Before the past year if one asked the denizens of Rahnoff who Selene's blessed was, the answer was unquestionably David Garrod, the duke of the duchy. Born to wealth as a lord in a land full of precious minerals, hailed as the youngest spear master of the century, and a member of the famous expedition team who managed to slay the last demon lord. Every step of his life before today had been filled with certainty and expectations. There was nothing he couldn't accomplish with a bit more effort, yet the past year had made a mockery of it all.
He'd saved a young light elf from the shackles of a bunch of slave traders, and got his heart stolen in the process. He felt drawn to her the moment they met, like an invisible magnet constantly pulling him in. He tried to simply assist at first, offering her a home in consideration of the one she lost in the distant North. It didn't take long for care and concern to morph into a crush that soon led to love. They became inseparable, traveling the world together to challenge the demon lord's army.
He never thought there'd ever be a day he would regret falling for her distant green eyes. He never anticipated there'd be a day when his hands would ache for a chance to run through her sun kissed lush gold hair. Yet such a day arrived within the blink of an eye, he now stands in his empty castle as a shadow of his former self. A widower, who recently lost his wife a year before. They'd only been married for two years.
To the elder race, two years means almost next to nothing. For a long-lived race such as elves, such a short span of time shouldn't make much of a difference, easily drowned out by the following many years to come, yet for him this wasn't the case. She's marked him, left behind so many things he can't even begin to grasp, so many lies he can't untangle. What he thought was a fated encounter was actually planned from the start. Her Northen home wasn't lost but intentionally abandoned for her greater goal. If it weren't for the weathered journal in his hands he'd never have guessed any of this.
He was only trying to put away her things into the North tower, hoping it would please her to be facing towards her far homeland when he discovered it. Her written secrets shredded his heart with each page. She'd never genuinely loved him, stealing the fate of another to make him fall in love with her to achieve her goal. He'd only been a pawn, a cog in the wheel to produce a means to save her precious homeland from themselves. The child he thought was her parting gift to him to remember her by wasn't even meant for him. She intended to have her be reclaimed by the Northern elves when the time was right.
Distraught by the cold words written in the journal, he tossed it away, hearing a satisfying crash seconds later. If only he could toss these misguided memories as well wouldn't that be great…but he knows he can't. Tightly gripping the soft fabric of his shirt, almost as though he were trying to dig out his own heart, David began to gasp like a drowning man. His sharp elven ears easily picked up the sound of a toddler crying. The sound was unmistakable, scolding his long ears, try as he might by pressing his hands to them there was no way to block out the cries.
With slow, unsteady steps, he made his way to the east tower where the nursery is. He pauses at the door, unsure if he has what it takes to claim responsibility for the little life within. He knows she's innocent, already punished for her mother's evil sorcery, yet he can't help but be reminded each time he looks at her. The very nature of her birth should have clued him in that she wasn't telling him everything. Why else would Ariellia have been born as a half soul, not bearing the full traits of his tribe. He should have questioned it then.
Waah! Waah!
His long legs calmly crossed the threshold, headed towards the extravagant crib at the center of the large princess room. He blankly stares into the crib, watching the wailing toddler flailing her chubby short limbs. Why is it like this? Why can't he just be a blissfully happy father like all the rest! Why did he have to find that damn diary? If she was going to lie to him, she should have hidden it better! Unable to stand this hallow feeling in his chest, he knows he can't go on this way. If he can't accept the things she's done or bear the sight of the results, he should distance himself completely. He should send this child away, sponsoring her anonymously from afar. That might be best…
"What are you spaced out for, don't you see our cute little hatchling crying."
He's startled out of these depressing thoughts by the sound of Jasper's deep voice. He watches the other lean over the crib, easily lifting the light wailing bundle into his arms. It's so strange to see the proud being trying to comfort a toddler, even whispering sweet nothings into her ears to distract her. Crazy as it might be, it does seem to be working. Ariellia finally stops wailing, only cooing from time to time as she comfortably rests in the crook of his arms.
"What are you so hesitant about a' lieto?" It hurts to see the brunette offer him such an easy-going smile, those red eyes easily piercing his very soul. He isn't the only victim, Jasper had also been robbed.
"Don't think too much about it, she may have stolen our chance in this lifetime but there are many more to come. I can wait for it, so don't let it torment you anymore." It's odd to see a being able to topple boulders with a flick of his finger, deftly cradling Ariellia like she's made of fragile glass.
"I don't know what to do Jasper. Now that she's gone, everything has returned to its rightful place, but it's still a mess. I can't help but feel like I shouldn't be feeling this way. I feel like I should have never been with her in the first place, like this child shouldn't have even been born...it's unfair but I just don't know what to feel towards her, or towards you. My head is so muddled right now I don't know what to do. Even if everything she did was a lie, I can't help feeling like I'm being unfaithful to our vows by feeling this way!"
"Shush, it's okay. I know, manipulating the strings of fate is dirty business, she should never have done it. If her soul weren't already obliterated by Death for tampering with forbidden soul magic, I would have done it myself. Don't worry, it'll be less confusing with time." The taller brunette easily pulls the weakened lord into his arms.
"How can you stand it…" David whispers, his tortured voice muffled by Jasper's shirt.
"I can't…I'm barely keeping my wits together. You should see the mountain range by Kyalien valley, several new craters and lakes have recently been added, curtsy of yours truly." David can't see the skin on the hand pressed to the back of his head temporarily wriggle, drastically enlarging only to shrink back to human size.
"I should thank the clever bitch for leaving us this precious gift." He tries to add a bit of humor, but the undertone of anger isn't hidden in Jasper's gruff taunt.
"But what can I do, she's not like us…she won't need a differentiation ceremony."
"What's there to be concerned about, having one less body part won't hurt anything, besides only you and I will know. We'll build a safe haven for her, only surrounding her with good things. Everyone in the castle will be sworn to secrecy. She won't know anything until she's much older, old enough to judge the situation for herself."
"What would I do without you?" David can't help but sigh. All the crazy thoughts of before beaten back by the other's smooth logic and reason.
"I'll make sure you'll never have to find out a' lieto." Jasper whispers, hugging his two precious amethyst gems closer while his eyes glow a menacing red like heated ambers.