|11 Years Later|
December • 4 • xxxx
With each morning that passed, he watched the Prince wither. Like a cold spot in the room, he stood like an unblemished wall of ice. Yiran wasn't sure Ea even noticed how bottomless his presence had become. Like a never-ending pit that swallowed up your voice and anything you threw into it. Yiran recalled the moment they heard word of what happened to Solaria. Ea's face contorted much in the way it did whenever he awoke from his nightmares but he remained silent. Whenever Yiran asked if he wanted to talk about it, Ea replied with a brief, "I'm okay," before changing the subject entirely.
When the sun rose just as it had all the days before, Yiran began helping Ea to change the bandages around his eyes. While Yiran finished up and went to wash up himself, Ea sat alone, eyes barely registering the curtains of rain that whispered over the silent lake.
"You're going to catch a cold."
His heart stopped as he turned to the familiar voice behind him. Part of him wanted to run over to her and take her in his arms, to hold her until he came to his senses. "...you aren't real."
He could almost feel the warmth radiating from her smile. "I'm real to you."
A firm hand on his shoulder startled him out of his daydream.
"Ea...I'm done. It's time to go."
"...right..."
Ea took Yiran's hand and allowed Yiran to lead him down the valley path. During their exile, they had traversed over quite a bit of land. They didn't know where they were headed or if they'd ever settle down somewhere but even after 11 years, the urge to keep going drove them onwards. They had managed to make it to Amasu, a small country resting at the edge of the large canyon separating the continents of Raeha and Visehr. The mundane drone of camping out in forests and inns had become routine for them as they fell into the life of wanderers.
"...who were you talking to?" Asked Yiran softly.
"You know who."
"...what did she say this time?"
"Nothing more than she has any other time."
Yiran hummed in lieu of a response. They walked calmly along the path for some time. The raindrops hitting the top of the umbrella Yiran held being the only sound between them until they came to an out-of-the-way rest stop. They sat at a table inside, deciding to have breakfast there. Quiet chatter filled the small wooden inn. Yiran ordered them some food and watched as the other patrons went about their mornings.
At a table next to them a group of men gathered round one who had rolled up his sleeve and flexed his arms.
"Look! I got this done yesterday," boasted the man.
"Is that one of those blessed scripts! I thought you had to travel far to get one of those?" Gushed another.
"Not at all! It was a lot closer than I expected it to be. Remember a few months back when I dislocated my shoulder? It never healed quite right but as soon as that man worked his magic it was like brand new!"
Curious, Yiran looked between the men and Ea. Figuring it was worth a shot, he approached the table, clearing his throat to alert them of his presence.
"Excuse me, I couldn't help but overhear your conversation just now, what magic are you talking about exactly?"
The men looked him up and down. "Ah, you're not from round here it seems. Here, take a look."
The man from before proudly showed Yiran his shoulder. Delicate black strokes of the Amasurian language were intricately patterned along his shoulder. The words "Waning Agony" were written neatly down his shoulder. He pointed at it happily.
"I got this from a shrine on the outskirts near the canyon. There's a man there that gives people blessings to heal their illnesses and injuries. I got injured here a few months ago and it never healed properly. It made it hard to do work so I went to find him. He never ventures into the villages or if he does it might be incognito so I always thought he was just a rumour. I was expecting to have to pay him something grand but all I had to do was bring him an offering of some fruits. It was surprisingly doable for poor folks like me!"
"How does it help?" Asked Yiran.
"He uses special ink. I think he blesses it beforehand. The words determine what effect the tattoo has. My shoulder doesn't cause me any pain any more thanks to him and now I can get back to work too!"
Yiran gestured over to Ea who was seated quietly, listening to them. "My friend over there injured his eyes a while back, do you think this man would be able to help him?"
"Oh for sure! Just follow the lanterns to find his shrine, make sure to bring an offering."
Yiran thanked the men and went back to Ea. "Did you hear that? We might be able to fix your eyes."
"I'm not sure I want to..." replied Ea.
Yiran sighed. "Ea it's been years. You don't have to keep punishing yourself like this."
"...but I do. All this time I've been wondering...did she hear me? Did she hear when I told her how sorry I was, how much I loved her? Or is she blaming me? I couldn't do anything for her. It was my fault. I can't even begin to imagine how she must have felt at that moment. My eyes...my exile...this is the only way I can atone..."
Yiran frowned. He knew very well the kind of guilt Ea carried. "We both know that Tah Min wasn't the type to hold grudges. She cared for you as much as you cared for her. The last thing she would have wanted was to see you suffer for her sake."
Ea remained silent, prompting Yiran to reach across the table and grab hold of his hand. "Please Ea. It's time to let go of your guilt. It wasn't your fault. You were just an instrument of someone else's malice. You shouldn't be paying for his sins."
Ea's lips quivered and Yiran sighed, hoping his words had finally gotten through.
"...fine... let's visit that shrine then," whispered Ea, lightly squeezing Yiran's fingers to reassure him. "If this isn't Tah Min's curse but rather Gabriel's then...maybe it's time to shed it."
•~•~•~•~•~•~•
A bird landed gracefully on the ledge at the window of his cell, chirping its morning song happily. Closing his book, Gabriel stood and walked as close to the window as his restraints let him. His chained ankles clinked miserably as the metal was dragged across the floor of the cell.
"Hello, little bird. Have you come to visit me?" Gabriel stretched his hand out holding leftover breadcrumbs from his breakfast.
The bird hopped closer and eventually slipped through the cracks between the bars and into the cell. Gabriel pushed his hand closer, willing the bird into his palm. When it finally landed in his hands to eat, Gabriel snapped his hand close, crushing the bird and silencing it. With a look of scorn, Gabriel threw the dead bird into his breakfast tray and dumped the tray onto the collection table for the guards to find when they came to take it back.
"Damn bird, making noise so early in the morning. Look, you've made me lose my concentration. "He spat angrily, slamming his book down on the table.
He glanced back at the window. Rays of light peeked in from the small sliver of a window and danced across Gabriel's freckled face.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6APN04VvX6
"I wonder what the Emperor is doing..." Gabriel laughed bitterly. "It's been so long and he still can't get rid of me...what a joke."
While he spent another boring morning locked inside his cell, things were not so leisurely inside the palace. Sin's morning assembly was far from peaceful and was enough of a headache to attend to put the tired emperor in a bad mood.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQkbpF8yTgQ
