Howie and Isleen’s arrival was, thankfully, nowhere near as spectacular or dramatic as Richard and Geoff’s had been. They arrived on a boat, full of smiles. AJ already had an area set up on the coast for the races that would arrive. While they’d been gone, the elves had cast a spell against the cave wall, inverting it so that it couldn’t be sensed. When you stepped through its entrance, it was almost a magical world all of its own. Trees and sunshine were in there the same as if they were under a noonday sky in the forest. It would be the perfect place for the Nymphs, the Imps, and the pixies. The faeries would arrive when AJ called, and he didn’t plan on calling them until the last minute.
But none came with Howie and Isleen. Not because they wouldn’t but because Howie had told them to wait until one month before the big day, so that they wouldn’t be uprooted from their homes for too long. Richard had told the Satyrs and the Centaurs the same thing.
Once they were back up on shore, Isleen was instantly caught up by the sight of the dragons. Howie was as well, but AJ didn’t waste time letting him stare. He took hold of Howie’s hand and instantly started tugging him toward the castle. “Alyck? What the hell?”
“It’s Geoff.” AJ spat out, racing up the entrance and into the castle. It was time for Geoff to have a healing and a meal, and he wanted Howie’s help on things. His opinion. Briefly he caught him up on what had happened to Brian with the spear, and what had happened now to Geoff. He told him what Tripha had done for him and what was needed now. “I know you’re probably wondering why I don’t ask Brian, but he’s still so new to some areas. I need a delicate touch. Someone who can not only share strength with me, but help pull some out. Maybe we can get him better, faster.”
“Of course.”
Now Howie was moving quickly with him, eager to get in to their friend. He gasped when he first caught sight of Geoff. “Sweet mother of God.” He whispered, moving quietly into the room.
AJ looked at Iona and moved to hug and kiss her. “Would you mind getting something easy for him to eat? When I’m done he’ll need food and water before I put him back under.” He asked her softly. She kissed his cheeks and nodded before silently leaving the room.
A benefit of AJ and Howie’s friendship was that they didn’t need words, or a bond, to understand one another. More than once they had worked together. That created an easy rhythm between them. AJ sat on the edge of the bed, placing his hands over Geoff’s arm while Howie’s went over Geoff’s face. Silently they went to work.
Using Greek, Howie asked AJ how best to do it: one at a time, or in clusters. AJ shrugged. “I do them one at a time.” He responded in the same language. “I didn’t want to try in clusters, cause I didn’t want to shock his body. I’ve got a shield right now to block the pain off, so it shouldn’t hurt, but too much might shock him.”
They lapsed back into silence as they went to work. AJ centered himself and went to work. Neither man heard Iona come back in with the food, or as she set it down, or even as she took up a chair in the corner to get back to her embroidery.
Time didn’t have much meaning as they worked inside of Geoff’s body. But AJ could see their progress. He saw when Howie removed the last burr from Geoff’s head, and those cells started to regenerate and heal. Geoff’s body quivered slightly and a gasp slid past his lips as the burns on his face suddenly started to clear away. Within a minute they were gone.
AJ contemplated the area he was working on, he almost had Geoff’s whole shoulder area clear of burrs, and decided that the shock of the burns healing on his face combined with what they’d removed was enough of a shock for now. He withdrew his touch at the same time that Howie did. Now came the tricky part.
“Sit with him to help him upright, would you?” AJ mumbled in Greek. He picked up the bowl that Iona had brought, which held a cool, creamy soup that AJ knew was delicious, but was also unique to the elves. It carried many herbs that were restorative to the body and the mind, and helped to speed healing.
Once Howie was on the bed he gently lifted Geoff up so that he was propped against Howie’s chest. “You’ll have to wake him all the way to feed him, Alyck. Otherwise he might not swallow it all right.”
“I know.” Regret tinged AJ’s voice. He put a finger on Geoff’s temple, letting the thinnest stream of magic slide in. He made sure to keep the shield against pain in place so that as Geoff’s eyes snapped open and he became aware of things, he wasn’t in pain.
While he’d been working inside of Geoff, AJ had shared with him, so that his friend knew what had happened while his body had been out, and he wasn’t in shock as he woke up. His brain was prepared for what he was waking to, and what AJ was doing.
“I don’t hurt.” Geoff whispered in surprise. His voice was thick as if he was half asleep. AJ had woke him up from the magically induced sleep, but those burrs were pulling lightly at Geoff’s energy. “Just tired.”
“I know you are, my friend. We just need you to eat and then you can rest again, ok?” AJ held the spoon out as he spoke gently to his friend. Obediently Geoff took the bites as they were offered to him, and he drank down the water that was there as well. When it was all done, AJ put a finger back to his temple and took him back under. Very carefully Howie laid him back down, and they tucked him back in.
