A Twist of Fate

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"I am glad that you hadn't married." Cryon commented before he could stop himself. That childishness was slinking its way into his thoughts, and not in a way that he was comfortable with. With worry of how that might sounded to the mage, he cleared his throat, pretending to have some dust caught there before grinning cheekily, just as he used to when they were kids. "After all, I have to accept them first. No friend of mine is going to marry an arse if I can help it." He continued, his relief at coming up with something so quickly letting his shoulders relax. When he tensed them, he wasn't even sure.

"Did this mentor help you with your...control? Are you better now at magic than you were before?" Cryon asked, his voice showing just a little wary. He knew that Mallin would have to be sensitive about what was said about his magic, even after all these years. Going through life, knowing the reason that two people were dead couldn't have been easy on him, no matter how much time had passed. The King swallowed, hoping he didn't upset the mage.

"I remember how you used to play with the water. It was so....magical." Cryon commented, his eyes shining as he remembered the way Mallin used to show off his magic. Honestly, the king had never grown tired of it, much like a babe never grows tired of being held. It was something that he could watch again and again, and still find something that amazed him everytime, even if it were as simple as suspending a drop of water in the air.
 
Mallin was confused at first, but smiled when Cryon went on about approving of whatever mate he chose. He had a feeling the man wouldn't approve, should the mage decide to let things go as they were and pick a man over a woman. No. He would have to do that in secret if it were to happen, and with all the secrets he already held he wasn't sure he could manage it.

"I've gotten better." The mage said softly, with a shy little smile and a bit of a nervous shift from one foot to the other. "He showed me how to control it. Showed me how much more I could do, and . . . and how to keep it to myself." He would never have someone hijack his body ever again. He was in control now. His magic was his alone.

Shaking his head a bit, Mallin gave a bigger, somewhat hesitant smile. "I have a lot more tricks up my sleeves now. I should show you, some time." He paused at that, almost sadly, and ran a hand up and down his arm. "You . . . How long will you be staying in Arcturus? I . . ." He hesitated and just left it there. He wanted Cryon to stay, but at the same time the mage wished he could go home. With the witch found, perhaps he could, but he found himself too afraid to ask.
 
"I am glad to hear that, Mallin. Your magic is sacred to you and you alone." Cryon commented, nodding in approval. His eyes softened, just imagining how much he would be grateful for that mentor, even though he had never met him. Just the fact that Millan was standing here, right now, telling him that he wwas in control, was something that the King could ever imagine hearing. Not even in his wildest dreams, did he see such a brightness that made his smile almost permanent, struggling to remain on his face for all of eternity.

"I think I will remain for a couple of days." Cryon said, his smile slowly fading as he realized what that meant. In just a few days, he would part from Mallin again. He had his home here, and Cryon had a kingdom to run, and as much as he wished Mallin to go with him, to live with him once more, he wouldn't dare ask him to choose between the life he had now and the fantasy that Cryon was trying to construct. Besides, Mallin probably wouldn't want to go back to a place with such terrible memories anyways.

"Do you remember Nima? The boy three years younger than us that we used to play with when we went into town? He's in training to be a knight now." Cryon commented, trying to slowly ease in an offer. He didn't know why, as he doubt Millan would actually ever pick up on it or even accept, but still, he had to try. "He's getting married to a young woman in a fortnight. Perhaps you could come to the wedding, give him a little surprise. After all, you were his favorite." The King felt himself internally wince, knowing that that had to be the worst way to ask someone to come back to his old home. Surely, he would see through it, catch the desperation in his voice even though Cryon had tried so hard to hide it.
 
A couple of days. It was too short. Surely Cryon would be doing some form of work while he was here, and Mallin had his own work to do that kept him busy for a few hours of the day. Would they be able to spend any time with each other? Or would his friend simply be gone to him, unreachable, for the second time? That thought was almost too much to bear.

