“A-Aether… H-Hi…” Xara stuttered, her voice barely a whisper as she awkwardly waved her hand, lowering her face.
Aether, without a word, gently patted his side, silently inviting her to sit beside him.
Xara hesitated, clutching the hem of her dress nervously, before stepping away from the tree she had been hiding behind. She walked toward him slowly, her heart pounding, but instead of sitting, she stood behind him, uncertain and trembling.
Aether didn’t turn around. His eyes were lost in the sight of the orange sky, glowing warmly as if the sun drifted toward the horizon.
It was a breathtaking view — the entire territory of Frostblade sprawled below them, the mansion nestled amid the land like a precious gem. Yet now, a cascade of crimson petals floated above it all, painting the air with strokes of red, as if an unseen artist had spilt vibrant ink across the world.
He could see everything… and yet his gaze remained soft, almost wistful.
Aether hummed softly, his voice blending with the wind, “It’s lovely… isn’t it?” he murmured, as if speaking to the world itself.
Xara didn’t answer at first. She merely hummed, her chest tightening as she took in the same view.
The red petals drifted like blessings upon the golden light of dusk. It was so beautiful it hurt. It felt like a miracle born from dreams.
Her throat tightened painfully before she managed to gather the courage to ask, “A-Are you… the one who did this?” Her voice quivered, even though her heart already knew the answer.
Aether smiled softly, a secretive curve of his lips. “What do you think?” he replied, his tone gentle and teasing, like a breeze brushing across her soul.
Xara bit her lower lip, fighting the emotions that surged inside her chest. “W-Why?” she whispered hoarsely, the word trembling on her lips. “Why would you do something like this?”
Aether’s gaze remained on the petals dancing through the twilight sky, the wind carrying them like scattered dreams. “Because…” he said, voice warm and tender, “I wanted to give my best… to the person I love.”
Xara’s legs buckled under the weight of his words. She staggered a step back, her heart hammering against her ribs so fiercely she thought it might burst.
Her mind screamed in disbelief — ‘What is wrong with this… man? How can he be so reckless, so foolishly, stupidly earnest?’
Did he not care about the dangers he was risking?
Was he truly this much of a fool… to do something so grand, so impossible, for someone like her?
A flood of emotions poured into her, overwhelming her senses like a sudden storm breaking over a parched desert.
It left her breathless, trembling, raw.
And then, in a voice tinged with the smallest thread of fear, Aether asked quietly, “Do you… Like it?”
The vulnerability in his tone struck her harder than anything else.
Xara blinked, startled out of her spiralling thoughts. She saw his shoulders tense ever so slightly — he was genuinely afraid of her answer.
Her heart clenched painfully.
She swallowed thickly, forcing herself to breathe, ‘Come on, Xara…’ she told herself, ‘You’re the older one here… you need to be strong. You can’t fall apart now.’
Moving with slow, deliberate steps, she finally came to sit beside him. Aether glanced sideways at her, eyes widening slightly in surprise, though her face was hidden behind the curtain of her black hair.
With as much composure as she could muster, Xara gazed out at the miraculous scenery before them. The petals, the light, the sheer impossible beauty of it all — it left her soul aching.
“I… liked it,” she said softly, without hesitation, letting the words fall naturally from her lips. Her legs dangled off the edge of the cliff, swinging gently in the breeze.
Aether exhaled a breath he hadn’t realised he was holding.
His lips curled upward into a faint, relieved smile.
Xara tucked a strand of her black hair behind her ear and dared a quick glance at him. His expression — the pure joy on his face at her simple words — warmed her entire being.
Her heart raced faster.
“How did you know… I liked this flower?” she asked quietly, her fingers gently caressing the red roses she had gathered around her body, feeling their soft, velvety petals against her skin.
Aether grinned mischievously, flashing a boyish smile that made her chest tighten even more. “Well, I know my beloved,” he said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Xara’s lips twitched in reluctant amusement before she shook her head lightly, ‘Of course… he must have learned it from Selene,’ she thought wryly.
Only Selene had known such a detail — even Xara’s own son hadn’t known.
But still… it didn’t make her heart flutter any less.
Biting her lip, she hesitated before asking, “You… did all this by yourself?” Her voice was a mix of wonder and disbelief as she looked at the endless field of red petals floating like a sea beneath them.
