Vellen put down his book to answer it, carefulky stepping around his son happily playing with figures of dragons and knights on the floor. 

"Watch out, it's a giant!" His wife teased, making the child giggle. Vellen played along and scooped his son hin his arms, carring him with him to the door. 

He did not expect to see his Tennet standing there, a nervous smile bloomong on his face. 

"Ten?"

"Hi, hi..." 

"Who's there?" Vellen's wife asked as she approached the door. Her eyes widened when she saw their king at the door. She knew what he meant to her partner; still, she never expected to see him at their door. "Your majesty?" 

"I hope I don't intrude," Tennet apologised, looking back at Vellen. "I just have the afternoon entirely to myself, and was hoping I could use it as a moment to catch up." 

Vellen was stunned into silence. An afternoon. Not a minute, not a sale, an afternoon. He looked at his wife, who reached out to take their child from his arms, before slipping into her outdoor shoes.

"It's okay," Vellen muttered, dazed. "You can stay-" 

"You know exactly how much I'd kill to be in your position. What I'd give to see her again... Enjoy the afternoon, Vellen." 

She left moments later, elegantly bidding farewell to the king, who laughed as the child imitated his mother. 

"She seems kind," Tennet commented. 

"She is. We both lost someone and recognized each other in that. Only, she will never have the same chance as I." Vellen looked at his Tennet then. "You showed up at my house?"

"I... showed up at your house." 

The pair started laughing at how ridiculous the situation was.

"Come inside at least before the neighbors see you."

Tennet stepped through the door, Vellen quickly closing it behind him. 

Every part of Vellen screamed, ached, yearned for the man who had just knocked at his door. He loved his family, undeniably, still, Tennet held an equally important place in his heart. 

He supposed it was possible to love many at once. After all, did one not love family? Friends? Their passions? 

The way he loved Tennet was undefineable. 

Vellen's words were caught in his throat. He took Tennet's hand, his heart fluttering at the familiarity, and quietly dragged him through the little house, out to the back garden. It was modest, surrounded by walls to prevent neighbors from looking in. 

"It makes me happy to see you are comfortable, Vel." 

The shortened version of his name was something only Tennet ever used. It set something off in Vellen, who could no longer hold himself from pulling his prince into a hug. It was tight, too tight, not tight enough. Tennet sighed and dropped his head on Vellen's shoulder, burying his face in his neck. 

"I missed you." 

Tennet pressed a chaste kiss to Vellen's temple. "I missed you, too. God's above we haven't had the chance to speak since the wedding." 

"That was barely speaking, we were drunk, you were trying to apologize and run away all at once." 

"Eight years ago."

"... eight years ago." 

"Thank you for making me see sense again. I've never had the chance to say so." 

"You may have released me from my oath but that does not make me any less your friend." 

"Friend... yes. Your wedding request on our table made for an odd day for me, I must say." 

Vellen raised an eyebrow and scoffed, unable to stop himself from smiling. "Right, and yours filled me with joy," he teased. "The twins seem bright, I'm happy the queen agreed to the adoption." 

"She is sweet. She took agreed to the betrothal for political reasons. She does not particularly fancy me, but we both love the twins fiercely and have a deep respect for each other. I'm certain she secretly has a love interest somewhere in the palace, and truly, that is okay with me." 

"Do you get along at all?"

The pair sat down in the grass. "Oh, absolutely. We became fast friends. She knows about you, and, much like your wife, cares for the fact that we care for each other." Tennet looked at Vellen's hands, and noticed something new. He gently took them and turned them to display a tattoo on Vellen's inner arms; a fern leaf had been drawn on his wrist. Without hesitation, he repeated the gentle touch he had done in secret so often, marveling at how his thumb traced the fern's stem. 

"For Fernsworth?"

Vellen nodded, the touch making his breath catch. 

It was so familiar, so intimate. 

"It's perfect." 

Through conversation, they shifted to sit next to each other, close enough for their shoulders to brush. Tennet brushed Vellen's wrist absent-mindedly, Vellen ran his fingers around the leather cord he had tied around Tennet's. 

The conversation flowed from one topic to the next, easily, effortlessly.

"Do you remember Syvan? You will never believe what he did at the banquet last month..."

