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Winterfest was by far the most significant holiday in Rivendell culture. A festival spanning across several days and nights in celebration of Aeor continuing to ward off the corruption. In stories of old, it was said Rivendell was one of the few empires to not be wiped out entirely from the destruction that plagued the lands. This was due to Aeor’s protection, who used his magic to freeze the corruption, making it difficult for the Nether-based lifeform to grow up the frigid mountains.
For this reason, the Winterfest took place in the coldest time of year. It was when the temperatures were the coldest and nights were at their longest. The festival was a celebration of another successful year of being under Aeor’s divine protection and hopes of many more millennia to come. While he had been to Rivendell many times, this was Jimmy’s first time attending Winterfest.
The Cod-hybrid observed the orange sunset sky over the snow-capped mountain range. Letting out a clouded, condensed breath, he pulled his moss cloak over his shoulders as he continued his ascent. Jimmy walked along the stone, shovel path, passing ice spikes and frozen waterfalls.
By the time he reached the summit, the stars shone brightly as colorful auroras danced in the sky. The streets of Rivendell were bustling with life, the normally quiet elves being full of chatter and joyous laughter on a night like this. It took Jimmy longer to fight through the crowds as he headed towards the largest structure in the empire, receiving some strange looks he was used to.He stared in at the warmly lit hue of the lodge through its cyan windows before knocking. Jimmy was alone to shiver to himself before the large wooden doors opened themselves.
“You’re late.” Xornoth stared at him crossed arms from inside.
His magenta hair was done in a long braid that hung over his left shoulder. He dressed in his black outfit with the white half-capelet just like always. The only exception being the silver antler circlet Xornoth wore on his head and similar metal accessories decorating the top of his snowy owl wings.
“I know…” Jimmy smiled as he scratched the back of his head, admitting guilt.
It wasn’t often he visited Rivendell in its winter season. With the rivers being frozen over, he had to travel mostly by land, something he didn’t consider when picking his time of arrival.
“Where is Scott?” His brown eyes curiously darted around the halls with no sign of the cyan haired elf in sight.
“Of course that would be the first thing you ask.” Xornoth couldn’t help but laugh. “He’s in his bedroom doing some paperwork. You know him, always working non-stop as everything has to be perfect in Rivendell, now more than ever.”
“Why is that?” Jimmy curiously tilted his head.
“–You know with the festival and totally not any other reason.” Xornoth simply left it at that.
“Yeah, that makes sense.” Jimmy started to run up the birch, spiral staircase. He paused for a moment before darting back down to wave, shouting between panting breaths. “Thank you, and it’s good to see you again.”
“And here I thought Joey and I were hopeless for each other.” The elf amusingly rolled his eyes once he was out of sight, continuing on with his night.
There was a sound of light scratching against parchment as Scott wrote with his white feathered quill. As he worked from his desk a large stack of paperwork and letters addressed to him. Perched on his shoulder was an owl. Its amber eyes reflect the dim, orange candlelight of a nearly spent wick. Letting out a concerned hoot, Scott paused to rub underneath the owl’s chin.
“You want me to take a break?” He laughed as peered over his shoulder at Rivendell gleaming with golden light. “This is the busiest time of the year for me, running a festival is more work than you think and this year is different.”
“Perhaps there is something I could do to change your mind?” Hearing a familiar voice, the owl took off from his shoulder.
Seeing Jimmy standing from the other side of the room, the quill slipped from Scott’s grasp as he gleefully ran towards him. Opening his white and black spotted wings, he leapt into Jimmy’s arms as they embraced in a hug. Sharing a kiss, their matching silver rings shone under the faint rays of moonlight as both their fingers interlocked. In elven customs, silver rings signified betrothal, whereas gold was reserved for marriage.
“Oh Jimmy, I was worried you weren’t going to be here for Winterfest.” Remaining close, Scott reached up to touch his cheek. “I started to think that you forgot or had gotten lost. Xornoth had to stop me from sending a search party after you.”
Jimmy put a finger over his lips before he could ramble further. “I’m here now and that’s what matters. It just took longer than I expected, but have a little faith in me, won’t you.”
“That’s fair, you usually stick to your word.” He smiled only to be filled with coldness from the single hand that was still intertwined with Jimmy’s, which was a lot coming from someone of his kind. “Aeor, you're still freezing.”