"Nima. . ." He remembered the boy, a small, eager little thing that had taken a little while for Mallin to get used to but that the mage had liked very much. He was one of the few children Cryon had been allowed to play with when they were little, and hearing that someone he'd once known was doing so well for himself was wonderful. But, Cryon kept speaking, and after a moment of realization Mallin began to feel as if he might actually cry like the child he once was, a bit of moisture gathering in his eyes. It was too much.

"I . . . I can . . . come home?" He asked faintly, voice a bit weak, a bit strained, with a cautious sort of hope in it. He could hardly fathom the thought. He'd gone so long believing that any step back into the kingdom would mean certain death. He'd never thought for a moment he could go home, no matter how much he'd wished it. Maybe, if he was lucky, he could even go see his family again.
 
Cryon frowned as he noticed the tears that were forming in Millan's eyes. He let out a soft whine of worry, reaching towards the mage on instinct before pausing. His hand was just by Millan's shoulder, ready to pull him into a hug, but still, his teaching and learning of how to be a king was coming into play, leaving him in turmoil. Could he give his friend comfort, or would he have to remain a king, even when Millan was involved. Cryon didn't know, but it was like a switch to see the mage on the verge of tears. A protectiveness rose in him and he pushed his training away to pull the mage into a warm hug, holding him close and never wanting to let go.

"I want you to come home." Cryon admitted, finally letting that wall of royalness and business down. He was with a friend, a dear friend, and even if it was considered weak, his feelings were okay to be let known. But even so, he swallowed down the stinging in his throat, the burning of his eyes warning him not to push too hard. Even with a friend, he would not cry. If anyone deserved to let it out now, it was Millan with all the horrors he had faced.

Finally, he pulled away from the hug, not wanting to remain too long incase it freaked Millan out. He smiled at the mage, taking a step back to put the right distance between them. Although it hadn't mattered as a kid how close they had stood by each other, or how they slept curled up together, it mattered now, and even if he was a King and could do as he wished, losing support would not be a safe thing at the moment with the threat still at hand.
 
Mallin could hardly stand it. When Cryon reached for him and pulled him close, the mage could have cried. He buried his face against the man's shoulder and held on, fingers curled tightly into the King's clothes. He shook but refused to let the tears fall, didn't want to feel as if he were losing so much control. He just, couldn't stand it. He'd gone so long thinking he would never get to go back, and he'd tried to stop thinking of the castle as 'home', but his place here was one for work and for learning, and though he did love many of the people here it just . . . wasn't home.

When Cryon began to pull away, Mallin reluctantly let him go, cheeks dotted a bit red, and rubbed at his eyes to be sure they were clear, blinking away unshed tears. "Y-You really mean it?" He asked faintly, voice a bit choked, and bit his lip for a moment to keep from getting all upset again. He couldn't have felt more grateful for his friend's embrace, but it felt strange to thank him for it. It brought back a lot of memories of being comforted in his then new home at the castle, when he'd missed his parents so much he'd cried almost every night.

"I want t-to come home." He added after a moment, with the hope in front of him too strong to resist, to hold back just to keep himself safe. If there was this chance held out to him to go home, he would take it. He had to grasp for it or it would slip away just like his chance to see the King. "I couldn't . . ." The mage smiled faintly, a bit sadly. "I couldn't stay with you anymore, could I?" He wouldn't mind going back to his parents, or trying to find a place for himself, but somehow it felt like it wouldn't be home unless he was near his friend. But the castle was no place for a rogue mage, was it?
 
Cryon almost lost it when Mallin spoke of wanting to stay. He bit the inside of his cheek, forcing back the tears that sprung to his eyes faster than he could stop. If the mage said anything else like that, he knew he was going to lose it and cry. He would cry like the small child he felt like now, even though he was already adult age, and he didn't think he would ever be able to stop. It was just that, his friend wanted to come home, and not just live in the kingdom, but with him like they had when they used to. He couldn't imagine a better feeling than this, this warmth that spread through him, unnatural and so unlike the sun's heat, but so much more comforting than he could ever dream of feeling.

"I want you to stay with me." Cryon said, not caring how that sounded anymore. His friend was coming home, and no reputation would ever be worth that. It was then that he couldn't help it, the moisture was getting too dense, and he had to wipe his eyes, even though he knew how it looked. He smiled letting out a soft laugh as he struggled to keep the tears at bay.

