Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was a strange thing. To know, to have absolute proof that time had passed, that major events in the world had happened, that you had died, only to appear once more, as if unfrozen from Oronyx’s hold as if nothing had happened. While it had been simple to dismiss before, knowledge that something major, world-shaking had happened, but no knowledge as to what, for a few weeks after coming back. It was easier to wonder a bit but continue on with their simple life out here in Aedes Elysiae. Things were much more difficult to dismiss when Cyrene, looking far older and more mature, but still undeniably her, showed up with a smile and a letter clutched in her hands. The now young woman had thankfully filled them, and the small village in, with news from the outside world. 

All Audata could remember was sitting there in shock, the fragile parchment of the letter still unopened in her hands. The story coming from the once young girl who used to swing on the swing Hieronymus had strung up for them was frankly… unbelievable. Her Phainon had? No… no it was simply too much. Cyrene had always loved stories; surely some of it was embellished. When the tale had ended, Auduta had sat numb in her chair, her mind blank as she tried to understand just what had been told, just what her little boy had gone through. She did not remember Hieronymus helping her get up, nor the quiet words of thanks whispered to Cyrene before they made their way home. She barely remembered the two of them silently going to bed, as if they were puppets on strings. 

It was not until the next day, waking up to discover the letter, still in her hands, slightly crushed from her grip. Taking a deep breath, her hands shaking a bit she cracked open the wax seal on the letter and unfolded it. There she saw the messy, familiar, yet oh so unfamiliar, scrawl of her son's handwriting. 

Dear Mother and Father.

I hope that this letter finds you well. Cyrene mentioned something about delivering it to you. The Trailblazer and Cyrene both mentioned that Aedes Elysiae was brought back. Though it has been so long that it is hard to believe such a miracle has happened. Still, I have seen more miraculous things come true through their hands. it has been so long since I have seen you and Father, let alone the village itself. I know that you, father, and the entire village will be busy with the harvest in the Month of Reaping. I figured that it would be a better time to come visit during the Month of Weaving, when you might have a moment, but the weather would still be nice. 

There is so much that I would like to catch up with all of you on. I hope this is not sprung on you too soon. I wanted to give you all some time to catch up on things while also getting settled on my end here in Okhema. You can always send a message back via Cyrene or Tribios if They are around. They mentioned wanting to see Aedes Elysiae from all the stories that I told Them. If you are ok with it I will arrange a stop on the way over to Castrum Kremnos before the Month of Strife. It is ok, either way, I know you all must have a lot to catch up on. 

I look forward to hearing from you,

Phainon

PS. Cyrene said I should mention that I will be bringing a guest.

Below the letter in far neater handwriting than her son's was another note.

PPS. This is Cyrene. Since Phainon is quite silly, I should mention that his guest will be his new husband. I thought you would like to know just who you would be welcoming into your home. 

The letter was oddly formal, like there was a distance there, as if writing to someone you knew but hadn’t seen in ages. The words themselves hadn’t quite sank in yet, only the tone. She had seen her son weeks ago, the same day her memories started once more in fact. This was… this letter was strange. It was her son, but not, not the same one she had fed breakfast to before going off to work in the fields for what had apparently been the last day of her life. 

She knew what Cyrene had said was correct, that it had been years, that Phainon was not her little boy anymore. That he was a grown man who had dreams, and if Cyrene’s words held true, had done so, so much for the world, for everyone. He was a grown man who had a husband now and-

Wait…

Her mind seemed to halt at that thought, eyes leaping towards Cyrene’s postscript on the letter she reread it once more, then again, just to be sure. The words were still there. Her son had gotten married to a man she did not know. He and his husband were going to visit because there was no way that Audata would ever deny her son a visit home, even if she could not remember him ever leaving in the first place. Getting up, Audata went over and grabbed her husband's hand, ignoring his surpris,e and dragged him out of the house in search of Cyrene. 

She pulled Hieronymus past Galba’s home, yanking his arm as they walked past the temple of Oronyx. “Audata, where are we going?” She ignored his question still as she spotted a familiar head of pink hair sitting on that swing overlooking the pond. 

Finally, stopping in front of the girl, no woman, a physical reminder of the time passed that she had missed. Audata felt out of breath, probably looking like a frazzled mess with her hair sticking up in all directions, yet she couldn’t bring herself to care all that much as Cyrene looked up at them with a bright, yet oh so mischievous, smile on her face. “Good morning Audata, Hieronymus, how are you doing today? Did you sleep well?”

“Good morning, yes, as best as could be expected.” Audata found herself replying, manners kicking in automatically before she could even think to express her reason for being there. Once it finally kicked in, she held out Phainon's letter like a weapon. “Is it true, did our son get married?” In her hand she could feel her husband grow still at that, her words sinking in amidst his protests.

Cyrene’s bright eyes glanced over at the letter before smiling widely and bringing her hands together. “Oh! Yes he did! It was a beautiful little ceremony!” 

That almost struck her as hard as the news, silence filling the little clearing, even the seals in the pond, which in the back of Audata’s mind, she found she could not remember ever being there before, were silent, bright eyes staring at the confrontation.

