Story: Two Guardians
Oct. 25th, 2013 01:34 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
frogs_of_warMy boss is back! Twenty hours a week, but that is so much better than not at all.
Before she actually returned, I got stressed, worried about whether I would go from too many to too few hours. But the day she came back, everyone commented about how happy and relaxed I looked. Now we just need to figure out what I do and what she does, so nothing slips through the cracks. I felt good enough, knowing she'd be there, to take a three day weekend.
I may come in to a mess on Monday, but I'm going to enjoy the break.
Title: Two guardians
Series: A Balance of Harmonies (Three)
Status: Picture story
Genre: m/m/m romance, fantasy
Rating: R
Content: running, exhaustion, hunger, ideas, power, waking, flowers, smoke, a decision, will-o-wisp, safety, complaints, an argument, a dream, warmth, a welcome, joining, food
Length: about 2,900 words
Summary: Éimhín is running and he has two invisible spirits looking out for him.
Note: From a picture mentioned near the end that is based on a picture on my wall. If I can think of a better title, I'll change it.
Éimhín – eh Veen
Kliment – Klee ment
Pim — pim
Master list
Éimhín glanced behind him. He couldn’t hear the dogs or see the soldiers, but he knew they were there, in the forest somewhere. They couldn’t miss his trail. His palace slippers had worn out days ago and since then he’d left a trail of flowers in his wake.
His “gift” had never felt so much like a curse.
A lone tree stood tall in the valley. Éimhín made for it. Cold winds followed him as they had since his left his gilded prison, but the storm had never reached him. He fell to his knees by the truck. He was so tired and so very hungry. He tore a length of fabric from his ragged hem and wrapped his feet. Maybe the field of wild grasses would be easier on the silk than the forest had been.
Éimhín’s eyes closed. He couldn’t stop now. He wouldn’t survive the king’s punishment for running away. He forced his eyes open, but warmth enveloped him and his eyes closed again. Maybe they wouldn’t catch him if he just slept for a few minutes.
—
Pim stepped in front of Kliment. “What do you think you are doing?”
Kliment frowned. “I’m coverings his trail with snow.”
“Yeah, and what’s going to happen when the soldiers happen upon the trail while flailing about? The flowers will still be there. The trees will stop most of the snow anyway.” Frost giants were so stupid.
“But we can’t let them get him.”
“Of course not. But let me burn it first.” Pim lifted a hand. The duff on the forest floor burst into flames. Pim kept the fire cool enough not to light the trees, but the dried leaves and needles burned quick and fast and the fire was hot enough to erase Éimhín’s trail. “Now bring on the snow.”
Kliment bit his lip and every rock and leaf and tree and twig was instantly covered with white frost. Then the snow began to fall.
Pim stepped away. He didn’t like snow. “I’ll go see how Éimhín is doing.”
Kliment pouted. Pim ignored him. He should be happy Pim was letting him help Éimhín at all.
—
Éimhín woke with a start. The sun was high. He shouldn’t have let himself sleep. He needed at least one hill between him and his enemy. As he climbed the one in front of him, he’d be seen for miles.
His stomach rumbled. Why couldn’t his trail be of fruits and vegetables? Flowers did no one any good. Were any of the leaves safe to eat. Éimhín was going to have to risk it. Not eating was making him weak. He’d never get away.
He grabbed a handful of leaves and stuffed them in his mouth. He choked on the juices, but made himself chew before he hurried to the bottom of a hill. He’d never get the flavor out of his mouth.
Smoke rose up behind him. The field was on fire. Was that the king’s soldiers, forcing him to keep running until he was too tired to move? But the smoke would hide his ascent. He changed direction slightly and ran up the neighboring hill. He couldn’t allow himself to be caught.
—
Kliment laid snow over the fiend of ash. The soldiers wouldn’t find the trail now. Éimhín needed a safe place to rest and sleep. Kliment knew just the place. Only how was he supposed to get Éimhín there?
Pim would know. Only Pim would take over, like he’d taken over Kliment’s quest to save Éimhín. Kliment had seen Éimhín first, last winter when Éimhín was trapped all winter in a tower. Éimhín had looked out across the white world and Kliment had fallen in love. But Éimhín had been cold up there in the drafty room. Kliment had done his best to keep the chill out, but he was a frost spirit. He’s reluctantly called Pim and Pim had moved into the tower’s fireplace and kept Éimhín warm enough that he’d thrown open the windows during the day, so Kliment had won a bit too.
Maybe he’d win a little this time. He went in search of Pim.
—
Pim sighed. He didn’t like to be a ice giant’s lackey. He was his own man. Fire spirits obeyed no one.
But Éimhín’s safety came first.
—
Éimhín followed the will-o-wisp across a stream and around the side of a rocky crag. He’d been told all his life not to trust spirits. But he’d also been told to trust the king and his soldiers and he’d learned years ago what a bad idea that was.
