Chapter Text
When Silver wakes, his first sensation is the feeling of pain. His back aches from collapsing on the solid soil of the woods behind Night Raven College. Somehow, he found himself bundled with leaves under his head. The forest's squirrels must have made him a makeshift pillow. The woodland creatures seem to know that Silver always gets a crick in his neck when he doesn't sleep with his head elevated. He feels grateful that the forest creatures tended to him, he wishes that he could thank them, but none of them are around. He finds it strange, they usually wait with him until he wakes.
As grateful Silver is for the help, his mind is more focused on how badly his back and sides ache than his gratitude. Silver stiffly lifts himself up from the ground and stretches out his back till he hears a pop. He relaxes his arms as he yawns. While smacking his lips together, Silver acknowledges his surroundings as he stretches out his arms. Hardly anything is visible. The trees overhead are blocking out nearly all of the sun's light.
Silver takes his magic pen out of his pocket. He holds the pen before his face, its green glow illuminates only so much of the forest floor. The underbrush is filled with molting leaves, the smell is similar to the woods back at home.
Silver grunts as he asks himself aloud, "What time is it?"
Looking up towards the sky, he knows the calls of the birds well. When they are restless and when they are settling. A few scattered chirps make it sound as if a full family of crows are getting ready for the night. As Silver processes the sounds around him, he hears an owl proudly call out to make itself known. A certainty comes to Silver's mind, he's been out here for hours.
"This isn't good, it's nightfall," Silver mutters to himself as he scans the trees above him, still hopefully looking for a glimpse of sunlight through the gaps of leaves.
The cover of night always changes the forests and its paths, it is as if the trees crawl out of the ground and reroot themselves. And yet, Silver is not worried that he will get lost in the darkness, he is not worried about the creatures that come out at night to hunt either. Silver is worried his father might send someone else out to look for him, or worse, Silver will trouble Lilia to look for him himself.
Quickly, he empties his pockets. Dragging his phone out of his jacket pocket, he curses himself that he again let it die. He is forgetful when it comes to tending to technology. He much prefers the company of horses and tending to their needs than a black brick that only occasionally comes in handy.
Slowly, Silver lifts himself up from the ground, pockets his phone and turns round. He walks up towards the large oak he was resting under. Silver holds up his magic pen, shining his green light down on the trunk of the tree and spotting a tall shrub. He bends over slightly, extending his hand to break off a stem, taking a few leaves of tulsi with him. Satisfied, Silver takes only what he needs for his memory potion, "This should be enough for the assignment, though I don't remember how many leaves the recipe called for." Silver smiles to himself, happy he's making a memory potion and not another vile of sleeping potion.
Clutching the herb and his pen, Silver steps lively through the forest, tracing his steps and trying to walk back the way he came. Silver lifts up his magic wand and gasps, he nearly walked into a large web recently crafted by one of the island's native spiders. She is setting up her net for the night, Silver makes sure to change direction, making sure he doesn't disturb her work. He keeps his eyes on her as he walks around the tree that is holding one side of her web.
He ducks under another tree's branch. As he ducks down, Silver hears something swipe through the leaves and twigs on the ground before him. Looking down at his feet, Silver spots a large cottonmouth. The young man stops walking and takes a step back, he apologizes to the snake for nearly stepping on him. From this point forward, Silver watches his footing as he steps through the forest's trees. He makes it back onto the path he was on before, though there is a small family of bears. As much as Silver would love to make the acquaintance of the mother bear and her two cubs, Silver has to make it back to his father. Silver says his hellos then his goodbyes, leaving the family to their own devices.
Silver continues to apologize to the creatures that have taken to approach him. He explains as he walks past the beavers and raccoons that he has to return back home before his father begins to search for him. Silver politely wishes the wood's creatures a good night, but more and more continue to walk before him. There are foxes and rabbits. He doesn't wish to be rude, but he cannot delay his venture back home for anything. It's rare that Silver worries his father, but when Lilia does get worried about his son he tends to overreact.
