We're Burning (Frerard)

Prologue - the Elven Slaughter

Hi! First chapter yee, thanks for reading, I love you all, please check the trigger warnings at the synopsis and stay safe. <3

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Gerard hummed softly, along to the merry music that carried the wind through the windows and to his pointed ears. He was waiting for Mikey, his little brother, to finish getting dressed.

It was Mikey's first time going to the annual moon festival. He had been talking about it for months on end, every now and then squealing like a teenage girl. He was so excited-Gerard found it adorable.

Lightly tapping his fingers on his thighs, Gerard searched his memory for his own first moon festival. He had just turned five at the time; Mikey was now three years older than Gerard was back then. It was half a year after Gerard and their parents had come to the village, the one they used to live in was evacuated. Gerard was almost five and his mother was pregnant with Mikey.

Gerard, all of his life had heard stories from his parents about the nighttime festival, and he was as excited as Mikey was tonight.

The moon festival was like a scene from a fairy tale, one that Gerard repeated over and over for his little brother's ears, but he never got sick of speaking of it, and neither did Mikey of listening.

No matter how many times the story was told, they both loved hearing it again. The soft words spoken in the old elf language rolling off their mother's tongue as they did their own. Like soft balls of wind dissipating once they've left their mouths.

Gerard knew the beauties of the moon festival from first hand experience. Even though he had been young, he saw how magical the moon festivals were, how mesmerizing and captivating they were.

It was a sight that never repeated itself. Each festival was a once in a lifetime experience, they were magic in its purest form.

Gerard had been to four festivals in his twelve years of life: the first one being when he was five, then six, seven and eight years old. The festival was shut down for three years after that, unfortunately. And it wasn't until the elves finally managed to assure the human King that the festival brought no harm, that he let them celebrate it-the elves' new year.

Mikey was too young to remember the festivals from when he was a baby. Gerard though, was old enough to remember the lights, the huge moon that looked so close he could have been fooled into thinking he could touch it. The tune of the traditional music he hummed as of now and the lot of elves; all of the bodies dancing together under the moonlight and celebrating until the sun rose.

Tonight would be Gerard's fifth festival and the first one in three years, and he didn't think he could be more excited. Finally he got to share the excitement and the memories with his brother. He couldn't wait to see the moon when it shone big and bright, the closest to the earth it did all year.

Gerard knocked on Mikey's door, calling his name softly. "I'm coming! I'm coming!" He heard from the other side, with a small thud and the sound of something falling-Mikey, most likely.

After a couple more minutes of waiting, Mikey burst out of his and Gerard's room, panting and looking quite disheveled even though it was clear to Gerard that he tried to make himself as presentable as possible for an eight year old.

Gerard giggled at his brother's appearance, the traditional elven clothing were loose where the knots were. Mikey had obviously refused their mother's help with the clothes.

A fond smile spread on Gerard's lips, he rolled his eyes at his love struck brother and pulled him closer, readjusting his clothes and retying the silk ropes (better this time) at his lower back and hips. It was so cute, Gerard thought, that Mikey was just eight years old and already trying to impress a girl.