The Poisoned Taste of Perception

Chapter Two

THEN

"My King." Tal whispered, trying to catch his breath.

Delwen grinned sadistically, threading his fingers through Tal's. "The night is young, Tal, we must savor it."

They stood outside amongst a large bonfire with dozens of his people dancing and drinking and doing as they pleased with their human slaves. Tal and Delwen had danced for the past two hours and it was only but a moment ago that Delwen had grown bored of it.

"Perhaps we could venture inside for a warm cup of hot chocolate and cuddle by a much...much smaller fire than this one..." Tal's eyes cut skittishly towards the raging fire that was lapping sharp sparks up into the sky.

Delwen saw a creation of magic and mystery in the licking wisps of flames. Tal saw death.

"Okay." Delwen replied gently, gazing upon his guard's fright-stricken face.

He went up on his tippey-toes and caressed the back of Tal's Head, planting a kiss to his lips. Delwen lead them back to the house and nestled them away inside the dark, large sitting room. He drew open the long, black curtains, allowing the night sky to trickle in. It was a blackish-blue sky that always made him feel empty inside every time he gazed upon it. Tal was stretched out on the floor on a cushion with his cup of hot chocolate sitting beside him. Delwen dropped down and pulled Tal's head up onto his lap.

"Thank you." Tal closed his eyes. "Also, I'm sorry. I know this isn't the most exhilarating thing we could be doing."

"As long as you're happy." Delwen answered truthfully.

"You are still happy here, aren't you?" Delwen asked after a moment. He hadn't asked Tal that question in a long time.

Tal fell quiet, his fingers curling tighter around the cup. "Sometimes, yes."

Delwen frowned. "Not all the time?"

Tal smiled then, cocking his head back to look up at Delwen. That didn't happen often because typically Delwen was the one craning his neck back to look up at Tal.

"One cannot be happy all the time. But it also doesn't mean I'm unhappy either."

"That makes very little sense." Delwen exasperated.

"When does anything in life ever make sense?" Tal chuckled, looping his free arm back around behind Delwen's back. "I mean it.....thank you for humoring me. I know you'd rather be out there watching humans dance till they're dead or go swim in the tar pit full of nasty mermaids but I'm glad you're here with me."

Delwen sighed. "Sometimes I think about revoking your right to speak...especially in times like this when you become overly sappy."

"You would never do that to me." Tal answered, firmly believing what he said.
Delwen, on the other hand, wasn't quite as sure. He leaned down and brushed his lips against Tal's. "Finish your hot chocolate and then go to bed. I know you're tired."

Tal sat up and sucked his hot chocolate down.
In between drinking he said, "Are you going back out?"

Delwen nodded. "I haven't checked The Border today."

Tal stiffened at the mention of the border.

Delwen soothed his guard by rubbing his fingers through the male's hair. "You don't have to go. That's why I'm sending you to bed, remember?"

Tal visibly relaxed, sagging in on himself. He gazed down into his now empty cup.

"If I was a strong man, I'd be able to go back there."