A Court of Sun and Flame

CHAPTER FORTY TWO

"endings are almost always a little sad, even when there is something to look forward to on the other side."

~Emily Giffin

"It's been almost a week since you have been born, my darling. Almost a week in which your father and I have been blessed by your presence, the gift that you are, and the gift in which we will cherish until our last breaths.

"Your name was not initially an easy one to pick, but as me and your father were walking along the beach one day, i realised something. I remembered the thing that was practically the centre point of my existence; the sun. The sun lives within my mother, your grandma, who would have loved to see you. She would have taken you gently from my arms ever so carefully, especially due to your delicate wings, so precious for something that would turn into something powerful. I can see her trace her fingers through your new born curly hair, already promising me that the curls would last. I would have rolled my eyes at all this, finding her comments amusing . But she didn't get to meet you my darling, but one day, a long time into the feature, you will meet her. It will be the moment we dance within the stars during the night, and spreading rays of sunlight during the day, dancing through windows and into empty rooms, lighting up every corner of darkness.

"The sun is also within your father. In fact, some would even say that he is the sun, to which i would agree with, because when he first saw you, and cradles you within his arms, he glowed. The happiness that he felt within his was so strong that he couldn't keep it inside. And so at that point, as I thought of the two people i love most in this universe, I knew that the third person, should be someone with a little bit of both of them mixed within. Apollo."

Looking down at Apollo as i cradle him within my arms, I press another kiss to the crown of his warm head, smiling as he scrunches up his nose in response, his delicate wings tucked behind him.

"I'm definitely his favourite."

"Helion," I smirk, as I watch my beautiful mate walk through our bedroom door, setting down a plate of food he went to fetch for me, before moving over to join me on the bed. As soon as he lies down besides me, he wraps an arm around me, drawing Apollo and i closer to him, as he pressed a kiss on our sons forehead before pressing one on my lips, in which i eagerly respond.

Pulling back, he stops me by gently placing a hand on my jaw, making me look into his warm brown eyes. "Have i ever told you how much I'm in love with you?"

I let out a soft laugh, "many, many times sunshine boy, and to be honest, every time you say it it feels like the first time all over again."

"Good, because i would do anything for you two, and i mean anything," he whispers, voice growing series towards the end, and i know that he was telling the truth. Helion would kill for us, destroy the world for us, and even give away his court if it came to it. But it wouldn't come to that, i wouldn't allow it to, as i would just as easily give up everything for my mate and son.

Passing a sleeping Apollo over to my mate, i watch as he cradles him onto one side of his chest, whilst bringing me to his other side, where i snuggled into him, my face resting in his neck.

"Urgh, i don't want to move from this spot ever." i groan as i feel Helion's hand stroke my hair.

"Good thing we don't need to."

Letting out a laugh, i lift myself up slightly so that i could properly look at him. "I wish, but i think you may have forgot about a certain meeting we have in a couple of hours."

Helion's mood immediately shifts as he noticeably tenses up, somehow bringing Apollo and i even closer to him whilst his eyes shift from their normal golden-brown colour, to pure liquid gold.