First Dance
Aquilan had just decided that they would have barbeque at least once a week at the Eryas Palace when the band came out on the stage.
He had been excited to hear human music.
He loved all kinds of music with an especially deep love for the bass songs of the dwarves that vibrated the very ground.
So he’d have eagerly turned to watch the stage when the performers appeared.
But that’s not what caused him to do so this time.
In fact, even before they appeared, he felt the wave of magic that flowed out from the back of the stage and extended to every single person in the audience.
He looked at his right arm and saw that the hairs were standing up on the back of it.
Then he heard Declan give out a sharp breath and stiffen at his side.
“Is something wrong, Declan?” Rohannan paused in telling a story about the origin of the barbeque sauce on the ribs–which Aquilan actually had been listening to closely–with that exhale.
Declan said nothing. He was staring up at the empty stage, which suddenly was not empty as the band walked out. And that was when Aquilan knew the reason for the hair all over his body standing on end and Declan’s reaction.
Vex! Aquilan blinked rapidly. He’s on stage?! What is going on?
Rohannan twisted around in his seat to see what had their attention. “Oh, that’s the band I hired. Pretty good though I don’t recognize the guitarist. He’s… new.”
Rohannan stared long and hard at Vex. He started off by frowning then confusion then a slight smile, but it was uncertain as if he wasn’t sure why he was smiling.
Magic? Aquilan wondered.
Or maybe it was the fact that sometime between when they had last seen the Night King and now he had somehow found a pair of leather pants that were laced down the sides and fit him like a second skin.
Instead of the white sleeveless turtleneck he had been wearing, now he had on a black silk shirt that was loosely tucked into said pants, but was otherwise unbuttoned to show off his chest that was covered in those myriad of tattoos.
Only the boots were the same. He was beautiful enough that even those who didn’t believe they liked men would like him.
“What is he doing?” Declan hissed under his breath, a glimmer of red appearing in his green eyes. He had finally taken off the sunglasses once the Sun had gone down.
“Do you know him?” Rohannan asked, turning back to Declan.
Aquilan opened his lips, wanting to save Declan from telling a lie, but he stopped himself. It was up to his Shadow what he explained about Vex and to who.
“My father,” Declan growled, eyes narrowing.
Aquilan was surprised at how happy he was that Declan hadn’t felt the need to lie. But had claimed Vex as his own. That was good. Even if Declan wasn’t exactly feeling good about what Vex was doing right now.
“Your–your father? But I thought Tyler Wilde was your father,” Rohannan frowned.
“He is. But… birth father,” Declan got out in explanation.
Rohannan’s eyebrows rose. “Oh! Well, it's amazing that you found one another after the… the war…”
Declan’s dead-eyed expression softened for just a minute, but then hardened. “Not really. He knew where I was this entire time.”
And Aquilan’s heart hurt, because he understood then what was partially motivating Declan’s iciness towards Vex.
He felt like the Night King had abandoned him as his father had only showed up now when…
when what? Why was Vex here now? Because the glamour covering up Declan’s true nature was failing?
Because of the rifts to Illithor? To save his lichen?
He sincerely hoped that Vex was here because watching his son barrel towards an unexpected reveal to society had caused him to realize he must step in and help. That after the loss of yet another parent–set of parents–that Declan needed a family. Or maybe that Vex needed family.
But he had no idea if any of this was true.
For all he knew, Vex was here to collect on his deal with Aquilan’s parents.
Still, why now? He hadn’t turned up to collect on it for millennia, which wasn’t necessarily strange for an elf as old as Vex.
Time meant something different to the ancients and Vex was an ancient of ancients.
But still he seemed quite aware of what was going on.
One would have thought he would have shown up before Aquilan was named Sun King to claim him.
Or right after…
Finley and Rhalyf were suddenly by Aquilan and Declan’s sides. Both men were clearly alarmed.
“Are you seeing this?” Finley asked as he pointed towards Vex on stage.
“Everyone is seeing this,” Rhalyf let out a slightly hysterical laugh.
Rohannan frowned. “Declan’s dad is a musician, right? He’s not some rowdy–”
“Everything is fine. This does not concern you,” Rhalyf moved his fingers of his right hand through the air. Rohannan and his boys were suddenly talking to one another and not them. They didn’t seem aware of them at all any longer. “Now, what are we going to do about that?”
Rhalyf pointed to the stage where Vex was setting up.
“What can we do about that? What should we do?” Aquilan asked.