Before they left the room, AJ moved over to his aunt and knelt before her chair. “Thank you for sitting with him for me.” He spoke in elvish to try to show her his sincerity. That was one language that you could not lie in, neither in words or in emotion. If you tried, the words would not come. They were also binding. Anything you spoke in that old language was as good as an oath. That meant you had to be careful what you said if you didn’t want yourself bound to it.
“The pleasure is mine.” She replied in the same language. “For a friend of yours, nephew, it is no trial to do this. Later, I will have Radha sit with him.”
“You have my sincere thanks, Aunt.” Bending, he kissed her hands. She smiled prettily at him and shooed him away.
AJ rose and left her with a smile. Once he and Howie were moving through the hallways again, Howie gave him a deep look that AJ recognized. It was his friends ‘thoughtful face’, as AJ called it. “What, Howi?” he asked, smiling.
“Your eyes. You gained your second ring.”
“Mm, yeah. I finally stopped fighting who I am.” AJ gave a small shrug. “I decided there was no point in fighting it, even inside myself. What’s the point?”
“I’m proud of you. I’ve known you a long time, Alyck, and I have to say, this is the first time I really remember seeing you totally at peace.”
Howie’s surprising words had AJ stopping. They were back outside now, standing in front of the castle and surveying all the activity that was going on. AJ ignored it for a moment to stare at his friend as Howie continued to speak. Howie’s eyes drifted over everyone as he spoke almost hesitantly, like the words were forming from his mind to his mouth slowly.
“You’ve always seemed like you were, well, missing something. Like you were content with your life, but never really happy. Then you met Brian, and I thought that ok, you found someone to care about, but I didn’t think it would work out. I didn’t think you’d ever let him become an immortal too. I never guessed that he was part elvish. But, against the odds, you two did make it work, and you’ve grown closer. I’ve watched you become happier. Even with all this shit going on, you’ve started to find peace in yourself, and accepted who you are. All of it.”
Howie turned his eyes to AJ, and the look in them was both full of love and pride as well as respect. “I never imagined when I made you that you would one day become a legendary hero for all these races. I never even knew what a trulion was. But there’s been something special about you since day one. This is who you are, Alyck. This is what you were meant to do. I guess I just wanted you to know that I’m proud of you, and to be able to call you my friend.”
Tears burned in AJ’s eyes, spilling over onto his cheeks. He embraced Howie. “Thank you.” He whispered quietly into his ear. There was nothing else he could think of to say.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Brian sat on the edge of the cliff with Flreu, the two of them staring out at the ocean. In the back of his mind, he could feel that bundle of sensations that was AJ, and could feel the happiness and love that was flowing in there. He’d seen AJ and Howie talking by the front gates. Whatever they were discussing must have been good, to make AJ feel that way.
Right then, Brian was content to sit and watch the water in the company of a man he was coming to respect and love. Since Flreu was now his grandfather, by way of the joining ceremony, Brian found himself more at ease. He found that he didn’t think of the fact that Flreu really wasn’t his grandfather. In all intents and purposes, he was.
“You have grown much since the young half elf I first met.” Flreu spoke softly, his words seeming to drift as light as the breeze.
“I feel as if I have grown, grandfather. Yet, somehow, I feel more myself than I ever have in my entire life, short as it has been so far. It’s like I’m becoming more, me.”
Flreu nodded, his legs swinging off the edge. They were quiet for a few moments longer. That was something that Brian found he loved about the elves. Not once had he been forced to speak if he didn’t want to. None of them felt the need to fill the silences with needless words. It must have something to do with the immortality part of things. When you had all the time in the world, what was a few moments of silence? You learned to appreciate the day for what it was. Each moment for what they were. A blessing.
Something occurred to Brian, and he looked over. Aside from AJ, he thought that there was no one better to ask. “Alyck said something to me that I’m confused about, grandfather. I wonder if I might ask you to help me understand.”
“Asking for help in understanding something is a sign of wisdom. To be able to admit that you do not understand, as well as seeking the knowledge to rectify the lack. You are becoming more elvish by the day, grandson. Ask your question.”
Brian thought carefully before wording what he wanted to know. “When I sparred with Alyck, I asked him why I ached. Why I wasn’t healing with the rapid speed that my immortality gives me. He said that it has something to do with my elf blood growing stronger, overpowering the magic that was done to make me immortal. I’m not sure I understand how that works.”
The smile Flreu gave him held a hint of pride as well as amusement. “You are a good match for Alyck.” He said, smiling. “So it is with him, always wanting to know the why of things. How they work, and what makes them work that way. For a long time it was a joke among our folk that every conversation with Alyck would include a what, a why, or a how.” He chuckled at the memories.
