Fantasy RP ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴇғᴛ sɪᴅᴇ ᴏғ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴡʜᴇʀᴇ | ғʀᴏsʜɪ & sᴏʟ

[Solaris-]

Andromeda & Soleth
For @Froshimaru​

 

[Solaris-]

Andromeda dreaded coming home. Their parents had become overbearing as of late with pushing suitors onto them- wanting them to marry. They'd made a deal when they'd first started university that after their studies were over, they would return home and settle down finally, but now that Romy had gotten a taste of what it meant to be a celebrated and published academic in their field, they longed for freedom that they knew would not be graced to them. Their parents didn't make fair deals, and they knew that all too well ever since she too had been granted the von Stratton family curse. Romy had come home a few days ago, graduated with honors from a university many men saved their entire lives to get into. There were no more excuses that she could pull out of her to get her parents to back away from what they wanted of her- an heir that followed orders.

Now, of all times, she was wishing they'd not spared her like they had many of the other children that'd gone missing in their region.

Her parents sat in their drawing room having come to visit the boarding school her brothers ran in tandem. Nathaniel and Silas were celebrated in their own right, but they were already married to human wives of their own volition, and thus Romy knew they could not pawn this marriage off onto one of them. She sat in front of the vanity mirror in the small room that she called home, looking at the reflection that stared back. Eyes a deep brown from hunger that constantly gnawed away at her, never sated. Andromeda wanted to be different than her parents; didn't want to feed indiscriminately on unwitting locals who never seemed to bat an eye to the many people who went missing in their area. But she knew deep down that she couldn't hold out forever. Even the illusion of magic that she used to turn her eyes blue- their normal shade- was waning the longer she waited to take her first blood. With shaking hands, Romy reached towards the bottle of tablets- blood and iron supplements that she'd made from the blood of the animals that were slaughtered from the meals prepared at the boarding school- and placed two into her mouth. Body shuddering hard at their taste. Vile and coppery like old coins left in the bottom of someone's bag. It had to be enough for now.

Blonde strands were tied back into a loose braid that hung over the woman's shoulder and she smoothed down a wrinkle there against her pressed dressed shirt that hung just a little loosely over her bound chest. Andromeda gathered what little courage she had and left her room to head towards the drawing room where her parents awaited her.

Her parents were stoic like statues unmoving in the drawing room. To others, it might have been uncanny how beautiful they were, and how they never seemed to age a day over forty. How their eyes seemed to luminesce even in the dimmest of lights. Andromeda looked nothing like her parents- which should have been expected seeing as they appeared to be humans and she was a moon elf. But even still, Romy knew that her eyes also looked that way. Eerie and beautiful in equal measure.

"Lord and Lady von Stratton," The soft tenor of Andromeda's practiced male voice came out. The empty room they sat gave her voice a slight echo. "It's wonderful to see you both." They offered a bow of respect towards their parents.

"Andromeda, please, greet us as your parents. You are a von Stratton, after all." Her father waved away her formalities so easily. His voice dripping with charm and influence, and she felt it tug at her now like an invisible string even though he'd not demanded anything from her.

"I apologize. I've not seen you both in so long." And even though they'd raised her from adolescence, it still felt strange to regard them as her parents when they were mostly absent from her life until they wanted something. Most of her life Nate or Silas had been there to help her out through all of the growing pains. "I hope you're well. I heard you wanted to see me."

"Yes, have a seat." The seat opposite them was offered and Andromeda did as they were told without a second thought. The influence brought a cold tingle of dread through the entire length of their spine, and they wondered if this is what normal people felt like when they were exposed to their parents. Their heart beat loudly in their chest and they knew what was to come.

With tired, blue, ocean colored eyes, Romy looked up from her seat. "Is this about our deal?" The blonde asked- unsure as to where she'd gotten this sudden backbone when speaking with the monsters she called parents. "I thought I would be good to honor it when I came home." A lie. Romy would never be ready. "But I've learned so much, seen so many things. I'm published in scientific journals. I'm not ready to be tied to someone else yet. You promised me that if I became your heir, you wouldn't sell me off like meat like... like a woman." Her words were dripping with disdain. As a woman, she had nothing to offer the world but her body. As a man, she could offer the world her mind and her skills. "And yet, all you've done is try to bargain me off to every noble person you can think of. What happens if they find out I'm not a man? What happens when they know we can't have children naturally?"

Romy could see the growing impatience behind both of her parents' eyes as she spoke. But she wasn't done. "I am not some prize token to be thrown about. I have so much more to offer the world than being a trophy sat upon a shelf for someone to stare at and be idle! I will not sit and suffer in silence being married to some foolhardy noble who thinks they can say pretty words and win me over!" No, she craved conversation. Real and true companionship and not something vapid and draining. Be it man or woman, she truly didn't care, but she wasn't a prize dog or some bitch in heat they needed to pawn off quickly.

"Shut up, Andromeda." The words fell harshly against her- slapping her in the face like a brick. It nearly winded her to be subject to this and she winced- immediately falling silent though she certainly had more to say than this. Her pale face was flush with guilt with speaking out of turn- knowing full well that talking back got her nowhere quickly. "I have raised you, given you a home, fed you, and put you through the most prestigious classes only for you to throw it back in my face. We have given you nothing but the best, and you still cannot heed our simple request. My useless sons may be able to tolerate this level of disrespect, but I will not do so anymore. You've begged us not to use our influence on you on this matter, but I no longer have a choice in this matter. You WILL marry Lord Soleth. We've promised his family an audience this week. We made a deal that you would return home from your studies, and then you would do as you were told, and so you shall. You will no longer be a spoiled, petulant child, Andromeda. Go pack your things. We are leaving tomorrow."

Her chest constricted tightly. It hurt so much to fight it. Their hands were balled into tight knuckle fists against their slacks and tears pricked at their eyes- falling silently down her cheeks. Lord? Andromeda's parents expected them to marry a man when they dressed as a man? Just what sick game were they playing at? "May I be excused?" The tenor had fallen from their voice to reveal a softer alto underneath. They were waved away and Romy all but ran from the room- nearly knocking over one of the maids in their rush to flee.

--

Andromeda didn't sleep. Not a single wink between when they'd been dismissed and now being in the carriage on their way to another kingdom where they were to marry the prince there. They felt like crying but no tears would come, and they didn't dare try to cry in the presence of their parents who sat opposite them on the carriage seats. The carriage jostled and bumped Romy's head hard against the window. She rubbed at it with a gloved hand and opted to just sit straight rather than lean against the window now. She'd learned from her parents that he was a sun elf and that in and of itself brought up new feelings of distrust within her. It wasn't like they were enemies of moon elves like herself, but their hedonistic nature to enjoy everything they possibly could and give in to pleasures of the flesh, and their lack of dress made the more reserved elf woman a little hesitant. Romy had been raised by humans for the most part, and their prudish natures had rubbed off on her as much as she'd hate to admit it. Of course, her parents being humans before they were vampire nobles didn't understand her disdain for the sun elf culture, and she wasn't about to test her luck further.

It was a very long, very silent trip with no one uttering a word amongst themselves. Andromeda watched out the window as the greenery of Euna faded into something foreign.
"Remember your manners. In the public eye, you are one of our sons, and you need to behave as such." This was one of the first words that their mother had spoken to them this whole trip, and they carried a lot of weight on Romy's shoulders despite not being very harsh.

"I know, Mother. I'll behave myself." They swallowed the thick bile that creeped up their throat and looked out the window as the carriage came to a jostling stop.

There was entourage there to greet them. Servants in scant dress as they were not shy of their bodies. Looking at them made Romy flush a dark shade of red before they reminded themselves to look away. To them, her own manner of dress might've seemed odd even though the suit she wore was fashionable for men in Euna. Tailored slacks held up by suspenders over a white button down tucked into the snatched waist of those slacks. Over the top of it was a dark blue cloak that was trimmed neatly with furs near the shoulders and the von Stratton family crest carved into each of the golden buttons of her cloak. A very expensive piece that had been a gift from her parents a few years back.

No doubt these servants had heard the rumors of the von Stratton's cursed bloodline as there was poorly veiled fear that shown clearly on their faces, but Andromeda paid it no mind. They were shuffled along by the servants to the western wing of the palace, and Romy took a moment to look over her appearance in the mirror there. By all accounts, she looked to be the perfect son.

