Chapter Text
Call Me By My Name
Chapter One
“Aeylia, surely you must know how I feel about you.”
‘Crap,’ Alex thought, panic rising in her chest as she peered at Aven’s earnest gaze. ‘This is not good.’
“Everybody seems to know,” the nervous prince continued. “Even my mother, who had been thanking the stars above when she first laid her eyes on you.”
Alex internally groaned, eyes fluttering closed as she realized all those breakfasts with the Queen happened because of an ulterior motive. ‘Double freaking crap.’
“Are you… are you going to say something?”
She opened her eyes as she heard the open vulnerability in Aven’s voice. As she stared at the prince, whose face was now slowly morphing into one of utter devastation, Alex could not believe this was the same person who heartlessly Claimed her best friend.
Thinking about Jordan, it was enough to bring her to answer him, “Aven, I’m not sure…”
“But I am sure, Aeylia,” he firmly stated. “I’ve never been more sure in my life.”
And bless his heart, Alex had this inkling he was really, truly sincere.
“Niyx!” she cried in her mind. “Niyx! We have a problem. Aven just confessed to me.”
Niyx released colorful Meyarin expletives in reply. “Damn it, Aven!” he said. “I was hoping he’d confess after the festival so that you’ll be gone soon. You’ll just be his stupid first love, and he’ll move on.”
Alex slightly cringed, wondering how she’d found herself in this situation.
‘You didn’t discourage him, Alex,’ she silently admonished to herself. ‘You are entirely to blame. As always.’
“Aven…”
“You do not need to reply so quickly,” Aven cut her off, face already shuttering with feelings that still confused Alex. “It’s… forgive me for dumping this on you on a day that is supposedly for celebration.” He blinked away and glanced at his feet. “I just thought…”
He let his words dangle, and Alex did not know what to do.
Xira said he was already strong enough to bring her back to the present. Alex was tempted to just run away from the confusing feelings of Aven in his pre-villain era. She would just be a weird anomaly in their memories, and no one was none the wiser.
“Be gentle with him, kitten,” Niyx continued through their mental bond. “He is in a vulnerable state right now. What with the Garseth and all.”
And it was all because of her. Of the words she told him that shook his strong beliefs regarding humans.
A part of her felt that if she ran away like this, keeping Aven hanging while he nursed his broken heart without getting the definite answer he deserved, it might have bad repercussions for the future, her original timeline.
‘Like become the psychopathic murderer we all know and love,’ she thought.
Lady Mystique said that whatever she did in the past wouldn’t matter because the future—her present—had already happened.
But then, looking at the clearly devastated Aven, Alex couldn’t just accept that. She did not know how it happened, but this Aven… this Aven was her friend. It was still difficult to divorce this version of him from the one who made her life a living hell, but past Aven was someone kind and loved with his whole heart. He may be misguided, yes, but maybe because no one was there to nudge him to the right path.
She couldn’t just leave him like this, still so conflicted with his thoughts and feelings. Besides, Alex would do everything for her friends.
She was born with the gift of having a strong willpower; a gift so strong it could even break the most forbidden of bonds.
What if her will could also change the future?
“Aven,” she repeated, firmly this time.
“No, Aeylia. Please… please think about it first.”
Alex blew a frustrated breath. “I am thinking about it,” she replied. ‘Too darn hard, to be honest.’ “It’s just so sudden, Aven. We’ve only known each other for three weeks, and then what? You already like me?”
“More than you’ll ever comprehend, Aeylia,” he softly replied.
Her stupid, teenage heart fluttered annoyingly at his words. She could even feel a blush creeping up to her cheeks.
“You only like me because I’m mysterious,” she protested. “I intrigue you.”
“Fair point,” he agreed. “You are the most enigmatic being I’ve ever met.”
Despite her anxiety, a small smile appeared on her face. “Possibly part of my charm, I bet,” she teased.
Aven had gradually relaxed, now that Alex was starting to joke around.“Now you understand why I found myself falling in love with you, Aeylia.”
Alex expelled a surprised chuckle. “Love?” she echoed. “That’s not possible, Aven. You don’t even know me. All of me.”
He surprised her when he grasped both of her hands and earnestly peered at her eyes. “Then allow me to have the privilege of completely knowing you, Aeylia.”
‘Alex,’ she internally sighed. ‘My name is Alex, Aven.’
She then shook her head. “You won’t like everything about me, Aven.” ‘For starters, I’m a freaking human you oh so despise.’
“Impossible,” he interjected. “You are one of the most annoying Meriyans I’ve ever met. Even at par with Niyx, by the light. I think I can manage.”
