Hexblade's Charm

Three and then some - The Parting Glass

A few days later, Oswald approached the Sylvari as he was busy cleaning the cabins up for the Mist Wardens' return.

"You do realise you don't have to put in all this work. It's not your fault this place was trashed."

"I know." Malyck straightened himself and smiled, but lately, his smiles had lost their usual brightness. "I just need to do something. It keeps my head off things."

Oswald nodded. He had changed back into his human form once they had reached Melandru's Domain. He looked Malyck up and down for a long moment and leaned against the wall to continue watching him.

"I regret so many things", Malyck said quietly as he swept the shards from the broken mirror the floor. Picked up one of them and watched himself, only partially reflected. He felt like not only his mirror image, but also his real self had broken into many parts. He had only been able to regain some of them, but a large part of himself was obfuscated by the thick fog of grief.

Looking up at Oswald, who was watching him intently, he added: "I was so jealous of you for no reason. I apologise."

Oswald raised an eyebrow. "Jealous of me? Whyever that?"

"The two of you share something I never can", Malyck replied and got up from the floor. "You're connected to the Mists and to each other, like the Sylvari are to their Tree. It's something I never had. This connection was something I'd like to have had with him as well."

Oswald sighed. "Oh, petal. This is frankly insulting to yourself. You must know that your connection to Heximander was something I could never break in a thousand lifetimes."

Malyck could not reply. Oswald pushed himself off the wall and brushed the leaves out of his face. He kissed his forehead, and for the first time, Malyck did not feel like the Mad King was flirting. No, it felt comforting.

"You had something I never had, and actually, I don't envy you, because this is a complete mess and I don't really want a part in it", Oswald said. "But apparently, I need to tell you this, because you don't seem to have realised it on your own. I could never have come between the two of you. I don't think anyone could have in forseeable time. Love is nothing I engage with, nor ever wish to engage with. But you seemed quite happy with each other, so I suppose it really is a shame how it's all turned out."

Malyck felt tears well up in his eyes once again. He was surprised he even had any left after the past days.

"I never told him I loved him. We never talked about it. We were bad at talking about such things, and he told me before he went... he said he loved me."

The Mad King sighed again. "Yes, indeed, little boy blue. Alas, it's too late to dwell on such thoughts. He is gone."

He stepped back and left the building to search for the creature. He found them tending to the campfire outside.

"He cares a whole lot for you, you know", Oswald said.

The creature looked up with a sorrowful smile. "I know. I feel so bad. I wish I could remember more. He seems like such a nice person, and it hurts to see him sad."

"Does it now." Oswald reached down for their arm and pulled them up. They were suddenly very close. The creature swallowed.

"I can feel attraction to you, and also to him, but I don't know why. All the things I know seem to be fuzzy feelings, no clear memories. And it has been days. I don't think there will be much more to come."

The Mad King stared them down for a while. "Well, you'd better try harder, then."

He took a step back and looked up at the quickly darkening sky. "A storm is coming up. This fire is going to be useless. We will just eat some dry rations tonight, and you can try to remember some more before it starts to rain. I will get some things from the Candy Corn."