"Young Master," There was a voice on the other side of the door and Andromeda opened it to find a young sun elf on the other side. She seemed adolescent, but it was hard to tell with an immortal race of people as they were. "The Prince and his family are requesting your presence." Offering her an apologetic smile, Romy stepped from her room.

"Please, lead the way."

The two of them came outside a rather impressively carved door which the smaller of the women had trouble opening. "My Lord and Lady and Most Esteemed guests. I've gathered the Young Master to join you all."

Romy bowed deeply in respect. "Revered Hosts, Honorary Margrave Andromeda von Stratton. Charmed to make your acquaintance." Their voice carried a steady, soft tenor even though underneath it all, they were fucking terrified.​

 

[Froshimaru]

The warmth of bodies pressed against his own had become a familiar comfort over the centuries. Soleth stirred first, golden eyes blinking open to the streams of early morning light filtering through the gossamer curtains of his chambers. Around him, a tangle of limbs and sleeping forms breathed softly in the afterglow of the night's celebrations. A hand rested on his chest, another draped across his thigh. He could feel the steady rise and fall of breath against his shoulder, the gentle press of someone nestled into his side.

This would be the last time he woke like this.

The thought settled over him like the first chill of autumn after an endless summer. Not unpleasant, exactly, but strange. Foreign. He had spent over three thousand years understanding that love was abundant, that joy was meant to be shared freely under the sun's blessed gaze. Monogamy was a concept he understood academically, the way one might understand the customs of a distant land they'd read about but never visited.

And yet, today he would step into that land and make it his home.

"Soleth." His mother's voice cut through his contemplation, warm but carrying the unmistakable edge of someone who had places to be. The door to his chambers opened without ceremony, because privacy in that sense had never been something his people concerned themselves with. She swept in, radiant as always, her copper skin gleaming with the oils and paints she'd already applied for the day's festivities. His father followed a half step behind, equally resplendent, though his expression carried more amusement than urgency.

"The sun is already awake, my heart. You should be too." His mother's tone was gentle but firm, the same voice she'd used when he was a child dawdling before lessons.

Soleth carefully extracted himself from the tangle of sleeping bodies, rising to his full height without a hint of self-consciousness. Nudity was as natural as breathing to his people. One of the figures stirred, murmuring something soft and incoherent, before settling back into sleep. He looked down at them all, committing this moment to memory. Not with sadness, precisely, but with the weight of finality.

"I was just thinking," he said, running a hand through the crimson cascade of his hair, working out a few tangles with his fingers. "Why monogamy? I have been turning this over in my mind for weeks now, and I still cannot see the shape of it clearly."

His father moved to the windows, pulling the curtains wider to let more sunlight spill into the room. The light kissed Soleth's skin immediately, and he felt that familiar surge of vitality, of rightness. "You wish to understand the why of it?"

"I do." Soleth watched as servants began to file in, carrying trays of oils, paints, jewelry, and the ceremonial garments he would wear. They moved around the sleeping forms on his bed with practiced ease, neither judging nor remarking. "I understand duty. I understand family. I understand that whatever terms were negotiated between our families and the von Strattons must have been significant for you to agree to such a stipulation. But monogamy itself, the concept, it feels like trying to convince the sun to shine on only one flower in a field of thousands."

His mother approached him, reaching up to cup his face with both hands despite their height difference. Her smile was sad and knowing all at once. "Because, my sun-blessed child, not all people love the way we do. For some, devotion is not measured in abundance but in singularity. To give oneself wholly to another, to forsake all others, this is how they understand the depth of their commitment."

"But we commit deeply," Soleth protested, though not with any heat. "I love all those who share my bed. I love our people. Love is not diminished by being shared."

"No," his father agreed, joining them. "But for some, it is strengthened by being focused. Like light through a crystal, perhaps. Diffused, it warms. Concentrated, it can start a fire."

Soleth considered this as servants began their work. Skilled hands smoothed fragrant oils across his shoulders, his chest, down the powerful lines of his arms. He barely registered it, lost in thought. "And Andromeda von Stratton? What do we know of them? Why this match specifically? You have told me they are a moon elf, that their family is cursed, that they are newly graduated from university. But none of this tells me who he is."

"That," his mother said, stepping back to allow the servants room to work, "is something you will have to discover for yourself."

"The terms of the contract are specific," his father added, and there was something in his tone that made Soleth's attention sharpen. For all his easy, sun-blessed demeanor, he had not lived three millennia without learning to hear the things left unsaid. "The von Strattons required assurances. Protections, one might say. Monogamy was non-negotiable."

"Protections from what?" Soleth asked as a servant began painting intricate gold patterns along his collarbone, each swirl and curve a blessing of the sun. "From me? Do they think I would dishonor a marriage contract?"

His parents exchanged a glance, one of those wordless communications that came from centuries of partnership. His mother spoke first. "Not from you, beloved. Perhaps from themselves. Or from circumstance. We do not know the full measure of what burdens the von Strattons carry, only that they carry them heavily."

This answer unsettled him more than a direct explanation would have. Soleth held still as the servants worked, applying gold leaf to his eyelids, dusting his shoulders with shimmering powder that caught the light like captured sunshine. They brought out his ceremonial garments, and he stepped into them with the ease of long practice. The red and gold fabric draped across his body in a way that left most of his sun-blessed skin bare, as was proper. The blue outer robe settled over his shoulders, light and flowing. Gold cuffs were fitted to his biceps and forearms, each one etched with prayers to the sun. The elaborate waist sash was wrapped and tied, the fabric falling in elegant lines down his thigh.

He caught his reflection in the polished bronze mirror and allowed himself a moment of satisfaction. His people valued beauty, and he wore it well. The gold crown that marked his station was settled carefully into his hair, the rays fanning out like the sun's own glory. Teardrop earrings of turquoise swung gently from his ears.

"You look radiant," his mother said with genuine pride.

"I look like I am going to a wedding," Soleth replied with a wry smile. "Which, I suppose, I am."

"You will honor us," his father said, clasping Soleth's shoulder. "And you will honor them. This is what matters."

Soleth nodded, squaring his shoulders. The weight of duty had never frightened him. He had always known he would marry for alliance, for the good of his people. That it would be monogamous was the only unusual aspect, and even that he could accept. Would accept. He was nothing if not adaptable, and if this Andromeda required such devotion, then he would give it. Fully. Completely.

Because that was also the way of his people. When you committed to something, you did not do it halfway.

The servants led him from his chambers, down corridors of white stone that glowed warm in the morning light. Everywhere, his people had gathered, dressed in their finest, skin gleaming with oils and paints, jewelry catching the sun. They called out blessings as he passed, joyful despite the unusual circumstances. A wedding was still a celebration, still a joining of families and hearts.

The throne room doors stood open before him, and Soleth paused at the threshold to take it in. Even after three thousand years, the sight still moved him. The entire chamber was constructed of white marble so pure it seemed to capture sunlight and hold it, radiating warmth and brilliance. Massive columns rose toward a vaulted ceiling painted in golds and ambers, each surface catching and reflecting light until the whole space seemed to glow. Silk banners in crimson, gold, and azure hung from the heights, flowing in the gentle breeze that moved through the open archways. They rippled like water, like living things, each one embroidered with prayers to the sun.

The floor was polished to such a shine that it reflected the gardens visible through the open walls. And what gardens they were. Flowering vines climbed every column, bursting with blooms in orange and yellow and deep red. Potted trees heavy with golden fruit lined the walkways. Water features trickled and sang, their pools home to bright fish that flashed like coins in the depths. Birds nested in the rafters, their songs adding to the general symphony of life that filled the space. Small sun finches darted between the banners, their plumage catching the light. Everything was alive, growing, thriving under the sun's endless blessing.

His parents had already entered and taken their places on the twin thrones, themselves works of art carved from pale wood and inlaid with gold. The room was filled with his people, hundreds of them, their skin painted and oiled until they gleamed like living gems. Visiting dignitaries stood out in their more modest dress, clearly awed by the display.

And there, across that polished floor, stood three figures he could only assume were the von Strattons. Pale in their dark clothing, still as statues amid all this movement and life.

"Young Master," he heard a servant call from somewhere behind the assembled guests. "The Prince and his family are requesting your presence."

