#hnnnnnnhghn

[alarians-history-and-lore]

Violet fire (Flashback)

A group of young Alarian guys, just past their mid twenties, walked together. A wild redhead, a calm looking blond with glasses, and a wild white haired, freckled one.

They talked of science and engineering, all being from the same class together. Wyrran was going on about thermal systems, when Tan'l, the redhead, nudged him.

"Hey. Wyrr. Don't look now, but I think you have a pair of eyes on you." He snickered, poining across the hallway to an absolutely beautiful young woman with a few of her own friends.

She had soft purple eyes and a fluff of slightly blue hair, and she was looking right at him.

Wyrran felt a blush creep up him and shoved Tan'l. "Hey, come on! She's not interested in me. Shut your mouth."

The blond, Keyto, snorted. "Pfff. Come on. She's been eyeing you for weeks. Heard she's really, really firey. Lowkey a little crazy."

Wyrran shook his head. "Ain't got time for girls. Besides. No one's interested in a nerd like me."

He huffed and started walking on, the two others giving each other a look and shaking their heads.

Dense.

--

"Hey."

Wyrran looked up from his book and notes, staring right into a pair of intense purple eyes.

"Hey nerd."

Wyrran tried not to be irritated at the interruption, staring up at her. "Um, yes? I'm studying."

The girl gave him a slightly offended huff, closing his book.

"Hey!"

"C'mon there, egghead. Come out of the pages a while. I want to talk to you." She grinned. "Too busy?"

"Pff. Quit teasing. Girls don't talk to me. Besides. I'm busy." Wyrran huffed, waiting for her to remove her hand from the book so he could find his page.

"I'm talking to you, dummy. Now. I have something to say. You gonna listen or not?"

Wyrran stared up at her lovely royally purple eyes, rolling his diamond ones. "Fine. Make it quick."

Emyyan Tayo was not known for a relaxed or shy disposition. She leaned in, staring him right in the eyes, intense.

"I want to court you." She said firmly.

Wyrran stared at her for a long moment, then started laughing softly. "Me? Come on."

"Yes, Ryfon. You. I. want. You." Emyyan gave him a wild grin. "Now. I'm gonna ask you on a first date, okay?" Emyyan poked him in the shoulder. "The nice little shop near the school, I would like a meal there. I'll pay if you're a coward."

Wyrran was stunned when he realized she was serious."W-what? You... me?? Us??" He blurted out, sputtering.

"See you there tomorrow at lunch." Emyyan grinned, walking away with a flick of her hair.

Wyrran just sat there, watching her walk away. Absolutely stunned.

"What---"

A date? Him? But he wasn't even good looking or charming or buff! All the things that a lady like her would go for in a partner. Him?

She must be playing a joke on him.

--

He sat there, sitting across from her, those intense purple eyes staring right into his soul.

He'd barely touched his food, she'd finished hers.

"So." Emyyan said calmly. "What do you study, eh nerd?"

"Engineering and astronomy. Space-" He stuttered. "Spaceship design."

"Oh. Booooring." She huffed. "Heh. Should have expected that, though. You're boring for such a cute guy."

Wyrran just blinked at her. He couldn't believe the prettiest and most straightforward, firey, absolutely beautiful girl in the entire school had picked him to court.

"I'm studying genetics and experimental stuff. The dangerous new frontiers." Emyyan said proudly. "Stuff like core experiments. You should see the inside of one when its sliced in half."

Wyrran uneasily chuckled, hand going to his core. He wouldn't have the guts to mess with those like that.

"S-sliced...?"

"Yeah. The inside is really neat, like... like... here." She grabbed a pencil and a napkin and drew a large circle. "That's the hard shell." She drew a smaller circle in the middle, and then a bunch of squiggly lines connecting the two. "That's it's heart in the centre, where all the light comes from, where its... brain is. Sorta. And these wiggly bits are the connections between. And then the roots, the conduits grow out from there." She drew some lines out. "We also do tests with them... like with frequencies and stuff. And see how they react to different things. We put one in an animal!" She squeaked excitedly.

Wyrran blinked nervously. She intimidated him. His hand stayed over his heart, an uneasy feeling coming from his core. As if it didn't like the thought of being sliced in half.

"Wow. That's... crazy!" He told her, remembering to try and take another bite of food.

"Sure is. But I'm into it." Emyyan refused to stop staring at him. "Kind of fun."

"Isn't that sort of stuff... frowned upon?" He took a drink.

"Pff. Sort of. But it's a necessary field of science to make progress. I know a lot about cores, space boy." Emyyan grinned. "Did you know they can absolutely grow in nonbiological places?" She leaned forward onto the table. "They can grow with simulated heartbeats. All they need is a steady thing to grow on to. We got one to grow inside a tube." She giggled excitedly.

