Chapter 13 First Dance
First Dance
Vex’s eyes were closed when Rahven stepped through the rift. He didn’t open them as he felt the air move and part as Ardreth swung towards his throat. Most people were discombobulated when they walked through a rift whether it was the first time or the thousandth.
But not his Rahven.
Not even after Vex had used his magic to spin each person who entered through the magical portal to a place of his choosing.
Or really their choosing. Even if they weren’t consciously aware of wanting to go there.
Of needing to go there. Rahven, too, had been brought to the place where he needed to be though he had no idea yet.
Not that it stopped his son from doing what he naturally did: fight. The blade glittered as it sliced through their air. It stopped just short of cutting him. It rested against the skin on his throat. When he swallowed, the blade moved, too.
Clever, capable boy.
“What have you done, King Vex?” Rahven’s voice was low and dangerous.
Vex smiled. His eyes were still closed. Rahven knew that he had separated him from the others even before Aquilan had taken a step through the rift.
Very aware though he is unsure how he knows any of this.
“So formal, Rahven! King Vex indeed!” he chuckled.
The heat of the magma waterfall and river washed over them both then.
He could hear the deep rumble of rock melting and flowing.
The ground beneath their feet–thick, hard ire–didn’t feel as sturdy as it normally would have as the superheated rock flowed past it, trying to eat it away.
The gleaming, purple towers of Illithor could be seen in the far distance.
This was the city’s power plant in a way.
It was also where the wards had been anchored to keep the Under Dark and Earth forever apart.
“What have you done, King Vex?” Rahven repeated.
Vex opened his eyes to see Rahven for the first time close up. Rahven’s hair was glamoured black and his eyes were glamoured green, though they were hidden behind dark sunglasses so he would have to imagine that green for now. But the rest of him was just as he truly appeared.
Skin pale as moonlight captured. Fine, chiseled features.
Lean, but muscular body. Lithe. Perfectly proportioned to fight and likely to love.
But only Aquilan would know that. Or he would know that since his son was too romantic to simply push the beautiful Sun Elf against the wall and take him like Aquilan so wanted Rahven to do.
But no, his son wanted to be on his knees before Aquilan–and no, not for that–but to read him poetry and worship his beauty with his eyes instead of his hands, mouth and cock.
In the future, Rahven might allow himself to touch sun-kissed skin, but not quite yet.
It was fascinating really to experience the world through someone so new to it.
Vex, of course, was not seeing that romantic side of Rahven now. His son was the lethal predator that formed the rest of his personality. The base personality some would say. His truth others would insist. But Vex knew that to not see the whole was to miss the person entirely.
“You keep being so formal! I refuse to answer you when you behave like that!” Vex tutted.
“Formal?” Rahven’s voice was like a whisper.
“You know who I am,” Vex said, allowing the blade to stay where it was. “Say who I am, Rahven. You won’t get another word out of out me until you do.”
Black sunglasses obscured those green eyes. But the brows tightening could still be seen as Rahven narrowed his eyes.
“Who–”
“Come now, Rahven, you know.” So Rahven had gotten some words out of him, but not the ones he wanted.
More brow movements, but then the brow cleared and Rahven’s face smoothed of all emotion. “Father.”
Vex let that word sit between them. He’d never thought to hear it uttered in regards to him. And if he had known about Rahven sooner… Well, the boy would have never uttered a single word. But now… now things were different. And he got to enjoy this.
For now.
“What have you done, Father?” Rahven now used that title as part of a demand. That was interesting to experience too!
“Now that is better!” Vex smiled. A genuine smile that he knew made his eyes light up appeared on his face. A smile that he hadn’t experienced since… Well, since before he’d discovered that the wheel had turned and those he lost had returned.
“Where are the others?” Rahven’s eyes might have flickered beneath the sunglasses, but Vex knew that they did not. Rahven was smart enough to know that though his blade touched Vex’s skin, this situation could change in an instant. But not even Rahven knew how fast.
“Nearby,” he answered, which was and wasn’t true.
Rahven’s attention was fully on him then. “Why not here?”
Vex let the smile shift to a grin. “Because you’re all in Illithor for different reasons. So I merely helped them along to where they needed to go to find what they needed to find. Or, at least, to start that journey.”
A frown tugged on his son’s expressive mouth. “We’re all here to save Finley.”
