Honest words. I mean them with all three of my hearts.
Salem’s laughter was cut short by a wince.Ow. My head. That damn honey mead. Kills me every time.
Aurin had flashes of memories from last night, some so absurd, he wasn’t sure if he’d dreamt it or not.
Salem chuckled.Oh, it was real.
Aurin remembered beings—he wasn’t sure what else to call them—coming out of the forest sometime after midnight. They were humanoid but looked to be made of leaves, moss and stardust.
Sprites,Salem said.I like the stardust analogy.
They looked like fairies.
Fae are different.
Fae are real?
After what you saw last night, you still doubt?He chuckled in his mind.The fact that you and I exist is proof enough, yes? Most creatures from human folktales are steeped from reality.
Aurin couldn’t believe it. Well, he could.... It was just a lot to take in.
Then he remembered something else.
He blinked at Salem.And in the trees. Birds—a lot of them.Then his memory formed fully.Tiny birds with shiny eyes. The way their eyes shone in the darkness, blinking. Well, I suppose they weren’t really birds. Not the birds we know of anyway.
Dreoilín,Salem replied.The druid’s bird.
Aurin wasn’t even surprised by that.The way they blinked and moved, they’d have been scary if Cern hadn’t welcomed them so warmly.
Aurin could remember them dancing with the faun.Oh, the female faun. And the forest sprites.They were all so beautiful,Salem. I can’t believe these creatures live in these mountains and we never knew.
Salem smiled at him.Because of Cern.
The god of the wild things. It makes so much sense now. And you?Aurin coiled a tentacle around him, giving him a gentle squeeze.You belong here.
Salem pulled back, his eyes wide.Here? I belong with you?—
It wasn’t the reaction Aurin had been going for.No, not here—without me—here. I just meant here with these beautiful wild-thing folklore creatures, having midnight forest parties with other folklore creatures. You belong with me. Let’s just clear that detail up right now.
Salem nudged his forehead to Aurin’s.Just as well.
Aurin nuzzled in closer, their tentacles intertwined.Always. I love you.
A splash at the stream’s edge made them both turn, and they could see feet and legs in the water. More accurately, the feet and legs of the two younger boys, Voh and Cyd. They could hear their excited chatter, so Aurin popped his head up out of the water.
Both boys shrieked with delight, and when Aurin raised one tentacle out of the water and waved, they jumped and clapped. The sound of their laughter echoed down the stream, and bubbles escaped Salem’s mouth as he burst out laughing.
Aurin swam closer to the boys on the shore, and he half morphed, his head and torso human, his legs still tentacles. He could speak to them like this, and he had promised to show them, after all.
“Hi,” he said, smiling at their happy faces. Then he once again lifted one tentacle out of the water and waved at them.
They ran over, so happy, and so curious. “Is that your hand?”
“Yes,” Aurin replied.
“Can we touch it?”
“Of course.” He held it up for them, and they gently touched his skin, their eyes widening. “Hold your hands still,” Aurin said, and then he ran his tentacles over their hands, feeling and coiling around their fingers, making them squeal and laugh.
