I was gentle with my touch as I dab at the lashes that litter on Faelix’s back with a salve that’s meant to help speed up the healing process and prevent infection. Thankfully my dabs didn’t seem to bother him all that much, despite how swollen and unnervingly bright red the wounds were, though no longer bleeding as badly as the first few nights.

It was odd to see exactly what his blood actually looked like, it wasn’t even something that would have ever been known to me or Nalik if it weren’t for the punishment he had earned a few days ago. Since we were always taught that their skin was near impenetrable, though now it’s been made clear that it was impenetrable, they simply had very tough skin that was just hard to break through without having the right tools or weapons to do so.

The emperor was awful for what he had done using on of those very tools on Faelix that night. Like he knew how much more a struggle it would be for Faelix to try not showing how painful it was for him to be whipped by the switch his father had chosen. I wish I could have lessened the pain he had gone through, but I knew now that my reaction to him being pain and the way I begged for the punishment to stop likely did nothing to help. The pain he had gone through and still suffers from now as he lays in bed with me tending to his wounds was just a product of our combined action made that day. After all, he was being punished for coming back before he was meant to, thankfully the main reason behind that has yet to be discovered.

Like clockwork, by the time I finished applying the salve and sat Faelix up to apply the gauze to the wounds and wrap the bandages around his torso to hold the gauze in place and keep the wounds covered, the very reason Faelix had come back home earlier started to wriggle and whine in his little bassinet at my side of the bed. So I turn and crawl over to my side to lower the wall of bassinet to see the upset infant wriggling and trying to roll over with very little success and still whining to better get our attention.

The shock of this little one entering our lives still lingers, but even when Oculon and Ryliar had arrived with this little one, I wasn’t angry like they apparently expected me to be. I still don’t understand what made them think I’d be angry by the appearance of the infant that both Faelix and I quickly accepted as our own without a second thought. After all, this infant having been brought back by Faelix, who had went against his father by coming home far too early without finishing the job he was assigned, was a sign to me that my lover was changing his ways. I wasn’t sure what was causing him to change exactly, but I was more than glad to see him growing and evolving. Especially into one that’ll keep me and our little one safe,

“Hey sweet baby, are you hungry now? Ms. Oculon will be here with you bottle soon enough, I promise.” I assure our little iridescent infant that continues to wriggle and whine as I carefully lift him from the bassinet, kissing his forehead as his colorful and messy hair tickles my nose. I was more than glad that he at least wasn’t screaming this time. “We’ll need to make sure his hair is properly taken care of, it looks like it could be as curly as mine.” I tell Faelix, not wanting this poor baby boy to deal with the same amount of frizz that I had to most of my life. Not that I realized anything was wrong with my hair unlit after Syrion said something and I noticed the difference in the texture of my hair after a trim and proper hair care for my hair type.

I heard Faelix chuckle at me, causing my cheeks flush with slight embarrassment, “We’ll certainly make sure his hair if well taken care of.” I glance over at him, watching us from his spot on the bed, back to laying on his stomach with his head in his arms. “Has he opened his eyes yet?” I shake my head and see disappointment flash across his face as his gaze flicks down to the little one cradled in my arms. “I’m not sure if it’s considered normal for Drendirian infants to keep their eyes closed for so long.”

“I’m not sure either. I had tried asking Oculon if your libraries had any book on the Drendir and their childhood development, but she informed me that all the books on the Drendirian people that your palace held were purged the morning of the battle.” I sighed, staring down at the still shut eyelids of the infant in my arms. “We also still need to name him. Calling him little one for any longer is unacceptable.”

He hums in agreement, though stays silent for a long moment, probably thinking over what to suggest for a name or where to find information on the development of a Drendirian child. We were lucky that he took well to a bottle and the formula we were able to give him seems to have the right nutrients for him to stay a healthy weight and never really upset his stomach. “We’ll figure things out one step at a time. For now, let us maybe focus on giving a name to this little one. The one I have in mind would be my mother's name, but I’m not sure if that would be considered strange or not.”

