Ephemeral Affairs [MXM]

Mom

"I'm sorry," Nien's brows come together in a way that frames an almost crying face.

"It's okay," I fake a smile.

Fiona definitely recall our conversation about regret and marriage from before because she's hiding her face with her knees.

"Sorry. That was a very bad tangent. Grandmama please continue the story," I try to change the mood.

Grandmama flinches a little, "Oh yes."

The male elf said to the prince, "Today will be my last day. Since it appears I am unable to neither make you leave nor kill you, another will replace me until you're satisfied and go home; or aged to the point where you're no longer a part of this world."

"Then would you like to confess your feelings toward me?"

Frightened, the elf replied, "My only feeling toward you is exhaustion."

"Since you confessed, I will too," Niltiocles began. "Being with you for an entire year has change my feelings. I think what I feel for you is similar yet greater than what I had for..."

Frozen by joy, the elf couldn't accept or reject Niltiocles's false confession.

Nevertheless, they made love that night.

The elf told Niltiocles how to find him.

If Niltiocles is to win the elves over, he must not enter through the forest with green moss. Rather risk his life in a stormy night at sea.

"I will pray for your safety so just do as I say," the elf kissed the prince before he was replaced the following morning.

Niltiocles stayed a few more days and then left for the Capital.

He wanted to make sure it works first before he does so himself; and because he didn't love the male elf, he asked a distance cousin, Sihipe, to risk his life for 'the nation'.

After he sent Sihipe to Enzumin, Sihipe informed the prince that his female lover was incredibly angry that the male lover was pregnant and so she killed herself.

The prince refused to acknowledge that the male lover got pregnant and that his female lover committed suicide. Instead he married according to his parents' wishes.

Maybe it was a good thing I didn't let Nillin name our firstborn after Prince Niltiocles.

"Doesn't that mean 'I' have an elven cousin?" Nien looks like her mind has been blown into pieces.

"We wouldn't know. It was what Sihipe sent back and all the elves were killed. No one can affirm nor deny said claims," Grandmama answers with a soft yawn.

As they continue to argue about the cousin, I can only think about the pregnant male elf.

I feel my abdomen region with questions popping like bubbles.

If the story is true and male elves can get pregnant, then why did Grandmother used that scary spell to make me a womb?

"But wouldn't that make the cousin more royal than the King?" Fiona sees the story from a different perspective.

"I don't think it matter. If I was the male lover, I would hate the prince for killing my people just as my mother left my father and I," I offer.

Nien shakes her head vigorously, "I feel like history is just repeating itself in this family."

"Alright children. Let's sleep," Grandmama hands me Asahi. "We'll enter the Elven Ruins tomorrow and figure out what really happened."

"I'm sleeping next to mom!" Nien declares in a whisper.