Soleth took a breath, centering himself, and began to move forward just as another servant stepped up beside him, drawing breath to announce him properly. "His Radiance, Prince Soleth Aur'ethil val Solarium, Dawn's First Light, Keeper of the Eternal Flame, Scion of the Sunward Dynasty, Guardian of the Amber Throne, He Who Commands the—"

"Yes, yes," Soleth interrupted with a warm laugh, placing a gentle hand on the servant's shoulder. He pitched his voice to carry, addressing the room with easy confidence. "I think they know who I am. We have guests who have traveled very far. Let us not make them wait through the recitation of every title my ancestors saw fit to burden me with, hmm?"

Soleth turned, his movements fluid and easy despite his size, and watched as a much smaller figure was led forward. Andromeda von Stratton stepped into the throne room, and Soleth found himself genuinely curious for the first time that morning.

They were small. Delicate, even, compared to the robust frames of his people. Blonde where he was crimson, pale where he was sun-kissed, covered in layers of formal clothing where he was bare. The contrast was striking. The von Stratton crest gleamed on expensive buttons, the furs on their cloak speaking of northern climates and different customs.

But it was the little things that caught his attention. The way they held themself, rigid with what might have been fear or might have been determination. The careful modulation of their voice as they spoke, controlled and practiced. Something about the way they moved spoke of deliberate choice rather than natural ease, but Soleth could not say precisely what. Male, female, something between or beyond entirely, it mattered little to him. His people understood that the sun shone on all bodies equally.

"Revered Hosts, Honorary Margrave Andromeda von Stratton. Charmed to make your acquaintance."

The voice was practiced, controlled. Scared.

Soleth's curiosity deepened into something more complex. Here was a puzzle, then. Someone whose every movement seemed carefully considered, whose voice carried the weight of practice and control. Someone terrified beneath a veneer of noble composure. Someone whose parents had negotiated for monogamy and protections, binding their child to a foreign prince in a foreign land.

And someone who, despite all of this, stood straight and met the room with dignity.

He stepped forward, moving with the easy confidence of someone who had never known shame about his body or his presence. His smile was warm, genuine, because even in the strangeness of this situation, he found he wanted to put this frightened creature at ease.

"Andromeda von Stratton," he said, his voice a deep rumble that carried warmth like sunlight on stone. "I am His Radiance, Prince Soleth." He did not bother with the full list of titles, they could spend all day on those. "You have traveled far, and you honor us with your presence. Welcome to the Kingdom of Solarium, where the sun's blessing touches all who stand beneath it."

He extended his hand, palm up, an offering rather than a demand. A choice rather than a command.

"Come," he said simply. "Let us meet properly, you and I. It seems we have much to learn about each other."

And beneath the warmth, beneath the easy charm, his mind was already working. Calculating. Considering. This marriage would be monogamous, yes. But that did not mean it had to be cold. That did not mean it had to be a cage.

Perhaps, he thought as he waited for Andromeda to take his hand, perhaps it could be something else entirely.

He just had to figure out what.​

 

[Solaris-]

​

But it was a cage. Andromeda knew that from the moment they'd stepped foot into this castle. this was nothing more than a guilded cage that was designed to keep her under the thumb of her parents. Marrying into this family that was entirely their opposite in every way. A moon elf marrying a sun elf. A vampire marrying someone who was not entirely immortal either. They were all beautiful, sunkissed, and barely dressed. Meanwhile, the von Strattons wore fashionable formal clothing that covered them nearly in their entirety. Prudish human behaviors that kept them from showing skin. The longer she looked upon the bodies put on display, the more embarrassed of her own she grew. It made her wonder why Soleth had even agreed to this marriage if he was under the assumption he was marrying a man.

"His Radiance, Prince Soleth Aur'ethil val Solarium, Dawn's First Light, Keeper of the Eternal Flame, Scion of the Sunward Dynasty, Guardian of the Amber Throne, He Who Commands the—" The servant had started their speech and interrupted Romy's thoughts- well versed in all these titles it seemed. Looking up at their soon-to-be-husband, Andromeda couldn't help but feel as though they hated him. Not because of anything they'd done, but just based on principle for what he now represented to them. This was to be the person they were married to- the person who kept them on a short leash as it were while their parents had the final say in the matter. And because of that, there was resentment that brewed in the elven woman's heart. He was handsome, they supposed, but his pretty features did little to make their heart feel less bitter in knowing that once they were finally married, their freedom to do as they pleased would come to its end.

To Andromeda, it felt more like a funeral proceeding than it did a marriage. It wasn't helped that the room was far too bright. While the sunlight didn't burn her skin directly, it did make them irritable at a much faster pace. Already the fur on their cloak was far too warm, but she didn't dare remove it yet. She could hear the thrum of many heartbeats. It sounded like war drums in her ears. So loud and completely overwhelming. It made the dull ache in their teeth all that much worse, but even still, they ignored it. They'd taken the tablets that'd been given to them, but knew if every day was to be like this, it was only a matter of time before the whole kingdom were to know of that particular secret.

There was something about his voice that made their skin crawl. Even their name on his tongue felt like a serpent coiled and waiting for a strike. But there were eyes on both of them now that they had met face to face. Both of their parents collectively were watching their children interact and as much as Andromeda wanted to stay stoic and not reach over to touch him or to slap his hand away, there would be consequences for such a reaction. Instead, the Margrave placed their gloved hand in his own- biting back the shiver that creeped along their spine. How much he knew about them, they hadn't the slightest clue as their parents hadn't said much other than the man's name and that he was a sun elf. "Please, just 'Andromeda' will suffice." Just as their title was an honorary one, likewise was she only a von Stratton by the terms of legal formalities. "If we are to be married, we should be comfortable using each other's names."

Andromeda hated their circumstance. Perhaps if they were not doomed to be wed, then they might've been friends, comrades, or brothers in arms. But as it stood now, she could barely bring herself to touch him. "Perhaps we could go somewhere else more private? There are many things we should discuss, but I'm admittedly not one for crowded places." Much less where there were eyes and ears everywhere that ached to learn secrets that she wasn't privy to tell just anyone. "I believe there was a library nearby. Perhaps we might speak there?" Amidst the quietness of the leatherbound tomes full of knowledge, it almost felt like sacrilege.

They led the way through the throng of onlookers back towards the quieter spaces until they reached the library. Finally, a space where Romy could collect their thoughts without being stared down by their parents and unknown people. There was still the tug of that invisible string wrapping around her. The commands of their parents impossible to ignore even now. "I'm not sure how much you were told of me. It seems our parents have been friends for some time now with how eager they were to press this... intertwining of our families into my lap." Suffice it to say from their words alone, Andromeda was not thrilled with the idea of marriage. "I will say it plainly, Prince Soleth, I do not wish to be married. It has nothing to do with you or our differences. Were you a moon elf or a human, it matters not." It was never a matter of difference in their being that she had disdain for, but the idea of marriage as a whole. "But I've no choice in the matter, and so we are here now." She'd separated herself from the man to wander about the rows of books on the shelf- eager to see what kind of knowledge this place had hidden within it.

"My family sees it fitting to sell me off like a piece of meat to a man I barely know. But if we are to be married, I don't want to hate you. I don't wish to be in a loveless marriage where we do nothing but look upon each other with hatred in our hearts for our circumstance." And so she hoped against hope that the two of them could reach some level of friendliness between them- could bond over something or another. At least they could be on friendly enough terms. In Euna, it was customary for a courting process before a marriage, but the idea of him treating her as a woman made her skin itch and crawl in ways that she hated. "You don't seem to be too put off by the idea of marrying another man though, it seems from how you greeted me earlier. Are the customs here different? Are same sex relationships not looked down upon?"

 

[Froshimaru]

Soleth felt the tension in Andromeda's hand the moment their gloved fingers touched his palm. It was there in the rigidity of their posture, in the way they held themself like a drawn bowstring waiting to snap. He had seen fear before, had witnessed it in many forms over his long life, but this was something deeper. This was the fear of someone who felt trapped, caged, with no way out.

The throne room felt suddenly too bright, too warm, too full of eyes and expectations. His people meant well, their joy genuine in celebration of this union, but he could see now how overwhelming it must be for someone not accustomed to their ways. The heartbeats of hundreds must sound deafening to elven ears. The sunlight that blessed his people must feel oppressive to one raised in cooler climates.
"Please, just 'Andromeda' will suffice." The practiced tenor voice cut through his thoughts. "If we are to be married, we should be comfortable using each other's names."

"Andromeda, then," Soleth agreed easily, his smile remaining warm despite the clear discomfort radiating from his intended. He noted the way they barely touched him, how their body angled slightly away even as propriety demanded they maintain contact.

