#floweredchild

Things weren’t moving along fast enough. Although he had recovered full control of his magic and was back to making a somewhat steady incoming, it was nearly impossible for Gael to save up whatever it was. His family always came first to him, and it meant that most of the money had to be spent on their survival. He’d taken it upon himself to find work and juggled that with his fire dancing street performances, but even then it wasn’t enough. He’d lost count of how many moons passed and still couldn’t scrounge up a quarter of what a passage to Ferelden cost. He wanted to see Lyrel, he would give almost anything for a chance to be with him again. And it showed in the way he didn’t smile as wide or laughed as loud. How he walked with shoulders slumped, feet dragging. His siblings began to notice, and one day, when they sat together for supper, he decided to finally tell them about the elven boy he’d fallen in love with and missed dearly. What was his surprise when, a week later, Matias came up to him holding a bag heavy with coin, handed it over to his younger brother and told him to go. All the questions Gael asked in incredulity went unanswered. Just take it and go, Matias said. The girls and I will be fine. And we will be here when you return, one day.

Saying goodbye was tough on him. He didn’t know when he would come home again, there was only enough for one trip. Didn’t know when he would see his brothers or sisters again. It was a hard choice to make, staying with his family or leaving to rejoin his love. All he knew was that he’d come back, that was guaranteed. After many tears and many hugs, Gael set sail aboard a ship bound for the Storm Coast, even if part of his heart would always stay in Rivain. He didn’t tell Lyrel that he was on his way, though. Not yet. He wanted to make it a surprise, to see the look on the other’s face when he arrived like something out of a dream. The journey by sea, with a few stops to resupply, took a total of two weeks. Gael noticed when they began approaching Ferelden when mist and rain loomed in the horizon, and the temperature dropped with each passing day. By luck, a good sailor on board let him have  one of his warm cloaks in exchange for labor, a good offer since there was little to do on a ship. When he got to land, he took what little he owned and began the trek to find Lyrel. It wasn’t easy, it took several days to figure out exactly where the elf lived with his family, but when he thought he was on the right trail, he didn’t let anything stop him. Finally, after wandering through hills and trees and more hills and more trees, under heavy rain and flashes of lightning, a smell different from that of water and forest filled his nose: the smell of food cooking. Gods, he was starving and cold and soaking, but he trudged on, faster. He was so close, he could feel it. Soon enough he was seeing the beginnings of a garden, then a house, in the distance. There was smoke coming out of the chimney and someone was tending to the flowers. Someone with black hair...

The first month after Lyrel returned to Ferelden had been the hardest in Gael’s life. Although they had only spent one night together and several days enjoying each other’s company, being with him had been something so natural the Rivaini felt as though his heart had gone in that ship with his boyfriend. Even with the crystals that allowed them for hours of conversation, every time they said their goodbyes until the next time they spoke was followed by a fit of tears. Gael’s fire wouldn’t change from somber tones of blue and purple during his performances, mirroring his missing and longing. It was... difficult. Only now were things beginning to feel better, as they settled into an unsteady routine, one that didn’t miss a single day.

At first, five days seemed endless, and Gael would be lying if he said they weren’t the best of his life thus far. The rest of the time Lyrel had left in Afsaana, they spent most of it together. He showed his new love the city; they talked endlessly about anything and everything; held hands everywhere they went and also did a lot of kissing at the garden ( they were becoming quite good at it ). Cyran was having the time of life, too, making friends everywhere he went and learning everything he could about Rivain’s customs, though every night he had dinner with his brother and said he was glad that Lyrel had made such an amazing ‘friend’.

Rivaini blood is meant for sunshine and warmth. As a mage with fire affinity, that statement was doubly true for Gael. He remembered the colorful lizards that inhabited the gardens and rural places of his home country, buzzing with energy as they scurried around this way and that in the sun, chasing insects and hiding away in the holes and crevices of older buildings, only to then poke out their heads once danger had passed; but when winter set in and brought its colder temperatures and longer hours of darkness, the little creatures were hardly seen, and whenever they were spotted outside of their hideouts, they moved sluggishly, sleepily. Gael felt exactly like that when he set foot in Ferelden. It was cold, often dark, and sun was replaced with relentless rain, leaving him void of energy and drowsy. He would take his while getting used to it.