It was far from an easy feat, especially for someone who had once been so weak… so frail.
Aether stiffened slightly, lowering his gaze to his hands. Following his line of sight, Xara’s breath caught in her throat.
His hands… scratched, bloodied, rough. The skin was torn in places, hardened with effort beyond his limits. Each scar, each wound, told the story of his devotion more clearly than any words could.
Her entire body trembled.
“A-Are those…” she began to ask, but her voice broke before she could finish.
Aether hummed softly, as if comforting her. “Yeah… I kind of overdid it,” he admitted, a small, sheepish smile on his face. “I wanted… to see your happy face, so I kept planting seeds all around the territory without resting… day after day…” His voice cracked slightly with the exhaustion still clinging to him.
Xara pressed a hand against her chest, feeling her heart about to break.
How… could anyone love her this much?
Xara’s lips trembled even more. “A-Aether—” she began, her voice breaking, but before she could finish—
Chrrrrippppp! == [Don’t believe him, human girl!!]
Krrrrrr!! Krrrrrkkkrr!!== [Yes! He scratched himself, but we’re the ones who worked hard!!]
Grrrrrrrlll!!! GRRRR!! == [We were threatened to plant those seeds everywhere!! Our claws are hurting!!]
CHIRRRPP == [My beak too!! It’s ruined!!]
A sudden uproar exploded around them — a chaotic chorus of furious screeches and growls as different kinds of animals emerged from the surrounding trees and bushes, screaming with heartfelt indignation.
They poured out their trembling, innocent grievances — how they had been bullied and tricked by the human male who had ruthlessly threatened to take their beloved female counterparts if they didn’t obey.
Xara blinked in surprise, glancing at the noisy creatures. She couldn’t understand their language, but watching their little faces and happy gestures as if saying she needed to accept him… made her giggle softly despite herself.
“So… you made friends here too?” she asked, raising an eyebrow at him.
Aether smiled awkwardly. “Hah… W-What can I say… I’m loved by everyone… haha…” he chuckled, scratching the back of his head.
But behind his back — hidden from Xara’s view — Aether secretly raised his middle finger toward the animals, flipping it up twice… then sideways twice… in a silent but very clear “go fuck yourselves, you bastards” gesture.
The animals, although clueless about human vulgar gestures, somehow understood his threatening aura perfectly.
He going to fuck them all!
CHIRRRPP == [RUN!! HE’S CRAZY!! HE’S INTO MALES TOO!!]
In an instant, the group of animals scattered, fleeing into the woods in sheer terror.
Xara, oblivious to the silent war happening behind her, smiled faintly and muttered under her breath, “Loved by everyone… huh?”
Aether chuckled, a deep hum in his throat. “Except…” he said, gazing at her intently.
Xara’s cheeks flushed a gentle pink as she lowered her head, biting her lip nervously. She tried to think of something — anything — to throw back at him, something to stand her ground… but no matter what she thought of, she knew… he would always find a way to push right through.
“Aether… I… I really can’t—” she tried again, but her words faltered.
Aether’s smile softened into something trembling and fragile. “Xara… no matter what you say… no matter how far you run… I’ll keep loving you,” he whispered. “Even if… if you think my love is wrong… if you think it hurts you… j-just say it…” His voice cracked, his entire body trembling visibly with fear, yet he still clung to his feelings, refusing to let go.
“Sigh… Aether…” Xara sighed softly, her heart aching so deeply she could hardly breathe. Without thinking, she tilted her head to the side… and, for the first time, gently laid it on his shoulder.
It was a small, trembling gesture — but it spoke more than a thousand words.
Aether froze, not daring to move, his heart pounding against his ribs like a war drum.
Xara stared at his wounded hands, her fingers twitching to reach out and touch them. Her chest tightened unbearably — she had seen her own children wounded before, but this… this was different.
This pain pierced deeper!
It was as if she herself had been wounded.
Her vision blurred slightly, the swirling conflict inside her still unresolved. She closed her eyes, inhaling a shaky breath as the scent of roses, wind, and Aether filled her senses.
“You see…” she whispered, voice so soft it almost vanished into the sunset air, “I… I’m searching for something… something that nobody ever dared to look for, Aether…”
Aether remained silent.
“I am…” she said slowly, “Searching for the Origin… Our Origin.”