Wyrran felt more and more uneasy, losing appetite.

"Cores are- are alive! I feel like that would count as- torture." He murmured.

"They- come on. They don't think, dummy." Emyyan snorted. "Sure, they echo the feelings and soul of the one that made them, and the instincts that guide them, but they're not... alive alive. No more really than a tree."

"My mom says plants can have feelings." Wyrran informed her. "She grows all sorts of plants. And she's real good at it, too."

"I'm sure she is." Emyyan said softly, still staring into his eyes.

"Why do you keep... looking at me like that?" Wyrran asked, nervous.

"Because you're hot." Emyyan said frankly. "Very hot."

Wyrran went red as a tomato, freckles vanishing into his blush. "I'm- I'm what??"

"Hot as a gasfire. Smokin." She grinned. "I love your eyes."

Wyrran swallowed, feeling frozen under her gaze.

"So, do you accept my courtship, Ryfon?"

"HhhhhhhhhhhhhhHhh-"

"That's not an answer, really. But I'll take it as a yes." She reached forward and gave him a small touch on the head. "You're my boyfriend now, okay?"

"HHHHHhh-"

"Nice. I'll see you at school tomorrow, Wyrrie!" Emyyan stood up and payed for their food, skipping off happily.

Wyrran sat there staring into space for the next hours.

--

Wyrran was practicing his swordfighting in his yard, slicing at and dodging an imaginary opponent, trying to be as light on his feet as possible.

He'd always had a knack for it. His mother was a bit more of a bow and arrow kind of gal, but the first weapon he'd ever summoned had been his sword. And ever since, he'd been determined to learn everything with it. Become as one as he could with it.

He was gracefully dancing about with it, panting slightly with the sensation of light going up his arm.

Every time one of the tiny living particles that made it up died, another would move to take its place in the sword. A steady flow from the centre of him.

Sure made him feel alive.

He'd gone on dozens of dates with Emy, and he was finally comfortable with her. She was straightforward and firey. A little bit nuts. Impulsive.

She had a softer side to her, but it was rarely seen. Emyyan was absolutely infatuated with him, he could see that.

Love was growing in him for her constantly, but goodness, she was... a lot to handle.

"Hey, Wyrrie!" He jumped at the pet name, turning to see that she'd climbed the fence around his mom's house, and was sitting in her tree. "Nice moves! Think you'd be that good in a bed?" She laughed loudly, jumping out of the tree and walking over to him.

He couldn't help but wonder what weapon she was good with. He stared as she approached, red coming to his face at her... suggestion.

"Dunno." He shrugged. "How's it going, Em?" He asked.

"Very good. You practicing, hmm?" Em put a finger on the edge of the sword, running a finger down it with a flirtatious look in her eyes. "Wanna spar with me, Wy?"

Now this was something he could beat her at, surely. He was pretty good with his sword. The late twenties Wyrran gave her a grin.

"You're on."

"Cool. One thing first." Emyyan leaned in, hand on his sword. "I wanna add in a wager. I win... we finish our courtship. Thzkehz. We bond." She grinned.

Wyrran went red, eyes widening. "Hh??! Already? We've only been... dating for about two years! You want to-"

"What, not confident with your fancy butter knife? Think you can't beat a girl?" Emy teased, running her hand on the blade to the point where it cut her a little. She hummed softly, looking down at the cut on her hand, blood beginning to leak from it.

Wyrran just stared into those amethyst eyes, and then nodded. "Fine. I'll show you what I'm made of, Em. Get ready for a fight." He got into his fighting stance, ready.

Emyyan bunched her cut hand into a fist, light zipping up into it, causing a confident and fast heal. She smiled and wiggled it, barely fazed by the blood. "Challenge has been accepted, then. I'll try not to hurt you."

She held out her hands and summoned a long pole, blades on either side of it, getting into her own stance. She stared him right in the eyes. "You go first, Wyrrie."

He stared at her for a moment, and then went in for a slice, dancing light on his feet. She blocked the blow with her pole, spinning it to block his sword and catching him on his arm with a blade. He winced and backed up immediately, pulling up a shield. She went for him, stabbing with one end of the pole for him. He brought up the sword to block it, moving to hit her with the shield.

She stopped her shield with his hand and kicked him in one of his legs, immediately hitting him with a blunt edge of her pole.

Wyrran hissed in pain and went for a second sword instead of the shield.

They fought back and forth for a while, dancing here and there around the yard, using everything and anything as a part of it. It got pretty intense, and Wyrran had several slices in his shirt, a few of which were bleeding.

He'd only actually hit her twice.

