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| Location: Eye of the Beholder & Temple of Aelios | Collaboration with @c3p-0h |
Reconsider his position? Disinclined to acquiesce his request? Flynn bristled at the blight-born woman’s response, a rage building in his chest which had been simmering just under the surface since his discussion with his wife earlier that morning. As he held his tongue, fighting the urge to order her to leave Dawnhaven immediately, Olivia began to hastily make her exit up the stairs, evidently not wanting to wait for a response. “It is not a request.” Flynn called after her as he stood from his chair, his voice strong and raised to a stern tone that the Prince was rarely heard to use.
Aurelian guards turned towards their Prince in concern, conversations falling silent as their eyes followed the pale woman hurrying upstairs toward the tavern rooms. Flynn clenched his jaw, eyes narrowed as he stared after her. "Keep an eye on her. Let the Captain know at once." he ordered the nearest guard, who nodded fervently and responded quickly, "Yes, your highness!"
It had been months since he had dealt with another highborn, and even longer since he had encountered someone so outwardly abrasive toward the future King of Aurelia. In the capital, most people were too scared to say no to him, which he often despised, but he was not accustomed to being outright refused. Briefly, he wondered if the King of Lunaris had not instilled enough fear in his subjects as his father did in Aurelia.
Nonetheless, Flynn knew he was at a crossroads with this situation. He needed Olivia’s supplies to help Dawnhaven survive the winter, yet she was already proving herself untrustworthy and contentious. If he sent her away, Dawnhaven would suffer for it. But if he kept her, would they also suffer at her hand? He did not know what kind of blight-born she was, but she was certainly dangerous—they all were. Mentally, Flynn made a note to inform Orion about the Lady of Durnatel as well so he could keep an eye on her and provide much-needed advice for this sensitive situation.
Thoroughly irritated, Flynn quickly turned on his heel and stormed out of the tavern without another word, or even acknowledging that the door of the tavern had now been completely removed from its hinges. It seemed the Prince was making a habit of storming out of buildings this morning.
8AM
Stewing, Flynn began to make his way toward the eastern part of town where the temple to Aelios had been built. Properly introducing himself to the Priestess was next on his task list, though he had hoped to be in a much better mood for their second meeting. Both instances of their meeting had now been tainted by blight-born. Though, his wife had certainly added fuel to the anger burning inside his chest too.
Entering the temple, Flynn let out a deep sigh that he hadn’t realized he had been holding. The temple was quaint and not nearly up to the standards his mother would have required for an offering to Aelios, but the construction workers had done well with the limited time they had. The floorboards creaked under his feet as he entered, and the scent of freshly cut wood mixed with the warmth of the eternal flame and nearby hot springs enveloped his senses. Although the temple was nothing like those in the capital, somehow, Flynn felt closer to the Goddess here than he ever had while in the grandeur of the capital.
Slowing his pace, his eyes fixated on the large brazier that held the eternal flame in the middle of the temple. He approached silently, transfixed by the flame and the way it cast shadows across the room while it fought off the encroaching cold from outside. For a few moments, he lost himself in flames and thought, temporarily forgetting why he had come to the temple in the first place. Although he did not trust the clergy, there was something comforting about being near the warmth of Aelios that calmed him.
The door to the temple slid closed behind him, a muffled thud reverberating through the building. Tia’s eyebrows drew together, her body flinching in on itself. She lay in her bed, her hair and sheets all a tangled mess around her. She’d first awoken hours ago, trapped in her own body as her mind fought to free itself from the tendrils of her dream - her prophecy. Still half unconscious, panicked, unsure of where she was, she’d fumbled her way to the letter she’d prepared for the High Priest to add a postscript lest she forget the details. Then she’d fallen back into bed, tossing and turning as she drifted in and out of consciousness.
