gay elf month

@skylilac

@callas-pancake-tree

@sillyguy-supreme

@steal-nightmares-leave-dreams

@neverseen-nevermore

@abubble125

@purplesoup-lad-le

@gay-otlc

@thefoxysnake

@keeper-of-the-lost-dadwin

@ravs6709

@corruption-exe

@kamikothe1and0nly

@that-glasses-dog

@presidentroarie

@even-if-in-another-time

@nyxpixels

@slozhnos

@katniss-elizabeth-chase

@sofia-not-sophie

@moontoastt

@lemon-girl-in-devil-town

@three-bunnies-in-a-trenchcoat

@purpleunicycle

@just-a-honey-badger

@loverofallthingssmart

@antisocialdork

@tamsong

@cutebisexualmess

@tastetherainbow290

@gayupstraight

@myfairkatiecat

@famousinfamous

@oroshka

@tw-5

@squishmallow36

@iggydancebreak

@cosmxc-ars3hol3

@amandayetagain

@aurenflare

@kyeiscrying

@wait--where

@arsonistblue

@hydroflxwers

@an-ungraceful-swan

@bookwyrminspiration

@absolutely-existing

@ann-lol

taglist <3

@skylilac

@callas-pancake-tree

@sillyguy-supreme

@steal-nightmares-leave-dreams

@neverseen-nevermore

@abubble125

@purplesoup-lad-le

@gay-otlc

@thefoxysnake

@keeper-of-the-lost-dadwin

@ravs6709

@corruption-exe

@kamikothe1and0nly

@that-glasses-dog

@presidentroarie

@even-if-in-another-time

@nyxpixels

@slozhnos

@katniss-elizabeth-chase

@sofia-not-sophie

@moontoastt

@lemon-girl-in-devil-town

@three-bunnies-in-a-trenchcoat

@purpleunicycle

@just-a-honey-badger

@loverofallthingssmart

@antisocialdork

@tamsong

@cutebisexualmess

@tastetherainbow290

@gayupstraight

@myfairkatiecat

@famousinfamous

@oroshka

@tw-5

@squishmallow36

@iggydancebreak

@cosmxc-ars3hol3

@amandayetagain

@aurenflare

@kyeiscrying

@wait--where

@arsonistblue

@hydroflxwers

@an-ungraceful-swan

@bookwyrminspiration

@absolutely-existing

@ann-lol

@skylilac

@callas-pancake-tree

@sillyguy-supreme

@steal-nightmares-leave-dreams

@neverseen-nevermore

@abubble125

@purplesoup-lad-le

@gay-otlc

@thefoxysnake

@keeper-of-the-lost-dadwin

@ravs6709

@corruption-exe

@kamikothe1and0nly

@that-glasses-dog

@presidentroarie

@even-if-in-another-time

@nyxpixels

@slozhnos

@katniss-elizabeth-chase

@sofia-not-sophie

@moontoastt

@lemon-girl-in-devil-town

@three-bunnies-in-a-trenchcoat

@purpleunicycle

@just-a-honey-badger

@loverofallthingssmart

@antisocialdork

@tamsong

@cutebisexualmess

@tastetherainbow290

@gayupstraight

@myfairkatiecat

@famousinfamous

@oroshka

@tw-5

@squishmallow36

@iggydancebreak

@cosmxc-ars3hol3

@amandayetagain

@aurenflare

@kyeiscrying

@wait--where

@arsonistblue

@hydroflxwers

@an-ungraceful-swan

@bookwyrminspiration

@absolutely-existing

@ann-lol

~~~

Once upon a time, there was a land known as the Lost Cities (there still is, though that’s somewhat beside the point). The Lost Cities considered themselves a utopia - that is to say, ‘a place, or state of things, in which everything is perfect’. 

Nobody harboured these beliefs more than the Lost Cities’ rulers, the Council. 

Unfortunately for the Council, not everyone inhabiting the Lost Cities considered it a utopia - if you thought so, I suppose that was my fault. I apologize sincerely for any miscommunication.

One such person - or rather, elf, for the Lost Cities were inhabited almost entirely by elves (once more, I apologize for any miscommunication) - to oppose the Council - and, by extent, the Lost Cities - was named Fintan Pyren, and he was once actually a member of the Council, though that is a story for another day - point is, he despised the Council, and had devised many a plot to destroy them. There was one that came closer to succeeding than any others, though. 

He enchanted a mirror, you see, so that anyone who looked upon it could only see certain parts of themselves; not the beautiful and good (and the elves loved to believe that they were beautiful and good) parts of themselves; but the evil and ugly parts.

Fintan had intended to show the mirror to the Council and wreak havoc upon them; how this would change the system I do not quite know; but, once more, it’s irrelevant.

What is relevant, is how the plan failed - while Fintan attempted to carry it up the stairs to the Council’s grand meeting room, the mirror fell, and broke. The rushed down to find the source of such clatter, and, by some miracle, Fintan escaped.

By some other miracle, the Council also found the mirror without looking into any of its shards. Unbothered, they ushered the gnomes to clean up the mess.

However, causing whomever gazes upon the mirror to see only the ugly and evil in themselves wasn’t its only ability - if, for whatever reason, one were to end up on the opposite side of glass, they would only be able to see the ugly and evil in others.

That was terribly dull, I know - it’ll be important later, I swear it. Now, without further ado, allow me to introduce you to the true heroes of today’s tale!

The first is a boy from a Noble but negligent family, Keefe Sencen. The second is practically Keefe’s antithesis, Dex Dizznee, born of a bad - yet loving - match. 

Now, I’m sure you’re wondering, how did two people like them become friends (and, eventually? more, but we’re not quite there yet, now are we?)? Not to answer a question with a question, but how does anyone become friends (and, eventually, more)?

Why, they met at school. They both had a taste for mischief, you see - it seemed (to them, perhaps not to us on the outside) only natural for them to become friends.

