The night air held a delicate chill, the first whispers of autumn flirting with the fading warmth of summer. Shadows danced along the walls as the leaves rustled in the breeze, casting intricate patterns that seemed to come alive in the darkness. The soft glow of moonlight filtered through the curtains, casting a gentle veil over the room. Cloe and Malkyn lounged together in bed, their ears keenly attuned to the muffled sounds of Maxym's tears. They exchanged worried glances, hearts aching for the young boy for which they were so grateful. Hushed and tender, their voices echoed softly through the dimly lit space.
"Should we go in?" Cloe asked softly, her hazel eyes glistening. "I hate to think of him lying there, crying all by himself."
Malkyn shook his head, his black messy hair shifting with the movement. "No," he replied gently, his distinctive lynx-like ears flicking slightly as he listened to Maxym's quiet sobs. "’E needs this time ta process everythin’. We can't shield him from every pain, love. Sometimes we needta let ‘im find the strength ta ‘eal alone."
"Perhaps you're right," Cloe conceded, her fingers twisting together in her lap. "But I can't help worrying about him. He has been through so much, and I want to make sure he knows how loved and wanted he is here."
"Of cawrse," Malkyn agreed, reaching over to clasp her hand in his. "And we'll show him that every day, in every way we can. But we must also give ‘im room ta grow and learn, even if it means allowing ‘im ta face some struggles without us."
Cloe sighed deeply, knowing the wisdom in her husband's words. "I hope he can truly understand that he is not alone anymore- that we are here for him, and will always be here for him."
"Time, Clo," Malkyn murmured, pressing a tender kiss to her forehead. "With time and patience, ‘e can accept our love and care. Then, together we will help ‘im forge ‘is own path in life."
Cloe nodded, her gaze drifting towards the window. "I don’t know how not to worry about the challenges Maxym will face, especially socially.”
Sighing, Malkyn agreed, his expression grave. "With ‘ow both our people see our family, ‘e’s boun’ ta get loneleh."
Cloe continued, her voice tinged with sadness. "He's already begun to feel like an outsider because of his appearance, and he'll face plenty of prejudice just for being our son. I couldn't bear if animosity or retribution from those that despi-”
"We can't let ours n others problems define ‘is life," Malkin declared, his voice firm. “We’ll ‘elp Maxym embrace being ‘weird’ and teach that it is a saurce of strength rather than weakness."
"Tim may not let us keep him from intruding into Maxym’s life. He was especially insufferable today," Cloe murmured, her brow furrowing in frustration. "Since he connived control from Silentdew I've heard he’s been claiming he has the ‘obligation’ to see his will enacted, regardless of who else’s freewill he's impinging upon."
"Like what?" Malkyn asked, his vertical pupils narrowing with apprehension.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
"He's hated in the city for his refusal to ask any parents before choosing to send their child across the Kvorism into the mortal realm! With the elders, he's taken their 6th or 10th child and they are honored, but he's also taken the firstborn of new couples and not cared that it left destroyed families in his wake. His constant barbs about our marriage and how it has tarnished the [Royal] line were one thing," she explained, her voice laced with weariness. “But I worry he'll see my intervention in ‘his’ program and adoption of Maxym as interference in whatever grand design he's crafted to further his political aspirations. He's likely to take offense even if I didn't impact his plans, simply because he felt his authority questioned or threatened somehow.”
"Timekeeper," Cloe said, the mere name leaving a bitter taste on her tongue. "He was always a [Pretentious] little prick but he was also a veritable prodigy so he could toe the line and get away with it. The way he taunted poor Everett so brazenly today- he's gotten too comfortable with no one left in a position to keep him reigned in. If he comes for Maxym on some technicality, I don’t know what we could do.”
"I’d smack ‘is smug ass sideways before ‘e came anywhere near our ‘ome," Malkyn growled, his protective instincts flaring. “Two ‘ands, ten claws, n 1 brill’ mind to guide ‘em? Infinite solutions.”
“Where in the Fae did you hear such nonsense,” Cloe sputtered in between giggles.
Malkyn looked down at his claws, retracting and extending them a few times thoughtfully. “Hmm, I just improved an old saying from my clan- ‘4 paws, 20 claws, 1 solution to any problem.’ Violence isn' always the answer but if’n I need to protec’ ma family I can and will, m’dear.”
“You big galoot, he'd never confront you physically. He's a [Seer] like me, besides he's never been nefarious, only eccentric and egocentric. Wouldn't be anything dangerous or harmful he’d try to do to us or Maxym. Maybe he'd claim his authority over [Changeling] matters to insert himself into our parenting matters to be petty or something innocuous on the face. He'd act like involving himself was a burden he didn't want, and set things up so that the harder we fought the more we’d seem like the problem. My family and the courts would back him so he wouldn't even have to come here to enforce his ‘ruling’, they'd do it for him.”
Cloe's eyes flashed with anger, recalling instances where Tim had twisted words to prey upon her insecurities. He would weave his web, ensnaring her in self-doubt and guilt, only to offer false solace solely to bolster his own image; a cruel manipulation that left her feeling hollow and vulnerable. She clenched her delicate hands into fists as she remembered, "His condescension is pervasive," Cloe murmured, her voice barely audible, “if he thinks we aren't raising Maxym to be as exceptional as he would've, he will have no qualms telling everyone.”
"Maxym is gonna be a wonderful boy," Malkyn thought out loud. “What could anyone say is wrong with ‘ow we're goin’ ta raise him?”
"Maxym does seem to be an incredibly bright child," Cloe began, brimming with pride. "But I worry about his reluctance to talk. He seems particularly upset by his stutter, and doesn't say much even when I can tell he's got questions to ask or a lot weighing on his mind.”
"You're being ‘asty again," Malkyn mused. "It's been a very busy, overwhelmin' day. We’ll provide the tools ‘e needs to succeed by teach’n ‘im our customs and traditions, plus each [Trait] ‘e earns will ‘elp. Between us, we can show ‘im ‘ow to grow into ‘ooever ‘e wants to be."
"I will try and accept that I cannot prevent Maxym's journey from being fraught with trials," Cloe acknowledged, her heart aching at the thought. "But together, we will help him find his place in our world, and guide him toward a future where he can stand tall and unafraid."
Maxym’s crying eventually faded, and his worried parents went to sleep hoping they were joining him in restful slumber. Unbeknownst to them, the night terrors that had plagued Maxym on Earth continued to keep him far from any possibility of peace.