“It’s nothing. Unlike Lizzie, I am cold resistant due to being part cod.” After spending days traveling by foot in the frigid conditions, immediately being nagged on by his fiancé was not how Jimmy wanted to spend his first Winterfest.
Yet here he was.
“Most people would be dead before getting halfway up the mountain, you know.” Having none of it, Scott led him towards the cozy fireplace and had him sit down on the nearby sofa. “Oh, that reminds me. I got a surprise for you!”
Watching the elf rush off to another room, Jimmy turned to the perch owl observing him. “Should I be concerned?”
Returning moments later, Scott eagerly set down a pile of thick fabrics consisting of Rivendell’s colors in front of Jimmy. His brown eyes widened as he held up an ice blue cloak with white fur and gold surrounding the edges, one closely matching the one Scott wore. Jimmy realized this was all traditional Rivendell garb, made with the finest materials and with real gold woven into it, all made just for him.
“I asked the tailor personally to put together a new wardrobe for you. I thought it would be a nice surprise since this is your first Winterfest. Also because you don’t normally come here during the colder seasons and thought it fit the occasion.”
“Is there something wrong with what I have on now?” The cod-hybrid motioned to his green and white skin-tight outfit, moss cloak and brown satchel bag.
“–Not at all, I wanted to make sure you would be warm enough over these next few days.”
“Alright then,” Jimmy reluctantly agreed. “Give me five minutes to get changed, then we’ll head out and enjoy the festival?”
Scott glanced outside at his empire filled with joyous celebration, then to his desk topped off with paperwork. “Maybe you should go on ahead and I’ll join you after I get done with these?”
“No way you’re getting out of this that easily. Don’t you want to enjoy Winterfest together?” Standing up, Jimmy playfully pulled at his arm, leading them out the door.
“You know me too well..”
The streets of Rivendell were basked in a beautiful golden light as colorful auroras danced in the sky. Garland of peonies, the flower of Aeor, were hung across buildings with heavy snow-covered roofs. Adornments of gold and glowing quartz clusters were used as decoration to illuminate throughout the night. But most radiant of all was the crown of golden horns Scott wore on his head.
Citizens cleared the way for their king as he made way, his held high but a look of longing in his cyan eyes. Jimmy remained by Scott the entire time, their arms interlocked. He waved to a couple of elf passerbys, showing off his pointed teeth as he smiled, only to be met by fright and more whispers. Noticing Jimmy lower his head, Scott playfully nudged him with a wing, returning the happy expression the Rivendell king loved to see.
The outfit Jimmy wore shared a close resemblance to Scott’s everyday royal garb. It made sense it would be tailored to match as they were an engaged couple afterall. Yet despite it perfectly being in his size, it wasn’t a fit. Jimmy constantly fought the urge to itch in the wool clothing, hiding the fact he felt too warm.
It was better to stay quiet than to upset Scott, especially after he went through all the work to prepare this just for him.
Jimmy tried focusing on counting long, blue icicles along overhangs. When that didn’t work, he decided to focus on talking. “So are we going to some kind of opening ceremony?”
“I wish we had something as exciting as that, but no. Winterfest starts with me giving a long and boring speech my ancestors have reused for ages. Trust me, there’s a reason I didn’t have you come earlier today.” Scott simply shook his head.
“Knowing it was you, I would’ve liked to sit through it.” He remarked, watching as snow gracefully fell around them. “Maybe next year we can come up with a new speech together as we’d be married by then.”
Scott let out a small cackle. “I’d very much like that, but good luck on convincing the council to break tradition. They haven’t been happy with me since I allowed Xornoth back in Rivendell.”
The golden antlers on the front of the Church of Aeor could be seen from a distance. Scott wore a look of hesitancy as they neared the building, while Jimmy’s was of wide-eye wonder. He couldn't blame his fiancé for his excitement. Jimmy didn’t have the same history with this place as he did after all. It was the location where they were going to be married next spring.
Their union was atypical in many ways, and not because a Rivendell royal was marrying an outsider. In elven culture, betrothal periods normally last for centuries. But in their grueling battle for the fate of the empires in the rapture, Jimmy suggested they get married if they made this out alive. And being the hopeless romantic he was, Scott didn’t want to keep him waiting.
Jimmy knew Scott would agree to marry him in a cave with nothing but a poppy, but agreed to a grand ceremony in Rivendell. No offensive to Joel and Lizzie, but he would rather not get married in the Church of the Blood Sheep. Scott only hoped Jimmy knew what he was getting himself into as elven unions could last weeks, assuming they even make it through this Winterfest.
