Chapter Text
It was a hot day in PhoenixDrop, or it was for Garroth at least. His armor felt particularly suffocating today, normally he would be comfortable enough to not mind. It must be the presence of Zane making him feel this way.
“Ah, just the guard I was hoping to see.” Zane walked up the stone stairs to Aphmau’s house. “Garroth, I need to speak with you about your…attire for Donna’s wedding.” His voice was low and confident.
“Good morning, Zane.” Garroth was trying as hard as he could to be civil, his voice was level and seemingly calm despite the ball of anxiety burning a hole through his heart.
Zane’s guards stepped forward, swords at the ready. “One must always bow when greeting the High Priest Zane!” One of the guards yelled. Aphmau stepped outside upon hearing the ruckus.
“Garroth! What is going on here?” Aphmau looked at her guard.
“Nothing to worry about, my guards seem to be on high alert today.” Zane sounded bored. “Stand down, there is no need for violence, yes?”
Aphmau swallowed the forming lump in her throat. “What brings you here, Zane?” She gave him a fake smile.
“If Garroth here is to attend the wedding, he must be out of uniform. You see, armored guards are only seen at particularly rich weddings. Him being in uniform will only attract thieves.” Zane explained coolly to Aphmau, gesturing with his hands.
Aphmau looked at Garroth, who was staring at Zane keenly. “I understand the concern, but we are a small village hosting a small wedding, I doubt there will be any thieves around.”
“If Garroth attends in armor, I cannot go through with the wedding. For security reasons, you understand, yes?” Zane smiled under the mask.
Aphmau looked at Garroth again, then back to Zane. “I will speak with him.”
“Wonderful.” Zane and his guards left without another word.
Garroth exhaled, was Zane onto him? Or was he simply worried about thieves? “Lord Aphmau, I’m truly sorry you had to witness that, it was highly unprofessional of both me and the High Priest, Zane.”
“It’s fine, Garroth, really. Are…what are you going to do?”
“I will not remove my armor, I apologize, but I can’t.”
“But…”
He straightened up and adjusted his breastplate. “I will simply not attend. I hope that Donna and Logan have a good wedding, but I cannot join, nor will I ruin their wedding for my own reasons.” She tried to say something, but he was already sauntering down the stairs, beginning his patrol of the town.
The wedding that night carried on without him, Donna was crying by the end of the ceremony. Aphmau thought she saw a tear forming in Logan’s eye, but she couldn’t be sure.
Then the reception came, Dale flirted with his wife drunkenly. “Man you are pretty! But I’m married!” Dale giggled at Molly, flashing his wedding ring to her.
“I think I’ve married the dumbest man alive.” She said to Aphmau, who chuckled dryly. Aphmau made note that Zane and his guards were sitting at their own table, and Zane was speaking with Kiki.
Back at the old and crumbling guard station, Garroth stood in front of a dusty mirror. The suit that Cadenza made fit him perfectly, but the feeling of only cloth on his body felt foreign. From nearly a decade of hiding behind his silver mask, the idea of strolling the town with no helm made him queasy. His blond curls were a mess too, they poofed out in every which way. He looked like a runaway prince; he looked like Garroth Ro’meave.
His eyes dropped to the side table beside the mirror, a glimmering pair of scissors called his name. Garroth picked them up and started hacking away at his hair, cutting any curl that bothered him. After about a minute of frantic chopping, the floor was covered in blond hairs, and he saw tears trickling down his cheeks. He looked even worse, like that time he found his mothers sewing kit and decided to cut his own hair.
Garroth decided that since he had already gone through the trouble of getting ready, he might as well join the festivities, foolishly hoping that Zane had retired to his room for the night. He always was an introvert. And so, he slowly walked out of the guard station, it felt as though he were moving too slow, like wading through a marsh. His ears were ringing and his neck hairs prickled. When he got to the corner of Molly and Dale’s house, he paused. Zane glanced in his direction. Shit.
