2412, Iclis 15, Kindreth

Nyxis smashed the mortar into his thumb the second time. He yelped as he cradled his throbbing finger. He's getting sloppy. How disappointing.

He's distracted, that's what. He kept staring off in the horizon, wondering where Xanthy could be right now. It took all of him to resist suggesting he go with her. Xanthy would shoot that idea down before the last word could even leave his mouth.

His anger and disappointment had hardened into a smooth ball in his gut. He doubted he could ever get rid of it. As much as he whined about not wanting it, it's embedded in him and would surface from time to time.

Blood rushed to his face when his thoughts steered him to last night. That's the closest they ever allowed themselves to be. It's useless to deny that he enjoyed it. That night, he gave in to his fantasy that Xanthy had finally chosen him. For a while, it felt like Xanthy truly returned what he felt for her.

It's a bit unfair, wasn't it? No matter how much Xanthy denied it, she would always choose the person who betrayed her while Nyxis was left doing everything he could to help Xanthy even while harboring secret feelings for her.

He lost count of the number of times he told himself this wouldn't go the way he wanted. Now that he proved himself right, what was he supposed to feel? Time. Nyxis needed time to get over these emotions that weren't bound to face any time soon. They both needed to heal, to move forward. Nyxis could, in due time, but Xanthy...it's hard to tell if she ever would or if she even wanted to.

She's stubborn as a bunch of raven fir flowers, to be honest. Nyxis prayed to the gods that she realize her real reason in doing this. Xanthy wasn't stupid. She's in love. With humans and fairies, though, that's about the same.

So Nyxis slammed the mortar on his finger for the third time. Ugh. Time to stop pounding nage seeds and take a break.

The door opened and a sandy-haired head poked through. "Knock, knock," Eldan inched through the doorway before closing the door behind him. "Just checking in before I head out. Are you guys alright here?"

Nyxis narrowed his eyes. Eldan's Ylanenla was slow, like he was speaking to a five-year-old rather than a grown human. Nyxis shrugged. "We will manage."

"Indulge me on this," Eldan stalked closer with his footsteps light against the floorboards. Nyxis averted his gaze. Stop studying the fairy. He surely meant no harm to Nyxis. Eldan stopped a few steps away from Nyxis before glancing at June then back to him. "How did you two meet Xanthy? Sahili and Marthiaq all told me vague details. I need to understand Xanthy better."

Nyxis sighed. Well, Xanthy never told him anything about talking to Eldan. It wouldn't hurt, would it? Why would even Eldan ask about it at this point in time? "We all met in Cardina," Nyxis turned to Eldan. "Have you got time to hear the whole story or should I give you a run-down?"

Eldan glanced at the morning sun shining through the forest's canopies outside his house. "I am always late anyway," he shrugged. "Tell me."

So Nyxis did. He recounted the bakery, the Temple, and the battle in the Palace. The Heiress's voice was still fresh in his ears even though it's months ago and telling Eldan about it only dug it out to the surface. When he got to the part where Xanthy first forced him to talk about his grief, his breath hitched. Eldan raised his eyebrows but didn't say anything.

Nyxis then told Eldan about their fight in Lanteglos.

"What about when she was in Lanteglos?" Eldan asked.

Nyxis shook his head. "I was not with her there," he jerked his chin at June's bed. "That is probably where he...got acquainted with Xanthy."

Eldan followed Nyxis's gaze before turning back to him. "Do you know what is going on between him and my daughter?"

Nyxis blinked. Was this fairy really Xanthy's long-lost father? Xanthy hadn't explained to him the specifics but it looked like she was a product of a cross-racial union. Not that it's bad...or something. "They are a thing until he did what he did," he said instead.

Eldan raised his eyebrows again. Okay, the nature fairy liked to do that. "Oh? I always thought you two are the thing."

Nyxis pursed his lips, fighting that pang biting his heart from showing on his face. He forced out a smile. "He came first," he said. "We talked about it. We are not going to work."

"That's what Airese said to me when I first brought it up," Eldan chuckled. "Wait a hundred years more and it probably will."

Nyxis winced. Must Eldan say that? "I am human," Nyxis turned back to the table. "We do not live that long."

"There is a way, you know," the nature fairy leaned against the table and crossed his arms. He winked at Nyxis. Looks like he liked doing that too. "But I am not telling you that."