He was panting when she ran for him again, and he took a deep breath, deciding to use something else he was practicing. As she ran at him, he focused energy through his whole body... and just barely managed to teleport. She let out a surprised yelp when he disappeared from in front of her. He hadn't have gone far.

She turned around to see him slicing for her, trying to get a hit off so he could knock her over and win.

She disappeared before he could touch her and a heartbeat later he was on the ground, and she stuck the end of the pole just brushing against the core connection on his spine, where it hit his nervous system.

A spot that if sliced would be very bad. And was considered a little dangerous to be putting weapons near.

He shuddered, swords vanishing. "Em! Holy-"

She pushed it slightly, just slightly into his back, not enough to even go through the skin, but enough that he cried out slightly.

"I win. That means I win."

Wyrran held still, actually terrified. He'd agreed to this. And now...

He swallowed heavily, still frozen under her.

Wyrran had to marry her completely. The act of binding their souls together.

"You fold, Wyrrie?" She asked, voice triumphant. "I've been waiting for this. I wanted you the moment I saw you. Now. Get up." She nudged the spot again, getting a distressed squeak from him, before stepping off of him and letting her pole go.

It took him a moment to recover physically from that poke, standing shakily up. He wasn't ready for this. Courting was one thing... bondage?

Terrified wasn't even close to the feeling in his chest.

He looked over at her, a hand over his slightly shaken, distressed core.

He could feel it shivering inside him from that poke. He gripped at his chest, staring up at her eyes from where he stood, half crouched. "Em... I don't know if-"

Emyyan took a step forward, putting a hand on his chin and forcing him to look up at her.

"Not going back on our wager, are you, Ryfon?" She asked, a serious look in her eyes. "That'd be pretty dishonest of you." She sounded hurt.

Wyrran was just a scared young man, staring into her eyes. Could he say no? He could, right? It was his choice too. He could.

But he... had agreed.

"N-no. We had a deal. You win, we bind."

He couldn't tear his eyes from her.

She smiled warmly. "Oh, wonderful. I can't wait. Shall we?"

"Wh- what about your family's permission? The ceremony?" He sputtered. "Now?"

Emyyan shook her head. "As if I respect my deadbeat of a dad enough to ask his permission to marry the man I love. Besides. We just fought. And I won. That was the ceremony, as far as I'm concerned. I'm ready, Wyrrie." She pulled him in and kissed him.

Eito, she was hot. And sassy.

Wyrran chuckled a little, even if this filled him with butterflies. He was... well, he'd be lying if he said he wasn't curious.

He let her drag him away into the house, knowing his mom wasn't home right now.

This... this was it.

The woman he was going to spend his life with.

Wyrran would give his all for her.

--

"Are you working on that dumb spaceship again?" Wyrran looked up from his sketches and design ideas to see Emyyan there, an annoyed look on her face.

He ducked a little. "Uh... yes?" He gave her a small smile. "I told you Em, it's my dream. To fly."

She rolled her eyes and sat across from him. "Huh. Well. I think you should get your head out of the stars, hun. And focus on this. We're married. Remember?"

Wyrran blinked at her. "I- I know. But... I can't help it. The stars call to me. Always have." He held up the sketch he'd made of an egg shaped ship. "See? It's going to have....probably three engines. And... plenty of room for a whole family, when we start one up. I mean, not that we haven't been trying, anyway. But once it happens. We can all fly together!"

Emyyan looked annoyed. "I don't want to leave. I like it just fine on the ground." She huffed. "I don't want to go careening through the empty void. There's nothing but danger and terror and empty, vast, boring wastes out there. What even is so exciting?"

"Adventure. Intrigue. It's beautiful out there... and I promise I'll show you the beauty." Wyrran assured her gently.

Emyyan stared at the sketch in his hands, dubious at best. "Huh. Well. Besides that, there's something I want to tell you. Get over here, babe."

Wyrran nodded and walked over to her, and she stood, grabbing his hands. Their eyes met.

He blushed, staring warmly at her. A year and a half ago now, they'd binded. Sealed it. He adored her.

He leaned in and gave her a kiss, and she giggled.

Emyyan leaned forward, staring intently into his eyes. She pressed both his hands against her lower body. "We've been trying... hard. And we did it. Finally. I started... I started feeling it a little while ago. I'm at the very least a month or so in."

Her eyes widened, filled with excitement and warmth.

"I'm with child, Wyrran." She said it warmly, eyes staring into his soul.

Wyrran's jaw dropped open. He stared at her in disbelief, hands pressing softly against her for a moment, and then he felt a little lightheaded when it hit him.