“Wait… What? Phainon got married?” Hieronymus gasped, finally seemingly caught up in his wife's frantic need to understand. “Our Phainon? He was just… He was thirteen when he left…” Oh, so it seems like he had not quite grappled with all that time having passed. At least Audata felt less alone in that. It was one thing to know, it was another to know that years had passed them by unknowingly. 

It was almost a great affront that Cyrene did not seem disturbed at all. She only smiled happily up at them. “It was a wonderful ceremony. Those two struggled to keep it rather small though. Mydeimos had to compromise and allow his people to celebrate their union during the Month of Strife at the Kremnos Festival.” She tilted her head a little as she thought about that before smiling again. “It should be fun, you two should see if you can come, I am sure Mydeimos can get you a place to stay anywhere in town if you do not want to stay in the palace.” 

“Oh we will be going.” Audata found herself saying, as if it was even a question. She had missed the wedding itself; there was no way that they would be missing the reception. 

Thankfully, Hieronymus was able to pick up on the other part of what Cyrene had said while Audata was too busy agreeing to go to Castrum Kremnos without a second thought. “What do you mean by palace?” 

It was then that Cyrene decided to drop a second wave of the Dark Tide upon them. “Oh, right. You wouldn’t know here I guess. Phainon got married to the Crown Prince of Castrum Kremnos, Mydeimos.” The way she stated that was as if she was explaining the obvious, that it should go unsaid who Phainon would be getting married to. It was then that Audata felt her knee’s give out on her. Her son was married to the Prince of Castrum Kremnos? She had still not gotten over the fact that her little boy had gotten himself married in the first place.

She could hear murmurs around her, her husband and Cyrene’s surprise and concern. All she could think about though was the thought of her son, the young boy she had been prepared to say goodbye to but hadn’t quite yet was gone. Replaced with a young man she had yet to meet, who had gone and gotten himself married to a crown prince. There were other things Cyrene had mentioned, something along the lines of the Titans, a sort of barrier, and their little world being opened up, and her son having something to do with all of that. She knew that, sort of, it was just… hard to grasp. She was just a wheat farmer in a little forgotten corner of the world; none of those kinds of things were stuff she had to worry about. Maybe she did, she probably did, it was just… it was easier, but still oh so hard, to grasp onto the fact that her son was an adult now, a hero apparently, who had gotten himself married to a man she had never met. 

She had thought that she had taught Phainon better manners than that. Oh, she had so much she had to help prepare for, that and the scolding and hug of a lifetime for her son. He should know better than to get married without even introducing his partner to them. There was little over a month left before her son would be here and there was so, so much to do. 

Chapter Text

To say that things were always hectic during the Month of Reaping would be true. The scramble to bring in the harvest and reap the massive golden fields of wheat surrounding their small village was always a massive event involving everyone in said small village. So that wasn’t different than usual, Hieronymus expected to be busy at this time of year. It was normal. The shouts around him, the sounds of blades slicing through the stalks of wheat, the rustle of said wheat getting bundled up and taken to the nearest windmill. All of that was normal, expected. What was not normal, or expected, was the extra sort of rush that seemed to be permeating through the air, encasing their home in a sort of frantic energy. 

Phainon was coming home. 

Phainon had also never left.

No one remembered him leaving, only that their son was suddenly not in the village. It had been strange at first, their son not being home, but somehow it had seemed normal. Neither he nor Audata had noticed at first, which, looking back was rather strange when their son hadn’t shown up for meal time for a few days. Family dinners in their home were important, Phainon knew that, he knew that, and Audata, who enforced that rule with an iron fist, most certainly knew that. So the fact that they hadn’t noticed for so long was odd. For his part, Hieronymus attempted to dismiss it as the whole… coming back to life thing after being dead for over a decade kinda thing. 

He knew that it bothered his wife; it bothered him as well, but there was not really anything that could be done about it. He was not going to worry about things that he had no control over, or at least that was what he told himself. That was a lesson he had tried to impart on both Phainon and Audata, idle thoughts like that, where nothing could be done, did far more harm than good. That was, of course, easier said than actually done; he knew that Phainon had inherited that trait from both of them.

Sighing, Hieronymus set down his sythe for a moment, wiping the sweat from his brow as he surveyed his work. The wheat around him lay in neat portable stacks that either Livia or Piso would be able to pick up and take to the nearest windmill. Looking back towards the village, taking in the low sun, he studied the wide sweep of sheared wheat he had cut. He was further ahead than usual, which felt a little odd as he had been slowing down in recent years, age catching up to him a bit. Now though, he was doing his work as quickly as if he were still in his prime. Perhaps it was all that was on his mind lately; the physical work seemed to help calm his nerves and put everything into place a little. Yes Phainon was coming home. The world around them had somehow changed in seemingly the blink of an eye in ways he could barely comprehend, and he was none the wiser. He had died and come back; his son was married, not just married but to a prince of the largest martial nation that Amphoreus had ever seen. The moment he let his mind wander the list of everything different seemed to get larger and larger. 