The green glow of Silver’s pen illuminates the trees around him, Silver feels guilt rise up in his heart when he stumbles upon a resting family of cranes. The light from his pen lights up the ground where they sleep, they all lift up their heads and blink their eyes. There are six of them, two of them are clearly still babies. Silver recognizes this group. He says sorry for disturbing their sleep, "I promise if you visit me tomorrow, I will bring you some bread from my dorm. Not anything my father bakes, mind you, you should tell the young ones to avoid any handouts from him." Silver keeps his eyes on them as he takes his leave and wishes them pleasant dreams. He waves them goodbye as he steps ahead and walks into a hanging branch, hitting him in the throat.
Taking a few steps backward, Silver pockets the herb and then uses his free hand to massage his throat, aiming to releave it of pain. As he nurses his windpipe, a hawk swoops down onto the branch. It tilts its head and hops a bit closer toward him. Silver slightly smiles as he rolls his eyes. It leans forward, as Silver scratches the bird under it's chin the bird begins making a face as if it’s experiencing pure bliss. While Silver pulls his hand away. He, again, apologizes.
“I’d hate to cut our time together short, but I have to get back to my father.”
Turning towards a different path, Silver is surprised when he finds dozens of animals that were preparing to settle or hunt for the night come together to block his path. Silver jolts up from his surprise. The animals never come together like this unless they are asking for help, “What is it? Is something wrong?” Silver fears the worst. Could it be a brush fire? Or a lost student attacking every creature he sees in the wood? Sweat pools on the back of his neck, before he can ask the birds that have gathered on the branches near his side to guide him towards the threat, he notices a strong white glow coming from behind him.
Silver turns around, lifting up his pen, readying himself to defend the creatures of the woods. He finds a large stag with fur as white as frost, standing tall and glowing like the moon. Silver has never once seen him before, it seems that all the animals revere him. Rabbits before his feet bow their heads as the stag walks past them. His hoofs gently skirt through the dried leaves. The dead leaves turn from brown and crisp to lively and green as the stag walks, regaining life at his touch. Silver, noting the creature's power and prestige, bows his head and holds his heart as the comely stag approaches.
Silver speaks to the illuminated stag similarly to how he would speak to visiting royalty,
“It is an honor to make your acquaintance.”
"The honor is mine."
At first, Silver is surprised the stag can speak, but quickly he losses his surprise. Stranger things have happened in his presence. Still, he is surprised that he has the attention of someone so magnificent.
“You are here to see me?” Silver asks.
“Aye, son of man,” the stag nods.
Silver covers his lips with a loose fist as he lightly laughs.
With curiosity tinting the stag's voice, he asks, “What do you find amusing about my interest in you?”
“Oh, I am not laughing at that. I’m laughing because you remind me of someone I’m close to. He also calls us humans, children of men.”
“I have heard you are close to the faes that rule Briar Valley, is this who you refer to?”
"Yes, you are correct. May I ask though, why take interest in me and my life? I assure you, I haven’t the slightest inclination to disrespect the forest. I'd like to think of myself as a friend to those who live here."
“I am aware. That is why I have come to see you.”
Silver stands, silent and awaiting more of an answer. The stag lifts his head, his large antlers slowly fill with birds that have come to adorn his head, acting as a crown. The birds sing a few chirps, Silver can not understand most of what they say, he has never been skilled with communicating with the animals, but he knows his name when he hears any animal speak it. They all seem joyous as they sing praises of Silver. The birds sing over each other, and the stag hums, making note of the many conversations the birds attempt to have with him.
The stag stares at Silver. The birds grow silent, waiting for him to speak.
His voice is deep and yet gentle. It holds the same feeling as bark darkened by a rain shower. The stag speaks, without a hint of malice in his voice, “Word of you has spread far from your homeland and off of this island. The birds are fond of chittering, as you might imagine. They have spoken of your kindness and upon my journey to this island, I have found that every creature of this forest cares deeply for you as you care for them.”
Feeling stunned, Silver stutters, “I just, I… The animals have always treated me well. So I just pay them back with my respect. I hardly do anything for them, they do so much more for me.”
Before Silver is able to say another word, the Stag firmly states, “And the deer said you are humble.” The stag lifts up his hoofs, requiring extra effort to break free of the vines that have grown around his legs. He trots around Silver, analyzing him with glowing eyes. Silver spins around to face the stag as the stag walks around him. Silver finds himself face to face with his antlers. The stag slowly lifts up his head, bringing his eyes up to Silver's gaze.