Tia’s eyes squeezed shut, her hand fisting in the sheets. Then she released it, her whole body deflating into the mattress. She waited a breath. Two. Then she forced herself to sit up, rubbing at her eyes. She had no idea what time it was - it was dark out, but that meant nothing anymore. It’d been dark for half a year. It must’ve been early still. Perhaps it was even night. It was hard to keep track of the hours when she’d slept for most of the day before. Her body didn’t feel rested, but she wasn’t exhausted down to her bones as she’d been the night before. Her magic was present at least - she could feel it, muffled and quiet in her core.
Running her hand through the tangled knots in her long hair, Tia stifled a yawn. Dawnhaven. Prophecies. The queen. The flame. She had work to do. Sun temples were open to the public, and she ought to make sure everything was in proper order before any worshipers arrived.
Finally, Tia pushed herself out of bed. Feet bare on the wood floor, eyes still blinking away the sleep, hair a knotted mess down her back, Tia crossed the room to open the door, and padded down the hallway - the flame would need tending to, and it’d be best if she did that before changing into her robes, lest they become dirty from the soot and ash. She pulled her sleeping robes tighter around herself - they were too large for her and she had to lift the hem to keep from stepping on them, but they were warm.
Covering her mouth to yawn again, Tia opened the door to the main chamber, the fire’s warmth growing as it spilled over her. Then she stopped.
A form swam into focus standing before the fire. A man, broad-shouldered, straight-backed, with golden hair shining like the sun.
Tia was frozen. Then her eyes widened as realization dawned - and then horror. Prince Flynn was here. And she was… not fit for visitors.
But he seemed… focused. Was he praying? This seemed to be a private moment, and Tia couldn’t help but feel like an intruder. Surely she could be forgiven for leaving him to his solitude, right? Right. She could quietly retreat, backtracking through the hallway, and dress herself, and it would all be -
Tia let out a strangled squeak as she stepped on the dragging hem of her robe, falling backwards into the hallway.
Hearing a sudden thud to his left, Flynn snapped back to reality, quickly facing the sound. His hand instinctively reached for his sword, which was absent from his hip. He had stormed out of the house so quickly that he hadn’t even thought to bring it with him, a foolish oversight. His father would certainly have scolded him for such carelessness.
“Priestess!” he exclaimed, spotting the frail-looking woman toppled over on the temple floor. He hurried to her and offered a hand to help her to her feet. “Are you alright?” he asked, concern etched across his face. “Have you not been recovering well since yesterday? Perhaps I can call for Eris to assist?”
Tia wasn’t certain she would ever recover from the unending string of embarrassments that had become her life since setting foot in Dawnhaven. Pain reverberated through her rear, her wrist, the palm of her hand, as she looked up at the prince. Heat flooded her cheeks. She pressed her lips together as she lowered her eyes to his offered hand. After a moment’s hesitation (which she spent praying to Aelios that this was actually just another dream and she’d wake up not here) she placed her own hand in his and allowed him to help her up.
She shook her head at his question, eyes glued to some point in the middle of his chest so she wouldn’t have to meet his gaze. She swallowed before speaking.
“An accident.” Tia barely managed to keep from flinching at her own tattered voice. “Your Highness,” she added, focusing on forming the words. She gave a hurried bow - only to remember Pleiades’ discomfort with the gesture. Would the Prince be uncomfortable with it too? No, he was royalty… wouldn’t he expect it of her? Tia’s attention darted back to her hand, still held in his. She withdrew it, curling her fingers tightly around each other in front of her legs.
“Ah, I see.” Flynn held a small smirk on his lips as he realized the Priestess had simply lost her footing. It was a bit odd for a Priestess of Aelios to be so clumsy, but then again, it was rare for the Prince of Aurelia to be so careless as well. “Well, I am glad you’re alright.” he confirmed as she withdrew her hand from his, the softness of her skin not escaping his notice. Despite the scars around her neck hinting at a difficult past, it appeared that training in the clergy required little manual labor or weapons training when comparing her hands against his.