None of that really mattered; the wheat still had to come in. There were orders from every nation he had heard of, and some he had not, for any food source available. It seemed that not just they were back, but many people, and people meant mouths to feed. Though if he let his mind wander, the very large order for flour from Castrum Kremnos suddenly made sense with the connection his son had made… 

Don’t think about it Hieronymus… 

It was easier not to think about it. Not to dwell on the fact that his son was an adult. His son had actually fulfilled his childhood prophecy of being the Deliverer, sort of, there were some mixed stories on that. Cyrene had been no help on answering any of those questions, only smiling and keeping her silence. There was no need to delve too deep into thoughts of his son being married. Or the fact that they were dead…

He was thinking about it again. Grunting to himself, Hieronymus picked up his scythe again and started cutting the wheat once more. The physical labor had a way of making those worries fade into the background for a little while longer. Eventually, the sun had to set, though and his muscles ached from the strain of his work. Looking down the hill and at the quiet village below, Hieronymus realized he would be a bit late for dinner tonight. With a quiet sigh he started to head back home, letting exhaustion help keep those thoughts away from his mind for just a little while longer. 

“You're late.” Those were the first words that greeted him as he walked through the door, followed by a long sigh from his wife. “Sorry, sorry, I know it has been a long day.” Ever since they had realized they had missed Phainon not even being there for a few days, she had been more militant about family dinner, even if it was just the two of them. Still, it wasn’t as if Hieronymus did not understand; he found himself going to the old warehouse randomly to see if Phainon was slacking off, looking at relics again, that old jar seemed to capture his attention like none other. It was strange to step into that musty old building only to realize that Phainon wasn’t there. So he got it. Instead, he just gave her a tired smile as he went over to the small kitchen to wash his hands.

The two sat down at the table and Hieronymus couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at the spread. Normally, it was a simple meal of bread, smoked meats and whatever vegetable was in season made into a simple salad. A simple meal where they could talk, laugh, and share what had happened during their day. Lately, things had been a little more… elaborate. Last week, Audata had whipped out her grandmother's cookbook and had started making the recipes from there, something she only did when there was a holiday or event coming up. While Hieronymus enjoyed his wife's cooking, she was one of the better cooks in the village and by far the best baker; this was getting to be… a little much. Especially during harvest season. Glancing out the window to check to see the sun in the sky, he wasn’t that late, certainly not enough time for… this. He glanced at his wife, taking note of the dark bags under her eyes, slumped shoulders and general wariness in her demeanor. “Not that I don’t… appreciate the meals my love, but why the sudden… interest in cooking?”

From the way her shoulders suddenly tensed, the man wondered if he had asked the wrong question for a moment. One more look at the bone-tired way her body sat in her chair made him dismiss that theory. Audata worked just as hard as he did in the field and still she came home every day and put a meal on their plate, she made them a hearty breakfast every morning. She worked hard, and this sudden drive in her, this extra push, was simply not healthy; it only made him worry. If he were any use in the kitchen, he would offer to help, but even he agreed after the sandwich incident that it was for the best of the entire village if he stayed out, Galba wouldn’t even start to smoke something if he was within twenty feet of his smoker. Sometimes, the most help you can give is knowing when to back off and not do something. 

The tense moment only lasted a few minutes, Audata’s jaw working as she tried to get the words out, Hieronymus keeping himself deathly still while doing his best to keep his face warm and open. Finally he watched as her shoulders slumped and she leaned back in her chair. “I just… Phainon has been gone for so long, even if…” She trailed off here but he knew what she meant. It didn’t feel like it; no time had passed for them after all. “I just want him to come back and… I don’t know… He is bringing his husband home… someone who is probably used to way fancier meals than anything I can make.” She let out a deep groan and leaned forward, her head falling into her hands. “Phainon himself is probably used to eating better than anything I can make if he has been in Okhema this whole time.” 

Leaning over Hieronymus placed a rough hand over his wife's own and gave it a gentle pat. “Your cooking has always been remarkable Audata. Perhaps it is not what Phainon is used to but that might not be what he wants.” He paused here, not quite sure what to think or assume for his now adult son. “Perhaps he wants a taste of home. Did he mention what he wanted?” Not in the letter, he had read that several times himself. He knew that Audata and their son had spoken of his upcoming travels and coming home before… all of this had happened. 

She sat there in silence for a long moment, her own rough hand coming up to tangle their fingers together before she lifted her head up and gave him a weary smile. “He said he wanted honey suncake with smoked venison. It is the last conversation I had with him.”

Returning her smile, he gave her hand a little squeeze, relishing in the warmth of it. Things had been tense lately for them, not between them, never; the situation, though, that was hard. “Why don’t we go to Galba tomorrow and ask him to keep an eye out for a deer. We can ask Livia and Piso to keep an eye out for any hives while they gather wheat as well. I am sure they can find something.” He did not mention that the whole village was practically buzzing with excitement. Cyrene herself had received an impromptu feast upon her return, questions slung at her from every angle as the villagers celebrated and tried to welcome back someone who, to them, had never left. Phainon would receive the same treatment, everyone bringing out their best and in order to welcome him-- and his new husband-- back. Phainon’s welcome back feast was looking to be a whole harvest time feast, traditional for after the harvest was brought in, and a wedding feast-- they were not the only ones upset to have missed that-- to be rolled into one. It would certainly be something.