The gaze seeps into Silver's heart, he feels intimidated. He holds no fear, he knows he is under no threat, still, he feels as if he is being judged. The stag says nothing, choosing to stare into Silver's eyes. Silver can not take any more of the silence.
“Who are you?”
The stag lifts up his head, lifting up the crown of birds as he does. They all lift their wings and sing out a few happy notes. Peering past the stag's illuminating fur and into his eyes, Silver can see specks of deep green. Not green like emeralds or jewels, but like the forest itself.
The stag answers, “I’ve lived as long as this world has, before your kind, before the fae, before the dawn of gods.”
Silver feels something move at his feet. He looks down, finding many vines again growing from where the stag is standing. Silver steps backward and then walks to navigate around the new growth.
The stag speaks softly with his voice deep like a valley, “The animals have all taken to you as quickly as I have. I fear as if it is some sign of preordained fate.”
Silver stares down. Opting to look at the vines, the new white flowers, the ferns, and the beautiful fig tree that has spawned. Silver can not resist plucking a few of the already ripened figs and turning to a small family of squirrels up in the trees. He lightly squishes the three figs in between his fingers to make it easier for them to tear open as he hands them out to two young squirrels and their mother.
Silver forgets himself and then turns again to face the illuminated stag. While Silver turns, he feels his heart wishing to apologize for his distraction. It is a habit of his to harvest fruit and hand it out, he’s done it since he was a child. It’s like an instinct.
When he has turned to see the stag again, Silver is unable to get out a single word.
The stag has already shut his eyes. Bowing his head slightly to Silver in respect.
“Verily, I have come a great distance to see you. My spirit borrowed the frame of many birds and whales to make the pilgrimage here. Still, my true form is resting far from the island, being carried and cared for by good friends. I worry I burden them, but if I awake, I may have to wait weeks till I may see you again. I do not think I can bring myself to spend another day without being by your side."
"I- I'm sorry?"
"It took many spun tales to convince me to make this journey. I came to greet the boy who has hair the color of bright ash. I traveled all this way to thank you in person for treating all of my children with such kindness. I had planned to watch you from afar, but once you stumbled into the forest, I had seen how you aided my children. Helping them cross rivers and freeing them from traps. You healed them and dismantled many set traps as well. You worked so tirelessly to tend to these lands, only to take just a single herb from these grounds. Then you collapsed from your exhaustion.”
“Oh, no. I just-”
"Do not dismiss your actions as if they are nothing. Watching you for only a few moments, I have become completely transfixed by your beauty.”
Silver feels his chest tighten as if something is wrapping around his lungs and trying to pull it into his gut.
He has done very little in his life to earn this kind of attention, no, affection. And yet this god-like spirit stands before him, claiming Silver possesses enough beauty to mesmerize him.
“I- I’m sorry. I.. I… I have to… to go now.”
“Albeit I mourn the loss of your sojourn, I know you must leave. I will have some of my children lead you out of my wilderness.”
“No, I mean, yes, I must go, but I know my way. I-I was about to ask for your name.”
“I haven’t taken a name in ages. I have forgotten what I last called myself.”
“Then, when I tell my father about who I ran into, what should I tell him? Did I speak with a spirit? A god?”
“I am the soul of the world itself.”
❁
He walks as if he is sleepwalking. Silver's mind hardly focuses on what is around him. He bumps his arm into the door's threshold as he steps into Disomina's entrance. Silver continues walking on through the lobby, stepping across the cobblestone floor, his eyes blurred. A few specks of bright pink make themselves known. Silver blinks his eyes to adjust his vision. His father stands before him, gasping,
"Silver?!" Lilia approaches him and grips onto Silver's jacket, lifting both sides one at a time to scan them, "Oh! You're covered in grass stains again! Did you fall asleep in the woods, little one?"
Silver blinks his eyes again, having nothing to say.
Lilia drops the fabric out of his gloved hands, he places both his hands on his hips and tsks, "I was so worried about you I couldn't even enjoy my raid. I was just about to go looking for you. Silver, you need to tell me where you're going before you leave. I couldn't track your location. Don't tell me you let your phone die again!"
