Dova’s mouth turned dry when they finally reached the building. He wasn’t brought inside immediately. Instead, they made him stand in front while one of them went to notify somebody inside who was higher up the command chain.

He closed his eyes, breathing slowly, his thoughts traveling back to Thaim. Last night, they had still seen each other even though it had only been for an hour. The man he had wanted to be wedded to by now, he had somehow turned into his partner in a clandestine, forbidden love affair whom he needed to steal hours with in the middle of the night.

He hadn’t even dared to embrace or kiss him for fear of being found out. He had only held his hand for but a moment, whispering to him about this plan of his. Thaim had listened, those green eyes seeming gray in the middle of the night but still shimmering brightly. He couldn’t forget the look in them. So much worry, so much heartache … he should not have needed to live like that.

The gate in front opened again and the guard returned with another man whose gaze was already brushing over Dova’s body as if to search for any threat. Dova looked back at him. He did not know who this person was but the way the guards around him had straightened up and how the guard next to him was following half a step behind told him that this man had to rank high on Rhaen Arias’ side. Surely, he could make a decision.

The man finally stopped in front of him, just two steps away. "Do you know who I am?"

Dova looked at him, trying to find some kind of descriptive mark that he might have heard about but other than the pale blond hair and the cold eyes, there wasn’t anything about him that stood out. In the end, he could only shake his head. "I am afraid not."

Silence enveloped them and he wondered if he had said the wrong thing. Should he know who this man was? But even when he took another look, trying to figure out his identity, he still couldn’t tell.

The man looked back at him quietly, apparently not in a hurry to say anything. His gaze made Dova even more anxious. He couldn’t help but feel relief though when he remembered that he had told Thaim to stay put for now and only follow him after he had made sure that things were safe. Or, well, at least as safe as they could be while the war lasted.

Another long moment passed before the man looked up to a spot behind Dova. "It seems you have something to say."

Dova faintly furrowed his brows. He hadn’t heard anyone come close and he couldn’t help but want to take a look. He held back though, not wanting to draw any ire. He was nothing but a suppliant right now and he had not much to offer. He might have grown up in the north and had honed his skills on the battlefield but there were thousands of others like him. He didn’t even hold any illusions that he might make it under the best of them.

Surely, for these people, he was at most a new burden to take on, not a welcome addition. If they took him in, then only because they held the belief that the Cejta was wrong and that somebody who had turned against them was on their side now.

"His lover is of the Tarlheyn."

The voice from behind made Dova widen his eyes. This was the man he had met before! That Aldhar that had suddenly appeared behind him after he passed the field of fog. He didn’t understand what he was suddenly doing here or why the man in front of him seemed to know him and take the time to listen.

It seemed that this man’s appearance wasn’t a coincidence at all. Maybe he had been wrong and this man was actually part of the northern rebellion. In any case, his being here seemed to be in his favor.

The man in front looked at that Aldhar for a moment longer before he turned to glance at Dova and then waved at the guard next to him. The man stepped forward and then took off the rope around Dova’s wrists, setting him free.

Dova stared and then lowered his hands, not sure what to do. Was he … accepted now? Not knowing what else to do, he turned to look over his shoulder, and indeed, the person standing there was the same one as before, still clad in that black cloak with a hood that covered his face in shadows too dark to see. Dova still didn’t understand what was going on but he inclined his head in thanks.

The man didn’t seem to notice. He just turned away and left, his feet leaving not the slightest sound despite the stone.

No wonder he hadn’t heard him.

Dova turned back to the front where the other man was still standing, his gaze following the black-clad Aldhar. Considering his position, Dova hardly dared to breathe but there was one question he had to ask and with how things had gone so far, he didn’t think that it would be easy to find somebody who could make the decision if he did not use this opportunity.

With his heart racing once again, he cleared his throat. He froze when those gray eyes turned toward him but still forced himself to speak. "Since you already know about him, may I ask: Am I allowed to bring him here? He is still in the south and I am worried what they might do to him if they find out that I left." He stared at the man unblinking, not sure if he should nurture any hope.

The man continued to look at him with that cold gaze before he looked up at the field of fog at the foot of the mountain. "Who am I to say no if even the Rhaen’s own brother advocates for you? Have him come then." With that, he turned away, returning into the castle while the guards dispersed, all of them leaving save for one.

Dova stared at the gate in puzzlement before he turned to the guard, his gaze confused. "That …" He did not even know how to phrase the question at first. "Who did he say that man was?" Because surely, it couldn’t be as he thought.

The guard raised his brows and stared at him as if he was an idiot.

Dova could only stare back, pretending that his question wasn’t odd at all. Well, to him, it wasn’t. He had met that man for the first time today. How would he know who he was? And he had been sure that he was an Aldhar while clearly, Rhaen Arias was a Velheyn, one from a prestigious line even. Dova did not feel like there was any way he could have a brother who was an Aldhar or even shared in their blood just a little. A family like that would see that as a disgrace.

Despite his look, the guard just shook his head. "You don’t gossip about him. He knows things."

