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Chapter Text

The Weight of Fate

The explosion created a blinding white light. Avallach watched from Tor Gvalch’ca as the Swallow managed to destroy Caranthir’s staff. The magical essence imbued into the orb now shattered, flared a force of power into the air and ruptured the shield of ice.  

Avallach’s grip on his staff tightened.

Caranthir, leave.

He repeated the plea in mind again and again. A wave of magic appeared behind him. On the ground by the stone steps of the tower was the swallow. Exhausted and breathing heavily.

Avallach took one more look out towards the battle. Another wave of magic, this he could recognise without effort. Caranthir had teleported to the far depths of the sea.

Chapter Text

Appointed

Avallach hoped this time would be different. In his right hand were a bunch of orchids tied with a light green ribbon, cymbidiums of pale pink and white from his mother’s garden. Fitting for the proposition he hoped to ask.

As Avallach climbed the steps of the palace he felt a gnawing tension rise from his stomach. In all his eighty years he had never felt so nervous. Never had he thought that he would propose to anyone much less the King’s daughter. He knew to many it was an informality, the purpose was for a special child to be begotten from their union, love was unnecessary for this to be achieved.

Yet he had grown to love her. Lara was more than her purpose. She was kind to everyone, even the dh’oine. They shared a love of learning, questioning the world and being content with its mysteries. Her presence in his life set everything at ease. He had come to realised that he loved her for the simplest of reasons.

When ordered years ago to secure the Elder Bloodline he refused. Avallach challenged the design, he asked Auberon for his blessing to court Lara and if she agreed to marry her. Much to his surprise Auberon agreed. Avallach never learned why.

A week earlier he had walked these same steps only to be refused at the door. Lara who he had requested to meet was not there, she had travelled elsewhere. The elf who had stood in front of him closed the door with a gentle click as he turned away. Now the door was open.

Avallach walked inside to see several servants scatter around the foyer of the palace, some with baskets, others with folded linens. The chamberlain recognised Avallach, he looked down to the orchids but said nothing of them.

‘May I assist you?’ The elf stood sharp, hands behind his back awaiting Avallach’s answer.

‘Is Lara present?’ Avallach replied, squeezing the stems of the orchids slightly.

The chamberlain nodded and gestured for Avallach to follow him. They walked for some time through the palace, its beauty unmatched by any other building in all of Tir na Lia. They stopped in front of a large double door. Avallach knew it was the library. He and Lara had spent many hours combing through the tomes and artifacts kept inside.

The chamberlain stepped backward and held out his hand for Avallach to remain where he stood. It was then that Avallach could hear raised voices inside, one belonged to Lara the other to Auberon. A wave of magic, Lara’s, and silence ensued.

Chapter Text

A Vow of Silence

The golden paper caught the morning sunlight as Avallach walked out of his bathroom and into his bedroom. On his bedside table his certificate awarded to him by Auberon the day before. He was now a sage. To his disappointment he felt no different. The last one hundred and three years of his life nearly all spent learning magic, alchemy, arcane history of their people and of other worlds all for a golden piece of paper.

Just as Avallach finished dressing himself he felt a rise to the air, it became thinner, stretching before a faint green hue appeared in the garden of his home. Lara materialised from the wave, her clothes foreign and unkept. Her hair braided yet dishevelled. All nothing compared to the figure beside her.

A man equal in height to her, a reddish hue of hair lank on his face and his arm draped over Lara’s petite shoulders.

Avallach walked with a quickened step down the stairs and to the backdoor. Just before she could knock Avallach opened the door, the dh’oine collapsed into his home. The smell of sweat and smoke heavy on them both.

‘Lara, why have you brought a dh’oine to my home?’ His voice was rougher than he intended, he did not want to yell, he wanted to understand.

Lara crouched next to the dh’oine, encouraging him to turn over and lay on his back. Once he had it was then that Avallach noticed the large burn mark on the dh’oine’s chest. Sharply he looked to Lara, her hands were red much like from too much time in the sun, but she was unharmed.

‘We were experimenting with a new solution, it reacted unexpectantly.’ Lara turned to grab onto Avallach’s hand, ‘please help him, Crevan.’

Avallach performed a healing spell on the dh’oine, a new spell of his design for a purpose he had not revealed to Lara. There was little change in the wound, the bleeding stopped but the rouge and heat remained. It would take a few days to heal completely, but it would leave no scar.

