lightinheritor-blog

[lightinheritor-blog]

The final battle was near.

Seliph could hardly believe it. All the years of fighting, preparing for war, it was almost over. The end was practically within their reach, and he still could hardly wrap his head around it.

But if anyone was having a harder time than he was, it was Julia. So much had happened to her and so much knowledge had been dropped on her in such a short period of time.

Everyone but Julia was resting up for the march to Belhalla, and no one seemed to want to disturb her. Seliph gave Tyrfing a quick touch up and went to find her in the castle. She jumped when he tapped her shoulder, and he gave a hurried apology.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you,” he said. “I just wanted to check on you and make sure you were-” What? Doing alright? How could she possibly be doing alright when she was being forced to fight the only family she had left? He had slain Arvis, and Mother was gone. Julia had Levin, but even compared to him, Seliph still felt like a stranger to her. “You just seem overwhelmed.”

Family Problems [Julia and Seliph]

//starter for @lightinheritor 

It was far too late for her to be second guessing herself now. It was the end of the war against Loptous, and had been for a while. She had been feeling…off recently, but Julia didn’t know why she felt like that, nor did anyone else she had asked. She had resigned herself to weird things happening a while ago but this was too much for her. 

She was in thought enough that she hadn’t noticed Seliph walking behind her and barely noticed him tapping her shoulder. She jumped a little bit before turning around, and sighed in relief. 

“Oh…Seliph, is something happening?” 

[lightinheritor-blog]

nordionknight:

Ares did the same with the Nordion ring: kissing it and then putting it on Seliph’s finger for him. He lifted his hand and watched the light catch on it for a moment. 

“This is…surreal.” 

Even from the night years ago, when Seliph first confessed his feelings, Ares had never honestly expected this moment to come to pass. Something was bound to interfere, to fall through. No one would ever love Ares for very long.

But here they were. At least for now, everything was all right. Laughter was already spilling out of him when he pulled Seliph into a crushing kiss.

Seliph smiled so hard into Ares’s kiss that his cheeks hurt, and he wrapped his arms around his neck, fingers burying in his hair and pulling him closer. He broke the kiss only so he could rest their foreheads together. He was so happy his head was practically spinning.

“I love you so much,” he breathed. It was difficult not to spill every word of love and dedication to Ares in that moment, the sensation of the ring on his finger new but very much welcomed. There would be a time for those words. Later. “Forever and always.”

Hand in Hand || Seliph & Ares

[lightinheritor-blog]

“SELIPH CAN I KEEP HIM”

[lightinheritor-blog]

@disgracedvessel

[lightinheritor-blog]

damekingmaker:

“…I’d like that, King Seliph.” To be honest with herself, the ball is more draining than Nanna would like to admit to Seliph. But even though she is mainly here for duty, there’s no reason why couldn’t have a little fun as well, idiots be damned. “Though… I don’t want to cling to Ares like I used to cling to Leif. Let him have one less thing to worry about…

“But let’s talk about something else.” At this point the dance calls for another twirl, which Nanna eagerly carries out. Maybe she could stand to improve upon her dancing skills, but spinning always brought her back to a happier place, where she danced with Leif in an imaginary ballroom much grander than this one. “It’s funny that you should bring Ares up, actually. He’s been moody again. You know how he is when it comes to things that bother him.” Nanna gives Seliph a pointed look. “Ares being Ares won’t tell me. Do you know anything?”

“There’s no need to be so formal with me, Lady Nanna,” Seliph said with his first genuine smile of the evening. He felt a lot better having a casual conversation with a friend. “If you don’t want to stay with Ares, I’d be happy to have you as my company for a while. Maybe it would keep the sleazy nobles off both of our backs. I’m sure Ares would understand.” He laughed gently and let Nanna twirl.

When she brought up Ares’s mood, Seliph’s smile faltered for a split second. “Ah, well,” he began, hesitant. “All of the details aren’t mine to tell, and I worked my hardest to fix the situation. He was in a better mood when he left Grannvale last. He may just need more time to heal.”

He wouldn’t say exactly what happened. “Basically, he was convinced that he would eventually do something to hurt me and I would come to resent him for it. To you or me, that might seem absurd, but unfortunately...” He let out a sigh. “He’s still recovering from old wounds. But I swore to him that if something was ever bothering me, I would talk it out with him.”

