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Tiernan sat by the fire. He didn’t know if he wanted Hyacinthe to come find him or not. He could only hope he had been part of the group of Madoc’s soldiers who had chosen to repent. Deep down, he knew it was unlikely.
Tiernan had always understood Hyacinthe’s need for revenge. He understood the rage that burned in his love’s heart. He couldn’t support him turning against Elfhame. He certainly couldn’t join him. He couldn’t commit treason. All he could do was love him from afar and hope he would see reason.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a shadow in the trees. He swallowed. “Hyacinthe?” he called out. A falcon swooped down and landed near Tiernan. He paused before asking again, “Hyacinthe?” The falcon nodded.
Tiernan froze, unsure how to continue. “I… why…?” The falcon didn’t look away but maintained perfect eye contact. “Your damn pride. You just can’t admit that you did wrong.” Tiernan wasn’t sure if he was laughing or crying. Maybe both. “You could’ve been fine. You could’ve just admitted that you were wrong. You could’ve simply asked for forgiveness. But your damn pride….”
The falcon slowly took a few steps back. “What were you thinking? If you had just admitted you were wrong to join Madoc’s side you could’ve been fine. You didn’t truly owe him anything. He didn’t know about your father. He had no idea the debt you feel you owe him. Yes, he killed Dain. He didn’t kill him for your revenge.”
“You came here thinking that I’m just okay with all of this? That I’m okay with feeding you for a year and a day due to your own hubris? What if I’m not? What’s your plan then?” Tiernan could only pray that his pain wasn’t showing. He could only dream that he was managing to hold back his tears.
The falcon took a few more steps back. “Why? Why should I take care of you after putting your need for revenge over us? Go. Leave. You’re not my responsibility.”
Despite the hurt in the falcon’s eyes, it didn’t fight back or remain, but flew away.
Tiernan sat there staring into the fire as tears rolled down his face. Hopefully someone else would be kind enough to care for him. Someone kinder than him.
…but what if no one did?
If no one cared for him he’d be forced to hunt, which would cause him to be stuck forever, or die.
Did he want that?
Did he want his beloved to have to choose between staying cursed forever or death?
Now it was Tiernan’s time to suffer the consequences of his pride and pain.
He abandoned everything at his campsite and ran. He needed to find Hyacinthe before he could do anything stupid. He couldn’t have gotten too far away. Tiernan had trained for years to become a knight, yet this was likely the hardest and fastest he had ran before.
He called his lover’s name over and over again.
Just as he was about to collapse from exhaustion, he spotted a falcon moving from the air onto a nearby tree branch. Tiernan fell down to his knees. “Hyacinthe. Don’t go. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. I shouldn’t have told you to leave. I love you. You’re not my responsibility, but I love you and I want you with me. I need you with me. I know you can’t ask for forgiveness, so let me do it for you. I forgive you. I love you. Please. Please don’t leave me.”
Hyacinthe came down and landed right in front of Tiernan. “Please. Let me take care of you,” his voice cracked, “come back home. Please.”
Hyacinthe slowly nodded. Tiernan extended his arm for him to get on. Hyacinthe perched on his arm as Tiernan stood back up. “I love you, idiot.”