“I, uhm,” he glanced away briefly, sensing her nervous energy as she avoided his gaze. He was used to this reaction among common folk, but for a Priestess sent by the clergy of the capital, her fear seemed unusual. “I wanted to properly introduce myself and welcome you to Dawnhaven.” He returned his gaze to her, searching for a way to appear less intimidating but coming up short. “Although..” he glanced down at his own garb, which was just as unprofessional as the Priestess was dressed. “I’m sorry about … this.” he gestured to his attire, a sheepish smile on his face. “I rushed out of the house this morning. With so many things on my task list, I clearly forgot to dress myself appropriately.” He let out a small laugh, trying his best to lighten the mood.
Tia’s eyes flicked up at the sound. It was… nice. Charming, even. But when she looked up at him and saw his mother’s green eyes, she looked down again. She gave another shake of her head in response to his words before pausing. She opened her mouth - then closed it again. Another hesitant look up at him. Tia released her fingers to raise a hand slightly, a gesture to wait. She bowed, repeated the gesture, and turned to hurry back down the hall she’d come from.
Flynn blinked a few times, confused, as he watched the Priestess leave. Had he said something wrong?
Careful to keep hold of the dragging hem of her robe, Tia made her way back to her room. The moment she was out of sight of the Prince, her hands were a flurry of activity as she tried to right herself. Her hands ran through her hair, her too-large robe was straightened on her shoulders and pulled tight around her body, her neck - her neck. He’d seen it by now, she was sure. She couldn’t just come back out with a scarf on, not with the temple so warm, not with him waiting out there, smart enough to realize that she was making him wait for her vanity. Tia let out a breath that felt like defeat. Then she grabbed a folded piece of parchment off of her nightstand (along with her notebook and charcoal) and left the room to once again face the Prince.
She walked with as much composure as she could muster, stopping before him to bow again. She held out the parchment. Prince Flynn of Aurelia was written in neat script on the top fold. She still couldn’t quite meet his gaze.
Flynn gently took the folded parchment from her hands, examining the unfamiliar handwriting addressed to him. He raised a curious brow, glancing at her briefly before unfolding the paper and reading.
To His Royal Highness, Prince Flynn of Aurelia,
My name is Tingara Tomae, Priestess of Aelios, and I was sent from the capital to serve as the representative of the clergy for the settlement of Dawnhaven. Please forgive me, that my introduction must be delivered in the form of this letter; I was recently involved in an incident that greatly diminished my ability to speak. While this has undoubtedly impacted my role within the Church and the duties I am capable of fulfilling, please know that I will strive to overcome my deficiencies to serve Aelios and Dawnhaven. I was sent from Aurelia with a shipment of supplies provided by the Church to help Dawnhaven through the winter - they should have found you yesterday. It is the hope of the High Priest that you will look to the Church as a source of aid and support throughout this endeavor.
I apologize for the role I played in the ordeal with Willis and the child yesterday. I failed to keep the situation under control not once, but twice, and became burdensome to you, your advisor, and the lead sage of Dawnhaven. It is with great discomfiture that I look back on our first meeting, and I recognize I have committed a great disservice to both the Royal House of Aurelia and the Church of Aelios. Please do not punish Willis for my failure to deescalate things. While the past cannot be undone, I would humbly ask for your grace and patience, and an opportunity for the both of us to prove our worth here.
Despite my apparent impuissance yesterday, I am a healer of moderate skill. While my magic has waned in the absence of the sun, I still possess some ability to cast. Please use my abilities, diminished as they are, as you see appropriate. I hope to be of use to Dawnhaven and your mission here in whatever capacity I am able. I shall endeavor in the future to be more cognizant of my limits so as to not become an additional burden, as I was yesterday.
Finally, I would like to express my sincere gratitude for being welcomed into the community of Dawnhaven. Every resident I’ve come across in the short time that I’ve been here has been unfailingly kind. The temple to Aelios you have constructed is filled with Her warmth, and I will steward it as well as I can for the people of this settlement.
Please do not hesitate to call upon me if I may be of service at any point.
Priestess Tingara Tomae
Flynn frowned as he read the letter, guilt washing over him as Tia apologized for things he believed to be beyond her control. It was he who had failed, not her. Near the end of the letter, Flynn’s face relaxed slightly, and a faint smile appeared. At the very least, it was good to hear that she had met kind individuals and didn’t find the temple too disappointing. Tia, so far, was far more gracious and selfless than any of the clergy members Flynn remembered.