Even with his reassurances, there was a bit of worry on his wife's lovely face. “What is it?”

She chewed her sun-cracked lip in worry for a moment. “When you put it like that, you make it sound so easy.” Her gaze turned to the side a little. “It isn’t Phainon I am worried about…” 

Ah, that made sense. In all honesty, it wasn’t exactly Phainon that he was worried about either. It was the husband, the prince… Hieronymus wasn’t quite sure if he was happy that Cyrene had told him about who exactly Phainon had married or not. She had said not to worry about it, that Mydeimos was far easier to handle than Phainon was. That the prince might have a resting… well she hadn’t finished that sentence but she had given them a sly grin and told them not to worry, Mydeimos was softer than a chimera under that pretty face. 

It wasn’t that they thought Cyrene was a liar; it was just hard to believe. Yes, Phainon could be a right brat when he wanted to be, annoying in all the ways that hit every single button, but he was their son. A simple country boy-- who became a Crysos Heir-- and there was simply no way that Phainon would be more difficult to handle than a Crown Prince of the second largest nation in the world… Still, he couldn’t let his doubts show on his face; he was going to be strong for his wife just like she was strong for him. He forced a smile on his face that he hoped was reassuring. “Cyrene said that we did not need to worry about Mydeimos.” The name felt so odd on his tongue. 

At his words, his wife met his smile with a weak one of her own. “I know… I know she did. I just… I want to leave a good impression, that's all.” Her gaze slid to the side, over to the door that led the the small room they had made for Phainon a few years ago, decades ago apparently. “I don’t want this to be the last time we see him.” 

They sat there for a moment as her words were left hanging in the air. It was a strange feeling. To know that it had only been around a month for them now, it had been weeks since Cyrene had come and dropped that bomb. They were halfway through the Month of Reaping, and it still didn’t feel real. It had only been last week that Audata had stopped setting a place for their son at the table. They both still found themselves calling for him, suddenly, only to remember that he wasn’t there. It was frightening to think that in a few weeks, their old image of their son would be replaced with a stranger’s image. The same yet different. An old yet new person in their home for a while.

Suddenly, Audata’s hand in his tensed as she clutched him hard, her gaze still locked on their son's empty room. “Have you started on a new bed for Phainon?”

The question caught him off guard for a moment. No, he hadn’t. Why would he need a new bed? He had just made the boy a new one last year. That thought had barely made it through his mind before it struck him. Yes, Phainon had a new bed last year, one that would fit him for a while as he grew like a weed. It would have lasted for years. Except it was years now, and Phainon was coming home with a husband. He would need a bed large enough for the two of them. A wedding bed… 

There was suddenly a clench in his chest and Hieronymus suddenly found he understood his wife's current obsession with cooking. His mind raced over what tools he had what wood was in stock, and what he needed. Already parceling up time in the morning and evening after fieldwork to do woodwork. “Oh…”

Chapter Text

The rest of the Month of Reaping seemed to fly by in no time at all. Soon the fields were shorn of their long golden stalks and large bales of wheat were tied up around the field, waiting their turn in the windmills or in some livestock's mouth, one or the other. That did not mean that things had settled down in one little house in Aedes Elysiae. The sounds of woodworking tools could be heard all through the day now, sawdust flying through the air and mixing in with the seemingly constant curl of smoke coming from the chimney, signalling a flurry of baking. 

The children had done a great job of finding a hive practically dripping with honey, while Galba had sorted out a wood problem that they hadn’t realized was a problem until then. The hunter had spied several mature oak trees for the base and while chasing a stag, knocked a large olive branch down, perfectly suited to carving decorations. The man had shown up scratched and bruised, no venison, but lugging the huge branch over his shoulder, a huge grin on his face. That night Audata had invited him and Piso over to give their thoughts on what her husband had started to call anxiety baking. 

After their talk a few weeks ago she had calmed down some. Some of her nerves were still there but she had a plan now; she just had to practice enough for a perfect execution of the meal, no stress, no worries, just lots of cakes. Still, it was nice to have the company, so see and hear that others were just as excited for her son’s return. The way Piso was practically vibrating in his seat, unable to stop asking questions, even with his mouth full, was nice. The knot, while still deep in Audata’s chest, the one that seemed so tight she could barely breathe some days, loosened a bit. 

“How tall do you think Phainon is now? He wasn’t that much taller than me when he left.” 

Giving the boy an indulgent smile as she glanced at her husband. “Well, he is probably around our height now; he should be an adult now.” Neither she nor Hieronymus were particularly tall. She would never say they were short by any means, just… average. She saw the way her husband's shoulders suddenly tensed at that. She knew instantly that his mind was wandering to the bed he was making in the back, wondering if it would be the right size, one to fit two adult men in… Reaching over the table, she gave his hand a quick squeeze before she was pulled back to Piso, already asking another question, not seeming to care about the answer he had been given in the first place.

“Do you think he has a real sword now? Not one made of wood?” The young boy glanced hurriedly over to Hieronymus. “Not that the sword you made him isn’t cool and all… I just haven’t seen a real sword before. Dad only has his knives and a bow, and I want to see a sword.”