"Hhhh???" He made confused and startled noises, and then stumbled back a bit. "You're- you're- Ohhhhh. Oh boy. Oh-" He had to lean against the wall, trying not to fall over. "Oh. Oh Ralin. Oh boy."

"Don't hyperventilate, dear." She giggled, watching him sort of fold into himself. "Breathe, okay?"

He started laughing breathily, weakly. "Oh my gosh I'm going to- I'm going to be a dad! I'm a father! I--- ohhh my head." Wyrran looked up at her, standing there. "Em... you feel okay? No... no hiccups yet?"

"I got a few this morning. That's when I decided to tell you." She smiled. "You know what this means? It means we have to stay."

He blinked, confused. "Huh?"

"We have to stay on Alar. You wouldn't seriously take a little baby to space." She said it like it was certain.

Wyrran straightened slightly, even still feeling lightheaded. "Well, by the time we get the ship built and ready, the little one would be more than old enough. I'm only just starting build-" He paused.

"You've-- you've started?" Emyyan sounded ticked. "Are you kidding me?" She stomped a foot. "Wyrran! I said I don't want to go to space! I said you choose it or me!"

Wyrran shrunk under her gaze. He'd started work on the ship without telling her a month into their marriage, actually. He had several designs in mind... but had pretty much narrowed down what he wanted at that point. "Uhhhh... Emmie?"

"Don't you Emmie me. Where is it. Where are you hiding that stupid metal death machine?" She glared. "I'll have some people come and scrap it."

"No! Why would you do that? It's- it's my life's dream and you know it!" Wyrran yelled back. "Don't, please! I- I'm working so hard on this because... even if I don't fly with you, I still want to go some day! Please, Em, don't take it away from me. Please." The joy of the moment was ruined, replaced by indignation.

He so rarely fought back about anything, but this... this was something he was serious about.

"Wyrr. It's time to let the dream go. It's just not for us. This is what you need to focus on." Her hand went over her belly. She wasn't even showing yet. The little one was still so small... He stared down and then back up at her. "Like I said. Choose that-" She gestured to the drawings of space and machines and ships. "Or this." She gestured to herself. "Because I am not going to space. You have about ten months to think about it." Emyyan turned and walked off, still mift at him.

"Oh boy." Wyrran whispered to himself, half collapsing against the wall.

What would mom do?

He... he was going to be a father.

That scared him.

--

He winced as the door slammed practically in his face. He opened it again and watched her leave, not even looking back at him.

She was leaving to live at her old place.

The yelling, the screaming, she'd thrown things at him.

He blamed it half on the hormones, really.

"I hate your stupid ship! And I hate you! And- and- and I hate this child!" She had yelled. "You're stubborn and stupid and I can't believe I ever fell in love with you! I don't want anything to do with you ever again, Wyrran Ryfon!"

And that was it.

She just left. He watched her from the door, tears streaming down his cheeks. He'd messed it all up. He'd ruined it. She would never forgive him after this, for sure.

Rubbing at the spot on his face where she had slapped him... hard, he closed the door and moved to sit down at the table.

Why was it... so hard...?

He curled in on himself, crying. He'd clean up the mess later.

--

The letter came only a week later.

He had to force himself to open it. It was addressed from Emyyan Tayo. Not Ryfon.

He sighed and settled in his chair to read it.

To whom it concerns:

Yes, Wyrran, that means you,

As far as I'm concerned, we are no longer bonded. No longer married. From now on, we live apart as strangers. You are not to talk to me. Or approach me. Understand? I do NOT want you. Knowing you, you'll be blaming yourself for this.

Good.

It is your fault.

Now, as for our unborn child.

I do not want it.

As soon as it is born, it's yours. I no longer care about it, about you, about your stupid dream. You refused to let it go when I pleaded, begged. I just wanted a life with you. And you couldn't even give me that.

So in nine months, it will be the last time I expect to ever interact with you.

They give you the kid.

You leave.

Never, ever try and come after me.

I'll-

There were some scribbles on that part. They ran down a couple lines, as if she'd changed her mind a few times.

Just don't. I can't take it.

Be at the healing centre when they call you. I'll have that taken care of so I never have to worry about any of it again.

Goodbye.

- Emyyan Tayo

And that was all that he had left of her.

Wyrran put the letter down, hands shaking.

He was sobbing.

He'd ruined his whole chance with her, and for a stupid ship.

He summoned his sword and drove it into the table with a frustrated curse, the wood splintering.

Wyrran immediately regretted it. That was the table he'd grown up at.

He let out a distressd, long wail and collapsed back into the chair, curling in on himself, shaking with anger and fear and... and brokenness.

He was a stupid fool.

And he had only one thing left.

This child.

He would...

Wyrran would give his all for that child.

All he had left in him.