Nyxis sighed. He didn't have the energy to digest these riddles. A way to what? A lifespan of hundreds of years? It's not like he could jump out of here and chase it, whatever that was.

Nyxis picked up the mortar once more. "Did you get what you need?"

Eldan edged away from the table. "Yes, thank you," he splayed his hand in Nyxis's direction. "I also want to thank you for being with Xanthy all this time. I beg you to keep doing it."

Nyxis met Eldan's periwinkle eyes. At least he recognized Nyxis's efforts. That's something. Probably. "I am not going anywhere," Nyxis gave the nage seeds another pound. "You have my word."

"Thank you," Eldan dipped his head. "Xanthy has found great people, indeed."

"Yes,," Nyxis scratched his pestle against the sides of the mortar, gathering all the pounded seeds in one spot in the middle. "I just do not get why she has to do everything by herself."

Eldan raised his eyebrows again. "Does she now?"

"Do you know why she left?" Nyxis struck the mortar with his pestle, keeping his thumb away from the rim this time.

Eldan scratched his chin. "She is looking for the chalice."

"Do you know why she has to?"

"To heal the half-blood?" Eldan inclined his head. "Was there another reason?"

Nyxis sighed. Of course. She's not going to fully trust Eldan, not yet. Typical Xanthy. He faced her father. "She is going to sacrifice herself to the chalice to protect the Virtakios."

Eldan blinked. And blinked again. "Gods," he breathed. His calm expression evaporated only to be replaced by that of panic, anger, and worry rolled in one. He swayed slightly. Would he fall over? Let Nyxis hope that he wouldn't.

Eldan stayed upright though a distraught look on his face didn't fade. "What is she thinking?"

"That is my exact question," Nyxis slammed the mortar into the seeds once more. The seeds were starting to form a carpet of fine powder. Just a few more, then. "Apparently, she chose to do it because she could not protect the Virtakios from Cardovia and Synketros."

Eldan nodded. "I can see why she thinks she needed to do all that," The nature fairy whipped to Nyxis. "Rutoria approved of this?"

Nyxis pursed his lips. This Rutoria person was probably the hooded woman they met in Edgerift. Xanthy didn't tell him who that woman was and he was too tired to whine about it. The pestle made thudding sounds as Nyxis drove it against the seeds. "Xanthy told me that whatever choice she takes, it will ultimately end up in war."

"The island has been gearing for war for a long time now," Eldan scratched his forehead. "There is no stopping it with just Xanthy's choice. The heirs needed to make theirs too. I doubt the Heiress and the Sovereign would align theirs to avoiding it, either."

Nyxis set the pestle down. The nage seeds were now a fine powder at the base of the mortar. "You seem fine with it all of a sudden."

Eldan waved his hand. "It is entirely her choice at this point," he inclined his head at Nyxis. "Like I said to her, I cannot stop her if she has already decided."

"That is some nice parenting, right there," Nyxis said. A little bit of sarcasm bled into his tone.

Eldan smiled instead of being offended. Sadness flashed across his face. "Too bad I have not experienced being a parent until yesterday."

Nyxis averted his eyes and focused on transferring the powdered nage seeds into a strainer. From his periphery, he watched Eldan shift towards the window. Then, Nyxis felt a light pat on his arm. "I will be gone for a few days. I will be at the Palace for a while," Eldan was saying. The nature fairy stepped back. "I will leave Sahili to keep you company."

"Sahili?" Nyxis looked around with knitted eyebrows.

"My familiar," Eldan said like it explained everything. "If you see a white, cat-like krou lounging on the flowerbeds or hissing at a random critter and has lots of attitude, that is probably her."

"Okay," Nyxis said before cocking his head in one side. "She would not bite me, right?"

Eldan shrugged. "Depends," he clasped his hands behind him. "You do not need to feed her. She could find her own food. I trust that I do not need to worry about you finding yours?"

Nyxis stared at the abundance of fruit trees by the window. He shook his head. "I can take care of myself."

"Then I will get going," Eldan clapped his hand once and nodded. He turned towards the door and started walking towards it. "Marthiaq will probably visit from time to time. Entertain him for me. Give him hell."

"Are you serious with that?" Nyxis blinked. What kind of friend would ask a random human to give their friends hell? Eldan only winked as he yanked the door open.

A few moments later, the nature fairy was gone.