiting. A few times she had felt it, this feeling of connection. A feeling of being somewhere else, somewhere real . Somewhere with a body, and a mind, and a heart. But the memories were there with her. Falling. And she tried to push them towards this feeling, this other part of her that she felt, as if she were reaching out for help. Because if she could just remember, if she could get him to remember, then maybe, together, they could catch her. Save her. But with each attempt became pain, and then nothing. No, she would never be whole again.

When morning came, Aisling blinked her eyes open to a steaming cup of tea sitting at her bedside table. She rubbed her eyes and sat up, staring at the tea for a moment, then smiling at the warming peach fragrance. She took a sip, then another, then got herself out of bed. It was becoming easier for her to help herself, and as she walked to the window and opened the curtains, she was hoping Asra would take her to the place she’d always wanted to go. Outside.

She admired the glistening crystals for a moment before turning to her closet and getting dressed. Some of the clothes had been replaced with new ones, and Aisling wasn’t quite sure why, but she didn’t complain at Asra’s compassion. Always caring for her, cooking for her, teaching her how to read and write and do magic, teaching her how to live. One day she would have to repay him, although she knew he’d never accept it. He did it from the kindness of his own heart.

His heart, which beat with hers, as if they were one. She’d always noticed, and knew he did, too, but it always went unspoken. No matter, in her darkest hours, it soothed her. If she needed him, he was there to hold her, to press their chests together and spread warmth between them, to give her reassurance, to give her life. Without him, she would have nothing. He was more than just her best friend. He was her everything.

She took the teacup with her as she opened the door and stepped into the hall, looking down and seeing Asra’s door open. But the light was off. There was no sound coming from the kitchen but she went there anyway, calling out his name as she peeked in through the doorway. No breakfast, no tea. No Asra. She hummed and stopped by the bathroom before going to the stairs, calling his name out again with no answer. So she decided to go down the steps on her own.

One wobbly step at a time she made her way down, holding onto her cane and the railing as she inched down to the lower floor. Usually Asra was there to help her, and the rule was she wouldn’t go down the steps alone, but she decided to break the rule that time with a sly giggle as she moved at snail speed. But she made it without falling, and that was an accomplishment all on its own. Asra, though, wasn’t anywhere in sight. She walked around the shop, touching this and that, looking at herbs and running their names through her memory as she smelled them. Asra had been teaching her about the things they carried, since she should know, because he finally told her it was her shop and not his. And she adored when he taught her, because with the general knowledge always came a story or where he found it, and what happened there. The magician was full of stories of adventure. And oh how she wanted to go, too. One day, he said. When she was ready.

She felt ready, now, but knew she wasn’t. Yes, she could walk, could talk, even, but it wasn’t enough, and she knew it as much as he did. And she had been okay staying inside, she knew she needed to recover. But there was so much outside , and she just needed to see. So she opened the front door.

And then she went one step further, and walked out. 

Her steps were slow as the breeze came and tousled her long hair, and she only walked to the edge of the shop before stopping, but her eyes glistened against the sunlight with excitement and freedom, and she touched the outside wall of her home for the first time. And she laughed. A few people gave her strange looks, some confused, some shocked, and she wasn’t sure why but it didn’t quite matter because she saw these people. So she went a step further, and walked around to the other side of the shop.

She knew there was part of the marketplace behind the shop, Asra told her he used to sell masks there, but she’d never seen it. So she peeked out into the street, eyes widening and lips curving into a smile as she saw the different stalls and people walking around. Just a peek she promised to no one, then turned and started back around to the front. 

But once she reached the front again she heard a gasp and clattering items, and her eyes snapped up to see Asra running to her.

“Kalah?!” Asra all but lunged to her, grabbing her by the shoulders and looking her up and down with eyes full of worry, then grabbing her face, then her arms as if he didn’t know how to touch her. “Are you okay?” 

“I’m okay,” Aisling said, her eyes widened in surprise. “I just-“

“Why are you out here? Kalah it’s dangerous, the plague is still around, and I just, I don’t want you to get sick-“

“Asra, I-“

“Please don’t do that again, I don’t want anything to happen to you-“

This time, Aisling pulled Asra close to calm his trembling heart, to let the warmth soothe him, to reassure him she was safe. And he held her back, his bottom lip quivering, and breathed with her to ease his panicked mind. 

“I w…want to go outside,” Aisling whispered.

“I…I know you do, I’m sorry I…I’m sorry I haven’t let you,” Asra murmured.

“I’m okay,” Aisling said again. She’s never seen him this panicked in a long time. “I made it d-down the stairs.”

“You did, didn’t you?” Asra took a deep breath and leaned back, forcing a smile. “And I’ve dropped all our breakfast.”

“Ah…sorry, I didn’ mean to scare you.”

Asra paused for a moment listening to Aisling’s voice. Because it had changed, just a little, taking on a slight lilt and giving her a bit of the accent she used to have, like with how she said his name. 

“It’s alright, I can get us something else.” He smiled at her. “Let me take you somewhere.”

“Where?”

“Around.”

Aisling’s eyes lit up and she grinned, bouncing on her toes, and Asra held her steady. “Really?”

“Really! Put shoes on,” Asra pointed to her feet. “And if you even get slightly tired you promise to tell me, okay?” 

“O-Okay!” 

Aisling nearly squealed in excitement and hurried as best as she could back inside, and Asra salvaged what he could of the groceries he got before following along after her. As she worked on getting her shoes on, he put the groceries away, silently reassuring himself that she was ready, that she could do this. That it didn’t matter what anyone else thought, that he could wipe their memory of her if he had to. Because she deserved to be outside, he shouldn’t keep her cooped up like she was in a cage, she deserved to be free. So he set her free.

“Ready?” Asra asked once he came back downstairs, seeing her with her cane by the door.

“Yes! W-Where are you takin’ me?” 

“I told you! Around! And I’ll tell you a story or two as well.”

“A-About me?”

“Yes, Kalah.” About you. Not us.

“Thank you, Asra,” Aisling said sweetly and with a bright smile, giving him a tight hug when he came close enough to her, and he hugged her back. 

“You deserve it.”

Aisling’s cheeks flushed a rosy shade and she pressed a light kiss to his cheek before looking away shyly.

Asra smiled and gave her a squeeze, managing to keep himself from kissing her back.

It wasn’t as easy as Asra had hoped, but the excitement in her eyes, and the smile on her lips, all made it worthwhile. He took her through the marketplace, showed her again where he sold masks, and another place where he had a shady fortune telling booth. He never mentioned she came to see him in either place. He took her through the town square, avoiding the fountain as much as possible, through Heart District, then Goldgrave, doing his best to avoid the crowds as he took her all the way down to the beach. The beach, which was Aisling’s favorite place to see so far. So much so that her eyes glistened with unshed tears, and she nearly cried as Asra scooped her into his arms and carried her down to the water. Halfway there he spun her around just to hear her laugh, then flashed her a playful grin before charging straight into the sea, listening to her squeals of protest and yelps of surprise at the cold water between more giggles and peals of laughter. And he knew he shouldn’t have, but he told her to hold her breath anyway, and when she did he pulled them both under the waves.

Shouldn’t have, because now, as he straightened her and she wrapped her legs around his hips, with her long chestnut hair floating around her, and her lips curved into an unsuspecting smile, she was just as she was then. They were. As if Muriel was on the shore, building a sandcastle with help from their tea and eating small cakes, and Hana was there bouncing around him. And even though her eyes were closed, his were open, because he just couldn’t help but admire her, and all that she was. His moon, bright and shining, even now. His siren, luring him, a lonely sailor, to her each and every day, with each breath she took. But she didn’t know. And he couldn’t tell her, no matter how bad he wanted to. But now, as he pulled her closer and dragged his nose along her cheek to her lips, he decided he would take the risk to show her. Just for a moment. 

I love you , he mouthed against her lips before pressing them together in a gentle kiss.

And he held her tight, feeling her jolt in surprise before melting against him, her hands sliding around his shoulders and neck to play with his hair, her thighs squeezing his waist. And their heart soared.

But it didn’t last long, because her body began to tremble, and he realized he was hurting her. When he pulled back her head dropped backwards, and he quickly surfaced them, hearing her whimper before she fell limp in his arms. He knew he should save her from the pain he was putting her through, but for just a moment he held her. Kissed her cheek, stroked her hair. And he cried. 

Even though Aisling was above the surface, she was drowning. Her lips tingled, Asra’s touch like static against them. And that static moved through her, hot like lightning striking her at her center as she saw, as she felt everything she had lost.

It was him.

That simple kiss showed her another, and another, and another. His touch, his lips, his love. All of it for her, she knew, and she had it once. She had his arms around her, his lips on hers, his body on hers. His eyes gazing at her, his hands touching her each and every place they could, his magic touching her the places his hands couldn’t. And she touched him, too. Loved him, too. Gazed at him, smiled at him, put her body against his. 

Through it all, the sight, the sound, the feeling, she cried. Whether Asra heard her or not she didn’t know, but she cried, because she hurt . The pain was excruciating as these memories flooded her senses, but she didn’t want to let them go. She didn’t want to let him go. She wanted to remember their love. But the memories came to a halt, then moved backwards as if reversing from her mind. They dripped like the ocean water in her hair, like the tears on Asra’s cheeks, on her own; one by one the memories eased away, taking the pain with them, the hurt, the love. 

Only whispers of forget remained.

And then her eyes opened to Asra’s smile, to the ocean water staining his cheeks and dripping from his hair. He had just pulled her above the surface after dunking her, and as this memory resurfaced from the darkness of her mind, she smiled too. Then laughed. Because it was as if it just happened, as if she hadn’t blacked out at all, and the tears on her cheeks were only ocean water, too. 

“I’m sorry,” Asra said, his heart broken behind his laugh, because he was apologizing for much more than just dunking her like he did. 

But she wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed him, giggling out again! And he, weak to her voice and every command, did as she asked like a servant to a princess. His princess. His Kalah. Now, though, just his best friend. 

They played at the beach as long as Aisling could make it, and a bit longer, because her stubborn self refused to admit she was tired and her legs hurt. They splashed each other in the water then walked across the sand, hunted for shells, and practiced a bit of magic. Asra showed her how to make a hair ribbon with the sand, just as she’d done before, and she refused to leave until she got it right. But when she did, she was so proud, and so was he. Even though it was just a string, really, and nowhere as thick as it should have been. But Asra made her ribbon thicker and tied it in her hair, then carried her back to the shop.

Halfway there, though, he stopped. Because a young dark haired boy stood a few feet in front of them, one he recognized. And who recognized him. And who recognized her .

“Aisling?” 

Aisling turned her head to face the boy, her eyes squinting in confusion, because she had no recognition of him.

Asra carefully put Aisling on her feet, a panic rising within him, because he knew how important Aisling was to Matias. And how her absence had depressed the boy just as much as it did to himself.

“Matias-“ Asra started, taking a step in front of Aisling to get between them.

“Is that… Aisling? ” Matias said again, his voice quivering now as he walked closer. 

“Asra?” Aisling whispered, holding onto the back of Asra’s shirt. And a light pressure rose at the base of her neck. 

“I…” can explain , Asra wanted to say, but he couldn’t, really. He knew then that this child wouldn’t understand, and that even Aisling wouldn’t understand, and he didn’t know what that knowledge would do to either of them. 

But before he could think of anything else to say, Matias ran around Asra and grabbed a hold of Aisling, holding her tight and sobbing against her chest.

“Asra??” Aisling asked again, her voice coming out as a squeak, and she put her hands up. “Do I know…”

“I-It’s me!” Matias cried, looking up at her through tear filled eyes. “I missed you so so much, I thought you-“

“Matias,” Asra quickly intervened, detaching Matias from Aisling and moving her away. “She doesn’t…she doesn’t remember you, she-“

“What do you mean? How could she not r-remember me!” Matias basically crumpled in Asra’s arms, and Asra fought his own quivering lip so he could stay strong for both the broken hearted child in his arms, and the confused girl behind him.

“I-I’m sorry, I-“

“It’s okay, Aisling,” Asra spoke quickly, looking over his shoulder at her. “It’s not your fault, it’s not…”

And then Asra realized there was only one thing he could do to make them not hurt, because Aisling had started to cry now, too. He knew it was just as hard for her, knowing she forgot someone, seeing them crumble before her at the lack of recognition in her eyes. And Matias was just a boy, he didn’t need to hurt as Asra hurt. He didn’t deserve to feel the pain Asra felt, he knew Aisling wouldn’t want that for him.

So he leaned Matias back and met his eyes, then wiped his tears. 

“I’m sorry,” Asra said softly, putting one hand around the back of Matias’ neck and the other on his forehead. “I need you to forget Aisling.”

“W-What?”

“Forget, Matias.”

After a moment Matias’ eyes fluttered and Asra gently laid him on the ground, then turned to Aisling and did the same to her, so that she wouldn’t remember seeing the boy cry. He waited until she was awake and steady, then turned back to Matias, who was starting to rouse on the ground.

“What happened?” Matias murmured, opening his eyes and squinting them against the setting sunlight.

“You passed out, are you okay?”

Matias blinked at Asra, then nodded as the magician helped him up off the ground. “I’m okay.” Then he looked over to Aisling and tilted his head curiously.

“Who is that?”

Asra gave him a sad smile. “That’s my apprentice, Aisling.”

“Hi, Aisling,” Matias said with a small wave. “I’m Matias.” And then he leaned closer to Asra, whispering “She’s pretty,” in his ear.

“Hello,” Aisling said back with a smile, glancing at Asra as he chuckled.

Asra helped Matias up to his feet, then brushed him off. “Get home now and drink some water, okay?”

“Alright! Bye Asra, nice to meet you, Aisling!”

“Bye bye!” Aisling’s smile grew and she waved, giggling as he ran off. “Sweet boy.”

“He certainly is. Now let’s get home ourselves.” Asra said, sweeping Aisling up off her feet and hurrying back home.

And after Asra made them dinner, they spent the rest of the night reading and practicing magic, and he did his best to prevent her from getting any more resurfacing memories he’d have to make her forget.

-

Chapter Text

Year Two

“Where are we going?! I’m in heels! Do you know how hard it is to run in heels?”

“Actually, yes!”

“What?” 

~

Out at sea, the sky was clear. The wind was blowing easy, a gentle ruffle to Julian’s hair as they sailed across the waves, and he leaned against the back deck to watch the water ripple in their wake. It had been a year since he’d left Vesuvia, and while he may not have been free of his sins, his confusion, or his longing for Asra, he was free . He was Silver-Tongue, clinical navigator of the seas, and he’d adventured places he’d never been before, seen things he’d never seen. There was nothing to tie him down, no love, no work, not even memories. And while he was enjoying it, he still felt as if something were missing. Something more than just the gaps in his memories. But he couldn’t place it. Not that it truly mattered now that he was out in the middle of the ocean and there was nothing he could do about it. So he let out a deep breath and stood up straight, stretched out his arms to feel the wind blowing through his shirt, then turned on his heel to face the rest of the ship. And he pointed across the ship to where The Wolf had perched on the railing.

“The Shepherd,” Julian started, catching Ramualdo’s attention, along with the rest of his crew, and some of them turned to face him knowing he was about to start off on a story. “Had a herd of a hundred goats. He watched over them day and night, and walked with them through the valleys and hills, to where there was an apple tree. This tree always bore the most flavorful fruit, and he had a knife to cut the fruit and share amongst his herd.” Julian imitated plucking an apple from the tree and cutting it up. “One day, The Wolf appeared.” He paused, glancing at Ramualdo and narrowing his eyes playfully. He didn’t continue until Ramualdo slid off of his perch. “He stalked the herd from afar…” he gestured to Ramualdo, who began to prowl around the ship as if he were hunting, and Julian chuckled. “…watching The Shepherd. He found the goats to be an easy prey, because there were just so many, The Wolf thought he could sneak one away and go unnoticed.”

As if on queue, The Wolf grabbed a hold of Kipp, who let out a surprised cry, and was quickly cut off by a large hand covering his mouth and a soft shhh at his ear.

Julian then put a hand over his eyes and one on his waist, as if he were searching. “But The Shepherd knew his flock, and noticed when one goat didn’t come for his apple piece! And while he had ninety-nine other goats, which was plenty, he had to find the one that went missing.” He spun around then, cupped his hands around his mouth, and shouted “WHERE ARE YOU, KIPP?!” out at the ocean, and everyone laughed. 

He giggled as he looked over his shoulder, then cleared his throat and spun around again. “So The Shepherd told his goats to stay put! Because there was no goat left behind, you know, I know the lot of you have heard that saying, haven’t you?” At the aye s Julian chuckled and continued. “So you’d understand why The Shepherd left his lot of goats to go after the one!” He pointed at The Wolf, then walked towards him.

The Wolf chuckled and swept Kipp up, carrying him to the other side of the ship as if to escape this Shepherd’s slow pursuit, because Julian had started looking behind barrels and underneath the other’s boots, being as theatrical as he could to keep the crew in high spirits. 

“So wha’ ded th’ wolf do when tha shepherd found his goat?” One of the crew asked.

“When The Shepherd found his goat-“ Julian took long exaggerated strides to the top deck where The Wolf held his captive and pointed at him, “AHA! There’s my precious Kipp!” And he pretended to point his crook at him. “Ehem, what did The Wolf do?”

The Wolf growled and tossed Kipp up onto his shoulders. “Ye ain’t gettin’ yer goat back now, Shepherd. Not until ye…do sixty jacks in Clairea’s heels!” 

As Julian looked over to where the pirate lass was perched on top of a barrel, the crew laughed as she stretched one leg out to show off the tall heels of her boots. He raised an eyebrow at The Wolf.

“Oh? Just the heels? My my, Wolf, what an easy game you’re playing.” He cooed to his companion.

“Strip down, Clairea! It seems this Shepherd wants to turn ‘imself into a mate fer this wolf!”

The crew whistled and hollered as Clairea hopped off of the barrel. “Come on, then, Shepherd! I’ll get you nice and fancy so you can get your goat back!”

Julian laughed and followed Clairea to her quarters, and after several minutes they emerged again, both dressed in heels and long frilly dresses, and the crew clapped and whistled at them.

“So The Shepherd!” Julian continued, dipping with Clairea and slowly inching the dress up his legs to show off the heels he had somehow fit himself into. “In order to get his goat back, made an attempt to charm The Wolf with good looks and fashion sense-“

“And a dance!” Clairea called out, twirling and smacking Julian’s ass, giggling at his oooh!  

“A-And a da-oh!”

Clairea hooked her arm around Julian’s and skipped them in a circle, then around the other way, and the rest of the crew cheered them on as they danced a messy jig together across the length of the ship. 

“Is it working??” Julian called to Ramualdo, who laughed and set Kipp back on his feet.

“Ye’ll kno’ in a minute,” The Wolf called back, howling before stepping back down the main deck.

“You’ll have to catch me first!” Julian wiggled his eyebrows, then gasped in surprise and took off into a run as The Wolf chased after him.

It wasn’t easy, wearing heels too tall and too small, but Julian thanked the length of his gangly legs as he somehow managed to stay just out of The Wolf’s grasp, the others whooping and clapping and cheering him on as they ran from one end of the ship to the other.

Finally The Wolf lunged and stepped on the back of the dress, and it ripped off of Julian from the front, causing him to stumble and crash into a few barrels. 

“Wha’! Yer not a lass at all!” The Wolf let out a playful gasp, chuckling as he walked up to Julian and pulled him back up to his feet.

“Ah…surprise!” Julian said with a flourished bow. When he straightened, he threw a finger up in the air. “So! So, The Shepherd managed to charm and trick The Wolf, allowing his little goat to run free back to the herd! What say you, little goat?”

“Baa!” Kipp called from the other end of the boat. “Where’s the apples!”

The ship broke out into laughter, and Julian hopped out of those heels before patting Ramualdo on the shoulder. “You’re always good for a fun time.”

“Mmm. Ye also, Silver. An’ fer losin’ yer clothes.” Ramualdo chuckled. 

Julian looked down, where he was in only his trousers, and gave a small nod. “Seems like it!”

Ramualdo leaned in closer, nearly brushing his lips to Julian’s ear, and Julian could feel the warmth of his breath on the back of his neck. 

“Perhaps on land, ye can lose the rest of yer clothes,” he purred, then patted Julian’s backside and walked away.

“I ah…hmm, yes, well…” Julian’s face flushed, and he scooped Clairea’s now ripped dress off the ground, grimacing at how it seemed perfectly unfixable, but when he handed it back to her she merely laughed and traded it for his shirt.

“Came right off, didn’t it? That was fun, Silver! Dance with me again sometime.” Clairea winked and fetched a sewing kit before perching back on her barrel to fix the dress.

Julian hummed and walked around the ship for a moment, answering everyone’s questions of what happened to the other goats? and did the goat get his apples? and what happened to the shepherd? He assured them it was based off of a true story, and that he had more where that came from, but those were stories for another time.  

For the remainder of the day, though, Julian tended to minor wounds and even helped Clairea with the sewing of her dress, because he was a surgeon and certainly did know how to use a needle and thread. And when the ship got too quiet again, Julian roused the crew, bringing everyone into a fast paced shanty, and by that time everyone had gotten fairly drunk, including him, but it didn’t matter. Because as soon as he started with so this actually reminds me of a time- , everyone gathered ‘round to be a part of another of Silver-Tongue’s adventures.

~

Chapter Text

“I’m so glad you’re not a terrible dancer anymore.”

And as the music box played endlessly, they swayed, and turned, so slowly, so gently. Her head went to his shoulder again, his hands to her hair, and he held her, and she held him. An hour passed. Two. They exchanged more kisses and whispers of just another moment. 

~

“When will you be back?”

Asra gave Aisling a small smile. No, she wasn’t fully recovered, if she ever could be. But she knew how to read the cards, and she knew how to run the shop, and Asra had to go get them more supplies. He believed in her, and knew she would be good on her own. Except, she wouldn’t be. But he’d make sure of that in a moment.

“I’m not sure,” he replied honestly. “But I’m coming back.” He made a point to reassure her that much at least. There was no way he was going to let her think he’d never come back for her again. 

“Can’t I go?” Aisling’s eyes were pleading, but Asra shook his head. 

“It’s too dangerous. And someone has to stay here to keep the shop open!” Asra chuckled and gently rested his hand on her shoulder. “You can do this.”

“But what if I-”

“You can.”

Aisling looked between Asra’s eyes with her own for a moment, searching for answers she knew she wouldn’t find, then gave him a single nod. “Alright.”

Asra’s smile grew as Aisling set his traveling hat on his head, and he grabbed his bag. “If you need me, I’ll be here.”

“I know you will be.” Aisling smiled back, then put her arms behind her back. “And if you need me , I’ll also be here.”

They shared a laugh, then a hug, and then they let each other go. Aisling opened the door for Asra, and with another few goodbyes, he was gone. 

For the first time in a year, Asra left Aisling. No, he’d never wanted to leave her again. But that was impossible. And he was struggling with himself, with the emotions he was having to hide from her. Oh, how he loved her. But it was torture for him having to be around her like he was, having to see her, hear her, love her, and not be able to do anything with the feelings brewing within him screaming to be set free. He knew it wasn’t the best choice, but it was the only choice he had. To run . And so he did, he ran. First, to Muriel’s.

When he reached the hut he didn’t hesitate to go inside, immediately meeting a boogle of weasels and the confused face of his friend.

“Hey,” Asra said simply, shutting the door and stopping just in front of it.

“...hey,” Muriel frowned slightly. “You’re leaving.”

“I’m leaving,” Asra confirmed. “I need you to-”

“No.”

“Muriel, please, she won’t remember you, I just…please, I need you to make sure she stays safe.”

“Take her with you.”

“You…you know I can’t.”

Muriel sighed. He knew why Asra was leaving, too. And he knew it wasn’t just for supplies. “...I know,” he muttered.

Asra waited, his eyes pleading, but lacking the emotions Muriel knew should have been there. Hiding them, no doubt. Or perhaps they were just gone. 

“...fine,” Muriel grumbled finally. “Not every day.”

Asra took a slow breath, then, “Every day.”

Muriel grimaced. “No.”

“Please.”

“Three days.”

“Four.”

“...fine.” 

And for another moment, they stood in silence. Then finally Asra broke it.

“Thank you,” he said quietly.

Muriel just grunted and turned away from him. “...welcome.”

Asra gave him a small smile, but did nothing more before he left the hut and started his journey away from Vesuvia.

For a few days he stayed in his sanctuary in Nopal. He hadn’t been there since the day he went home to find Aisling was gone. Being there felt different after he met her. Being there with her felt better. Without her, though, it felt just as empty as the rest of him. Outside, he smiled. He laughed, he played. Inside, it was dark. There was a depth, black and empty, void of feeling and emotion, and lacking half a heart. And he sighed, the sound echoing in the silence within and around him, before drinking a cup of tea and leaving again. He didn’t know where he was going, but he never did. He ran, he wandered, letting his feet guide him where he needed to be. Because his intuition knew better than him most times, if only he listened to it as often as he should. If only he listened to anyone. 

So he ran, and then walked. Picked herbs and plants and sand along the way, wandering through the desert until he ended up in a small town on the other side of an oasis. He’d been to Astrakane before, though it had been a long time, and he decided to stop there to rest. The heat was sweltering, and both him and Faust were dying of thirst and a long nap. So first he found the inn. Then, he found Rayne.

~

For the first time in a year, Asra left Aisling. After one then two then three goodbyes, as if one wasn’t enough, she’d watched him walk away until she couldn’t see him anymore, then shut the door and turned back to the shop. Her shop. There was an excited fluttering in her stomach that she was able to run her shop on her own, but also nervousness, because for the first time she was alone. Asra wasn’t going to be beside her to make breakfast, tea, help her down the stairs- not that she needed help. But she knew that his presence was going to be missed. Something told her, though, that he needed some space. Something more than just the distancing Asra had been doing.

They were close, Asra was Aisling’s best friend, and she adored him more than anything. But he’d started to push her away, give her more space than she wanted, close himself off. He’d started being more secretive, more worried, nervous to talk. But assured her every time that everything was alright. She knew better than that, though. Intuition, perhaps. Her heart told her so. But she wanted Asra to be okay, to be happy. So she let him go and promised not to miss him too much. 

And for the first couple days she managed just fine by herself. No, she wasn’t her Master, but she could still read the cards, and a couple people let her, and were even pleased with their outcome. But she made mint tea, just to have that familiarity. And it was enough.

The third day, there was a knock at the shop door. Aisling hummed as she walked over to it, still walking slowly, but no longer using her cane. When he opened it, her eyes widened and she had to look up as a hulking cloaked figure stood in front of her. 

“Um…h-hello,” her voice came out as a squeak.

“...hi,” he muttered, leaned in to glance in the shop, then made his way inside.

Aisling moved out of the way as he came in. “Can I h-help you?”

For a moment the man just looked at her before looking away. “...no,” he said finally. 