She cracked another smile. “Be careful what you wish for, Aven,” she replied.
He sighed and pulled his hands away. “From what I’m gleaning from this conversation is that I’m not being outrightly rejected.” Hope shone in his eyes. “Good. That’s good.”
“I… I don’t feel the same way about you, Aven.”
He momentarily looked stricken, but then Aven heaved a huge breath and stood taller. “I’ll prove myself to you,” he swore. “I’ll show you how good, how right we are, and you’ll have no choice but to fall in love with me in return.”
“No means no, Aven,” she reminded. “Have you no manners?” Alex knew she had said those words in jest. Judging from Aven’s look, he could see it in her eyes too.
He beamed so brightly despite how truthful she had been with her feelings.
“No matter,” he said, clutching one of Alex’s hands. “Let’s set this conversation aside for now and enjoy the festivities. I haven’t shown you my surprise yet!”
Before she could ask, Aven summoned the Valispath and they were travelling back to the castle. Throughout the journey, Aven kept holding her hand. Alex was hyperaware of this physical connection she had with Aven and she knew she should pull away. But she couldn’t. In her defense though, his hand was warm and comforting.
“Any updates, kitten?” Niyx asked through their bond.
“I rejected him, Niyx.”
She heard his sigh in her mind. “Leave it to me to cheer him up for now,” he said. “A few shots of good alcohol can lift one’s dejected spirit.”
“I don’t think Aven needs some cheering up.”
“What do you mean?” Niyx asked.
She didn’t have the chance to reply because they finally reached the entrance to the castle. Niyx was already there, lounging around, and when he spied the two, he pointedly looked at their entwined hands.
“Rejected huh?” he asked, quirking an eyebrow.
Alex blushed and threw him a glare. “It’s not what you think,” she claimed. To prove her point, she pulled her hand away from Aven’s comforting hold.
“Our guests, Niyx?” Aven asked, breaking their silent conversation.
“They’re inside, already waiting,” his best friend replied. His gaze then landed on Alex. “I’m sure dear Aeylia will be so happy to see them again.”
“Don’t ruin the surprise,” Aven grumbled, now placing a hand on the small of her back while ushering her inside.
“Guests?” Alex mentally asked Niyx.
He merely smiled and shook his head. “You’ll see,” he replied. “By the stars, kitten. Aven did this for you. I hope you show him proper appreciation, whether you return his feelings or not.”
She did not have the chance to probe further because she got distracted by the interior of the Great Hall.
Alex gasped in wonder, marveling at all the decorations that the castle boasted. All the Meyarins were dressed in the outfits she, Kyia, and Queen Niida had worked so hard on. Everybody looked like they were enjoying themselves, while some twirled on the dance floor, ate at the overflowing buffet, and chattered merrily with their companions.
“It’s beautiful,” she breathed out, glancing at Aven who was, to her surprise, carefully observing her reaction. “You did really well preparing for this, Aven.”
A shy smile appeared on his face, cheeks lightly staining pink. “This isn’t all me,” he insisted. “I had a lot of help from you and the others.”
“Don’t sell yourself short,” she replied. “This is mostly you.”
His smile widened as he grasped her hand again. “Come,” he said. “I’ll bring you to our guests.”
Curiosity got the best of her as she allowed Aven to pull her. She couldn’t stop the gasp from escaping from her lips, though, as she finally saw the familiar faces.
“Bensie!” Alex cried.
Bensie Hayes, together with her human companions, glanced at Alex and beamed at her brightly. “Lady Aeylia! It’s so good to see you.”
“W-what are you all doing here?”
Bensie looked confused and glanced at Alex’s silent companion. “Didn’t your prince tell you?” she asked. “He invited us to witness a Meyarin festival firsthand.
“He did?” Alex asked, staring at a still silent Aven. As she looked at him now, she was bewildered at the embarrassment on his face.
“Aye, he did,” Bensie continued. “And thank you very much, Prince Aven, for inviting us. It is such a great honor to celebrate with the Meyarins.”Bensie’s companions also voiced out their thanks.
Aven tilted his head in acknowledgement. “You are welcome,” he answered. He then proceeded to usher them to the overflowing buffet to taste the delicacies Meya had to offer.
“You invited them,” Alex said once they were out of earshot. “Why?”
Aven could not meet her gaze. “I thought it might make you happy,” he replied. “From what I heard from Vaera, you were quite taken with the mortals the last time they visited. The time when…” His cheeks reddened when Alex knowingly smiled.
“When you ditched me far away from the castle and I had to travel on foot under a torrential storm?” she helpfully supplemented.