“Thank you for your kind words, Priestess.” he said, folding the letter and carefully placing it into his pants pocket. “Please do not apologize for yesterday. You saved that child’s life and I am ever grateful, as are his parents.” His smile faltered as he recalled the events of the previous day.
“I’m sorry your first day was so…” he sighed, frustration evident. “Terrible, frankly.” He shook his head. “Dealing with the blight-born can be challenging, I admit.” His mind wandered to the Lady of Durnatel and Willis, both of whom had caused him recent trouble. “Most have managed to adapt to civil life, and it’s been rewarding to see them regain their lives. I hope you will have a better experience among them today. I deeply apologize for what happened yesterday, but I am ever grateful for the help you provided to that child.” He bowed his head to her this time, “If you ever need anything at all, please do not hesitate to ask me personally.” Tia blinked in surprise, lips parting.
Standing upright again, Flynn returned his gaze to Tia and forced a warm smile, easily falling into it as he was so used to doing over the years. “I did receive the supplies from the church, as well. Please send them my thanks. I will be sure to send word to them as well.” Although he was grateful, he also knew this tied him to yet another faction to whom he would owe a debt. For Dawnhaven’s sake, he’d have to put his differences with the church aside. “We are very grateful to have you here.” His gaze shifted toward the eternal flame, “Dawnhaven could certainly use the warmth Aelios provides.”
Tia followed his gaze to the flame, flickering and diminished - it’d been hours since she’d last tended to it. There was that burning sensation again, on the back of her neck - the one from her dreams. Her eyes flicked back to the Prince. It was easier to look at him in profile like this - his eyes distant, firelight dancing across his skin. She watched him. His words echoed in her mind - the weight of them. He sounded… tired.
Tia opened her notebook to a new page - it was bare, save for a detailed drawing of a fern near the bottom, parts labeled with a precise hand. She paused to admire it, a soft smile forming on her lips. She wrote above the drawing, then held the book out to show the Prince. She didn’t look away, this time.
Flynn looked towards the Priestess as he heard a page turn, his thoughts drawn to the scars around Tia’s neck. He was glad she had found a decent way to communicate despite her “incident.” Though he wondered what had happened to her, he felt it was probably impolite to ask after just meeting her. As she wrote, Flynn’s eyes moved to the drawing on the page, which he admired. Apparently, the Priestess was not only gifted in religion but also in the arts.
It has Her warmth. I’ve felt it in the people, human and blight-born alike.
Flynn smiled at her message, though he did not necessarily believe her—not today, anyway, when his day had already been so heavy. His own wife had told him she would have rather died than come to settle Dawnhaven with him. “Thank you,” he simply stated, returning his focus to the flames. For a few moments, he let the silence linger between them as his mind raced.
“Priestess,” he suddenly said, breaking the silence as he met her eyes. “Do you truly believe the prophecy?”
It was a bold question to ask, and he expected her to reply as they all did—with unwavering support for the seer who delivered the message that changed his fate. But he felt the urge to ask. If he were to have this Priestess in Dawnhaven, he wanted to see how she reacted to such questions. No doubt, there were nonbelievers among Dawnhaven that she would have to encounter.
Tia found herself trapped in his gaze, like his eyes held the fire itself. Her breath caught in her lungs. The weight on the back of her neck grew, heat seeping down her spine, over her shoulders, across the scars covering the expanse of her throat.
Her mind flashed to her dreams - of blood and stars and eyes like molten gold. Then to the Queen and High Priest, standing like looming shadows before her. Then to the golden dagger, ornate and glittering, hidden in a wooden box at the bottom of her closet.
The Prince was waiting for an answer.
It took her another heartbeat to free herself from his gaze. Carefully, she lifted the notebook to write.
I believe in the High Priest’s wisdom. But I hope another solution might be revealed. Aelios’ will is as vast as the sky - one cannot see every star in a single night.