There was an air of silence as they stepped inside the church. Walking along the aisle, Jimmy turned his head as he noticed elves lighting up cyan candles. The style of the wax made him believe they were imported from Pixadria, sharing a similar style to the vigil. Each flame represented a soul from Rivendell that lost their life to the corruption, whether it be millennia ago or in the recent era with the return of Xornoth.
The bright aurora lights filtered in through the stained glass window, casting onto the golden horns of Aeor, matching the circlet on Scott’s head. Standing in front of the altar, Scott kneeled, his snowy owl wings sprawled across the white, cyan and golden carpet. He whispered as he prayed, his voice being no louder than a mutter.
Even as he stood next to him, Jimmy couldn’t understand Scott speaking in Sindarin, but had a general idea of what he must’ve said. As Scott prayed, Jimmy noticed him getting a couple stares from his citizens. Despite sensing all the cold gazes falling upon him, Scott kept a calm expression and closed eyes. The elven king stood once he finished, ready to depart from the church.
“Jimmy, my business is done here. We don’t have to stay any longer.” Slowly glancing over his shoulders, his cyan eyes captured the light through the stained glass.
“Is it alright if I say a prayer too?”
“Sure, you’re by no means required to, but nothing is stopping you if you want to.” Stepping aside, the Rivendell king made way so that Jimmy was front and center with the altar.
Scott watched curiously as his fiancé stood in front of the golden horns. Jimmy put his gloved hands together and started to silently pray, carrying a hint of hesitancy. It made sense as Aeor wasn’t his deity of worship and it was his first time doing it. Seeing his serene smile, Scott couldn’t help but appreciate his innocence to it all.
Later, they found themselves in the garden on the church grounds. The peonies were covered in a thin layer of frost that shimmered under the light, still maintaining their pink hue. Scott pushed Jimmy on a wooden swing, supported by one of the many azalea trees.
“So, what was that about?” Jimmy asked, feeling a rush of cold wind as he swayed.
“What was what about?” Scott replied, pretending he didn’t know exactly what he was talking about.
“You know, the way your people looked at you in the church.” He recalled their looks of downright disgust, not directed at him, but towards Scott. This caused him to drag his feet through the snow and cease swinging. “It looked like they wanted you out.”
“It’s no big deal. People have always treated me like that.” The elf stopped pushing him.
“But you’re their king. They shouldn’t treat you like that. I’ll talk to them right now.” Standing up, Jimmy was ready to march towards the building, but was stopped by Scott grabbing his hand.
“There’s no need, it won’t make much of a difference.” His grip tightened, insisting he didn’t go. His cyan glancing downwards as he explained. “Younger siblings, twins especially, are bad omen in Rivendell culture. It’s also the reason a lot of people have never been that fond of me, even after Aeor chose me.”
Having a general idea of what he was referring to with his and Xornoth’s situation, Jimmy pointed out, “I’m a youngest child too. Doesn’t that make me just as cursed?”
“The rules aren’t the same for outsiders. You don’t have to worry about one of your people becoming Exor’s next champion.” Scott took off the golden antler circlet from his head and looked upon it. “As a kid, I would often visit the church and beg Aeor for forgiveness for the sin of being born.”
Jimmy placed the crown back on Scott’s head, albeit slightly crooked, before taking both his hands. “What did you pray for tonight?”
“I can’t tell you, or else it won’t happen.” The elf winked at him.
“These aren't birthday wish rules, Scott. Yours was last month anyways.” Jimmy rolled his eyes in response.
“I’ll tell you, but only if you give me a kiss.” He pointed to his lips, to which his fiancé leaned down to give him a warm peck. “In short, I wished for safety and longevity for Rivendell and its people. How about you?”
“I believe it's my turn for a kiss.” It was Scott’s turn to playfully roll his eyes. As their lips later parted, Jimmy smiled widely as he said, “For us to stay together forever like this.”
Over the next few days, Winterfest was nothing short of eventful. With Scott having to make public appearances, duties to attend to, and events to oversee, it felt like he and Jimmy were constantly being dragged across Rivendell. At each break of dawn, Scott was early to rise. Meanwhile, Jimmy wished they could stay together in bed longer, and share in the warmth. So, when they were off the clock, Scott wanted to make every moment between them count.
