Son of storm and chaos

He watched Lian’s breathing through the darkness, only illuminated by the faded orange glow of a dying candle. It was hard to forget that Lian had only been a frightened young man fleeing for his life in modern Thailand a few months ago. Now he was here, hardening by the day as he was forced to take responsibilities. And no amount of negotiation Hao Xue did could prevent this. He had tried. 

The first days of their shared captivity, Hao Xue had holed himself away and everything to evoke enough pain to send himself back to the days before Lian was captured. But either something was wrong with him, or this world. His gift wasn’t as malleable as it used to be. Instead, he feigned an accident with a smile and continued working to advise Lian as best he could. 

So it was now, prompting the prince to turn fully toward him and reach for the blanket that had been draped over his shoulders.

He could only truly breathe when he wasn’t near those who contributed to that coldness spreading within him day after day and gradually wrapping itself around his heart. Only when he believed he was, at least in moments like these, trying to be himself again could his lungs expand.

“I only washed my face.” It sounded like a normal statement, but it was meant to be an apology for the fact that there might still be dirt and blood stuck in his hair. Hao Xue was probably right that he needed a haircut again.

But what he appreciated most at that moment was that the man let him stay there. That he didn’t ask what had happened and simply let him be. Conláed loved the silence between them, in which he could simply be himself.

Aedan remained frozen, holding his gloved hands up in an attempt at proving they were obedient. The concealed hunting knife was little comfort at that moment. ‘The horse?’ His throat strained. He wasn’t in the mood to negotiate with these pricks anymore. But the sharp blade under the fleshy part of Lian’s throat meant that didn’t matter. 

He glanced between each of the men. They were outnumbered, overpowered. Perhaps he could save the horse? At least Kas could flee. But then there was the boy on all fours, waiting to be executed by some country bumpkins. 

‘And the sword. Fancy piece of kit, that,’ one of the poachers said, wandering towards Lian and the other one. ‘How much did that cost?’ 

Aedan flicked a glance at the lone poacher lurking next to him. Babysitting him? His brows furrowed. He could gut that one but it would leave Lian surrounded. 

Clearing his throat, Aedan’s voice came out hoarse. ‘Lad, let these men look at the horse.’ He tried to communicate with his eyes that he needed Lian to comply. But the terror was also visible. 

Kas snorted and stomped, as if he knew the intentions of these humans. 

Aedan shushed Kas with a simple tutting sound and murmured in his mother tongue something that eased the beautiful stallion’s mind. But that was enough to terrify the poachers. 

‘What the fuck was that?’ one of the poachers said, turning his attention to Aedan enough to remove the sickle from Lian’s throat. ‘What the fuck did you say to it?’ 

The horse in exchange for Conláed’s life.

No matter how the prince turned it over in his mind, with a blade pressed against his carotid artery should he even dare to move, he would not be able to free himself on his own.

So he had no choice but to listen—to Aedan’s words and the bandits’ reactions—his fingernails digging desperately into the earthen ground.

His eyes shifted to Kas when he noticed the stallion growing restless. The animal knew something was wrong. Especially since his human, threatened with a blade, was forced to kneel on the ground.

Then Kas calmed down when Aedan whispered something. Despite his best efforts, Conláed couldn’t make it out, but it was apparently enough to startle the bandits. And with that, the threat of the sickle at his throat vanished into thin air. At least for the split second he had to seize the opportunity presented to him.

Gripping the hilt of his sword, Conláed leapt to his feet and rammed his elbow into the reaper’s ribs. The man stumbled backward, giving the prince room to draw his sword and, with a slap on Kas’s back, signaling him to flee.

“I’ll protect you.”

“You’re not a burden.”

“It’s okay. You can rest.”

“It’ll all turn out all right.”

“It’s alright to cry. Let it out.”

“You did the best you could.”

“You still deserve to be loved.”

“You’re stronger than you think.”

“You can scream if you need to.”

“It’s not as bad as you think it is.”

“You’ve got this. I believe in you.”

“You’re allowed to have feelings.”

“No one’s going to hurt you here.”

“There’s nothing dangerous here.”

“Do you need someone to talk to?”

“Come here, I think you need a hug.”

“It’s okay. It’s okay. You’re safe, now.”

“Your past mistakes are not who you are.”

“You can squeeze my hand if you need to.”

“I know it’s scary, but I know you’ll be okay.”

“You deserve to be treated better than that.”

“You don’t have to handle this all on your own.”

“It’s okay to mess up. You don’t have to be perfect.”

“You don’t have to be scared anymore. You’re safe.”

“You’re better at this than you give yourself credit for.”

“You made a mistake, and it’s not the end of the world.”

“I’ll always be right here for you, whenever you need me.”

“You’re scared. It’s okay to admit it, there’s no shame in it.”

“I’m always going to have your back. You know that, right?”

“It’s okay to speak up. You should have a voice in this, too.”

“I’m here, whether you need hugs, or ice cream, or… anything.”

“I’m here for you. I will always be here for you, as long as I live.”

“There’s nothing wrong with looking after yourself. It’s not selfish.”

“You deserve to have someone you cares about and what you need.”

“How about I make you something to eat, and you can tell me about it?”

“No one expects you to be indestructible. It’s alright to break sometimes.”

“There is nothing you could ever do or say that would make me love you less.”

“You’re always tasking care of everyone else, but do you let anyone look after you?”

“Do you want to just order pizza, watch a movie, and forget about it all for a minute?”

“You don’t always have to be the hero. sometimes it’s okay for other people to save you, too.”

“Why do you always assume you’re a problem for me? I chose to love you, and all that comes with that.”

Lonely Sentences, Vol. 1

(Sentences for lonely muses, and those trying to help them. Adjust phrasing where needed)

"And then I think that maybe I was designed to be alone..."

"You're alone. You've been alone your whole life."

"Do yourself a favour and do what lonely people do: get a dog."

"I imagine you were lonely - a mind like yours in a place like that."

"You don't seem the kind to make friends easily."

"My books have been my only true companion since childhood."

"What's your plan then? To stay alone forever?"

"You are, in your own way, a lonelier man than me."

"So, what makes you think I'm lonely?"

"Don't get many visitors here, do you?"

"I just don't understand why you work so hard to be alone."

"I know what it's like to be alone."

"There's nothing wrong with being alone."

"Don't say that! You don't have to be alone!"

"Do you know what it's like to be alone? Really alone?"

"You must be so lonely."

"How long have you been alone? Are you lonely?"

"Does it ever bother you? Being alone?"

"If you work for a living, why do you kill yourself working?"

"We're better off alone. We suffer alone. We die alone."

"We're all alone in the world. I have you, you have me. Only for a little while, I mean."

"I have felt alone all my life, except with you."

"To one extent or another, I've always been alone."

"You're lonely, and sometimes loneliness turns to bitterness."

"Have you lived a lonely life?"

"I was lonely. Almost no one there thought like I thought."

"Some things are better left alone. Like me, for instance."

"I like being alone - at least, I convince myself that I'm better off that way."