Aerys let out a small groan of protest as sunlight streamed through the holes in her tent and burned through her eyelids, a small pout playing on her lips at the thought of having to wake up already, the crescent-shaped mark on her wrist itching as if it were agreeing that it was way too early to be up. It was the feeling of rough, masculine fingers running through her ivory hair that convinced her to crack an eye open, though, and she found herself face to face with the most handsome man in the world, to her at least.
"You're adorable when you pout." Xythius murmurs teasingly, his golden blonde hair falling onto his face as he leant forward to press a soft kiss to Aerys' pink lips, causing a light blush to dust her cheeks while she tangled her bare legs with his, relishing in the male's warmth for their camp was often relatively cold, considering autumn had just ended and winter was coming.
"Not as adorable as you are when you're all sulky because I don't let you kiss me in front of everybody else." Aerys retorted, her tone lighthearted despite the thoughts in the back of her mind that burdened her and took away some of the happiness she felt while she was with the love of her life. Something in her face must've given her away, though, for Xythius frowned and cupped her cheek in his hand, placing his other hand on the small of her back and pulling her close.
"Everything's going to be alright, Rys. I know you'll be able to perform the ritual perfectly later on. Those who think otherwise are fools." He told her reassuringly, his concern for her evident in his magenta eyes that bore into her golden ones as his thumb caressed her cheek tenderly.
A soft sigh left the girl's lips as she glanced down at his thumb on her cheek momentarily before her eyes flickered back up to meet his, and she tried to give him a small smile, but it came out as more of a grimace than anything as she automatically thought of the worst possible scenarios that could happen. "What if I mess up halfway? Or what...what if Luna decides that I'm not worthy of her power?" She blurts out, her eyes widening with each word and the nerves making her feel sick.
"That's absurd, and you know it. You won't mess up, and Luna will not suddenly decide that you aren't worthy. You're Aerys Celestial-born, of Tribe Veloris, and you are the most precious, powerful spitfire that the world has ever seen. Plus, you're the most beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes on, so don't you start doubting yourself." Xythius tells her with the type of intensity in his tone that caused the butterflies in her stomach to fly about wildly, his eyes filled with pride, love, and adoration for the stunning girl in his arms.
"I love you." The three words left her lips before she could stop herself, and her eyes glistened with unshed tears as she looked up at him, an indescribable feeling of happiness and utter love for him filling her as she reaches up to press several sweet kisses to his lips. "I love you." She repeats, feeling the need to say it over and over again, as if he wouldn't hear her if she didn't.
"I love you too." The blonde warrior whispers delicately back to her, his heart swelling with a special type of fondness and affection, something that he had wanted to feel for a girl ever since he was a little boy, and he had every right to be disappointed as Aerys pulled away, the girl laughing at the pout on his lips that she loved so very much.
"I have a present for you, so don't complain." She tells him with a playful eye roll and got up, the blankets falling off her pale body that Kiat never seemed to tan, no matter how many hours she stayed out in the sun. She reached into her pack and pulled out a dagger, sheathed in some of the most expensive leather known to mankind. She carries it with both hands, back to where she had left her beloved, and she climbed back under the covers before passing it to him. "I've been wanting to give this to you for a while now, but I think how's the perfect time to do it."
Xythius' eyes widened a fraction of an inch at the sight of the dagger bound in leather, for he could tell very well what it was from the intricate carvings on the handle of the blade. His brother had been a blacksmith after all, and he had often sneaked into his workshop to watch him as he crafted lethal weapons for the Shadow Army, something he didn't want to think of for the rest of his life, even though he knew he had to. "I can't, Aer, it's House Veloris' heirloom, and it's not in my rights to take it." He tells her, stunned that she would actually give what he knew was the most precious item in her life to him.
"You're going to be a part of House Veloris soon enough, Xy." Aerys' lips curved upwards slightly at the shocked expression on his handsome features, and she presses the dagger into his hands, her eyes filled with barely mirth. "Besides, this is more of safekeeping it for me in case anything bad happens than me actually giving it to you. If something goes wrong in the ritual, and I don't make it out alive, I want you to have at least something other than memories to remember me by." She tells him gently as he closed his fingers around the blade, his eyes locking with hers.
"If it makes you happy, then I'll keep it." Xythius tells her quietly, and breaks eye contact by looking down, something very obviously bothering him when he heard her words. Aerys did notice it, but she decided not to question him for now, since it took quite a bit to actually trouble the warrior, and if he was upset about something, it must be bad.
"Hey, maybe you'll be right after all and I'll be just fine. I promise I'll fight for you if anything goes wrong, alright? I'll always fight for you." The girl tells him, and now it was her cupping his cheek as she tilted his chin up so that he would meet her gaze. "I'll do whatever it takes to come back to you and after all this is over, you'll be by my side forever and always, my king, bringer of light, vanquisher of shadows." Aerys whispers, her eyes sparkling as she got lost in his eyes that had turned into the most stunning shade of purple. She loved how when he was happy, his eyes would be more of a lilac colour, which it was now, but she also remembered that when he was either in great pain or burning with fury, his eyes would turn to the deepest shade of violet, something she had always secretly thought was her favourite colour, although of course, everything about him was her favourite something.
Xythius gave her a boyish grin then, at her heartfelt words, the kind that always seemed to make her go weak in her knees before the young boy yanked his queen under the sheets for what could very well be the last time.