"Perhaps we could go somewhere else more private? There are many things we should discuss, but I'm admittedly not one for crowded places." There was an edge to those words, something almost desperate. "I believe there was a library nearby. Perhaps we might speak there?"

A library. Of course. Andromeda had graduated with honors from a prestigious university, had been published in scientific journals. Knowledge would be their comfort, their refuge. Soleth understood that instinctively. Everyone needed a place to retreat to when the world became too much.

"An excellent choice," he said, and meant it. "Please, lead the way. I think we could both benefit from some quiet."

He caught his mother's eye as they turned to leave, saw her slight nod of approval. His father's expression was more thoughtful, perhaps recognizing that this union would require more patience and understanding than they had anticipated. The von Strattons remained motionless in their formal attire, pale and severe among the vibrant celebration around them.

The walk through the palace corridors provided some relief from the overwhelming brightness of the throne room. Here, the architecture still celebrated the sun with its white marble and open archways, but the spaces were quieter, less populated. Flowering vines climbed the walls, their blooms releasing sweet fragrances into the air. The sound of their footsteps echoed softly against polished stone.

Andromeda moved with purpose, their stride measured and careful, and Soleth found himself adjusting his naturally easy gait to match their pace. He was accustomed to moving through spaces as though he belonged everywhere, but he could see now that Andromeda felt like an intruder in a foreign land. Which, he supposed, they were.

The library doors were massive things of carved wood, depicting the sun's journey across the sky in intricate relief. Andromeda pushed them open and stepped inside, and Soleth heard the small intake of breath that told him this space, at least, resonated with them.

The library was a cathedral of knowledge. Shelves stretched up toward vaulted ceilings three stories high, accessible by spiraling staircases and walkways that seemed to float in the air. The marble here was slightly darker, cream rather than pure white, and the light that filtered through was softer, diffused by gossamer curtains that hung over the high windows. The air smelled of old parchment, leather bindings, and the faint sweetness of preservation oils.

But it was the collection itself that took one's breath away. Thousands upon thousands of volumes lined the shelves in perfect order. Ancient scrolls rested in climate-controlled cases. Tablets of clay and stone sat beside illuminated manuscripts. There were texts in languages long dead, preserved here through centuries of careful stewardship. Maps covered entire tables, showing worlds that no longer existed in the forms depicted.

This was the accumulated knowledge of the sun elves, gathered over millennia. History, philosophy, science, magic, art, every discipline imaginable represented in physical form. The library had no windows on the lower level, only those high above, which made the space naturally dimmer, cooler. Mage lights floated gently between the stacks, providing warm illumination without the harsh brightness of direct sunlight.

And blessedly, it was nearly empty. A few scholars worked at distant tables, so absorbed in their research they didn't even look up at the arrival of their prince and his intended.
Soleth watched as Andromeda moved into the space, saw some of the tension leave their shoulders for the first time since they'd arrived. They separated from him immediately, drawn to the shelves like a moth to flame, their gloved fingers trailing along leather spines as they walked.

"I'm not sure how much you were told of me. It seems our parents have been friends for some time now with how eager they were to press this... intertwining of our families into my lap." The words carried bitterness, resentment. "I will say it plainly, Prince Soleth, I do not wish to be married. It has nothing to do with you or our differences. Were you a moon elf or a human, it matters not. But I've no choice in the matter, and so we are here now."

The honesty was refreshing, even if the sentiment behind it was painful. Soleth moved further into the library, but he didn't approach Andromeda directly. Instead, he went to one of the reading tables and settled himself on its edge, giving them space to explore, to breathe.
"I appreciate your candor," he said quietly, his voice pitched low so it wouldn't carry to the distant scholars.

"And I will offer you the same in return. I do not hate this marriage, Andromeda. I do not hate you. I am... curious, I suppose. Curious about you, about why our families chose this path, about what it is they see that we do not yet understand."

He watched as they pulled a volume from the shelf, something ancient by the look of it, and carefully opened it. Their movements were reverent, the touch of someone who understood the value of preserved knowledge.

"I was told very little about you as well. Moon elf. Von Stratton. University educated. Published scholar. The youngest of three children, though your brothers run a boarding school rather than seeking political power. Your family carries a curse, though no one would tell me the nature of it." He paused, considering his next words carefully. "And that your parents required very specific terms in the marriage contract. Monogamy. Protections. Things that are... unusual, given typical negotiations."
"My family sees it fitting to sell me off like a piece of meat to a man I barely know. But if we are to be married, I don't want to hate you. I don't wish to be in a loveless marriage where we do nothing but look upon each other with hatred in our hearts for our circumstance."

Soleth felt something in his chest tighten at those words. Andromeda was looking at the book in their hands, but he could see the tension in their jaw, the way they held themself so carefully controlled.

"Then we share that goal, at least," he said gently. "I have no desire to build a life filled with resentment and coldness. If we are to do this thing, if we are bound together by the decisions of our families, then I would prefer we make something... bearable, at minimum. Perhaps even something good, if we are fortunate."

He stood, but instead of approaching Andromeda, he moved to a different section of shelves, running his own hand along the spines. The library had always been one of his favorite places in the palace, though his visits had become less frequent as the centuries wore on. There was something peaceful about being surrounded by so much accumulated wisdom.
"This library has existed for over five thousand years," he said, his voice taking on a different quality, less formal, more contemplative. "Every sun elf who has ever ruled, every scholar, every philosopher, they have all contributed to it. My people believe that knowledge is like sunlight. It should be gathered, yes, but also shared freely. This place is open to anyone who wishes to learn."

He pulled down a volume at random, something about lunar cycles and their effects on tidal patterns. The irony was not lost on him.
"I understand that our kingdom must be overwhelming to you. Everything here is bright, warm, alive in ways that probably feel foreign to someone raised elsewhere. My people are not... subtle, in their joy or their expressions of affection. We celebrate the sun because it gives us life, and we show that celebration in everything we do."
"You don't seem to be too put off by the idea of marrying another man though, it seems from how you greeted me earlier. Are the customs here different? Are same sex relationships not looked down upon?"
"We do not distinguish in such ways," Soleth said simply, setting the book back on its shelf. "The sun shines on all bodies equally, without judgment or preference. Love and desire are seen as natural expressions of life itself, regardless of who shares in them. Male, female, both, neither... these are simply different ways of being, none more or less valued than another."

He turned to look at Andromeda directly, his golden eyes serious.

"I will be honest with you, as you have been with me. The concept of monogamy is foreign to my people. We love abundantly, share freely. To us, restricting oneself to only one partner feels like asking the sun to shine on only one flower. But," and here his voice became firmer, more certain, "that does not mean I cannot or will not honor such a commitment. When my people commit to something, we do so fully. If I have agreed to this marriage, to this particular arrangement, then I will uphold it completely. You will not need to fear infidelity or betrayal from me."

He moved slowly toward where Andromeda stood, but stopped several feet away, maintaining respectful distance.

"But I also understand that you are being thrust into a world very different from your own. You said you are not one for crowded places. You chose this library specifically, and I think I understand why. It is quieter here. Cooler. Darker. More like what you might be accustomed to."

He gestured around them at the towering shelves, the gentle mage lights, the peaceful atmosphere.

"So let this be yours, if you wish it. A place of escape when the brightness becomes too much. When the celebrations feel overwhelming. When you need space to simply... be." His smile was gentle, understanding. "I will not intrude on this space unless you invite me. And I will make sure others know the same. You need a refuge, somewhere that feels safe. Let it be here, among the accumulated knowledge of ages."

He paused, considering his next words carefully.
"You and I are very different, this is true. Culturally, temperamentally, in the very way we move through the world. You are measured where I am open. You are reserved where my people are expressive. You seek the cool and the quiet where we celebrate the warm and the vibrant."

He reached up to one of the higher shelves, pulling down a text on moon elf culture and history, something he had read centuries ago but had not thought about in a long time.

"But difference is not inherently bad, Andromeda. Sometimes it simply... is. And sometimes, if we are patient with each other, if we are willing to learn and adapt, difference can become complementary rather than contradictory."

He offered the book to them, holding it out like a peace offering.

"I do not expect you to love me. I do not expect you to immediately accept this situation or find joy in it. What I am curious about, what I wonder, is whether we might find some common ground. Some way to exist together that does not feel like a cage for you or a burden for me."

"Tell me about your studies. Your research. What you were published for. These are things that matter to you, things that bring you joy even in this difficult circumstance. I would like to understand what drives you, what fascinates you."