Aisling blinked at him, lips parted, but she wasn’t quite sure what to say.

“...Asra sent me,” he said finally with a sigh that was almost regretful. “...My name is Muriel.”

Aisling perked up at Asra’s name, and she gave him a small smile. “Oh! You’re Muriel! Asra’s t-told me about you. It’s nice to meet you.” She gave him a small curtsey. “I’m A-Aisling.”

“...I know,” Muriel muttered. 

“Ah…” Aisling clasped her hands in front of her and watched as Muriel wandered the shop, as if inspecting it. Then, when he started to head upstairs, she followed along behind him. “C-Can I make you something?”

“...no,” Muriel grunted, heading into the kitchen. He pointed to the chair.   

Aisling blinked at him, then realized what he was wanting and sat in the chair. She took a speaking breath, but decided against saying anything as Muriel grunted and began looking through the cabinets and cooler, as if he were inspecting the amount and type of food that was there. Then he made a sandwich and set it in front of Aisling.

“Ah…thank you,” Aisling said, blinking at her sandwich, then looking at Muriel. “You didn’t have to-“

“Eat.” 

Aisling gave him a nod and did just that. She hadn’t eaten yet, so it wasn’t like she wasn’t hungry, but it was odd that this stranger just walked in and made her something as if he knew what she’d like. Asra probably told him, she decided. Then she realized he’d said that Asra sent him, but he didn’t say why.

As Muriel hulked off to inspect the rest of the upstairs, Aisling took her sandwich and followed along behind him. She watched him stop in both bedrooms, give an irritated huff in Asra’s room, then place a small bundle on top of Aisling’s dresser.

“Did Asra ask you to watch me?” Aisling asked, pursing her lips as Muriel glanced at her. When he didn’t say anything, she sighed. “He doesn’t need to worry, I can t-take care of myself now,” she continued. “So you don’t n-need to do this.”

“…I do,” Muriel muttered. “I didn’t before.”

A chill crawled up through Aisling’s body and she nearly dropped her sandwich. “B-Before?” She squeaked.

Muriel just watched her for a moment before deciding to say nothing else. He didn’t know what Asra had told her, if anything, and he certainly didn’t want to be the one to do so if Asra hadn’t. Then he looked away without a word.

But Aisling wanted to know, so she prompted with “W-What do you mean?”, but Muriel merely shook his head with a grunt and ignored the question.

He walked past her and back downstairs once he was satisfied with his safety examination of the upstairs, not wanting to linger, and glaring as he heard her scampering along after him.

“Whrat du youh mrean?” Aisling persisted through a large mouthful.

“...nothing, forget it,” Muriel muttered. “You will in a minute.”

Aisling paused, watching as the large man gave her a glance, then pulled up his hood and left the shop. She quickly ran after him, but when she opened the door, there was no one there. 

“Huh…” She thought, her memory quickly fading. She glanced around, then shut the door again, thinking she’d heard someone. Then she looked at the sandwich in her hand for a moment, and laughed because she’d forgotten that she made one.

And the very next day, when the hulking figure came to check on her, she introduced herself again.

“I’m A-Aisling.”

“...I know.”   
  

~

After his time spent in Astrakane, Asra was eager to get back to Aisling. He had a newfound sense of freedom, being free in a way he hadn’t felt before, and it was new, and it was exciting, and he wanted to share it with the one he loved most. So he ran, using his compass to guide him back home. Back to her. Even though he wasn’t sure what he was going to tell her, he would tell her something. Besides, he had a gift to give her from his traveling friend. 

Rayne.

Rayne, a wanderer, same as he. A traveling merchant by day, but at night, when the sky grew dark and the moon rose high, embraced his own personal freedom. And danced . And he’d shared his freedom with Asra, and made Asra feel . It was more than just freedom, though. Those feelings which he kept deep within his heart seeped through the cracks because he was just so like her . No, he wasn’t Aisling. But his hair, his smile. The color of his eyes. The freckles that dotted his face and body like stars. And the way he curled up against his chest as they slept arm in arm, where he could feel his warm breath against his neck. He wasn’t her , but he couldn’t ever be. Yet, still, Asra felt . He was drawn to him like a solar tide, just as his Moon moved his ocean’s currents. He knew that the chances were slim that he’d ever see Rayne again. But something told him he would soon enough. And he smiled. 

When he reached Vesuvia he ran faster, desperate to see Aisling again, running as if the wind itself was pushing him forwards. When he got to the door, though, he stopped, taking in gasping breaths until he was calm enough, seeming as if he hadn’t run at all. He reached the door knob, but before he could touch it, the door opened for him. And his violet eyes lifted to meet mismatched ones, seeing excitement swirling within him. And again, he smiled.

“Asra!” Aisling squealed, grabbing him by the strap of his bag and yanking him inside before all but jumping on him.

Asra laughed and put his arms around her, holding her tight for a moment before letting her go. “Aisling!” He leaned back enough to brush her bangs from her eyes. 

And she did the same to him, because his hair had grown longer, and she tucked his hair behind his ears.

“I m-missed you,” she said, leaning in and pressing a kiss to his cheek.

“I missed you too!” Asra smiled and gave her shoulder a squeeze before letting her go. “I got everything we needed-”

“And more?” 

Asra’s eyes widened, because he hadn’t expected her to finish what he was saying. But she did so without even thinking.

“And more!” He confirmed with a grin, taking off his bag and gently setting it on the counter. “Always. So…” he began, clearing his throat and opening the bag before reaching in for the earrings. “I made a friend.”

“Oh?” Aisling asked, rising up on her toes to peek around Asra. “Who’s your f-friend?”

“I didn’t bring him,” Asra said with a laugh. “His name is Rayne. He made you a gift.”

“W-What!” Aisling’s eyes sparkled and she bounced on her toes. “That’s sweet of him!”

“Isn’t it? Close your eyes.”

Aisling did just that, unable to keep the smile off her lips as she heard Asra rustle through his things for a moment. Then when he said so, she opened her eyes again to see him holding something in his palm.

They were two crescent moons, seeming to be made by a single wire that wrapped around beads and gems, and her smile grew as Asra reached for her ear. 

“May I?” Asra asked softly, gently touching the stud she wore on her bottom lobe.

“Mhm!” Aisling’s cheeks flushed as Asra took out the earrings she had in now, then replaced them with the dangling moons. 

Asra smiled at her and waved his hand to create a mirror in front of her, and her eyes widened as she gazed at her reflection.

“Oh! They’re beautiful!” Aisling gasped, gently touching the earrings.

“How do they make you feel?” Asra asked softly, almost to himself.

“B…beautiful,” Aisling whispered back. 

“Good.” Asra played with Aisling’s hair for a moment before twisting it up into a bun, leaving two strands to dangle on either side of her face. “There, so you can see them better.”

“Thank you, Asra,” Aisling said with a smile, turning to face him. “What else d-did you get?”

“Why, let me show you!”

Asra went through his bag of wonders, sorting out what was for the shop, and what was for them. Aisling was delighted by the crystals and flowers and figurines and soaps that Asra said made him think of her, and once Asra’s bag was empty, Aisling helped him put everything away. Before she could finish, he swept her into a dance, and Aisling gasped as a bottle dropped from her hand and shattered on the ground. But then she laughed and squealed because Asra just didn’t care. He kicked the glass aside and danced Aisling all around the shop, lifted her high, then dipped her low, and when they’d had their fun and Aisling just couldn’t dance any more, they made use of the new spices Asra brought back and shared a bowl of stew.

And then they had a sleepover in Asra’s room, where he braided her hair as he told her of all the places he’d gone and things he’d seen, and about the new friend he’d made, and what they’d done. Though he left out the part where he stripped to his underwear. But she wanted him to show her, so once her braid was done, Asra took her hand, and moved her very unlike what he’d done in Astrakane. Together, they moved, with Aisling falling asleep on his shoulder whispering words of just another moment as Asra swayed with her for their night’s last dance.

~

Chapter Text

 “You know, this reminds me of the time I had to escape a drunk couple I’d accidentally stumbled upon at this rickety tavern.”

“How’d you do that?”

“I was also drunk, very, and thought they were in my room. Have I told you?”

“You haven’t. But please, enlighten me.”

~

   When the Crimson Serpent came to dock at Rungnan Warf, Julian hadn’t known what to expect. But these days, he wasn’t sure if he could really expect anything . Not since he’d discovered his ability to take other’s wounds from them. Yes, there was a mark on his neck. It glowed, and allowed him to take the pain of others. To suffer for others. From Asra, no doubt. A curse, from the witch himself. One he more than likely deserved. No, one he definitely deserved. The ‘why’ hadn’t mattered for some time now, though, as he’d become the doctor he’d always wanted to be. Curse or not, he was able to do his job better than he ever could before, on a whole other level. And it partly made him angry, because he had the capability to use magic to heal, which was better than his standard practice. Which he still used, of course. But for some, the injury needed to be healed quicker. And that’s when the mark was used. The curse .

Of course, as if he wasn’t bad enough before, living a life of pirates had him turning to rum barrels to deal with his problems. No, it didn’t solve anything, but it always meant for one hell of a good time. Which is what Julian was needing after dreaming of them. Asra, but also Aiofe. The A s. Somehow he’d met another boy whose name began with A. Whose name still didn’t fit right with the song, but even so, there was some kind of familiarity about him that Julian didn’t understand. Not to mention he’d only met the lad once, so he certainly didn’t understand why he’d dreamed of him. Was it him, really? The figure was a blurred image now in his mind, but he was the person he knew who fit the description his mind was trying to show him. The color of hair, his skin, his bright blue eye. The freckles, the smile, it must have been him. It couldn’t have been someone else…could it? Either way, it didn’t matter. What did matter, was finding somewhere to wash down his sorrows.

Because on top of his dreams, the use of his mark causing him physical pain was wearing down on him after he’d cured one of his crewmate’s illnesses. And he just needed to unwind more than what his stories and fun times aboard the ship would allow. He needed a tavern, and a new crowd. Thankfully, The Wolf was able to show him one.

The Petty Storyteller Inn. Julian laughed at the name, remarking here and there of how certainly this wasn’t the right place for him, but nonetheless he went inside. And it certainly was the right place for him, having a small raised platform in one corner for bards no doubt. A performance stage. And Julian planned on performing. He turned to The Wolf and took a speaking breath, but before he could say anything, the large man spoke first.

“Ah would ye look at tha’, the pups here.”

Julian’s eyebrows furrowed for a moment as he followed his friend’s gaze, then he found himself holding his breath as his eyes widened, because sitting at the back corner table was Aoife. 

“P…Pup you say?” Julian said, looking back at Ramualdo. “Aoife? You…called him Wildfire before, yes? Why?”

Ramualdo chuckled and gave Julian a knowing smile. “We call him a lot o’ things. Ye’ll see why he’s Wildfire, I’m sure. Took him aboard the Crimson fer a while, I took care o’ him myself. Hence pup .”

“Ah, yes, that certainly makes sense,” Julian chuckled and looked back to Aoife again, who seemed to be drinking a steaming cup of tea. “Why isn’t he aboard the ship now?”

Ramualdo shrugged. “It was time fer him to move on, I suppose. But he always seems to appear jus’ when we start missin’ him, so there’s no loss, really.”

Julian watched as a few of his other crew members made their way to the back table, seeing the smile on Aoife’s face and hearing his laugh as Kipp tousled his hair, and Clairea hooked her arm around his neck before plopping into his lap. And Julian smiled. 

“Come on, Silver,” Ramualdo elbowed Julian and gestured to the bar. “Let’s get our drinks, shall we?” 

Julian nodded and followed behind Ramualdo as he crossed the older tavern to where other patrons were crowded around the small bar. Ramualdo listed off a few drinks while counting on his fingers, then inevitably started a tab that may, or may not get properly paid off, but Julian guessed the latter. He took a few drinks for himself, and the lot of them crowded around two tables in the middle of the room and threw back their first drinks of the night.

Once the drinks went down, the stage stayed occupied. First, a seafaring poet, who had been day drinking and was too hammered to properly rhyme. Second, a bard, whose lively tune had roused the crowd, and Julian found himself arm in arm, swinging round and round with the other patrons there, though the younger red-haired merchant continued to elude him. After two more drinks it was Julian’s turn, and he got himself up on the stage, face flushed from both liquor and the dances, but the exertion didn’t stop him from performing. Though it certainly wasn’t his finest.

“A panther is much like a leopard,” Julian began with a limerick, already chuckling to himself, and he cleared his throat. “Except that it hasn't been peppered. If you behold a panther crouch, prepare to say ouch. Better yet, if called by a panther…” He paused, sticking his tongue out halfway to enunciate his slur. “Don't anther.”

Julian laughed along with the crowd, doing an overly dramatic bow and nearly toppling over, but he quickly straightened, stumbled slightly to the side with the dizzying rush, and continued on with a song. 

Oh, the hog-eye men are all the go

  When they come to Gran Nino

Now, it's who's been here since I've been gone

  Well, a railroad navie with his sea boots on

Oh, Sally in the garden, picking peas

  Her golden hair hanging down to her knees

Oh, sally in the garden, shelling peas

  With a little hog-eye all sitting on her knees

Well, a hog ship, and a hog-eye crew

  Hog-eye mate and a skipper too

The bard had picked up the song, playing along as Julian sang moderately off key, and the crowd sang and danced along down to the very last note. There were laughs and cheers, and Julian bowed once again, to his left, then right, then forwards as if finishing a grand theatrical performance. While Julian was bowed his final time, though, the crowd began to hush, quickly quieting down to silence. Julian lifted his head to see all eyes had moved from him to someone else, and he straightened as Aoife slowly approached him. As he stepped up onto the stage Julian took a step back, but the younger man smirked and held his hand out to stop him.

“Hello,” Aoife said, his voice soft and coming out as a sensual purr as he walked up to Julian and pressed his hand against Julian’s bare chest through the opening of his shirt. “Long time no see. You’ve got your trousers on this time.”

“H-Hello,” Julian stuttered, the red of his face darkening as the crowd began to rouse again, whistling and calling out to the younger man. 

“That’s our Charmer!” Clairea called from where she stood atop a chair. “Show Silver how you dance!!”

“D-Dance?” Julian nearly squeaked, unable to look away as Aoife walked around him, his hand trailing from his chest, over his shoulder, and across his back before reaching his chest once again on the other side. 

Aoife chuckled. “You’re quite slender, you know. And tall ,” the word was nearly a growl, and Julian’s eyelids fluttered against his will. “Like a tall beanstalk! Or…perhaps a bean pole .”

“A pole?” Julian’s eyes widened slightly. “What do you-”

“Be still, now, okay? Don’t move, or you might drop me!”

“Drop-?”

Before Julian could finish the thought, Aoife leapt up onto Julian, wrapping his legs around his narrow waist and spiraling around Julian’s body to the floor, as if he were indeed a pole. Julian looked down at Aoife in surprise, and the younger man giggled girlishly as he looked back up at him. 

“Atta girl!” A drunk patron called out, and Aoife’s cheeks flushed slightly under the light.

“Why do they call you Silver?” Aoife curiously asked from the ground, unfolding his legs and turning around to press his back against Julian’s shins. Then he reached up over his head and wrapped his arm around Julian, giving his rear a small squeeze as he slowly started to push himself up off the ground.

“I ah, w-well it’s-it’s-“ Julian swallowed as Aoife slid up his body and stood to his full height, and he felt the smaller boy’s body press against his own. “Silver-Tongue, is the full…thing.”

“Oh? Hmm, I wonder why that is.” Aoife said softly and with a small smirk, and he turned to face Julian before hooking his arm around his neck and swinging around him again.

Julian widened his stance slightly to stay steady as the slender male jumped up again, wrapped one leg around his waist, and swung around in a circle before getting down again. 

“And you! Why do they call you Wildfire, hmm?” Julian asked, turning away to adjust himself in his trousers and clearing his throat. “You’re certainly not a merchant, are you?”

“Oh, I am,” Aoife purred. “But maybe that’s not the only thing. I’ll show you if you want to have a seat.” 

Julian managed a nod, and the merchant graciously helped him off the platform and handed him off to Wolf, who pulled up a chair and had Julian sit right in front of the stage.

“Watch this,” Ramualdo murmured, patting Julian on the shoulder.

“What is he doing?” Julian whispered, his eyes all but glued to the merchant on stage. 

“Dancing.”

“Oh…!”

Julian watched as the merchant turned his back to the crowd, waiting for the patrons to finish shushing each other back into silence. Aoife then looked over to where the bard was seated, and Julian could see the light blue of his right eye begin to shift and change as an orange light flickered to life like a glowing ember, then spread like a flame, slowly burning through his iris until the blue was completely lit ablaze. His head turned just a bit more and he cast a glance at Julian, those illuminated eyes narrowing mischievously before he turned forwards once again. And after the bard raised his instrument and began to play, the dance began.

Aoife’s hands raised up his sides, up the front of his chest, around the back of his neck and into his hair before twisting up above his head, all the while his hips slowly swayed left to right, mesmerizing the crowd like a pendulum. Then he turned, stepping only on the balls of his feet, his anklets jingling softly as his hands continued to twist, and his hips continued to sway in a steady rhythm. Once he knew he had the crowd’s attention he knelt down, completely folding over and resting his arms on the floor for a moment, hands closed. When he uncurled his fingers to open his palms, a small ball of fire appeared in each hand. Then as he slowly raised again he flipped his hands over, and as he moved them the flame spread, twisting up his arms and legs and spiraling around his body like a tornado. As he moved the fire moved with him, illuminating him, the glow of his hair making it seem to be lit aflame as well. And as he swayed, as his hips rocked and his hands twisted, he had Julian’s eyes locked onto each step. Wildfire .

He most certainly was that. And the heat he caused wasn’t just from the burning flames surrounding him. Even though the dancer radiated warmth, it was something else within Julian beyond just the effect of his liquor making him hot. Perhaps it was the way Aoife spread his legs and ran his hand down his mostly bare chest to his crotch that stirred up Julian’s arousal. 

Charmer , Clairea had called him. And he most certainly was also that . A witch, casting a charm with his dancing, if such a thing were possible. Creating an aura of desire and freedom , yet remaining untouchable. Not that Julian wanted to touch him, which he did , but he found himself at least being able to sit and drink and watch this merchant dance the rest of the night if he chose to do so. And he did. So that’s what he did. 

And by the time Aoife had put his fires out and finished his dances, Julian was completely inebriated. As the dancer stepped off of the stage, Julian had long forgotten what any of his worries were. He stood up much too fast and stumbled left, then right, then caught himself for two breaths before following after the dancer. He didn’t have to go too far, though, because it seemed that Aoife had stopped walking to wait for his approach. With each step his heart beat faster, harder, having been weighed down by liquor and longing, for what or who he was uncertain. What was certain, though is how familiar Aoife looked through his blurred vision, having a familiarity that was more than just resembling Asra in the ways that he did, and he couldn’t think of who else it was Aoife reminded him of, but those thoughts vanished quickly, being overcome by his drunken desire to kiss him.

Before he could, though, Aoife gently pressed his fingers against Julian’s lips and pushed him back, and it was then that Julian realized he had gotten close enough to do so. And that he would have, had the dancer not stopped him. 

“You’re much too drunk,” the dancer said softly, a small smile curving his lips in a way that was almost catlike. “Apologies. I’m very particular about who I share a bed with.”

Julian leaned back, his eyes widening as he met the mismatched gaze of the dancer before him.

“No no nonono, no, my apologies!” Julian said quickly. “I didn’t mean- I mean, I- mmm, what I mean is I wasn’t…yes, yes you’re right, I am very much, much too drunk, I shouldn’t have ah-” he pinched the bridge of his nose as Aoife giggled as his inability to properly talk. “I wasn’t thinking, I didn’t mean to…ah…”

“It’s alright, I’m used to fending off drunk horny men and women-”

“Oh that makes it sound so incredibly worse!”

Aoife squealed out a laugh and patted Julian’s shoulder. “I promise you, it’s alright.”

“What I should be saying is, you…you are a very wonderful dancer! You dance so beautifully. I wasn’t expecting all of….” he waved his hand in a vague gesture, “that! With the fire and all of….yes. Can I get you a drink?”

Aoife chuckled. “I’ve got tea, thank you.”

“Can I get you different tea?”

“Does the bartender have different tea?”

“Well what tea do you have?”

“Blackberry.”

“Oh! My, what a choice in flavor, I’ll go check if…” Julian squinted his eyes then, focusing his hazy gaze to Aoife’s shoulder. Then he pointed. “Is that a rat?”

“That would be the one that stole your trousers, yes. Her name is Sage.”

“Oh! You! You stole my trousers! Well,” Julian gently patted the top of the rat’s head with his finger. “No getting them this time! I’m wearing them!”

Aoife laughed. “Are you sure you don’t need to go to bed?”

“After I get you different tea!”

“Alright, I’ll escort you after you get me different tea.”

Aoife walked with Julian over to the bar, where he had the bartender describe each and every tea that he had, and Aoife couldn’t stop laughing as Julian gave them a lecture on which teas they should have, followed by a story on where exactly to get them, and how, and what to avoid while doing so or you’ll end up like him that one time. One story led to a second, then a third, and finally Aoife picked a lemon balm tea and shooed Julian away from the bar before he could go into a fourth.

“My room,” Julian began, pointing to the top of the stairs. “It’s there!”

“Oh? I assumed you were sleeping out with the horses!”

“What! No, no, not this time! But I did do that once in Prakra!”

“You’ll have to tell me all about it another time.”

“Where are you going?”

Aoife stopped at the base of the stairs. “I’m taking you to your room, remember?”

“Oh!” Julian quickly followed along after him. “Yes, yes, I could go for a nap.”

“A nap? It’s rather late already!”

“A long nap!”

Aoife laughed. “Me also.”

“You could stay in my room! In the bed! I mean, with me not in it! I’ll sleep on the floor!”

Aoife’s laugh turned into a giggle. “No, no, that’s quite alright, thank you, you’re very kind.”

There was silence for a moment as the two of them climbed the rickety steps, with Julian having to focus more on how he was walking so he didn’t fall, and Aoife chuckling at his efforts, but eventually they made it to the top.

“Or maybe if you’d like to sleep on the floor, I can take the bed!” Julian continued.

“No, no, thank you, Silver-Tongue. I’ve got somewhere to sleep.”

“Where’s that?”

“Not here!”

“Where!”

“Outside!”

“With the horses?!”

Aoife laughed at Julian’s shocked expression. “I’ve got one horse, yes, I suppose that counts!”

As Julian went on, bewildered by the dancer’s admittance to sleeping with the horses, they slowly approached a room that Aoife noticed had some suggestive sounds coming from behind the door. He couldn’t seem to get a word in between Julian’s exclamations to question it, though, and by the time he could it was already too late.

“Well-” Julian grabbed the door handle. “I bid thee farewell! Marvelous night, really, I’ll remember it for all my days!”

“Yes, but perhaps-”

Julian didn’t seem to hear Aoife’s protest as he threw open the door in a dramatic fashion, his eyes widening as he caught the sight of two patrons in the bed, very much naked and on top of one another, and he gasped, and they scrambled to cover themselves, and Aoife covered his eyes. 

“My bed!”

“This is our room!”

“No this is my room!”

“I think it’s their room-”

“Get out!”

“No, you get out!”

The male all but tumbled off of the bed, seeming inebriated himself, grabbed something off of the floor which Julian quickly discovered was a boot as it was poorly thrown at him, missing by a mile, and Julian let out a sharp laugh.

“Hah! You’ll have to do better than that! Trying to force me out of my own room-”

He ducked as the other boot came flying at him, and someone from below the balcony cried out an ow!  

“Perhaps we should go-” Aoife said, grabbing Julian’s arm and pulling him back.

But before Julian was out of reach, he snatched up the first boot and threw it back at the guy, hitting him square in the chest.

“Aha! Get out, you crummy pirate! You’ve soiled my nice sheets! Ah-!”

Julian was cut off as the male threw the other’s shoe at him, with them getting out of bed and following along behind as the male began to go after Julian.

“Come on!” Aoife laughed and pulled Julian back to the stairs, the other two in pursuit.

“Why don’t they…oh, hey, that’s my room!” Julian pointed to a door as Aoife dragged him past, which had Aoife laughing harder as he pulled his stumbling ass down the stairs.

“Just run!” Aoife said, glancing over his shoulder at the two naked patrons chasing after him, squealing in delight and partial embarrassment as they stumbled down the steps after them.

“I’m running!”

“You’re not! Run faster!”

Julian took an extra large leap, which had him tripping over himself and tumbling down to the ground, but Aoife quickly picked him up and pulled him along as they ran across the tavern, with the dancer yanking chairs into the way and dodging miscellaneous food items being thrown in their direction by their pursuers. Julian, however, wasn’t so great at dodging, and he got smacked a couple times by porridge, breads, and salad bits. 

And that started a food fight with the other pirates, because Julian grabbed a spoonful of potatoes and chucked it behind him, missing his target and instead hitting someone else. Before Aoife and Julian got to the door, there was food flying in all directions. But it allowed the two to make their escape, because the two naked patrons quickly got distracted trying to avoid getting covered in food, and so they safely made it out to the streets.

“Wooo!” Julian shouted, throwing his arms up in the air. “How exciting!”

Aoife laughed and picked lettuce and tomatoes out of Julian’s hair. “It certainly was. I suppose now you’ll have to sleep with the horses, won’t you?”

Julian blinked, watching as Aoife’s lips curled up slowly into a small smirk. Then his eyes widened as he realized it was an invitation.

“Oh! Oh, why, yes, more than likely, I certainly don’t think it’s safe to go back in there.”

Aoife chuckled and patted Julian’s shoulder, then gestured for him to follow as he walked Julian down the streets.

“Good thing I have a place to sleep, isn’t it?”

“Oh why yes, certainly! You’re so very kind.”

Aoife led Julian to where a small caravan was tucked away, and Julian recognized it as the one he’d seen before. The horse was unhooked this time, calmly grazing from an oat bag hooked to a nearby post it was tied to. 

“What’s the horse’s name?” Julian asked.

“Spiorad,” Aoife smiled and gently patted the horse’s neck. “Spirit.”

“Ah, yes…that’s quite lovely.”

Aoife opened up the back of the caravan and gestured inside. “Well, there you go!”

Julian peeked in, eyes widening at the amount of room he saw in there. Though it looked much smaller from the outside, the inside was roomy and had enough walking room, plus a small kitchenette, and a larger bed in the very back with blankets that looked as fluffy as a cloud. 

“I can sleep on the floor-”

“Nonsense, you can sleep on the bed if you’d like. It’s quite comfortable.”

Julian looked at Aoife for a moment before giving him a small nod. He carefully stepped in, having to duck since he was taller than the ceiling allowed, but he didn’t linger and made his way back to the bed.

“And where will you sleep?”

“I think the bed is big enough for the two of us.”

“Oh!”

