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English
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Published:
2025-08-21
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988
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1/1
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I wanna be impossible

Summary:

Elhokar and Moash have a moment atop Urithiru.

Notes:

(See the end of the work for notes.)

Work Text:

"This is part of your training," Moash insisted, leaning his body through the doorway. "You aren't king anymore, so you need to learn to stop acting as stuck-up as one."

Elhokar groaned. "I'm disgraced already. This will just make it worse."

"Give yourself a lightweaving, then," Moash said. "I don't want to hear any more excuses. You need to get outside at some point, and today's as good as any for it."

Since Elhokar's abdication, he hadn't done much of anything besides mope around his rooms. He was glad to not have the responsibility of kingship, but he was having trouble deciding what else to do with himself. Design was not much help in that regard either. She seemed far more interested in seeing how much she could test Elhokar's patience.

Moash couldn't stand Elhokar's self-pity, so he had finally decided to force him into action. Light peer pressure worked incredibly well on Elhokar, which Moash found unsurprising. Despite everything, Elhokar was still eager to please him.

Moash used that to his advantage whenever he could. Including today, because he had finally decided that Elhokar had spent enough time wallowing. If everyone was to believe that Elhokar could grow and change, as Kaladin professed, he needed to be pushed into that growth.

Moash was more than happy to be the one pushing Elhokar along. He had to begrudgingly admit that it was more satisfying than killing him would have been.

The former king was more than the weakling Moash had always assumed he was. Or at least, he was becoming stronger with time, and with Moash's encouragement.

Elhokar finally emerged from his room, disguised in a lightweaving of an Alethi noblewoman. He'd kept his skin tone and eye color the same, but most observers would not recognize him as the former king. The disguise would also make them look like a lighteyed couple, Moash realized, since his own eyes had lightened since becoming a shardbearer and then a Windrunner.

He decided he would play into the disguise, and took Elhokar's arm in his. "Let's go," he said, dragging Elhokar along. "I'm sure there's plenty in this tower that you haven't had an opportunity to see yet."

They made their way to the fabrial lifts, waiting in line among a crowd of people. At first, Elhokar kept glancing around nervously, but it seemed he eventually settled into his disguise when he realized no one was watching him.

Once they got to the front of the line, a guard asked Moash where he was going. "Up to the top," he said. "I want to show the lady the view." The guard, who Moash didn't recognize, nodded. "The furthest lift on the left," he said, and gestured them off.

Elhokar followed him. "I didn't realize there were so many people here," he said, sounding bewildered. "I didn't even recognize that guard's uniform. He's not from any of the highprinces' houses. How can that be?"

Moash grunted. "This is what you get for staying holed up for so long. The tower's changed. We've got people from all over the world here. I think that man was from the Azish military."

They took the lift up to the very top of Urithiru, which was essentially a flat platform. Despite the view, few people made use of it: the lift ride was a long trip, and there were plenty of balconies on the way that had similar spectacular views.

Moash loved the top because it was completely open to the air. It made him feel free and connected to the winds. His spren, Ninli, leapt in front of him, riding the wind that whipped across the roof and giggling.

Ninli was a welcome counterbalance to Moash's usual disposition. His lightness, the joy he took in freedom… it had helped Moash more than he cared to admit.

"This view is beautiful," Elhokar said. "I had no idea it was here."

Moash smirked. "You don't know where anything is. I understand that it was difficult to abdicate, but I wanted you to see that no one is particularly paying attention to what you do. There's room for you to do more, see things, learn about the world. Become a better person."

"Do you really think no one cares? Or are they just pretending?" Elhokar asked, glancing around. He was still full of nervousness, always seeing things in the shadows.

Moash needed a way to prove to him that his anxiety was completely unwarranted.

"There's no one watching you," Moash said. "I can guarantee it. I can prove it for you, if you'd like."

"I don't know," Elhokar said. "How can you be so sure?"

Moash had a plan to convince Elhokar. A plan that would cause more than a little embarrassment on the prince's part, but one that he thought would be effective. And ultimately enjoyable.

Ninli seemed to have a second sense for what he was planning, and the spren flew back over to watch Moash with his bright eyes. He resisted the urge to swat Ninli away. He would still go through with his plan, even if it meant an earful from his spren companion later.

Moash leaned forward, and, in view of anyone who happened to be watching, gave Elhokar a quick kiss. Just like one any man might give the woman he was courting. Elhokar's eyes widened with shock, but no one else reacted. Of course they didn't. Because no one was watching Elhokar. To them, his lightweaving made him an ordinary woman out for a stroll with an ordinary man.

Moash watched as a small smile spread across Elhokar's face. "You were right," he said. "I suppose I was making myself out to be more important than I am."

Moash laughed at that. "That's what I've been trying to tell you for a very long time, Elhokar. You are just the same as any other person. No more or less important."

Notes:

Originally wrote and posted this for Sailorspren on Tumblr for a kiss game, and decided to polish it up a little and post it here. Hope you enjoy and please leave a comment!