Adrissu followed at a polite distance as they were ushered inside. It seemed that while Lorsan had certainly been manipulating Braern to try and get him to return, he had not lied entirely, only exaggerated. Braern looked visibly relieved that his mother was well; Adrissu was glad, but could only focus on how much he still hated the dead elf, who had caused all this stress and worry in the first place.
“Who was it, Aram?” a woman’s voice called from further into the house, as the elf—Aram—closed the door behind them.
“It’s me, Mother,” Braern called before his father could reply. There was a sudden scraping sound, as if she had been sitting in a chair and quickly stood.
“Braern?” her voice repeated as footsteps came from the hallway. A female elf emerged from an archway further down the hall, her hair darker and curlier than Braern’s, but with the same large brown eyes. “Oh, it’s really you!” She nearly ran, as Braern took a step toward her, each throwing their arms around the other in obvious relief.
“I heard you were ill,” Braern’s voice came muffled from where his face was pressed into her shoulder. “I’m so glad you’re well.”
“What are you doing here?” she asked, pulling away to look up at him urgently; she only then seemed to notice Adrissu, giving a slight start as her eyes landed on him. “Oh—who’s this?”
“Let’s sit down,” Braern said, before Adrissu could reply. So they all filed into the room that she had come from: a comfortable-looking living room with a plush couch across from a crackling fireplace and two plain chairs, one of which had a small side table next to it with a mug of tea and an open book. Braern’s mother sat in that chair, lifting the mug to her lips as Aram pulled the other chair closer to hers, which left Braern and Adrissu to sit together on the couch.
“We...” Braern started as he sat, then shook his head, a resolute expression crossing his face. “Lorsan found me in Autreth a few weeks ago.”
Aram and his wife, whose name Adrissu did not know, exchanged nervous, knowing looks.
“We... talked,” Braern continued carefully, glancing sidelong at Adrissu. “And we decided to permanently separate. We’re unbonded now.”
Slowly Aram nodded, while Braern’s mother visibly sighed in relief. “I’m so sorry to have put you through all this, Braern,” Aram said in a low voice, brows knit as he looked down at his feet.
“Don’t,” Braern said quickly, shaking his head. “Don’t apologize. None of us could have known what would happen.”
“I’m sorry we didn’t try harder to get you away from him,” his mother said, her voice pained. Aram reached over and squeezed her hand: it seemed to be a conversation they’d had before.
Again, Braern shook his head. “No, I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you when you did. I really thought I could... Well, I’m more sorry we parted before the business could be returned to you.”
“That doesn’t matter,” Aram said, his wife nodding next to him. “We’ve made do without it for years now. You’re much more important.”
Their contriteness was soothing to Adrissu. Knowing his mate had been an orphan in his first lifetime and lost his parents early in his second, it was comforting to see that in this life, he had two parents who were healthy and cared for him—who could acknowledge their mistakes and work to rectify them. If they had been cruel or cold to Braern, Adrissu wasn’t sure what he might have done.
Braern managed a slight smile. “When I was in Autreth, I met Adrissu,” he continued, placing a hand on Adrissu’s knee. “I... We... Now that Lorsan is out of the picture, we’re hoping to marry.”
Braern’s parents glanced between themselves again, though this time Adrissu could not read their expressions. He softly cleared his throat, and they both looked back over at him.
“Aram,” he said carefully, then gestured toward Braern’s mother. “And, forgive me, I don’t think I caught your name.”
“I’m Eleen,” she answered primly, her eyes searching as she looked him over.
“Eleen,” he repeated, nodding. “I want to start by saying that Braern is already the most important person in the world to me. I want nothing more than to see him safe and happy for the rest of his life. I understand that the circumstances of how we met might not portray me in the most favorable light, but I have only ever had good intentions toward your son, and I will never,everlet anyone harm him again. I love him dearly.”
For a long moment, they were both silent, looking at him with appraising expressions. Then Eleen lifted her mug of tea to her lips again, hiding a slight smile, and Aram sighed, folding his arms across his chest.
“And what is it that you do, Mr. Adrissu?” he asked. Braern smiled, his chest puffing with pride, but he gestured for Adrissu to answer.
“I am the headmaster of the second largest school of magic in Autreth, the Polimnos Academy of Magic,” Adrissu said, lowering his head in an attempt to appear humble, even though his words were anything but. “I have been particularly blessed in my arcane ability, and have spent my life accruing and sharing that knowledge.”
Aram nodded, looking sufficiently impressed.
“Well,” he said, glancing between his wife and Adrissu. “Much as it pains me to admit, the man we picked for him wasn’t exactly a great choice. So if you’re who he’s choosing, we won’t get in your way.”
“Thank you for coming to tell us all this in person,” Eleen said softly, her eyes becoming watery as she looked at Braern. “If you’d written a letter, I don’t know if I would have believed it. Just knowing Lorsan tracked you down... Gods, Braern, I only wish you’d left sooner.”
Braern’s expression became pained, and he gave a tight nod.
“It’s in the past, now,” Adrissu said softly, squeezing Braern’s knee. He would have to be the one to nudge the conversation to safer territory. “Now that we’re here, perhaps we can look into being bonded while we’re in town.”
All three elves looked at him in surprise, especially Braern, whose mouth dropped open in shock. His flushed cheeks and bright eyes made Adrissu want to kiss him very much, but to do so in front of his parents seemed improper, so he resisted.