Flynn smiled faintly as he read Tia’s note, nodding slightly in agreement before pulling his gaze away. Although her answer hadn’t surprised him, it was comforting that the Priestess was open to the idea of another solution. He, too, hoped for another path to be revealed to them.
“I hope so, too. That is my goal here, to find another solution. We’re working towards finding a cure for the blight. Eris and the other Sages have been hard at work.” he said, his attention returning to the eternal flame.
“May Aelios light the path for us.” He said, mostly to himself, just above a whisper as he watched the flames flicker energetically, his thoughts clearly more numerous than he was willing to express.
Tia kept watching him. It felt impudent, to stare at him so boldly. But Tia found she couldn’t look away - this was her Prince. The man she’d been sent here to keep a watch on. The man she’d been sent to kill, when the time came. Did he bear the heavy gaze of Aelios, as she did? Did he feel the tip of the dagger inching ever closer to his heart, day by day? Did phantom memories of violet smoke choke his lungs as it billowed across the land? The way he watched the flame, bags under his emerald eyes, muscles tight around his mouth…
And what was her role here, but to be another weight to carry?
Tia bit the inside of her cheek, knuckles tightening around the notebook in her hands. She finally pulled her gaze away from him, to watch Aelios’ flame. She echoed his prayer in her mind.
...Where are the stars, Tingara?...
…But Aelios was lighting a path, wasn’t She? What were Tia’s visions, if not instruction?
...Above…
She couldn’t tell him, not yet, not without permission from the High Priest, but…
...And below…
Tia lifted her notebook again to write in it. She looked back to the Prince. She hesitated before bringing her hand to his arm, the touch feather-light before she pulled it away again.
Do you know of any caves nearby, Your Highness? Perhaps by a lake?
The Prince felt Tia’s touch break through his internal dialogue, drawing his gaze first to her hand and then to the note. He furrowed his brow as he pondered her question, trying to remember if he had seen any caves, and wondering why she would be asking such an odd question. He had seen much on his journey to Dawnhaven, but no caves came to mind.
He shook his head. “I’m sorry, I don’t know of any. We have Frostmoon Lake to the south, but I don’t believe it has any caves.” He paused, thinking of the path he would take along the lake in the early hours of “morning”. Even if there had been a cave, he doubted he would have seen it in the darkness. Someone would need to search for it specifically, and he hadn’t ventured into the lake’s waters or towards its surrounding mountain range. “Why do you ask?”
Tia hadn’t foreseen the Prince asking this very predictable question. Her eyes widened slightly as she fought to keep her expression neutral - it was not a fight she was winning.
“Prayer.”
Her voice didn’t function properly nine times out of ten, and that managed to make it past her lips?
"Ah..." Flynn nodded, a bit taken aback by her sudden clarity, but he accepted her answer for truth even though he found it to be a very odd statement. He had never known Aelios worshippers to seek out caves. Was this a new practice since the sun had vanished? The darkness of such a place seemed more suited for a Priestess of Seluna. Nonetheless, Flynn had been taught not to question the clergy, lest he face the consequences for doubting them. They had their ways... or so his mother told him.
Keeping his gaze upon her, he took a moment to take in her features under the soft glow of the eternal flame. She was unique in a way that made her stand out against most people who were from the mainland. As a Prince, he had met many nobles and emissaries who came from all over, but only once before had he encountered someone from her region of the world. "You hail from the Ember Isles, yes?" he asked, curious. "I have heard it is beautiful there. Unlike anything else..." He smiled warmly at her, unable to resist the princely charm that came so naturally to him. "Like you, I'm sure."
Tia’s eyes only grew wider. A different sort of warmth pooled in her cheeks, heating her as though she were in one of the temple’s hot springs. Tia looked down at her notebook like she could hide in it, and busied herself writing.
All her previous boldness had escaped her - Tia was back to avoiding the Prince’s gaze as she held the notebook up. But quietly, secretly, vainly, his words echoed in her mind. No one had called her beautiful since… since she’d had black hair and an unblemished neck.