Caramelldansen || Nanna and Seliph

[lightinheritor-blog]

nordionknight:

“That’s exactly right.” 

Ares couldn’t keep himself from beaming as he unfurled his fingers again, even though he wasn’t sure if a smile would ruin the importance of the moment. (It was probably all right. Seliph was smiling, too.) Sure enough, the engraving on the inside of each ring read “hand in hand.”

Their secret, their promise, their personal moment, pressed forever against their skin.

“You can choose whichever you like. But I was thinking that you would wear mine, and I would wear yours.” 

Seliph’s smile widened as he took the rings from Ares’s palm and saw the inscription. Ares remembering that after all this time filled his heart with warmth and love.

“I think that’s perfect,” he agreed. He held the ring with Chalphy’s house crest for a moment before kissing it. He reached for Ares’s hand and slid the ring onto his finger. He briefly thought of his father, wondering if this was how he felt when he proposed to his mother and hoping he would be pleased to see his son just as happy.

Hand in Hand || Seliph & Ares

[lightinheritor-blog]

nordionknight:

Seliph had already said in so many words that he wanted to marry, but Ares let out a shuddering breath of relief anyway – tapering off into annoyance. 

(He spent time making a speech, and Seliph could return one twice as passionate without even thinking about it? Who did that?) 

But it was quintessentially Seliph. Ares kissed his hand before reaching into his breast pocket, the movement causing Seliph’s fingers to fall away. He stretched his palm out to reveal two rings, clearly worked of the same gold and by the same metalsmith. They had no gemstones but were elaborately engraved in patterns that were complimentary, even if the symbols in the patterns were different: one ring boasted detailed crosses and elegant roses, and the other, the broad-bladed sword and ridged ovular crest of House Chalphy. 

The inside of each bore the same inscription. 

“I’ve told you what I said when we parted,” said Ares, and closed his fingers over the rings before Seliph could reach for either. A corner of his mouth lifted, slight but playful. 

“Do you remember what you said?” 

Seliph found himself speechless when Ares pulled out the two rings. He silently admired the craftsmanship for a moment, as well as the pure thought Ares had put into them. Even though both rings bore characteristics of two different houses, Nordion and Chalphy, their appearance made it very obvious that they were meant to be a matched pair.

He tried to pick one up to look at it more closely, but Ares closed his hand around them before he could. He looked at Ares again and smiled, too. “Of course,” he answered.

“I remember speaking of our fathers’ friendship, how they dreamed to unite the world. I told you that meeting you has given me nothing but happiness, but also that we would, together-” He clasped his hands around Ares’s hand with the rings. “-hand in hand, we would work our hardest to create a world of peace.”

Seliph placed a soft kiss on Ares’s hand. “To be able to do that with you, not only as my best friend, but as my husband... Nothing could make me happier.”

Hand in Hand || Seliph & Ares

[lightinheritor-blog]

nordionknight:

Ares stared back, fervent and unflinching. 

“I will not kneel,” he said. “And I will not beg. My vows to you ended long ago. I am the rightful king of Augustria.” 

His heart leapt into his throat.

“But when we first parted, after the war, I told you that I would never forget all that you’ve done for me, and I haven’t. Not for a moment – for in every moment, you are foremost in my mind. You were kind to me from the first. You taught me to move on, to trust, to hope. You are my closest friend. You are my first love, and no doubt my last. I intend to spend my life continuing to match you, turn for turn.”

He reached out for Seliph’s hands, holding them between both of his.

“I wish to swear myself to you again: not as a knight, but as a husband. And if it is agreeable, I want the same from you.” 

Seliph could only listen and look into Ares’s eyes as he spoke. He could practically hear his own heart beating, and he feared the dirt would crumble away underneath him, like the whole moment was just a dream. But Ares taking his hands grounded him and brought him back into the moment, and he gave them a squeeze in return, his cheeks no doubt flushing terribly and a wide smile forming on his face.

It was so formal, with Ares adamant about not kneeling and bringing up when he swore himself to Seliph during the war. Not even making the proposal a question, but a vow. 

But it was so Ares and Seliph loved it.