The non trail ended in a vine covered wall. Maybe following the spirit had been a bad idea.
A cold gust of wind set the vines rustling. Was that a space behind the vines? Éimhín pushed them aside. A cave. He looked behind him. The cloth had stayed on better today and he hadn’t left a trail. He slipped inside. His footsteps echoed. Water dripped somewhere. He took the rags off his feet before he explored. Maybe he could eat the leaves of whatever grew before the lack of sun and soil killed it. Only the cave floor was soft with old duff, maybe from the vines over the opening and the cave wasn’t as dark as he’d expected.
Water dripped down the back wall. It tasted mossy, but he was too thirsty to care. He drank so much that his stomach felt heavy. He laid down in the duff and closed his eyes. He should eat some leaves, but he was so very tired and he was warm and safe for the first time in ages.
His eyes closed and he slept.
—
Kliment stopped outside the cave mouth. “Pim?”
Pim poked his head out without disrupting the vines. Kliment envied that ability. Pim sighed as if he’d expected someone he actually wanted to see. “What?”
“How is he?”
“Sleeping.”
Kliment bit his lip. He wanted to be in there, be beside Éimhín, be as close as Pim was. “You are so lucky. You get to be near him.”
Pim rolled his eyes. “If I leave his plants will die. Do you think I actually want to be here?”
“Yes. I do.” Pim shouldn’t try to act as if he’d rather be home. If he’d liked the desert, Kliment would never have met him.
“Don’t be a fool. I can’t get near him without him breaking out in a sweat. I’ll kill him if I get to close. And I’m stuck here watching.”
At least Pim had that. Kliment had nothing. He brought forth a turbulent storm that covered the mountains and all foothills with snow. He filled every valley and sent his winds to harass the fleeing soldiers and even that wasn’t satisfying.
—
Éimhín investigated his little garden. One of the plants looked a great deal like an apple tree. Apple trees did have pretty blossoms. Maybe this one would have fruit good enough to eat. He caressed it and sang songs. He’d never tried to get one of his plants to bloom before.
He ate as many greens as he could stomach and drank from the much heavier run of water on the back wall. The water wasn’t nearly so mossy this time. The water pooled then flowed across the cave to a crack along the eastern wall, where it disappeared, so his plants would get water and he had a place to relieve himself.
He sat by the mouth of the cave. Huge snowflakes danced as they fell. Éimhín loved winter and snow. Someday he’d feel safe enough to enjoy it again.
—
Pim scratched his ear. Éimhín was beautiful. Pim had been drawn to him from his first sight of the human sequestered from the world by a prideful king. The winter in the tower was supposed to break him, according to servants’ gossip, but it had only made him stronger, thanks to Pim. And Kliment if Pim was being generous.
But being so close to Éimhín was painful, like looking through a window at a world Pim could never have.
Pim would break.
He needed to get out, to get away. Chase down those soldiers and have some fun.
But if he left, Éimhín’s plants would die.
But the sun wasn’t up all day long. A few hours wouldn’t kill them. Would it make the cave too cold for Éimhín’s comfort?
Pim couldn’t risk that. The stupid frost giant had made this cave the only habitable spot for miles. He’d just have to wait out Kliment’s irritation.
—
Éimhín laughed as the waist high apple tree burst into bloom. He had his own paradise.
Several of the other plants were trees too and he’d made a place for a fire if he ever needed one plus he had garlic and wild onion among the flowers. Now he just needed meat. Once the snow stopped maybe.
Tiny light flittered around the cave. They danced from blossom to blossom. Plants spirits had come to sip from the flowers. Éimhín was doubly blessed. A light landed on his knee. He dare not breathe. Another landed on his arm. He leaned against the wall. More came. Perhaps they were tired now that they were full. Soon Éimhín would be full too.
He watched the little lights until his eyes grew tired.
—
Kliment leaned against the cave opening. Éimhín was so close and yet so far. Kliment wanted to love him and hold him and take care of him every day of his life. But that would never happen. If Kliment could keep Éimhín safe, that would be enough. “Pim?”
“What?”
Did he have to be so close to Éimhín that he couldn’t walk to the cave opening? “Get out here.”
“I can’t.”
“Like hell you can’t.” Kliment was going to go in there and drag him out.
“If I go to the opening, Éimhín wouldn’t have a place to get cool.”
“Then come all the way out.” Who was the stupid spirit now?
“The plants will die.”
“Pim!”
Pim sighed and stepped out into the white world. He melted the snow at his feet and turned the water to steam. Kliment turned it back into snow. “Humans need meat, right?”
“Need?”
Pim was so frustrating.
“I’m going to catch Éimhín a hare. You’ll have to cook it.”
Pim turned back. His eyes were drawn to Éimhín as much as Kliment’s were. “Maybe you should just freeze one and leave it by the entrance. So we don’t give ourselves away.”