“I don’t think it would be strange.” I quickly assure him, smiling a little at the thought of him already showing his care for this little one, even if it is just through having a name in mind. “I don’t think you’ve ever told me their name before.”

“I haven’t? That’s not right, I could’ve sworn I have mentioned their name once before.” His brows furrowed, clearly wracking his brain to try proving me wrong but being unable to find anything that could. “I guess I really haven’t told you their name yet… I could have sworn that I did. I’m sorry, my dear.”

I couldn’t help the giggle that bubbled up from my chest, unable to stifle it like I usually would while the sweet little one was in my arms, but Faelix’s apologetic face was just too cute. “It’s alright, Faelix. You don’t have to apologize for that. What was their name?” I ask, trying to stifle more giggles. I look down to avoid the confused expression on Faelix’s face, only gasp at the sight of a pair beautiful pastel rainbow eyes staring – actually they were more like glaring, but that’s not the point here – up at me and babbling his irritations to me. “Faelix! His eyes! Look!” I quickly move closer to my lover and lower the little one so that I was basically laying on my belly and so he doesn’t have to sit up.

“Oh, you’ve finally opened your eyes, little one?” He lifts himself up just enough to look at the little one’s pretty little glaring eyes. “Oh my, that’s quite the glare you have. Are you mad your bottle hasn’t come yet? We’ll be sure to give Oculon quite the talking to about being so late with your bottle.” He tells him, one of his arms coming up to gently boop the little one’s nose and getting a wide-eyed and open-mouthed surprised reaction from him as his little head swivels in search of Faelix, seeming all the more surprised to realize that he was there.

“Awe, I think you surprised him.” I giggle, “Maybe he would like to know what his name will be too.”

“Is that also what has you so annoyed? You want a name now too?” Faelix asks the little one as he stares up at him with those wide rainbow eyes, then swivels his head to stare back up at me with the same wide eyes before going back to staring at Faelix. One of his little hands reaching up to grip the front of my night gown. “My mother bore the name, Aryones. They were known for their gentle demeanor, despite how strange it was for the Empress to be so gentle while standing by the ruthless Emperor. But they were loved by our people for it. I wish you could have met them, they would have loved you. Both of you. They loved Syrion but had passed less than a year after Syrion came into my life.” He sighs as he tells me and our little one the short story behind his want of gifting him this name, but the small smile that he had kept from worrying too much. “They are with the gods now, but I know they’re watching out for us. Sometimes I imagine they had sent your new mother to me, to brighten my world and clear my clouded mind.” His eyes flick up to meet mine for a moment before flicking back down to out little Aryones’s.

“One day, we will find stories of your people and teach you all we can as we teach ourselves what we need to know.” Faelix continues, letting Aryones take hold of one of his fingers with his free hand before he lets go of my night gown to grab onto another of his fingers. Aryones’s little hands looking almost like specs against the size of Faelix’s massive fingers. His little rainbow eyes now staring at the massive hand in his little ones.

“I wish you luck in that search.” Oculon, ever the sneaky one, comments as she finally arrives with the long-awaited bottle. “I was told to inform the prince that they have finished their destruction of the Drendirian home world, and I quote this last part, ‘Without the help of your insolent, useless ass.’ Your father was particularly insistent I add that part.” She says, seeming a bit uncomfortable in having to add that tid bit.

“Of course, I shouldn’t expect anything less of that tyrant.” Faelix scoffs and even rolls his eye, keeping his hand still as to not upset little Aryones.

“I’ll be sure not to repeat that to him. I fear I’d lose my head ten times over, especially considering how I’m helping you house a child of the supposed enemy.”

“Don’t worry, if anything gets found out about him, I’ll be sure none of you are even thought of as suspected accomplices to my crime. I won’t let anything happen to any of you, I promise.” Faelix tells us, sitting up and leaning towards me to press an ever so gentle kiss to my lips, then to my nose, then cheek. Then he sat back and accepted the bottle from Oculon.