That was certainly a question, one they hadn’t thought of. The two shared a glance before Hieronymus fielded this one. “I suppose he probably does have a real one now.” He mused, rubbing his chin between thick fingers. “Considering where his husband's from… I would be more surprised if he didn’t have a real sword now.”

At that, the hunter himself perked up a little. “That’s right, your Phainon managed to snag himself quite the catch.” Audata didn’t know if it said anything about her son or not, but no one was surprised that Phainon had married a man, there had been much more surprise at the royalty bit. Then again, he had been rather adamant about those old relics in the warehouse, especially those with the pictures of muscular warriors on them. Then there was the time that a merchant had shown up with those Okhamen guards and Phainon had been deeply enthralled. He had been young then and clearly not interested in them in that way; his interests and inclinations had been noted even then. 

It wasn’t a problem, per se, in Aedes Elysiae. It was more the fact that the village was small, tiny even, and while most people left for a little while, the goal was often to explore, find a spouse and come back to help the dwindling village stay, well… populated. It didn’t matter though. Audata had long come to terms with the fact that Aedes Elysiae was far too small a place to contain her son. She would be sad not to have biological grandchildren, but she would be sure to pester Phainon enough to adopt so she could spoil those children rotten. 

“We will have to ask him how he managed that.” Audata shared a laugh with the table. Honestly, though, she wanted to hear that story. While she knew that Phainon’s golden blood would open doors unavailable to the general populace, it was still a little hard to believe. 

The rest of the evening was filled with warm laughter and company along with the seemingly endless questions from Piso, who, at the reminder that Phainon was married to a prince suddenly had just as many questions about said mystery spouse. They ended up waving goodbye late into the evening, Galba carrying a suddenly asleep Piso over his shoulder as he headed home. With her husband's warm arm around her waist as she waved goodbye to her friends, she felt content for the first time since coming back. 

Shutting the door, she smiled at her handsome husband. “You know, I think everything is going to be ok.” No matter how strange things were in the outside world, she had friends and family to help support them no matter the situation. They were all there together, a community that even the black tide could not break, Phainon carrying on the spirit of Aedes Elysiae while the rest were gone. 

From where he was standing in the warm light of the main room she could see the relaxed, for the first time in a month smile on her husband's face. “I think you might be right, my beautiful wife.” He pulled her into his chest and they blew out the candles quickly before retiring for the night together. 

~

That had been a week ago and that relaxation had faded into a memory now. Things around the household were… tense. Just the other day, Hieronymus had finished the marriage bed for their son, and Audata had finished the fabrics for it earlier when she finally had the dimensions, stuffing the mattress with the softest of hay they had. She had cleaned the small house twice, weeded their personal garden three times and had taken to dusting the outside to help calm her nerves. The problem? Phainon was not there yet. Yes, he had never given a time, simply stating the month. They were almost to the halfway point through the month, and still no sign, no word from their child. Audata sighed as she looked out the window at the dark sky. It seemed that today would be another missed day. Humming to herself with nervous energy, she wrapped up the extra food she had made that night for dinner, each night hoping that she would be welcoming two more at her dinner table. 

As if sensing her disappointment, Hieronymus came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in a hug. She relaxed as she felt him press a kiss to her forehead. “Perhaps tomorrow.” She whispered, he just hummed in her ear, the rumble of his chest behind her a comfort. They stood there for a while, enjoying the feeling of just being near the other. They were almost so caught up in their world together that it took a moment for them to register the sounds of two people approaching, seemingly in the middle of an argument. 

Looking over at the door Audata whispered to her husband. “Do you hear that?” 

“I don’t recognize the voices.” Came her husbands voice in her ear as he looked over towards the door. 

The two of them kept their gazes locked as the unknown voices seemed to draw closer. It took a moment for them to be able to make out what exactly they were saying.

The first words she could make out came from a low sort of drawl, clearly an annoyed tone with just a flavor of hinted amusement buried deep, deep in there. She hoped it was amusement she heard anyway. “This ------ be the rig-- ---band.” 

“I am sure!” There was a sheepish sort of embarrassment in this one, but also a hint of familiarity to it. She didn’t know the voice, and yet some hopeful part of her told her that she did. She hoped it wasn’t just a desperate delusion. “Do you have to call me that too?”

The voices were closer now, she could hear heavy foot steps and the swish of a long cloth. “Yes.” Was the simple reply. There was a pause in the footsteps seemingly outside the small courtyard of their home. “This is the one, yes?” It was the other voice, the one that sounded like a large cat had somehow acquired the ability to speak, such was the low rumble buried in it. 

A sudden swish of cloth and a slightly shocked tone. “How do you know?” From the context that had to be… She didn’t want to get her hopes up… It could be anyone.

Behind her, Hieronymus snorted quietly. Even she had to hold back a small laugh as she could practically hear the raised eyebrow from a face she had never seen. “While you may not speak of your home a lot.” Here, Audata felt her heart rate skyrocket. It had to be! “Even I remember the descriptions of your home.” There was a moment of silence. “The windchime. You have the same one on your balcony in Okhema.” 