Julian settled himself at the very edge against the caravan wall, giving Aoife more than enough room to get in and get comfortable, but he did his best to not touch him or do anything that could potentially make the young dancer uncomfortable. He thought he would be awake for a while, always having had trouble getting to sleep, but with the comfort of the blankets and the warmth of the young man beside him, Julian found himself drifting away quicker than he thought.

And when morning came, Julian found himself with his arms and body wrapped around the smaller dancer, and a new feeling of clarity washed over him, spreading like the warmth that came from the rising sun. 

~  

Chapter Text

Look at the universal world full of the light of the sun. Look at the light in the world’s matter full of all the universal forms and forever changing. Subtract matter from the light and put the rest aside: suddenly you have a soul, that is, incorporeal light, replete with all the forms, but changeable.

This is it. This is the end.

~

Over the months she had grown stronger. She had strength, and a power she didn’t know she was capable of. Because her power was just out of reach, slowly seeping to her from beyond the otherside of her own consciousness. Aisling, a dream. A vision which remained suspended in time, falling endlessly. But she was no falling star, no. She was more than just that in Asra’s eyes. She was The Moon. 

But as Aisling crushed up petals for a potion, she didn’t feel as if she were anything beyond a simple shopkeep. An apprentice. A girl with no memories learning how to harness forgotten magical abilities, that was all she was. But she was stronger, she knew. Just not strong enough. But she worked with what she had, and did what she could, and that was all she could do.

“Tell me,” Aisling started, glancing up at Asra as he walked through the back curtain. “Will you?”

“Hmm?” Asra answered, knowing full well what she was talking about, but pretending he didn’t.

“It’s been a year now,” Aisling continued, looking back down at her mixture. “You said you’d tell me everything…I want to know.”

“Kalah…”

“You said,” Aisling paused, looking back up at him, and she let go of the pestle. “You said you would tell me everything.”

Asra’s eyes widened slightly before he looked away. There was a seriousness in her usually soft tone that caught Asra off guard, and he knew that it would be hard to avoid her this time. So he looked at her again and answered honestly. 

“I don’t know if I can.”

Aisling pursed her lips for a moment. “What…do you  mean?”

“You…you get hurt when I do,” Asra’s voice dropped to a whisper. “You don’t remember be…because I make you forget, but you get so much pain. I can’t stand to watch it.”

Aisling’s eyes widened for a moment before they softened. “More than just the-”

“Way more than just the headaches. You go into a coma like state, Kalah.” Asra’s eyes swirled with sadness.

But Aisling smiled. “Just tell me a little bit, then. Tell me what you can, and if…if it gets too much, I’ll tell you to stop, okay?”

Asra watched her for a moment, knowing she didn’t understand. That if it was too much, she wouldn’t be able to tell him to stop. Because he took those memories of what happened away from her each and every time, to save her the pain, and it hurt him instead. But seeing her smile softened the ache in his chest, and he smiled back at her, then sighed.

“I’ll tell you some small things-”

“No, I want to know more than just those small things. Tell me something big.”

“Please don’t make me.”

Aisling’s eyes widened again. “Asra…I want to know what happened. Who I am.”

“And you will, but not…like this. I don’t think you’re ready.”

“Then show me something. Something that you’re hiding.”

Asra’s breath caught in his throat, and he managed out a quiet what?

“I know there are things you keep from me, Asra.” Aisling’s tone was strong, but her eyes, and her smile, was soft. “Show me something you haven’t. Something I’ll remember.”

Asra touched his pendant without thinking, feeling the warmth of her magic there. But that wasn’t what she was talking about, he knew. He wanted to give her something that felt like her , and him, that could tell their story without him having to say it, and there was only one thing he could think of.

“I’ll be right back,” he said quickly, dashing up the stairs to his bedroom.

He opened up his bottom drawer and pulled out a heart shaped emerald necklace, feeling the gentle vibration in his hand of Aisling’s magic, and his own. And Ilya’s, too. And while he didn’t necessarily want to give Aisling something that had lya’s essence lingering within it, she’d put it there herself, and it wouldn’t have been fair to keep that from her. She wanted to see something from before, so therefore he was going to give it to her. No, Asra hadn’t been there when she’d gotten that necklace. And he knew it would be more than likely that if memories were going to form, that they would be of Ilya. It was partly the reason he was going to show her that necklace. It was selfish and sinister, really, and unfair how he was more willing to erase her memories of Ilya if they were to cause her pain. But they were her memories, nonetheless, and he just had to accept that.

Part of it was curiosity. The desire to know if Ilya’s memories of loving her would hurt her just the same as his own did. And if they didn’t, that was something he’d just have to live with. Because he couldn’t tell her how he felt. He’d lose her again, maybe forever. Not yet, anyway. She just wasn’t ready. 

But most of it was genuine. His want for her to feel them , together, in hopes that the gentle vibration of him and her that he felt in his palm would somehow save her, give her memories of him that he wouldn’t have to erase. Any memories of all. Even ones of Ilya. She wanted memories, and he so badly wanted to give them to her. Memories without pain. He sighed and closed his fingers around the necklace, holding it tightly for a moment, and he felt a warmth arise underneath his chest just over his heart. Then, after a deep breath, he went back downstairs.

“Close your eyes,” Asra said softly, smiling as Aisling let out a delighted giggle and covered her eyes with her hands. “And breathe slowly. Tell me if you feel pain.”

“O-Okay!” Aisling nodded.

“You know a man named Ilya,” Asra murmured, trying not to giggle as Aisling’s face took on a look of seriousness as she listened intently. “Headache?”

Aisling shook her head, and Asra continued. 

“He gave you this.”

“What is this?”

“A necklace.”

“Who was he?”

Asra was quiet for a moment.

“Asra?”

“A friend of both of ours. And then something more.”

“More?”

“Mmm. Feeling okay?”

Aisling paused for a moment, then, “I’m okay.”

“Alright.” Asra brought the necklace closer to Aisling, but paused when he saw her flinch. He hadn’t touched her, and he frowned. “Are you sure?”

“I’m okay, Asra,” Aisling said again with a smile, though the corner of her lip twitched in a way Asra was all too familiar with. It was irritation. “Please continue.”

“We knew him at different times. You knew him before I did. But he gave you this necklace, and you…did something to it.”

“What did I…do to it?”

Asra moved behind Aisling, rested his arms on her shoulders, and held the necklace with both hands so that it hovered above her chest. Aisling shifted uncomfortably, but said nothing further.

“You put my…my magic into it.”

“Why?”

Asra closed his eyes for a moment. “Because you missed me.” And then he lowered the necklace to touch her chest.

As the glistening emerald rested above Aisling’s heart she let out a loud, pained gasp, her head dropping back to rest on Asra’s shoulder as she arched into a convex curve. Her eyes snapped open, and she saw. More than that, she felt . It was her, it was him. It was them . Her magic, and Asra’s. And this man she’d never met, but yet knew . The three of them swirling together inside the sparkling gem, now moving through her, reaching a place beyond her physical self.

Behind the glow of her irises was darkness. A blackness she’d only seen in her dreams, one that was endless, and one in which she had no weight. She moved as if she were wading in shallow water, seeing, hearing, feeling her memories calling out to her, reaching for her, but remaining just out of reach. She looked up, answering the pull, seeing herself , her body suspended and made of glowing energy like stars, as if she were a moon illuminating a night sky. As if she were a moon. As if she were the moon. And then, as if the invisible cord suspending her suddenly snapped, the astral body curved from convex to concave. And she fell.

As this being of light fell from her sky, the memories began to flood the physical body. Aisling knew by the dizzying rush overcoming her that her legs had given out and her body had fallen into the inky darkness, but she felt so far away from herself and unable to move as she felt everything all at once enveloping her, consuming her. Her heart ached, yearned, desired, loved, hurt; her eyes saw Asra, his eyes, his smile, his heart, his love; her ears heard Ilya, his voice, his affirmations, his worries, his fears, his love; she felt them, their hands, their bodies, their skin, their hair, their heartbeats, their tears, their love, their pain; and she cried. And she screamed, because their pain was her pain. She remembered more than her own memories, more than her own death. She could feel her recreation, the ritual that caused it, the emotions Asra had, that Ilya had, their strength that pulled her soul from the depths of which it rested, their anger, their hatred, their desire, their love. And her heart burned as if lit aflame, as if she were a witch being immolated, being sacrificed again for all the pain she had caused the two she’d loved. How her carelessness had gotten her sick, and if only she had been more careful, she would have saved them heartbreak and loss. No, because of that she didn’t fight the pain, she embraced it with open arms. And as she cried into the void, seeing her past life flashing before her eyes, the fire blazed.

~

Julian had been reading in the lower decks. A book ironically titled Criminals of the Ocean , which he’d picked up at a discount bookstore from their last port. It wasn’t all about pirates, but it did have names and stories of some famous pirates to ever sail the seas, and Julian found that interesting. He even wondered if The Wolf would be in a book one day, and then decided he would help him get into one, because The Wolf, while not so much being an evil criminal, was daring and popular enough to be written about. And then he decided he was also good enough to be sung about, also, and made up his mind right then that he was going to write a song about The Wolf himself if no other bard had. Perhaps he himself could even be a storytelling bard when, or if, his pirating lifestyle ever came to an end. Oh, the stories he’d be able to tell of his adventures with The Wolf and his Pack. And even his wandering pup! Though, he wondered if Aoife would want stories publically being told about him, and decided if he ever saw him again that he would just have to ask. He was certain, though, that from the way he’d seen the boy dance, that he wouldn’t mind a story or two being shared about him. And Julian smiled.

But that smile quickly faltered when a pain struck him in the chest like lightning. His ears roared as if filled with an echoing thunder, and he gasped, the book dropping from his hands as they moved to clutch his chest. He pushed himself off the barrel and stumbled until he crashed onto the floor, gasping for breath, his vision quickly fading into a blackness as he tried to think of what it was that was happening to him. Heart attack? Possibly. But it felt like so much more, as if the lightning struck his heart like a tree, engulfing it in fire, and those flames were blazing through him with a heat that was unbearable. He took another gasping breath, the world going dark as a dizzying rush took him over. And then, he saw her.

 And she glowed . She was above him, her body curved as if a waning moon, her hair long and curly like the waves of a cascading waterfall. And she cried . He watched the tears, crystalline clear and glistening in her body’s luminescence, fall from her eyes and drip down into a blackness that rippled with each drop like a shallow pool. And there a single flower bloomed, white and glowing, the petals soft as satin and filled with medicinal properties to cure nearly everything. Artemisia . An illusion, no doubt, it had to be an illusion. Or was it? Was this spectral being a Moon goddess? He felt weightless as he waded through the pool of blackness towards where the flower was, and he knelt down to brush his fingers along the petals, remembering his time in the cave. Then, he didn’t pick the flower. It trembled and gave off a feeling of fear that radiated from it at the very thought. But now, the flower trembled as if inviting him to free it from where it rested. As if there were something it needed to show him. So he did, pulling this flower free of its inky prison, immediately feeling the lightning again, hearing the echoing thunder, and seeing . 

Her, it was her. The one from his dreams. No, it wasn’t Aoife, though she was beautiful, and she was radiant. She had freckle dotted caramel skin and mismatched eyes, one a familiar crystalline blue, and the other a familiar violet, a color he’d only seen in the eyes of his beloved magician. Asra . Her hair was a chestnut auburn with radiant blonde streaks, and while her appearance carried a familiarity he knew he’d only seen from Aoife himself, he also knew that he knew this woman. That she was the reason that the dancer had felt so familiar to him, not just because of Asra. That it was her crystalline blue eye that reminded him of that mug, and her smile, and her laugh, and her love that he yearned for. That this woman, whoever she was, was what he was missing . 

It wasn’t just a feeling. No, he was shown flashes, pieces of memories taken away from him. Holding her hand, kissing her lips, laughing with her, dancing with her, crying with her, crying for her. He felt an overwhelming abundance of love for her, and from her, as he saw their days together, and their nights, and when he’d made her his, and she’d made him hers. And his heart ached, because he had no idea who she was, but he wanted her, and somehow he was overjoyed to see her again. And as he fought through the pain, the fire that was coursing through his own veins as if he were fire himself, he pushed himself to his feet and reached for her. This moon goddess that cried above him, he reached for her, because he knew she missed him too. But she was just out of reach, and he collapsed back into the rippling black pool, his own eyes filling with tears as hers continued to fall and made the pool ever deeper. But he would have drowned in those tears for her if it could have gotten him closer to her. A sailor willingly getting lost at sea, with the light of the moon guiding him to his suicide. What hurt him the most, though, was that he could see her, feel her, but he couldn’t remember her name.

And then it echoed around him, loud and panicked, in a voice that was from none other than the magician he loved.

~

“Aisling!” 

Asra grabbed Aisling’s body as she collapsed, his own already shaking as she became a dead weight in his arms. He eased her down to lay her on the floor, seeing her mismatched irises were glowing a solid white, and a panic rose up within him as he saw them begin to fill with tears. Her body trembled as she cried, but she was unresponsive to his words, his touch, his whispers of reassurance, his love. Underneath his own shirt his mark seared his skin, hotter than it had ever been before, and he dug his nails into the floor to try and fight it.

“Please, please Aisling, can you hear me?! Can you-ah-!” Asra clenched his jaw and tossed the emerald necklace away from them, but it was already too late. The lightning struck, the fire blazed. He clutched his shirt above his mark, feeling the heat through the fabric against his knuckles. 

“What’s happening?!” Asra cried out to no one in particular, because he knew there was no one who could answer.

So he took a few deep breaths to try and calm himself to no avail, then pushed himself to his feet, stumbling as a wave of dizziness washed over him, and quickly started hunting through his books. He needed a spell stronger than the one he was using, because he knew that whatever was happening to her now, to them now, was beyond a simple forgetting spell. It seemed to be a connection of some kind. To who, or to where, he wasn’t sure, but he had to stop it. He snatched a book from the shelf and all but tumbled back to her side, flipping open the book and reading through it as quickly as possible until he found what he was looking for. Then he took her hand and placed it over his mark, and he placed his hand over her heart, the pages becoming stained with his tears as he read the incantation.

~

She could hardly breathe as she felt what used to be hers returning to her body. Her memories, her feelings; her love. Aisling forced herself onto her back, fighting through the pain as she looked up to watch her other luminescent body flicker and flare brightly to a blinding degree, and she reached out for it, knowing it was still falling towards her. To her. Her other half, the other side of her consciousness, returning home where it belonged. And through it all she managed to smile, because soon she could be whole again, she knew. When the light died down she reached higher, seeing how much closer her other body had neared, and it reached for her, too. But just as their fingertips touched, where she could feel herself , her body of light was yanked back from her as if being caught at the middle and pulled into the air again. And Aisling cried out no no no! because as tendrils of inky blackness began to wrap around her and pull her physical body down into the darkness, everything she saw, heard, and felt began to disappear once again. Everything she’d gained she was losing again, reversing backwards from her mind, erasing as if they’d never been given back. And she screamed, fighting against the force pulling her away from what was hers , but it was no use. The last thing she saw were her own eyes, glowing moonlit orbs looking back at her, filled with tears and longing as this astral creation reached for her. And then there was nothing but darkness.

And she watched the part of her that had gained freedom disappear. The cord which had caught her snapped once again, and Aisling, the body of light, the spirit which held the memories of the past, fell into darkness once again. But this time, it wasn’t endless. No, this time Aisling fell through the pool of blackness and hit solid ground. And when she opened her eyes once again, she saw it. The waterfall. The rainbow pool. The green grass and lilac flowers of her gateway. Her cage . She cried for everything she had lost, her physical body, her freedom, her Ilya, her Asra, not knowing it was the magician she loved who had trapped her and taken it all away.

~

      Julian, in his sorrow, felt that, too. The cord within him, stretching from his heart out to hers, getting cut as if by a pair of scissors. And slowly, the pain ebbed away. His eyes raised to see his Moon begin to fall, and he scrambled to his feet, arms stretched out as if to catch her. But she fell through him and into the inky pool at his feet, the light quickly snuffing out and leaving him in darkness once again. Whatever it was he’d lost, he knew he’d just lost again, and there was only one thing left in his mind as his consciousness began to rouse.

That somehow, Asra had taken it from him.

When Julian awoke once again, surrounded by his crewmates, his mind was foggy. The memory of what happened was hazy, but some things remained. And it was enough for anger to fester, for him to believe that Asra had indeed placed a curse on him, that Asra was the reason his memories were missing, and was the only one that had the answers he needed. That Asra had taken someone important away from him, though he didn’t know who, and that Asra was the reason he murdered the Count. Or didn’t! But he wouldn’t know unless he found Asra again. So that was what he decided. His life of pirating was over. 

It was time to go home.  

~  

Asra watched the glow in Aisling’s eyes dim, and as they fluttered to a close, he tossed his book aside and held her hand. No, he didn’t know what he’d just done, but whatever was happening couldn’t have been good. He had panicked, and he was scared of losing her again, so he did what he thought he had to do to save her. And he sobbed in relief when she stirred, and her eyes opened once again. Blue and purple, not white, and Asra gently lifted her up to cradle her in his arms.

“Kalah?” He whispered, feeling as if it were that first masquerade night all over again. And for a moment, as she just stared at him, he was terrified he had done too much and lost her all over again, starting them back at the beginning. 

But then, to his utmost relief, she smiled. And she spoke. 

“Asra,” Aisling whispered, blinking a thick haze from her vision and glancing around. “What happened?”

“I don’t know,” Asra replied honestly, lifting her up and pulling her against his chest as he held her close. “Are you okay?”

“Mhm,” Aisling frowned and hugged Asra, because he was clearly more distressed than she was. “I just…have a headache.”

“I can help-”

“No, it’s alright, it’s not bad,” Aisling murmured, letting out a deep breath. “Let me hold you.”

Asra’s eyes widened, filling to the brim with tears before overflowing and dripping down his cheeks, and he closed them as Aisling held him just a bit tighter. Neither of them knew what Aisling had lost, but Asra knew well enough he was undeserving of his love’s innocence and sudden kindness when she was just the one in peril. But he’d done it to her to begin with with the necklace, when he knew better than that. He knew better than to show her something like that, no matter how badly she wanted it. He also knew that would have to be the last time he held her that closely, and the last night he’d be able to stay at the shop for a while. 

No, he wouldn’t hurt Aisling like that again. He silently said goodbye to his needs and desires that was her and all that she was, four words emerging from the depths of his aching heart. 

This is the end .

~   

Chapter Text

LunaStarhawk

A new dawn arose, and Julian awoke to the ocean’s salty air, his eyes opening to see the golden sky above him. He’d slept his last night aboard the Crimson Serpent in a hammock on the top deck, knowing he was going to miss it, and he already did. It wasn’t as if he wasn’t going to be at sea any longer, but it wasn’t the sea he was going to miss. It was The Pack. Specifically his friend, The Wolf.

Ramualdo had slept in a hammock underneath his, and when Julian peeked over the edge to peer down at him, he found his friend looking back.

“Already gettin’ ready to go?” Ramualdo asked softly and with a quirk of his brow. “Sun isn’t even fully up yet.”

Julian chuckled, then sighed. “I have something I have to do,” he said again for what must have been the thousandth time to both himself and his companion.

“Mhm, ya, I kno’. Ye’v said.” Ramualdo reached up and pulled at Julian’s hammock so that he slid down, chuckling as Julian quickly scrambled to keep himself from falling. “Somethin’ important, ye said.”

“Yes, very much so!” Julian clung to the hammock. “Will you let go?”

“Will you?” Ramualdo laughed.

Julian huffed and let go of the hammock, sliding out of it and falling down to land on The Wolf’s broad chest, and he felt the vibrations of his amused humm reverberating through it. “There! Better?”

“Indeed, if this ‘es th’ last time I’m gonna be able t’ tease ye, I’m goin’ to do ‘et properly!” Ramualdo chuckled and ruffled Julian’s curls.

Julian sighed before patting Ramualdo’s chest and rolling out of the hammock and onto the deck floor. “Will we ever meet again, my friend?”

Ramualdo smiled and climbed out of the hammock, stepped over Julian, and crouched on his other side. “O’ course we will, Silver. Yer one o’ us, aren’t ye?” He reached out his hand.

“Aye,” Julian took Ramualdo’s hand and let the brute pull him up, flashing him a devilish grin before brushing off his shirt. “I surely am. A pirate’s life I’ve had!”

Ramualdo chuckled. “That you’ve had.” Then he sighed. “Say goodbye to tha crew, then, and get off, will ye? Otherwise I might have t’ tie ye down an’ make ye stay.”

Julian’s eyes widened slightly and his cheeks darkened to a rosy flush, and he quickly glanced away. “Yes, well, if you do that , I…I ah…yes, well, nevermind,” he cleared his throat and turned around on his heel, but Ramualdo grabbed Julian by the back of his coat and spun him back around.

“Last one while no one’s lookin’,” Ramualdo murmured, bringing Julian in for a rough kiss, then pushed him away again. 

Julian whimpered and took a step closer, but then thought better of it and turned around again. Ramualdo followed him to the sleeping quarters, where the two of them woke everyone up in the most obnoxious way that they could, and after the two of them were chased across the ship by angry tired pirates, they all said their goodbyes. And then Julian stepped off the Crimson Serpent , and onto the Lady Emerald . And then he was gone. 

The ship he boarded was very different from the one he left, being that it was a simple spice ship on route back to Vesuvia. He offered his medical services in exchange for passage and the merchant's discretion, knowing he was a fugitive going home to the crime scene. Luckily for him, he got it, and he wasn’t actually sure whether or not it was because the crew aboard just didn’t care that it was him, didn’t know it was him, or knew it was him and were in fear for their lives. Either way, it didn’t matter, and he had safe passage back to Asra.

Because he wasn’t going home . By this point he knew he more than likely wouldn’t have a home to go to. It had been well over a year, almost two, and he imagined that his house would have been ransacked and broken into and boarded up at this point. With no house, there was no home. With no love , there was no home. There was no home for him. Not really.

So he was going back to Asra , and Asra was neither love, nor home. Maybe once he had been both. But now Asra was no more than the witch who placed a nasty curse on Julian, and Julian was going to make him take it away. Give him his memories back. Do something to end the endless suffering from his own confusion. 

What could Asra want from him in exchange? Because he knew well enough that Asra hated him. He’d said so himself. But Asra said a lot of things. Even that he’d loved him. Which one was the truth? Was either?

No, he’d grown to hate Asra, too. Asra was no longer love, and no longer home. Nothing but a witch.

But could he really hate Asra? Because there was a reason Asra hated him, and he knew it was something he’d done, but he didn’t know what . If only he-

“Pirates!”

Julian looked up from the barrel he sat on in hopes these pirates were his pirates, and quickly stood when he saw that they weren’t . No, brutes if he’d ever seen them, and not the handsome kind, either, boarded the smaller merchant spice carrier from the ship they’d brought up beside it. One by one they began to take the merchants captive, Julian included, shouting commands to everyone, including each other, and wasting no time digging through the product on board. Always seeming to be saved by his Quick Wit Silver-Tongue, Julian introduced himself as such to his captive, and was saved from being stowed away in the hull by offering his superb doctoring services. 

“Superb?” His captive asked with a loud sharp laugh and a shake of his head. “I doubt ‘et,” he continued as he pushed Julian aboard the pirate ship.  

“I’ve got talent greater than any other doctor you’ve seen, I’m sure! Cut me, and I’ll show you!”

“Cut ye?!” The pirate laughed again, and shoved Julian until he stumbled across the deck. “Ye hear that, lads?! Thes one ‘ere wants me to cut him!”

The other pirates laughed along, but Julian only smirked and, with a low voice, said, “It’s your loss.”

“Ay, give the boy what he wants then, mate!” A woman called out, and she tossed her knife to Julian’s captive. “It’ll be fun watchin’ him squirm!”

The pirate huffed and rolled his eyes as he caught the woman’s knife, then grabbed Julian by the arm and swiped the blade across it without warning.

“Youch!!” Julian cried out, hissing and wincing and whining, making a show out of being in pain while the others laughed. But then he chuckled, his eyes narrowing as caught the other’s attention, and his mark began to glow.

The pirates gasped and murmured in shock, watching as Julian’s wound quickly healed itself before the mark on his neck dimmed and disappeared again. 

“Witchcraft!” The woman cried out. “‘Es a witch!”

“Warlock, idiot! Witches ar’ th’ womens, ain’t they, Polly?”

“Do it matter, Kevin?! Didn’ ya see tha’?!”

“Now, now,” Julian spoke up. “I’m no witch, or warlock, I’m merely a doctor! And all I ask for these quick healing services is my freedom! I will do no more or less, and will stay right out of your way, shall you let me go.”

The pirates murmured to each other, before one older man in particular came and smacked his captive on the back of the head.

“I’ve seen enough,” his voice was rough, with a lower tone. “Let ‘em goh an’ get on with ‘et! Burn th’ merchant ship, we’ve got to port by sunset!”

“ Burn? ” Julian squeaked out, but once the Captain spoke, no one was paying him any mind. 

Julian’s captive cut his ropes before shoving him aside and doing as his Captain asked and throwing lit torches overboard onto the other ship’s deck. As they sailed off, Julian merely watched the flames grow, until the Lady Emerald began to sink under the water.

It only took two days before Julian was found again. In the middle of the night, they came. Roused the pirates from their slumber, and Julian was startled awake by the sound of their clashing metal and shouting from up above. 

Hurry, quickly!

Captain, there!

It’s her!

“More pirates?!” Julian looked around, grabbing a knife and heading up top to see the commotion.

As Julian opened the door, an arrow struck beside his head. He quickly shut it again, then peeked through the cracks instead. The top deck was crowded bow to stern as the pirates fought sword to sword, bow to bow, against the newcomers, which were much more finely dressed, and seemed a bit more skilled. One by one the pirates dropped, and suddenly the door swung open, and the tip of a blade was against Julian’t throat.

“I’m not them!” Julian said quickly, throwing his hands up. Then when the blade pressed a bit harder, Julian dropped the knife from his hand. “Just a doctor!”

“Just a doctor,” the other said, giving him a good look up and down through narrowed eyes.

“I was taken from the Lady Emerald !”

At that the sword lowered. “Ah, I can believe that. That name doesn’t get thrown around. Get on, then, and stay out of the way!”

“Yes ma’am!” Julian pressed himself up against the wall as the woman strode past him, and he watched her turn the corner in pursuit of her enemies before he decided to go out onto the deck. 

It was loud with all of the shouting, and the metal of their weapons shimmered against the light of the moon. But through the crowd, something caught Julian’s attention. He picked up his knife again and weaved through the battling pirates, staying out of the way and taking refuge behind the mast as a couple came barreling past. When he peeked around it he could see two people fighting in front of the helm. One was the pirate captain, nearly blended in with the night from that distance in his dark clothes, save for the shimmering silver of his sword and jewelry. The other stood out in the night, a female figure whose broad hat, long coat, and pants were a bright red . And even from that distance Julian could see she was fierce, strong, and magically inclined as she shot a beam of ice that stuck the pirate’s foot to the deck, and he cursed her and her family name. 