“How could he not know by now?” How many caves were warm while snow fell outside? Were light even at night? Had tress going and thriving inside? Kliment wanted Éimhín to know someone was taking care of him, even if he’d never know who Kliment was or why he was helping him. Lights flickered on Éimhín’s clothes. “Are those pixies?”
Pim shrugged. “Who ever gave him the fertile feet populated his little gardens with spirits.”
“Then where was this person when he needed saving?”
Pim sighed. “Maybe Éimhín wasn’t ever desperate enough.”
Because Kliment had been helping him. But he wouldn’t give up this last year and a half for anything. He wanted to be the one who saved Éimhín even if he had to have Pim’s help to do it.
Éimhín sifted in this sleep. The plant spirits roused and settled back against him. Kliment wished to be one of them.
—
Éimhín lay with his eyes closed. In his wonderful dream he has two guardians. They argue and pretend they don’t like each other. Then the tall, strong frost spirit stalks away and the fire spirit watches for a moment as many bright colors glide across his skin. The fire spirit sighs and retreats into the cave. The dream was over. Éimhín might as well get up.
The plants had grown while he slept. The apples and might be ripe enough to eat. He would risk a belly ache. He picked one for himself and another for the little lights. His apple tasted sun warmed.
A cold breeze rustled the vines at the entrance. A hare lay in the snow. Maybe the dream wasn’t just a dream.
The hare was close enough that Éimhín didn’t have to step into the snow to reach it. That couldn’t have been by accident. He carried the hare to the area he’d prepared for a fire. “Could I please have a spark?”
Nothing happened.
But like the ice spirit said in his dream, he couldn’t have gotten his far without help. And the heat in the cave was radiating from one place that moved around. He turned toward it. “Please.”
“You can see me?” The voice crackled like dry paper.
Éimhín strained his eyes. “Sadly, I cannot, but I know where you are and that another spirit stands just outside the cave.”
“Can you see the pixies, the plant spirits?”
“The lights?” Éimhín gestured toward the half eaten apple on the ground. Pixies must eat a lot for such little things.
“Yes.”
The warm neared him then backed away. But the warmth in his heart expanded.
—
Kliment hesitated in the cave opening. Éimhín couldn’t really want him inside.
Éimhín smiled. “Come in.”
But Éimhín couldn’t really, see him. He’d said as much. Kliment stepped inside and let the vines fall back into place.
“Come on. I can tell where you are, even if I can’t see you.” Éimhín stepped up to Kliment.
Kliment back away. “I’ll burn you.”
“But you didn’t burn the vines.”
“That was an act of will.” And Kliment didn’t trust himself not to lose control if he finally got to touch Éimhín.
“If you two hold hands, then you could touch me.”
Kliment was pretty sure he didn’t want to hold Pim’s hand. But if that meant he could touch Éimhín…
—
Pim stepped closer to Kliment. “Do you think it will work?”
“Should I try or you?”
Pim grabbed Kliment’s hand and then ran his fingers down Éimhín’s outstretched hand.
Kliment held Éimhín’s other hand. Éimhín’s squeezed Kliment’s hand. “You are the ice spirit, the cool one, who covered my trail with snow and saved me from my enemy.”
“Kliment. I used to play in these hills as a child. This cave was my favorite.”
Éimhín laughed. “Thank you.”
Pim wanted to hear thanks. He wanted to be loved too. “I’m Pim. I kept you warm last winter.”
Éimhín grinned. “So long ago.”
Kliment cleared his throat. “I saw you all cold in your tower and ask him to come.”
Pim would have yanked his hand from Kliment’s if he still could have held Éimhín’s. “I am the reason the plants in here are still alive. And I burned the grass and the duff in the forest. After the snows melt they will still not find you.”
“Thank you Pim, Kliment.” Éimhín stepped closer.
“At your service.” Kliment bowed.
Éimhín couldn’t even see it and Kliment was being annoyingly polite.
“Yeah, me too.” Pim closed his eyes. Why couldn’t he have said something better?
Éimhín tugged on their hands and led them to the pile of duff he used for a bed. “Touch me.”
Pim couldn’t have been hearing that right.
“Please.” Éimhín unfasten the neck of his gown. “I need you. Both of you.”
This wasn’t real. This was just one of the many fantasies Pim had concocted while watching Éimhín sleep.
Kliment reached for Éimhín. Pim wasn’t going to be left behind. By the time they gotten Éimhín bare they figured out that they only had to be close, not touching, to keep Éimhín safe in their arms. And Kliment wasn’t that bad of lover. Actually he was everything Pim had dreamed he’d be.
Éimhín was an experience beyond imagining. He was tender and demanding and passionate and strong and so very delectable. But he had been on the run for the last week with not enough food or sleep, so he didn’t last very long.