He settled himself into one of the reading chairs, the leather creaking softly under his weight. His posture was relaxed, open, non-threatening.

"And perhaps," he added with a slight smile, "you might tell me why our parents truly wanted this marriage. Because I suspect there is more to it than simple alliance between kingdoms. The terms were too specific. The protections too carefully worded. Someone was afraid of something, or trying to prevent something. And I think," his golden eyes studied them carefully, "I think you might know what that something is, even if you were not given all the details."

The library settled into a comfortable quiet around them, the distant scratch of quills on parchment the only sound beyond their voices. Here, in this place of learning and preservation, perhaps they could begin to understand each other. Perhaps they could find a way forward that honored both their truths. Soleth was patient. He had lived three thousand years. He could wait for Andromeda to decide whether they wanted to trust him with their answers.​

 

[Solaris-]

Romy could hear the quiet scribbles of quill and the rustling of parchment. Even here they were not alone. But it was quieter at least. Darker and cooler here as well. The smell of old books and ink reminded them of their time in university. Pouring over old tomes written in a language long since thought to be dead and old scrolls with faded ink from years of use to study for exams and learn all they could to write a dissertation worthy of publishing. When things were simpler and when there had been limited talk of suitors and marriage as a whole. "My parents have attempted this before. They pushed others onto me in an attempt to win over my heart. I wish I could say it was only a few times, but you are the twelfth man in a long list of political allies my parents have sought attachment to in which marriage was proposed. All of which I was able to shoot down fairly quickly. Unfortunately with you, I think if I tried those tactics again, god himself might fly from the heavens and smite me down where I stand now." It was an awkward attempt at humor that she wasn't sure had landed. Not that Andromeda was going to test that theory. As much as she hated the very idea of being tethered to another person- much less a man- she was not here to test her luck that she knew had run its course. "They were all humans besides. I was able to get out of it mostly due to the fact that I would outlive them all in the end I suppose." Vampire or not, elves were known to be long lived regardless of sub-species.

There was something that caught their eye and carefully, they pulled it from the shelf- letting it fall open to a random page in their hands. Fingers pressed gently against the page feeling the slight raise of letters against the paper's surface. This library was full of knowledge they'd never read before, and ever the scholar, they were eager to take it all in. Sun Elf culture was not something they were versed in, but it wouldn't hurt to learn more about the people of whom she was to be residing with. "You were told only the barest of essentials then it seems." It made sense that he would be kept in the dark about much of who Andromeda was. "Though I am a von Stratton in name only. As you might've noticed, my parents and brothers are humans, and it's no incident nor genetic anomaly that I am different even amongst them. Due to our affliction, my parents were unable to have another child, and thus was I adopted into this family to supplement their desire for another heir." To most, Andromeda was fortunate enough to be plucked from the orphanage bed by a wealthy benefactor who desired to raise her as one of their children. She was afforded opportunities she otherwise wouldn't have been able to do so if she'd grown into adulthood on the streets of Euna. "I was a sick child. Cursed with an illness that no human doctor could cure, and my life expectancy has always been low due to this. My parents knew this and chose to take me in anyway. My ailment didn't disappear overnight, but I no longer suffer its effects for which I am grateful." The vampire's venomous blood coursing through her veins had at least made blessedly short work of that illness once she'd accepted the terms and conditions that came along with it. While they spoke, they flipped through the pages of the book- seemingly taking in its contents while holding a conversation. They watched Soleth move about the space with practiced ease from the corner of their eye. Taking note of his gait and openness in how he walked about. So different were the two of them that it was laughable really.

"Perhaps over time, I would feel comfortable telling you about my family's curse. But for now you needn't worry about it. It isn't like we can have heirs of our own to worry about passing the cursed blood down anyway unless Sun Elf men are different than any other man of any other race of people and can bear children." Even if he were to come to know about her being a woman- which she assumed that she would have to come clean at some point- they still wouldn't be able to bear children of their own. "My parents likely requested monogamy because they are aware of my own inexperience in romance and intimacy both. I know your people love openly and freely, even as little as I know of Sun Elves, I know that much. I do not wish to tell you who you can give your affections to or how you love anyone else. But I'll admit even one partner is entirely overwhelming for me as I'm not versed in such things. My attentions were given entirely to my studies rather than chasing after hearts." The idea of even coming to love someone so deeply scared Andromeda in ways that she couldn't explain. Letting someone get so close to her to know her body and mind openly was a terrifying concept in and of itself. Needless to say, they weren't going to stop Soleth from continuing as he had done so for many years prior to their arrival. If he chose not to give them even a portion of himself, it wouldn't harm her any as they'd lived without it up to this point, and would continue to do so without it even after marriage.

Andromeda placed the tome they'd been perusing back on its shelf. Ocean colored gaze following after the prince as he walked amongst the shelves. They took this opportunity while he spoke to undo the clasps that held their cloak on their slender shoulders and draped it over a chair at a nearby table. Leaving them now in a simple white button down shirt that was tucked into the snatched waist of pressed and tailored slacks. held up with suspenders that bore small metal loops as accents. At their waist was a small tasseled sword. The beads and pearls along the decorative tassle were more than decoration, though, and anyone versed in spellswords could tell it was an arcane focus of sorts. They were quiet for now- allowing Soleth to speak without interruption. Taking in the knowledge he offered with a quiet understanding. "As I stated previously, I do not fear infidelity. Just the concept of giving myself to any person, much less multiples, is daunting in and of itself. I've no desire to limit whom you can give your affections to, Soleth. My parents being humans cannot fathom the longevity of elves, and I believe this is a custom primarily seen in humans as their life spans are far shorter than that of our own." Humans seemed to live and die by relationships with infidelity being a leading cause of their heartbreak. Even for Andromeda who'd never truly been with another person beyond simple courting before, it seemed odd.

There was something in his tone that conveyed seriousness. Sun Elves didn't seem to care too deeply about the sex of their partners, and for that Andromeda was grateful. Like a weight had been lifted off their chest even though they knew there was no way for him to know that they weren't quite a man. It was one less thing they'd have to worry about when that became more important to dwell on.

"But you are right about one thing, I prefer the colder climates of Euna over the warmth the direct sunlight provides. Not that it's unpleasant entirely, mind. Only that I can stomach it in small doses comparitively." It was too bright. It hurt her eyes and worsened her already dour mood to be stuck in such a bright place for too long. It made her grateful he'd been willing to accompany her into this library where the two could speak a little more openly without her becoming openly hostile without meaning to. Already Andromeda was not making a good case for themselves as their reserved demeanor was on full display as it was.

And then, he did something even less expected. Offering them refuge here amidst the tomes and knowledge away from the raccous celebrations being held by the many other members of his court. This gift felt unwarranted in a way. Andromeda had done nothing but hate him from the start, had done nothing but give him the cold shoulder since their arrival, and he was being kind to them without so much as even blinking. Part of her wanted him to hate her- to be openly hostile so that she would have reason to denounce this marriage without drawing suspicion onto herself. If he hated her openly, it would be easy for her parents to see that. But he had been nothing but welcoming and that deeply frustrated Romy though she didn't let that frustration show on her calm demeanor. They held their hands out to accept the book that was offered to them. Her own culture which she'd been so long divorced from. Being raised by humans cursed with vampirism, she knew more about humans than she did her own people.

Romy followed after him- settling themselves down into the chair opposite his own. One leg crossed over the other and the book settled in their lap. Their gaze was drawn down to it rather than looking at Soleth who seemed to seek understanding from them. He wanted to come to an accord without pushing them into one. "Marriage has always felt like a cage for me. Inevitably, I knew one day it would come down to being forced into it. No matter our accolades, our awards, or how well we do, I can't help but feel my brothers and I will always be disappointments in the eyes of our parents. They've always pushed us to do more, be more, see more. And when my brothers both settled down with human wives that were lesser nobility with accolades in their own right- celebrated women who were popular in their own kingdoms- it still wasn't enough. They seek power and influence, while we seek our own happiness I suppose. Such things will always be at odds with each other, and now I'm being strongarmed into doing what my brothers would not." They were born into this family, and likely had a natural immunity to the influence that their parents exuded with their words. Romy, while a vampire themselves, was not nearly as strong or as gifted in that regard, and had no choice but to submit to the persuasion.

