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It was a cool night in the shadows of the Dark Wood. Kylan sat by himself on a log in front of the fire, trying to stay warm while on his watch. He had just added a few more branches to the fire while his watch partner, Brea, put away their scrolls for the night.
They were tasked by Mother Augra to record the events of the resistance from everyclan’s point of view. She had mentioned something about it being the will of Thra, and they weren’t about to argue with Thra. Kylan would dream-etch each day’s recordings onto a scroll while Brea would work on illustrations.
The two were currently traveling with a small group of gelfling from Stone-in-the-Wood to the swamps of Sog.
Brea sat beside Kylan on the log, sitting close enough that her side brushed up against his. He felt an immediate warmth run through the tip of his toes to the tip of his ears. Perhaps it was from the growing flames of the fire or the sudden addition of her body heat. Or perhaps it was from something else entirely that radiated within him, the same thing that caused the strange fluttering feeling of Unamoths in his stomach when around the Vapran princess.
This feeling had become more pronounced as of lately, as did the occurrence of their skinship.
It started off with an accidental brushing of a hand here or a playful nudge after a laugh there. But now it seemed to be more purposeful. Greeting each other with a hug each morning and before saying goodnight. Leaning on the other’s shoulder out of exhaustion after long hours of reading and dream-etching. Sitting so close together that they could feel the other breathe when there was still plenty of space on the log.
This feeling, it was familiar.
It reminded him of the first few moments Rian shared in dreamfast when telling Mira’s story. How happy they were before everything happened. It reminded him of watching Naia and Amri’s relationship grow. How both of them put down their walls and felt safe enough to trust each other. It reminded him of when his mother would hum along to the songs his father played on his firca. The way she smiled at him when he played her favorite song.
It was happiness. It was safety. It was…
Kylan paused his thoughts when he felt something touch his hand. He looked down at his thigh where his hand was resting and saw the hand of Brea covering his own.
He looked at her and she was already looking back at him, her lips curled into soft grin.
“You’re thinking too much again.”
Kylan turned her hand so he could lace his fingers through hers. Brea leaned over slightly to rest her head on his shoulder.
…Love. The feeling was love.
The Song-Teller was in love with the Princess.
It was both exciting and terrifying. She was the Princess. The next in line to be the All-Madura and the most brilliant gelfling he has ever met. He was just Kylan. An orphaned Song-Teller with nothing else to his name.
But here they were, together, holding hands by a fire.
“Is this okay?”
Brea peaked up at him with the sudden break in his silence, “I wouldn’t have held your hand if it wasn’t.”
“Not that,” he started, “Well, yes, maybe that. Is it okay for us to be together like this? You’re a Princess, Brea. And I’m me.”
“That’s the best part about you, Kylan. You’re you and not anyone else.”
“I am half-Spriton and half-Stonewood Song-teller. My own clans hardly even accept me. You’re the daughter of the All-Maudra—“
“Sister of the Vapra clan’s Maudra,” Brea corrected.
She was right. Seledon and the other Maurdras made a joint decision to abolish the All-Maudra title. Kylan was still getting used to the change. Seven Gelfling clans, equal and united.
Brea sat up to face Kylan, still holding his hand.
“Besides, what would I care if you are of two clans? My father was a Sifa.”
Brea felt Kylan jump a bit beside her at this realization. “I suppose that isn’t really well known to anyone outside of our clan. The Vapran elders did not like to advertise it and the Skeksis were always against their relationship. They got rid of anything that depicted my father after he died trying to return to Cera-Na.”
“I’m sorry.”
Brea never really talked much about her family unless it was brought up. He of course knew what happened to All-Maudra Mayrin and Tavra, but she never mentioned what happened to her father. It wasn’t surprising, though, given how tragedy hit her family in such a short amount of time. That kind of trauma sticks with you for a while, he knew that much.
She shrugged, “I didn’t know him that well; I was very young when that happened. I learned about him mostly through Tavra and the Librarian. Mother and Seledon acted like he never existed.”
Brea rested her head on Kylan’s shoulder again.
He understood Brea’s feelings about her father. His parents also passed when he was quite young and only had a few memories of them that he kept close to his heart. It was getting harder to distinguish those memories from dreams with each passing year. He held on to what he could, the good and the bad.
Kylan hoped that his own future family would get the chance to make wonderful memories for a very long time. That he would be able to grow old with his children and to see them have childling of their own. He wanted to pass down his firca, songs and stories to future generations
He of course could not do that alone. Perhaps the Gelfling sitting next to him really was that someone.
“Our children would be quite the mix of clans….Spriton, Stonewood, Vapra and Sifa.” Kylan pondered.
It wasn’t until he heard Brea’s small giggle that he realized that he said this out loud. He was about to correct himself but was interrupted by the princess squeezing his hand.
“They certainly will be.”
Will be…
“And Kylan,” Brea whispered after a brief pause, “I’m more than okay with this.”
Kylan rested his head onto Brea’s.
“Me too.”