Silver's eyes glance across the lobby. He sees the blurred image of Sebek standing behind his better.
Sebek points an accusing finger up at Silver, "Silver! You should respond to master Lilia when he addresses you!"
Sebek mutters to himself about how disrespectful Silver is while Silver's father brushes twigs out of Silver's hair with his fingers. Behind Silver, there is a set of footsteps. Silver turns around, Malleus approaches him with a gentle smile.
"Ah, Silver. You're back. I was nearly worried, I was just about to go look for you myself."
Silver dizzily asks, "You were?"
"You worried master Lilia and Prince Malleus!?" Silver turns around to see just how shocked and offended Sebek looks, "Silver! You are a mess, and not just metaphorically. Look at you! What kept you from coming home at a decent hour?!”
Silver takes out his herb from his pocket and lifts it up. He shakes the leaves twice, opening his mouth to speak but no words come out.
"Just a herb!?" Sebek chimes.
Silver keeps trying to find the words. He shakes his head as he stares at no one. He feels the three others surround him, then circle him, not unlike that stag.
Lilia steps a bit forward. In the corner of Silver’s eye, he can see his father's amused expression turn to concern.
Silver tries to explain, “Ah- I…”
“Silver, what is it?" Lilia's brows furl, his eyes hold such sorrow, "Are you alright?”
“I’m fine. Nothing happened. Just…”
“What? What is it? Silver, you need to get it out you are starting to scare me. You know your old man’s heart can only take so much!”
“Do you recall when Idia was strolling along, doing nothing at all, and then he was suddenly taken in by a ghost?”
Lilia sounds more alert than he ever has to Silver’s ears, “What does that have to do with this?”
“I think-" Silver closes his mouth. He takes a breath through his nose and lets it out, “I think I need to lay down.”
❁
Lazily, Silver is resting on the couch. Laying down with his head against a black velvet cushion. Malleus has dressed him in a robe and cleaned him up using his magic. Silver is still holding his herb between his fingers. The oils from the herb are making his digits stick together. Silver stares down at his hands, he looks past the green leaves and over towards the end of the sofa. There Malleus sits down, right beside Silver’s feet, something Sebek has openly taken offense to and something Malleus continues to ignore.
Malleus stares blankly down at the floor, lost in thought. He looks so composed with both his arms and his legs crossed, but he has on a frown. Malleus is clearly bothered by what Silver told him, though he does not have a reason to be.
Lilia is sitting in the love seat close to Silver's head. Silver rolls over to his side to smile at his father, who doesn’t seem all that surprised by the turn of events like Malleus is. He seems to think it is about time Silver starts attracting suitors, but he also thinks Silver is too young and too inexperienced with life to accept anyone's advances.
Sebek is pacing back and forth. He is struggling to take any of this in. He says to himself, “This is ridiculous. It doesn’t make a lick of sense.”
Lilia leans forward and lightly touches Silver’s shoulder, “One more time, darling. Sebek isn’t getting it.”
Silver begins again, “First, I woke up from-"
“I followed your whole story!” Sebek yells and widely fails his arms around, “All three times you told it! I just don’t understand why you would catch the eye of some animal spirit!"
Lilia smiles, tittering as he settles back in his seat, “Alright, one more time. He still isn’t getting the last part.”
“Sebek.” Silver clarifies just because his father asked him to, “He claimed he is the soul of the world. I don’t know why that part is tripping you up.”
“You know what?” Sebek drags one of his hands up to his brow and rubs his temples with his fingers and his thumb, “I rescind my comment about how it doesn’t make sense that you’d catch the eye of something as significant as a spirit, I don’t understand how you caught the eye of anyone at all. Or why you’d think we’d be stupid enough to believe it.”
“I believe it,” Lilia nods, instantly taking to defending Silver’s story. “He always attracted all sorts of animals into our home. Ah, there was this one time Silver befriended a pack of wolves and wanted to play with their pups. Oh, but they bite your arms and tear up your clothes with their claws. You were so small then, I was so worried you'd get too scratched up, and you cried your head off that you couldn’t play with them. And you hardly ever whined about anything, even when you were small.”