“I was thinking after we set off lanterns together, we can go visit the Enchantment Tower. At the top level there is a telescope that the Crystal Cliffs gifted to us. It’s perfect for seeing the stars tonight. Then, we can go ice skating on the frozen river.” Scott rambled about his plans for tonight, reading off a list he put together.
As he was talking, the two walked together in the crowded Rivendell streets. They passed by the statue of Aeor, the stag god’s quartz antlers collected long icicles which were kept intentionally. They were also decorated with hanging golden lights and garland of peonies. The town was decorated similarly as the large, purified, crystals floated in the sky above, showing Aeor’s protection over Rivendell. Between all the lights and the loud chatter from the festival, Jimmy found it easy to get disoriented.
“So how does that sound?” Upon finishing, Scott turned to him, in search of approval.
“Sure, I like that plan.” Jimmy replied, partially paying attention.
“Let’s go light the lanterns then.” Taking eagerly his hand, he was ready to rush down the street.
“You go on ahead. I need to sit down for a minute.”
“Oh…” The elf paused as he seemingly understood. That didn’t stop his cyan eyes from turning downcast as his pointed ears flicked.
Opening his snowy owl wings, Scott took off per his request. Left alone, Jimmy sat down on a snowy, stone brick ledge. He took a moment to close his tired eyes and drown out his surroundings, relaxing his feet after walking and standing all day.
“I take it you’re not from around here either.”
Brown eyes snapping opening, he turned his head to see a man. Unlike everyone else Jimmy had seen that had some sort of shade of blue or purple, his eyes and hair were both a deep brown. Not to mention the tip of his ears were round, most likely making him human. The man appeared to be some sort of merchant, wearing a cream coat and orange striped scarf in the cold weather. The llama he had, carrying belonging, wore a saddle blanket in a similar color.
“What gave it away?” Jimmy teased, knowing full well his blond hair and the fact he was a cod-hybrid made it quite obvious.
“Your appearance is one thing, but I’ve always seen you with King Scott. I can tell you don’t party the same way as the elves around here do.”
“We don’t have many events like this at the Cod Empire, especially not anything like this.” Jimmy motioned his head to the ongoing festival.
“Tell me about it. I am always traveling across the twelve empires to support myself, which means I’m at Winterfest every year. The name’s Owen by the way.” He introduced myself before glancing towards his llama. “He is also Owen, not to confuse you.”
“Nice to meet you, Owen. And you too, Owen.” Jimmy held out a gloved-webbed hand to shake his, before petting the identically named llama. Finding a fellow outsider, who had similar experiences to him with Winterfest, he couldn’t help but bounce slightly. “So, is it like this every year?”
“Yeah, pretty much the same-old same-old. People around here really don’t like trying anything different. They aren’t the nicest, but man are they rich.” Owen grinned, holding golden coins between the gaps of his fingers.
“What about Scott?” He asked, genuinely curious about his opinion.
“It’s always nice talking to him. Winterfest doesn’t get a lot of tourists for obvious reasons, but he tries his best to make us feel welcomed here. In recent years, it sometimes feels like he never shuts up about his partner and how he’s always wanted to bring him to the festival.” Owen explained with fondness and a bit of mischief.
“Is that so?” Jimmy blushed.
“What about me?” The two spun around to see Scott, closing his wings as he carried a lantern in each hand.
“Hello, your majesty. We were just talking about you. All good things of course!” Owen scrambled to put the gold coins away and make himself presentable.
“Long time no see, Owen.” The elf greeted him with a smile.
“You too, King Scott. I was having a good time chatting to Codfather Jimmy here about Winterfest.”
“You know who I am?” The cod-hybrid blinked in confusion.
“How could I not? Like I’ve said, I’ve been all over the empires and know who’s in charge, even if we’ve never met prior. Besides, you’ve heard what I’ve just said prior.” Owen crossed his arms in satisfaction.
After some catching up, the couple bid the merchant farewell and hoped to see him again before they were on their way. With some much needed time of rest and his talk, Jimmy felt better and was eager for what Scott had planned for the rest of the night.
Rushing up the spiral staircase of the Enchantment Tower, the two headed to the roof marked by its golden horns. They dangled their feet as they sat on the wooden ledge. Scott wrapped a snowy owl wing around Jimmy as leaned on each other for warmth. Setting off their lanterns at the same time, they observed as the golden lights floated in the starlit sky, making their place among Aeor’s crystals and the colorful auroras.