“Ares,” he answered breathlessly. His head was reeling in joy. “You are my very best friend, and you are the love of my life. You let me tear down the wall around your heart and let me discover the amazing man inside. You made me stop pushing myself beyond my limits and treated me not as a god or a savior, but as a person.”

He took Ares’s face in his hands and stroked his cheeks with his thumbs. “My love, my one and only, it would be the highest honor to call you my husband, but more than that, it would make me so happy I don’t think I could put it into words.”

Hand in Hand || Seliph & Ares

[lightinheritor-blog]

nordionknight:

“From the little I’ve heard, your parents were insufferable.” 

But Ares couldn’t find it in himself to care. Being with Seliph felt like an enormous weight off his shoulders. It was nice to talk candidly to another king, and better still to catch up with his best friend. He enjoyed the tales about Isaach the most. That was when Seliph always shone the brightest: with the people dear to him.

Their ride took them to the old battlefield, past the now-finished statue of Sigurd that Seliph had commissioned, and far out of his shadow. Ares didn’t stop his horse until it was just him, Seliph, and the open sky. 

The warmth of the ride – both the sun and Seliph’s company – suddenly intensified, almost unbearably. He realized his palms were sweating, but he managed to dismount smoothly. After a second he took his cloak off and flung it over the saddle; it wouldn’t do to turn red and look ridiculous for such an important moment.

“Hey… Seliph?”   

Seliph let Ares lead the way, through the battlefield and by the statue of his father. It had felt like ages since they’d been here together. So much has happened. He remembered having to look around to make sure the sculptors weren’t watching them before pulling Ares in for a kiss. His chest filled with warmth when he thought about how he never had to hide it again.

When they were completely alone, Ares finally stopped, far away from any buildings or forests or anything. Seliph dismounted with him and raised his brows curiously when Ares threw his signature cloak on Tencendur’s saddle. His heart was pounding, but he managed to follow suit, setting his own blue cape aside.

Seliph kept his breathing steady and met Ares’s gaze. “Ares...?”

Hand in Hand || Seliph & Ares

[lightinheritor-blog]

damekingmaker:

“Hardly any, actually,” Nanna admits, keeping her eyes on Seliph to avoid looking back for that man. “He was almost polite, actually. The others are usually a bit more… pushy. And rude. Then again, he might have just not had the time to show his true colors….” She resists groaning and rolling her eyes–she probably shouldn’t be doing either in front of a king.

“This is my only problem with balls. There’s too many people that I don’t know.” Things were different back then–Fiana especially, where the village was so small and tight-knit that Nanna figured out everyone’s names within the first few months. Now Nanna cannot even put a face to the Agustrian nobles, her own people. “And so many of them–they want something from me but I don’t know what! Not the flirting ones, mind you. I know what they want. But then there are people come up to me and talk about their wineries and how they wish their taxes were lowered. Ares is the one that decides how much to tax them, what can I do?”

“Okay, good,” Seliph sighed in relief but still couldn’t break the small scowl on his face. This was something Nanna had to put up with regularly? He always knew in the back of his mind that some of the countries’ nobles had questionable behaviors, but to learn just how persistent they can be-

Seliph forced the tension from his shoulders and let out another sigh. “I’m sorry this has been happening to you,” he said, just loud enough for Nanna to hear. “I can stick with you tonight if you’d like, or at least long enough to find Diarmuid or Ares.”

He hummed in agreement as he gently twirled Nanna. “I know what you mean, though. Mingling with so many people I’m not familiar with gets to be very exhausting after a while. I wish it was just all of us from the Liberation Army eating and drinking together in the mess hall again. Arthur would never hassle me about import deals or selling territories.” At his next thought, Seliph couldn’t help letting out a snicker. “The worst are the noblemen who constantly schmooze me to try and get me to marry their daughters. That’s just awkward.”

Seliph rolled his eyes. “They don’t care that you don’t have a say in those matters. They just see you in some position of power and think you can wave your staff and fix all of their problems for them.” He smirked. “So next time someone tries harassing you about that stuff, send the one with the holy sword and the black cloak to talk to them and see how much they want to bother you after that interaction.”

Caramelldansen || Nanna and Seliph

[lightinheritor-blog]

nordionknight:

“No. Never.” 