Even here in the library, it was a bit warm. Romy rolled up the sleeves of their dress shirt to the elbow. Silver etched runes ran the lengths of their arms. Iridescent and silver against pale skin in such a way that it glittered in the dim lighting. "I say these things not to gain your sympathy, Soleth, please do understand that." They didn't want pity or for him to feel bad about their circumstance was it was. "Just for you to understand. I went to university as a way to distract myself from the inevitable. A prestigious university that I had to study for many years to get accepted into. And I worked hard to keep up with my peers despite being years behind in my own education due to my illness. I studied languages both alive and dead. With a dissertation on the importance of studying ones we've long since thought extinct. My smaller pieces were published in scientific journals." They weren't bragging about their accomplishments, but simply stating facts. Andromeda took pride in their work, sure, but their parents had tempered their expectations on what it meant to be celebrated, and as a result, they knew this was unlikely to be enough to warrant congratulations from anyone else. "I suppose I'm driven by knowledge. Learning new things has always interested me- whether that's language itself and how it changes over time or different cultures. I'm a simple man, I suppose. Not driven by relationships beyond friendship, and chasing skirts has never interested me like it did some of my peers. Being tied down at all, much like committing yourself to one person, has always meant limited freedoms for myself. I've no interested to slow down in my published works even if we are to be married, and I do hope you'll understand." Thus far, he'd seemed interested in their schooling and what drove them to be successful as they were. Just as she had no intention of limiting his freedom to love whomever he wanted, she hoped that would be extended to her in kind.

Their fingers drummed idly on the spine of the book that still rested in their lap. Unsure just how much they should share with him now that he was digging into the long and short of it. "I don't believe the protections were meant for you necessarily. Or at least, not meant to be protections from you as a person. I believe the protections were meant more to keep me in line than anything else as they knew I had no choice in the matter, but with how it was laid out, they attempted to make it more appealing to me as I said previously, I lack experience in this field and likely they saw a monogomous relationship as something I was more ready to accept." There had suspiciously been no mention of heirs, and so it was likely that this marriage was not born in hopes that those would be produced at any time. "I believe my parents want more from me, and this is their way of going about it." They offered a simple roll of their shoulders in a small shrug. It wasn't like they could read their parents' minds to know why exactly they'd pressed for this particular marriage so hard other than that assumption. At least in that regard both Andromeda and Soleth were on equal footing.

"Soleth, there is a heavy weight that sits on my heart at current. More so a personal one than this situation we've been thrust into together." The volume of their voice had dropped considerably even in this quiet space. Assuring that only he could hear them now. "I want this to be known only to you and you alone as it isn't a secret I share openly." If others were to come to find out, it would ruin them. Their schooling would mean nothing, their accolades and published works taken out of print. "I am not quite a man." The careful practiced tenor of their voice had fallen away to its natural alto intonation. "Born a woman as I was, and being raised in a land of humans no less, I knew that if I grew up as a woman, I would be afforded less in life than if I pretended to be a man. And thus, this identity that I've worn for most of my life was born of necessity to grow up educated and not sold off like a piece of meat to the first wealthy man who threw himself at me." The irony was not lost on her that that's what was happening now even though he'd not known them before all of this. "But if I had to choose: man, woman, both, or neither, as you put it, I would prefer neither or perhaps both even though living as a man has had its benefits. As this is something I would prefer not to be known, I would be grateful if you would still refer to me as a man even in knowing this." If they were to be bonded together, he at least deserved to know this much.​

 

[Froshimaru]

Soleth listened in silence as Andromeda spoke, watching the way they moved through the library with a scholar's reverence. The way their fingers traced the spines of books like old friends, the careful handling of ancient texts, the unconscious relaxation in their shoulders as they immersed themselves in this world of preserved knowledge. This was where they belonged, he realized. Not in throne rooms filled with strangers, not in arrangements made by parents seeking power and influence, but here among the accumulated wisdom of ages.

The twelfth suitor. The words settled heavily in his mind. Eleven others before him, all dismissed, all escaped from through various clever means. And now here was Andromeda, trapped at last not by desire or even duty, but by the simple exhaustion of having run out of options. No wonder they looked at him with such careful resentment. He represented the end of their freedom, the closing of a cage door they had desperately tried to keep open.

"They were all humans besides. I was able to get out of it mostly due to the fact that I would outlive them all in the end I suppose."

A practical escape route that would no longer work with an elf. Soleth found himself almost admiring the strategic thinking even as he recognized the desperation behind it. He shifted in his chair, leaning back against the leather, his posture deliberately relaxed even as his mind worked through everything being revealed to him.

The adoption. The illness. The curse that was connected to vampirism, he was almost certain now, though Andromeda had not said it directly. The careful way they spoke of their family, love and resentment intertwined so thoroughly it was impossible to separate one from the other. They had been saved and they had been trapped, both truths existing simultaneously.

"My parents likely requested monogamy because they are aware of my own inexperience in romance and intimacy both. I know your people love openly and freely, even as little as I know of Sun Elves, I know that much. I do not wish to tell you who you can give your affections to or how you love anyone else. But I'll admit even one partner is entirely overwhelming for me as I'm not versed in such things."

Soleth watched as Andromeda removed their cloak, the heavy fur finally relinquished now that they were in a cooler space. The formal attire beneath was immaculate, every line pressed and perfect, the sort of careful presentation that spoke of someone who had learned early that appearance mattered. The tasseled sword at their waist caught his attention, the arcane focus woven into its decoration marking them as more than just a scholar. A spellsword, then. Someone who had learned to protect themselves, to rely on their own strength when needed.

He noticed the way they spoke, the careful logic applied to emotional situations. Offering him freedom to love others not out of generosity necessarily, but out of a calculated understanding that they could not provide what he might need. It was pragmatic in a way that made his chest ache. As though they had already decided they were insufficient, that they would inevitably disappoint, and were simply managing expectations accordingly.

"I appreciate the consideration," Soleth said carefully, "but I think you misunderstand something fundamental. I told you before that when my people commit to something, we do so fully. Monogamy may be foreign to my culture, but a vow is a vow. If I agree to this marriage under those terms, then those are the terms I will honor. Not because you ask it of me, but because that is the nature of the commitment I am making."

He stood from his chair, moving to one of the tall windows where gossamer curtains filtered the afternoon light into something softer, less harsh. From here he could see the gardens below, the riot of color and life that characterized his kingdom. So different from what Andromeda must be accustomed to.

"You speak of not wanting to limit my affections, but what you are really saying is that you expect to be insufficient. That you have already decided you cannot be enough, and so you are preemptively giving me permission to seek elsewhere what you believe you cannot provide." He turned back to face them, his golden eyes serious. "That is not kindness, Andromeda. That is fear."

He returned to his seat, settling back into the chair and watching as Andromeda spoke of their studies, their dissertation, their published works. The pride was there, carefully hidden beneath layers of learned humility, but present nonetheless. This was what mattered to them. This was where their passion lived, in the pursuit of knowledge, in the preservation of dead languages, in understanding how communication evolved and changed across time and culture.

"I have no intention of limiting your scholarly pursuits," he said firmly. "Your work is clearly important to you, and from what you describe, important to the broader academic community as well. Why would I ask you to stop? That would be like asking you to stop breathing."

The silver runes etched along Andromeda's arms caught the light as they rolled up their sleeves, iridescent against pale skin. Protective enchantments, perhaps, or something more specific to their condition. Another piece of the puzzle that was this complicated, brilliant, terrified person his parents had bound him to.

"I believe the protections were meant more to keep me in line than anything else as they knew I had no choice in the matter, but with how it was laid out, they attempted to make it more appealing to me as I said previously, I lack experience in this field and likely they saw a monogomous relationship as something I was more ready to accept."

Keep them in line. The words resonated with something dark in Soleth's understanding. The vampire's influence, the compulsion that came with that particular curse. Andromeda was not just bound by duty or expectation, but by something more insidious. Something that took away choice at a fundamental level.

He was still processing this when Andromeda's voice dropped to barely above a whisper, the careful tenor falling away to reveal something softer beneath.

"I am not quite a man."

The confession hung in the air between them, vulnerable and frightening in its honesty. Soleth watched Andromeda's face, saw the fear there, the expectation of rejection or perhaps disgust. They were braced for impact, for this revelation to change everything, to make him angry or feel deceived.

Instead, Soleth felt something settle into place, a puzzle piece finally finding its proper position.

"I know," he said simply, his voice gentle. "Or rather, I suspected. I noticed the careful way you move, the practiced quality of your voice. The way you hold yourself with such deliberate control."