As they star-gazed, Scott pointed to his favorite constellations visible in Rivendell and explained their history. Jimmy, used to being the more talkative one, was simply content with listening as he enjoyed being in the elf’s presence. Then, it was time for ice skating. Scott got a good laugh as he watched Jimmy fumble while keeping his balance. The moment lasted short as Jimmy tugged on his leg, causing him to slip. The two laid down on the ice and laughed longer than they’d like to admit.
“We have to stop by one of my favorite places in all of Rivendell. How could I forget?” Scott paused as he remembered, halting in the middle of the street as they passed a building.
“I wonder where that could be.” Jimmy teased as he let his fiancé lead the way.
Stepping inside a barn-like structure, rays of moonlight filtered in through the many openings. It faintly reflected on the feathers of many perched birds and their nests. Scott’s presence alone brought an air of excitement to the owlery as they opened their wings and flocked towards him.
“Hello Azalea, Tulip.” The elf greeted the owls that landed on his shoulder with a hum. Seeing one perch on Jimmy’s head and messing up his blond hair, Scott couldn’t help but laugh. “You too, Sunflower.”
“How can you tell them all apart?” Disheveled, he attempted to remove the snowy owl by picking it up as it attempted to nip his finger.
Scott bowed his head, letting the Sunflower take off and nest on his Aeor circlet. “Well, when you spend enough time around these guys, you learn to tell them apart. I memorize them by their patterns. Female snowy owls have a lot more spots, while males’ feathers tend to be mostly white.” Fluttering his wings, Scott showed his sparse spotting compared to the owls perched on him. “Azalea is the messenger bird for Mezalea, obviously . Tulip the Overgrown, and Sunflower Gilded Helianthia.”
“So, you name them all after flowers?” Wandering around the owlery, Jimmy came face to face with a bird, gazing into its wide, seemingly-unblinking, amber eyes.
“I named them all by flowers or plants I think represent each empire. I also have Lilac for the Crystal Cliffs, Coral for the Ocean Empire and a lot more. Do you know the name of the one for your empire?” Scott inquired.
Jimmy put a hand to his chin as he thought on it. Orchid crossed his mind as he recalled the swamp garden in the Cod Empire, but knew it wasn’t correct. Thinking about it more, he came to the conclusion that it could possibly by only one name.
“It has to be Poppy.”
Smiling with delight, Scott whistled. At his beckon, an owl perched from a-high opened its white and black speckled wings, swooping down in silence before landing on his shoulder.
“I remember you.” Jimmy happily rubbed underneath the owl’s chin as it fluttered its wings. “Speaking of poppies, I’m surprised we haven’t seen any yet.”
“It is winter, so it’s harder for them to grow at this time of year and there aren’t many around Rivendell in general. I think it’s unlikely we’ll find any.” The wistfulness in Scott’s tone caused one of the owls to let out a sympathetic coo, nudging him.
That reason wasn’t enough to deter Jimmy as he gave Scott a determined smile. “Don’t worry, I’ll find one for you before the festival is over if it’s the last thing I do.”
The night of the full moon marked the final hours of Winterfest. On a night warmer than all the rest, one that could be called lovely by Rivendell cold standards, Scott would’ve loved nothing more than to spend it at the ongoing festival with Jimmy. Instead, his duty as king required them both to attend the closing ball that lasted throughout the night, ending at the break of dawn along with Winterfest.
An elven band strummed on their harps, lyres and lutes as others played the flute. In the center of the grand hall, elves danced, spinning their partners around as they showed off their finely-tailored blue and white outfits. The gold they adorned themselves with shining under the crystal light of the quartz chandeliers. Towards the side of the room, stood a long, dark oak table. It was decorated with peonies, candles, a draping cyan tablecloth, housing various meals fit for a royal feast.
“After we had to cancel last year due to the spread of corruption, I’m thankful to Aeor that we could hold Winterfest again this year.” Scott was forced to play good host to the higher ranked families.
The warm, stuffy atmosphere made it difficult to breathe as Scott longed for the chilling outside air. He figured Jimmy must’ve felt the same, remaining by his side the entire celebration. His brown eyes constantly bounced about the ballroom as he let out a yawn.
“I am glad to have the Codfather grace us with his presence this fine evening. Isn’t that right?” Scott wrapped an arm around his fiancé’s waist as the nobles gave them discerned looks.
Snapping out of his daze, he smiled politely, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I couldn’t be happier to be here.”
