Not every man could stand and look at their grandchildren and carry this much pride in them. Flreu, King of the elves, looked at his grandsons and his heart was full of pride and love. They were two of the strongest, bravest, most loving people that he had ever known. How could he be anything but proud of them? They had lived through things that no one should ever have to, and done things that no one should be forced to do, and yet here they stood.
The Celebration of Life had come and gone. Somehow they had convinced their friends to stay with them until it had passed. Now they were preparing for the journey to take Nick and Kevin home. There had been much joy in their visit, and not just for Brian and Alyck. Flreu had enjoyed visiting with these two who were so close to his grandsons.
Flreu smiled down at them from his perch on the castles outer wall. They were gathered in a group in front of the castle, surrounded by elves and dragons. The other races had long since gone back to their homes.
His grandsons made such a handsome couple. Alyck, with his dark hair and tanned skin, dressed in earth tones. Or, really, what clothes he actually put on. Just like the elves that he originally came from, Alyck was a part of the forest, and a part of nature. He much preferred to be dressed in simply breeches and that was it. Anything beyond that was almost too much for him. He kept his feet bare as well, which was normal for him. His hair, now hanging to the backs of his knees, was braided back this day.
In total contrast to him was young Brian. With that sun kissed, curly blond hair that he kept short, and the slightly tanned skin, there was no denying the sun elf in his heritage. That was who he was. He dressed in the bright colors that sun elves were known for. A loose fitting tunic, sky blue this day, and with a slightly darker blue pair of breeches.
They were such a contrast, and yet the perfect pair, all at the same time. There was no one that Flreu could have better chosen for his grandson to partner with. They perfectly complimented one another. Earth and Sky, Fire and Water, brought together in one union.
With the element of fire strong in him, Brian could have a horrible temper when he let it free. But it was tempered by the element of air, which allowed him to flow and float around like the breeze, his emotions never staying long in one area but always moving from here to there. Air gave him the ability to either fan the flames of his temper or smother it down at will. He was both calmness and anger. Control and flighty.
Fire gave him great passion in all of his emotions. Passion in a sexual way, yes. Flreu had great pride in his grandsons for that. But passion behind everything else too. When Brian did something he did it with everything inside of him. There were no halfway measures. If he loved someone it was with a fierce totality. If he committed to doing something than it was going to be done with everything he had. His emotions were part of him in a very base way. Loyal and loving, protective and passionate, he was a wonderful elf and the perfect baka.
Earth being Alyck’s strongest element he was one of the most steadfast people that Flreu had ever met. When he made his decisions, no matter the size, you would not change his mind from his course. He would dig his feet in no matter what you threw at him and stand strong in his convictions. Like the earth, like nature itself, he was a very natural person. Perfectly comfortable in his own skin, and extremely sensual in his day to day life. He was loyal to his friends and family. Like nature, though, he had his deadly side.
Alyck was not one to mess with. Even before the trulion in him had been realized he’d carried a lethality to him that any fool recognized. Not that he was evil ad would constantly kill. More, that he had the potential to do so if pushed in that direction. No one was left with doubt that, if he so chose, he could handle any situation thrown at him. Whether with mind, body, or sword, Alyck was born to lead situations and handle them.
Watching them, Flreu’s heart ached. There was so much that had happened over the past weeks. Months, even. So many things that had been seen and done. Could anyone blame him if he had not told his grandsons everything that he knew? Everything that the prophecy said?
With a graceful leap, Flreu jumped from the wall to the ground, landing easily on his feet. From there he walked casually to the cliffs to overlook the ocean. Standing there on the very edge of a slice of earth, looking out over the vast water, Flreu found himself wishing for home, the same as he always did. Not this home, nor any of the other elven homes in the Earth. But his true home. The home that had been stolen from all magical beings.
A sound behind Flreu announced Tripha’s presence as he joined him on the cliff. The old elf didn’t bother to turn, but raised a hand to rest against the great head as it came down beside him.
“Your thoughts are long, Flreu of the elves.” Tripha’s voice boomed out like gravel tumbling down the cliffs.
“They are, lord of the sky. I long for things today that should be long forgotten. Prophecy preys on my mind, bringing back hopes I had thought long banished.”
One of Tripha’s eyes rolled to look at Flreu. “I know of which you speak. You fear to hope for this, friend? Have faith in your trulion, in our a’anish, and his baka. Many thought they would not live to see this day, and yet those two have brought us here. Hold the faith that they are strong enough to bring us to where we belong.”
“It has been so many years, Tripha my friend. If fear not only if they win or lose this one, but what we will find there. What will be waiting for us? Or how much of it will be as we remember?”
Staring back out at the ocean, Flreu let his mind drift with the waves, back over time, back over years longer than any mortal could imagine. They drifted to a place not of this world, to a time when peace had been easy. To a prophecy that he had yet to tell his grandsons. A prophecy that was about them and the fate of two worlds.