"How fare Julie and Marcus?"

"My father was talking about you the other day." 

"I dont know how to explain this to my son."

"You would love the twins, they are far too bright for their own good." 

"Have they finally finished re-doing the north gardens?" 

"How are you?"

Vellen looked back to his house at the question. "You promised I'd be alright. I am. I have a good life. I cannot thank you enough for the money for the house and the store. But you were right. Though, on particularly nostalgic nights, I still dream of the alternative you gave me in that damn inn." He looked at Tennet, his hands tightening around his. "But you also promised you'd try to be alright, yourself. You look tired, Ten..." 

Tennet nodded, just barely, looking down at the grass. "I- I am so thankful that the queen and I respect each other away from view. We give each other space, but still enjoy each other's company. I love.the twins to a point I never imagined. But... gods above, Vel, I'm tired of pretending. I never realized how tiring my father's job was. Keeping a regal stance all the time is taxing. So, when I realized I would be alone in the palace, save some guards, I couldn't help myself but to find the one person I don't have to be an alternative version of myself around." 

Vellen let out a quiet chuckle. "Still so f*cking sentimental..." he muttered, doing what he could to hide the way that hearing his prince's admittance tugged at his heart. "You really gave me a gift, when you released me from my vow."

"That was my intention. You don't deserve the pretense." 

"Are you saying you do?" 

"I don't have the choice." 

Vellen sighed and squeezed Tennet's hands. "Wait right here, I'll be back." 

The moment he was away from view, Vellen exhaled shakily, overwhelmed by too many emotions at once. He gave himself a moment to let the emotions wash over him, before taking a book from his shelf he had kept in case a visit to Tennet would be planned. It was too perfect to sell. 

Tennet had given him so much... 

When Vellen found his prince again, he was lying back, his fingers woven through the grass, a relaxed smile on his face. He didn't seem to be asleep, just content. Vellen sat next to him, playfully placing the book on Tennet's chest. 

Tennet opened his eyes, looking at the tome. "What is this?" 

"A merchant left it and a few others at the store. I didn't know when I would see you again, but I didn't want anyone else to buy it. It is meant to be yours. It's about the ancient gods, their temples and their magics. It has a passage about Fernsworth. You were right about the Moonmother and the Morningstar, by the way." 

Tennet's mouth opened in surprise. He propped himself on an elbow, flipping through the alphabetically-ordered entries. Indeed, the passage on Fernsworth described both the Moonmother and the Morningstar as being a part of the same temple. Next to the passage was his name. 

"I've only heard of such books, they're quite the rarity, you could sell it for hundreds." 

"Or I can give it to the person who bought me a house and the entire shop, because I know it covers everything he us so dorky about in exquisite detail." 

"I-... thank you, Vel. I'll treasure it." 

The pair stared at each other, smiling, easy. 

"You're thinking what I'm thinking?" Tennet asked. 

"That it would be so easy to lean over and kiss you right now?" 

"Indeed." 

"It's torture." 

"I'm sorry." 

Vellen sighed and let himself be a little more bold. He ran his hand on Tennet's chest and pressed his palm against it until he was lying in the grass again. Vellen moved the book to the side and dipped down to press a kiss to Tennet's cheek, just at the corner of his mouth, before lying against him, his head on his shoulder. Tennet sighed heavily and wrapped an arm around Vellen, running his fingers through his golden curls. 

"... I have to leave too soon." 

"How soon?" 

"Sunset."

The sun was low enough in the sky to cast everything in a golden light. They didn't have long. 

"I needed this. I haven't felt so like myself in a long time." 

"... Is our fort still standing in the forest?" 

"Most of it, yes. I go see it when life is overwhelming, sometimes. It's a reminder of the simplest times." 

"The forest still brings your comfort."

"Of course." 

"Well, this may be brazen, but maybe next time, you can summon me to the palace and show me." 

Tennet laughed and leaned his head on Vellen's. "The rare flirtatious version of you will never cease to surprise me. But yes, I can make that happen someday. But truly, I should go..." 

Vellen bit the inside of his cheek, not ready to let go of the afternoon that was suspended in time. 

It was nothing short of torturous perfection.