Growing weary of their conversation, the nobles eventually left. Finally given a moment to themselves, Scott offered Jimmy a hand. “Might I interest you in a dance, Codfather?”
“I thought you would never ask.” He eagerly took it, his silver ring shimmering under the light of the chandeliers.
As they headed to the center floor, Jimmy noticed Scott turn pale as a few elves with similar shades of cyan noticed him. It was no means an uncommon color in Rivendell as almost every elf was some shade of blue or purple, but this the closest he’s ever seen anyone resembling Scott, besides his twin brother. Jimmy felt Scott’s grip around his hand tighten and tremble as they approached.
“Lord and Lady Goldsmith, other relatives. Happy Winterfest and Aeor’s blessings to you.” The King put on a bold front, partially opening his white wings as his golden antler circlet
“Aeor’s blessings to you too, Sovereign Major.” The noble patriarch bowed his head as the rest of the family followed, his voice lacking sincerity.
“How exactly are you related to these guys?” Jimmy whispered to him.
“Goldsmith is the house my late mother was from before she married into the royal family. You’ve never met them before.” And for better reasons if he thought so himself.
The only connection he shared to the Goldsmiths was through blood and nothing else. Even though they were relatives, it didn’t stop them from criticizing his rule at every given opportunity. Either upset by the fact they weren’t also considered royals despite marrying into the family, or ashamed by the twin offsprings the queen produced.
“What kind of preposterous question is that? That fish is marrying into the throne. He should be familiar with every noble house in Rivendell.” Another relative glared judgmentally at Jimmy, focusing on his finned-features in particular.
“Jimmy is my fiancé and another emperor. He is the ruler of the Cod Empire and will be prince consort of Rivendell and your relative this spring, so I expect you to show him some basic decency.” Scott’s simple request was met by silent stares and hints of disgust, struggling to make small-talk after the fact. “Was the feast to your liking at least?”
“There is significantly less food than the last Winterfeast. We were only allowed one full course meal each.” The matriarch complained, holding a golden carrot between her ring-covered fingers.
Scott took a deep breath, trying his best to remain composed and civil despite them testing his nerves. “Our crops are still recovering from the corruption, so our farmers did the best they could. It’s going to take a few years for Rivendell to get back to how it was before.”
If anything, he was simply grateful that Rivendell didn’t suffer as greatly compared to the other empires. In the past, Rivendell heavily relied on Gilded Helianthia to keep them fed during the Winter seasons. But due to the burning of the farming empire’s crop fields, they had to make do with what they had. Scott’s priority was making sure everyone was provided for over a grand feast, not that any of his relatives would care to think of anyone besides themselves.
“I’ll be right back.” Jimmy excused himself, leaving the ballroom.
Scott couldn’t blame him for needing a break in the slightest, especially after being subjected the whole night to the scrutinizing gaze of elven nobility. Now that he was left alone, he felt a vacuum of warmth at his side where Jimmy should’ve been. Seeing as the dance wasn’t happening anytime soon, he returned to his chair. It was the largest one, located in the center of the feast table and decorated with golden antlers.
Not having much of an appetite, Scott picked with his fork at the sweetberry salad. He did his best to sit up straight and display etiquette fitting for a royal, but nothing could hide his gloominess over this evening. His pointed ears flickered as he heard a pair of elves talk nearby, commenting on the lack of Jimmy at his side. They laughed over the possibility of him cheating on him, possibly with his brother.
Knowing that Jimmy loved nobody else but him, Scott easily dismissed it as gossip. Yet the entire time he sat alone, he toyed with the silver ring on his left hand, the metal feeling colder under his touch. A tap on his shoulder caused Scott to jolt out of his state of distraction, puffing his white feathers. Turning his head over his shoulder, he saw a magenta haired elf whose appearance mirrored his own.
“That trick never ceases to work on you, little brother.” Xornoth grinned. “What’s with the long face?”
Scott felt a wave of relief from his twin’s presence, seeing him for the first time this evening. “You’ve attended plenty of balls before. You tell me.”
“You know, this is one of the parts about being heir that I certainly don’t miss.” He said, looking out at the ballroom crowd with a hint of disgust. “But I know it’s not about them. You’ve always been able to tolerate them far better than I ever could. It’s about that cod-boy, isn’t it?”
“What gave it away?” Scott’s fork slipped from his grasp.