"Some King I am. Crying over such a happy moment." Cryon commented, trying to make light of the situation, yet, it couldn't stop the soft whimper that escaped through his lips, the tears spilling over his lids now. The dam had broke, and he was again ten years old, wanting to just be with Millan without a care in the world, but even through the tears, he never lost that smile on his face, his sleeves becoming wet and the knuckles of his hand slick with tears.
 
Mallin almost felt like he had done something wrong, when Cryon looked as if he might weep. The King soothed that worry, but he still worried for his friend anyway, for the way he seemed to be losing some sort of self control that he didn't want to. The idea that Cryon wanted Mallin to come home as much as the mage wanted to be there made him unbearably happy. Even the sight of the other man smiling even as he begun to cry was something that made Mallin feel warm inside like he hadn't in a long time.

The mage smiled a bit hesitantly and reached out to his friend, brushing fingertips gently against the man's hand, and when he pulled it away little droplets of water from the King's hand and sleeve followed it, leaving all but the man's eyes dry. Mallin let them float in the air, glitter in the sun between them, and smiled just a bit behind them.

"A good King mustn't be too cold-hearted." He reassured with a soft laugh in his voice, thinking that Cryon had always loved his tricks and would perhaps be soothed by them. "It's just us." He added, and after a pause looked around as if surprised by the fact. "You are alone? Without your guards?" He tilted his head a bit, curiously, a hand resting loosely on Cryon's arm without thinking much about it. "Are you not working? I have to deliver something to Eide, but . . . we could have dinner?" He didn't want to leave his friend, now that they'd found each other again, but his mentor would be irritated if he didn't at least bring the basket he'd left behind with Toma and his mother before he disappeared again.
 
When Millan touched him, even in that single moment of his fingertips brushing his hand, it felt all too real, all too much like fantasy. Never in his life could he ever imagine being there with his childhood friend, crying in the streets of a strange, unknown kingdom, and loving every second of it, and when his hand and sleeve began to dry quickly, magically, he looked up, seeing the mage pulling the droplets through the air in a way that had Cryon smiling his brightest smile he had ever seen.

Even when Millan had fled, and Cryon had been left alone, he had never forgotten the beauty of his magic, and his alone. Sure, there had been other magic users, some that stayed for only a few days, and some that lived in the village. Of course, magic was illegal to use in his kingdom, but mages were not turned away from their home. Still, even in the darkest days, he would ask them to preform, and they had, yet none of them ever compared to his old friend's beautiful fluidity of his magic. He had yet to find another water mage, as most tend to lean towards earth and fire, and even in all this time, he never forgot the moments that made him smile like they did now.

"My guards are resting. They work too hard, and I doubt I would be attacked here." Cryon responded, motioning to the town around him. It was true; it seemed so quaint and warm here, and he honesty enjoyed the town almost as much as he enjoyed his own home. When Millan asked him to dinner, he looked over at him with hopeful eyes, his stomach rumbling and giving his response before he even had a chance.

"I believe I could enjoy some dinner." The King said with a soft, letting his hand rest on his stomach, settling it. He barely even noticed Millan's hand on his arm, only subconsciously noting how warm and comforting and right it felt to have it there. "Should we walk back to get what you needed to deliver? Unless you have it stashed somewhere secret."
 
((Quick rely before bed. Goodnight :) ))

Mallin couldn't help smiling when Cryon looked so pleased with even the simplest of little tricks. He supposed part of it was nostalgia, but then the King had been fascinated by Mallin's magic from the first time he had seen it. When they were children and Mallin had finally figured out that it was okay to show his friend his magic, he had used it any time he could to cheer the then-prince up when he was down, or just to make his friend smile and laugh. Mallin had needed the practice so he could learn more tricks anyway, and there was a small lake near the castle that they snuck off to when they could, so he could practice and Cryon could watch. Mallin missed those days.

