Our Secret (MCD Vylad X Reader)

[Flashback] Inescapable

Tw: Descriptions of abuse

My time in Phoenix Drop has definitely been... interesting. Hyria's staff to summon a miracle from Lady Irene wasn't some false advertising, especially with the release of the actual Irene from said item. Well, I assume she's Lady Irene, given how much she's managed to do and how reminiscent of the patron she is. There's just this gut feeling that leads me to believe she is and her feats so far haven't done much to disprove the theory.

She seems to hold no knowledge or memory of plausibly being Irene, instead choosing to call herself Aphmau. It's a little dumb sounding, but that's her choice to make and we have to respect that.

I was content with observing from the sidelines with Vylad the first few days she was there, but he began to worry that her stumbling about might get her into trouble that the guards wouldn't be able to get her out of (especially after her run-in with a hammer to the face on the first day). It didn't help that the other Shadow Knights patrolling the area were beginning to grow a little suspicious of her and of Vylad for continuing to watch over Phoenix Drop.

Typically, Shadow Knights have a tendency to watch over villages after killing their Lords, mostly to ensure that they're actually dead and that no evidence of their involvement is left on the crime scene. The amount of Shadow Knights that watch over the village is kept to a small number of 3 or 4 to ease suspicions and tension, but there were more than usual for Phoenix Drop. I could only assume it was due to Gene and Sasha's meddling, a suspicion mostly stemmed from Vylad "acting out of the ordinary" (I was included as part of out of the ordinary, so Sasha claims, but Vylad tells me that his time as a Shadow Knight before we reunited is something he isn't quite proud to claim).

Unfortunately, that brought him to the amazing idea of having one of us travel alongside her as a companion and keep her protected through her journeys. It made sense, given The Shadow Lord would immediately be breathing down her neck if he found out that Irene, or some form of her, was wandering around the region. Even beyond that, anyone would do whatever in their power they could to use magicks that Aphmau has exhibited for their own gain.

I was chosen between the two of us, mostly because Vylad's supposed to be buried in the ground dead and it would be less of a thing if Garroth saw me instead. It still became a thing I was forced to deal with not too soon after, but it didn't take much for him to nod along with it.

For a while, it felt like a weight off my shoulder to have Garroth in my corner supporting me. We'd cover one another's backs when people would ask too many questions and confide in one another when the two of us needed it most.

I felt safe.

I was safe. We were safe. Safe from O'Khasis and Zane and responsibility. We held our own lives in our hands now, hidden away from the forces that wanted to control us for their own gain.

Even when Vylad was gone to deal with related Shadow Knight things, I knew that I had Garroth, even if he didn't know the full truth. He was still there to help me hold everything, help me focus on the now. We remained safe like that for a long while, not needing to explain our backgrounds to anyone, not even Aphmau. We remained as inconspicuous as possible.

However, once Logan and Donna's wedding began to quickly approach, that safety was threatened by the very thing we were running from.

Like normal, Aphmau was making her rounds across the village to check on everyone (we found out Molly was pregnant and spent the whole night literally giving birth to her and Dale's secret new baby. Like can you fucking imagine seeing this sassy woman exhausted after literally giving birth??? IN SOMEONE ELSE'S FUCKING HOUSE????). Of course, her top priority was talking to the bride to be about her wedding, which would be the day right after, and everyone else kind of just happened in between the trek there.