Aven visibly flinched, remorse coloring his face. “I am truly, truly sorry for that day, Aeylia,” he said. “That was horrible of me and I still feel immense guilt every time I remember it.”
She smiled at his blubbering. “It’s in the past,” she said. “You made up for it already. And inviting humans too!”
“This pleases you?” he tentatively asked.
“Of course it does!”
“Good,” he smiled. “I am glad.”
“By the stars, kitten. Aven did this for you,” she recalled Niyx telling her. Before she could even properly think about it, Alex reached out to clutch his hand. She gave it a grateful squeeze and said, “Thank you, Aven.”
“Anything for you, Aeylia.”
Her traitorous heart did another somersault and she suddenly could not meet his eyes. She immediately pulled her hand away and looked at Bensie and the others once more, who were now awed by the delectable food decorating the long table.
It was also at that moment when Alex recalled something D.C. said.
“He murdered a group of humans in front of everyone before he was disinherited by the King,” a memory of D.C.’s words echoed inside her head as her blood ran cold, eyes once again latching onto the humans.
“Is everything all right?”
Her heart thudded loudly inside her chest, this time from an entirely different reason.
“I-I’m fine,” she stammered. Still unable to meet his eyes, she continued, “Maybe I should accompany the humans. Show them around and entertain them for the time being.” If she stuck with them, maybe Alex could prevent any disastrous interactions with Aven and the mortals that could lead to their massacre.
Aven answered her with silence, thus prompting her to look back at him. She could clearly see the displeasure on his face, which was why it shocked her greatly when he said, “Then let me join you too.”
“No, no,” Alex said even before he finished his sentence. “This is the party you organized. I think you deserve to enjoy the fruits of your labor instead.”
“And I was the one who invited the humans,” he reasoned out. “It is only proper that I entertain them also.”
D.C.’s words echoed once more, increasing her panic. “No, Aven, really, I insist,” she said. “I’m sure you don’t want to spend the rest of your time with mortals you despise so much.”
Aven frowned at her words. “I… don’t despise them,” he said, although Alex could see the great effort he gave just to utter those words. He then looked away, his frown deepening. “And I want to spend the rest of my night with you.”
Alex sighed, slightly growing weary of his inconvenient feelings. “Tell you what,” she whispered, stepping a bit closer to Aven. She swallowed when his piercing, gold eyes met her gaze. “I… um, I promise to dance with you once before the night ends. I’m sure you’d want to interact with your friends instead of your mortal guests.”
He became contemplative, ruminating about her bargain.
“Three.”
“What?”
“You will owe me three dances,” he elaborated. “Then I can leave you alone with the mortals.”
“Three!” Alex gasped. “Aven, if you want to save your toes, I promise you, one dance with me is enough.”
He softly laughed. “I am a very good dancer,” he replied. “I can make up for your, well, abysmal dancing skills.”
“Hey, watch it!”
“Three, Aeylia,” he said, still with a grin on his face. “Then you’ll have yourself a deal.”
“Oh, fine,” she relented. “If you can barely walk tomorrow, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“Us Meyarins don’t bleed easily,” he reminded her. “I’m sure I’ll live another day.”
“We’ll see about that,” she grumbled.
__________
Alex had barely relaxed throughout the festival. The other humans were big chatterboxes, and quite curious too, and Alex had indulged their questions with the meager knowledge she’d gleaned during her three-week stay with the royal family.
Aven sought her out thrice, as promised, to sweep her onto the dancefloor. Despite her two left feet and profuse apologies, Aven kept on reassuring her that he was all right. The stupid Meyarin looked like he was even enjoying himself, and Alex couldn’t help matching his enthusiasm.
Niyx had pulled her twice for a dance, and despite his persistence in asking what had transpired back at Raelia, she kept on telling him they would talk after the festival. She could not afford to get distracted, not with Aven and the humans in the same room.
Soon, by some miracle, the festival had come to an end without any hitch and Alex was already saying goodbye to the mortals.
“You have been a gracious host to us, Lady Aeylia,” Bensie said, speaking for the group. “Tell your prince once more we are grateful for your hospitality.”
“I am no Lady,” Alex insisted, perhaps for the nth time. “And he is not my prince.”
Bensie merely exchanged glances with the others, prompting Alex to sigh.
“Safe travels to you all,” Alex then said with a smile.
Alex was confused when they suddenly straightened. “Prince Aven,” Bensie greeted, as they all bowed in greeting.
“You are leaving?” the prince asked, sidling beside Alex.
“It will take a few days to return to Tryllin, so we must.
“Then, keep safe and thank you for accepting my invitation despite the short notice,” he replied.
