by Jaime Marks
They nodded to the guards and entered the room. Cymeryn and Marcus stood on opposite sides of the bed and a Healer sat tending to him as their essence flowed over him. Byryn and Staryana bowed slightly to the Kings of Balance and they returned the gesture. The Healer went to turn to pay respect but refrained at Cymeryn’s direction to keep her attention on Kyle.
“How…how is he?” Staryana asked tentatively.
Cymeryn sighed rubbing his chin. “He is stable for the moment…though it will not last. Healer Sanytia has removed the bullet and we believe there are no fragments left…but there is a complication.”
Byryn met Cymeryn’s eyes. It was almost as if the Fae were asking him for something. “What is it?”
“He has begun to show signs of the awakening,” Marcus spoke quietly. “He will not survive it in his current state…unless…” He trailed off as they glanced at one another and turned to Byryn.
“You brought him back here, Byryn. You trusted him enough to save his life. Now I must ask you…are you prepared to deal with his existence in our world…our…family,” Cymeryn replied finishing hesitantly.
“What’re you saying?” Byryn squinted as he studied them. “Stop dancing around it Cymeryn, you never pull punches and my patience isn’t much better than yours.”
He nodded with a sigh looking back to the bed. “The only way Kyle will survive both the awakening and the wound is if either Marcus or I awaken him while the other maintains his health. His body is not healing on its own and will not until the awakening has passed. We can see no other way. The Healers can find no method to keep him stable through it as they have not had enough time to study awakening Gray. The transition is harder than that of the normal awakening.”
His eyes narrowed as he studied the bed. “How long do we have?”
“The stasis we have enacted will hold for perhaps an hour,” Marcus offered, “but beyond that if we do not begin accelerating his awakening and manage the intensity of the flows for him…his body will fail and he will die.”
Staryana had stiffened in his arms but remained silent. He couldn’t imagine what she was feeling but the issue was he wasn’t really understanding what he felt at the moment either. His emotions were a cyclone tunneling through him and he needed to sort through them, not that there was really time.
Looking up he glanced between them but settled on his Grandsire. “Who would do it? You or Marcus?” Byryn demanded not really sure why it mattered to him.
Cymeryn met him directly in the eye. “I would. I have taken responsibility for the boy. He is son of my progeny and as such is considered to be of my line despite his blood lineage. If one of us is to awaken him…then it will be me. I have sensed his mind and find him worthy of this, Byryn.”
With a curse he released Staryana to turn from them. He felt Cymeryn’s hand on his shoulder as his essence flowed through him in a warm embrace but it was something he struggled to accept from him. Cymeryn was no longer his blood.
“I know you feel the bond between us, Byryn, despite your desire to ignore it. I will always be your Grandsire and yes, I am aware you address me as such, but you war within yourself as to what you wish that title to mean to you now. This disturbs you to this level not because you are uncertain if you wish the boy to live, you have already made that decision and we both know that you do; but because of the connection he will have to me and through me, you.
“He may not be the first progeny you have ever seen me claim, but it is different now. In many ways, though Grifyn is indeed your Father and I would never come between you, you look to Marcus and I as Fathers of a sort. It is as it should be. We will be your Fae in law in a matter of hours at this point and we are your mentors. You are Sacred Borne and because of that we share an even deeper bond; but with me it goes beyond that.
“I have watched you grow from a boy. It is only natural that you feel some attachment to me despite the conditions in which you grew. It was not always bad, there were good moments between us as well. I am your family, Byryn, and I shall always be there for you. This does not change that. I know that you do not trust Kyle, and I know you feel torn because this will connect you strongly to him in a way you never intended, but it is the only way.”
He didn’t turn around, honestly he wasn’t sure he could face him yet. Nothing he said was necessarily wrong, but everything between them was different now. It almost felt closer than he’d ever allowed or believed things could be and it was too much for him to consider if he was going to make this decision.
Reaching out his hand he waited for Staryana to take it and pulled her in tight to face him, kissing her a moment. “Tell me what you want, Staryana.”