Featherstone . 

Julian couldn’t take his eyes off of her. The fight around him no longer was there as he watched the way she moved, how she carried an aura of grace with each step and swing of her sword, able to overpower the pirate captain easily as she parried each attack. Her hair was long and dark, except for the front, where her bangs, and two long strands that framed her face, were glowing a bright white against the moon’s light. He found himself drawn to her, his feet carrying him forwards towards this fierce fair skinned woman, and as she decked the pirate captain with her fist , and he stumbled down to the ground, he found himself biting his lip.

“Oh, I would love to end you,” she was saying to him, the tip of her sword pressed into the dip of his neck. “But there are things worse for you than death.”

“Yer a coward,” the captain spat at her feet, and she smacked him across the cheek with the flat of her sword.

“A coward runs with their tail between their legs. A coward is scared. I’m not scared, nor have I run anywhere but to you to take back what is rightfully mine. Look around you, Draven,” the woman gestured to the rest of the ship. “You’ve lost.”

Julian forced his gaze away from her to look around, where her people had successfully captured the other pirates and were binding their hands behind their backs. A door in the back swung open, and the held captives from the Lady Emerald emerged from where they were imprisoned in the hull. When he looked back to the red clothed woman, she was twisting a rope around the pirate’s arms and wrists, and he noticed the way she skilfully tied a sailor’s knot. 

“Ah, I’ll be back, Princess,” Draven growled, but she merely laughed.

“Not if I have anything to say about it. You’ve burned my family’s ship, I think you’ve reached the end of your seafaring journey, pirate.”

“Oh, Altheia,” Draven chuckled and shook his head. “If you shall let me live, a pirate’s life I live, not bound by rules or… prisons . We always find a way, don’ we?”

Altheia guided the pirate captain down the small steps to the main deck, and when she glanced at Julian, he saw her eyes were a shimmering sea glass green, brilliantly beautiful against the light like a clear coral reef, and for a moment he found it hard to breathe, let alone realize she had said something to him.

But he felt an elbow to the rib and he winced, then glanced at the woman he’d met earlier, who’d appeared beside him.

“Speak when the Captain talks to you!” She said, and Julian’s eyes widened.

“C-Captain?” He stuttered, looking back at Altheia . Altheia. A name that started with A . And what a beautiful name for a ship it would be. “My apologies, Captain!” Julian cleared his throat. “What ah…did you say?”

“I asked who you are ,” The Captain said coolly, her watchful eyes narrowing in a way that was both mischievous and commanding, and the corner of her plush pink lips curled upwards into a playful smile.

“Ah-” Julian straightened. “Doctor Julian Devorak, at your service, Madame. I offer my services to you and your crew in exchange for safe passage.”

As he spoke with his hands, he watched Altheia’s eyes focus on his left one, and her eyes narrowed a bit further at the murderer’s mark that was there.

“A doctor, huh?”

“And a great one!” A young man he’d helped aboard the Lady Emerald piped up. “And he tells wonderful stories!”

“Oh, I’m sure,” Altheia’s voice lowered to a purr. “I’d love to know the one about that mark on your hand.”

And suddenly everyone turned to look at where Julian was all but displaying his mark for the world to see. He let out a nervous laugh.

“Yes, I would as well,” Julian muttered. “Could I ah, tell you more about that one in private, perhaps?”

Altheia laughed, and the sound made Julian’s heart beat just a bit harder. “ Perhaps , indeed. Get these men aboard and put them in the brig, I’ll see Doctor Devorak to my quarters,” she called out to the rest of her crew, who nodded to her and went straight to work subduing the pirates and dragging them over to their ship. 

Altheia handed off the pirate captain to someone else, then gestured for Julian to follow her, which he didn’t hesitate to do.

“So, Julian ,” She said, smiling at his quick and high pitched mhmm! . “Explain to me why I should let a murderer doctor my crew and roam free aboard my ship?”

“The ah…the murder part is questionable,” Julian began, waving his hands when she narrowed her eyes at him. “I’m being genuine, I…I have no recollection of the act, and there are months of time I am missing. I placed this mark upon my hand as a reminder to myself that there is something greater beyond me that I need to uncover. There are answers I need to find. And now, I think I know how to find them. If I can’t find the answers easily, I will turn myself in. The crime I may have committed is a very large one, and I’m to be hanged for it. But I need to know the truth.”

Altheia looked him over for a moment, then her eyes softened. “I believe you,” she took a seat in a large chair behind her desk, and she gestured for the doctor to sit on the other side, “I’ve seen my fair share of liars, and I don’t see lies on your lips.”

“But I can assure you I…I ah…you do?” Julian’s eyes widened and he blinked, a rosy flush forming at his cheekbones and across his nose. And then his eyebrow arched playfully. “And what do you see on my lips?”

Altheia chuckled and leaned back in her chair. “A small droplet of spit.”

Julian licked his bottom lip, then smirked. “And now?”

“I see humor. And fun, perhaps.” Altheia narrowed her eyes mischievously. “Where is it that you’re headed?”

Julian’s lips parted, but he didn’t speak right away, wondering if it were wise to tell the truth of where he had come from. It was the Count that was murdered, afterall, and he wasn’t sure just how much these people knew about that. But he’d already told the real truth of it all, so what harm was the rest? Before he could, however, she spoke up.

“You don’t have to say, but it would make it easier for me to know if we need to stop before we get back to Port Tremaire.”

“Vesuvia,” Julian said anyway. “Port Tremaire you say?”

Altheia hummed. “Yes, that would be home.”

Home.

“That is our first destination,” she continued. “Then I can help get you to where you need to be. Vesuvia, you say?”

“Ever been?”

“It’s been quite a long time since I have.” Altheia gave him a small smile. 

“Quite the place, it is,” Julian murmured. “I appreciate your hospitality despite these unfortunate circumstances. Your ship…”

“The Lady Emerald is quite the loss, but the product remains intact, so our routes may continue on. I’ll take them where they’re supposed to go myself if I must.”

“And this ship? What is her name? I should have known you were her captain, with the way you tied that fine sailor’s knot back there.”

Altheia hummed. “A sailor, are you?”

“Oh am I, I…am a sailing doctor, certainly!” At Altheia’s raised brow, Julian chuckled. “I’ve spent quite the time at sea, and have a sailor’s heart. It seems you do as well. I admire that.”

Altheia’s eyes widened slightly. “Do you?”

“Yes! In fact, let me tell you about my time at sea, if you’d like.”

Altheia smiled. “I’d like that.”

For the rest of the night, the captain and the doctor shared stories of their seafaring adventures, laughs, and a couple drinks, and when the sky began to lighten, they emerged from the captain’s quarters and admired the colors of the brightening sky as they walked across the deck like the horizon of the Rising Sun.  

~

Chapter Text

Julian knew he was inching closer to Asra’s line, but dancing with him, dancing that dance with him, hearing his laugh, seeing, feeling his relief, and how Asra melted into his kiss as if he would have crumpled without it, strengthened his want for him. Not just want, need. Not just need, desire. His desire. He wanted to take care of Asra, because Asra deserved it, whether he thought so or not. And Asra needed to be taken care of. Asra needed him, whether he wanted to admit it or not. No, Julian wasn’t going to stay on his side of the line this time. He was going to give Asra what he needed. Which was himself. All of him. 

~

There was a pull, something that had made Asra’s feet wander towards the small town of Laliyah. At first he wasn’t sure what it was, but the feeling was familiar and warm, and he knew no bad could come from answering the call. So he did. It led him over hills and across the desert, to an oasis and a small river, and finally into the town, where he stopped as soon as he entered. He took a few breaths and looked around, his legs tired from all his wandering, and he figured he could lay down and go to sleep right there on the ground. But the pull was still tugging at him, and when he began to protest, a light humm vibrated from his pocket to urge him forwards. Without answering it, he continued on.

He slowed his steps as he followed his intuition through the town’s center, crossing over a bridge above the river that ran through it and to the otherside, where he found his way to a small marketplace. He took his time as he went from stall to shop, browsing once at everything that was there and making note of what he’d go back for but buying nothing yet, then stepped out of a shop and paused in the doorway. There, just down the street, were two people sitting on a rug underneath a canopy. One was younger, a boy with dark hair, who was staring at the other older person in awe as they held cards out in front of them. And this other person Asra recognized from the fiery auburn curls atop their head, and his eyes widened.

Rayne .

The humm from his trouser pocket was a bit stronger, and this time Asra answered the call, pulling the first card his fingers touched from his pocket and holding it in front of him.

Strength .

There was no specific message for Asra as he looked from the card to Rayne, knowing that it wasn’t just the Major Arcana that had been calling to him, because the dancer held up a card to face Asra’s direction, then turned their head just enough for their eyes to peer above it. And even from that distance, Asra could see it clearly. 

The Magician.

Asra’s smile grew and he tucked the card back into his pocket, then walked the distance over to the canopy.

“-and be safe,” Rayne was saying to the boy with a smile, and they shuffled the cards in their hand. All but The Magician, which was placed on their knee.

“You too!” The boy said back, giving him a small wave before running off.

Rayne chuckled and looked down at their cards, then tilted their head towards Asra.

“Hello, stranger,” they said, their voice soft and carrying curiosity in their tone. 

“Hello,” Asra said, taking a seat across from Rayne. “I didn’t know you knew tarot, too.”

“May I see the card you drew?” Rayne asked, lifting their mismatched gaze to meet Asra’s violet eyes, and they smiled. 

Asra dug in his pocket and pulled the card back out, then held it in front of them.

“Ah…” Rayne hummed and narrowed their eyes mischievously, their smile rising into a smirk. “Strength is about knowing you can endure your obstacles. It gives you the power to overcome any growing fears, challenges, or doubts you may be having.” Rayne smiled once again. “It’s encouraging you to tame your emotions. Feel your fear, and persevere. Approach it from a place of forgiveness, compassion…and love.” Then they sighed. “You’re lost again, aren’t you?”

Asra looked down at the Strength card and hummed. “Not anymore, it appears you’ve found me and brought me to a safe place.” He murmured, then looked up at Rayne again, then down at The Magician card resting on their knee. “Was that for the boy?”

“No, that was for me,” Rayne’s lips curved in a way that was almost cat-like. “Or perhaps, for you. What do you think about that?”

“As above, so below,” Asra murmured, looking at Rayne again. “Energy, potential, and…the manifestation of one’s desires.” 

“What are your desires?”

“Ah…” Asra glanced away, cheeks darkening to a pink desert rose.

“You don’t have to tell me,” Rayne cooed, taking The Magician card and holding it up in front of their face for a moment. “They will.”

“W-What?” Asra’s eyes widened.

Rayne laughed. “I’m kidding. Unless…” They narrowed their eyes playfully at Asra, then glanced at the card once again. “This card has told me something about you, Magician.”

“What’s that?”

“That you’ve created an opportunity to see someone again who you desire.”

Asra blinked, trying to hide the emotion in his eyes, because he wasn’t sure if Rayne was talking about Aisling or themself, or both , because how similar they were, and yet different, like the heads and tails side of a single coin. Asra couldn’t deny he felt something towards Rayne, and that he had thought of Rayne, but he wasn’t sure if desire was the right word. He’d desired before, he desired Aisling, he’d even desired Ilya, once. But that was then, and things had changed. And since he’d brought Aisling back, he hadn’t desired anyone like he desired her. He hadn’t felt for anyone like he felt for her. Until Rayne. Because somehow, Rayne was enough like her to make him feel . 

“Yes?”

Asra blinked himself back to reality and focused on the dancer in front of him, his eyes widening slightly when he realized he hadn’t answered.

“Well, you’re not incorrect,” Asra said with a soft chuckle.

“Are you holding back, Asra?”

“I have to.”

Rayne hummed. “The Magician is a message to tap into your full potential rather than holding back. Can you do that here?”

“Here?”

Rayne smiled almost shyly as they looked down. “You said I’d brought you somewhere safe. Though it wasn’t I that guided you anywhere. I’m merely here because I was answering a call.”

“As was I,” Asra murmured. 

“What does it mean?”

Asra picked at the loose fibers on the rug. “I don’t know.”

“Want to find out?”

Asra glanced at Rayne again. “What do you mean?”

Rayne merely shrugged.

“Don’t do that,” Asra smirked and shifted on the rug.

“Do what?” Rayne’s lips curled playfully.

“That!” Asra poked the dimple that formed in Rayne’s cheek. “That look. It means trouble.”

“How would you know?”

“You’d just have to trust me.”

“I do.”

Asra leaned back. “You don’t know me.”

“I know you dance good.”

“Not as good as you.”

“Good enough.”

They both laughed, Then Asra leaned forward and hooked his hand around the back of Rayne’s neck, pulling them forwards and pressing their lips together.

Why Asra had done it, he wasn’t completely sure. But Rayne had told him before to let go, to be free, and with Aisling, Asra didn’t feel he could do that yet. He was hiding, and he was holding back, and he was running away because he just didn’t know how to handle all of the emotions within himself. Everytime he wanted to pour them out to the one he loved, he hurt her. But here, in this small town, with this mysterious dancer, he was safe. The feelings pouring out of him couldn’t hurt Rayne, he knew. So finally, he let them pour like rain.

When he leaned back he found Rayne’s blue and green eyes widened with surprise, and for a few moments there was only silence between them as Asra’s cheeks darkened with embarrassment. 

“S-Sorry, I…”

“No, it’s-” Rayne cut themselves off with a laugh. “It’s fine-”

“No, I shouldn’t have-”

“Really, it’s okay-”

“That was really stupid of me, I’m sorry-”

“Don’t apologize, it-”

“-I should probably go-”

Asra started to get up, but Rayne reached out and took his hand, and Asra looked at them in surprise, but Rayne smiled.

“Don’t go,” Rayne said softly, their voice just above a whisper. “Let me tell you something.”

Asra settled back down, but when he tried to sit further away, Rayne pulled him a bit closer.

“I don’t just mess around,” Rayne murmured, and he tilted his head down to peer up at Asra through his lashes. “I don’t just give myself to anyone.”

“I-I didn’t think-”

“You and I are friends now, aren’t we?”

“Yes I…yes, I would say so.”

“Sometimes friends need things from each other, yes?”

Asra’s eyes widened. “Yes, but…”

“Sometimes, friends need help.” Rayne slowly brought Asra closer. “And you’re lost. Let me help you find your way.”

“This…this is…is this okay?”

“Is it?”

Was it? Rayne waited patiently while Asra thought about if it was or not. Because he wasn’t cheating on Aisling, because they weren’t together, and really never had been. She didn’t know he loved her, and he had so much love to give. He wanted so badly to love, and to feel loved, and it was tearing him up inside. The person before him, one who reminded him so much of his love, was offering to let Asra love them. No, they weren’t giving themselves to him. They were just friends. But Asra had to make one thing clear.

“I’m not using you,” Asra said, leaning just a bit closer.

“And I’m not using you,” Rayne said, tilting his head just a bit. “I’m helping a friend find peace.”

“Can I…help you somehow?”

“You are,” Rayne purred, leaning in and brushing their lips together. “I need something from you.”

“What can I give?”

“You don’t have to give me anything.”

“What can I…do?”

“Show me how you dance.”

Asra leaned back enough to look at Rayne, speechless.

“And show me…how you love.”

At that, Asra decided he didn’t need words. He cupped Rayne’s cheeks with his hands and gently brushed their cheeks with his thumbs, then brought them into a deep, gentle kiss.

And it felt good .

Asra’s love rolled off his tongue as he swiped it across Rayne’s bottom lip and into their mouth, tasting them, and giving them a taste of him , and he slid his fingers into Rayne’s hair at the sound of their soft moan. He could feel Rayne’s body melting against his, their hands touching him, his face, his hair, then his chest, and Asra smiled before lightly tugging on Rayne’s bottom lip between his teeth as Rayne gently pushed him back.

“Not here,” Rayne murmured, and Asra saw Rayne’s cheeks had taken on an embarrassed flush. He hadn’t realized the flirtatious dancer could be shy. 

“No?” Asra gave Rayne the look that meant trouble, and Rayne giggled girlishly as Asra waved his hand, and the sides of his canopy dropped down to touch the ground, turning it into a tent.

“I have some place we can go to better protect the children’s ears,” Rayne whispered, then chuckled as Asra nipped the top of their ear.

“Are you saying you’re loud ?” Asra purred, and he slowly traced the edge of Rayne’s ear with the tip of his tongue, feeling Rayne’s body shiver against his. 

“I can be if you’d prefer,” Rayne cooed, slipping their fingers underneath the fabric of Asra’s shirt and feeling his chest for a moment, then sliding their hand up and around the back of Asra’s neck and into his hair. “But not here.”

Asra hummed and raised up onto his knees, then slid Rayne up his thighs to grind against his shaft, and they wrapped their legs around his waist. “How quiet can you be, then?”

“I won’t make even a peep.”

Asra smirked and held Rayne close, then lowered them onto the ground to rest on their back, and he rolled his hips against theirs.

“Not a peep?” Asra whispered, slowly running his hand along Rayne’s shaft and feeling it twitch at his touch, then up their mostly bare stomach to their chest.

Rayne gasped, but otherwise made no sound, and they smirked before slowly shaking their head.

Asra hummed and hooked his fingers underneath Rayne’s trousers, slowly inching them down their thighs and feeling the muscles tense as a couple passerbys chatted on the other side of the tent. He lowered them enough to free Rayne’s shaft of the small shorts they wore underneath before he rested a finger against his lips and gave them a playful wink.

Rayne’s eyes widened for a moment before narrowing, accepting Asra’s challenge although they seemed nervous, because they kept glancing in the direction of the voices.

“Shhh…” Asra soothed, lowering down to press a soft kiss to Rayne’s chest. “ Not a peep .”

Rayne’s humm was more of an easy purr in their chest rather than a noise, and they wrapped their arms around Asra’s neck, bringing him closer and into a kiss as he took a hold of their shaft and began slow, gentle strokes, and Asra could feel the wanting tremble of Rayne’s lips against his, and their hot breath in the back of his throat. But even as Asra swiped away the salty drop that had formed at Rayne’s tip with his thumb, Rayne still remained noiseless. So he continued on.

Asra lowered to trail his kisses down Rayne’s neck, sucking a light bruise in the curve between neck and shoulder and feeling Rayne’s back arch up off the ground, but still, there was no sound. Then he went lower, his kisses trailing then to Rayne’s chest, and he raised up the small fabric there to expose their nipples and swiped his tongue across one, then the other, then pinched it between his teeth. A gasp, then silence. Asra continued lower, lower, across the fine waves of Rayne’s abs, down their stomach, until his lips just barely brushed against the tip of their shaft, and he looked up at Rayne through his lashes before daring to run his tongue around it. But Rayne was silent, and they gave Asra a playful smile before brushing their fingers through Asra’s hair. 

Asra hummed and fully took Rayne into his mouth, sucking on the tip for a moment before taking them deeper, and deeper, until his lips touched the very base. And he locked eyes with Rayne as he slowly raised back up, pulling Rayne out with a soft pop! and licking his lips. 

“Good?” Asra asked, his voice just above a whisper.

Rayne wasn’t falling for that one, and merely nodded a response rather than speak. 

Asra chuckled and pecked a kiss to Rayne’s tip, then took them into his mouth once more, sliding his lips all the way down, then up again in a slow, soothing rhythm. 

Still, Rayne didn’t make even a peep.

Asra pulled Rayne out halfway and added his hand at the base, a light twisting motion that had Rayne’s hips lift up off the rug, and Asra lowered them back down with his other hand and an uh uh .

And Rayne endured Asra’s sweet torment as he sucked and stroked them until they were fully hard, with only his breaths and curling fingers as response. But then Asra stopped, freed Rayne from his mouth, and hummed.

“Will you let me hear you?” Asra asked softly, crawling up Rayne’s body and brushing his lips against theirs.

Rayne smiled and lifted his head to give Asra a kiss, humming at the taste of themselves on his lips, then dropped their head again to gaze up at Asra.

“Not here,” Rayne whispered. “But if you come with me, I’ll let you do more than just suck my cock.”

Asra’s eyes widened and he leaned back, and his cheeks darkened. “Where?”

“But, you have to dance with me, first.”

Asra smiled. “Okay, I’ll dance with you.”

Rayne gave Asra a smile to match, then gently pushed Asra off of them, pulling up their shorts and trousers before standing.

“Come with me, then.”

“I’ll come with you.” Asra murmured, taking a hold of Rayne’s hips and holding him steady before pressing his body up against their back. Then he leaned in and brushed his lips against Rayne’s ear to whisper, “ And then you’ll come for me .”

Rayne shivered and reached behind him to grab Asra’s rear, giving it a squeeze before letting go. 

“We’ll see,” Rayne teased, twisting around to face Asra and grabbing him gently underneath his chin, then pulling him closer. “Or perhaps you’ll come for me .”

“We’ll see,” Asra purred, smirking before leaning forwards enough to touch their lips together again. 

Though their words spoke of passion, their lips were gentle against each other as they parted and touched again, a soft caress and light touch of tongues as Asra shared his love with Rayne, who accepted it gratefully with a whispered moan and touch of their fingers against Asra’s cheek. 

“Come,” Rayne breathed against Asra’s lips, taking a step back.

But Asra pulled them back and wrapped his arms around them to hold them close, one hand on their back, the other in those soft fiery curls. And he let out a soft sigh as he felt their arms wrap around him, too. Rayne said nothing, just held Asra, because he needed it. And maybe Rayne did too, with the way they pressed against Asra to get even closer and rested their head on his shoulder. And for a few moments, they just held each other in silence. 

“Thank you,” Asra whispered, and Rayne lifted their head.

“Anything for a friend,” Rayne smiled and pressed a soft kiss to Asra’s cheek. 

“I’m ready, now,” Asra said, letting Rayne go.

“Are you?” Rayne’s eyes narrowed playfully and he took two steps backwards, then turned around and disappeared underneath the canopy wall. 

Asra quickly followed after them, not seeing them on the other side. But then he suddenly felt their hands on his back and he looked over his shoulder to see Rayne behind him.

“This way,” Rayne purred, walking around Asra and running their hand along Asra’s back to his shoulder before letting him go and leading him away from the canopy. 

Asra followed along, skipping steps to catch up and walk beside Rayne instead, and he couldn’t keep the smile off his lips as he followed the fiery dancer outside of town.

“Where are we going?”

“There,” Rayne pointed, and Asra’s gaze followed the gesture.

Parked in the light desert foliage beside the river on the outskirts of town, was a caravan with a buckskin horse grazing beside it. As they neared closer, Asra noticed a small umber rat perched in the horse’s black mane, and Faust slithered over to greet them.

Friends!  

Asra chuckled, listening to the rat squeak back to Faust, and the horse whinnied.

“Spiorad and Sage,” Rayne said, gently patting the horse’s neck and scratching behind his ear. 

Asra didn’t fail to notice the accent when the horse’s name rolled off Rayne’s tongue, and his eyes widened, because it was just as Aisling’s was before she lost it. And it was almost just as hers was now.

“What does that mean?” Asra asked, because he knew well enough the name wasn’t just a name. “Spiorad.”

Rayne smiled as Asra tried to replicate the accent, though it wasn’t at all the same and made them chuckle when he drew out the final letter. 

“It means spirit, ” they replied. 

“A fitting name for a beautiful creature such as this.” Asra murmured, petting Spiorad’s nose, but his eyes were on Rayne.

Rayne cast a side glance at Asra, and their lips twitched up into a small smirk. “Whose name?”

“Why Spiorad’s, of course,” Asra said, his lips curving to mirror Rayne’s. “And why, Sage’s as well.”

“And mine?”

“Rayne, Rayne, hmm…” Asra’s eyes narrowed playfully and he hummed in false thought. “Is that your name?”

Rayne let out a delighted peal of laughter, then they took Asra’s hand and led around to the back of the caravan.

“Part of it-oh!”

Rayne was cut off as Asra lifted their hand and twirled them under his arm, then pulled them closer and put his other hand on their waist.

“You said we were to dance first, no?” Asra said softly, brushing his nose along Rayne’s ear.

Rayne smiled and closed their eyes. “I want to see how you dance.”

“You’ve seen it,” Asra stepped Rayne in a slow circle.

“No, that was different. Dance with me in a way that’s true to yourself. Dance with me as you do with someone you love. Let me feel it.”

Asra hummed and closed his eyes as well, then held Rayne as he began to move them.

“Do you know how to tango?” 

Rayne slowly shook his head. “I don’t know the fancy dances,” they replied almost regretfully. “Teach me. I’ll move with you.”

Asra smiled and opened his eyes again, then stepped Rayne backwards for three steps and turned them, and Rayne moved easily and in time with Asra, just as they’d said.

“Bring your leg up,” Asra said as he lunged forwards, and he guided Rayne’s leg up by their thigh until their knee was touching his waist, feeling the yearning throb of their shaft against him as Asra pressed their bodies closer. 

“Passionate,” Rayne murmured, his eyelids fluttering as Asra brushed his lips along their neck.

“It is,” Asra purred, straightening once again and lowering Rayne’s leg before twirling them once and dipping them over his arm. “Very passionate.”

Rayne laughed and arched their back, and then Asra brought them up again. 

“I like this one,” they replied, keeping their gaze to the ground as they followed Asra’s cross steps.

“Again,” Asra instructed, lunging forwards.

Rayne slid their leg up Asra’s body, this time hooking it around him and holding on before they arched their back again. When Asra brought Rayne back up, their mouths met, lips caressing gently before kissing deeply, and it was Asra that moaned then. 

“Again,” Rayne repeated as a whisper against Asra’s lips, gasping as Asra twirled them around and pulled their back against his chest.

“Not yet,” Asra murmured, letting his hands roam Rayne’s chest and stomach before he caressed their shaft with his palm. 

As Asra danced, Rayne stayed pressed against him, moving just the same. And then Asra twirled them around again, this time pressing Rayne against the side of the caravan, and he heard the softest of mewls before he kissed them with a bit more passion.

Rayne curled his fingers in Asra’s hair as Asra grinded against them with a small roll of his hips, then he lifted Rayne up into his arms and carried them around to the caravan doors, turning so Rayne could open them. When they did, he carried them inside, carefully making his way back to the bed and gently laying them down on their back.

“Dance with me,” Rayne breathed, pulling Asra’s shirt up and over his head and tossing it aside. “Show me how your hips move.”

Asra growled and yanked Rayne’s trousers down almost desperately, pulling them off and leaving them to fall on the ground, then getting out of his own before he opened Rayne’s legs and pushed them back.

“Let me show you,” Asra whispered as he helped Rayne out of their small top, and he admired Rayne’s beauty for a moment before he trailed his finger up the crease of their rear and to their entrance, lubing them up with a bit of magic and listening to their whine as he slid his finger inside all the way down to the knuckle and out again. “Will you beg?”

“ Please ,” Rayne breathed, his lips twitching into a smirk before he chewed on his lower lip. “Fuck me.”