She’s frightened, as any six-year-old child would be. The distance across the creek was much shorter from her older brother’s point of view, but to Fen it might as well be an infinite stretch on top of the fallen log, turned into a natural bridge by some lightning bolt long ago. She felt silly; she had begged and begged her parents to let her follow Lyrel and Cyran into the forest on a rare sunny day, tired of seeing them run off laughing while she was stuck at home because she was too little. Now she finally had permission to go out --with a lot of persuading and promises to look after her from Lyrel-- and she was too scared to cross a small creek.

Her cheeks turned bright red with frustration as she stared at her brothers on the other side, cheering her on. “ It’s okay, Fen, you can do it! ” Cyran shouted enthusiastically. But she was scared, so scared her palms got sweaty and her heart drummed in her ears and her knees shook. Hesitantly, she signed What if I fall?, horribly aware of the sting in her eyes.

Then her eyes caught sight of Lyrel’s hands while he signed back: I’ll catch you with magic (in truth, perhaps he was a little too young to accomplish such a feat yet, but Fen didn’t know that). Meanwhile Cyran, who didn’t know how to sign very well for now, though he understood most of it, hopped energetically on his feet with a grin on his face, saying: “ I’ll dive in after you, don’t worry! C’mon!! ”

Knowing her older siblings were going to help her if anything happened gave her the extra batch of courage she needed. Fenkas took a couple of deep breaths, swatted her hands at her sides a bit like she was trying to shoo away the fear, and stepped onto the log. When it didn’t give out or make any movements, the little girl huffed and began the very slow walk. In retrospect, the tree trunk was wide enough to support two children side by side, but first times are always a little frightening no matter the circumstances. Keeping her eyes forward instead of down, like Lyrel told her, she made her way to the other side. The boys stood right at the end, holding out one hand each for her to take once she arrived and telling her how well she was doing. Halfway through she got more confident and tried walking a bit faster, which turned out to make the crossing a lot easier, if you can believe it. And just like that, Fen was grabbing Cyran and Lyrel’s hands and letting them pull her onto firm ground, joyful and excited. 

After everything he had to suffer through all his life, Gael liked to think he was at least tough enough to get overcome common diseases. He had spent weeks at sea in his travel to the south, through rain and thunder and wind, and didn’t even get a sore throat. Not even a full month in Ferelden… It began with sneezes and it became hard to swallow. Then his temperature rose fast, his limbs and back hurt, his vision began to swim and there were the dizzy spells. He tried to laugh it off, like he usually did, when Lyrel got worried. It’s just a cold, unlucky me, huh? And the same night the disease started to take hold, Gael collapsed, incapable of even keeping his balance or hold himself up.

Just this time, due to his condition, he was brought to Lyrel’s bed while Maera examined him. Despite the concerned grim look on her face, she spoke softly to him and was as kind as ever when giving him the medicine she had prepared with her own hands. That didn’t mean her conclusion sounded any more reassuring, however.

I’ve seen this happen before a couple of times. He’s not used to the same strains of disease we grow up with in Ferelden. What is a simple cold to us turns into a grave flu for him. His malnutrition doesn’t help, either. We will use stronger doses of the same medicine and potions, but… I’m afraid this is something his body has to adapt to on its own. And if it doesn’t… She didn’t need to finish the sentence for anyone to realize what that ‘if’ implied.

He made a hissing sound when Lyrel pressed on his side, his face cringing with pain as his body jolted upwards and a little ways away from him. Training with Cyran and Dareth had been rough that day, and Gael feared he might’ve walked out of it with a cracked rib or two. For once, he didn’t try to hide how much he was hurting.

“ Aye… ” He admitted in a strained voice, his breath shallow because if he filled up his lungs too much it stung a lot harsher. “ Aye, it does. Ah… It was my bad. ” He didn’t want his love to get angry at his father for being brutal with his training. Gael knew what he had been getting into when they started. “ Wasn’t watching myself properly, and I paid for it. Please don’t be mad, Lyrel… Sorry to bother you with this… ”

Gael wasn’t surprised that he had gotten seriously injured. He had been warned several times. Besides, the Rivaini was fully aware that if he were fighting against a real enemy, a blow like that could have gotten him killed. And then who would defend Lyrel? The thought gave him chills. “ I’m going to continue, ” he sighed. “ I know you don’t like it… But I need to do this. I have to do this for you. ”