Tears streamed down her face. “I haven’t even had a chance to know him, Byryn...and, and after what I did…”
“Shhh,” he kissed her head. “That wasn’t your fault and you didn’t hurt him, baby, but I know.” Without looking back he nodded his head in acceptance. “Do what you need to do, but don’t expect me to mentor him, Cymeryn. I doubt he’d accept it anyway. What are you going to tell Steph?”
Cymeryn squeezed his shoulder, “The truth. I will keep them separate, when possible, though it will be difficult with events. In time I am hopeful that they will in the least be able to coexist without issue. I am not saying this will be easy, but remember Byryn, you and Kyle are not so different. Neither of you had an option in your lives and you are both atoning for the mistakes you have made. As am I.”
“Prepare him, Sanytia,” Marcus spoke softly. “We must see to the Queen before we attempt this. If there is any change alert us immediately.”
“Of course my lord.”
Byryn turned and looked back at the bed. In many ways Cymeryn was right, not just about the connection but about Kyle. He just couldn’t shake the way he felt. Ever since he and Staryana connected they’d been at each other’s throats. Now he was accepting him as part of their line? It was ridiculous.
“What happens when we awaken progeny? I mean our essence is different,” he asked curiously, wondering what they were going to do if his body wasn’t even accepting the healing.
Cymeryn stood studying Kyle. “It is merely a matter of using solely our Gray. If we did it any other way it could either awaken him Shade, in which case we would simply Redeem, but if we used too much Light it would risk his life. That is why we say you cannot risk it before you have mastered the use of all three; not that you have shown interest aside from Kylion.”
Byryn shrugged, “I don’t really need progeny. I have Kylion and when we choose to have more young then they’ll be our own.”
He smirked noticing Staryana blushing. She couldn’t tolerate anything even hinting to sex around Marcus and Cymeryn without turning red. With a sigh he met his Grandsire’s eyes remembering what happened in the woods. If they were going to save him they needed to know everything.
“I don’t think it would hurt Kyle if you used Light. He absorbs it.”
Marcus and Cymeryn exchanged looks before he looked back to him. “How do you know that? Explain.”
Staryana cringed in his arms but he only kissed her head before continuing. “I told you she kind of lost it in the woods and Kyle intervened but I didn’t get chance to explain what happened. She attacked John and he put himself in the line of fire assuming he could take it, but I don’t think he anticipated the full force of her Light. He took the full force of it but it absorbed. I’d say it was strategic but it was clear that he was just as shocked as she was.”
Turning back to the bed his Grandsire scratched his chin. “Only the Fae can absorb Light. We need to fully assess his lineage. There is something we are missing. I believe it is something to do with his Mother but he is unaware of what it could be as well. I have been trying to reason it out but there has not been time.”
“He may well be part Fae but in the meantime it changes nothing. He is too fragile to risk it at this stage,” Marcus reasoned. “We need to proceed with this cautiously. As it is
we are uncertain how well his body will handle this.”
“We need to see Reyana before we begin and I wish to discuss this with Mythos and Steph. I do not need their approval but I want to see they are aware before it occurs.” Cymeryn met his eyes. “I know how you feel about him, Byryn, but if you wish to witness this as per tradition it would honor me.”
He froze. “We’re no longer Shade, Cymeryn, and you didn’t exactly have Syneous’ awakening witnessed.”
He glanced at Staryana hesitantly a moment. “I know, but in all honesty I did not expect him to last in my good graces. He was chosen due to his access to Staryana and Reyana, not as family, not in this way; and the Fae do practice this in male awakenings although it is generally followed by a feast rather than the sparring and initiations the Shade tend to partake in.”
Byryn crossed his arms and looked to the ground. “Do you want me to witness it? Do you want my brothers to as well?”
“I will extend the invitation to them, but in truth it is you I want here. I will not require it however.”
“Kylion’s too unstable to be part of this and I don’t want to leave him and Staryana alone after everything that’s happened.”