The Mage flushed just a little when Cryon mentioned his delivery and shook his head, smiling a bit sheepishly. "N-No, I'm afraid I set it down when Toma greeted me so enthusiastically. I can go back for it, and deliver it to Eide, but . . ." He paused, glancing upwards as if to remember the sun, and frowned at Cryon in concern. "You cannot be so used to the sun's intensity here. I can take you to the tavern nearby, and you can wait there for me while I deliver it, or we can plan to meet there in half an hour or so. The walk back to the house isn't easy." He couldn't bring himself to call it 'home' when speaking to Cryon, because it wasn't the full meaning of the word. But more than that, he just didn't want his friend to struggle through a trek he didn't have to take.
 
(sorry it's short. Writer's block just hit me.)

"I will wait for you. Gods above knows I don't want to part from my closest friend anytime soon." Cryon replied, barely casting his gaze towards the sun. It was true. The sun was much less intense in his own kingdom, and this heat was actually beginning to affect him, despite how comfortably and thin his clothes were. Sweat had formed an ever thickening layer above his brow, making him subconsciously wipe at it at the mention. He was hoping that Mallin wouldn't notice, though knowing the mage, he probably did.

"I will just find some shade. It will suffice until you get back, and I don't want to waste the time it would take to find some place for me to stay." Cryon added a moment later, shifting his feet to get more comfortable. He offered his friend a smile, glancing around to look for some shade he could stay in.
 
((That's all right. It happens))

Mallin considered the idea of Cryon simply standing in the shade for a moment, then gave his head a little shake. "Here, come with me." He said gently, and with the hand he was just realizing still held his friend's arm he gave a little tug and released. "Jema will have a cool place for you to wait." Around the corner there was a fruit stand with a pleasant woman in her 30s running it, and when requested she allowed Cryon to go inside the home behind it where it was shaded and cool. Confident that his friend was well taken care of, Mallin waved and hurried off. The sooner he left, the sooner he could come back.

It wasn't an easy matter, just picking up his things. The people near where he'd taken off wanted to ask questions, and he could only apologize and take his basket with grateful words, and say only that he had found an old friend. Once he had his things he ran off again, covering the basket with an arm so he could set a fast pace towards the home he shared with his mentor. Eide wasn't happy with him for simply running off again, but it wasn't entirely unusual so there weren't any problems.

It was about an hour later when Mallin finally returned to retrieve his friend, a bit out of breath and a bit red-cheeked from overheating. He would be all right, given a few minutes in the shade, so he stood outside for a moment speaking with Jema before going inside to find Cryon.

"I hope you were treated well, Cry." The Mage said with a little smile, still catching his breath. "I'm sorry to keep you waiting. I know you're hungry." They could go now. He knew where they could get good food, and just hoped Cryon would like it.
 
Cryon followed Mallin with a smile, almost disappointed that his friend released his arm when he tugged a little bit. He had half a mind to ask who this Jema was, but waited, knowing that that question was soon be answered, and it was as he saw a woman with a fruit stand in the market. Mallin requested that Cryon stay there for a little while and although the King felt awkward about just parading into a home like he had been, the home was much cooler than outside in the sun and the woman even gave him some water to relax.

Cryon found himself unable to stay still and wondered around the house quietly, just glancing around as he did so. He felt much better now without the clothes clinging to his body, the sweat drying from his skin. He finally forced himself to sit down, to relax and enjoy the shade as he looked out one of the open windows, He watched a mother and child make their way down the street, the little girl skipping around her mother with a smile on her face.

The King watched with a smile, feeling a sense of longing as the mother caught the child and pulled her into her arms. He turned his gaze away, sipping on the last little bit of water out of his cup. He stood when he heard chatting, dusting off his clothes and making sure that he looked presentable. He wasn’t sure why he was doing so, but he didn’t dwell as Mallin appeared.

A grin appeared on his face as he saw his friend. Even though he knew that mage was finally in his life again, it still made him smile when he realized that Mallin was actually there. “It was not too long of a wait. I am ready to leave when you are.” The king replied, his voice soft.
 