I glance over at her just in time to see the slight surprise on her face before she shakes it away as subtly as she can. “I see he’s finally opened his eyes, does he seem to be seeing properly?”

“Yes, everything seems to be normal. I dare suspect that he’s just been wanting to hide those pretty eyes of his from us until he got annoyed with us this morning.”

“Now that is a terrible accusation to make, my dear. He is the most innocent little thing, he would never do such a thing.” I jokingly scold him, earning a soft chuckle that made a familiar zing zip through my belly and down. But now is not the time for those kinds of feelings, there is a child present and Faelix is still injured.

“Right, of course, how dare I accuse our dear Aryones of such an offense? Please do forgive me for making such a grave offence, little one.” He playfully begs, leaning over just enough for his hair to fall forward to be in our little one’s reach. Only to be immediately smack by a tiny hand and then some of his hair that fell in front of his face gets grabbed ahold of by the other little hand. “Ow, little one, that hurts. Please let go of my hair.”

“Oh no, Aryones, let go of your father’s hair. He’s apologized for his offences.” I couldn’t help the laughter that escaped me as I help gently pry the little fingers from the obsidian hair they’re currently tugging on. It took us both a bit to finally free the little handful of hair, quickly taking the offered bottle and giving it to him to distract him and grab hold of as he latches and starts suckling. “Oh, poor little thing, he was so hungry. I guess he was just angry that we weren’t feeding him yet.”

“I suppose we can’t fault him for the outburst then.” Faelix hums softly, carefully lowering himself to lay on his stomach again to lean close and gently nuzzle our little one’s cheek with his nose. It was something he started after the first night with Aryones, when he was supposedly less in pain, it makes me wonder if it’s a bit of a comfort to him. “Will Syrion and Nalik be joining us for breakfast today?” He asks, looking over at Oculon, who was still watching us though was now standing in the doorway of the bedroom.

I look over just in time to see her nod her affirmation. “They’ll be bringing the food here with Ryliar. It’s not good for you to move too much, nor would it be smart to wander around the palace with the infant.”

I frowned at that, looking back down at Aryones. I don’t like the idea of not getting to wander the palace with him, but I understand why it wouldn’t be considered a good idea. It could result in someone that isn’t trustworthy to catch sight of him and tell Faelix’s father and that could just cause more problems for Faelix. And causing him more problems is the last thing I would want to do, especially after seeing exactly how his father would potentially handle it.

“We won’t be wandering the palace with him any time soon anyways. The lashes on my back aren’t healed enough for me to be leaving my rooms much. I still can’t even lift my arms enough to attempt putting on a shirt.” Faelix sighs, pushing himself back up to a sitting position with a slight hiss of pain as he does so. “No one should be in this area of the palace unless I hand-picked them to be here, so if you see anyone that isn’t a face you’ve seen in the area before, tell me immediately.” He says, looking between both me and Oculon. I nod in agreement, seeing Oculon giving a quick nod from the corner of my eyes.

She left after what Faelix said, leaving us to wait for the others to bring breakfast to us in silence. It was a peaceful kind of silence, even despite the slight tension in the air that the both of us seemed to mutually not want to address just yet. So much has happened in the past week that just hasn’t settled enough for us to talk about, not that it wasn’t obvious what was at the center of that tension.

We are both having to now worry about a child that was in danger for simply existing in the palace of the ruler that wanted his kind killed and likely enslaved if still alive. What are we going to do if we get caught with him? Especially now that we’ve named him after Faelix’s mother. There is no way that discovery would go well.

This is all so terrifying and awful and a potential death sentence for all of us. But as I stare down into the colorful eyes of Aryones, then up at Faelix watching Aryones before meeting my gaze, I know I’d be able to get through this fear for them. I’d be able to give up my life for them. I can’t but smile with that thought, knowing Faelix would never allow my life to be on the line if he could help it.