FANFIC: Ever By Your Side
30 July 2023 07:16 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cyanoscarletAs far as Dion was concerned, he’d always loved Terence since they were children.
It wasn’t his place to stand up to bullies—“Such troubles are much beneath you, Your Highness”—but Dion always believed in doing the right thing. Terence himself would scold him later for being too headstrong, but he would help out first. He always had.
The troublemakers certainly hadn’t expected their prince to step in between them and the unfortunate target of their ire, but it did little to deter them from their heckling, because “You’re nothing without your father.” And Dion had carelessly let that little remark get under his skin, despite his tutor’s constant warnings against the contrary.
A pebble flung from the other side of the riverbank fortunately saved him from committing that blunder. Terence already had another one in his hand, and was already aiming for his second shot. At the distraction, Dion took the child’s hand and pulled them along across the shallow water, thanking Greagor for the still currents that ran today.
Still, they were being pursued not far behind. Persistent rabble-rousers. Then he made the mistake of looking back—and lost his balance, the coarse gravel of the riverbed skinning both his knees as he fell.
“Duck!”
The second pebble flew right over them, missing Dion’s forehead by a few centimeters. His heart beat wildly in his chest after it all—probably from the rush of adrenaline, but he’d already known by then, he was certain of it.
The rest of that day had been a blur, but Dion was pretty sure it had gone something like tonight, as Terence dressed his wounds yet again in the privacy of the commander’s tent. “These are no longer mere scrapes unlike last time, my prince,” he frowned as he tied the last of the bandages together. They had requested for more supplies from the capital, but there hasn’t been any word since a week ago.
“I am fine, Terence,” Dion assured—insisted, because they both knew it wasn’t true at all. Still, the tight criss-cross pattern the bandages made over his arm were always a sight for sore eyes and a little joy that balmed his heart. For a while, he wondered how the child they had saved was doing now; hopefully they were living peacefully and in the infinite grace of Greagor.
It was for people like them and so much more, that he and Terence and everyone who believed in their cause, are now putting their lives on the line. Their adversaries were no mere courtyard bullies this time; many great things were at stake in this war. Still:
“You mustn’t push yourself like this,” Terence implored, kneeling at Dion’s feet and looking up with so much worry it would break his heart many times over. Both their hearts. It had always been like this between them: as far as they were concerned, they’d always loved each other since they were children. And for them, that meant setting aside that same love for doing what they must—what was right.
So Dion smiled back, the sadness in Terence’s eyes reflected in his own. “I know.” A fallen tear. “I’m sorry.” Then another.
Terence took a deep breath, shaking his sobs away before facing Dion once more. “You always were too headstrong for your own good, my prince.”
“Maybe I am, but so are you, my knight.” This time, they both laughed to themselves—a little brokenly, but better than more tears, at least. “Fifteen years. I’m surprised we haven’t tired of each other yet, after so long.”
“Never, my prince.” A soft kiss. “I’ll always stay by your side.” Then another.