There was another sound of rustling fabric before there was an embarrassed chuckle. She could just see it now, not on an adult face but on her young thirteen-year-old son's embarrassed face, looking to the side as he rubbed the back of his head. “Ah… right.. I suppose that makes sense.” A soft hum could be heard from what was assuredly their son. “It is… odd seeing that windchime here. I guess there are two now, one here and one in Okhema.” Silence stretched for a long moment after that, the air becoming more tense the longer that they stood there. Outside. Without knocking. 

It seemed that her son's husband was not one to care about that, not allowing the silence to grow as he huffed. “Well, are you going to knock? Don’t tell me that now that we are at the correct door, you suddenly are too nervous, dear mate of mine?” 

A strangled sound seemed to come from her son. Still, what was that about other doors? Had… had their son really forgotten where they had lived? How many people had they disturbed tonight?

“Don’t! Ah, can’t you go back to calling me Deliverer?” 

“No.” The reply was decisive, cutting through any sort of protest. There was silence for a longer moment before a tired sigh and the rustle of fabric could be heard once more. When were they going to knock? “That is not what you are to me anymore. I will not downplay what you mean to me, so do not ask me to again.” Clearly, it was not the first time this had been explained. Still, Audata found herself starting to like the man her son had chosen to marry. At least it seemed that he actually cared for her son. 

Still, the silence lasted for a moment, and there was a soft, undefinable sound that came from her son. As much as she wished to see him, even now she did not dare to open the door and interrupt this moment. Finally, finally though it ended and there was the sound of clothes rustling and a muffled sound once more, the sound of metal clapping against, presumably, a shoulder and footsteps into their little yard. Audata found herself holding her breath. 

“Well, are you going to knock my spouse?” A soft whine, much closer. “You really are a dog sometimes.” Ok, so Audata did not like her son being called a dog, but… well… ok, there were times he did indeed resemble a puppy. It wasn’t… out of character… 

“What if they don’t remember me?” There was worry in that voice that just broke Audata’s heart. All her concerns this past month and a half vanished. It seemed that she and Hieronymus had not been alone in their concerns. “We should come back tomorrow… It’s late.” No! She almost rushed to the door and pulled it open; she would not wait another night! Thankfully, it seemed her son's husband was sick of this too. As she heard a frustrated grumble and sudden quick determined strides forward.

“No Mydei don’t!” There was a brief scuffle on the other side of the door. Some shouts and definite bangs as limbs hit their door as they tussled. 

It was Hieronymus who ended up opening the door and revealing a very… strange sight. Two very… very large men, one dressed in the finest-- and whitest clothes--  that Audata had ever seen, had his arms locked around another devastatingly handsome man's neck in a headlock. Said very handsome and wholly unfamiliar man, was definitely not out of the fight as she saw he had those two strands of her son's hair that even now, in all his fancy clothes, new height and lost baby fat, still stuck up proudly on top of his head, in a death grip and yanking them hard in a golden gauntlet. 

The two of them froze as the light from the doorway illuminated them and stared with wide eyes at both Audata and Hieronymus. She couldn’t help the wide and fond smile from spreading across her face. Her son was different, certainly grown, grown to the point that she wondered if he would even fit in his new bed, let alone with his also very large husband. That didn’t matter though. It was Phainon; he was home, he was here, and even with all the changes, she could still feel how much she loved him.

“Welcome home, Phainon.” 

Chapter Text

There was a long moment of silence as the two groups stared at each other. Outside, the two men’s eyes were owl wide and bright in the doorway as they looked in. From the doorway itself, Audata and Hieronymus took in the sight of the two men. It was with fondness and a desire to get a better look at his son that Hieronymus gave the two what he hoped was a fond and inviting look before waving them in. “Well, come on in you two. Wouldn’t want to let the warm air out now?” Not that it was very cold outside, but it was certainly nicer inside. 

“Right. Yeah, ok.” The suddenly nervous look on their son’s face made sense with the information that they had overheard a moment ago. Still, as a father Hieronymus felt his heart clench a little in pain. As much as they never wanted their son to feel like a stranger in his own home it was also a very… strange situation that they were all in. Doing his best to keep the warm smile on his face, Hieronymus took a step back as he watched his son let go of the blond-haired man and attempt to straighten up, only to jerk his head to the side as his husband, the supposed prince, gave another small tug on his hair before letting it go. “What was that for Mydei?” Phainon whined giving the other man one of his puppy dog looks. It was reassuring to see that even as a grown man their son still had that familiar look. 

Trying not to stare too hard, but oh so wanting to get a better look at the man —Mydei —that his son had married. They watched him straighten up and give their son an unimpressed look, crossing a gauntleted arm across his… very well-built and half-exposed chest before resting his elbow on it and making a waving motion. “For having us disturb so many people when even I could have found your home.”

Ok, well that was fair, though trading a look with his wife, Hieronymus did wonder just how many people they had disturbed. It couldn’t have been that many, right? There weren’t a lot of people here. Still, they heard Phainon give a loud sigh and give a look that Hieronymus could not read towards the other man, but did not say anything. Instead, the two of them made their way to the doorway and stepped inside into the warm light of their home.

“Welcome home son.” He welcomed his son as he passed, reaching up to clap the man on the shoulder. It was as he reached up, far more than he ever should for any human being, that he came to the dreadful realization. There was no way that they were going to fit on the bed. “What are they feeding you two in Okhema?” He tried to joke away the dread that he had made the bed for a normal-sized person, not the giants that were his son and his husband. Well… it was better than the old bed at least. That was not much comfort. 