“No,” Asra shook his head, and he stroked himself for a moment before gently pressing his tip at Rayne’s entrance. “I’m going to show you how I love, just as you deserve.” 

Rayne’s eyes widened, beginning to glisten with emotion as the word deserve rolled off Asra’s tongue, and as Asra slid into them slowly, they let their eyes close and their back arch with a pleased whimper.

“Good girl,” Asra whispered, lowering down to brush his lips against Rayne’s when he was fully sheathed, and for a moment he stilled for all but a slight back and forth of his hips as he gave Rayne time to adjust to his girth. 

When he felt Rayne relax once again he pulled out halfway, then pushed in again, and waited. Then out a bit more, in again, and finally out his full length to the tip before sliding in again, and he nuzzled Rayne’s cheek with his nose as he heard their breath tremble.

“It’s okay,” Asra murmured, his eyes widening when he felt a warm tear touch the tip of his nose, and he leaned back to see a few had escaped from underneath Rayne’s closed eyelids. “Hey…”

“Don’t stop,” Rayne opened their eyes to meet Asra’s concerned gaze, and they pulled him down into a kiss that was soft and sensual, lips gently caressing as Asra moved his hips once again.

The rhythm was slow and easy as Asra moved within Rayne, and he pressed his body against theirs, staying as close as he could possibly be as he loved with each touch of his tongue, each brush of his hands, each kiss from his lips, each roll of his hips. He loved with all of him , as much as he could give to the dancer beneath him, because he could . He loved like a softly brewing storm, the emotions within him held as if water hidden within the darkness of a cloud, but as they moved, as their rhythm quickened and their whispered words grew to moans and cries, Asra’s love poured from him in a sweet release of warm summer rain.  

And Rayne, underneath him, soaked in his love like a parched desert succulent, cried out Asra’s name like a gracious prayer as they swelled, and shared their love just the same as Asra stroked it free. They quickly found Asra’s lips to moan against and buried their fingers into his hair, and Asra held them close as they rose above the clouds together.

And when the storm cleared, the two laid together in the afterglow of the setting sun, soaking in each other’s warmth, and rested from the passion of their dance.

~ 

Chapter Text

Port Tremaire. It wasn’t home , but it could have been. It had a busy port town, with people calling out through the market trying to sell their wares. The taverns were filled with dining patrons and drunks, and one in particular reminded Julian of the Rowdy Raven, to the point where he’d made the Captain guiding him sit down in the back booth and share a Salty Bitter with him. And then one more, and a third, until Altheia was pulling him out of the tavern by the front of his half open shirt. And even though she acted frustrated with him, she wore a smile, and laughed along as he belted out his return to the cheering crowd before he shut the door behind him. There were many shops, and the two of them walked in and out of each and every one, until Julian’s long legs were growing tired from their window shopping, because Julian seemed to only have money that may, or may not have been worth anything there.

“Are those…pirate doubloons?” Altheia asked with a smirk.

“Why, in fact they are!” Julian grinned. Then, at her raised eyebrow, his smile dropped. “Yes, well ah…yes I sailed with pirates for some time.” Then he groaned. “Am I to be hanged again?”

Altheia chuckled. “It won’t be I that hangs you, if that’s what you mean.”

“I may have a pirate’s name, but I’m just a doctor, I swear!” Julian said, dramatically putting a hand on his chest. “Innocent of any pirating crimes!”

“Do I dare ask what they call you?”

“You dared! And Quick Wit Doc ‘Silver-Tongue’ Borisov will tell you! And cure what ails you!” Julian cried out, pointing to the sky.

Altheia squealed out a laugh, then put her hand over her mouth as she laughed just a bit more. “What a name!” She said after a moment and a couple breaths. “How lucky am I to have you aboard my ship!”

“Your ship!” Julian began, tapping a bare finger against his chin, “the name reminds me of a story.”

“I think everything reminds you of a story,” Altheia said with a soft laugh, and Julian chuckled.

“Well…perhaps not everything, but most things, certainly.”

A moment of silence passed as the two of them walked down the street, and finally Altheia broke it.

“Well, are you going to tell me?”

“I will, because I think this story could give a good name for another ship!”

“Another ship?”

“Yes! To ah…to replace the Lady Emerald ! If you were to get such a ship, you could name it a name from this story, and it would match your beautiful Rising Sun, I believe.”

“Well, tell me!”

“Yes! Well, alongside the rising sun each day, is the Morning Star. And the Morning Star, Venus, leads the sun across the sky as it rises high before the sun itself does. A…a bringer of light.” Without thinking, Julian reached out and ran one of Altheia’s white locks over his finger, and then he quickly dropped his hand. 

“Morning Star?”

“Well, Venus is also the Evening Star, as well, but with your Rising Sun, I think…Morning Star has a nice ring to it. Imagine sailing the two ships side by side as you take on the seas!” Julian gave Altheia a smile. “Or the world.”

Altheia grinned. “Only two ships to take on the world with?”

“Oh, I have faith in your skills, Captain! I see strength in you, you’re…you’re fierce, you’re beautiful-” Julian caught himself and nearly choked on his own words, but Altheia smiled. “And your home!” He gestured around them. “Quite a lovely place.”

“We’ve just seen the port, Doctor,” Althia said, her eyes narrowing playfully. “You haven’t seen the best of it, yet.”

“Well! I certainly must see! Where is it you’re taking me?”

“You’ll see!”

Julian laughed as Altheia took off into a run, and he quickly ran after her.

And when she looked over her shoulder at him, and her sea-green eyes glistened against the sunlight, he knew he could run after over and over again.

When Altheia slowed down, Julian certainly saw . As the clean white sand and rolling ocean tide came into view, Julian understood just what the best of it was. Altheia didn’t have to say it was her favorite place to be with her words, because the curve of her lips and crinkled corners of her eyes showed just how much love she had for the sea, and when those lips parted and she took a breath, Julian agreed.

“Me too,” he said softly, giving her a smile and a sidelong glance. “It’s my favorite place, too. The beach.”

“Is it?” Altheia’s smile grew just a bit more, and she rested a hand on her waist. “Well, it looks like we’ve got something in common.”

“Oh!” Julian scampered closer to the tide, bent at the waist, and straightened again with a shell held between his fingers. “Do you like shells?”

“I collect them, yes,” Altheia said, coming up to Julian as he turned around.

Julian gently took Altheia’s hand and flipped it over to show her palm upwards, then he carefully placed the small shell in her hand.

“Oh, you’ve found a moonshell!” Altheia said, her eyes sparkling as she brought the shell closer to her face to admire it. “It’s beautiful.”

“A gift from the sea to you, my dear,” Julian said softly, looking at the shell. “A small piece of the moon.”

Altheia smiled and closed her fingers around the shell. “Does it remind you of a story?”

“It does,” Julian chuckled. “It reminds me of a flower said to be grown from the tears of a moon goddess. White, like that shell. With very soft petals.”

“Why did the goddess cry?”

“A plague,” Julian murmured, his eyes lowering to the ground as he searched for more shells. “Took away the ones she loved. It took away parts of her . She was devastated, and she didn’t want anyone to hurt as much as she did. From her pain and sorrow, a flower grew from the tear-soaked earth, and it’s said to carry something close to life itself, having medicinal properties that can cure…almost everything. So people can use the flower to heal their loved ones. But it’s so very rare. And it’s delicate. And the flower itself cries, too.”

“The flower cries? What do you mean?”

“It…It’s hard to describe,” Julian let out a nervous chuckle. 

“You talk as if you’ve seen it.”

Julian paused for a moment, then looked up and met Altheia’s sea-green gaze. “I have,” he finally said.

“Does it cure all?”

“I…don’t know, I couldn’t take it.” 

“Certainly there’s more than one flower that’s grown.”

“I…I’m not sure, you’d think there would be. The one I found was in the depths of a cave behind a waterfall, as if the water were the goddess’ tears. I thought it was a myth until I touched it.”

Altheia tilted her head curiously. “Where did you hear that story from?”

 “Well I heard some things about the flower from an old wandering doctor a long time ago. And my good friend, Wolf, decided to help me look for it one day.”

“Wolf? You don’t mean The Wolf?” Altheia’s eyes widened. “As in, The Wolf and his Pack?” Then she gasped. “Doc Silver-Tongue, were you aboard the Crimson Serpent? ”

“Oh!” Julian hopped away from Altheia for a few steps, bent to grab another shell, then came back to her. “Look!”

Altheia laughed as Julian took her other hand and placed a brown and beige shell in that hand. “A faust tellin, very good. I think you’re just trying to bribe me from asking you about your pirate friends, no?”

“Faust!” Julian gasped. “I know a snake by that name!”

“I’m going to take your continuous topic change as a yes, then!” Altheia giggled and examined the new shell that the doctor brought her. “But your distraction has worked, and I’m now curious about this snake you know, so please tell me.”

“A purple snake! No, no, not just, she’s lilac , oh she’d have my neck for just stating purple. With little beady ruby colored eyes.”

“And you have a story about this snake?”

“Oh! I have many stories about this snake!” Julian started to walk down the beach, and Altheia followed along beside him. “She likes to squeeze me for some reason.” He smiled at Altheia’s laugh. “And she’s very smart! With her help, I was able to pull her master from the depths of a twisting nether. Imagine that!”  

“A twisting nether?” Altheia arched an eyebrow at him, then bent and picked up a shell. “Oh! A gaudy asaphis!”

“Her master is quite gaudy as well,” Julian laughed and leaned closer to her to peek at the shell.

“What were they doing in a twisting nether?” Altheia prompted him to continue.

“Er…being trapped, I suppose,” Julian’s face flushed a deep red.

“Trapped? How did you get them out? My apologies, but you don’t seem familiar with magic.”

“Oh ho, I’m not! It was the snake! And ah…I just…imagined a door for him to walk through. Except he couldn’t ah… walk. ”

Altheia’s eyes widened. “How long was he stuck there?”

“For me, several hours. For him …he said months .”

Altheia gasped. “A careless magician, what was he thinking?!”

“It was my fault!” Julian said quickly. “I took him away from the ah…door, or whatnot, he used! What else was I supposed to think, he was lying in a puddle in the street!”

Altheia was quiet for a moment before she burst out laughing. “He used a puddle as a gate ?”

“Well…I suppose that was my idea, too. Do you do that?”

“Do what?”

“Use gates?”

“Not puddles.”

“But you do?”

“I have a gateway, so yes.”

Julian’s eyes widened, then his eyebrow arched. “You must be powerful.”

Altheia smirked. “You could say I’m something of a sort.”

“To answer your question,” Julian continued, looking back down in the sand. “I was aboard the Crimson Serpent , yes.”

Altheia gasped, “Oh, you scoundrel ! A bunch of rogues, the lot of them!” Then she smiled. “Or so I’ve heard.”

“They are!” Julian laughed. “But all very pleasant. I did enjoy their company very much so. But yours more, I think.”

Altheia hummed. “I suppose not all pirates are bad.”

“No, not all of them. Most of them, yes. But The Pack, while they may be rowdy, were the best group I’d ever seen.” 

“Do you have stories about them?”

“Oh do I?” Julian ran forwards and unburied a shell that was partially sticking up out of the sand, then walked it back over to Altheia. “I have plenty. But first,” he knelt onto one knee and bowed his head, offering the queen conch he’d found to the Captain. “My liege, a gift.”

Altheia’s cheeks took on a rosy hue and she smiled, then gently took Julian’s offering. And then she knighted him with the shell, and he laughed.

“My trusty knight,” She began. “A pirate doctor who hath brought the ocean’s treasure to me.” Altheia laughed softly. “You may rise.”

“Thank you, my queen,” Julian stood again, then bowed to her. “A grand treasure trove you have, now.”

“These are beautiful shells to add to my treasure trove at home, certainly.” Altheia smiled. “So tell me, what did you and The Pack do?”

“Oh, there are many things to tell.”

The two of them continued down the beach, and as Julian continued to unbury beautiful shells for his beautiful queen, she smiled and listened as her knight began to tell a tale.

“Let me tell you about the time I was ashore on the beaches of Crab Isles!”

“With The Pack?”

“And their Wolf!”

“Are the Crabmen really half crab half man?” Altheia giggled.

“I never saw them! Only crabs! All along the shore,” Julian took long strides and turned in a circle, arms wide, as he walked along the shoreline. “Just like this! And we discovered the mouth of a cave, just like that!”

Altheia looked as Julian pointed to a small cave opening further down in the side of a rock wall, and she parted her mouth to speak, but Julian was already running towards it, and she laughed and ran after him.

“Wait up!” She called. “I’ve got all these shells!”

“Oh!” Julian skidded to a halt and offered up his satchel, opening up the flap and gesturing to the inside. “Please keep your shells in here for safe keeping!”

Altheia put her shells inside Julian’s bag, and then once again they ran until they reached the cave mouth. 

“Now the cave on Crab Isles was larger than this, but I waste no resources for good storytelling reenactment! Come along, now, Captain! I said that to him, too, then.”

Altheia laughed and walked alongside Julian as he led her into the cave. She waved her hand, and a small ball of light appeared to illuminate the inside of the cave. It wasn’t very large, but it was filled with glittering crystals that reflected her light. 

“Now, inside the cave on Crab Isles, was long forgotten pirate’s treasure. It’s where I got some of this worthless money I carry around. But this…” Julian gestured around the cave. “This is truly a treasure trove.” He ran his hand along the cave wall, then pulled away a piece of sphalerite crystal and held it out to Altheia. 

“Even though there’s no treasure  here?” Altheia said, taking the crystal and turning it around in her fingers.

“Oh, Captain,” Julian said, his lips curling up into a sultry smile, and his eyelids narrowed. “The treasure, in this beautiful crystal cave, is you.”

Altheia’s eyes widened, and he could hear her breath catch as he stepped closer to her. He reached out and brushed his knuckles along her cheek, then gently tucked one of her white locks behind her ear.

“All of these crystals-”

“And none compare to the shine in your eyes.” Julian slowly lowered his hand to the back of her neck, fingers gently pressing into the back of her neck. 

“Are you going to kiss me, Doctor?”

“Am I allowed?”

Altheia hummed, her lips curving into a smirk. “Perhaps this once, and we’ll see how good you are.”

Julian chuckled and bent to press his lips against hers, kissing her gently, but deeply, and letting her taste just how good he was. When he pulled back he could feel the air leave her lungs, and her bottom lip trembled faint enough to go unnoticed if Julian hadn’t been looking right at it, then he raised his eyes to meet hers.

“Good?”

“Very,” Altheia murmured, her cheeks darkening.

“Good! Perhaps you’ll let me do it again sometime!”

“Perhaps I will!”

And she did. 

The two of them remained in the dimly lit cave for a while, laying on the cool cave ground with Altheia resting her head on Julian’s shoulder, and his arm wrapped around her, and as they admired the shining crystals around them, they told each other tales of their seafaring adventures.

~

Chapter Text

Year Three

Silence fell between them as she rested her head on his shoulder, just listening to the music and the sound of his breath. His arms held her closer, his hands caressed her back and moved through her hair, his heart beat against hers.

~

 Again, when Aisling opened her eyes, she was alone. It had been some time since she’d seen Asra, and she had gotten used to his absence. But that didn’t mean it was easy. Yes, she was capable of taking care of herself, but that didn’t mean he had to leave . She missed him. What used to be a constant comfort seemed to be almost avoiding her, and she wasn’t sure why. But he’d always said he was a wanderer, and it wasn’t her place to keep him still, so she never told him not to go. 

In his place, she drank his tea. A mint and lapsang blend that he’d taught her to make. She cooked herself a simple breakfast he’d make for her, oatmeal with cinnamon and honey, and read at the kitchen table.  But she missed him. So she left her book open on the table top and stood, then walked to Asra’s room.

Her steps were soft, as if she were going to disturb something inside even though it was only her there. The door opened with a slow creak, and she walked in cautiously. Then she giggled at herself, because how would he know she was in there? He was many miles away. She took a skipping step and spun, her skirt flaring out around her as she imagined dancing with him there. Then she stilled and sighed, her cheeks flushing as she felt a little embarrassed, and she sat on the edge of his bed instead. Her fingers trailed across his pillow, and then she slowly lowered to rest her head on it.

Yes, she felt for him more than just friends. And she always wondered if he felt the same way. But once he’d started going on travels, she doubted that. But she knew there were many things he wasn’t telling her, and maybe that was one of them. Maybe it was a secret they kept from each other. And at that thought, she smiled. She’d hinted her feelings to him before, but he either didn’t seem to understand, or brushed them off. And then he’d leave. As if him being gone would help her forget about him. Forget . As if she hadn’t forgotten enough already. She took in a deep breath, breathing in his scent of cinnamon and rose, and let it out slowly. Then, she stood.

She’d been in his room before, but usually not without him, because she respected his privacy. But there was something calling to her in that room, and she wondered how many of the things in there were actually hers . Things Asra was hiding from her for one reason or another. To protect her, he said. Because of her headaches. She looked at each and every thing, stopping in front of the windowsill to admire the small music box there. He’d told her not to open it many times, and she hadn’t. But this time, she did. 

Just another moment.

Of course the headache was there immediately, rising up as a heat in the back of her neck and pulsing at the base of her skull, but she wasn’t going to stop. She cradled the music box in her hands, closing her eyes as she felt something . A feeling of something she lost. But she wasn’t sure what. The memory wasn’t there. But the song was beautiful, and she found herself swaying to the slow melody. After a moment, when the pain lessened, she set the music box down once again, leaving it open. And she danced, because at that moment, it felt right. 

“Oh, Asra,” Aisling sighed, her lips curving into a small smile as she grabbed his pillow and held it against her chest as she danced around the room. “Come home. Dance with me.”

Then, Aisling paused. Because something caught her attention in the corner of the room, something she hadn’t seen before. It had to have been something new. But something told Aisling it wasn’t, and she quickly realized that this item is what was calling to her. 

She tossed Asra’s pillow back onto the bed and walked over to the lyre resting against the wall, and she took it into her hands, lightly tracing the sun engraved around the center with her fingertips. 

“Beautiful,” she whispered, taking it to the bed and sitting down before settling the lyre in her lap.

Of course she didn’t know how to play. But when she placed her fingertips against the strings she found herself trembling, because somehow, she knew she did . She knew this lyre was hers. And she didn’t know what would come from playing again. A headache, perhaps. Maybe more. Maybe nothing. She wouldn’t know unless she tried. So she plucked a string, gasping as she could feel the vibration moving through her. And her eyes welled up with tears. 

Dance with me .

Asra heard her voice clearly as he walked across the grassy field, and he glanced up at the moon still hovering above him even in the morning hours. 

“I’m coming,” he whispered back, though he knew she wouldn’t be able to hear him. 

After spending time with Rayne, after being able to let go of everything he had been burying deep within himself, he felt better. He felt free. As free as he could with the secrets he kept. But he was ready to see Aisling again, and now that she was calling to him, he was eager to get back to her. So he headed home. 

But then he stopped. Because there was a vibration against his chest, one he felt in his heart , and it hummed through his body as if his own veins had been plucked like a string. He quickly took hold of the crystal, holding it as he waited for more, but no more came. Even so, his slow walk quickly turned into a run, because he knew only one thing could affect him so. Aisling . 

 Asra ran, jumped, leapt, rode, and flew to get back to Vesuvia as fast as he could. It had taken him several hours, but he was able to get back to the shop before the sun began to set. He had stopped outside of the front door to catch his breath, because he had run there, too, and he waited until he was calm enough to open the door. Then he stepped in and shut it back. But before he could call out to her, something stopped him. It was a sound, something he hadn’t heard in a long time. Something he didn’t think he’d ever hear again. And it was enough to nearly break him all over again.

The easy plucking of Aisling’s lyre drifted from upstairs and down to touch his ears, and his heart, and his love. He’d always adored how she played, and how she sang, and now, as he closed his eyes, he could hear her humming along as she played the familiar tune of the music box. And his heart soared . He couldn’t help the tears that came to his eyes as he made his way to the stairs, taking quiet steps up them, as if she were a siren guiding him to her. No, she didn’t play as she did then, because she didn’t know how. But the sound of her playing at all was enough to move Asra, to have him nearly fall to his knees at the sight of her perched on the edge of his bed with his pillow on her lap, to make him want to confess his love for her, and teach her everything she knew then, and help her remember it all even through the pain.

But he did none of that. Instead, he leaned against the doorframe and smiled, parted his trembling lips, and spoke her name as a soft whisper.

Aisling paused, turning her head to the sound, her eyes brightening up as she saw the magician she yearned for, and she moved to set the lyre down.

“Don’t-” Asra quickly said, coming over to her instead. “You…you’re doing so well, I’m very impressed…are you okay, Kalah?”

Asra quickly wiped away the tears that began to drip down Aisling’s cheeks with his thumbs, letting out a relieved breath at her laugh. 

“Yes, I…I don’t know what it is, this song…”

Asra moved to where the music box was and reached out to close it.

“No, don’t!” Aisling said, wiping her eyes. “No, it’s beautiful, don’t close it yet. I…I think I’ve learned it.”

Asra closed his outstretched hand and lowered it to his side, looking at Aisling once again. “But it makes you cry.”

Aisling smiled and wiped her eyes on her shirt. “Yes, well…that’s okay. It’s okay to cry sometimes.”

“Your headaches…?”

“I’m fine, Asra…I just…I missed you.”

Aisling turned her attention back to the lyre, waiting a moment before picking up with the soft melody and playing along.

“Kalah,” Asra went back to her and carefully wrapped his arms around her so that she could continue to play, and he could feel her heart picking up in her chest as his touch. “I missed you, too.”

“Did you bring back everything we need?” Aisling whispered.

“Of course I did.”

“And more?”

Asra smiled. “Always.”

“How long did it take you to come home?”

“Oh, you know.”

Aisling didn’t know, that’s why she asked. But she smiled anyway. “Will you stay longer this time?”

Asra closed his eyes. “I don’t know.”

Aisling hummed. “Long enough to teach me more magic, at least, Master .” 

“You’re still calling me that?” Asra’s smile carried a hint of sadness, because he’d only said she was his apprentice to make things easier with her around town. But she took it very seriously, just as she did with her learning, so he took it seriously, too. He only wished she would stop calling him that, because she was always so much stronger than him, he didn’t deserve to be her ‘master’. But he was going to teach her the best that he could, even though he didn’t know everything that she did. 

“Of course,” Aisling whispered. “Because you are.”

Asra hummed. “I suppose I am. I can’t teach you how to play this, though.”

“How come?” Aisling’s eyes widened.

“Because I don’t know how to play. But I can find someone that does if you’d like.”

Aisling grinned. “Will you? I…feel like…”

“You used to play a lot. You played beautifully.”

“Asra…”

“Hmm?”

“Why…didn’t you give this to me before?”

Asra chewed on his lower lip for a moment. “Because I wasn’t sure what would happen.”

“Well, I’m okay.”

“I see that, now. But I was afraid.”

“You don’t have to be afraid.”

If only you knew. Asra gave Aisling a small squeeze before letting her go. “Alright, Kalah. I won’t be afraid. Now, will you dance with me?”

Aisling set her lyre aside and stood, taking Asra’s hand. “How did you know?”

Asra narrowed his eyes affectionately, but otherwise said nothing as he pulled her close and began to dance with her around the room.

Their steps were slow as they moved to the rhythm of the soft music box tune, with his hands on her waist, and hers around his neck, they moved together. Their dance was not two beings, but one heart, moving in time with each other better than before. Because Aisling needed no support now. Even though they stepped slowly, Aisling was light on her feet. She moved freely, with only Asra’s hands to guide her. One of them moved up her back, and it undid the bun that was there to let her sunset waves cascade down to her rear. She dared to lean closer, her lips nearing his neck, but not touching, and he hummed as his fingers tangled up in hair to hold the back of her head. There were no words shared, only warm breaths and soft laughter, and as Asra gently twirled Aisling under his arm and pulled her close again, they smiled.   

And as they danced, they made new memories that Asra would make sure never to make her forget. 

~

Chapter Text

It had been a few months that Julian had been with his Captain. He’d had many opportunities to abandon ship, and Altheia hadn’t held him to any conditions or rules and let him go as he pleased, but spending time with the beautiful privateer had eased Julian’s mind more than he'd thought possible. Still, he wanted answers. Still, he dreamed of things he did not understand. But with the beautiful Captain Featherstone beside him, he felt free . And together they walked hand in hand down Port Tremaire’s moonlit streets after docking the Rising Sun once again, to a place Altheia insisted she show him. 

“Have I really not brought you here yet?”

“No, no, I think I’d remember a name such as this. Er…what are they doing?”

Julian gestured to where three patrons had stumbled outside the tavern doors, and while two of them held a ladder steady, the third had climbed up and was using a stick of some sort, tapping it against the sign. 

It read The Swaggering Cock . But while “The” and “Cock” were dimensional letters carved out of wood, there was a wide gap in between where the word “Swaggering” seemed to be handwritten in chalk. 

Altheia giggled. “They’re discussing the most popular topic in all of Port.”

“What’s that?”

“What the Cock’s name really is!”

Altheia led Julian closer to the busy tavern, to where they could hear the drunkard’s conversation.

“Ay…wha’ abou’...Tha…Resilient Cock!”

“No, no, Phillipe, that’s stupid! It’s The…The…Effulgent Cock!”

“Wha’s eff…effulgent mean?”

“Like ah…radiant!”

“Tha Radiant Cock?! Tha’s worse than Resilient!”

“I didn’t say that! I said Effulgent!”

“Ah, same difference, mate!”

Altheia laughed and ushered Julian past them and through the doors, to where the rest of the patrons and workers inside were already moving the tables to the side to make room in the center, clearing the surrounding area of the dart boards that were hung up on the support beams. Julian noticed that there was a chalkboard hanging up by the bar, with five words written and some numbers beside them.

“What’s that?” Julian gestured over to it.

“That’s the board, where people vote for what they think the Cock should really be named. Finley says he’ll name the Cock the most popular one, but I don’t think he ever will. They do drawings and bets for it, and the names change continuously. See that little jar on the bartop? People drop new names in there. And every two weeks he’ll do a drawing, and the people will pick a name or two or five to replace on the board. It’s smart, really.”

“What’s the actual name of this place?” 

Altheia shrugged. “They say that the middle part of the sign fell off a long time ago, and nobody can remember what it was actually called. So now it’s just a game amongst the whole of Port Tremaire. And Finley has used the questionable name as great marketing to bring people in. I wouldn’t mind never knowing, personally.”

Julian laughed. “So then…why does it say Swaggering ?”

“Oh!” Altheia giggled, chewed her bottom lip for a moment, then smirked. “Because they write in a temporary name that changes with the event of the evening.”

“What’s…” Julian glanced at the dartboard. “Darts?”

“Not just.”

“Oh!” Julian’s eyes widened, and his cheeks darkened. “Would we happen to be stripping , Captain?”