I was born there, yes. But the majority of my life has been spent living in the Aurelian capital, under the care of the Church.
Flynn couldn’t help but smile to himself as he noticed the Priestess’s nerves rising again, as if this had been a game he had just won. It was an enjoyable respite, reminiscent of the playful behavior he had enjoyed only a few months ago, though the feeling was fleeting.
“Perhaps we can both visit some day.” he stated as he read her message, a bit disappointed that she did not have more stories to tell of the land she was born in. Much of the Ember Isles remained shrouded in mystery, a source of endless intrigue for him, but it seemed the isles would elude him still. “If we make it through this.” he added somberly, the grimness of their situation—his situation—gripping at his heart and pulling him back to reality. There was no time for taking small joy in making a woman nervous under his gaze or with his words, or for making plans for the future that seemed so far out of the realm of possibility.
Studying her a bit more, Flynn began to imagine how this small and easily unnerved woman would be the one to drive a dagger into his heart someday soon if he could not make progress on his search for a cure. Could she actually do it? Had they trained her on how to take someone’s life? Had she participated in any of the sacrificial rituals that had been done recently? Did she know how to make it quick so that he wouldn’t suffer? The realization washed over him slowly, blanketing him in a coldness that even the eternal flame could not fight off.
“You must’ve done extensive training with the church for them to send you here.” he said, more as a statement than a question, his eyes fixated on hers—searching for confirmation in her expression. He wasn’t sure if the church had sent their best to him or their worst. Was she just a vessel to kill him when the time came and nothing more? It was an odd feeling, looking into the eyes of a woman who could very well be his end. Someone so gentle, and yet…
“I hope the time never comes, Priestess, but if it does…” he found himself speaking before he could rethink his words and hold his tongue. “Be sure to make it quick for me, will you?”
Tia could only meet his eyes, heavy with the weight they held. He seemed so young. So weary. A lump formed in her throat, nestled behind her scars, as tears threatened to build. Tia could make him no promises. The only thing she’d ever been good at was healing, not lying, not subterfuge, not killing, and she felt helplessly small in the wake of all that was being asked of her. The Prince, the High Priest, the Queen, Aelios...
And suddenly they weren’t Prince and Priestess. They were just two people tied together by something terrible.
A slender hand raised, slow and careful. The tips of her fingers came to the arch of his cheekbone - after a moment, the rest of her hand cupped the side of his face. It was almost maternal, as her thumb moved over the crest of his cheek. A tear slid down her own.
Flynn frowned as an emotion resembling anguish flashed across the Priestess's eyes and she reached out for him. Instinctively, he nearly stepped back, but the pain in her expression made him pause as she gently placed a hand on his face. He watched her cautiously, frozen by her sudden act of bold kindness. His brows furrowed, and his eyes mirrored the same suffering he saw in hers. This felt too intimate for someone he had just met, especially with the woman sent to one day kill him, and even more so with a Priestess of Aelios. Yet, he couldn’t look away from her as she ran her thumb across his cheek. When a tear fell from her eye, Flynn grimaced. He had not meant to make her cry, and now guilt set in. He had not expected the Priestess to hold so much empathy for his situation either.
Tia withdrew. Bending, she placed the notebook and charcoal on the temple floor. The soft clatter and thump of it nestled amongst the warm crackle of the fire. She looked back to him as she straightened. Reaching out, she took his hand to guide it up to his own chest, over his heart.
“Tīda, nasaki,” she whispered. Faint golden light filled the space between her hand and his, warmth seeping into the back of his palm. With her other hand, she touched his forehead. “Tīda, hwichai.” Her rasping voice broke over the final word. Light and warmth again bloomed under her touch.
It was a simple blessing - too humble for royalty, but for some reason it called to Tia now, for him. It was common in the Ember Isles, and the first thing she’d been taught at that rundown little temple when they’d deemed her well-fed enough to begin learning. She’d only done it once since leaving her island - for a bedridden old man in the capital, ember-born like her, who’d sobbed all the while. Tia had cried with him. She looked like his daughter, he’d said.