He continued to smile as he looked back out to the water. Brian did the same, content to wait for the answer he knew was coming. After another long stretch of silence, Flreu began to speak.
“To be elvish is not just a look, but it is down in our very blood. Magic runs undiluted through our veins. In some ways, we are more naturally tied to this earth than any other creature. Because of the magic in our bodies, our very blood, there are certain traits we are granted. Most are obvious, as I’m sure you noticed. Some are purely physical. Such as the pointed ears, or the colored rings around our eyes. Our skin is smoother, and much harder to damage. We do not bruise as humans do, but we can be cut and bled the same as any other.
“We are granted an accelerated healing. Nothing in comparison to the healing that the created immortals have, for theirs is powered by a single weave that is the core of their existence. But we are harder to wound, and therefore it takes a little longer for it to heal than it would for an immortal. The aches, such as what you put your body through in sparring, take a moment to fade because it was a continuous workout that is actually helping tone your muscles.
“Other traits we gain are not as noticeable. We have a stronger control over our magic than any mortal or immortal magician. To us, it is second nature, as easy as breathing. Our magic is us, and we are our magic. One does not exist without the other. But our minds are also different. From what I’ve studied, and what I understand, the way a human mind works is different than how an elvish mind works. We have the capability to comprehend so much more. To access more of our brain than a human does. We think at a quicker speed, and process what we think of faster. We learn at what would be an astonishing rate to a human. I imagine that you’ve discovered you grasp things such as languages, as well as situations you come across in life, much easier and quicker than you ever have.”
With a start of surprise, Brian remembered how much easier it was becoming for him to catch on to some of the languages AJ was using. He didn’t speak them, that was true. But he didn’t need the mental translations as much anymore. The words he’d heard AJ use had stuck with him in his memory. He hadn’t forgotten them. While he processed this, Flreu continued.
“I have gone off from your question, but I felt that the information would help you better understand my answer. As you accept who you are, and accept the magic into you, the blood of the elves in you will start to grow stronger. Eventually it will completely replace every last drop of your human blood. As it does, it will change you. Your ears and your eyes, for one. Your thinking, for another. I see that your skin is catching the subtle glow that is particular to elves.
“As that part of you becomes stronger, it will start to overshadow the weave that was place on your center to make you immortal. By the time the final ring is complete in your eyes, that weave will have been taken over and will have vanished. You will have the true immortality of the elvish blood. Because of the strength of the magic that runs through our veins, it changes our bodies to what they should be. It is not so much that it forces this weave out, but that, in the process of bringing you to being a true and total elf, it turns you into what you should be. A true elf does not have this weave to make them immortal. We just are. So as it makes you complete, it removes this weave, this imperfection.”
The two fell into another silence as Brian processed everything that Flreu had just told him. It was a lot to take in. Yet, it fit in him, feeling right. Normal. He couldn’t deny the feeling inside of him, that he was changing and growing. Becoming more himself. This was who he was meant to be. The life he had led before was just a mere shadow of this one now.
He was meant to be here, like this. With these people. He was meant to be by AJ’s side. To be the baka to his trulion. The song to his heart. This was his family now, his people. These that were gathering around him were a part of this world that Brian now found he fit in with better than he ever had in the human world.
“Thank you, grandfather, for helping me to understand.”
“This is what family is for, is it not?” Flreu turned to smile at him again. “You are a good one to call grandson. Wild in your own way, as one of my family should be. Yet tamer than my Alyck, which is what he needs.”
“Tamer, huh?” AJ’s voice teased from behind them. They both turned ot watch as AJ finished walking to them. He sat, folding his legs, between the two. “You think I need someone tamer than me? Grandfather, I’m shocked!”
“You need someone there to smack you on the head when I’m not around.” Flreu quipped.
AJ rolled his eyes, which were dancing with mirth, and rested his head against Brian’s shoulder. “You see the abuse I suffer?”
Kissing the top of AJ’s head, Brian chuckled. “Life’s hard, isn’t it? You poor little thing.”
The humor in AJ’s eyes grew, lighting all his colored rings in a way that had Brian wanting to lean in and kiss his lover. “I see how it is, now.” AJ teased him, pretending to sound annoyed. “Well, we’ll see how long that lasts. I came over to get you for sparring practice. We’ve got work to do.”
Brian groaned. “You just like excuses to beat on me.” He grumbled as AJ stood and pulled him to his feet. Flreu rose with them.
“Damn straight.” AJ agreed. “Now, get that pretty behind of yours in motion, boy!” He slapped Brian’s ass, making them both laugh as they headed down to their sparring field.