He saw Andromeda's eyes widen slightly, fear flashing across their features, and he raised a hand in a calming gesture.

"But here is what you must understand, Andromeda. It is none of my business. Your body, your identity, how you choose to present yourself to the world, these are your choices to make. Not mine. Not your parents'. Yours."

He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees, his expression earnest and completely without judgment.

"In the Kingdom of Solarium, we have those who are born in bodies that do not match their spirits. We have those who exist between or beyond the simple categories of man and woman. We have those who change and shift as the seasons do, never fixed, always flowing. The sun shines on all of them equally, and my people celebrate them as we celebrate everyone."

He gestured around the library, to the kingdom beyond its walls.

"If you wish to be known as a man, then you are a man. If you prefer something else, something neither or both, then that is what you are. The kingdom will see us as husbands because that is how you wish to be seen, and that is exactly what we shall be. Your identity is not mine to take from you or to change. It is yours, hard-won and carefully maintained, and I will never ask you to give it up."

Soleth stood again, moving to one of the bookshelves and pulling down a thick volume bound in azure leather. He brought it back to the table, setting it down gently.

"This is a history of gender expression in sun elf culture across the centuries," he explained. "If you are interested, you might find it enlightening. We have words for concepts that many other cultures lack. Ways of understanding identity that go beyond simple binaries."

He settled back into his chair, his golden eyes meeting Andromeda's ocean blue ones directly.

"You said marriage has always felt like a cage for you. That your brothers settled down and it still was not enough for your parents. That they seek power while you seek happiness." His voice took on a different quality, firmer, more certain. "I understand their influence over you. I suspect it is connected to the curse you mentioned, to the nature of what your family has become. Compulsion is a terrible thing, Andromeda. To have your choices taken from you, to be forced to act against your will."

He let that sit for a moment before continuing.

"But here is something you should know. Once we are married, once the vows are spoken and the contract sealed, you are no longer solely under their authority. You become part of my household, under my protection. And I do not permit such influence within my domain."

There was steel beneath the warmth in his voice now, the calculating intelligence that many missed because they only saw the smiling, sun-blessed himbo.

"Your parents will not be able to command you here as they have done before. The marriage contract includes specific clauses about sovereignty and jurisdiction. They negotiated for your protection, yes, but they also gave up their direct control over you in the process. Whether they fully realized that or not, I cannot say."

He reached out, not quite touching Andromeda but close enough that the gesture conveyed what words might not.

"I know you hate this situation. I know you feel trapped, that this marriage represents the end of your freedom. But perhaps, if we are clever about it, if we work together rather than against each other, it could instead be the beginning of a different kind of freedom. One where you are no longer bound by their will, where your choices are truly your own."

Soleth leaned back, running a hand through his crimson hair, the gold ornaments woven into it catching the soft light.

"You do not have to love me, Andromeda. You do not have to desire me or even particularly like me. But perhaps we can be allies. Partners in the truest sense. Two people who find themselves bound together by circumstance, choosing to make something bearable out of it rather than letting it crush us both."

He thought of the sleeping forms he had left that morning, the last taste of his previous life before everything changed. There was grief in that goodbye, but also acceptance. This was his path now, whether he had chosen it freely or not. And if he was going to walk it, he would do so with intention and purpose.

"I will refer to you as a man, as you wish. I will defend that identity to anyone who questions it. And I will do everything in my power to ensure that the person you have built yourself into, the scholar and the spellsword and the survivor, remains intact and protected."

He met their eyes steadily, his expression open and sincere.

"But in exchange, I ask only this. Do not shut me out entirely. Do not assume that I am your enemy simply because I am the one you were forced to marry. I did not choose this any more than you did, but I am trying to make something of it. I am trying to understand you, to work with you rather than against you."

The library settled into silence around them, the distant scratch of quills continuing in the background. A bird sang somewhere outside, its melody filtering through the high windows. The mage lights floated gently between the stacks, casting warm shadows across ancient texts.

"Tell me about your dissertation," Soleth said finally, his voice returning to something lighter, easier. [color=
#FFB627]"About the dead languages you study and why they matter. Not because I am trying to distract you or because I do not take your other concerns seriously, but because I genuinely want to know. I want to understand what drives you, what fascinates you, what makes you light up with passion the way you did when you first walked into this library and saw all this accumulated knowledge before you."[/color]

He smiled, and it was genuine, warm without being overwhelming.

"You are stuck with me now, Andromeda. For better or worse, we are bound together. So we might as well try to find the common ground, the shared interests, the things that can make this bearable and perhaps even occasionally pleasant."

He gestured at the book he had given them, the one about moon elf culture.

"And perhaps you can teach me about your people, the heritage you were raised apart from. I know what is written in books, but books are only ever part of the story. The lived experience, the personal understanding, that is something I can only learn from you."

Soleth stood once more, this time moving to a different section of the library entirely, giving Andromeda space to process everything that had been said. He pulled down a text on vampiric bloodlines and their various manifestations throughout history, flipping through it casually but clearly searching for something specific.

"I have lived three thousand years, Andromeda," he said without looking back at them, his voice carrying easily through the quiet space. "I have seen kingdoms rise and fall. I have watched friends grow old and die while I remained unchanged. I have learned that very few things in life are truly permanent, and even fewer are entirely without nuance or complication."

He found what he was looking for, a passage about dietary requirements and suppressant methods, and made a mental note to discuss it later. Not now, when there was already so much heavy truth hanging in the air, but soon. If Andromeda was struggling with the bright sunlight, the crowds, the overwhelming sensory input of his kingdom, there were ways to help. Accommodations that could be made.

"What I have also learned is that the quality of those years matters far more than the quantity. I would rather spend the next century in companionable partnership with someone who challenges and interests me than spend ten centuries in cold silence with someone I cannot understand or connect with."

He turned back to face them, the book still in his hands.

"So. We start here, in this library, with honesty and understanding. We build something that works for both of us, even if it looks nothing like what either of our parents imagined or intended. We protect each other's truths and respect each other's boundaries."

His smile widened slightly, taking on a hint of that calculating intelligence that lurked beneath his easy charm.

"And perhaps, if we are very clever about it, we find ways to carve out the freedom you seek even within the structure of this marriage. After all, a cage is only a cage if you remain trapped inside it. But if you can find the door, if you can learn to pick the lock, then it becomes simply a place you return to by choice rather than by force."

He set the book down on the table near Andromeda, close enough that they could take it if they wished but not forcing it upon them.

"I am not your enemy, Andromeda. I am not your jailer. I am simply someone who finds himself walking the same path as you, and I would much rather walk it as companions than as adversaries."

The sincerity in his voice was unmistakable, the genuine desire to make something workable out of an impossible situation. Soleth had spent millennia learning to read people, to understand what they needed even when they could not articulate it themselves. And what Andromeda needed, more than anything, was to know that they would not lose themselves in this marriage. That the person they had fought so hard to become would not be erased or diminished.

He could give them that. It cost him nothing to honor their identity, to respect their choices, to defend their right to self-determination. And in doing so, perhaps he could help them find a way to exist in this new life that did not feel like slow suffocation.

"So," he said, settling back into his chair one final time, his posture open and relaxed. "Quetë nin- manen i yuldar firë? Manen nautë vandë ná cenvaina? Man camnelyes tana anes i telda parma?" [Tell me- why do dead languages matter? Why is the past worth preserving? What did you discover that earned publication?]

He leaned forward slightly, genuinely interested now.

"You have likely encountered Aur'ethil texts in your studies. We were prolific writers in the old days, documenting everything from agricultural practices to philosophical treatises on the nature of light itself. Some of those languages are considered dead now, spoken by no one, preserved only in libraries like this one. But you see value in them. You argue for their importance. I would very much like to understand why."
He paused, glancing toward the distant sounds of celebration that filtered even into this quiet space.

"And do not worry about the parties or libations happening throughout the palace. The celebrations will continue for weeks in small amounts throughout the kingdom. Tonight, tomorrow, the day after. My people will feast and dance and sing for any excuse they can find, and a royal marriage is one of the best excuses imaginable. They will not miss two people seeking solitude in a library. Let them celebrate. We have more important matters to attend to here."