Garroth clung to the side of the house, just out of view of Zane. He was starting to feel light headed and nauseous, a familiar cold feeling pricked at his throat, he threw up in the bushes. The burning taste of his stomach acid, the whipped off spit and vomit on his sleeve. Garroth felt like hell, and looked like it too.
He walked away from the town square and to the docks, somewhere totally solitude for him to mope. The sand felt squisher without his armored boots, like it was about to swallow him whole. His feet dangled lazily off the side of the docks, the flowers strung across the altar began to drop petals. One landed in his hands as he stared out at the dark sea.
“Garroth?” It was Aphmau’s voice. “Wow! That suit looks great.” She sat down next to him.
He didn’t respond, instead he focused on keeping the rest of dinner down.
“Hey, I just want you to know that I’m always here, yeah?” Her voice was mellow and calming. “You know, I thought that you would’ve looked older when I first saw you in the mines…” She chuckled.
“O-older?” He looked at her, seeing her face so clearly in the moonlight without his helmet was an adjustment.
Aphmau coughed. “Yeah, I mean you act really mature and wise. I guess I would’ve thought you were a lot older than you are.”
“Thanks.” Garroth said sarcastically.
“Hey! It’s a compliment, I think.” She laughed, and Garroth couldn’t help but smile too. “I’m glad that you at least put on the outfit, even if you didn’t come.”
“It was just too much.”
Aphmau looked at his side-profile, noticing the chopped hair and his freckles; she thought he was beautiful. “Why do you hide your face, Garroth?”
Garroth exhaled heavily. “It…has to do with family issues. I—“
“Hello, Lord Aphmau, Garroth.” Zane’s voice called from behind.
“Zane?!” Aphmau stood up. “Hello, what brings you here?” There was a quiver in her voice.
Zane ignored Aphmau and looked at Garroth instead, he chuckled dryly. “Hello, big brother.”
Aphmau gasped. “Brother?” She looked at Zane, then Garroth, and back at Zane again.
“Heh, I thought you were dead, but I guess here we are.” He leaned forward slightly, his hands were resting behind his back. “Now that you are alive, you can continue with your marriage to the Scaleswind.” He sounded smug, similar to a child who has ratted another out.
“Zane…” Garroth tried to speak, but his words failed.
“When I leave, you’ll be coming with me.” He finally turned to Aphmau. “Good night, my lady.” He walked away and up the stone steps, boots quietly tapping on the stone.
Aphmau turned to Garroth immediately, she was too stunned to speak. “Aphmau, I owe you an apology. I should’ve told you sooner, I’m sorry that I didn’t.”
“No, Garroth it’s fine, really. It’s just that…you’re engaged? And you’re leaving?” She paused, adding softly. “Is this why you hid your face?”
His chest tightened seeing Aphmau like this, her brows furrowed and eyes glossy. “Yes, and I don’t want to leave, I promise you that. But, I’m afraid that if I don’t, Zane will make our lives a living Hell. He...”
Aphmau inhaled deeply. “No, I won’t let you leave. There has to be another way, Garroth!” She touched his arm, her hand felt warm, comforting.
“I hope that there is, but I doubt it. Zane is clever, he will find a way eventually.”
Aphmau retracted her hand and combed through her curls in thought. “We can talk about this in the morning. I’m sure there’s something we can do, we just need to sleep on it.” Garroth nodded and started walking her back to her house, she protested but didn’t stop him.
He didn’t sleep that night, his skull felt like it was buzzing. In the morning, he went to Aphmau’s house, waiting. When she walked outside, it seemed like she didn’t sleep either. “Garroth, hey.” She yawned, the bags under her eyes were apparent.
“Good morning.” He tried to hide the exhaustion in his voice.
“Not a good morning, Garroth. I didn’t sleep at all last night. How could I? I mean Zane is…he could take you away from me.” Aphmau held her head, she clearly had a headache.
