The Prince Of Light (Larry Stylinson)

Feast Your Eyes

'Castle' hadn't really prepared Louis for the grandeur of the building he saw when they came through the forest after their short procession from the portal. It hadn't prepared him for the majestic stone bridge over the river, flagpoles lining the cobblestoned walkway and brightly coloured materials flapping in the breeze. It hadn't prepared him for the trumpeters and drummers sounding their arrival into the night with a chorus of singers lauding them in song. And it certainly hadn't prepared him for the ballroom sized entrance hall overflowing with flowers, artfully displayed fruits, and hundreds of candles cascading down from crystal chandeliers.

Louis stands in the grand hall, jaw slack and trying to take in his surroundings. There are people lining the large sweeping staircase, dressed in elaborate and shimmering robes of every colour Louis can imagine. At the bottom of the stairs, two older women draw his attention, standing arm in arm, their grey hair wound up on top of their heads woven with silver ribbons and falling around their shoulders. They're smiling, big and broad and bright, both with piercing blue eyes, almost familiar.

Harry has hold of his hand and hasn't let it go since they left the platform in front of the portal. He must see what Louis is staring at and he leans down to whisper in his ear. "Lou that's-"

"My grandmothers." Louis says, the emotion rushing out of him on the exhale.

"Yeah. Rashisa, your father's mother is on the left, and Ulsara, your mother's mother is on the right"

"Can I...?"

"Of course you can." Harry releases his fingers and lays a hand on Louis' lower back, gently pushing him forward encouragingly.

Louis smiles, straightens his back and walks towards them, self-consciously patting down his shirt, feeling quite underdressed for this important moment. He'll give Harry shit for letting him come so unprepared later.

He strides over and extends his hand to Rashida. "Hello. It's lovely to meet you, I'm Louis."

"Oh Louis! My love. You've come home!" Rashida moves forward and wraps her arms around his upper back. It's warm and wonderful and Louis can already feel the tears welling in his eyes.

"My beautiful grandbaby, we've missed you so much." Ulsara says as she joins their embrace, Louis bringing his arms around them both and holding them tight.

Louis' tears spill over and down his cheeks. "I- I'm sorry I was gone for so long, so very sorry. I didn't know... I had no-"

"Of course you didn't, how could you? We feared you were lost forever." Rashida says as both women sob into Louis' shoulders.

It's overwhelming and wonderful and Louis senses his knees buckling with the weight of emotion, but as he has come to expect, Harry appears right by his side just as it feels like it's all too much. Harry wiggles his hands around Louis' waist between Louis and his grandmothers, hugging him tight as he breathes into the back of his neck and gives him the support he needs.

A group to the side catch Louis' eye and he pulls back from his grandmother's, wiping his eyes as Harry releases one arm from around Louis' waist and turns them towards the group. There are four women standing before them, smiling eagerly, one in her late thirties he estimates, and three of varying ages around his own.

"Louis. May I present your mother's sister, Davendra, and her daughters, Lila, Thea, and Fasia." Harry says, waving them over.

The women look nervous so Louis looks to Harry and nods, and they both open their arms smiling brightly. "Bring it in!" Louis shouts gleefully. They surge forward and nearly knock the breath out of his lungs, but in the best possible way. They're chattering all at once and Louis can't really make out what they're saying but it doesn't matter. He knows. He feels it too. The room is filled with so much love and family like he's never experienced and he relishes every moment.