“Master Lilia,” Sebek tries to regain his focus. He looks displeased as he crosses his arms.
“Right, right." Lilia again adjusts himself in his chair, "I’m only saying that Silver has always been a bit of a wild child and it makes perfect sense that the soul of the world would take to him. From the old legends I’ve heard of him, Silver’s story makes sense.”
Sebek uncrosses his arms. Asking Silver, “So this creature does actually exist? This isn’t just some dream you had because you read of him in some tome?”
“I’d like for it to be just a dream." Silver looks up at the ceiling as he sighs, "The thought of walking through the forest used to make me feel at peace, now I hate the thought of it."
Lilia sounds as if all the joy was sucked out of his being. A single word expresses so much of his pain, “Really?”
"I hate the thought of running into him again.”
Everyone remains silent after Silver speaks, they do not know what to say. The forest is his home, not a day goes by where he doesn't visit the creatures living in it, and yet now, he wishes to be away from it.
Silver's white lashes close shut as he takes a moment to gather his thoughts. He begins to think out loud, expressing, “I hardly know him, and yet, he spoke to me like he was completely taken in by me." Silver opens his eyes and looks at his father, "I don’t know how to handle that, if I ran into him again what would I even say?”
“Maybe ask him what form of delusion or brain damage he suffers from.” Sebek lifts up a hand and gives Silver a dismissive wave, “He must be out of sorts to be taken in by you.”
“He told me why he was fond of me actually. It seemed reasonable to me, at least at the time. He said he watched me from a distance before we spoke. He seemed to like that I dismantled traps and helped a family of porcupines cross the river.”
“Oh, you left out that part. Silver." Lilia tells Silver, "You need to add in more details to your stories.”
“I thought I was thorough,” Silver questions himself.
“All you said was that you woke up, met the soul of the world in the forest and he told you that he was charmed by your beauty." Lilia gently slapped the armrest next to his own arm, "More! details!”
Lilia continues, "I'd like to know about this entity that has been taken in by my child's charm."
“Alright. Well." Silver looks up as he searches for the words, "Since you’d like to hear more about that part… I set up a log and stood in the river as I held it for the babies to cross. I would have picked them up but-”
“Not those details!” Lilia sounds frustrated but still amused.
“I’m sorry, father, but hardly anything significant happened when I was in the woods outside of what I have already told you.”
“Alright! I see I taught you boys nothing about the art of storytelling! I will go over your tale, and jump in when you feel the need to comment, Silver.” Lilia coughs into his hand and begins his telling of the story Silver had only just told him, “So. You went into the forest to find a herb for an assignment. Along the way, you did what you always do and helped all the animals you came across, and probably I don’t know, what? Sang to them?”
“No. Not this time.”
“Alright, well… You were walking to find a herb, then you helped animals cross the river, and while you walked the entire time this man you met was watching you through the bushes... and following you around… and it seems when you two spoke it left you feeling uncomfortable. Ah, now that I’ve said that, I don’t want you speaking to this man in person again.”
Silver clarifies, “He said he was planning on keeping his distance until he showed up with his actual body. He is on his way here to see me with his own eyes-"
“Yep. Nope. Nope.” Lilia places both his hands on his armrest and gets to his feet. Lilia points his finger down at his son and speaks as if he’s scolding him, “You are not to go anywhere near the forest until we get this sorted. You first made it sound like he was a lonely guardian of the world’s creatures looking for a soul to share his immortal woes with. But I do not like any of what you just told me.”
“Lilia.” Malleus finally speaks. “Do not make this into some joke. This may be more serious than you realize.”
“Oh no. I know just how serious it is. Don’t talk down to me, Malleus.” Lilia turns his attention back to Silver, “Tomorrow, during classes you keep to the walkways and stay away from the trees. Don’t venture past the hedgerows. And stay close to Vargas for gym. If your coach makes your class do anything in the forest, fain illness-”
“Lilia.” Malleus interrupts. He sounds slightly frustrated his concerns were so quickly dismissed, “If what he told Silver is true, and this stranger to us is really the soul of the world, he may be too strong for us to take.”
“Prince Malleus!” Sebek is in a state of shock, “Your power alone should be enough to vanquish any foe! Do not doubt yourself!”
