Chapter 6: Returning

After the one tense conversation, Ash is significantly more merciful in their line of questioning. Now that Emrys has opened the doors, it seems Ash's curiosity can't be sated. Even so, they have a good amount of tact and avoid any heavy or unnecessary topics. There are no more direct mentions of Emrys's pitiful, one-sided crush on Aesind. Emrys gets a knowing glance every so often, a taunting quirk of one unkempt eyebrow, or a rolling of the eyes, but nothing more.

As expected, Aesind has little time to spare. With Archimedes supposedly returning any day now, the suitors have taken their courtship efforts up a notch. Anytime Aesind has managed to get away for a little while and even greet Emrys, he's been tired and irritable. Putting on the high-born, polite facade is exhausting.

Emrys is fairly familiar with it to an extent. As firstborn of his clan's leader, he understands the rigors of polite society and the effort necessary to keep up appearances. He can't imagine having to do that at all hours in his own home. It's a wonder Aesind hasn't snapped entirely after a whole year of dealing with this.

Emrys is fairly certain he would've set something (or someone) on fire by now.

Today is set to be another day of chess matches, half-silent conversation, and babying his arm. The former two are almost enough to distract himself from the latter. Almost. Being bound up is getting old very quickly. He'd kill for a chance to go for a run, but he's not foolish enough to risk the good doctor's ire. Nor Aesind's, for that matter.

He had breakfast up in his room just a few minutes ago. Now, dressed and folded up into his shoulder brace, he heads down the side stairs to the first floor of the manor. He'd take the main ones, but he tends to run into the suitors on those. It's the same reason he eats on his own in his bedroom when not dining with Aesind.

Plus, these stairs are closer to his room. Ash showed him this and other secret ways of getting around the manor. The staff use them to move quickly from place to place, which explains how they manage to be everywhere all at once. It also explains how Ash manages to sneak up on Emrys every so often. They won't show him all the secrets, after all -- just enough to make his life easier, not nearly enough to become a more difficult target.

This stairway takes him through the west wing where the library is. Based on Aesind's brief, complaint-filled break a few days ago, the pretty man ought to be hosting one of his suitors for a late breakfast in the lounging area at the front of the library.

Emrys passes by the doors without feeling even a twinge of jealousy. The irritation nipping at his heels is nothing more than sympathetic annoyance for what Aesind has to deal with so early in the morning.

A quiet commotion bubbles out of the foyer as Emrys arrives. Several staff members bustle past. A pair go by Emrys carrying a cloak, travel gear, and a formidable-looking sword and shield the way Emrys came. They're gone before he can ask what's going on, so the only option is to press onwards and find out for himself. He steps out of the hallway into the cavernous space and stops dead.

A few more staff members loiter in the foyer, chattering excitedly about changing lunch and dinner plans. Another shuffles by Emrys with a polite nod, heading straight through to the small crowd huddled at the middle of the space.

Standing head and shoulders over most of the staff is, Emrys thinks, one of the most beautiful men he's ever seen in his life. His features are delicate but defined, like a marble masterpiece given life. Golden hair curls slightly at the ends where it's been swept back from his forehead. Perfect, pink lips are serious and unsmiling as he chats casually with the staff around him. He accepts a small cup of what must be water before placing it back on an offered tray.

There's a three-inch thick pile of papers and envelopes lying on another tray, but he doesn't bat an eye. He requests that they be placed in his usual working area for later. His voice is quiet but even, a harmonious timbre that floats over the light din despite its low volume. He's dressed simply for travel in comfortable-looking dark pants and a long-sleeved, light green shirt, but everything he's wearing has been tailored to immaculate perfection.

As this work of art in motion swivels his gaze around the foyer, he lands on Emrys, who is still gawking from the archway leading back into the hallway. The man pauses, head tilting. An odd little smile curves along his mouth as his eyes warm, and Emrys realizes his irises are gray -- nearly silver, if Emrys is seeing him right.

All of the air in Emrys's body leaves him at once as he realizes. Not a work of art.

An angel.

Godkin.

"Archimedes!"

Aesind comes running around the corner to Emrys's rescue with a blinding grin on his face. He sweeps past Emrys, arms wide, as he charges through the crowd that quickly parts for him. The godkin scoops Aesind right off the ground in a grand, sweeping embrace. Aesind's legs wrap around his waist, clinging tightly like a vine.

They hold each other for what feels like an eternity, suspended in the golden morning light filtering through the glass dome high above. At length, Aesind leans back from the godkin's shoulder, lays both hands on his cheeks, and tugs him into a breathtaking kiss.

And it is breathtaking. Emrys wheezes as the sheer force of the love in the room presses down on him from all sides. He's thought Aesind is pretty since day one, and his very first impression of Archimedes is... well, similar, to say the least. Together, though, they're indescribable. As they part, they share rosy smiles, glittering sweetly in the sunlight and shining nearly as bright all on their own.

"I missed you," Emrys hears Archimedes say, hands adjusting beneath Aesind's thigh and around his back. Emrys sees rather than hears Aesind's teary reply as he presses their brows together. They share one more kiss, then Archimedes carefully sets Aesind back down on his feet.

The top of Aesind's head just comes to Archimedes's shoulder, and so he has to duck down to stay close. Even so, it doesn't look uncomfortable. They only have eyes for each other, murmuring to each other as the staff bustle away to take care of the household and, apparently, rearrange the entire day's schedule. Hands linger and hold as though they're afraid letting go will tempt the other to disappear.

"Time's up," comes a sullen mutter from just behind Emrys.

