Take Flight - 5. Chapter 5

“Feel like a soak? There are some submerged seats in the pool. The warm water will ease any lingering aches from your healing,” Sayer asked Birch. “I … um, I have a regular bathroom installed behind those trees.”

“Oh thank god.” Birch’s wings rustled as he hurried away. His bare ass peeked as they fluttered with his breathing. Sayer groaned. The skin flashing between the white feathers was tantalizing.

The grotto’s pool was warm. The water lapped at his skin, swirling against him and then away to the stream that drained down into the mountain. Sayer sank down into the water up to his neck, but kept his back turned until he heard Birch enter the pool. He didn’t want to make him uncomfortable staring at him, though Sayer longed to see and touch every inch of Birch’s body.

“Sayer? What do I do about the wings?”

Birch was only standing in the water to his waist. The water dragged at the bottom feathers of his wings and they were flexing and shifting. Birch shivered. “This feels so weird.”

“I bet. Just wait until you fly though.” He grinned at Birch. “There’s no better feeling in the world than soaring above the clouds as the sun rises, turning everything pink.”

It didn’t look like the idea was too appealing to Birch. “I don’t know, I kind of like my feet on the ground.”

“We’ll figure it out later. I don’t want to you flying until you’ve learned how to control your wings.” Sayer turned Birch in the waist deep water so they were both looking at the trees dancing with sprites. “For now you just imagine them away. Picture your body without wings, see your back muscles smooth and bare.”

Birch’s wings shimmered as they faded. Sayer slid their bodies together and hugged Birch from behind. “Mmm.” He adored the feeling of their bare skin together. Birch’s skin was soft over his defined chest. A thin layer of soft hair fascinated him. Fae, even dwarves, did not have chest hair. Sayer’s chest was smooth.

“Sayer!” Birch jerked forward when Sayer slid his thumbs over his nipples. “What are you doing?”

“What I wanted to do all those times we went skinny dipping as teens before school ended. Touch every inch of my body to yours.” He dropped a kiss on Birch’s shoulder, allowing him to keep the space between them though he missed the way his cock had nestled briefly against the small of Birch’s back. “I’m sorry. I know this is a lot to take in, and I’ve always known you were mine.”

“Let’s just … sit for a bit? Is that okay? And you can explain the ‘I’m a fae and you’re mine’ to me before I need to take an ink blot test for insanity.”

A bit of dread coiled in Sayer. He reminded himself they were already bonded; his amulet adorned Birch’s chest and would never come off.

“So?” Birch raised an eyebrow at him when they were seated on the mossy rocks, the water swirling around their armpits. He slid his hands through the water, cupping it and letting it trickle out. “I’m probably as relaxed as you’ll ever get me.”

He was. Birch had always liked hot tubs, and Sayer wasn’t above using that.

“The fae are both what the stories say and not. Elves and Dwarves are different races, in the eyes of men, but really they are simply fae. There are four cardinal fae characteristics that—”

Birch interrupted him, “Let me guess, they mimic the elements. Earth, air, fire and water.”

Sayer nodded. “Yes. There are dominant races, lesser races, and mixes. Dwarves are of the Earth, Sylphs are of the Air. Fire belongs to the Jinn, and Water belongs to the Nymphs. Pure-bloods are exceptionally rare, though. The races have intermixed since the beginning.”

“Like the sprites.” Birch tilted his head, staring at the lights. “They fly, so they have to be part sylph and the lightning means they’re part jinn. Right?”

“Exactly.”

“So, all the mythos are real?”

Sayer leaned back into the slightly scratchy moss. “To some extent. Dwarves aren’t tiny fat men and women with long beards. We do like fancy rocks though.” He reached over and stroked a finger down Birch’s amulet.

“You’re a Dwarf?” Birch’s eyes were comically big. Sayer had a hard time not laughing. “And what, a sylph?”

“Yes, Mother was a sylph. My grandparents were a Fire and Water pairing, so I have powers of all the races. The king must be strong, but they don’t have to have elemental powers from all four races.” A thought struck him and he spoke aloud before he thought about how it could sound. “Maybe the reason I am so strong has to do with the fact that you are human and do not have fae blood.”

“What? I’m tainted or something because I’m a human? What’s wrong with that? According to legends you people have been stealing human children for thousands of years.” Birch crossed his arms over his chest.

“No, I didn’t mean that, I swear.” Sayer hoped Birch believed him. “I love you how you are.”

Birch stared at him, his arms falling to his sides. “You love me?”

Sayer’s heart pounded. He’d never thought that was a question Birch had to ask. “Always. I’ve loved you always. It’s not just because you were meant for me so I took you as a baby to bring up here, though that is how it was always done. I didn’t want that for you.

“The human world is so busy, so different from ours with its silly customs and complicated protocols. It was an eye opener growing up there alongside you. It made me realize how bad things had gotten here. Then my parents ….”

Sayer shuddered. Things were different. There were creatures, wild fae, that had grown too dangerous, even for them.

“I always planned to come back for you. I need you.”

“I needed you there too.” Birch felt those years of loneliness keenly.

Sayer closed his eyes and then opened them. The strength of his emotions echoed through their bond. “I will never be able to say I’m sorry enough, but you’ll never have to be alone again. Birch …” Sayer gave him a pleading look.

Birch held out his hand. Sayer towed him through to water and onto his lap. “This isn’t just because of the sparkly rock around my neck is it?” Birch asked.

“That’s just the amulet that housed the magic that let us complete our souls. It doesn’t force anything on either of us. What you feel, what I feel,” Sayer’s voice dropped to a whisper, “we’re real.”

Love wasn’t something Birch was familiar with, but Sayer was his. He’d always wanted him, and now he had him. He wasn’t going to wait any longer.

“I want to go back to bed.” Birch wasn’t sure if the was anything there now that the sprites were gone but… yeah, no. Their first time wasn’t happening in front of an audience. “With you.” He rubbed his rigid cock against Sayer’s stomach. He didn’t want him to think he wanted a nap.

Sayer stood up. Water sheeted down his body. He was perfect, every sculpted inch of him. Tendrils of his pale hair curled around his shoulders and chest. He tugged Birch to the edge of the pool. They didn’t stop for their clothes or anything else.

“My lord, I was just coming to—”

“What the fuck?” Birch darted behind Sayer.

“Get out, Croll!” roared Sayer.

“I’m sorry, but there is a Darkling loose in the city. We need you.”

Sayer shoved his hair back. “Damn it. Go. I’ll be out in a minute.”

Birch stayed hidden behind Sayer until the door closed. “Who was that?”

“Croll. My best friend and sort of … personal assistant. I’m sorry, I didn’t want to go but there’s a darkling. The guards cannot deal with that without me.”

“What’s a darkling?” Birch watched Sayer rush over to a wardrobe. He began to get dressed. Great. Just exchange souls with a guy, find out he’s a king, get promised that he’d never be alone again … and off Sayer was going to go.

A green shirt landed on his head. “Hurry, Birch, get dressed. A darkling is a fae that has succumbed to the wild forces. The magic has been growing unstable for years. My father refused to believe it and it cost me the lives of both my parents.”

“What can you do?” Birch pulled the shirt on. It landed about mid-thigh. He pulled on the pair of pants Sayer thrust at him next.

“My magic is stronger than any. As the king, I can bind the power of a fae, at least long enough for the guard to control them. I need you to stay behind me at all times, do you understand? If something happens, go with Croll. He’ll protect you.”