Mallin was a bit ruffled, for lack of a better phrase, his clothes a bit rumpled and dusty and his hair all askew from running around, but he was smiling and looking happy. He hadn't lived in the castle in a long time, after all, and he wasn't used to having to dress up, or to look 'nice'. The only time he ever did that were the times that he had been called to the castle to refill wells, which didn't happen often. Even then, he had borrowed Eide's old, formal mage's clothes, things that no one really had need for anymore. The younger mage had always sort of wondered if the prejudice against magic was partially his fault.

"Let's go, then, before it gets too late." Mallin turned to Jema with a tiny little bow and a grateful smile. "Thank you, Jema. I'll see you tomorrow."

After a bit of a wave as they walked out, Mallin gestured for Cryon to follow and walked at his friend's side, smiling a bit to himself still. He couldn't help it. After being apart so long, with so much despair and loneliness tainting their memories together, it was indescribable to be together again, at peace. "I think that so much sun is not for you." The mage said with a sympathetic sort of expression. "It takes a little while to get used to." He'd hated it, as a child, but he had adjusted as he grew up in this place and was forced to work in the heat. "It makes me wonder what the cold will be like back home." He added with a soft laugh. "I may need to stay inside as well." He would most definitely have to find new clothes, somehow, to blend in and to stay warm.
 
The appearance of Mallin had Cryon unable to keep from grinning. He could only remember the time when they had finished playing, rough housing at times, and ending up looking as the mage did now. It brought waves and waves of old memories, as clears as if they had happened yesterday, and the King couldn't help but enjoy it. He felt like rejoicing as he and Mallin walked back out into the sun, after a little grateful thank you to Jema of course for letting him stay in her home.

"I'm sure we can find some clothes to protect you from the chill." Cryon assured, a small smile playing on his features as they walked. The mage was certainly right about one thing though; he had only been in the sun for a few moments and he was ready to strip bare, the heat borderline unbearable on his back and shoulders. "I am more impressed by how you handle the heat. Stripping bare would be better than the feeling of sweat rolling down my back all the time." The king commented, rolling his shoulders to accent what he was saying. Of course, he couldn't actually go in the nude with such a reputation as he had to hold, but the thought was still there nonetheless.

"Where is it that we are going to eat?" Cryon pondered after a moment of walking, curiously looking over at his friend. He vaguely wondered what kind of food they were going to eat. Being from royalty all his life, he couldn't help but get the urge to try something normal citizens eat.
 
Mallin smiled a little, not quite embarrassed, when Cryon assured him he would find warm things to wear back home. He had some concerns at the back of his mind, namely that he had little money and no income to speak of and wouldn't be able to afford new clothes in order to look proper in the castle, but those things were pushed back by the excitement. He couldn't help thinking only of the good just now, after thinking only of the bad for so many years. He had his best friend back. That was all that mattered.

"The heat is not so difficult." The Mage said with a little smile. "The danger is the sunlight itself. It is . . . rather intense, here - You would certainly be more displeased with the results of not wearing clothing that covered you, truly. Most people keep even their hands and face covered against it the majority of the time. A bit of sweat is no trouble compared to the alternative." After a pause he gave a shrug. "You adapt to a climate after a certain number of years." He couldn't remember how many it had been, but eventually, over a long time, the heat had stopped bothering him so much.

"Just to the local tavern." Mallin answered, unsure how else to describe the place. Most people cooked for themselves, but the nearest place to have someone else do it for you was the tavern. "Do you think you will have problems eating here?" He asked with a frown, starting to worry a bit that Cryon wouldn't adjust to the local cuisine. "There are still chickens and goats here, if you'd like." It was probably best he not try any of the local lizard or bird options. Some of them could be strange if a person had never eaten before.
 
Cryon tried to imagine his skin as Mallin descibed. He had recieved sunburns before, and yes, they had been a rather troublesome and painful, but not incredibly so. He tried to consider it much more painful, wrinkling his nose as he thought of it. He had seen someone when they had recieved blisters from their burns, and watched as they winced everytime they even moved. He was not in a hurry to try it out for himself.