He casts a glance over his shoulder to find all of the current suitors standing there, watching the adoring display. Instead of appearing dazed like Emrys feels or even happy for Aesind that his mate is home at long last, they all have varying levels of discomfort and disappointment written all over them.

"How am I supposed to explain this?" another of the suitors grumbles under his breath. "He's too early. Annoying."

"What?" Emrys hisses, brows furrowed in irritation. What could be so annoying about Archimedes arriving?

He doesn't get an answer. Instead, the suitors share baleful looks between themselves and wander off in all directions. Where they go, Emrys can't be sure. He doesn't really care.

From beneath the stairs, a familiar cloak and hood appear. Ash peers about, sees Emrys standing in the mouth of the hallway, and takes in the situation. When they note Archimedes's presence, they visibly perk up and emerge entirely, tugging their hood back to reveal more of their face.

"Ash," Archimedes says, turning to face the little daemon. Obvious fondness curls around his voice, even if he isn't smiling quite so widely anymore. His arm still rests around Aesind's shoulders. "How have you been?"

Ash jots something down on their chalkboard as they approach. They turn it for Archimedes and Aesind to read once they're close enough. Aesind's grin widens, and he glances up at Emrys.

"He is good company, isn't he?" Aesind says. He gestures for Emrys to come closer, and Emrys is helpless to refuse. "Ash has been keeping Emrys occupied while I've been busy this past week or so."

"Is that so?" Archimedes hums.

Up close, he towers over everyone. Even Emrys, who isn't exactly short at over six feet tall himself, which definitely doesn't help the tempo of Emrys's heart one bit. His gray gaze is shrewd as it sweeps over Emrys from head to toe. Emrys feels a bit like a specimen on display, but Archimedes shows no sign of animosity or judgment in the slightest.

If anything, there's a tinge of relief in his voice as he says, "I'm really very glad to see you upright, Mr. Symmonet."

"Please, call me Emrys," Emrys manages to say without choking. Fuck, the guy's voice is even smoother when it's closer. "You've seen me unconscious and saved me from dying of blood loss, I think you can use my first name." He pauses, then adds awkwardly, "If that's alright. My Lord."

That same odd little smile plays out over Archimedes's lips. "Certainly. In that case, you can simply call me Archimedes. There's no need to be so formal with the titles and such, you're our guest. It's very nice to meet you officially after all this time, Emrys."

Emrys reaches out to shake the offered hand, trying very hard to not keel over at the sound of his name in those dulcet tones. Gods, how do these suitors deal with Archimedes? Aesind is tough enough, all pretty and smart and pretty-smart-mouthed. Now he's got to handle both of them saying his name.

"I want to thank you," Emrys blurts out. "For the rescue in the forest. If not for you, my brothers wouldn't have made it out unscathed. I can't say enough how much I appreciate it. If there's anything I can do to repay you, please, name it."

"I'll keep it in mind," Archimedes replies, releasing Emrys's tingling hand. The smile is gone, but the warmth has remained. "Though, I should be clear, I don't expect anything in return. Your well-being is payment enough."

"Although," Aesind puts in with a sly smile that's far too knowing, "it doesn't hurt to have the heir of the local hunting clan in our debt."

An indulgent chuckle rumbles through Archimedes's chest. Emrys feels his brain shutting down.

Archimedes says, "Always looking for an angle."

"So he's like that all the time," Emrys mutters under his breath. "Good to know."

"Hey!" the pretty man says, laughing despite his offense. He lashes out with one foot, but the strike falls very short of Emrys's shins. "I take it back about you being good company. You're an asshole, Emrys."

Emrys can't help but roll his eyes. He also can't help the grin on his face from spreading wider than it should. The quiet tapping of chalk on slate fills the air, and Emrys's gaze swivels downward to see whatever the daemon is writing to incriminate him.

It's far too late to stop them as they turn the chalkboard, which reads, "Aesind and Emrys get along very well. They are as annoying as the other."

"Hey," both Emrys and Aesind protest.

Another mind-melting laugh, soft as distant thunder, interrupts whatever argument the pair might've started. Archimedes gazes down at his pouting mate with unending affection in his pretty gray eyes. He says, "I'm glad you've made a friend, my love."

Aesind melts into Archimedes's side. It's nice to know Emrys isn't the only one feeling so affected by the man.

He shoves that thought away, all but shaking himself to free it. Inappropriate doesn't even start covering it. It's one thing for Aesind to react like this. He's the guy's mate, for gods' sake. It's another thing entirely for Emrys to be thinking that way. The attraction to Aesind is bad enough as it is. If he lets himself start feeling too much, it's a slippery slope to inevitable heartbreak.

"--join us, Emrys?"

Emrys snaps to attention. "Huh?"

Aesind's grin is teasing as he repeats himself. "Would you like to join us for a cup of tea?"

"Oh. Uh, no -- that's alright. I would hate to intrude." Emrys feels heat crawling over his face. He gestures at Archimedes. "I mean, you've only just gotten back. You probably want to be alone for a while, right?"

"Is that your only argument?" Aesind prods, one brow rising. "You're afraid to bother us?" He points at the little daemon still lingering nearby, whose gaze is both searing and horribly knowing. "Ash is going with us. One more won't be a bother."

"I would like the chance to get to know you," Archimedes puts in before Emrys can voice his next protest. He appears fairly neutral, but there's a distinct note of humor in his voice. "I fear I've been a poor host to you thus far. It would be good to speak to you while you can hear me and reply properly, as opposed to while you're unconscious."

"I..." Emrys clears his throat, though it does little to clear his mind. "Alright. If you insist."

"Great!" Aesind chirps. He tucks his hand into the crook of Archimedes's elbow and marches further into the manor. "Come on, then. Tea awaits."