Avallach looked over to Lara who held onto the dh’oine’s hand.

‘Crevan, no one can know.’

It would be his last favour for her. He hoped she would never ask again. Hoped never to see this dh’oine again.

Chapter Text

Worth

‘…Lara is dead.’ Avallach hung his head low as he informed Auberon of Lara’s fate.

‘This…child, she…’ Auberon couldn’t bring himself to finish his sentence. It was clear to see that he was torn between rage and grief.

Avallach cleared his throat, ‘the girl was taken by a dh’oine to be raised amongst her own.’

Auberon bit his lip then waved his hand for all present to leave. ‘Not you, Crevan, you remain.’

Avallach closed his eyes. Only opening them once the door clicked shut. Auberon was staring straight at him, part of Avallach feared he would be vaporised immediately be it purposefully or by accident.

‘You knew, didn’t you Crevan?’ There was no malice, venom, or scrutiny in Auberon’s voice. He already knew the answer, just the details remained vailed to him.

‘Yes.’ Avallach clenched his jaw. His teeth setting against one another.

‘You chose not to tell me because of your love for her? Her wish perhaps?’ Auberon wiped his mouth then rested a closed fist on the table in front of him. Avallach remained silent.

Once the nobles of the court knew what had happened to Lara they would demand immediate action, in truth it would not be in retribution for the death of the King’s daughter. They all had families, and none were more precious than another’s. But the Elder Blood, that was revered by all.

‘You must think I cared only for her potential, the Elder Blood which manifested so magnificently in my daughter.’ Auberon looked to Avallach, his molten silver eyes with ages, eons of life behind them. ‘I never wanted this fate for her…Lara was irreplaceable to me. Yet she was worth so much to all of us. But Avallach,’ it was then that Avallach noticed a distinct change in Auberon’s voice. Like the sharp tip of a knife held to Avallach’s throat.

‘It will be your duty now to replace the Elder Blood. You have a great many accomplishments to your name; sage, creator of the Red Riders, countless spells that even I will never learn.’

Avallach nodded in understanding. He bowed at the waist and left the King. As Avallach walked through the palace he overheard several elves speak of her. Their assumptions, some correct others blatant lies. Avallach chose then to not let any destroy his memory of her, the laughter, the questions, her presence once so calm and peaceful.  

Chapter Text

Last Time

Avallach breathed in deeply as he waited. His fingers tangled in his hair had begun to ache. There was a knock on the door, sharply he readdressed his posture and strode forward.

A servant, an elf not dh’oine stood before him. In her arms was a small bundle. The infant had no hair Avallach could see. But what Avallach could see was a pinch of red on the babe’s puffy cheeks.

‘A boy, the mother did not want to keep him for any longer.’ The servant held out the boy to Avallach, carefully he adjusted the blankets around the week old infant.

Avallach hadn’t been expecting to take on the babe. In the times before he would only visit occasionally, it was the when the child was five that he would determine whether there was potential. The mother had told him throughout the pregnancy that something was wrong about the child, she never explained further although Avallach often asked. Once the child was born Avallach had been informed that she would not keep him, the mother only held him to feed him then left him for the nursemaids to care for.

‘By chance did she or the father name him?’ Avallach hadn’t been told a name but asked nonetheless.

‘No. If you’ll excuse me.’ The servant bowed lightly then left Avallach with the newborn.

Closing the door as he walked back to the lounge Avallach watched the boy. His eyes were open, the colour of a pale blue sky. The little boy reached out to hold onto Avallach’s finger. As he let the boy hold onto him Avallach noticed a faint burning in his eyes and growing knot in his throat.

Chapter Text

What I Shouldn’t Do For You

‘Av…Avallach…’ Ciri’s voice broke Avallach out from his frozen state.

He blinked away unfelt tears before turning to see her stumble up the steps. His heart pounded harder. Each second drove him to turn back towards the water. To help Caranthir.

‘The…tower.’ Ciri finally found her footing on the snow and dashed past Avallach. She stood in the centre of the decrepit tower, staring at the closed door unknowingly stepping back.

Avallach whispered a spell, one Ciri did not hear or notice. The swallow would finish her destiny. Avallach would open the door to the White Frost, something that he feared but did not let control him.