Garroth shifted his weight nervously. “I…I can take care of the village today, my lord. You should sleep.”
“I’m fine.”
Garroth shook his head. “If Zane sees that you are vulnerable, then he will…he’s very clever and manipulative. You have to be on high alert around him.” He wished that he could avoid Zane today.
Aphmau thought about it for a while. “I guess I could use it…but just don’t over work yourself, Garroth.”
“I could say the same to you.”
Aphmau smiled, it wasn’t as bright as her usual one, but it was genuine. “Thank you, Garroth.” She went back inside her house and into the basement, probably to cuddle Levin.
Garroth sighed heavily, today would be a long day.
————-
With a great boom, Laurance had arrived on top of Ungrth. His formerly golden scales stained black and purple. Laurance himself had similar scars that bubbled a horrid black and purple ooze. Aphmau held the wyvern until its body was biting more than a pile of dust. Garroth wanted to comfort her, but he didn’t know how, so he stood to the side.
Aphmau had brought him into her basement with the help of Garroth. and had Zoey looking after him. “He…breaking a realm barrier like this is dangerous. I’m surprised he lived.” She spoke quietly. “You said a wyvern brought him?” She turned back to Aphmau, who was teary eyed and red in the face. Laurance’s skin had dark burn scars all over, cuts and bruises that had not yet healed.
“Yes, Ungrth brought him. They had a special bond of some kind.” Her voice quivered as she spoke, it hurt Garroth to see her like this. She stared at the orange haired man, tears had started to fall again. Zoey hugged her tightly and whispered softly to her.
Laurance started to stir, he winced as he woke up. “What..?” He croaked. “This is a new low…even for you.” His voice was frail and broke at the end of his sentence.
“Laurance, you’re alive!” Aphmau wanted to hug him, instead she held his hand tightly.
“This can’t be real…Aphmau?” He turned his head towards her.
Aphmau noticed his eyes, they were unfocused and looked cataracted. “Zoey, is he blind?” She got closer to him, but he wasn’t looking at her.
“I…it would make sense. Breaking a realm barrier is dangerous, and it is common for blindness to occur.” Her voice was low.
Garroth shifted his weight; he was unsure of Laurance’s presence here. He was a shadow-knight now. Blind, yes, but still one nonetheless. He could only think of Zenix, that terrible battle. There was still an ache in his shoulder that stretched up to his neck from where Zenix hit him. He wanted to kill Laurance, it would keep her safe, but would she be happy?
“Oh, Laurence, you’re here. You’re in PhoenixDrop now, everything will be okay.” Even if she didn’t believe it, still she said it. Laurence opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out.
“He needs to rest, Aphmau. I’ll keep an eye on him. You should sleep, you can speak with him tomorrow.” Zoey touched her shoulder with a kind hand.
Aphmau nodded and sniffled, there were still tears silently streaming down her face. Garroth, without hesitation, helped her up the stairs and to her bed. He wanted to say something, anything that would comfort her, but he couldn’t find the words. “Good night, Garroth. Thank you.”
Garroth left the house with a sense of uneasiness. Would Laurance miraculously recover and kill them all? He’s a shadowknight after all, they were all the same bloodthirsty creatures. He took a lap around the village to clear his mind before retiring for the night in his room. There was an O’Khasis banner hanging on the wall, he didn’t know why it was still here. It’s not like he’d ever go back there, that part of him had died years ago. He stared up at the stone roof as he fell asleep.
In the morning he stood outside her door again, anxiously waiting for her. As he waited, Garroth looked down at the locked farmhouse that Zane had claimed for his own. No one had seen him for a few days, he was up to something.
“Garroth.” Aphmau greeted him, she smiled weakly at him.
“How are you? It looks as if you barely slept.”
Aphmau chuckled. “I didn’t really get much sleep last night. But, I checked on Laurence this morning and he seems to be doing fine. Zoey is still looking after him so I’ll be taking Levin around today.”