“He’s… we should maybe… I mean, could you make it so no one notices if we go up to him and ask him to step down from the stage?” Finley suggested.
Aquilan saw that Haera, too, was staring up at Vex and then back at them. She looked rather helpless. And alarmed. Very alarmed. But why? Because Vex was doing something unexpected? In truth, that seemed to be his usual activity.
“If anyone can talk him down off the stage, it’s you, Finley,” Rhalyf said.
“I… I could try,” Finley offered, flapping his hands. “But maybe he’s just there to–to play music?”
“You’ve made that a question,” Declan pointed out. But he was frowning. “If Father has determined to do this… none of us can make him stop.”
“Determined to do what exactly? What can we do against him even if it is bad?” Rhalyf asked and Aquilan could feel the magic rise in him as if to protect them all against an unknown threat.
He put a hand on his best friend’s arm to steady him. “He’s on stage. With a guitar. It looks like he intends to play music.”
“What he intends has been debated throughout the ages. One bets upon being certain of him to their peril,” Rhalyf nearly snarled.
Aquilan felt a stab of alarm at Rhalyf’s words. Not about Vex, but about his best friend. He seemed so certain despite what he said about betting upon Vex’s intent.
Something more is here than I know.
Rhalyf suddenly appeared as if he regretted saying what he did. “I mean… I’m guessing here… from what I read and such.”
“Yes, of course,” Aquilan murmured even as his words did not quite reflect his feelings. He shook himself. “But perhaps we should not work from our knowledge from books and their imperfect histories.”
Declan looked at him. “What do you mean?”
“So far he has done nothing to warrant suspicion or fear. And this,” Aquilan gestured to Vex on stage who appeared to be completely ignoring them despite, undoubtedly, knowing they were discussing him, “could be exactly what it seems. He wants to play music and he’s found… a band.”
“That could be.” Finley looked hopeful. “I mean… What could he do from a stage that he couldn’t do from the crowd? Isn’t that true, Rhalyf?”
Again, they all looked at Rhalyf as if he would know Vex better than anyone there.
“I… I have no idea. There’s nothing in the books about this,” Rhalyf answered, but wouldn’t meet Aquilan’s eyes. “I assure you that I never expected this.”
“He wants attention. Let’s not give him it,” Declan finally sighed.
“I agree. Let us treat this as nothing more than what it appears,” Aquilan said. “Go, eat your food. Enjoy yourselves. If anything changes we’ll deal with it.”
Both Rhalyf and Finley looked unsatisfied with this. But Declan nodded.
“It’ll be fine. I’ll keep an eye on him,” Declan said.
“We all will,” Rhalyf stated.
“It will be fine,” Aquilan said even as he studied Rhalyf’s face. “It will be.”
Rhalyf blinked slowly. Some of the anxiety that was simmering beneath the surface appeared to dissipate for a moment as if Aquilan had offered him a life vest.
“It will be all right,” he promised though he wasn’t sure what he was saying.
Rhalyf slowly nodded. Then he and Finley went back to their seats where the Bastons looked on with concern.
But that quickly changed to relief when Finley and Rhalyf spoke to them, soothing their fears.
Gemma glanced over her shoulder at Darcassan who was seated at Elasha’s table.
Aquilan frowned. That was a strange friendship.
But maybe it was a good one. Darcassan had no other friends than Elasha so…
“I really won’t let him do anything bad, Aquilan,” Declan suddenly said.
Aquilan felt a burst of warmth go through him. “We will ensure that.”
Declan lowered his head. But, finally, he nodded.
You are not alone, my Shadow. Not any more.
A woman with bright golden curls grabbed the mic. “Hey, everybody!”
With a wave of his hand, Aquilan dispelled Rhalyf’s enchantment and Rohannan and the boys were once more aware of the world. It would be a shame to make them miss the concert.
There was a squeal of feedback, which caused a big bear of a man to step over to a black box and adjust a knob. The squealing stopped and the woman gave him a grateful smile. She turned back to the crowd with an even broader smile.
“Is everyone stuffed full of barbeque?” she asked the crowd.
“Yeah!” The crowd called back.
“Oooh, that smell! It takes me back!” She closed her eyes and shook her head in appreciation.
“But now.” Her eyelids fluttered open and there was an impish expression on her pretty face.
“Now we need to help you work that off with some music you can dance to! Just give the crew time to set up a dance floor and we’ll start the show! ”