“It couldn’t be more obvious how down bad you are for him. Knowing you, you’d marry him right now if you could as spring feels too far away.” Xornoth playfully laughed. “Plus, we spent nine months in the womb together. So, I hope I know you better than that.”
“Where were you tonight? I could’ve used you as emotional support against them.”
“No offense, Scott, but I’m not exactly considered popular around here after what I did to our parents and the empires.”
“But it was Exor that was in control of your body, not you.” Scott’s cyan gaze turned sympathetic, remembering that time almost a year ago when they were both victims in the stag gods’ war.
There was a moment of silence as his twin’s expression matched his own before cracking a slight smile. “I know, but not everybody is as kind as you, my brother. That’s why I’m glad to have you, and I’m sure he must feel the same.”
At the mention of him, the double doors to the ballroom swung open, letting in a chilling wind inside as Jimmy returned. In his hand was something red, contrasting against all the blue, white and gold around them. Recognizing what it was, the other elves started to whisper. Yet Jimmy paid them no attention as he headed directly towards Scott.
“You told me you couldn’t find these in Rivendell, especially not at this time of year.” Getting on one knee, he presented a poppy to Scott.
“I didn’t think it was possible.” His cyan eyes widened as he rose to feet, smiling as he tucked the flower behind his pointed ear before giving Jimmy a hand.
As the two held hands and stared into each other’s eyes affectionately, there were mutters from the noble elves around them. Given Scott’s desire to use the color blue in everything, most would’ve assumed his favorite flower was of a similar shade, but they were wrong. Those who truly knew him were aware that it was poppies. It was a shame that they weren’t commonly seen in Rivendell, due to their difficulty to survive the cold, mountainous conditions and those that did were destroyed for one reason.
“Such arrogance. You’d think for someone of his status, he would consider a different type of flower for his majesty.”
“For someone marrying into the royal family, you’d think he would at least respect our culture. It only shows how far the Major clan has fallen.”
“Foolish cod. Doesn’t he know that poppies represent death? There is a reason they are the flower of Exor.”
Growing weary of all the snide comments, Scott had enough. “If you have something you wish to say, say it to my face.”
“I do,” a council elder stepped forward, their icy blue gaze falling upon the flash of red in Scott’s cyan hair. “You know full well what it represents, your majesty. You must get rid of it.”
“It’s just a poppy. It’s not harming anyone.” He had to resist the urge to roll his eyes right then and there, given the absurdity of the situation. “Besides, Jimmy is not a follower of Aeor, therefore it carries a different meaning to him.”
“I won’t have that fish corrupting you. Right now you’re making a mockery of our people after what Exor did to us.” The elder tried snatching it from Scott, but he managed to easily evade.
“I knew he wasn’t worthy to be Aeor’s champion and our king. His unholiness was obvious from the second he was born, being a second child. We can’t trust him, especially after he invited him back into our sacred empire.” Another noble chimed in, sneering as they pointed at Xornoth.
Facing discrimination from his people his entire life, Scott could handle whatever insults they threw at him. He drew a line when it came to people he cared about, especially involving his brother and fiancé. Just as Scott was about ready to jump to their defense, Jimmy stepped forward.
“I don’t think you people realize how much Scott has done for you. None of you were there to fight the corruption or see the damage done like we did. You were too busy hiding in your homes as other people did the work for you. For people who preach the teachings of Aeor, you certainly don’t follow them. It’s not his fault that you’re all ungrateful and too stuck up to think of anyone but yourselves.”
A silence fell across the entire hall as everyone was stunned, Scott included. He had spent centuries putting on a polite front and taking their behavior in stride. While there was truth to Jimmy’s words, he didn’t think anyone would actually say it. Turning to see his partner’s appalled expression, Jimmy’s anger subsided in an instant. Believing he had gone too far, he quickly left the ballroom before anyone could react.
Searching throughout the lodge, Scott found Jimmy in his bedroom. He was back in his usual green clothes and moss cloak. The Rivendell garb he wore to the ball sat on top of cyan bedsheets besides a brown satchel bag. Scott was sure Jimmy must’ve heard him, he wasn’t trying to be stealthy. If he did, the cod-hybrid didn’t acknowledge his presence as he packed.
“And what might you be doing?” Scott placed a hand on the wooden doorframe, peering in.
“Leaving. Is it not obvious?” Setting a stack of clothing down, motioning to himself.
“I know that, but why?”