The Dizznees were lovely people, and invited often invited Keefe over, and made snacks every time he did. Dex’s younger siblings adored Keefe, and invited him to play in the rose garden which their parents had set up for them - sometimes, Keefe said yes (this caused him to develop quite the soft spot for roses), other times, he declined with a genuine smile. And for a while, everything was well.

Until it wasn’t.

One day, Keefe’s mother, Lady Gisela (whom we know is a terrible mother, but, beyond that, had a sinister plot of her own, which I do not know the exact details of, for it fortunately did not succeed), gave Keefe a pair of glasses - but, as I’m sure you guessed, they weren’t normal glasses—no, as a matter of fact, they were made of shards of Fintan’s shattered mirror.

Thus, Keefe began seeing the world through reverse rose-tinted glasses. Now that everyone appeared evil and ugly, he found that he no longer cared about art, nor roses, nor his friends; nothing that he once adored.

In fact, the only thing he couldn’t find any fault in were snowflakes, once winter hit. One day, he found a particularly beautiful snowflake by a river, and, for whatever reason (magic, most likely…) followed it onto the ice.

And then, since no soul gets a break in this story, the ice broke from underneath it, and for a few terrifying moments, Keefe thought he was going to die, which was a rather unfamiliar sensation amongst elves.

Then, he was pulled out of the water by none other than Lady Gisela Sencen herself, who, with some sort of vile magic, gave Keefe a kiss on the cheek to numb the cold, and then on the other to have him forget almost everything about his life.

Gisela then took Keefe to her secret snow palace, and everyone assumed that the young Keefe Sencen drowned in the river.

That is, everyone except for Dex Dizznee. “There was no body found!” he complained to his parents the night before Keefe’s Wanderling planting; they only looked to him sympathetically. 

With a huff, he left. If Keefe truly had drowned in the river (or hadn’t), there was one person who would certainly know about it: Linh Song.

~~~

“Dex! Hi!” Linh’s voice was cheerful, and hadn’t Dex been so anxious for Keefe’s safety, he would’ve felt a stab a guilt for visiting her only for a favour.

“Linh, is Keefe dead?”

Linh froze, and the pleasant pink disappeared from her cheeks. “W-what-?!”

“They’re saying he drowned in the river- is it true?”

Linh bit her lip. “I- it’s possible, but if someone had drowned in the river, I think I would’ve known-”

“So, no?”

“I-“ her brows furrowed. “I don’t think so, no.”

Dex exhaled sharply, then laughed. “Oh, Linh- thank you so, so much…”

His laughter soon ceased, though. “But… if he’s not dead- then, then where is he?” he thought aloud.

“I-I’m not sure, Dex… I’m sorry.” Linh murmured, and Dex felt the guilt that he hadn’t earlier. He threw his arms around her. “It’s okay, Linh. Thank you so much for your help.”

She smiled weakly. “I’m sorry I couldn’t do more.”

~~~

Fortunately, more help soon arrived, in the form of a flying horse who had a particular soft spot for Keefe.

I am, of course, referring to Silveny, though you surely could’ve that figured it out yourself.

Silveny, though, couldn’t speak, so that proved to be a bit of a problem. Or it was, until she hoisted Dex onto her back and took off into the sky. 

~~~

The first thing Dex noticed once Silveny landed was that it was cold. Which was odd, since the snow was just beginning to melt.

He shivered, suddenly wishing that he had worn a warmer cape. But when he glanced up such trivial thoughts were soon forgotten. Above him stood a shining castle that must’ve been made out of pure ice; even by elven standards it was incredible, far outshining even the ‘regular’ crystal palaces.

He was already shivering when he made it to the doors, which, much to his delight, opened without much struggle.

The room he stumbled upon was empty—just the glittering ice walls and the crunchy snow floor. Dex shuddered again, though this time it was less to do with the cold. Actually, maybe room was a bit of a stretch—it was more like a hallway, with dozens of doors in every imaginable direction.

He wasn’t sure what compelled him to open the door that he did (was it fate?) but it seemed as though he chose correctly, for as he stepped into the room, he found Keefe laying on a shimmering, icy bed, face white. Dex felt his heart stop beating, but Keefe’s skin was still warm to the touch.

“Keefe?” he pinched his friends’ cheek. “Keefe! Wake up!”

Nothing. With a huff (and a quick glance in either direction, which Dex realized almost immediately was futile, as the door was closed and the room had no windows, so even if someone was coming he wouldn’t be able to tell) he hoisted Keefe into his arms.

Carrying Keefe back to where he’d left Silveny ended up being a lot more difficult than Keefe had anticipated, one of the more difficult parts being opening the doors without dropping Keefe—though he did so, and did so miraculously without running whoever had kidnapped Keefe in the first place (remember, dear reader, Dex was not aware that it was Keefe’s own mother who had done such a heinous thing).

~~~

Once Keefe, Dex, and Silveny got back to the Forbidden Cities, Keefe woke up and, as his glasses had fallen off, regained all of his memories.

~~~