He tried to reason out how he felt about what his Grandsire was asking him. It wasn’t as if he didn’t acknowledge the ties to him, but this felt…closer than he’d allowed since they’d reconnected.
“Actually, Reyana has something special in mind for she and Star while the awakening is occurring, Byryn. They’ll be quite safe and unreachable from any save us three,” Marcus offered.
“Like what?” She asked curiously.
“It’s a surprise, Starshine. Something she’s been dying to share with you but could only do once you awakened,” Marcus smiled coyly. “We’ll come find you once we are finished.”
Byryn raised a brow but he assumed they were speaking of the sanctuaries. They would be the only places they could ensure both of them would be completely safe while all three of them were distracted. “Yeah, but what about Kylion?”
“I have already asked Grifyn if he would watch over him. I wanted to be sure he would not feel…stepped over by my involving you in this, Byryn. There is a lot of bad history between he and I. You have no real obligation to our blood and he is your Father now,” Cymeryn explained. “Grifyn and I both agreed, however, that although you have renounced your lines you are still very much connected to us. He had no issue.”
Byryn nodded in resignation. “If it is your will, Grandsire, I will honor you,” he offered formally. Really Cymeryn had already addressed every concern he could have and there wasn’t a good reason for him to deny the request.
He nodded with a small smile. “Will you escort your brothers here once you have prepared so that I might speak to them? We will be escorting Staryana and her Mother.”
With a sigh he turned to her. “You alright with this, brightness?”
“Yeah, I could use some alone time with my Mom, actually.” She kissed him deeply a moment. “Thanks Byryn, for being ok with this. I know it’s not easy, but…he’s my brother.”
“I know.” He met her eyes as they shimmered with worry. “You’re the only reason I’m good with this, Staryana. I know you need that connection. You need to know him, even if you’re torn about it. Stay with your Mom and behave for me. I know how adventurous you get but if I’m going to be here seeing to your brother I need to know that you’re safe, baby.”
“I will,” she promised and he kissed her deeply again before turning and leaving the room.
He walked back down to Kylion’s room and looked in on him motioning for Hyracen to stay. “I’m not staying long. I’ll be detained most of this eve and I wanted to check on him before I got too involved,” Byryn explained.
“He has remained resting peacefully, Prince Byryn,” Hyracen offered with a respectful bow. “I am very grateful to the Divine that he was returned to you unharmed. I cannot apologize more for allowing him to slip away.”
Byryn cringed at the formal address. For some reason, although he hadn’t been crowned Prince yet, all of his Personal Guard and the other Guardians, outside of his brother, had started addressing him formally. “It wasn’t your fault, Hyracen. We’ll work on some training this week. He’s pretty shaken now but he’ll try to sneak away again at some point and I want you better prepared to anticipate it.”
Hyracen bowed slightly as Byryn hovered in the doorway watching Kylion sleep. He had to get changed and go get the others but he couldn’t seem to pull himself away from the door. He was still struggling to come to terms with where his blood fit in with his new bloodlines. He was no longer of the Trevyn Warrior line of the Shade, but in partaking in the Traditions of Awakening it felt like he was accepting his old position among them again in many ways. He did that anyway by taking Trycen and Felycia under his protection though, didn’t he?
A strong hand squeezed his shoulder. “Hyracen, if Kylion wakes before Byryn returns bring him to me directly.”
“Of course, Commander Grifyn.”
“Come on, son,” Grifyn motioned and headed across the hall to Byryn’s quarters. When they entered he motioned to the bed as he walked to the closet. “Sit.”
“What’s up, Dad?”
Returning from the closet his Father handed him his ceremonial white robing. The same he wore the night that Grifyn had Claimed him as his own. He stood staring at him intently.
“You tell me? How are you handling all of this?” Grifyn asked.
He shrugged. “It’s been a long and shitty day.”
His Dad nodded leaning back against the wall as he crossed his arms. “So, I’ve noticed a few things these last few days and I thought it might be time we discuss it considering how you’re spending your eve.”