“Sebek,” Lilia speaks as his instructor, “The key to winning a battle is to know your opponent. The key to survival is to know when you are outmatched. Malleus may be right. This unwanted suitor may be too much for him alone to take. But, if this fool thinks he can take one of the children that I raised and claim him as his own, then he will know the full force of my anger and if he continues to stalk my child, he will be gifted pain that no being on this world has ever felt before.”
Silver sits up, gently resting his hands onto his father's arm to calm him, “Father. I trust if he is like the animals, then he will be easy to reason with. I’ll do as you say and stay away from the forests, but when he comes to speak to me, I will tell him I am not able to return his affections.”
“Silver,” Malleus warns, “Often men are not so easy to reason with when it comes to matters of the heart.”
Lilia narrows his eyes, “Right. The heart.“
Malleus continues speaking, ignoring Lilia's strange comment, “Many fae and humans alike go to great lengths to torment those that reject them. I worry that you may not select the right words to announce your disinterest.”
“You do have a terribly vague way of expressing your thoughts,” Sebek adds.
Silver sits, looking around the room, “I appreciate that you all are concerned, but I don’t feel any fear, I just feel pain at having to turn away a soul that thinks so highly of me."
His father asks, "Are you sure you're not scared of this stag? You seemed terrified when you first walked in."
"And you made it sound like he was trying to take you away," Sebek reinstates, "You talked about that ghastly ghost princess."
Silver slightly shakes his head, "I'm not afraid of him. He didn’t seem as if he wanted to take me and lock me away from the world like that ghost woman did to Idia. I... I only brought it up because, well, my first thought was that Idia did nothing to earn her affection. I didn’t do anything particularly special to earn this man’s attention either. I just… I… I just try to be-" the man you brought me up to be.
Lilia taps his son's shoulder, his eyes are gentle as he softly speaks, “Silver. It’s late. Let’s all get some rest and we can worry about this in the morning.”
"Alright." Silver gets to his feet, again thanking everyone for their concern and for taking such good care of him. Malleus tells him not to thank him, for he has done nothing particularly special to earn this praise. Lilia chuckles as Sebek howls with laughter.
Smiling, Silver adjusts his robe by tying it tighter. A small ringing comes to his ear, no not a ringing, a chime. Silver turns, seeing a little yellow songbird fly through Disomnia and land on his shoulder. Silver lifts up a hand, sticking out an index finger for the songbird to use as a perch, "Yes, little one? What is it?"
The bird happily sings, Silver can not understand a single word but he does know who this little bird is. He met the tiny yellow bird when his mother came to Silver, asking for help with her child after he fell from her nest. Silver nursed the injured bird back to health and he has been a frequent visitor since. Silver kisses the top of his head, thanking him for the visit. The bird continues to chirp, he really is trying to hold a conversation this time, even though he knows they can not speak with one another.
Sebek asks their betters, "What is it saying?"
Malleus uses his thumb and finger to cup his chin, "He is delivering a message, seems that your unwanted suitor wishes to see you in the morning."
"Oh-" Silver scans his mind for any excuse to not go, "Oh no. I struggle to get up in the morning."
Lilia whistles at the bird, singing a song, speaking in the songbird's tongue.
"What did you tell him to say, father?"
"Tell the bastard to piss off."
Lilia seems to be the only one amused with his joke, he laughs and then corrects himself.
"No, no. I told him that you don't want to be found. I said that you'd like your privacy. I am going to have my bats spread the message across the island. I'll take care of everything, little one. You go rest up." Lilia wraps one of his arms around Silver, he kisses Silver's cheek. It's rare he is so affectionate, he really must be worried.
Lilia walks away, likely going to his room to speak with the bats resting on his canopy. Malleus lightly pats Silver's back, walking towards his own room. Sebek follows behind, ensuring that Malleus is safe til he reaches his quarters. Silver is left alone with his little songbird.
The bird looks up at Silver and gives him a determined chirp, sounding certain that he has a job to do and he's going to do his best to get it done. He launches himself off of Silver's finger.
Silver clutches the herb close to his chest, counting his blessings in his life. So many are so kind to him, when he has done so little.
"I have to do what I can to make this up to the lot of them."