At that Phainon gave him a small smile before looking over at Mydei. “Well, when Mydei wants to make some edible food for me, I eat quite well.” Here Mydei snorted and muttered something under his breath. Phainon stopped and gave his dad another small smile. “Though before he showed up I was quite the regular face at the Marmoreal Market.” He straightened up a little and turned to Audata too. “I didn’t eat out all the time, though! I remember those salads you taught me and made sure to make those whenever I felt like I needed a taste of home.” He looked quite proud of himself and behind him Hieronymus caught the strained smile of his wife.

Oh, he knew why that was there. Those salads had been something to keep Phainon busy when he came and wanted to help in the kitchen. It wasn’t like he was bad at cooking, he certainly had not inherited his father’s… talent. Still, those were little side salads for the main course Audata was making. He was not supposed to make whole meals off of those. The reasoning though was even worse. That small taste of home, and maybe a windchime, were perhaps all Phainon had left of their home. Doing his best not to dwell on it for now, Hieronymus motioned for Phainon and his husband to take a seat at the table. “Why don’t you two sit down, we just packed up dinner so it should still be warm for you both.”  

Thankfully, Audata took over for a moment, her smile becoming steadier and warmer, real affection showing through. “I am so glad you two could make it. Like your father said, we had just packed everything away but it should still be good!” Watching his wife shuffle around the kitchen, unpacking the food she had just put away, he felt somewhat useless just standing there, doing nothing. 

“Why don’t you take your coat off, Phainon, it cannot be comfortable being in here with that heavy thing on.” His wife offered. She glanced over at Mydei who was standing off to the side. The man seemed to be shining like gold, and not just due to the heavy-looking jewelry or actual golden gauntlets or boots he was wearing, though that did help. “Ah, you can take off your gloves and… boots?” Here Audata frowned a little, sure she had gotten the word wrong but she did not quite know the correct word. 

No one commented about the fumble, though or moved to correct her on it, instead, Phainon simply started to shrug out of the large white coat he had and after a moment of hesitation, Mydei started to take off his own armor pieces. Seeing a moment to be useful and not just stand there like a lout, Hieronymus stepped forward and took his sons coat when he had it off. “I will just put this in your room for you son.” His son smiled a little and held out the large white coat with little argument.  

It was strange to see his sons new adult body without the long coat covering it. Under all that white was a simple black short-sleeved shirt and dark pants; they did well to show just how much his son had grown into himself as well as all the training he must have gone through. His eyes briefly caught the sight of a few older scars on his body but they seemed years old, almost starting to fade now. As much as it pained him to see the injuries that his son had surely endured, it was reassuring to note that he could not see any fresh wounds on him. Overall all he still looked like his son; he could see traces of the boy who had grown up into this man across from him. 

“I can put my own stuff away you know.” It was a token protest at best. 

Dutifully, Hieronymus ignored Phainon's protest and gently took the coat, marveling slightly at the feeling of the fabric between his fingers. It was like nothing he had felt before. For as large as the jacket was it was incredibly light, the fabric felt soft between his fingers and yet he doubted he would be able to easily make a tear in it. Truly unlike anything he had ever felt before. Instead of marveling over the fabric, though, he just hufted a little and gave his son a fond look. “I know you can, you were never one to leave clothes strewn about. I just want you to sit for a moment and relax. Enjoy your mother's cooking.” 

A dull thud interrupted them, along with a huff at his words. “He might not leave clothes everywhere, but his room is completely covered in relics and antiques.” The smooth voice sounded a little gruff, but hidden there was a trace of fondness. 

Chuckling slightly, Hieronymus turned to look at his sons husband, getting the first real good look at the man as he finished unbuckling his golden armaments. Perhaps the warm light of the doorway, as well as Phainon covering half his body in that headlock, had blocked most of his view of him and highlighted just how golden the man was. So it was a little surprising to see, or perhaps notice, his attention having almost fully been on his own son, just how much red the man wore, and not just his clothes but his skin as well. Crimson red cloth did indeed cover half of his body, golden highlights in the form of jewelry were still there along, snaking along his skin were the same crimson trails that seemed to be on the entirety of his body, even a small mark on his face. 

It was certainly a strange sight. Hieronymus had only seen tattoos and body paint on the occasional merchant and soldier who stopped by their village. While he had noticed the man’s extremely well-built physique earlier, it was different in the soft light of their home, his features were still sharp, his eyes like one of those predator cats Galba occasionally saw in the wild. The gold of his hair starting to taper into that same crimson red of his clothes at the ends. While Hieronymus had never really considered anyone other than his wife to be beautiful, he would have to make an exception for this man, in every sense of the word he was undeniably beautiful. Of course, he was still nothing compared to Audata, but Hieronymus had eyes, he wasn’t blind, and only the blind could say this man was anything but. Which begged the question all the more, how had Phainon managed to land him?

“Do you need me to take your, um… armor in as well?” He had heard touching a warrior's weapon or was it armor? Was an affront somewhere in his life, he didn’t want to offend the man in the first hour of meeting him. 