Garroth smiled under the helm. “I think that’s a wonderful idea, he probably needs some fresh air.”
“Hmm.” Aphmau looked at the swing set outside of her house. “Perhaps I can ask Kyle’s parents if they would want to come over. Anyways, thank you, Garroth.”
He halfheartedly chuckled. “I haven’t done anything yet.”
“You have, you’ve been a great friend and such help with Levin and the village.” She went back into her house and into the basement. Garroth took that as he que to do his daily patrol. Normally, his patrols were easy and cathartic in a way. Now, he had to be looking out for anything suspicious. He attempted to look in through the windows of his brother's temporary house, but they were blocked out. Through the thick curtains, Garroth noticed aglow, assuming that it was only a torch light.
Towards the end of the day, he climbed the stairs back up to Aphmau’s to give her his findings. She was asleep on a bench in the small playground outside, Levin and Kyle where playing under the not-so-watchful eye of Brendan. He decided to just tell her tomorrow. As he was about to leave, he felt something tug at him, telling him to see Laurance in the basement.
Downstairs smelt of burning, most likely to the shadow-knight armor in the corner. The scorpion armor called to him, though he wasn't sure what it was saying exactly. Garroth entered Laruance’s room, the man was sleeping and his bandages were freshly changed, even his once knotted hair had been combed out.
“Garroth, funny seeing you here.” Zoey was standing in the doorway with a tray of bottles of a cup of tea.
“Oh, I, um…” Garroth became flustered.
“How was your day?” She asked calmly, walking over to Laurance and began dropping droplets of what was probably medicine onto the man’s wounds.
Garroth was glad she hadn’t asked why he was here. “Fine, good. I came by to tell Lord Aphmau about Zane, but she’s asleep outside.”
Zoey smiled. “Good, she deserves some sleep. Could you help me add an ointment to this one burn? It’s quite large and I’ve found it hard to keep the bandage up with one hand.”
“Sure.” He walked back over to Laurance’s side, Zoey had rolled him over and lifted his shirt to reveal a black burn that covered nearly his whole back.
“Could you remove your gloves, please?”
Garroth gingerly placed them on the floor next to the bed and kneeled. Zoey had him hold the bandage up while she rubbed a yellow paste on his back. Laurance started to wake up. “Hmm..?”
“Good afternoon, Laurance. It’s just me and Garroth here, I’m adding a healing ointment to your back so it’ll heal faster.” She explained.
“Garroth…right.” Laurance had forgotten who he was for a moment, his mind was filled with too much to remember a lot right now. “Is Aph around?” His voice was husky.
“She’s outside right now I believe, would you like me to fetch her?” Zoey asked in a kind voice. Laurance nodded and she started to head up the stairs, Garroth started tojoin her but Laurance protested.
“Could you…stay?” He tried to grab Garroth’s arm.
Garroth stopped his hand from drawing his sword. “Me, why?”
Laurance looked blindly at the ceiling. “It’s nice to have someone there, even if it is someone like you.”
“You barely know me.” Garroth started to become suspicious, watching the man carefully as the elf walked up the stairs.
“I don’t need to know you to be comforted, even by an ass like you.”
“I’m not an ass.”
Laurance huffed. “You seem like one.”
“You’ve met me twice, not including right now.”
“You know what, I was just trying to feel safe, okay? Just go.” Laurance turned his head away from Garroth.
Garroth awkwardly stood there for a moment, processing what had just happened when Aphmay and Zoey walked down the stairs. “Laurance?” Aphmau walked over to the bed, holding his hand with reassurance. Garroth quietly left the basement and walked back to the station.
In the guard station, Garroth looked at his reflection again. He was fully armored save for his helm, his hair was flat and awkward and strange. He looked like a child, the runaway prince that he once was.
A child; an undeveloped and selfish child