Seliph was only teasing, but Ares still knew his past actions were probably a hurtful way to show he was afraid of being left again. Seliph had such legendary patience. Ares raised one of his hands to kiss it in a silent apology. 

Even though his chances were good, his heart started to pound.

“It’s so good to see you. Why don’t you go get your horse. We can ride and catch up.” 

Seliph’s cheeks flushed at Ares’s lips on his hand, and he brought Ares’s up to return the gesture. “It’s good to see you, too,” he said. “I’d love to take a ride with you. Give me just a moment.”

He prepared his horse quickly and met up with Ares, who was already on Tencendur, and they set out together. They talked all about Augustria and Grannvale and how much better the countries have gotten since the war ended. How things were finally starting to settle. Seliph told him about his visit to Isaach, too, since Ares had been so concerned when he’d cancelled his last trip to spend time with him. 

“It’s so nice being so open with my love for you now,” Seliph admitted with a blush. “Getting to hold your hand so everyone knows who my heart belongs to.” He let out a small laugh. “Shannan and Oifey all but begged me not to be like my parents about it, but that ship sailed a long time ago.

Hand in Hand || Seliph & Ares

[lightinheritor-blog]

nordionknight:

Ares couldn’t even take a step before Seliph was hugging him, and that kiss definitely couldn’t be mistaken for the pax. Ares smirked as Seliph pulled away, realizing his arms had gone quite naturally around his waist. 

“I missed you more.” 

He leaned into one of Seliph’s palms and his smile faded: not displeasure, but sober earnestness. The missing had been unbearable.

He knew he should probably settle in properly and make sure his men were taken care of. But they’d been to the capital with him many times now, and surely they’d know where to go for accommodations. Now that Ares was here, he couldn’t put his mission aside for even a second. 

“Do you have much time? I’ve an afternoon trip I’d like to take you on.”  

One of Seliph’s men was already behind him to take Ares’s to their quarters. When Ares’s smirk faded, Seliph’s brow furrowed slightly in confusion, trying to read his expression. He didn’t seem upset or tense and had his arms wrapped around him instead of pulling away or trying to distance himself.

So Seliph kept his smile and moved his hands down to hold Ares’s. “You have me for as long as you’d like,” he answered and squeezed his hands. “My work for the day is done, and my advisors will cover for me while you’re here. What did you have in mind?”

He still couldn’t figure out what Ares was thinking, but something felt different. Not bad. Not like Ares had something horrible on his mind about their relationship. So Seliph felt comfortable smirking and teasing quietly, “You’re not gonna try to break us up again, are you?”

Hand in Hand || Seliph & Ares

[lightinheritor-blog]

After receiving Ares’s letter, Seliph practically spent all of his free time pacing through the castle, eager to see Ares again. It had been far too long since he last got to hold the man he loves in his arms.

Finally, the day had arrived, and Seliph made sure he finished his work early. He looked out the window to see several figures on horseback approaching the castle. Anyone else wouldn’t have spared them a second glance; it was a small group, not armed to the teeth for battle. But Seliph could recognize that black cloak and black stallion from miles away.

He made it to the courtyard just as Ares dismounted and hurried to him to pull him close. His face lit up even more when he realized he could give Ares a proper greeting. He didn’t have to hide it anymore. His heart leapt in his chest as he guided Ares down for a kiss, a real kiss, and he reached up to brush blonde bangs aside. 

For a moment, Seliph could only stand there with Ares’s face in his hands. A year ago, he didn’t think he would ever get to hold and kiss him so openly, and now that he could, he couldn’t stop smiling. “I missed you,” was all he managed to say.

Hand in Hand || Seliph & Ares

@lightinheritor

It had been one year since their conversation in the gardens of Agusty: the second time in their lives that Seliph had overturned all of Ares’s assumptions and put a tangible future into his hands. 

But Ares knew better than to accept – not there, not yet. There was work to be done in his kingdom. There was work to be done within himself.

They saw each other only sparsely. The last time had been the midwinter festivities, months ago, where Ares discovered with amusement that Seliph’s voice had broken one last time, and was now incontestably deeper no matter how Ares pitched his own. The rest had been a feverish exchange of letters throughout the seasons: some purely business, some subtly romantic, some so salacious that Ares laughed at the very thought of them being intercepted, some nothing but old jokes and creative insults. Each time Ares’s penmanship was better, he had more to say about politics, his personal feelings were more elaborately worded.   