Altheia’s eyes narrowed flirtatiously. “Can you handle it?”

“Oh ho! Well, my dear, I’ve played darts at the Salty Siren in Eire. Won in nothing but my underpants! You know, a rat stole my trousers that night!”

Altheia laughed. “What? A rat?”

“Oh yes! And The Wolf and I chased it down the street nearly naked!” Julian chuckled and found space for them at a table. “Shall I get drinks?”

“I’ll put us in for the game!” Altheia agreed, smiling as Julian leaned in to press a kiss against her cheek. And as Julian tried to turn away, she pulled him back and pressed a kiss to his lips instead. 

Julian hummed into the kiss before he pulled away, tucked the white strands of her hair behind her ears, then pressed another kiss to her forehead.

“Be back in a moment!” He said, flashing her a grin before he headed to the bar.

“Evenin’, wha’ can I get ya?” The bartender asked, and he looked up from where he was cleaning a glass.

“Are you Finley?” Julian leaned against the bar, propped one foot up on a barstool and shifted his weight so that his trousers pulled tight against the muscle of his thigh just so, then spared a glance over his shoulder to see if Altheia was looking. To his delight, she was, and she smirked before looking away from him. 

“Aye, who’s askin’?” The bartender replied, setting the glass down and resting his hands on the counter.

“That would be I, Silver Tongue Borisov, for no purpose other than needing to know if the owner holds the secret to this name mystery. And also I’d like two rounds of Salty Bitters, alongside your finest ale.”

Finley laughed. “I’ll never tell.” He smirked. “Two Salty Bitters, and two Morning Hurricane’s coming right up.” 

Julian raised an eyebrow at the name, then turned to the chalkboard, and laughed at the words listed there.

Workshop 17

Productive 10

Satisfactory 20

Firm 28 

Crowned 15

Then he glanced around, making sure no one was watching before he plucked a folded piece of paper from the idea jar and opened it.

Broccoli

Julian’s eyes widened, and he imagined someone must have been beyond drunk to suggest that. But, nonetheless, he dropped it back into the jar and turned around to see Altheia collecting two sets of darts for them to play. And he smiled. 

Altheia.

Her skin was fair, but her cheeks and nose were tinted a rosy pink as she was kissed from the sun when he’d taken her hat and she’d chased him across the ship trying to get it back. Her hair, a dark hickory, cascaded down to rest at her mid back, with her bangs and the shorter frontmost strands a bright moon white. And oh how he loved to run those moonlit strands through his fingers, and how soft they were. As she slipped out of her red coat, he watched the rounding of her bare shoulders and the stretch of her arms, and imagined running his fingers along the edge of her collarbone, and imagined placing a kiss there, too. And her eyes, as she met his gaze, glistened against the firelight like seeing a sunset through crystalline green sea glass. He watched as her lips, soft and plush, curved into a smile that was adoring more so than flirtatious, the ends pulling the smallest of dimples into her cheeks. And she was beautiful. 

He waved to her, and she waved back, her hands full of darts but still managing to wiggle a finger in his direction, and he saw more than heard her laugh, and he chuckled in response before wiggling a finger back at her. When she turned away from him he sighed, already missing the sight of her eyes and smile, but he’d see it again in a moment.

They weren’t quite anything, yet. There were things Julian needed to settle for himself, and he knew he needed to do so soon. But his Captain, just there as she was, not doing anything in particular but just existing, made him want to get to know her better. She was strong, fierce. Daring. Confident. She moved with an aura of grate and authority, but was still soft at heart, and soft to touch. Her voice, when she spoke, when she laughed, and when she sang, drew him in like a siren’s song. And he let her lead him out to sea and back again, because her strong heart was kind, and kept him from drowning. No, she didn’t pull him under. She held him up. 

“Here ya go,” Finley set the mugs on the counter, catching Julian’s attention, and he turned around to take the mugs from the bartender.

“Thank you!” Julian handled two mugs in each hand, gave Finley a nod, then strode over to the table Altheia was lingering by. “For you, my Captain!” He said with a flourishing bow. “Two Salty Bitters, and-”

“Two Morning Hurricanes!” Altheia swiped a mug from Julian and clanked it against the other three, then took a gulp. “Wonderful!”

Julian laughed and set two of the drinks down, cheersing her again before drinking from his own mug and letting out a satisfied ahhh!   “Delightful! Come here often?” He was asking genuinely, but Altheia laughed as she took it as a poor attempt for him to pick her up. So he went along with it and wiggled his eyebrows.

“Actually, yes,” Altheia replied honestly and with a playful smirk. “It’s quite enjoyable!”

Julian leaned against the table, his smirk filthy as he moved closer to Altheia. “Are you ready to lose? Have your knickers revealed before this lowly pirate doctor?”

“Lose? Oh, you must be mistaken. I’ll have you undressed before you can blink.” Altheia leaned in close enough to nearly touch her lips to his ear.

“We’ll see about that. You haven’t seen all the things I can do with my hands.”

Altheia shivered. “And what all can you do with your hands, Doctor?”

“Why, throw darts, of course!” Julian pressed a kiss to Altheia’s cheek and leaned back. “Among other things.” 

Altheia laughed and shook her head. “Well drink up, pirate, and let the game begin!”

The tavern filled with song as a dark haired bard began to play a lively tune, the already drunk patrons stumbling about in a dance attempt, and between rounds Julian and Altheia hooked arm and arm and stumbled around with them. Their drinks went down, then another, then another, until their vision was blurry and they could hardly see the board. But that didn’t alter their game any. No, Julian’s shirt came off, then his belt as Altheia hit her marks. Altheia played a different game and started with her boots, pulling them off as slowly as possible in a distraction attempt, which worked wonderfully as Julian threw his dart and hit someone’s mug. 

“Whoops!” Julian said, immediately scrambling to get out of the way as they threw it back, and the dart flew behind him and struck another patron in the shoe, which had them cry out in surprise, and the tavern broke out into laughter.

Altheia snatched the dart from their shoe and handed it back to Julian with a whisper of watch it , and Julian swallowed his nerves as he tried again. But his eyes followed the Captain’s hips as she swayed them along to the song, and when he threw the dart again he struck someone’s table. And the crowd cheered.

“Take them off!” Altheia called out, gesturing to Julian’s pants, but Julian shook his head.

“Trying to get me naked so fast! Not yet, beautiful Captain,” Julian said, leaning back against the table and bringing one long leg up, hopping to try and keep balanced as he yanked his boot off very ungracefully, and when he tossed it aside and dropped his leg, he was unbalanced by the heel of his other shoe and stumbled a bit to the side, right into a burly sailor, who laughed and pushed him away and straight into Altheia. 

They tumbled and stumbled, the other patrons moving out of the way as they bumped into the table, then onto the floor, and Altheia let out a startled squeak as Julian’s chest pressed flat against hers once her back hit the floor. Then, as Julian pushed himself up by his arms, she broke out into laughter.

“Oh Captain, my Captain!” Julian cried out, brushing Altheia’s bangs from her eyes and looking down at her with wide eyes. “Art thou alright?! Did you hit your head?”

“Why are you-” Altheia laughed a bit harder, reaching up and taking hold of Julian’s shoulders, and as he leaned back to straddle her waist, she pulled herself up into a sitting position. “I’m alright, dearest! But you, well, thou hast thine single boot still on! Trying to cheat, are you?”

“Wh…do both boots count as one clothing item?”

“Yes!” And Altheia grabbed hold of Julian’s other leg, beginning to tug his other boot down his leg one hard pull at a time. 

When she got it off she dropped back onto the ground, and the boot flung from her hands with a whoopsies! and smacked someone in the face behind her before it fell and hit the floor. Once more, the crowd cheered.

“I believe it’s my throw, Doctor,” Altheia said, patting him on the chest, then leaving her hand there as she sat up once again and gave him a small push.

“Oh!” Julian’s already pink face darkened a bit, and he took a hold of Altheia’s hand, pressed a sloppy kiss to her knuckles, and got off of her. “Of course, my liege!” Then he gave a regal bow and gestured in the direction of what he thought was the board, squinted his eyes, turned a bit more, then gestured again in what was actually the direction of the board. “After you!”

Altheia laughed and got herself up off the floor, took another two gulps of what must have been her sixth drink, then grabbed her darts. “Thank you! Watch and learn, now, okay?” 

Julian stepped out of the way as Altheia moved up to the line, and although it didn’t help much, she closed one eye as she aimed for the board. Then, she threw.

Her first dart missed, and with a few whistles and claps, she gave a dramatic sigh and placed a hand on her chest, then narrowed her eyelids flirtatiously at Julian as she undid the buckles of her vest, getting it off and tossing it onto their table. Then she threw again, aiming too low and hitting just under the board. With a smirk she started to unbutton her shirt. Julian’s eyes widened, and he was unable to look away as he watched her fingers fiddle with the buttons, undoing one, then the next, all the way down the length of her sternum, finally untucking the shirt from her pants, and she slowly slit it off of her shoulders and down her arms, putting on a show for him before letting it fall to the ground. And he clapped for her, his own mouth stretched into a playful grin as she matched him, now. 

“Last one!” Julian called out, wondering if she would miss again.

But his eyes widened once more, and his jaw fell agape, because with her third throw, she managed to get the dart wedged in the small red dot of the board’s center. For a moment, the room fell silent aside from the bard in the back letting out a soft ooooo . And then the crowd roared , whooped and hollered and jumped around, a couple grabbing Julian and shaking him, and he laughed as they tried to strip him of the rest of his clothes.

“Okay okay!” Julian called out, wiggling himself free of the others grasp and getting out of his trousers, avoiding Altheia’s watchful gaze as he revealed his semi-hard erection, and he cleared his throat. “Before I take these off,” Julian pulled his underwear off of his hips with both thumbs, “let me have one more throw! If I get my dart where your dart is, we both lose! Or perhaps…we both win .” He waggled his eyebrows for emphasis.

Altheia laughed and gave Julian a wicked grin. “But if you miss, you’ve got to fully strip down and take a walk down to the next pub over!”

The crowd cheered, and Julian moved his thumbs to let the fabric of his underwear smack back against his hips. “Deal!! Fully bare!” Then he raised a finger. “But! If I don’t miss, then you have to fully strip down and take a walk down to the next pub over with me!”

Altheia rested a finger on her chin in false thought, then smirked and put her hand on her waist. “Deal! But if you do miss, I’m putting all of my clothes back on!”

“Deal!”

“Okay!”

Julian grabbed his darts, then steadied himself on the line. He placed one leg in front of the other, shifted his weight forwards and backwards between his legs, then raised his arm up. He needn’t worry about having to close one eye since his eyepatch did that for him, not that it would have helped any if he had both eyes open, and he absentmindedly stuck his tongue out to the side as he aimed his dart. He glanced over to the bard for a moment, blinking as he saw a small golden rodent sitting on top of their head, And he smirked, because he remembered what the dancer had told him when the rat had stolen his trousers. So he aimed just a little bit to the left.

And when he threw the dart, it smacked the center of the board just beside Altheia’s. And the crowd went wild.

“Well!” Julian threw up his arms, then lowered his hands to his waist, and started to push his underwear down. “It looks like we both win, don’t we! Go on, then!” And he gestured to both Altheia’s trousers and bra. 

Altheia laughed and did a slow twirl, flipped her hair over her shoulder, then blew Julian a kiss before unhooking her bra and throwing it out to the crowd. As Julian slowly revealed himself inch by inch, Altheia did the same, and together they lowered their trousers and underwear until both of them were only in their socks. Then they hopped on each foot to get their socks off, and Julian threw a sock at Altheia, and she threw one back, and he threw his other one, and she threw hers, and they were both laughing and falling against each other as they tried to dodge much too late. 

“Okay, let’s go to the next pub!” Julian said, taking Altheia’s hand and leading her out of the tavern. “You’ll have to show me where it is!”

“I can hardly see!” Altheia laughed and held onto Julian, glancing over her shoulder. “We’re being followed!”

Julian looked over his shoulder, gasped dramatically, then squatted down. “Jump on!”

And Altheia did, leaping onto his back and wrapping her arms around his neck, and her legs around his waist, and he stood once again and reached back behind him to grab onto her rear, giving it a couple squeezes before he took off in a wobbly run.

“You’re going to fall!” Altheia laughed, holding onto him as if her life depended on it.

“Not with my lady on my back! I’ll never drop you!” Julian said, skipping a couple steps and then running a bit faster.

“How did you hit that bullseye! It’s impossible!” Altheia said, grinning and letting out a surprised squeak as Julian hopped over a fallen hay bale that had no doubt fallen off the back of a cart, stumbling a few steps forwards.

“A rat told me so! No no, not a rat, a cuddly dancer! Whose rat stole my pants!” Julian laughed and started spinning around.

Altheia squeezed her eyes shut and held on tight, letting out a delighted peal of laughter as Julian’s spinning began to make her dizzy. “It’s like you want the whole town to see us!”

Julian stopped, stumbled to the right, then to the left then forwards, then he regained his balance and set Altheia down, who still clung to him as her mind swirled and twirled in a dizzying rush.

“I do! Well, no, I don’t! But you’re the one who said to go to the pub…ah…where’s the pub!”  

Altheia rubbed her eyes for a moment then blinked them back into focus, then squinted and looked around and put a hand over her eyes as if to shield herself from the moonlight. Then she suddenly pointed, and Julian spun around to face that direction.

“That way!” She declared, then snatched Julian’s hand and ran that way.

“You know, this reminds me of when I was chasing my trousers through town!” Julian laughed and ran alongside Altheia. 

“Oh, please do tell me about it!”

“Oh, I will!”

And as the two of them, naked and unafraid, ran to the next pub over hand in hand, Julian told Altheia all about his daring rat chasing adventure with The Wolf, and how, in the end, he’d gotten a tip from a stranger that had him winning the game in only his underpants with a single bullseye.

But as impressive as it may have been, he thought she, and her bullseye, was more so.

~

Chapter Text

You have strength. People are drawn to you because your radiance brings such warmth into their lives. This beautiful, warm energy is what will get you through the tough times and help you succeed. Things will get better. From facing the obstacles blocking your path, you will discover who you are, and why you're here. Everything will work out. It always does.

~

Asra no longer wandered aimlessly. When he left Aisling’s side, when he felt too strongly, he had a destination in mind. He had a want, a need; a desire . Where that destination was, he didn’t exactly know, but he knew what he wanted to find. The warmth, the freedom, that came with the downpour of Rayne. No, it wasn’t love . It was relief. It was release . With Rayne, his senses flooded, and he felt , and he was free . It was a freedom that was more than wandering aimlessly with no destination. No, he never knew where to find Rayne. But he never had to look . Just as he was always there for Aisling when she needed him, Rayne seemed to appear when Asra needed them, too. Before, Asra wouldn’t admit it. That he needed Rayne. That he needed anyone, or anything, but Aisling. But he knew better, because he spent so much time concealing so much inside of himself, that he needed to let it go. Words that had been said to him for years. Let go. From the tarot, from Ilya. But he couldn’t, and wouldn’t. Still, he would hold onto Aisling as long as he could. He would hold onto his love, and the pain that came with it. And he would endure.

So he endured. Through the heartache and heartbreak of being with Aisling but not being able to love her. Having to lie, having to hide. And he hid both inwardly around her, and outwardly as he ran from her. As he ran to Rayne , as if the wandering merchant offered him some salvation. As if they gave him strength . 

Strength. The tarot that guided him to Rayne. Energy, action, courage, determination, power, compassion. The lion, known for its ferociousness and raw passions and desires, tamed by calming, loving energy and inner strength. It meant being able to endure . And that’s what Rayne had said before.

 “Strength is about knowing you can endure your obstacles. It gives you the power to overcome any growing fears, challenges, or doubts you may be having. It’s encouraging you to tame your emotions. Feel your fear, and persevere. Approach it from a place of forgiveness, compassion…and love.”

Strength, ruled by the sun. And it was The Sun, too, that told him he had strength. Told him to face the obstacles in his path. Still, he wasn’t facing anything head on, as The Sun and Moon wanted him too. Still, he ran. Still, he hid. But this time, he hid behind a mask of Strength.

But he wasn’t the only one hiding behind a mask. As Asra walked through the streets of Dhuzzan, he found himself amidst the festivities of the Celebration of Spirits. After crossing underneath the large rounded arc of the main street, it was as if he walked into another world. The streets were lined with lanterns and lights of all colors, the lively music had people dancing and singing along. There were games with many laughs and cheers around them, merchant stalls with sellers shouting and selling their wares, and the partygoers around him were dressed in festive clothing that were made up of bright colors, with most wearing a cloth or mask over their face. Asra was slightly embarrassed and felt very out of place in his white shirt and khakis, so he began his stroll through the market in search of something else to wear.

Before he found anything, though, something tugged on his intuition. It struck him in the back of his mind, ran down his spine with a beautiful shiver, and drew his gaze away from the fabrics before him. And his eyes settled on someone at the end of the street, brightly dressed in glowing sunset reds and oranges, with shimmering gold spangles and bangles around their wrists and hips shining against the sunlight. As they turned, Asra met the face of a golden lion, but even though their identity was obscured, the fiery curls atop their head were unmistakable. And as they raised an arm, turned their hand palm up, and curled a finger, Asra moved to them as if being pulled by a string.

Asra moved slowly, watching as the dancer before him began to move in time with the melody. But for all he knew, the music wasn’t even there. Neither was anyone else. No, only this being of glowing reds and oranges, golden skin, and shimmering bangles had his full attention. He watched as their hips swayed side to side, the spangles on their belt chiming with every twist and shift. The red fabric of their pants was loose, and thin enough to where Asra could see the small shorts they wore underneath. And as they stepped, crossed one leg over the other, then raised their back leg high into the air, that thin fabric wrapped around the lean muscle of their legs briefly, showing them off to Asra for just a moment before loosening once again as their foot touched the ground with a jingle of their anklet. Clasped onto their belt were thin golden chains that stretched across their stomach and chest, over the small orange sleeveless bandeau, and hooked around their neck. As they raised their arms over their head and twisted their wrists, the translucent shawl they wore slid down to their shoulders, and they slowly ran one hand down their arm to their chest and took a hold of it before moving their arm outwards, and when they twirled it was as if they were a bird with an outstretched wing. And each step, each turn, twist, and arc, had Asra mesmerized. 

Rayne smiled underneath his mask, watching The Magician get closer to him. They took a step, then another, closer, and closer, and when they weren’t close enough Rayne moved to them, brushed his fingers through those luminescent white curls and across his bronzed skin, feeling the shake of their shoulders with a laugh, and the shiver that moved through them as his hand moved down their chest through the broad opening of their white shirt. And his smile grew, because he could feel the trembling of their heart under his palm. The relief, the desire. The Strength. 

He knew Asra was troubled. That there was someone Asra loved more than life itself, someone who had forgotten them. And the heart beating under his palm ached , it yearned for remembrance, for love. Forgiveness. Rayne gently caressed Asra’s skin with his thumb in an attempt to soothe it, and as Asra wrapped an arm around his neck, and put a hand on his waist, he stepped them into a new dance to show them that he remembered.

“Rayne,” Asra breathed their name with a sigh, letting his eyes close as the dancer moved him.

“I remember,” Rayne said aloud, pressing the nose of their mask against Asra’s cheek. They wrapped an arm around Asra’s back, then lunged forwards and dipped him over their arm. 

“You remember,” Asra laughed and arched his back, but the corners of his eyes pricked with tears because somehow he knew Rayne meant more than just the dance Asra had taught them before. It was him they remembered. And his heart beat louder .

“Of course I do,” Rayne purred, bringing Asra’s leg up to touch his knee to their waist. “Dare I say you’re underdressed for the occasion?”

Asra sighed at Rayne’s tone, then raised his hand to brush his fingers through their hair. “Very much so. I wasn’t expecting a festival. Will you dress me appropriately?”

Rayne laughed and pulled Asra back up. “I will certainly do so, I refuse to let you wear that .” He nuzzled Asra’s cheek with the nose of his mask.

Asra looked into Rayne’s mismatched blue and green eyes for a moment, then reached up to take a hold of the lion mask. But Rayne grabbed Asra’s wrist to stop him, and Asra’s eyes widened.

“You’ll ruin the element of surprise,” Rayne murmured, gently lowering Asra’s hand to rest on their shoulder instead. 

“But I don’t want you to hide…” Asra breathed, his breath catching as he remembered Ilya’s words to him. “...I want to see who you are under that mask.”

It was then, he understood. As Rayne moved Asra in the tango he’d danced with Ilya, he understood Ilya’s desire. He understood how Ilya saw Aisling in him, and how he must have felt then, wanting Aisling but wanting him , too. Because he felt that way with Rayne, how Rayne reminded him so much of her , but yet was someone so much of their own. And he knew, then, that Ilya understood that, too. That Ilya wanted to see more of Asra. That Ilya wanted to love him as he was. That Ilya wanted to recognize he was someone of his own, that he wasn’t her. He was Ilya’s Marat , his desire. His Lukyan, his bringer of light. And while Aisling was Asra’s Moon and every star in his sky, lighting his path and always bringing him home, it was the luminescent being before him, moving him and guiding him now, that seemed to be a bringer of light all on their own. No, it didn’t make it right. This recognition, this understanding. It didn’t nullify the lies Ilya told, or the pain that came with them. But it did make it just a bit easier to forgive. He knew better than anyone how, wherever Ilya had gone, that he would want to be forgiven. Just as Asra wanted to be forgiven now for the things he had done, the memories, and the love he had taken away. And as Asra took control, moved Rayne and dipped them over his arm, felt their leg slide up and around his hips, he felt that he and Ilya were one in the same. They both wanted something they couldn’t have, and they were both running away. They both desired, wanted, needed , forgiveness, and love. And they both loved unconditionally. Ilya, Asra’s Murad , had been Asra’s desire, once. He desired Ilya’s attention, his affection, his love, his lust . And not because Ilya reminded him of Aisling, because he didn’t. No, not really. Not like Rayne did. But it was three years in the past. And while Asra couldn’t forget, he could forgive. At least a little. But could he forgive himself ? For all the pain he had caused?  No, he didn’t think he could. But he was hoping that, one day, someone else could forgive him. 

Again, as he had Rayne bent over his arm and succumbed to his desire, he curled his fingers under Rayne’s lion mask and lifted it to reveal their freckle-covered face. And they said,

“I forgive you.”

Asra’s eyes widened and his breath caught in his throat. “For what?” He whispered.

Rayne’s eyes narrowed affectionately and their lips curled into a small knowing smile, but they said nothing as they pulled themselves up to meet Asra’s lips with their own. 

The touch was soft, soothing, and it put Asra’s trembling heart at ease. He could feel the forgiveness move through him, lifting him up, giving him energy, giving him strength. And the tears he had began to roll down his cheeks, because he felt love , too. No, he knew that Rayne didn’t love him. But Rayne was giving him what he needed to feel. And it melted him against this bringer of light like a candle under the sun. 

“Thank you,” Asra managed to whisper as Rayne pulled back, and they brushed his tears away with gentle strokes of their thumb against his cheek. 

“No more dancing until you’re properly dressed, yes?” Rayne gave Asra a small smile, then slowly pulled their mask down over their face again and narrowed their eyes mischievously. 

Asra gave a soft laugh, sniffled, then wiped the rest of his tears with the sleeve of his shirt. He straightened Rayne and let them go, but Rayne kept their hand on Asra’s shoulder as an extra comfort. 

“Alright,” Asra gave Rayne a small smile, and he let them lead him back to the marketplace. 

 After much consideration on Rayne’s part and many stalls visited, Asra got properly dressed. In which he had really undressed . His torso was covered in no more than a short magenta vest lined with golden fringe and buttons, and had a blue and yellow sun pattern on either front side to match the small sun that hung from his choker. It left little to the imagination as the front hardly came close enough together to cover his nipples, leaving his chest open to show off the golden chains and glistening gems that decorated it. Around his hips was a silky lilac skirt, wrapped in a way that left long slits on either side to show off his lean legs, the left of which had a golden chain securing a gem to his thigh, and had golden tassels around the edge to match the vest. His forearms had dark blue sleeves with golden trim to match the bangles Rayne had insisted he get, and around his biceps were golden bands that matched the ones Rayne wore. After Asra tied the bandana around his head, there was only one part left of his outfit.

Rayne had their hand behind their back as they approached Asra again, their eyes shimmering with adoration through the slits of the lion mask as they looked over Asra’s attire. There was a rosy blush on Asra’s cheeks as he caught Rayne’s obvious admiration, and he glanced to the side. 

“Better?” Asra asked, looking at Rayne again with a smile as they chuckled. 

“Almost perfect. One more thing.”

Rayne brought out the final touch to Asra’s outfit from behind his back, which was a golden fox mask, one that only covered the top half of his face, and had long white tassels that hung from either side. Rayne brought it up to Asra’s face, holding his amethyst gaze as he fixated it where it needed to be and tied it around the back of his head. And when Rayne stepped back again, they proudly clasped their hands together.

“Perfect!” Rayne said, turning Asra around to face the mirror. “What do you think?”

“I…” Asra laughed and gently touched the mask with his fingertips. “It’s beautiful.”

“And how does it make you feel?”

“B…Beautiful, Rayne.”

Rayne hummed. “As it should.”

Asra turned back around to face Rayne again, and he pressed a light kiss to the lion’s forehead. 

“Thank you,” Asra murmured. “Shall we enjoy the festivities?”

Rayne gave Asra a small curtsey before taking his hand and leaving him away from the dressing room.     

Rayne led Asra all around the marketplace. From stall to stall, game to game, one shady fortune telling booth after another. And they giggled and laughed at the fortunes they received before continuing on to something else. The whole ordeal reminded Asra of his first masquerade with Aisling, way back when. When they had just met, and it was him that was leading her around. But as Rayne caught his hand and twirled him under their arm, he let the thought dissipate, because it was the dancer Asra was with now, not Aisling. And while the situation felt so familiar, and was so similar, Asra knew they weren’t the same. So he drew a new line and put Aisling on her side of it, and paid attention to Rayne, just as they deserved.

As Asra spun, his skirt flared out before wrapping around his ankles, and then Rayne spun him the opposite way. Again his skirt flared, then wrapped around his ankles, then settled. Rayne placed one hand on Asra’s waist, swaying their hips as they stepped closer, and Asra hummed as they pressed their body against his. 

“May I have this dance?” Rayne asked, though Asra knew well enough that they already had it.

“You may,” Asra murmured, and he closed his eyes as Rayne tilted their mask up enough to press a light kiss to his neck.

Then Rayne backed up, swaying his hips with each step, moving just out of arm's reach. Asra moved his hips just the same, following along, and the sound of Rayne’s chuckle made him smile. 

“Will you dance for me?” Asra asked softly, moving his hands up his stomach and chest over the chains that were there, just as Rayne was doing to themselves. 

Rayne hummed, ran their hands up the back of their neck and into their hair, then raised their hands up above their head. And though Asra couldn’t see, they smiled as Asra copied their movements as best as he could. 