Dova nodded slowly, still not understanding. Well, at the very least, he did understand that it was best not to ask too many questions. Sooner or later, he would be able to piece things together. Until then, he could only hope that he wouldn’t step on anyone’s toes.

The guard seemed satisfied when he didn’t speak further and waved at him. "Come. Since you’re allowed to stay, I will show you around."

Dova got to his feet and hurried after him. He had hoped that he would be taken in but he knew that even if he was, he would always be one of those who only changed sides halfway through and hadn’t shared the ideology of Rhaen Arias’ people from the beginning.

To fit in would be difficult. He was willing to take that for the sake of Thaim and their relationship but it would be harsh nonetheless. Not making trouble and striking up any kind of relationship he could from the very beginning might help a little.

Dova followed the guard around, taking a look at this place that had always been presented as the stronghold of the rebel army, the headquarters of the enemy they needed to defeat. Now, he was a part of it. The friends and relatives left on the other side would see him like he had once seen the people here: the evil that needed to be vanquished to restore peace to their country.

He wanted to sigh but he knew it wouldn’t help. He should get rid of those thoughts sooner rather than later.

While they wandered through the halls and corridors, the guard glanced at him. "Say … that lover of yours …"

"Thaim." Dova’s tense expression unwittingly softened when he was mentioned.

The guard nodded. "He really is one of the Tarlheyn?"

Dova gave a hum. "He is, although I don’t know his family." In fact, he wasn’t even sure if Thaim knew them. Children like him … they were often abandoned. The Aldhar would keep them but if they were unlucky enough to be born among Velheyn, then they were doomed from the beginning.

"Does he know magic?"

Dova glanced at the guard, wondering for a moment how he even knew that his lover was a man. After a moment, it dawned on him though: That man had said he wasn’t the first who had come and those who fled now were usually those with male lovers whose marriages had been annulled or who had been forbidden from taking the next step.

If Thaim was a woman, then no matter the race, he would not have come here. You could marry an Aldhara or even a Tarlheyna but you could not marry a man. Not anymore, that was.

He sighed when he thought of that and then nodded faintly. "Yes, although not much from what he told me."

The guard nodded, not surprised at that. "Well, we don’t have many here. Tarlheyni, that is."

"I thought so." There weren’t many in the first place and most went to find protection with the Aldhar. And since the Aldhar were allied with the Cejta’s side, where would the Tarlheyn on Rhaen Arias’ side come from? At most, there should be some that had been born here or who had also followed their lovers. They would probably not amount to more than a handful.

Finally, the two of them had made a round through most of the castle. "Now, you’d better be careful at the beginning. It’s not that we don’t accept newcomers but … well, you know why you’re here. Others will also understand."

Dova inclined his head. "Yes, I thought so. Thank you for reminding me."

The guard nodded and then motioned to the door of the room that he had shown him last where Dova would live from now on. "Well, it’s yours now. You can also come and find me if you remember the way there."

"Thank you. Again."

The guard just waved and then rushed off, probably going to reconvene with the rest of his group or to get some time to himself now that he had the opportunity.

Dova stood in the corridor for a moment and then opened the door, staring blankly into the room behind. His life … it had been turned upside down. His stomach still churned when thinking about it and he still wished things could be different. But anyway, this was the only path to regain what was most important to him.

He closed the door again and turned around, walking down the corridor at a fast pace until he reached the end. Down the stairs and finally, he stepped outside into a courtyard.

For a moment, he just stood there, staring once again. He had always believed this side to be nothing but a rebel army but what he saw were couples and families with small children running around, not differing much from the life back at Soaran’s court in Elhan that he knew.

In the end, it seemed that this war had split both the country and the people. But nonetheless, this was still Ellysrha and these were still the Valhyn’s people. They just … had a difference in opinion. In more than one regard.

He glanced at a young, gay couple in one of the corners who had turned to each other, their heads lowered faintly. Their lips had curved up in smiles, the corners of their eyes crinkled in amusement. The wind carried laughter and a sweetness that seemed almost tangible. This kind of life, it was what he wanted with Thaim.

Dova took a deep breath and pried away his gaze, searching for a place where he could contact his own lover. He spotted an old tree at the side of the courtyard with some flowers growing around the roots. He walked over and then awkwardly stood there, staring at the bright specks of color on the ground.

The Aldhar were in tune with nature and they could easily send messages through what they found around them. A few mumbled words might cross a thousand miles on the wind or be passed along by the trees and flowers. Thaim had inherited this gift from his Aldhar-parent even though he could not hear as much. Still, a message intended for him and only sent up here in the north down to where he was waiting in Elhan should be enough. Not that knowing that would make him feel like less of an idiot while doing it.

Dova cleared his throat and then crouched down, looking at the flowers. "Thaim …" Words failed him and he awkwardly looked up at the branches of the tree above him. It was an evergreen one as you could often see it in the north.

Dova sighed and turned back to the flower. "I made it over here and I can stay. I also asked about you and they don’t mind either." He paused for just a moment and then smiled faintly. "You should come here fast. I miss you already."

Even though they had seen each other last night, it couldn’t compare to what had once been. When Thaim followed him here, they could have more than just stolen moments again. Just imagining that made him smile.