“As we’ve said, attending a Meyarin festival has been a great privilege for us humans,” Bensie said. “Thank you, Prince Aven, from the bottom of our hearts. Meya will surely flourish if the royal family is as kindhearted as you.”
Alex felt Aven stiffen beside her. He merely tilted his head as the humans bid them goodbye once more.
“Come, Aeylia,” he then said. “I’ll escort you back to your room.”
Alex nodded and followed Aven. Along the way, she bid the other royal family members good night.
Their journey back to Alex’s room was initially a quiet one.
“They think you’re kindhearted, Aven,” she softly said, breaking their amicable silence.
Aven glanced at her briefly. “If only they knew, right?” he lightly teased.
But Alex was already shaking her head. “They are right, you know,” she said. “What you did today, inviting them to the festival tonight when you have certain… opinions regarding their race. I— thank you, Aven. For trying. I know it’s hard. I know you are still conflicted. But you tried.”
Aven was silent for a while, and Alex thought their conversation had already ended. “They are not that… bad.”
Alex snorted in an unladylike manner, much to Aven’s amusement. “Which means they are not that good either,” she pointed out.
“I’m trying my best, remember?” Aven shot back. “It was particularly hard not to be condescending in their presence.”
“Oh, there were some thinly veiled jabs that were bordering on condescending a while ago. But, bonus points for reining them in.” She grinned widely at him. “Next thing we know, you’ll be the champion of the poor and downtrodden humans. You just wait.”
Aven snorted this time. “Now, we are just being too ambitious,” he said, halting in his steps as they now reached Alex’s room.
“But not too far-fetched, Aven,” she said as he pushed her door open.
Before she could completely cross over her threshold, she said, “But Aven, really. Thank you.”
“You are most welcome, Aeylia,” he said, beaming down at her. “I hope you had a great time.”
“No,” she said, shaking her head. “I mean, yes, yes, of course I had a great time, no thanks to you. But what I really mean is thank you for being so kind to the mortals tonight. I know it isn’t much for you, but it means a lot to me.”
Mainly because there was no massacre that happened tonight by Aven’s hands, but he didn’t really need to know that.
“I… can’t say the same for your other, well, comrades.” Alex’s voice dropped a few octaves lower just in case some eavesdropping Meyarins were still up and about. “It wasn’t too hard to notice how some of your acquaintances didn’t look pleased with the presence of the humans in your festival tonight.”
“Well, they aren’t too pleased with me either for my sudden change of heart,” the prince pointed out, his lips tugging down in a frown.
Sudden fear struck Alex’s heart. “I hope they won’t be a problem in the future?” she asked.
Aven pursed his lips and silently tucked a stray curl behind her ear. “Do not concern yourself with them, Aeylia,” she said. “They are not your problem to worry about.”
“But they are yours,” she pointed out matter-of-factly. When Aven’s eyes hardened with an emotion she did not understand, the dread in her heart grew. “Aven—”
“It had been a long day,” he insisted. “It is best if you retire for the night.”
“Aven—”
“Aeylia,” he firmly replied. “Please.”
Stubborn her wanted to talk about it more, but Aven was right. She was tired, and her comfortable bed was paces away from her. She’d let this issue go for now.
To her surprise, Aven suddenly dropped a kiss against the worry lines on her forehead. “Do not worry your pretty head over this anymore,” he whispered, his lips lightly brushing against her skin. He lightly pulled back and grinned at her flustered face. “Sweet dreams, Aeylia.”
The prince then walked away, leaving Alex to stare dumbly at his retreating back, while her fingers pressed against her forehead where his lips had just touched a while ago.
“Well, that was just sickening.”
Alex yelped in surprise and whirled around, heart jumping to her throat. Although she had not mastered the heightened senses from her Meyarin blood, she could still see the familiar silhouette of Niyx sitting on her bed, bathed in darkness.
“Jeez, Niyx!” she furiously whispered as she slammed her door. “You could have given me a heart attack!”
“Melodramatic much?” Niyx teased.
“What the heck are you doing here?” she demanded, walking closer to her bed.
A frown appeared on Niyx’s face. “I need answers, kitten,” he explained. “Lots of them, in fact. But for starters—” he gestured wildly at her closed door—“what in all the stars and the light in the sky was that with Aven?”
“What do you mean?”
“Aeylia, I thought you said you rejected him,” he elaborated. “That sickening forehead kiss he gave you as his goodnight contradicted that. Not to mention how much dancing you did during the party. My best friend did not look like he was nursing a broken heart.”
“We only danced thrice,” Alex lamely protested. When Niyx merely quirked an eyebrow, she sighed and sat down on her bed in front of him. “I told him I didn’t feel the same way about him, but I think… I did not outrightly reject him.”