“No, it will be you that will dance for me ,” Rayne purred, rocking his hips into a side step, then turning around with a backwards spin and facing Asra once again.

Asra’s eyes widened behind his mask, feeling the warmth rise to his cheeks as Rayne began to prowl in a circle around him, as if he were prey to be hunted. But Asra smirked and stepped outwards, did a single twirl on the tips of his toes, then walked the circle on the opposite side of Rayne, moving with them, instead.

“Will I?” Asra cooed, and Rayne laughed. “Why don’t you show me how?”

“Show you? Oh, magician, I think you know how to dance.”

“Bring the lion out, Rayne. Let me see how you move.”

“Can you keep up, fox?”

“As best as I can.”

Rayne slowed their steps, and Asra did as well. Then together they walked towards each other, meeting in the center. Rayne held out their hand for Asra to take, and he did, and Rayne twirled him around and pulled him back to press his back against their chest. 

“You just like to see my skirt move,” Asra said with a smile.

“I won’t deny that,” Rayne purred. “Dance for me.”

With Rayne’s arm still wrapped around Asra’s torso, Asra rocked his hips back and forth, making a point to press his backside against Rayne’s crotch, and Rayne hummed low in their throat. Then he reached one arm up and back over his head to hold the back of Rayne’s neck, and stepped to the side. And Rayne moved with him, with their hands on his hips and a smile on their lips. Three more cross steps and then Asra turned to face Rayne, and his lips curled into a sultry smirk.

“Now you,” he whispered. “Dance, lion.”

Rayne pressed their body against Asra’s for a moment, growled in his ear, then stepped back once again with a twirl. Asra still swayed along to the melody as he watched Rayne twist and twirl, leap and lunge, and when they arched back with an arm outstretched over their head, Asra walked up and took their hand, pulled them back up to their feet and spun them under his arm. And he felt a flutter in his belly at the sound of Rayne’s giggle. But Rayne didn’t stop, and once more took hold of Asra’s waist to continue their dance. They twirled Asra under their arm again, and once more, spun him outwards, pulled him back in, then held him close as he moved him. 

“Now us,” Rayne purred, tilting their head to rest against Asra’s as they turned him in a slow circle.

“Now us,” Asra repeated as a breath, reaching up and pressing his fingers against the lion’s mouth as if to touch Rayne’s lips. And he couldn’t see, but Rayne’s lips curved into a small smile, then pursed as if to press a kiss to Asra’s fingers before relaxing again.

On and on they moved. They stepped, twirled, hopped, leapt, lunged; together, they danced. Asra felt empowered in Rayne’s arms, alive and free, and Rayne continued to share his strength, his heart, and his love with Asra to help him move forwards. To show him that he can endure. And as they danced, as Asra smiled and laughed, and Rayne laughed along with him, together, they endured. 

And all of Asra’s worries, fears, and pain became buried once again, hidden deep down behind the cover of his golden fox mask.

~

Chapter Text

The Cock had become one of Julian’s favorite taverns, but still second to The Rowdy Raven. It had been The Swaggering Cock during their daring night of naked adventuring, The Fighting Cock for when the patrons were feeling brawly, in which Julian and Altheia did not partake, and The Snake-Eyed Cock during card night, in which Julian and Altheia did partake, and win, mind you. That night, however, it was The Crowing Cock, in which they had no extra events besides just having the bard perform. The bard, which Julian recognized from their raven black hair and golden mouse, whose voice he hadn’t heard in some time. But it was just as that night before, with them in the back playing a lively tune, and Julian and Altheia sitting at a table close to the dart board. And even though most times it seemed impossible in the rowdy rickety tavern, there was peace.

“Well? What happened? I want all the details!” Altheia waved her hand in Julian’s direction. “You can’t just end it like that!”

“That’s it!” Julian threw up his hands. “Gardenia offered me five silver to never speak of it again, and then she left and took her sopping wet cat with her!”

“That poor thing, how could you leave it out in the rain like that?” Altheia clicked her tongue and shook her head, taking a sip from her drink.

Julian sputtered for a moment before looking down at his food, and he poked at it with his fork before waving the utensil around in the air. “I didn’t know it was going to chase after me!”

Altheia laughed and waved her hand at him. “I’m kidding, Julian. I know you wouldn’t soak a cat on purpose.”

Julian’s lips curled into a smirk and he leaned forwards, resting his elbow on the table and narrowing his eyes playfully. “Not that one. But…there is one that I most definitely would. ” And he reached over to twirl a white strand of Altheia’s hair around his finger. 

Altheia chuckled softly and leaned closer to Julian until their lips were nearly touching. “And who’s cat would that be?”

“Let’s just say it’s not a cat…and it’s yours,” Julian murmured, then pressed a soft kiss to Altheia’s lips. Then he leaned back. “You know, I…”

Altheia crossed her arms on the table. “I know. You need to leave soon, you’ve said.”

Julian poked at his food again, and Altheia reached over and took the fork from him, stuck it into the bit of fish there, and then pressed the meat against Julian’s lips. He chuckled and took the bite from the fork.

“I need closure,” Julian murmured. “There’s a couple things not sitting right with me.”

Altheia hummed and used Julian’s fork to take a bite off her own plate. 

“But,” he continued, “I’ve been with you for a while now, and…I…want to get…”

Julian’s voice faded as the bard’s song suddenly changed, and Altheia recognized the look in his eyes as he suddenly stood from his chair. And as the bard began to sing, Julian couldn’t help but sing along.

“Donning full regalia, strutting on the deck! A brave and handsome sailor was about to risk his neck!” Julian chuckled as he began to strut around the table, and Altheia laughed. “Rumour said he fancied some forbidden fruit, a pearl worthy of shanties…Prettier than any loot...”

Suddenly Julian stood up on a chair and with one hand on his waist, the other above his eyes, he began scanning the room.

“So off he went to find her, wherever she may be. The Captain's daughter…dancing happily!” He sang, leaping off the chair over to Altheia, and he took her hand and brought her to her feet. And as he twirled her under his arm, he harmonized as best he could with the bard.

La-la-la-la-la-la

Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo

La-la-la-la-la-la

Doo-be-doo-be-doo-be-doo!

Altheia laughed and held onto Julian as he spun her around. “Am I the Captain’s daughter? I thought I was the Captain!”

“Well I hope you’re the Captain’s daughter! You know what they do with drunken sailors, don’t you?”

“Are you a drunken sailor?”

“I’ve certainly drunken something!” 

“What were you going to say?”

Julian twirled Altheia under his arm, then pulled her back against his chest and tightened his arm around her to hold her there.

“Well, my dear Captain-”

“I thought I was the Captain’s daughter!” Altheia laughed and rested her head back against Julian’s shoulder.

“You’re right! And you know what they do with drunken sailors, don’t you?”

“Put them in the bed with the Captain’s daughter?” Altheia turned around again to face Julian and rested her hands on his shoulders.

“Ear-lie in tha moooooornin’!”

Hearing Julian’s change in song, the bard stummed a chord, then changed his tune to match what Julian was singing, and Altheia let out a delighted laugh as Julian held her waist and began to dance her across the room.

“Oh, have you ever seen the captain’s daughter?” Julian continued to sing, laughing along with her, and a few other patrons sang along.

Have you ever seen the Captain’s daughter?

“Have you ever seen the captain’s daughter ear-lie in the mornin’!” Altheia joined in.

Julian lifted Altheia up into the air, loudly belting out “Way hey up she rises!” And the others continued with,

Way hey up she rises! 

Way hey up she rises ear-lie in the mornin’!   

Then Julian lowered Altheia enough for her to wrap her legs around his waist, and he spun her around three times before slowing down and holding her. And as they stood still, the song continued, and the other tavern goers continued to dance and sing in their drunken stupor.

“I want to get closer to you,” Julian murmured to her, gently brushing his nose against her ear. “If you’ll let me.” 

Altheia leaned back to meet him eye to eye. “How close?”

“As close as I can possibly be.”

Altheia’s lips parted, then closed. Then she hummed. “Perhaps this once, and we’ll see how good you are,” she murmured, the corner of her lips rising into a small sultry smirk.

Julian chuckled and leaned forwards to brush his lips against hers. “You’ll certainly see, indeed,” he purred, giving her a soft kiss before carrying her over to the stairs. 

Altheia gave a low chuckle and held on tight as Julian carried her up step by step, pausing halfway and pressing her against the wall to give her a deep kiss, then continuing again with their lips still locked though at a much slower pace as to not trip. He tilted his head just enough to where he could look where he was going with his uncovered eye, and when he found their room he pressed Altheia against the door.

“After you, love,” Julian murmured against Altheia’s lips, and she turned just enough to where she could open the door for him. 

“Love? Have we reached that point?” Altheia smirked, then let out a gasp as Julian stepped inside and turned them, using Altheia to shut the door as he pushed her against it.

“Perhaps just this once,” Julian said as he brushed his lips against her ear. “And we’ll see how good it feels.”

Altheia shivered and closed her eyes, her words escaping her with a soft sigh, then a mewl as Julian pressed his body up against hers. 

“Oh, kitten,” Julian purred, trailing his lips lower. “Are you soaked?”

“You’ll see,” Altheia whispered, tilting her head as Julian pressed his lips against her neck.

“Oh, I certainly will.”

At that, Julian pulled Altheia away from the door and spun them around, then carried her to the bed and tossed her down before pouncing on top of her, and she laughed. 

“Are you sure you’re not the cat?” Altheia cooed, threading her fingers through Julian’s auburn curls, then giggling as he nuzzled her neck.

“Am I soaked?” Julian asked, pausing to look down at the bulge in his pants, then, “I’m a bit wet, yes, it’s possible. But I did say there was one cat I would soak on purpose, and that it was yours.” He flashed her a filthy grin before his hands found the top of her trousers and he tugged them down her thighs. “Are you saying I’m yours?”

“Just this once,” Altheia laughed and unhooked her legs from Julian to help assist him in removing her trousers, and he pulled them off and tossed them over his shoulders. “And then-”

Before she could continue, Julian lowered down, not hesitating a moment before he slipped his silver-tongue between Altheia’s folds, letting out a pleased hum at her moan as he licked her bottom to top, flicked across her clit, then fully slid it inside her to taste her. To soak her. And he did, with the way he devoured her, it didn’t take long for her to squirm beneath him. Her hips raised and twisted, her fingers curled around the sheets, and she purred for him. And as she grabbed his hair and tugged, and she moaned his name, she gushed, and he tasted all of her, his moan vibrating within her as he pressed his thickening erection against the mattress. But he wasn’t done, and when she had risen and fallen again, and her moans had quieted, he told her so.

“What do you-”

Julian climbed up her body and cut off her words with a kiss, and she hummed at the taste of herself against his lips. Her legs came up and around his waist and Julian rolled them over to put himself on his back and her above him.

“Way hey up she rises,” Julian sang, running his hands up her stomach and underneath the fabric of her shirt to her breasts, which he fondled delicately, his thumbs lightly caressing the pert nipples there.

“It’s not morning, though,” Altheia said with a smirk, though her breaths still carried weight as she pulled her shirt up and over her head.

“How did that feel, hmm?” Julian asked quietly, kneading her breasts for a moment before sliding his hands down her sides to rest on her waist.

Altheia hummed as if in thought. Then she unbuttoned Julian’s pants and unzipped them.

“I’d say that felt good,” she murmured, running her hand over Julian’s confined erection, her eyes narrowing flirtatiously as she glanced up at him. “And how does this feel?”

“Oh, dove, your hands on me anywhere feel wonderful. And perhaps it isn’t morning, but you, my dear, are the Morning Star. And with you rises the sun, so I’d say it’s morning now.”

“The sun doesn’t seem to be the only thing that rises with me,” Altheia purred, tugging Julian’s trousers down and freeing his erection, and she arched her brow at him and gave him a sultry smile.

“Not the only thing, no,” Julian let out a soft sigh as Altheia curled her fingers around him, then gave a soft moan as she began to slowly stroke him base to tip. “Now that will-and has-risen with you about as often as the sun has.”

Altheia’s laugh stirred up something in Julian, and he lifted her up enough to pull her forwards, and she let go of his shaft just in time for him to settle her on top of it. When he rolled his hips he felt himself slide back and forth over her entrance, feeling just how soaked she really was, and he gave a pleased humm before Altheia shifted her hips enough to catch him and bring him inside her.

And for the first time in a long time, Julian felt complete. It was surreal, how one small adjustment had such an effect on his heart. On his whole being. Having her, his Captain, his Queen , above him, with her dark hair cascading over her shoulders as she leaned forwards to rest her hands on his chest to feel his heart racing inside it, and her eyes, beautiful sea green orbs shimmering against the dim lamplight as they looked down at him, changed him. Her walls closing around him, squeezing him tight, making him moan, moved him, and she moved with him, rolling her hips and riding him in a way that had his heart racing harder, faster, for her. Together, they moved, and together, they moaned. She was his ship, his Rising Sun ,  holding him up, guiding him, and he her ocean to support her as she rocked above him. And as they sailed she rose up, and up, and he could feel every bit of her quiver and quake as his waves washed up over, in, and through her, until the bow broke and her head threw back with a cry of his name, drowning out his affectionate whispers, but he didn’t mind. And as she came down to him he held her against his chest, one hand in her hair, the other against her back, and with his release her name rolled off his lips alongside a relieved groan, and a smile as she breathed good kitten . 

Then together, they let the tide carry them back to shore, and Julian held Altheia like an anchor to keep his ship from sinking. Because he needed her. And he told her so.

Altheia tilted her head to look up at him and reached up to caress his cheek with her fingertips.

“I’m here,” she murmured, then buried her head into the crook of his neck. “And yes, before you ask…that was good.”

Julian chuckled, then sighed as he turned his head to rest against hers. “I’m sorry,” he started, but she moved her fingers to rest against his lips, and she silenced him.

“I’ll let you say it, but just that once.”

Julian’s lips curved into a small smile against her fingers, and he pecked a kiss to them before she moved them away. “Just that once.”

“Don’t be. You have something you need to do, and I’m not going to hold you back.”

“Oh, no, Altheia,” Julian shifted to turn them on their sides, and he raised up onto one elbow to look at her. “You haven’t held me back at all. You’ve pushed me forwards. And for that, I’m grateful.”

Altheia smiled and brushed her fingers through Julian’s hair. “Good. Let’s not think of it now, hmm? You’ve gone and got yourself a soaked cat again, and this woman isn’t walking away with it.”

Julian chuckled and shifted to free himself of her, already missing her warmth, then settled back down to lay beside her.

“Well, good. I’d like to keep you here as long as you’ll stay.”

“I’ll stay as long as you’ll hold me.”

“I’ll hold you the rest of the night and all through the morning when you rise again, my Morning Star.”

And he did. He held her all through the night, until the sun peeked above the horizon. And when his Morning Star rose with it, he pulled her close again. Then they shared just one kiss, and then one more, and then one more, just to see.

And then they got just a bit closer.

~  

Chapter Text

Not just an echo; her voice was a soft tone as clear and crystalline as undisturbed water, and each word that touched his ears touched his heart as well. It beat harder, and faster, and in this moment it beat for her, and her alone, and no one else.

Trasna na dtonnta, dul siar, dul siar,

Slán leis an uaigneas ‘is slán leis an gcian;

Geal é mo chroí, agus geal í an ghrian…

~

After Aisling flipped the sign to ‘closed’, she rested with her back against the door. And she waited. Because she felt it, she knew within her heart that Asra was somewhere close, though she knew not where, or how far away. She waited for five, ten, fifteen minutes before finally sighing and pushing away from the door. Not close enough, it seemed. With a hum she glanced around the shop, seeing it filled with so many things, yet feeling so empty within it. Three years, and still, there was too much she didn’t know. Everything, it was everything. She was missing so much. So many memories within these walls alone, and so many more beyond them. Who was she? A question she asked herself each and every day. A question that came with each glance in the mirror, each sip of tea. Each step as she walked across the shop floor. There were memories in each trinket on the table, each bottle on the shelf, things she knew she’d touched before, eaten before, smelled before. Three years, and yet with each passing day she felt further away from who she really was. She stopped at the bookshelf and touched the spine of a thicker book resting there, having read it through more than once. But there was more to it than just the story within, because as she flipped it over and opened the back, she gave a sad smile to her own name written in blue ink. A piece of her she’d never get back, because it wasn’t the same as she wrote now. With a sigh, she closed the book and turned back to face the room.

And she felt lonely . It was more than just missing Asra. There, in the silence of the empty shop, she felt more alone than she’d ever felt. She missed herself, as well as her friend. She missed the company of a companion she never knew. And as she looked to the wall, where the colored brown and white paper weasel sat, she thought of the name Asra taught her. Hana . A weasel she’d used to have, Asra said. And he said she had loved him very much , and that he had loved her, too.

But Aisling didn’t dwell. Because something told her there was more to his words than just talking in reference to their furry friend, although at times it was hard to tell what Asra’s true intent really was. Perhaps it just was about Hana. And Aisling sighed.

Confusing as always, Asra was. Mysterious, his words always followed by teasing eyes and a mischievous smile. And Aisling smiled at the thought as she climbed the stairs to her room, hoping she’d see that look soon enough. Because she needed it. She needed him . 

And when she closed her eyes and let the weight of the world take her away, he was there.

There, which was somewhere she’d never been. A dream, a vision of a desert oasis, with an ombre sky, and whimsical creatures flitting about. And he was there with her in this dream, sitting crossed legged by a small pond, with one finger swirling around and creating small ripples. At first, she didn’t believe it to be real. Just a dream. Just a vision. But when his movements stilled, and his violet gaze rose to meet hers, his eyes widened with a sense of surprise as if he hadn’t expected her to be there. And then he gave her that look, with a curve of his lips and narrowing eyes, and her heart melted, just a little.

“Funny,” Asra started, placing his hands in his lap. “I was just thinking about you.”

“Were you?” Aisling smiled, looking around for a moment. “Funny, because I was thinking about you, too.”

“In your sleep?” Asra’s smirk turned playful, and he beckoned her over. 

“Before that!” Aisling giggled and stepped over to him, finding herself without shoes as she stepped through the sand.

“Here,” Asra patted his lap. “So you don’t get your skirt dirty.”

Aisling chewed on her bottom lip for a moment before she lowered down to sit in Asra’s lap, and he rested a hand on her waist. 

“Thank you,” she said softly, smiling as his other hand came to pull her hair to the side.

“Anything for my closest friend.”

Friend .  

“Asra, where are we?” Aisling asked, looking up at the sky.

“Just a dream, it seems,” Asra hummed, resting his chin on Aisling’s shoulder and peering at her with a side glance. “Do you think about me often before you go to sleep?”

Aisling could feel her face warm as she cast a glance at Asra. “Often enough. Do you?”

“Of course I think about you,” Asra responded, knowing full well that’s not what Aisling meant, but he didn’t intend to answer in the way she did, and he slid his arm around her waist to hold her closer.  

Aisling hummed and relaxed against Asra. “Of course you do.” 

For a few moments, they just sat in silence, and Asra gently rocked them back and forth. 

“I’ll be home soon,” Asra finally broke the silence. 

“Will you? Where are you?”

Currently, Asra was right there. At his gateway, that somehow Aisling had ended up in. It wasn’t the first time she’d wandered in there, and he wondered if she’d ever be able to again. But the fact that seeing her there had surprised him just as much as it did the very first time, told him that somehow, she still held some of the magic she held then. No, it wasn’t the same. Back then, she had her own gateway, and she had been searching for him with the warming crystal that hung around his neck. This time, it was only her connection to him that brought her there. The fact she told him she’d merely been thinking of him told him so. And he smiled, because she had gotten so strong. And told her the truth.

“I’m right here.”

Aisling giggled and leaned her head back to rest against Asra’s shoulder. “Oh, that’s where you are? Well I’m glad you’re here.”

“And I’m glad you’re here,” Asra murmured, holding her a bit closer. 

“Asra, were we ever together?”

Asra’s eyes widened, and he leaned his head back enough so she couldn’t see him glance at her from the side of his vision. It hurt, when she asked. Because it wasn’t the first time she had. And each and every time he’d tried to tell her exactly everything she was to him, her headaches overpowered her and she’d gotten lost again, and again. This time, he couldn’t tell her again. So he settled with something simpler.

“You’ve always been my closest friend.”

Friend.

Aisling let her breath out slowly, feeling the beating of Asra’s heart against her back, beating quickly and in time with her own. She knew there was more to it, there had to be, but before she could respond she felt a heaviness wash over her as Asra’s fingers brushed through her hair.

“I’m tired,” she murmured, letting her eyes close.

“I know, I’m sorry,” Asra said, taking a deep breath before pressing a kiss to Aisling’s cheek. 

“Sorry…?”

But there was no answer, and as she exhaled, Aisling felt as if she were sinking into a warm comforting darkness. And suddenly the world she was in fell away, leaving her alone once again.

When she opened her eyes, though, she smelled breakfast. She heard humming coming from down the hall, and her fingers curled in the indent in the blankets beside her. Asra . She rubbed her eyes and smiled, sat up in bed, and found a familiar lilac snake curled up on the pillow next to her.

“Hello Faust,” Aisling spoke softly, gently petting the familiar’s head. “Did you have a nice trip?”

Faust flicked her tongue in greeting before patting Aisling’s hand with her tail, and Aisling giggled.

“Good.”

Aisling got up and out of bed, got herself dressed, and made her way to the kitchen, where she found the table already set up for breakfast with two steaming cups of tea, and Asra sitting on the opposite side. 

“Good morning sleepy head,” Asra said to her, flashing her a playful grin.

“When did you get back?” Aisling said, stretching her arms up over her head as she yawned, then sitting in the other chair.

Asra hadn’t sat in that chair since the day he left her all those years ago. But now, as he sat in the chair that was his, and then Ilya’s, and then hers , and looked to see Aisling sipping peach tea from her blue and green teacup, it was almost just as it was then. Except this time, the plague wasn’t upon them, she wasn’t angry, and Asra wasn’t going to leave. It almost made him want to give her the necklace back, apologize, hold her, kiss her, tell her everything. But he couldn’t. 

“Oh, not too long ago,” Asra said instead with a smile, looking down at his plate. “I hope you don’t mind curry avocado crispy egg toast.”

Aisling blinked at her plate and then laughed. “No, I don’t mind. It looks great.”

“Hopefully it tastes even better.” They shared a laugh, then, “Did you sleep okay?”

“Mhm! Did you sleep in my room?” Aisling asked with a quirked eyebrow.

Asra’s face flushed and he glanced to the side. “I did,” he answered honestly. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“I don’t,” Aisling said with a warm smile. “I told you, you’re welcome in there any time.”

Asra hummed and took a bite of his toast.

“I missed you,” Aisling continued, looking down at her tea and swirling it in the cup before taking another sip.

Asra looked over at her, then gave her a sympathetic smile. “I missed you too.”

“How was your trip?” Aisling took a bite of her toast with an mmm!

“It was good, I…”

Asra caught his words in his throat, because while he wanted to tell Aisling about his trip, the places he’d gone, the things he’d done, the people he’d seen, he knew it would only make her wish she’d been there. And he couldn’t take her with him. Not yet. It wasn’t just about her not being ready anymore, it was about him not being ready, too. She deserved to be treated better. She deserved someone better than him. He might not have been able to show her just how much he cared for her, but he could show her that he cared. As Aisling’s mismatched eyes raised to meet his at his abrupt pause, he gave her a smile, and she smiled back.

“…I think we should go on a picnic,” Asra continued.

“A picnic?” Aisling practically squeaked, and her eyes brightened. “When?”

Asra looked down at his toast, then at hers, and decided neither had eaten much yet. “Now?”

Aisling set her tea down and clasped her hands together. “You just made breakfast!”

“We can take it with us!”

“And your friend? Can you bring him too so I can meet him?”

“My…friend?” Asra’s eyes widened slightly.

“Yes, your close friend you talk about? What’s his name? M…Mu…”

“Muriel?” Asra smiled and thought about the last picnic the three of them had together. “I can go see if he’ll come along if you’d like.”

“Oh, I’d love to meet him.”

You have . Asra let out a soft breath. “I’m sure he’d like to meet you too. Shall I go now?”

“May I go too?”

Asra winced slightly, but quickly recovered with, “He’s very shy, it’s best if I go alone. Will you stay and help me get everything we’d need for a picnic together?”

For a moment Aisling looked disappointed, her eyes having dropped down to her teacup. But then she smiled and looked at Asra again. 

“Yes, I can do that!” She stood from her chair and Asra stood too. “You go on, then. Come back quickly.”

“I will,” Asra said, resting his hand on the side of her arm for a moment before dropping it. 

He said he wasn’t going to leave. But this was for a different purpose. And he was coming back. So once he scampered down the stairs and went outside, he ran as fast as he could to his friend. 

Aisling, in his absence, found a basket. She gathered a couple blankets, made more tea, and packed up the breakfast Asra had made for them, and then made a little more. A feeling of nausea washed over her as she felt as if she’d done this before, and then she laughed at herself, because who hadn’t gone on a picnic? Her, it was her. She had never gone on a picnic before. But she was about to. And the thought swirled the nausea away and replaced it with a feeling of nervous excitement, because she’d only read about picnics, and knew about them from what Asra told her, so she wondered if she was doing it right. But how hard could it have been, really? And because Asra was bringing another friend, she opened up a cookbook and flipped through the pages for something easy to make. But she paused at the feeling of recognition that stung in the back of her mind, then shook it away. Because she just didn’t have time to make little cakes. Nor did she know how to make them, she’d never done it before. Or…had she? She stared at it, the headache growing, her eyes squinting with the pain, and then she turned the page to cover the little cake recipe, letting out a relieved exhale as the pain subsided. No, she wasn’t going to try to find that memory, not now. Not when Asra was back. She didn’t want to worry him. Sometimes it seemed he was more concerned about her headaches than she was. The look in his eyes when she got them, though, was more than concern. It was fear . The emotion was always fleeting, but Aisling always caught it. No, she couldn’t do that to him. She hated to see that pained emotion in those violet eyes. So she continued on with spinach pie, instead.

~

“...no.”

Muriel didn’t look up from where he was glaring at the floor, pointedly looking away from Asra as he sat cross-legged with a lap full of weasels. 

“I think…she could be ready,” Asra said, lifting the speckled weasel up to his face and smiling as he squeaked at him. “Hello, Breckan.”

Muriel grunted. “Could be?”

“I have…I have to give her something she used to have that won’t hurt her.”

Muriel glanced at Asra. “...it might hurt.”

Asra grimaced and lowered the weasel back to his lap. “Please come on this picnic. It will make her happy.”

“...no.”

“Muriel, just this once.”

“...I went once.”

“She’s never been. She asked to see you.”

“...right. So she can meet and forget. Again.”

“That’s not her fault,” Asra frowned slightly.

Muriel’s narrowed eyes shifted to Asra then. And he didn’t say it, but Asra knew. It’s yours.