Entranced by her, Flynn followed Tia’s lead as she guided his hand to his heart. Confusion flickered across his face as Tia spoke in a language he had never heard before, but he remained silent. His eyes finally broke from hers as he felt warmth growing between their hands. He looked down to find a light beginning to radiate there, watching curiously before feeling her gently touch his forehead. He looked at her again as she stretched to reach the top of his head, being so much shorter than he was. He nearly smiled out of amusement, but an overwhelming sensation of warmth and tingling rushed throughout his body. Closing his eyes, he took a moment to appreciate the feeling of comfort that it brought. He had no idea what she had just done—she could have cursed him for all he knew—but whatever it was seemed to relax muscles that had been tensed for days, months even.
The golden glow faded, until only the firelight remained. Tia pulled her hands back, looking up at him.
Reopening his eyes, Flynn met her gaze and smiled faintly before glancing down at his hand to find the glowing light had faded away. “What was that?” he asked, his voice softer and more relaxed than it had sounded before.
Tia met his smile with a soft one of her own. Her eyes lowered, unfocused, as she tried to think of the best way to translate it. The edge of her hand swiped at her cheek. She would’ve been scolded if any other members of the clergy had seen - she’d always been too expressive, too involved with others. It was unbecoming of a priestess.
She looked back up to the Prince. Raising a hand, she touched her heart. “Mercy,” she said, voice catching on the word. The itch that never seemed to disappear gripped at her throat. She paused, bringing her sleeve to her mouth as she coughed - yet another of her deficiencies. Tia tried to swallow, clearing her throat. Then she raised her hand to her forehead. “Light.” It was more breath than voice.
“Thank you, Priestess.” he said, though guilt gripped him once again. She had clearly pushed her limits by speaking to him so much, and he wondered if she felt obligated to do so just because of his title. “I truly appreciate it.” He smiled genuinely, though any happy feelings he had seemed to fade away quickly these days. Despite her care, something still wouldn’t leave his mind.
Gently, Flynn took Tia’s hand into his own this time and guided it to a spot just to the left of his sternum, pushing between his fourth and fifth ribs. “If the time comes, aim here.” he said softly, his eyes meeting hers with a solemn intensity. “Angle slightly upwards, towards the center of my chest. A quick thrust will pierce the heart and end it swiftly.” He held her hand there for a moment, watching her expression to see if she understood.
Her eyes widened as she felt the Prince’s bone and muscle under layers of flash and cloth. And she was to cut through all of it. Her eyes darted between her hand, held firmly in his own, and his somber face. Her nerves began to undo themselves, a building crackle of energy that quickened her pulse and shortened her breath. She could already smell the vile iron in the air, his blood was already leaking onto her hand, it coated her fingers, her neck, it filled her lungs and she was drowning in it –
...Tin…Ga…Ra...
Her hand was trembling as her vision snapped into clarity again. She looked at it, small in his hand, against his chest. She tried to memorize the placement. Tia looked back up at him.
How could she deny a dying man’s wish?
Tia bit down on her cheek, trying to control her breathing. Her hand still shook. She nodded.
Flynn smiled with a certain sadness, feeling reassured despite the way her hand trembled in his. He slowly released her hand and nodded, a silent understanding and agreement passing between the two of them. “Thank you.”
Taking one last glance at the eternal flame, Flynn took a deep breath and released it slowly, trying to clear out any of the tension that still remained in his body, though the effort felt futile. “I must be on my way, but thank you for meeting with me. We— I am glad to have you in Dawnhaven.” He turned to leave but paused.
“If I am to die, I am glad it will be by your hand, Priestess.” he added, glancing over his shoulder with one last look at her, that sorrowful smile still lingering on his lips. The sight of it broke Tia’s heart. Willing himself to leave the comfort of the temple, Flynn left her to attend to her Priestess duties, entering the cold of the outside world once more.
Tia watched the door to the temple shut behind him. She was filled with a sickening guilt as she realized the Queen would be very pleased with her progress.
Mentions: Olivia @amorphical