Now, Nixy looked confused. “I don’t understand.”
“What I mean is, I did not really say ‘no’ to his confession,” she murmured. She was thankful her room was still very dark since Niyx could not fully see how her cheeks flared in embarrassment.
“Aeylia,” he sighed, shaking his head. “I still do not understand why you did that, but if you are just stringing him along, then end whatever this is you have with him. Do not give him any false hope.”
Alex struggled internally about whether she should tell him the real reason for her decision or not. Only Roka knew of Aven’s dark fate, and she wasn’t sure how Niyx would react to it once he knew.
Finally coming to a decision, she expelled a soft breath and said, “Now that you know I am human, I think you should know that I have other secrets too. Since we share this bond, it would be harder for me to keep them further inside. Especially now I may or may not have done something reckless that could change my future for better or worse.”
Niyx only stared at her expectantly, waiting for her to reveal her other secrets.
“Remember when I told you I’m from the future?” she asked. “When I told you about this… enemy of mine, who initially Claimed me, but I was able to break from the chains because of my gift of strong willpower?”
Instead of offering his words, Niyx nodded.
“That enemy… that future enemy of mine is Aven, Niyx.”
His eyes bugged out, his jaw dropping in surprise too. “Y-you don’t mean to say—”
Alex was already nodding her head. “From when I came from, that version of Aven is just plain evil, Niyx,” she softly continued. “He was driven by a lot of hatred from all the humans and he’s building an army consisting of Claimed gifted Medorans and Meyarins alike to destroy the human race.”
“I… I don’t believe you,” Niyx breathed out.
Knowing that words alone couldn’t convince him, Alex mentally conjured all the interactions she had with the future Aven. She showed him the very first time she met him when she stumbled into Medora, showed him all those chance encounters just for him to torment her.
She had now shown him a mental image of how Aven tried to Claim her, when Niyx gasped and whispered, “Stop. Please.”
She shuttered her dark memories away to properly look at Niyx. He looked as pale as the moon, a stricken look on his face.
“So you see,” Alex softly started, “after getting to know how Aven is in the past, the now, I can’t just leave him be. Not when he’s just starting to understand how wrong his perceptions are against us humans.”
“With you being here, will that change anything for Aven?” he quietly asked.
“To be honest, I-I don’t know,” she stammered. ”When I arrived here, Lady Mystique, the Aes Daega, told me that the time I’ve left behind cannot be changed because it already happened. That no matter what I do right now, nothing will change.”
“Then why are you trying, even when it is futile?”
“Because don’t you see?” Alex sighed. “If by some miracle I was able to stop Aven from becoming the monster who hurt my loved ones, then I will not only save my friends and my family. I can also save Aven.”
Niyx mutely stared at her, a myriad of emotions flashing in his eyes.
“You cannot save everyone, Alex,” he said. It did not escape her notice how he’d used her real name. “If the Aes Daega said you cannot change anything that already happened, then all might be for naught.”
“So that is it, Niyx? I should just give up on Aven and… and let the natural course of his descent to the darkness happen without even trying to stop it?”
He could not give her an answer.
“I don’t know how it happened but the Aven here—the Aven now—he has become my friend, Niyx. I can’t just do nothing.”
He stared at her unblinkingly for a long time before expelling a slow breath and offering her a weak smile. “Has anyone ever told you how mighty stubborn you are?” he asked.
“I have other stellar traits, but I think that is one of my best,” she cajoled.
Nixy chuckled softly and shook his head. “I don’t know how you’re going to defy what has already been written, but I will do my best to help you, Aeylia,” he said.
“Aww shucks, are you turning into a softie for me, Niyx?”
Alex yelped when he flicked her nose. Niyx grinned and stood up, narrowly escaping the slap she intended to give on his arm.
“It had been a long and tiring day, kitten,” he said. “Get some rest.”
He patted her head like she was truly a kitten, ignoring Alex’s cries of indignation.
Once Niyx was gone, Alex changed into her nightgown and settled on her bed.
“Alex? Are you awake?”
“Xira!” Alex greeted. “It’s late at night. Why are you still awake?”
“We don’t sleep as much as humans, Alex,” the draekon explained.
“Handy,” she replied. “I wish I weren’t such a human who needs to sleep too much. Imagine how productive I can be.”
She heard Xiraxus’s low chuckle.
“Alex,” he continued, “my strength has now fully recovered. I have enough energy to bring you back to your own timeline as early as tomorrow.”
Alex pursed her lips and lifted her blanket up to her chin. “Change of plans, Xira,” she said. “I think I’m going to stay here for a little longer.”