“She might not remember you, but she will remember this , and that’s important to me because all I’ve done is taken from her, Muriel. I want to give her something back. Something good, without pain.”

“And if there’s pain?”

Asra fell silent. Of course, he’d take it away again. Because that’s all he knew how to do to keep her happy and safe. But he was hoping for the best. So he smiled.

“Then I’ll make it better,” he said finally. “So come with me.”

“...no.”

“Muriel, please.”

A few moments of silence, then a sigh.

“Don’t come to the shop, then. Meet us in the field.”

A grunt.

“Mur…”

Muriel closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them to look at the ceiling. “...when.”

“Er…now?”

A groan, then.

“And no beach this time.”

“...fine.”

Asra smiled, scooped up the weasels into his arms, and stood. “And please bring the weasels.”

Muriel clenched his jaw, because he wasn’t wanting to give them up just yet. But they were Aisling’s, afterall. And he knew that if she could remember them, she’d have wanted them back. And he knew that she would take care of them.

“Not all. Pick. And not Evka.”

Asra looked down at the boogle of  weasels in his arms, and set Evka down. “They’re all hers, aren’t they?”

“...it will be too much.”

Asra gave a single nod. His eyes fell on the white one, first. Cairenn. He knew Aisling would have given her to him, so he smiled and set her down. He would come back for her when he felt she was ready. Next his eyes landed on Maxie, the one who was a spitting image of Hana, but he shook his head. Because something just didn’t feel right about giving him to her. And seeing Max may trigger a memory of Hana, and cause her pain. No, he couldn’t do that. So he put Max down as well. Then to the golden brown and white one, Leonidas. And he tilted his head, because he thought of Rayne. Something told him that Leo belonged to them. He set Leo down. That left Breckan and Edana in his arms. And he handed them to Muriel.

“Bring them,” Asra said. 

“She won’t remember me giving them to her.” Muriel muttered.

“I know. It will be okay.”

“...will it?”

Asra watched Muriel for a moment, then sighed. Then, nodded firmly. “Yes, it will.”

Muriel grunted. “…fine.”

~

By the time Asra had returned to the shop, Aisling had everything back and was ready to go. He helped her carry things, and they locked up the shop before heading out of Vesuvia to where the golden fields awaited them. 

Aisling, in her three years of being conscious, had never seen them. She’d only ever gone where Asra had taken her, which was around the city, and to the beach, and she’d never wandered outside of the city walls. Now, as she took that first step and saw the long strands of wheat swaying in the wind, something came over her. A sense of nervous excitement mixed with faint familiarity, and it brought tears to her eyes. 

“Kalah?” Asra questioned, pausing and looking at her.

“It’s, ah…it’s beautiful,” Aisling replied softly.

And Asra cursed himself silently under his breath for never showing her before. But he smiled and nudged her shoulder with his. 

“Let’s get closer, hmm?”

Aisling smiled and followed Asra as he walked further into the fields. Though her smile slowly began to fade with each step she took, because she remembered something. And without thinking, she began to humm a song. 

Asra’s steps slowed as he heard the familiar tune until he finally stopped and watched Aisling walk ahead. He caught her smile as she twirled, her skirt flaring out just a little before she skipped a step. It wasn’t a song that she sang often, but it was a song that she’d taught him long ago. No, it wasn’t their song. But the last time he’d heard the song was from Ilya . And as Aisling continued to hum, Asra thought of the words she’d taught him.

Over the waves, going west, going west,

Good-bye to loneliness and to the distant remoteness;

Bright is my heart and bright is the sun, happy to be returning home. 

“What is that?” Asra asked, continuing on, seeing her turn to look over her shoulder at him.

“I…don’t know,” Aisling said with a shy laugh, and her cheeks flushed a soft pink. 

But Asra did. And he clenched his jaw remembering what Ilya had said, that he’d just heard that first part once, and he thought it was pretty. At first, he believed Ilya could have heard that song anywhere. But now, knowing Ilya had known Aisling all along, and hearing Aisling hum that song once again, made him rethink. Sure, there was a chance he’d heard the song somewhere else. But Asra didn’t believe he’d heard it from anyone other than Aisling. And even though it brought pain, the thought of his two loves being with each other and neither being with him, he smiled. Because she’d remembered something. And that was more important than anything else. 

“Do you know the words?” He asked, because he knew there were words in a language he didn’t know, so maybe he couldn’t teach those to her. But he could reteach her the words she taught him before in the language they both shared, and maybe it wasn’t exactly the same, but he could give her that memory once again. 

Aisling set her things down and began to unroll the blankets, gesturing to the spot and waiting for Asra’s thumbs up of approval before smiling and laying them down.

“I feel like I should, but…”

“That’s okay,” Asra set his things down to help Aisling, and together they stretched the blankets out. “I’ve heard that song. Can I teach you?”

Aisling’s smile grew just a bit more. “Yes, yes you can.”

“Okay, well let’s get everything settled and I will.”

“Is your friend still coming?”

Asra smiled as he watched Aisling bring out a small container. “What’s that?”

“Oh! I…I made your friend some little spinach pies,” Aisling blushed as she giggled and began to bring out the other things and arrange them on the blanket. When Asra tried to help, she gently patted his hands until he pulled them back again, and they laughed.

“He’ll enjoy those, I’m sure. Can I have one?”

“Not yet! Not until your friend gets here!”

“Fine, fine!”

As they waited, Asra taught her the lyrics to the song. He sang it, then she sang it to him, and then they sang it together. And Asra melted at the sound of her voice, her tone soft and carrying an aura of grace, while holding power. It was a siren’s song, drawing him in with each note. Him, a land sailor, finding his way to her shores and wading out to her ocean’s depths, letting her lunar tides wash over him and pull him under. And he drowned under her wake, but she, his bright and shining moon, always led him back to shore and saved him again and again. As she tilted her head and looked at him, glistening blue and violet orbs filled with adoration and magic, he felt her tides wash over him all over again, and a feeling of comfort and need and desire washed over him, her waves holding him tight in a warm embrace as they held him under the surface. But even so, even as he drowned under the waters of her affection and love, he smiled and played as if he didn’t love her back. Because he had to. 

“What?” He said, playing dumb, because he knew what that look was. It was the look he would give to her when he wanted her. A look he couldn’t return. Not yet. So he looked away.

Aisling smiled and looked away as well, down to her teacup. “Oh, nothing,” she said softly. “It’s a lovely song.”

“It’s lovelier when you sing it,” Asra murmured, meeting her gaze as they both looked at each other from under their lashes, and Aisling giggled shyly.

“No, I like it when you do. Will you sing it again?”

“Maybe later,” Asra chuckled and took a bite of a cookie. “Just for you.”

Aisling grinned and picked up a strawberry, twirled it in her fingers, contemplated on feeding it to Asra, but then took a bite of it herself instead. “I’d like that,” she said through her mouthful. 

Asra suddenly perked up and shifted his weight, and Aisling turned her gaze to see what Asra was looking at. A hulking figure approached them, fully cloaked even in the warm weather, and Aisling’s eyes widened.

“Muriel,” Asra said with a grin. “You came.”

The large man grunted, glanced at Aisling, then sat down on the opposite side of the blanket.

“I-I made these for you,” Aisling said suddenly, gesturing to the spinach pies. “I ah…I’m Aisling.”

“…I know,” Muriel muttered, frowning at the spinach pies. But then his eyes softened and he took one, ate it, and said nothing else.

There was a long stretch of silence as both Asra and Aisling waited for Muriel to comment, but when he didn’t, Asra pointed at the movement in Muriel’s pocket.

“You brought them?” Asra said with an excited catch to his breath.

“Brought what?” Aisling asked, looking from Asra to Muriel.

“A present for you.” Asra’s excitement took on a hint of nervousness, because he thought of what Muriel had said, about it being too much. About the possibility of there being pain that came with seeing the weasels again. But when Muriel opened his cloak and the weasels hopped out, and Aisling let out an excited squeal of delight, Asra’s smile only grew.

“F-For me??” Aisling opened her arms, and the weasels ran to her as if returning to an old friend. “Oh, they’re so precious!”

“They have names,” Asra said, glancing at Murial. “Breckan and Edana.”

Friends!

Faust slithered off of Asra’s neck and over to the weasels, who were chittering happily and bouncing around in Aisling’s lap, and she wrapped herself around Aisling’s shoulders and pressed her snout against her cheek.

Aisling lifted the two weasels into her arms, hearing her own breath catch in surprise at a feeling that was nothing but adoration and love emanating from them. She cradled them against her chest, then wiped her eyes free of the tears that were there and smiled at Muriel. 

“Thank you,” she said softly. “I love them.”

“…welcome,” Muriel muttered, his face flushing as he glowered back at the spinach pie in his hands.

Asra smiled, but his eyes were on Faust, and he watched her curiously as Aisling began to play with the weasels in her arms. There was no sign of pain, and he wondered if that was Faust’s doing. Or perhaps she just wanted to squeeze. Either way, Aisling remained happy and smiling, and that’s what mattered most to him.

And as the three of them enjoyed their picnic under the sun, drinking tea and sharing treats, Asra, soaking in the warmth of Aisling’s utter joy, And Aisling, basking in the glow of Asra smile and golden skin, both held back their desire to be more than just each other’s closest friend. 

~

Chapter Text

Farewell now, my love, send me off with a kiss

Heave away, straight ahead, Altheia

The tears are as salty and deep as the sea

But my sailor’s heart is keen to go

~

They stood side by side, hand in hand, overlooking the ocean as the tide rose and ebbed, each rippling wave washing up to their ankles as they both stood barefoot in the moonlit sand. Before them was her ship, the Rising Sun . And beside it was Julian’s, the Crimson Serpent . Once The Pack had docked in Port Tremaire, he knew it was time, and she knew it was, too. So he gathered his things, and she walked him to the pier. And they stargazed.

“Well, this is-”

“Not the end,” Altheia interrupted him. 

Julian’s eyes widened slightly as he looked over at her.

“No, but-“

“It’s not. Listen, Julian,” Altheia turned to face him and put her hands on his arms. “Just because you’re leaving doesn’t mean I’ll never see you again.”

“I don’t know what I’ll find when I get back, or if I’ll even be alive. I’m due to be hanged.”

“You’ll find what you need to find. I know you well, I have faith in you. You need time, and I’m going to give you time. And then I’m going to find what I need to find.” Altheia gave him a small smile.

“And what is it you’re looking for?”

“It will be you.”

Julian’s eyes softened, and he cupped her face with his palms. “I just need you to understand that-”

“I know,” Altheia’s smile grew just a bit more. “I may not know everything about your past, but I’ve been with you long enough now to understand what you need. And you’ve said it before, you need closure.”

“I’m running back to a magician I loved for answers, does that not bother you?”

“You’re running back to a magician you loved ,” Altheia said again with emphasis on the word. “For answers, you’ve said.” Altheia reached up and cupped his face with her hands to match him, pulling him down closer to her. “There are things you’re missing, that you want back. And I want answers for you. You get this look sometimes, it’s pain. Sometimes, you look lost. Don’t think I don’t notice it, because I can read you like a book.”

Julian looked away, but Altheia tapped his cheeks to get his attention again. “I’ll find you again,” he murmured.

“Perhaps it will be I that will find you . You’re going home-”

“No,” Julian shook his head. “I won’t have a home when I go back, I know it. It’s been three years, Theia. I won’t have a home. It’s not home.”

“Then you’re going back to find what you need, and then you’ll find home.”

“I think I might know where I want to be home,” Julian said softly. “Can I tell you?”

Altheia smiled, but slowly shook her head. “Not until you find what you’re looking for.”

“I don’t want you to wait for me, you know,” Julian closed the distance it took to press a soft kiss to Altheia’s lips. “I want you to be happy.”

“Oh, I will be.” At Julian’s shocked expression, Altheia laughed. “I will be happy knowing you’re doing right for yourself, I don’t want you to think of me as drowning in my sorrows while my Knight is gone on a mission of self discovery.”

“And digging up relics of the past,” Julian quipped. “As problematic as they will be.”

“How do you know they will be problematic?”

Julian sighed. “I’ve had these dreams…”

“You’ve told me about your dreams.”

“No, no I’ve told you of my dreams. But…I had these dreams about a woman.”

“Who is she?”

“I don’t know, and that’s why it’s problematic. Let me explain the full story, perhaps then you can decide if you want to wait for me or not.”

“I don’t need the full story, just tell me what you’d like to tell.” At Julian’s raised eyebrow, she added, “I trust you.” And she leaned in to rest her head on his shoulder.

Julian closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around Altheia. “Before I hopped onto the Lady Emerald , I had…I don’t even know if they were dreams. More like visions of a woman that I don’t remember, but I know that I knew . Brief glimpses, and at the time I know I felt something.”

“You loved her.”

“I…must have. But more than that, I heard his voice, saying a name, it must have been her name, but I don’t remember what it was now. It’s like any recollection I’ve had of her is just…gone. But not just, that it’s been taken away.” Julian was talking quickly now. “That he took it away.”

“He, being?”

“Asra. The magician.”

“The…the magician that you loved? He , you say?”

Julian’s face flushed a deep red, but he could feel Altheia’s teasing smile, and he took a deep breath. “He hates me, now. And what’s problematic about that, too, is that I don’t remember exactly why he hates me. Parts of our relationship are…”

“...gone.”

Julian frowned. “Yes. And I know it’s his fault. That witch has cursed me. And I know that if…” he lowered his voice. “If I murdered the count, he would know.”

“If?”

“That’s right, your devilish pirating murderer doesn’t know if he did it or not!”

“Julian,” Altheia leaned back and gave Julian’s shoulders a reassuring squeeze, and she felt him relax under her touch. “It’s alright, take a breath. With me.”

Slowly they inhaled, slowly they exhaled. Altheia lowered one hand to rest over his rapidly beating heart, and he felt safe. He felt home . Another breath in, another breath out, his heart slowed and beat in time with hers. He opened his eyes halfway to see hers closed, and in that moment he knew that he belonged with her. But, he knew she deserved better than him. He, who had only half a mind, and half a memory, and was half of a murderer. He was no more than half of a true man. Yes, she deserved better. But as she stood before him, with her hand on his heart, she soothed him. She made him feel whole. She made him believe, even if just for that moment, that he would accomplish any goal he had. That he would live and come back to be hers. Come back home . Another breath in, another breath out, and his eyes closed once again. Altheia, his Captain, his Queen, was home .

“Go on,” Altheia finally spoke, and Julian opened his eyes to meet hers. “Go.”

“Altheia, I-”

“No more words until we meet again, hmm? And you can tell me what kind of man you truly are.”

Julian parted his lips, closed them, took in a breath and let it out, then kissed her instead of speaking. For a moment they stood pieced together as if they were one, with their bodies pressed together and their lips locked, and then Altheia leaned back and Julian met her beautiful sea-glass gaze.

“Farewell now, my love, send me off with a kiss…” Julian sang softly.

Altheia gave Julian a warm smile, and she raised up on her toes to kiss him again. “Heave away, straight ahead, Quick Wit Doc Ilyushka Silver-Tongue Borisov.”

There was a moment of silence before the two of them broke out into laughter. Altheia sniffled, and Julian wiped her tears away with his thumbs. 

“The tears are as salty and deep as the sea-”

“But your sailor’s heart is keen to go,” Altheia finished, placing her fingers over Julian’s lips. “Now go.”

Julian held Altheia’s gaze for a moment, and then a moment more. And then he finally nodded and bent to grab his things, then he turned to where The Wolf was awaiting him aboard the ship. But still, he stood.

“Go,” Altheia said again, giving him a gentle push.

Julian nodded again, more firmly this time, and took one glance over his shoulder at her before walking down the pier and boarding the Crimson Serpent . 

“Welcome back,” Ramualdo said, giving Julian’s shoulder a hard pat. “We missed ye.”

“And I missed you,” Julian murmured, resting his hand on the side of Ramualdo’s arm for a moment before he jogged down to the bow of the ship and leaned over the edge.

Altheia grinned at him and waved, and he could see the shimmering reflection of the moon in her tears. He waved back.

“Farewell, doctor!” Altheia called to him, and she wiped her eyes. “Heave away!”

Julian chuckled. “Heave away!” He called back.

And then they stood still, until finally Altheia turned her back and walked back to town. Setting him free.

Julian’s bottom lip trembled for a moment before he shook his head and turned around. His jaw clenched and his brow furrowed. No, this was what he needed to do. He would find his answers, no matter the consequences. He was doing it for himself, but also for her . The moon goddess in his drifting memories. Because she, whoever she was, deserved to be remembered. He was doing it for the magician, too. Because even through the hatred of knowing Asra had done this to him, he knew that, once he learned the truth, he could try to mend their relationship. Make up for what he’d done wrong. It was what he deserved. And he was doing it for Altheia . Because if he succeeded, he could return to her a whole of a man. It was what she deserved. So he walked back down the deck to where The Wolf was waiting for him.

And then he sailed back to Vesuvia, with the wind carrying whispers of his final farewell . 

~

Chapter Text

No, her story hadn’t ended. It was just being rewritten.   

And this was only the beginning.

~

It was the middle of the night, and Aisling found herself wide awake, though the weasels curled up against her chest slept soundly. She hadn’t bonded with them yet as a magician does with their familiar, and it had been bothering her. Perhaps she wasn’t strong enough, no matter what Asra told her. And he didn’t tell her much.

As the days, months, years had passed, Asra had been her mentor. Her Master. Her closest friend. But no matter what she did, with each passing day he seemed to step further and further away from her, taking his knowledge of her past with him, whatever he knew. Because just as he did with everything else, he eluded her questions about it. He eluded her . She’d been frustrated, then eased into a sense of contentment. She understood his fear of her pain. But she felt she was ready. So she uncovered herself and slipped out of bed, leaving the weasels to slumber alone as she tip-toed out of the bedroom and made her way downstairs to the back room, where a bright glowing crystal ball hummed softly as it called to her. And she smiled, because it gave off a sense of familiarity, and reminded her of something.

As she sat at the table, Asra’s deck spoke to her before she touched it, and she let out a relieved breath. When she flipped over the top card her smile grew, because looking back at her was exactly what the crystal ball reminded her of.

The Moon.

A symbol of intuition, dreams, and the subconscious. It indicates a time of uncertainty and illusion, when nothing is what it seems. A representation of two alternatives, where things seem to echo one another. A path in which she walked, treading a thin line between the conscious and unconscious mind. But what did all of that mean for Aisling? She wasn’t sure, because her message was very vague.  

There is a hidden truth that you need to uncover. Someone may not be all that they seem. 

And she sighed and slid the card back into the deck. Asra said she was good with the cards, and she always felt them call to her, but she wondered if he would have gotten a different message for her. If he would have been able to hear the meaning clearer. She drummed her fingers on the top of the deck for a moment, knowing full well she wasn’t about to go wake him up in the middle of the night to give her a reading. So with a humm, she decided to do one herself.

Aisling closed her eyes and slowly shuffled the deck, taking deep breaths as she felt each card, connecting with them. She set her intention of wanting to know more about herself, then opened her eyes once again. And she started a Celtic Cross.

Card one. The present, the self. Her current state of mind.

The two of cups, reversed. Disharmony, separation, imbalance, bad communication, withdrawal. Lack of self love.

The balance that was once there is broken. Communication may be restricted or withheld, and the energy flow between you stifled.

Her current state of mind was on Asra, of course. That must have been what it meant. He was becoming more and more reserved, more quiet, more distant. Talking less, leaving more. She hummed and continued on.

Card two. The challenge, the problem. Something that needs to be resolved to move forwards.

The Lovers, reversed. Again, disharmony, imbalance, detachment, conflict. Lack of self love.

The foundation for your relationships may be cut off, creating an imbalance between you and your loved ones. Recognize your own strengths. Realize that whatever you perceive in other people you also have within yourself.  

Aisling closed her eyes for a moment and sighed. Because she didn’t know what her strengths were, because she didn’t know her . And that was the problem she needed to overcome. So she flipped the next card.

Card three. The past. An event that has shaped the current situation. 

The Tower, upright. Massive change, upheaval, destruction, chaos. Death of a loved one. 

An event has shaken you to your core, affecting you physically, mentally, and spiritually. 

Aisling gasped, because she knew what The Tower meant, and it was more than just the message she got from it. And it made her wonder just what it was she didn’t remember. Now, her hands trembled. But she continued on.

Card four. The future. What is likely to occur within the next steps of the journey.

The nine of pentacles, upright. Independence, self-sufficiency, abundance, achievement. Aisling let out a relieved breath. 

You have not yet reached completion in your journey. There is something that is missing - the element of your community and relationships. When the time comes, you will reach a stage in your life where you are confident, independent and self-sufficient. You will overcome the difficulties that you face, and will gain a feeling of security and freedom.

Aisling smiled and stared at the card for a few moments before setting it down. And she took another breath, because she wasn’t there yet, and knew she had to take a few steps back from her excitement to reach that part in her life, and reflect on the now . So she flipped the next card.

Card five. The conscious. What she’s focused on, where her mind is.

The three of swords, reversed. Recovery, healing, forgiveness, repressing emotions. 

Although you may be wondering about your past suffering, it's time to let go and look forwards towards life ahead of you because there is much for you to enjoy. Renew your emotions and gather your courage. All difficult moments pass. When we fall, we can also rise again.

Aisling knew that it was time to move forwards, that she needed to just accept who she was now. That she was recovering. And she had hope that she’d be able to piece everything together again. She sighed and pulled the next card.

Card six. The subconscious, or unconscious . What is truly driving the situation; the feelings, beliefs, and values that aren’t yet understood.

Judgement, upright. Self reflection, spiritual awakening, inner calling, renewal.

You are in a period of awakening. It is through self-reflection that you can have a clearer and objective understanding about who you are now, and what you need to do in order to grow. You are coming close to a significant point in your life where you must start to evaluate yourself. 

Aisling frowned slightly, because the cards were telling her to look deeper within herself. But that was the whole reason she was turning to the cards to begin with, because she couldn’t look deeper within herself, because there was nothing to look at, and she let out a frustrated huff. She understood then what Asra meant when he said the cards could be frustrating and sometimes unhelpful. And she placed the next card.

Card seven. The advice, the influence. A perception of the inner self that can help the current situation play out.

The nine of cups, upright. Contentment, satisfaction, recognition, achievement. 

You have struggled to find purpose.  The things that you desire for, your most perfect dream, is bound to happen. It is best to look forward to the future with gratitude. 

Aisling slowly nodded to herself, because she understood that much, and that’s where she was. She was content. And she was grateful for everything Asra had done for her, without him she’d be completely lost. Without him leaving her, she wouldn’t have the chance to gain the independence she did. No, she didn’t know everything about herself. But what she did know had gotten her just that much closer to being who she was supposed to be. And she took a deep breath, and then smiled, because she was content. And she would use that contentment and acceptance she held to help her forwards. So she continued forward.

Card eight. The external influence, the world around. 

The two of pentacles, upright. Adaption, balance, perseverance.

You will be able to overcome your obstacles, so long as you stay focused and find balance.  

Balance. Something had happened to her to make her imbalanced , and that was true enough with the separation of her memories. But the cards were telling her what she already knew. She had an imbalance, but she was content and able to live with it, and she needed to look deeper within herself to find wholeness. No, these weren’t the answers she was wanting, and she closed her eyes for a moment and ran her hands down her face before resting her fingertips on the top of the next card.

“How can I get my memories back?” Aisling asked, opening her eyes again when she felt a humming underneath her fingertips. And she flipped the card.

Card nine. Her hopes and fears, In this case, it was hope. 

The three of pentacles, upright. Collaboration, teamwork, learning, growth. Wholeness. Completion. 

The people around you have an important role to play in your goal, and when they come together as a team, they can create something significant. You are not alone in this endeavor. Let them guide you home.

Aisling’s eyes widened slightly, and her heart began to quicken. Because perhaps it was possible, she just needed help . 

“And if I get the help I need, will I get to be who I once was? Will I remember who I am?” She flipped the last card with urgency. 

Card ten. The outcome. 

The Star. Hope. Renewal. Rejuvenation. A new beginning.

You will endure many challenges and strip yourself bare of any limiting beliefs that have previously held you back. You will find your core essence, who you are beneath all the layers. You will hold a new sense of self, a new appreciation for the core of your being. Reach for the moon and stars.

Aisling took in a gasping breath, then let out a soft, relieved laugh. Then, she put her face in her hands, and she cried. Because her journey has been long, and would be longer yet, to remember who she is supposed to be. And she always knew she needed help, but the help around her, the help she wants , is elusive and avoiding her. Asra . But the cards spoke of others. That something was coming, and soon she would have help to reach her goal. Herself. 

~

As Asra stepped off the last stair step, he saw Aisling crying in the back room, and saw her Celtic Cross laid out on the table through the gap in the curtains. His eyes filled with sorrow and he rested his hand over her blue crystal, watching her for a moment before quietly disappearing out the front door. He knew at that moment he could do nothing for her, that whatever reading she did was for her and her alone, and if she needed his help she would ask for it later. But the cards called for her just as they used to, and she was good at reading them. Yes, he’d taught her how, but there was something innate there that had come back to her, just as her accent did, and some songs she sang. Her own magic was returning to her along with small parts of herself, and he hoped eventually she would get all of herself back. And he would help her, when she was ready.

 In his right hand he clutched a small box that contained the heart shaped emerald necklace, taking it with him as he made his way down the streets of Vesuvia towards the palace. He’d heard that the Countess had woken up from a long slumber, and that, much like Aisling, she was missing her memories. It was selfish of him, really, avoiding her too like he was, because he’d heard she’d been looking for him. That she’d heard great things about him and wanted his help. But she was just another person that couldn’t remember who he was, and while he wanted to help her, he just needed a bit more time. 

After three years, he still needed time. It was pathetic, really. And it was worse of him that he was giving her the emerald necklace as a waking gift. Because that necklace was Aisling’s, but he couldn’t bear to have it in the shop anymore after what happened with it last time. He’d kept having to move it and hide it from Aisling to keep her from touching it, and he finally decided that he just needed to get rid of it. He knew though, by the humm of magic that came from it, that it would make its way back to her when she was ready for it. For now, though, he handed it off to the guards at the palace gates.

“A gift to the Countess from an old friend,” he told them, speaking from underneath the hood of an amethyst cloak before disappearing in a puff of purple smoke and heading for the beach.

Asra walked along the shore for a while before finally stopping. As he looked up at the full moon hanging high above him, he reached for it, as if it held all the answers he’d been looking for.

And Aisling reached too as she gazed up at it from the open window in the back room, listening to what The Star had told her. Reach for the moon and stars. Because maybe the answers were there. 

Together, their fingers curled, and they brought their hands to their chests, closed their eyes, and took a deep breath. And then they smiled. Asra walked home, and Aisling went to bed, both knowing that something new would be dawning with the new day. And as the two of them settled back down for the rest of the night, they knew that whatever it was;

This was only just the beginning. 

~