Alarick had been away for a week now, and with nothing to do, Erriene had decided to go down the fair and buy materials to work on stitching the clothes in Alarick’s chest.A lot of his armors and shirts were ripped, probably from training and actual battle, and laid forgotten at the bottom of his chest. He opened the chest because he was feeling bored and curious, and he decided to sew the clothes because he had nothing to do.Also, Alarick should lock it if he didn’t want anyone going through it.Not because he missed him, he told himself. No, not really. That would be ridiculous.Definitely not because he could smell him on his clothes. That one time when he couldn’t stop himself from taking a shirt from Alarick’s chest and burying his nose in it was an accident.But the nights were getting colder since the first one, and he couldn't deny that.“Let me accompany you, Dalli,” Avinash had sa

 Alarick had encircled his little nymph in his arms, one arm around his shoulders and another behind his knees and lifted him up in a bridal carry.Erriene tentatively circled his arms around his neck as Alarick proceeded to sit on the bed with the creature on his lap, delicate legs sideways across his thighs.Alarick kissed his forehead when he heard a little sigh. Erriene slowly turned up his head towards his neck and buried it there, bending his knees for him and against his chest.He took Erriene’s slippers away, and took the pale feet in his hand, massaging it for a while. He had already felt better. Despite being already aching, he wanted to be as slow as he could be, to savour it, and to discover Erriene’s body with more care than their first time.He buried his face in Erriene’s hair and relished in the sweet scent he had missed as his free hand continued moving gently over Erriene’s body, his other arm st

 It was the Frost Giant’s chief that invited Alarick and Randal inside, and a guard of some kind accompanied them.Alarick and Randal walked among the city towards the hut of the chieftain.Alarick's shoulders were tense. The females were about his size, and the males taller, but their back curved in strange ways. They were far from what he considered human.Yet, he came from one of them.He could not feel any connection to these people.He looked at some females passing through with dead wild pigs on their shoulders, primitive weapons on their hands, and he tried to imagine calling any of them mamkka. But it was the image of Aefstine that fluttered in his mind, and squeezed at his heart.If he didn't know any better, he'd say he came from Aefstine's womb somehow. His first memories of childhood being in his mamkka's lap, grabbing at the jug of hot milk, his mamkka's laughter and kisses and warmth…

 Erriene’s head was pounding and he was hearing echoes.The hands cradling his head were warm while everything else was cold. He tried to speak but could only cough violently.Trembling, he tried to calm his heart. He knew it was the panic that was making him confused, and promptly controlled his breathing.“That’s it. You’re doing great… You’re safe now, do not worry,” the voice… Aefstine, said to him quietly.He opened his eyes again, flinching away at the light but it soon made everything become clear.He looked up… and was fascinated.Aefstine looked exactly like the painting back in the castle, but still, it was surreal to see him in person.After so much time hearing descriptions from Alarick, he almost expected to see a god-like creature, but Aefstine was much more simple.Much more gentle… and much more beautiful.

 They found the cave quickly with the help of the shaman’s strong sense in magic and the wolves, under the heavy snow that was now falling down.The wolves were desperate, now fueled with confidence knowing their master was with them. Growling at the mouth of the cave, they challenged whoever dwelled in there to come forth. Their howls and growls echoed against the darkness within.Alarick unmounted, and so did the others. Randal unsheathed his sword, and walked along Alarick towards the entrance of the cave.It was deep and too dark to see, so Thorne provided a torch. They all entered the cavern, which seemed to be empty and abandoned at first, but they kept going, trusting Skadi and Umbra to guide them.Finally, they began to see bones thrown about on the floor and piled against the walls. Some were makeshift weapons, and others still had meat and blood on them.Alarick saw leather and makeshift benches and further, s