And in the quiet of the ancient library, surrounded by millennia of accumulated wisdom, perhaps they could find a way forward that honored both their truths.​

 

[Solaris-]

Andromeda’s brow furrowed. Was what they offered him not enough? They knew someone as deeply inexperienced as themselves in such matters was likely not to be enough to suffice for someone who was used to loving so freely and openly. Most men would jump at the chance to continue as they’d done before being married to someone who told them they could do so. It puzzled them greatly, but perhaps it was just something else they didn’t understand about the culture of which he grew into. They’d never been enough for their parents, and thus, they had shoved the expectation that they would never be enough for anyone else onto Soleth though they didn’t know them well enough to make such an assumption. Expectations had been thoroughly tempered even before their arrival here that the two of them would inevitably hate each other due to some cultural differences that couldn’t be rectified. But he had been understanding and warm where they had been cold and reserved. “You speak true. I am fearful that I am not and will never be enough. I am but one person. It seems inhumane to ask you to be loyal only to me for our entire lives when we both are such long lived people. I would not wish to do that to you.” Being chained together as they were, it was like to only build resentment over time if he was limited only to them as a partner and that was what they truly feared they supposed.

“I’ve seen it time and time again with women where I come from. Smart, educated women were asked to stop pursuing their own wants for the sake of bearing children and continuing the family bloodline. I love my brothers, but even their wives left their lives as princesses behind to come to Euna and they too help run the boarding school from time to time as teachers.” It was one of their biggest fears to be asked to stop their pursuit of knowledge for the sake of chasing something that they intevitably would hate. “But if you aren’t want to stop me from chasing my own desires while being here, I am grateful to be allowed such freedoms.” At least that was one less thing to argue over if it was known that it was to be expected. Perhaps being here, there would be more knowledge to further build on their dissertation and add to it which did bring a tempered feeling of giddiness through Andromeda’s limbs.

It was quickly drowned out, however, with a sense of true fear. Andromeda hadn’t felt like this since before the moment they’d been turned into this ungodly creature that sat across from him. If he could tell just based purely on how measured their body language was, how practiced their male voice was, and how they carried themselves, then who else knew? Surely none of the administrators of their school had taken note of these things or they would have been tossed out of the prestigious program. Not even their parents’ money could have saved them from that. Soleth was far smarter than Andromeda had given him credit for, and perhaps that intelligence came from living for as long as he had. But she was not prepared for it to say the least. “I will admit that it has been far easier living as a man. There are still societal expectations put onto me by others, but they feel less… daunting than those imposed onto the women in my country. As much as I love my country, I understand that it has a far more rigid social hierarchy than what you’ve described here.” It was unlikely that people would even bat so much of an eyelash if Andromeda were to reveal themselves to be a woman publically. Perhaps they still might in the future. The thought of not binding her chest any more provided the most relief. Even now the binder against their chest felt constricting and made it difficult to breathe as they sat there.

The second book offered to them on the table did in fact intrigue them. Learning more about things that they didn’t understand themselves made them feel less fearful about the ordeal. Perhaps they could learn something about themselves with this as well.

Meeting his gaze now, she watched his posture, his body language, even the way he eyed her. Andromeda felt as though they were two animals circling one another- afraid to approach and get too close but still finding ways to learn new things to get to know the other bit by bit. Gaining some modicum of trust between them as though one wrong move was going to send the other into fight or flight. “Before arriving, I was told to stop acting as a petulant child. As though five years of university with prestigious honors meant nothing to them. As though the family name being slapped onto a dissertation about languages and cultures over time, read by hundreds of other scholars and shaping the minds of future linguists in the making is something to be scoffed and handwaved away because I refuse to let someone else control my life the way they have ever since they bestowed this curse onto me.” She couldn’t bring herself to say it outright, but likely he knew what she meant. The way her eyes glowed even in dim afternoon light filtering in through the open window was more than enough to give it away. “My brothers are immune to their words, but I am not so lucky, you see. The invisible pull of string compels me forward, forces my hand to accept terms I would otherwise not. All due to the fact that I have yet to… indulge in the curse itself.” Andromeda still ate normal food- though in far larger amounts than even most humans could put away to sustain her nutrients on top of the supplements she took to keep the blood lust at bay. “I’ve fought it for so long, but I will be honest in saying that my willpower to fight it is drawing to its end. And as I detest violence without provocation, I would not wish to harm anyone when that does happen.” There would have to be some way for her to indulge in her first blood before anything drastic happened that caused her curse to be common knowledge.

“I have less qualms about the nature of my gender and identity being common knowledge than I do the information about this curse. My family’s reputation hinges upon it remaining a secret- though I suspect many have their suspicions about us with the way the entourage looked upon us wearily.” They’d gotten used to those weary glances over time from many who had heard of their family name.

His words caused Andromeda’s eyes to widen a fraction. She’d not thought that she would ever truly be free of their influence. Even in marriage, she’d imagined that to just be a ruse to have her buried even more securely under their thumb, their reach, and their power. There was no telling really why they’d proposed this other than they wished to use Andromeda to have some reach into this kingdom through her, but she had no intention of letting them use her in that manner if it was true that she would be free of the shackles of familial expectations through marrying Soleth. The gears in the blonde woman’s head were turning now, and for once it felt as though the two had stopped circling one another. For once, Andromeda had given up her search of reasons to hate this man. Though she was still a carefully guarded individual who had her fair share of secrets and thoughts, she gave up on being petty to find reasons to abstain from this now. “No, you’ve a point. I’ve searched my brain this whole time for petty reasons to hate you. But I can find none, and simply put, I don’t wish to find one any longer. I want for us to be allies. You say you don’t expect me to love you, and while I certainly hold no such strong feelings towards you now, please don’t count yourself out yet. Friendship can turn into love over time, but we should first learn to trust as daunting as that may be.” With her curse, Andromeda too would be nearly immortal as the sun elves themselves. Their longevity matched in that regard. With there being no cure to it, it was like that the two would be stuck with each other for the next few millennia to come.

“Initially, I wanted to write my dissertation on the arcane. Drawn to magic as I was by the awakening of my own abilities, I soon learned that my channeling of such things could only be done through a focus.” Andromeda’s hand fell to the hilt of the sword at their side. Not to draw it, but simple to run their fingers against the arcane infused tassel that dangled from it freely. The beads made gentle noises against each other from her touch. “My elder brother taught me the art of sword play, fencing, and the like, and I am able to use my magical talents to enhance my skills with a blade. As a result of my shortcomings in that department, I fell back onto my secondary focus as i was going to double major. The science of language is more concrete- although ever changing as cultures evolve around us daily.” It was easier for them to take hold of and grasp fully. Something Andromeda was all too willing to throw themselves into without much of a second thought. “I had been reading about my people at the time- attempting to learn more about the culture I’ve been divorced from, and came to find out that many of the common words and human customs had been borrowed loosely from elven cultures before being diluted and distorted through culture over time. It’s what drew me to languages long since thought extinct.”

There was a sheepish smile that pulled at Romy’s lips. Realizing that they’d been rambling. Not many people found these types of things interesting, and though he had asked, it was best that she not continue to speak on it or they would likely be there for the rest of the evening. Them going on and on about something that caught their fancy and him probably fast asleep in his chair. “I followed the evolution of Moon Elf language through the ages and found it shared a common anscestor with that of other elven kind. That if I were able to speak the dialect that many moon elves speak now, and you were to speak your own tongue, there would be much overlap just in different flavors here and there. Largely, we could understand one another though there might be regional differences and variations on phrases. Also, you were born into royalty whilst I was not, and thus our language is affected in such ways as well whether we like it or not.” Romy spoke well because they were educated. Could converse and rub elbows with nobility because they were practiced. It was likely those mannerisms came naturally to Soleth who had been born into the crown who was raised around people that spoke well.

“For me, the question of why the past is important is because we can learn many things from the past. The hows and whys of it are more for the sake of knowing for myself. Though I know such an abstract idea of such things may be unfamiliar to some.” There was another shrug of slender shoulders at the question. There wasn’t a really good answer for why they found it so fascinating other than they simply did. Their body language had relaxed somewhat from its rigid nests from before, but Andromeda still held their practiced posture. Polite and crosslegged, but shoulders less taught and less ready to flee at a moment’s notice. “I wish I had more of an answer for you on my culture. I was a child when my parents died and I was left in a human orphanage. I know very little. Raised by humans every step of my life until now. Being pushed into an elven culture that is far different than what I know in every regard.” They were more open about themselves- less reserved about their bodies and who they loved. Not that Andromeda deemed that as a bad thing, but they were foreign concepts to them who presented themselves in fashionable men’s wear for a far colder climate.​