Ephemeral Affairs [MXM]

Once More

In the distance is Osay, the capital of Kalor. It has its own beauty, unique from the capitals of others and other surrounding cities.

The tiles of the roofs are enriching green and the walls are hints of earth. It's a city that truly embraces nature and embodies the virtues of Kalorians.

"It's very different from what I've heard," Aguano purses his lips and takes a long look at the city from their distance.

"Regardless, let's rest first and enter the city tomorrow," Ajax secretly wraps an arm around Alosrin's waist.

The elf giggles, "We could make it if we try."

"It's foreign land, we ought to give ourselves as many advantages as possible," Ajax smiles and kisses his lover's cheek.

"Yllathanise wants to kiss mommy too," Niowei tugs at her mother's leg.

Alosrin leans down for her daughter while the rest prepare the tents and dinner.

Niowei hooks her arms around her mother's neck and jumps into his arms, "Yllathanise wants to sleep between mommy and daddy. Don't want to sleep with the soldiers anymore."

"Alright. Yllathanise will sleep with mommy and daddy tonight," Alosrin presses his forehead against his daughter and they walk toward the blazing campfire.

Ajax waves at them and pats the space next to him, "You most certainly spoils her a lot."

"Daddy, don't get mad. Yllathanise is still a good girl even if mommy spoils Yllathanise," the little girl climbs onto the prince's lap with a gleeful grin.

"Daddy's not mad, Yllathanise. Daddy's jealous because you're taking all of mommy's love," Ajax winks at Alosrin while making kissing sounds.

"I need to take a leak!" Aguano declares but hesitates before getting up.

Ajax sighs and tells his family, "I need to take a leak as well."

"He really doesn't like you," Alosrin chuckles and turns to his daughter.

When the prince catches up to Aguano, he says, "Why does it bother you that I'm close with my family?"

Aguano turns around and crosses his arms, "Because you're going to abandon them. Yes, I've heard what you and your pretty ladies been whispering about."

"If you know, keep quiet. I'll tell them myself when the time comes," Ajax walks up to Aguano and loosens his belt for a leak.

"So you're just going to tell them moments before you leave them? Is that your plan to avoid seeing them disappointed in your competence?"

Ajax glares at him and answers, "I've asked him to marry me countless times and he rejected me. There's nothing I can do."

Aguano laughs smugly and also loosen his belt for a leak.

"My country needs me. I need to return soon. I'll come back for them as soon as I possibly can."

"Are you talking about Aarth or Huca?" Aguano tightens his belt and so does Ajax.

"Huca."

"So Aarth is no longer your country? That's odd. I quite recall that the little girl in that dark skin's arms is the daughter of Prince Niltiocles of 'Aarth' not 'Huca'."

The prince glares at Aguano with cold eyes, but Aguano continues, "Maybe that's why he rejects you. He only loves you now because you are the reminiscences of his lover otherwise you're not even worth his peripheral vision."

"And how does any of this concern you?" Ajax snaps back.

"I hate to be annoyed but like to annoy people," Aguano rolls his eyes and turns toward their camp.

Ajax follows him quite a distance behind, but as soon as he reaches the camp, Jiang and Zhinu pull him aside.

The large bird on Zhinu's forearm raises an uneasy feeling from Ajax.

"Your Highness, it's from your father, King Junway," Jiang and Zhinu lower their heads and hand Ajax the message.

He reads it while clenching his teeth, and when he's done, "It seems she really did have my son."

"Yes, Your Highness," Jiang and Zhinu share his uneasiness. "We should return. With you gone, Crown Princess Gao-Noua may over assert her power and Wang might attack our land."

The prince strengthens his grip on the pieces of paper, "I didn't think I'll have to return so soon."

He squints his eyes at the distant capital city of Kalor and sighs, "They will have to go on without us, and we shall return home at dawn."

Then the sound of a twig on the ground breaking alerts them. It's Niowei pouting with tearful eyes.

"Yllathanise," Ajax returns the message to his attendants and approaches his daughter slowly. "How much did you hear?"

Niowei averts her eyes and begins crying without saying a word of how much she heard.

"Don't cry," he pulls her into his arms and kisses the temple of her head. He can only assume that she heard enough.

Jiang and Zhinu return to the camp first while Ajax takes a moment to speak with his daughter.

"I love you," Ajax begins. "There's no place I would like to be more than with you and your mother."

She wipes her wet eyes but continues to say nothing.

Ajax reaches for a dagger on his back and gives it to Niowei, "I want you to have this. Protect yourself and your mother while I'm gone once again. But this time I'll come back and won't change my looks."

The little girl chuckles at the last part and takes the dagger.

"That's my daughter. So brave and understanding," Ajax wipes her eyes. "The reason I have to go back first is to protect your grandpa and grandma, I want there to be a place you both can come home to. So forgive me, okay?"

She nods.

"Don't tell mommy. I'll tell him, alright?" Ajax offers a smile for his daughter who nods in understanding.

Little does he realize that Alosrin heard the entire conversation ever since Niowei cried loudly.

Alosrin retreats to the camp when Ajax begins telling Niowei about the rules of when and how to use the dagger.

Through the evening, Ajax couldn't bring himself to inform Alosrin of his absence when the day gradually ceased to extend any longer. Yet he feels as if Alosrin already knew.

And when dawn breaks loose, he kisses his loved ones and leaves their side once more.

Beside the campfire, Aguano spreads his hands above the lively flames with a snarky grin.

Ajax walks past him and towards his four attendants on horsebacks. He climbs onto a horse of his own and they leave as soon as the influence of the sun is noticeable about the horizon.