On his part, Damon found the whole ordeal tiring and a chore. He had no desire to celebrate a corrupt, selfish coward of a ruler's choice of bride, or anything to do with him. But, Aria wanted it. He could have made an excuse. Quite easily. But he was loathe to leave him alone, especially in such a state. If he became vulnerable...he needed to be there for him.
Taking off his jacket, he tucked it under his arm, eyes dark and disinterested at the crowds, the colour...watchful of his young lover.
Aria found a stall selling paper lanterns and exchanged a handful of his home made wrist bands for one. He brought the lantern over to Damon and crouched on the ground. "Shall we send this off together?" he asked, smiling up at him.
"Just hold it steady, please," Aria replied. He took some matches from his pocket and lit the lantern. He stood carefully and gestured for Damon to do this same, holding the lantern between them. "Let it go after three. One... Two... Three!"
As the lantern drifted gently, slowly into the sky Aria watched it, mouth open a little, smiling at how beautiful it looked. He put his arm around Damon's waist and rested his head on his shoulder as he watched it's ascent.
Damon nodded, his hold loose, but firm enough as he pressed in. He couldn't help a slight smile at this; Aria like a child again. The small instances he got of this...so endearing. It made him feel a little of use...
"It's lovely," he smiled. Yes, the sunset, but also...he glanced down at his lover, kissed the top of his head softly. People murmured around them, perhaps watching him...he didn't much care for that. They should look at Aria too. "As are you, love."
Aria glanced up at him, smiling contentedly, a pleased twinkle in his eye. "Thank you," he said, softly, and it sounded more than just thanks for the compliment, there was something deeper in it.
However, just then a mighty cheer rose up and people began to rush to the roadside, pushing one another to get a good view as a procession of horses and guards approached, leading an open carriage. Aria tensed and stepped back from Damon, giving him an anxious look. He knew he'd soon realise what this celebration was for and he didn't know how he'd react. It almost didn't seem to matter, Aria's heart was in his throat, his dear husband was so close. Would he see him? Did he want him to see him?
Damon smiled back, his expression a little tight, but he meant it, "Any time, love. You know this."
Or so he hoped. At the cheer, he rolled his eyes slightly and glances over his shoulder. As his lover stepped away, he caught his hand and shook his head, "It is alright, Aria."
He wondered if he could bluff this, and, well -"Everyone knows of it. We are here now. I am here for you."
With that, he held him back against himself, and steeled them to watch.
Aria was still tense, even stood close to Damon who was trying to reassure him. He was almost regretting coming at all, he didn't know what this would achieve. He just wanted to make sure Narim was well and happy.
As the carriage drew closer Aria could see them. Narim looked the same as Aria remembered, dark hair flecked with grey, smiling but proud, commanding obedience without effort. The new bride was a woman, a blonde, younger than Aria, perhaps nineteen. She had long hair in perfect, pale ringlets and a pretty, smiley face.
Aria stared silently at the carriage as the crowd whooped and cheered around him, he seemed mesmerised.
Taking off his jacket, he tucked it under his arm, eyes dark and disinterested at the crowds, the colour...watchful of his young lover.
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"Shall we send this off together?" he asked, smiling up at him.
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"If you wish, love...what should I do?" He placed a gentle hand at his back, carefully supportive though Aria wouldn't know.
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"Let it go after three. One... Two... Three!"
As the lantern drifted gently, slowly into the sky Aria watched it, mouth open a little, smiling at how beautiful it looked. He put his arm around Damon's waist and rested his head on his shoulder as he watched it's ascent.
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"It's lovely," he smiled. Yes, the sunset, but also...he glanced down at his lover, kissed the top of his head softly. People murmured around them, perhaps watching him...he didn't much care for that. They should look at Aria too. "As are you, love."
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"Thank you," he said, softly, and it sounded more than just thanks for the compliment, there was something deeper in it.
However, just then a mighty cheer rose up and people began to rush to the roadside, pushing one another to get a good view as a procession of horses and guards approached, leading an open carriage.
Aria tensed and stepped back from Damon, giving him an anxious look. He knew he'd soon realise what this celebration was for and he didn't know how he'd react.
It almost didn't seem to matter, Aria's heart was in his throat, his dear husband was so close.
Would he see him? Did he want him to see him?
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Or so he hoped. At the cheer, he rolled his eyes slightly and glances over his shoulder. As his lover stepped away, he caught his hand and shook his head, "It is alright, Aria."
He wondered if he could bluff this, and, well -"Everyone knows of it. We are here now. I am here for you."
With that, he held him back against himself, and steeled them to watch.
Reply
As the carriage drew closer Aria could see them.
Narim looked the same as Aria remembered, dark hair flecked with grey, smiling but proud, commanding obedience without effort. The new bride was a woman, a blonde, younger than Aria, perhaps nineteen. She had long hair in perfect, pale ringlets and a pretty, smiley face.
Aria stared silently at the carriage as the crowd whooped and cheered around him, he seemed mesmerised.
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