Springtime in Grannvale was as fresh as it was in Augustria. His usual sombre blacks clashed with the bright wildflowers and green yards as he rode to the castle gates, but as always, Ares didn’t care. He wore what he wore; he was what he was. Emperor Seliph liked it. 

Ares liked it, too.

It was too gradual to realize at first, but one morning he had woken up comfortable. There were no border skirmishes to set out for, nothing pressing to study. His cousins seemed happy in the lives they had made. So he wrote to Seliph again, and planned a short visit.

He dismounted in the courtyard: windswept, cocksure, silent, and typically dour, despite his excitement and the metal warming in the pocket over his heart. 

[lightinheritor-blog]

Seliph had spent much of the night in the extravagant ballroom greeting and talking with the nobles and other foreign guests, almost strangers to him except for Grannvale’s own. He was growing weary of idle conversation; even after months of events like this, he still wasn’t completely used to them. He wished to be with his friends.

He started through the crowd to look for someone he knew and heard a familiar voice call his name. He turns to find one of the older guests and Nanna, who had an almost pleading look in her eyes. He takes in the scene quickly and smiles. “Of course, Lady Nanna,” he responds immediately and takes her hand. “The dance floor awaits.” He leads her away and wraps a protective arm around her shoulder. Rumors may spread, but it could spare Nanna at least a little unwanted attention.

Once they were far enough away, Seliph dropped his arm and took Nanna’s hand for a dance, resting his other hand on her waist. “Seems I walked by you at the perfect time,” he teased, but then his brow creased. “He didn’t cause you any trouble, did he?”

Caramelldansen || Nanna and Seliph

starter for @lightinheritor !

Nanna had not even wiped the last stranger’s kiss off her glove when another one approached her: an older gentleman with a twinkle in his eye that made her think of a grandfather. He greets himself in the same way all the others did: a kiss on her hand, a polite compliment on her appearance. The low cacophony of musicians warming up their instruments says that the next dance will be coming up soon, and the people around them start to mill around in search for partners. The older man smiles- smirks might be a better word, for a smug-looking smile like some grand scheme is all going to plan. “Lady Nanna,” he says again, politely yet expectantly, “I would be honored if I could have this next dance with you.”

Nanna already smiles apologetically for the refusal she’s about to give him… if only she could think of a good excuse that he could swallow. Her eyes search the crowd for someone familiar, but she can’t spy Ares’ black cloak or a single hair on her brother’s head. Leif, her mind jumps to immediately, still too used to him never being too far to help her. Only a sharp pang in her heart answers her.

Long blue hair walks by her, and Nanna recognizes Seliph’s clothing from when she greeted him earlier this evening. “King Seliph!” she calls out, hoping he responds and just goes along with all of this. Nanna turns to the old man, trying to look suitably sorry, and raises her voice so that Seliph has some context. “I’m sorry… um, my lord. King Seliph had already asked for a dance earlier. Isn’t that right, your highness?”

[lightinheritor-blog]

nordionknight:

Ares sighed at the kiss. Leave it to Seliph: not bringing up the tears in his eyes, but trying to make them better anyway.

“It will still be difficult,” he warned, though any sternness was long gone from his voice. “Spending our lives together…it’s rather figurative, isn’t it? We would have to live apart for much of that; we are married to our kingdoms, first.” 

His eyes flicked away as his cheeks warmed. “N-Not that I was saying we’ll marry. That wasn’t a proposal. You’d know, if it was.” 

Some things had to be done right.

Seliph’s face flushed as well, and he moved his hands to the back of Ares’s head, fingers burying in his hair as he pulled him into a deep kiss. “Even if it is difficult, we’ve been through worse together. We’ll get through that, too. For now, let’s enjoy the easy time we have.”

Of course he’d know if Ares was proposing. Seliph had been the one to push through the barriers Ares kept putting up, but now that they were through all of that, planning a flashy and dramatic marriage proposal would probably be right up Ares’s alley.

Seliph was still smiling when he laced their hands together. “Let’s head back inside. I don’t want you pushing yourself too much.”