“Ah.”
More frowning. “We are.”
“Of course.”
“I am not lying.”
“No.”
“Then why are you behaving as if I am?” Rahven growled.
Such a dangerous, beautiful boy! Delightful!
“Surely you know that while each of your companions has the surface desire to save Finley that each of them also has an alternative reason–some might say a deeper reason–for being here?” Vex pressed him, wheedling really.
Ailduin always said he wheedled when he really wanted the person to ask him something or come to some conclusion on their own. But really, he was just being personable! Wheedling indeed!
“It does not matter if they do. They want to save Finley. He is the first priority of everyone. Where is he? Earlier, you said he was with you,” Rahven would evidently not be pushed off this subject.
Vex sighed. “Finley is… well, I cannot say ‘fine’ as that would be a lie. He is in danger, but it is of his own choosing.”
He added that last part quickly as Ardreth’s very sharp blade pressed harder against his throat.
Maybe it had been a little foolish to think he could control Rahven completely when the boy had a Niri blade.
The young man was his son after all. But he was so young.
So inexperienced. And he didn’t even seem to remember this place.
Seemingly.
“Where is Finley?” Another low growl.
“Facing Death.”
That blade really was beginning to annoy as it pressed against his throat harder again.
Should he take it and spank Rahven with it?
Didn’t some parents do that? Or was spanking wrong?
All he knew were the delights of spanking, which he didn’t think his son would appreciate, especially if it was his hand.
“Take me to him now!” Rahven demanded.
“No.”
His son paused for a fraction of a second. Violence or talking? Abandon him and all the answers he might have or find Finley on his own?
“Why?” Rahven finally asked.
“Because Finley has made a choice and you must honor it,” Vex said firmly.
“What choice?”
He could see how Rahven struggled to keep the words flowing even as his body simply wanted to act. Force Vex to tell him where Finley was. Run off to find Finley. But precious information could be lost. All of this went through Rahven’s mind in an instant.
Impressive that he has such a tight hold on himself especially for one so young. But if that is so then how can this all be an accident? Well, magic is a potent thing. A thing sometimes with a mind of its own. We shall see.
“His heart’s desire,” Vex answered.
There was a long beat and then Rahven said rather than asked, “Magic.”
He nodded. The blade moved. “Magic.”
“But humans can’t use magic.” Though Rahven made that a statement, too, it was clear he was really asking if that was true.
“Of course, they can. Just not like us. So I sent him to someone who could teach him,” Vex answered.
Rahven’s brow furrowed. “Where?”
“Not far as I told you earlier. In the city. But enough about Finley’s story. We’re here to talk about yours,” Vex answered.
“No.” Rahven’s single word response had Vex lifting his eyebrows.
“No?”
“Finley will need my help–”
“No,” Vex delighted in answering back in the same manner.
“I must–”
“No, Rahven, you must do nothing. Finley would not thank you for interrupting this. And you cannot help him. He rises or falls on his own. As all of us do in the end,” Vex’s voice had dropped to a much lower register.
He was serious about this. Finley’s destiny could potentially be a great one.
One that could potentially assist him in time.
No one could be allowed to affect that adversely.
“Nor can you help the others. Not right now in any case.”
“Are they in danger?” Rahven was single minded.
“Yes.” He grinned. He was enjoying these one word answers!
Rahven tensed. “Then take me to them.”
“No. Don’t you like how I can simply tell you ‘no’ like you tell so many others?” He chuckled as Rahven bared his teeth.
“This is not a game,” Rahven growled at him. “These are people’s lives. The Sun King’s life!”
“Ah, yes, but surely you understand that the Sun King, above all, is safest here, don’t you?” Vex lifted an eyebrow. “He has a Sunstone. Very naughty to bring it here. I’m afraid he might kill my lichen if he uses it. Hopefully, he’ll be more imaginative in how he deals with danger.”
“Why have you done this?” Rahven asked.
“You all came of your own free will, Rahven. I am merely helping everyone get what they want and need. Very generously, I might add,” Vex told him as he tossed his long hair over his shoulder.
Rahven stared at it. He was looking very closely at Vex.
The Night King realized now that his son had been studying him minutely behind those very clever glasses.
What did he see when he looked at Vex? That they had the same chin?
The same high cheekbones? That they both were very still until they chose not to be?