"Keep my clothes on. Duly noted." Cryon replied, a small smile playing on his features as he looked over at Mallin. "Do you prefer the heat or the cool?" The king asked, feeling a bit of nervousness flutter in his chest. He didn't know why, but he wanted Mallin to like their home better than he did here. It made him feel like if Mallin didn't, then he would realize that he would miss this kingdom, and Cryon would lose his friend once more.

"I believe I will be able to adjust." Cryon said, giving Mallin a joyful wink. "I may have been spoiled as a child, but you know of my appetite for food of any kind." And that was the truth for the King. Oftentimes, he had eaten things that made the King and Queen upset, things that only the most daring would try. He remembered the last time he ate a beetle and had to remain indoor for three days from some kind of poison that the beetle carried. It had been flavorful though.
 
"I should hope you would do that anyway." Mallin agreed with a little laugh, shaking his head at his friend. "Hmmm. I don't really know." He added after a pause to think, giving a little bit of a shrug. "I haven't given it much thought. The heat isn't exactly what I would call pleasant." It was just something that you got used to living in. "But, nights in this kingdom get very, very cold, enough that a person can freeze if they are not careful." He gave Cryon a little smile, shrugging just a tiny bit as if to apologize for being indecisive. "Both have their ups and downs. I don't mind cold so long as I can still feel my fingers and toes."

The mage shook his head as Cryon boasted of his ability to eat, and felt a pang of something nostalgic when he thought he really could remember. When they were little, he had always wondered where Cryon put all the food he ate, and had often made faces or fought not to make faces when the other boy tried something strange. "Well, let us be safe and not hurt your stomach while you have business to attend to. It's just up here."

The tavern was moderately sized and a bit noisy for the time of day, as others filtered in to socialize or find something to eat. Mallin waved to the owner and the bartend, and guided Cryon over to a corner out of the way so they wouldn't be bothered. "Do you feel like anything in particular? I can order for us if you'd like." He just wanted his friend to be happy.
 
Cryon allowed himself some small relaxation at Mallin's words. Even if the mage did not have a preference over which he truly preffered, it put him at ease knowing that he did not truly like this kingdom better than his old home. After all, the King didn't think his heart could take it at that point. Strong or not, he was still a child when it came to his best friend and his affairs, even though they had been apart for ten years. Cryon was beginning to wonder if maybe he was under a spell of some sort, causing the longing he had in his chest.

"I'm sure I can refrain from eating a frog's heart or chewing on tree bark." Cryon replied with a smirk as he looked at the building. He felt a nervousness in his chest, a small flutter, reminding him of how much he might actually stick out in a place like the tavern. Even with his white clothes becoming quickly encased in the brown dust of the roads, they still reflected his royalty, making him pull the cloth a bit closer to his body in an attempt to go as unnoticed as possible.

Once they reached the corner, however, he allowed himself to relax, finding that it was much more secluded than the middle of the bar where most of the socializing took place. He glanced over at Millan, giving him a small smile before looking across the crowd. "Whatever you pick is fine with me. You know of the quality of this place better than I." He replied, feeling his stomach grumble just sightly.
 
Mallin tried not to get embarrassed or make any comments about frogs and tree bark being mostly myth. Magic was more about thoughts and feelings, transferred through the right symbols, hand motions, or even just words if the Mage was skilled enough. But he didn't want to get too deep into discussions like that just now. That could wait for another time, perhaps, when there weren't so many people around and he could speak freely without having to remind himself to stay quiet and unobtrusive.

"All right. Only, remember you said this for later." He smiled a little as he moved away from the chair meant for him. "Just in case. I'll be right back." Mallin left only for a minute or so, just long enough to give his and Cryon's orders to the owner to pass along to his wife and son in the kitchen, then went back to his friend to sit again.

"Someone will bring drinks soon." He said as he settled into a chair across from Cryon. "Will you be staying at the castle?" The royal dwelling was much smaller here than in Cryon's kingdom, but it was still the official space of the King and much larger than any other buildings in the area. Mallin could only assume an important guest would stay there.
 
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