“Are you really ok with this, Dad? I mean I know what Cymeryn said, but I renounced my lines. I’m Grifyion now.”
“You are and you always will be,” Grifyn agreed, “but that doesn’t mean your blood is not very much a part of you, Byryn. You are Fae now. Our families are very important to us. Trycen, Felycia, Wycelion, even Cymeryn; they are still your family and I knew that before we proceeded with the Claiming. It’s why you feel the need to deal with the Brood yourself, why you are compelled to free your sisters. I have never had any intention of coming between that, only giving you the ability to live free of the Darkness.”
Byryn sighed as he looked up at him. “I just don’t really know where this all fits in. I mean, when I renounced Trevyn and my blood, I knew I would always try to offer my brothers and sisters the best lives I could. I want them to have the chances that I have now…but then I found out about my Mother and I still have no idea where that plays in. Now on top of it there’s Wytheryn who is supposed to be my brother, as in my full blooded brother, and he seems so Dark…but if we share a Mother that would have to mean he has Light in him. I’m still not really sure what any of it means since I renounced it all.”
It was hard to admit. Staryana knew how he felt intuitively but even they hadn’t put his feelings into words. He wouldn’t trade the right to be by her side or the strength that he had forged and been gifted to protect her, but it was difficult to sort out how he felt about all of it. Who was he now? Outside of Staryana, Kylion and Grifyn where did the loyalties of his blood really lie and how did that affect them?
Grifyn shook his head, “Byryn, it’s not that your blood is no longer a part of you. The renouncement is not what you think. It creates a connection and forges a loyalty of the blood while inhibiting the ability for your line to influence or call to you beyond your control. It is for the young’s own protection and peace of mind. The renouncement is generally only used for those whose parents were taken by the Shade and turned, and now those who are Redeemed and need some way to prevent falling prey to the draw of their blood. It does not sever those connections, it only gives you the power to choose how they will impact you.”
He sighed coming to sit beside him. “I will always be you
r Father, Byryn, but Cymeryn understands the life you’ve lived in ways that I can’t even fathom. He is Sacred Borne and your Fae in law. He is and has always been your Grandsire. He will always be important in your life and I have no issue with that. I grew up with the Fae, served at his side at the fronts. It is surreal and I’ll deny it if you bring it up, but he hasn’t really changed and I actually like having him here.”
Byryn smirked, “That’s blackmail material right there.”
He chuckled, “Yes well, things have settled greatly for Marcus and Reyana since he returned and he’s helped all of us get to a place that we needed in a very short time. I’d be lying if I said I don’t appreciate all he does.” He sighed studying him again. “Regardless, you need him every bit as much as he needs you Byryn, and I see you fighting that connection, trying to deny that part of yourself; including your Mother. I’m not saying they should be all there is, but they are a part of you and you can’t deny them. It would be the same as denying a part of your heart.”
Byryn sat considering it all. “I guess you’re right. It’s just…confusing. In a lot of ways I don’t want anything to do with my old life, but my own actions contradict that. I mean, I’m actively attempting to Redeem the Brood including our sisters.”
“Just…try to remain open to it, Byryn. They are all a part of you, though you will not be able to save them all. You can neither shut yourself off from them, nor can you blame yourself for those who will deny what you offer. You must find the balance in it within yourself.”
“What about Wytheryn?” He grimaced.
“Your brother, and he is your brother, Byryn, you have only to look at him to see it. If he was masked by Alayne it explains why we cannot sense it clearly, but it was not a shock to any aside from you really,” Grifyn offered a small smile. “At any rate, we will try to reach him together. If Crystal was his Mother then he is Verthyrion, as are you. The very last of your line and I and Demytria are the closest familial link to you both. There is Fae in him. We will work together to help him see. I will check in on him this eve and ensure he is well. In the meantime, you have a ceremony to attend.” He stood and patted his shoulder. “I’ll leave you to it.”