“You saw what happened back there. Do I really have to explain?” Heaving a frustrated sigh, Jimmy flopped onto the bed and stared blankly at the ceiling. “I messed things up like I always do, because of that I ruined Winterfest for you and everyone. It’s best if I leave without causing a scene and we can talk about this later since I thought you’d be too mad to talk to me right now.”
“Even if I was mad at you, I’m not letting you go in the middle of the night. It’s cold and there are bandits out there.” Scott crossed his arms. His tone carried no malice, only exhaustion.
“So, you’re not upset?” Jimmy slowly sat up, staring at Scott with wide, brown eyes.
Only then did he notice the lack of golden antlers or crystal crown on the elf’s head, but the poppy was still here. He wasn’t speaking to the King of Rivendell or Champion of Aeor, but simply just the man he loved.
“Aeor, no. You didn’t ruin anything. Simply having you around made this one of my better Winterfests.”
“If this is a better one, do I want to know about the other ones?” Jimmy winced at the thought.
As Scott entered the room, Jimmy felt the temperature drop a few degrees. Walking past him, the elf stood in front of the large window showing most of Rivendell. The empire was filled with golden and warm hues, contrasting against the cold light of the silver moon and blue auroras that filtered inside, bright enough to cast a long shadow on him.
Scott watched as elves passed by, the silence between him and Jimmy being enough to hear the joyous laughs of his citizens as they celebrated. That should’ve been them tonight, and every other night they partook in Winterfest together, but it wasn’t. The longing feeling caused him to reach out to touch the glass, causing a thin layer of frost to form and spread.
Despite not being able to look his partner in the eyes, Scott’s reflection perfectly captured his regret and sorrow. “What I’m trying to say is that I should be the one apologizing to you, Jimmy.”
“Huh?”
“This is your first Winterfest and I wanted it to be a memorable experience for you, but I ended up being nothing but a terrible and selfish host. I wanted everything to be perfect for you, but in doing so I forgot about what’s most important.” Turning away from the view of his empire, he faced Jimmy with a shaky smile. “And that is you.”
“I honestly could care less about the festival and the elven culture stuff. I’m here for you because I love you.” Hearing this caused Jimmy to stand up, walk towards him, and pull Scott into a hug.
The cold emitting from him took a second to adjust to, but it was nothing Jimmy couldn’t handle.
“Love you too…” Scott quietly hummed, closing his eyes as he felt the warmth.
“After what happened tonight, are you sure you don’t want to elope? It’s not too late to change the wedding to be in my empire.” Jimmy whispered as they remained in embrace.
“And leave Xornoth here all alone to fend for himself to live year-round at a swamp? Not a chance.” He laughed, playfully pushing his partner away by the chest.
“Eh, it was worth a shot.” Jimmy’s brown eyes then curiously glanced about the room. “So, now what?”
“Well, the ball is still going on in the main hall…”
“No offense, but I’d rather not go back there.”
“I don’t want to either. I’m glad we’re on the same page.” Scott let out a relieved sigh. “I could care less how they manage the closing ceremony without me. However, Winterfest technically isn’t over until sunrise.”
“I think we should celebrate Winterfest however we want. We never got our dance, did we?” Jimmy suggested with glee.
“We didn’t.” Scott smiled softly in return.
“And I got just the thing for the occasion.” The cod-hybrid started to rummage through his satchel bag for a certain item in particular, taking out a music disc with a yellow label.
“I can’t believe you actually thought to pack that thing with you.” Rolling his eyes, the elf crossed his arms.
“It’s the best song in the whole wide world! How could I not?” Jimmy teased, holding disc thirteen up high before trying to fit it in the jukebox in Scott’s room.
“I hate you so much right now.”
“No you don’t.”
“You’re right, I don’t.” Scott let up, leaning over to kiss Jimmy on the cheek.
Looking up at the elf fondly, he noticed the beautiful sight of Rivendell at night accompanied by the start of light snowfall. “You know what, we can always listen to it later. It’s a nice night and I think we should enjoy Winterfest before it’s over.”
Holding hands, the two ran out of the lodge together, ditching the stuck-up atmosphere of the ball. Their search for an area with some privacy led them to standing on the bridge in front of a frozen waterfall as snow danced gracefully around them. The statue of Aeor stood in the background to watch over them.
The light of the full moon, blue and green aurora sky shone down upon them, making their matching rings shimmered as their fingers were interlocked. They danced, not to the sound of harpstrings and other elven instruments, but the beat of their own hearts.