The man cocked his head to the side, studying him for a moment before getting up and grabbing his own golden pieces. “I should move them; most people tend to find them rather heavy.” There was no hint that he took offense to Hieronymus asking in his tone at least. 

Pulling a chair out and plopping himself into it, Phainon snorted a little at that, giving his husband a fond look. “I think I almost threw my back out carrying all of them once. Let him carry them.” 

“I had not thought you were so weak, dearest Husband.” Came the mocking drawl of Mydei’s voice, biting right back. At that, Phainon sputtered, his face flashing bright red as he stared at Mydei’s retreating back. “Which room is it?” Mydei’s question was far kinder to Hieronymus than his son, but he couldn’t say it was especially warm either. 

“This one right here.” Hieronymus stepped forward and nudged open the door to Phainon’s small room. The inside still had a collection of the things Phainon had gathered, though the space was far smaller now with the new marriage bed that was definitely too small for them but too big for the tiny room as well. 

A sense of embarrassment overcame him suddenly. Here was a crown prince in their tiny little home, fitting into Phainon’s even smaller room. “I hope that this is ok. I am sure you are probably used to finer-” 

“This is far better accommodations than I am used to.” Hieronymus found himself being suddenly cut off. Looking over he spotted those same golden eyes watching him unblinkingly before he stepped forward and placed his items down against the door. “Do not worry about me; any hospitality is far more than I am used to.” Those golden eyes turned back and focused on him again, an intensity and focus in them that he was not used to feeling. “Enjoy your time with Phainon.” With that said, the man turned around and walked past Hieronymus and back into the main room. 

The moment the man left a sort of weight that he had been unaware of dissipated. Blue eyes watched the door for a moment, considering just what kind of aura that man had, where the weight of his words and his presence alone could bring such an influence upon the air. Sighing to himself, he turned and took Phainon’s coat, hanging it onto a hook that was on the wall for that very purpose. The sharp white of it cut like a wound through the darkness, giving him a strange feeling. Suddenly a little uncomfortable in that small room for reasons he could not quite explain, Hieronymus turned around and left, shutting the door behind him. 

Out in the main room the warm and comforting smells of Audata’s cooking greeted him. That strange atmosphere was gone, and only the warm sounds of laughter and family greeted him. It was maybe a little different family than before, and one bigger now, but it still had that same feeling as before.

~

Audata watched her husband disappear into their sons room with his new husband for a moment to put things away before swinging her gaze over to her son. “Well, your new husband is certainly handsome. How did you manage that?” She didn’t mean to sound doubtful of her son, but some things seemed very unrealistic, and a simple country boy like her son landing such a beautiful man who happened to be a prince of a nation was one of those things. 

At her words her sun flushed pink again, his head flopping backwards in his chair. “I have no idea.” Looking up there was an incredibly fond smile on his face but a hint of anxiety that she could detect. “You.. you are ok with that right?” 

Right, they had never discussed Phainon’s preferences. He was probably aware of the expectations of the village as a whole but had never really seen otherwise. Time to knock that little bit of nonsense from his mind before it took root. Setting a full plate of food in front of him, the smoked venison still warm and the honey cake dribbling with freshly warmed honey. “I am ok with whatever makes you happy Phainon.” She gave him a warm smile as she set down another plate for his husband and pulled him into a quick hug. “You never need to worry about that here.” He was warm in her arms, almost feverishly so, but there was no flush to his face. Letting go, she went over to the water jar and poured two fresh cups and set them down before sitting down herself.

As Phainon picked up his glass to take a sip, he paused for a moment before eying her suspiciously. “How did you know I was married?”

Putting a smug grin on her face, thankful once more to Cyrene for providing the information to them since their son was clearly going to keep it hidden. “Cyrene put a note in your letter telling us. She talked about it too when she came to visit.” 

At her words, a very confused look appeared on Phainon’s face. He opened his mouth once to speak, before closing it and looking at her before shaking his head and giving her a very strange look. “That is odd. I hadn’t asked Mydei to marry me when I wrote that letter.” He said before muttering under his breath. “Am I really that predictable?”

“Yes, you are.” Came the deep voice of his husband, as he stepped into the room. 

Phainon twisted his head to the side to give him a startled look. “Huh?”

Huffing a little, the well-muscled man strode over and took a seat at the table. “Aglaea has had both of our wedding clothes done for a while, I believe we wore her third rendition of it, actually.” A strong and oddly soft-looking tattooed hand came up and rubbed his chin for a moment before cat-like eyes slid over to Phainon again. “Once your little wishes game had been set it was simply a matter of how long you would last.” There was a soft cackle that left the man before he took a long, hard drink of the water in front of him. “Cipher and I made quite the clean up on our day three lucid hour bet.” 

Phainon just stared at Mydei, his jaw hanging just a little, blue eyes as wide and bright as the sky. “How… Is that how you all managed to get everything ready so fast?”

Mydei refused to answer, taking up his fork and cutting himself a piece of honey cake. “This is wonderful by the way.” He commented. Audata found herself releasing a breath she hadn’t realised she was holding as her new son-in-law approved of her cooking and took a second bite.