A Not So Pleasant Reunion | Seliph & Ares

[lightinheritor-blog]

cyanretainer:

“Well, what kind of host would I be if I didn’t letcha see the capital, no less Castle Gallia? It’s a bit of a climb up the mountain, but since you’ve managed to last travelling this long, it should be a piece of cake,” he says with a grin. “Well, that or I’ve vastly underestimated you humans because of Ike…”

Scanning the surrounding forest, Ranulf let out a sigh he hadn’t realized he was holding. “I… I just hope people don’t react too badly. It’s been a bit since I’ve been back at the castle, so I’ve yet to see how people have been recovering. Human-Laguz tensions are always high, so hopefully people will see bringing a human; and a foreigner, at that, as a good thing.”

“I’m a special case in that area,” Seliph said with a sheepish grin. “I come from a powerful bloodline, so I have better stamina than most people. This Ike sounds like an extraordinary human himself, though. Did anything special give him such strength?” One thing that always piqued his interest was how some other worlds didn’t have holy bloodlines like Jugdral did.

Seliph’s smile faltered ever so slightly when Ranulf sighed. “I wish you luck on easing those tensions. It sounds like you certainly have your work cut out for you.”

Friend Anyalysis | Seliph & Ranulf

[lightinheritor-blog]

nordionknight:

It was nothing like the moment they’d first met. Ares’s voice was calm and controlled, instead of shouting his grievances and threats across the battlefield. There was no anger, no malice. All he wanted now, regarding Seliph, was Seliph’s health and happiness. 

But Seliph locked their eyes, touched his cheek, spoke to him in the firm, confident voice that moved armies, and Ares realized very little had changed. He still pushed away, and Seliph still pulled him back, reiterating trust and friendship the same way Ares’d had to calm down his own horse. Now Seliph cradled his face, brows pressed together, and Ares closed his eyes. 

Was he really going to be such a hypocrite? Promise that he would always care about Seliph, and then refuse to believe the same, when Seliph knew his heart far better than Ares might ever know his own? They were already best friends. They’d already been through so much together; seen so much of each other. Even if he had fears about discovering hidden dark sides, especially within himself, he at least owed Seliph the right to make his own decision. Ares sighed though his nose. 

“I always think I have everything all figured out,” he muttered. “It all makes perfect sense. And then somehow you charge in and turn it all to dust, and leave me standing there a perfect fool.” 

He pulled out of Seliph’s grasp, contrite, but the relief that surged through him was stronger. Even if he fought, Seliph wouldn’t let him go. Wouldn’t tell him to leave and never come back. Wouldn’t draw his sword. Ares wanted a future with him and now, suddenly, he had it. His lip trembled and he bit down until he tasted blood. 

“Forgive me for making you say all this again. And–” He realized he’s put space between them again. “Oh. And for pulling away, just now. And for…” 

All the emotion he was feeling, too much, building up behind his eyes. He wasn’t sure if it’s better to be honest, or better to blink the tears back so that Seliph won’t be troubled by them. The easy solution was to pull Seliph into his arms, resting his chin on his head. 

“I’m frightened,” he whispers. He doesn’t think he’s strung those two words together since his first night in Manster, alone in the dark of his new bed, with Mother crying in the next room and Nurse trying to explain death to him. It was the first time he’d felt uncertainty about the future. 

“But if this is really what you want, if the sacrifices are really worth it to you, then I want to try. More than anything. You brought meaning back into my life, and I want to be the one to make you happy. It just felt too selfish to ask.” 

“It’s okay to be a little frightened,” Seliph assured him. “It’s scary letting yourself be so vulnerable, but I’m with you every step of the way. We have each other, and no one will ever take that from us.” His head was reeling from all of the raw emotions, both Ares’s and his own, but he knew it was all going to be okay now. 

He let out a heavy sigh of relief as he wrapped his arms around Ares and pulled him close, fingers clenching at his jacket. He only loosened his hold so he could look at Ares, unable to ignore the glassiness to his eyes but not wanting to acknowledge it out loud. Instead he leaned up to press the softest kiss under his eye.

“This is what I want,” he said, unable to contain the smile on his face, “more than anything. I want to be the one to make you happy, as well. If I get to spend my life with you, it won’t feel like I’m sacrificing anything.”

A Not So Pleasant Reunion | Seliph & Ares