Kliment ran his fingers through Éimhín’s hair. “I never thought…”
Pim put his hand on Kliment’s arm. “Neither did I.”
He got up and checked the hare. The fire had done its job. He put it out. By the time Éimhín woke up, the hare would be cool enough to eat. And if it wasn’t Kliment could cool it. Pim snuggled back beside them and watched the soft snow fall.
—
Éimhín’s stomach growled. The cave smelled of cooked meat and warm apples and a heady mix of summer and winter. He opened his eye. Yes. He could see them, his handsome lovers. Kliment lay with his white, muscled leg off the pallet and Pim was covered by nothing with the bright lights on his skin. And they were Éimhín’s.
The hare and baked apples were delicious, more so with the wonderful company. They looked at each other and then away. They were together to save him and now together with him.
He pulled them back to the pallet to be together once more. Now that his belly was full, he could sleep safe and warm in his lovers’ arms.
Before she actually returned, I got stressed, worried about whether I would go from too many to too few hours. But the day she came back, everyone commented about how happy and relaxed I looked. Now we just need to figure out what I do and what she does, so nothing slips through the cracks. I felt good enough, knowing she'd be there, to take a three day weekend.
I may come in to a mess on Monday, but I'm going to enjoy the break.
Title: Two guardians
Series: A Balance of Harmonies (Three)
Status: Picture story
Genre: m/m/m romance, fantasy
Rating: R
Content: running, exhaustion, hunger, ideas, power, waking, flowers, smoke, a decision, will-o-wisp, safety, complaints, an argument, a dream, warmth, a welcome, joining, food
Length: about 2,900 words
Summary: Éimhín is running and he has two invisible spirits looking out for him.
Note: From a picture mentioned near the end that is based on a picture on my wall. If I can think of a better title, I'll change it.
Éimhín – eh Veen
Kliment – Klee ment
Pim — pim
Master list
Éimhín glanced behind him. He couldn’t hear the dogs or see the soldiers, but he knew they were there, in the forest somewhere. They couldn’t miss his trail. His palace slippers had worn out days ago and since then he’d left a trail of flowers in his wake.
His “gift” had never felt so much like a curse.
A lone tree stood tall in the valley. Éimhín made for it. Cold winds followed him as they had since his left his gilded prison, but the storm had never reached him. He fell to his knees by the truck. He was so tired and so very hungry. He tore a length of fabric from his ragged hem and wrapped his feet. Maybe the field of wild grasses would be easier on the silk than the forest had been.
Éimhín’s eyes closed. He couldn’t stop now. He wouldn’t survive the king’s punishment for running away. He forced his eyes open, but warmth enveloped him and his eyes closed again. Maybe they wouldn’t catch him if he just slept for a few minutes.
—
Pim stepped in front of Kliment. “What do you think you are doing?”
Kliment frowned. “I’m coverings his trail with snow.”
“Yeah, and what’s going to happen when the soldiers happen upon the trail while flailing about? The flowers will still be there. The trees will stop most of the snow anyway.” Frost giants were so stupid.
“But we can’t let them get him.”
“Of course not. But let me burn it first.” Pim lifted a hand. The duff on the forest floor burst into flames. Pim kept the fire cool enough not to light the trees, but the dried leaves and needles burned quick and fast and the fire was hot enough to erase Éimhín’s trail. “Now bring on the snow.”
Kliment bit his lip and every rock and leaf and tree and twig was instantly covered with white frost. Then the snow began to fall.
Pim stepped away. He didn’t like snow. “I’ll go see how Éimhín is doing.”
Kliment pouted. Pim ignored him. He should be happy Pim was letting him help Éimhín at all.
—
Éimhín woke with a start. The sun was high. He shouldn’t have let himself sleep. He needed at least one hill between him and his enemy. As he climbed the one in front of him, he’d be seen for miles.
His stomach rumbled. Why couldn’t his trail be of fruits and vegetables? Flowers did no one any good. Were any of the leaves safe to eat. Éimhín was going to have to risk it. Not eating was making him weak. He’d never get away.
He grabbed a handful of leaves and stuffed them in his mouth. He choked on the juices, but made himself chew before he hurried to the bottom of a hill. He’d never get the flavor out of his mouth.
Smoke rose up behind him. The field was on fire. Was that the king’s soldiers, forcing him to keep running until he was too tired to move? But the smoke would hide his ascent. He changed direction slightly and ran up the neighboring hill. He couldn’t allow himself to be caught.
—
Kliment laid snow over the fiend of ash. The soldiers wouldn’t find the trail now. Éimhín needed a safe place to rest and sleep. Kliment knew just the place. Only how was he supposed to get Éimhín there?
Pim would know. Only Pim would take over, like he’d taken over Kliment’s quest to save Éimhín. Kliment had seen Éimhín first, last winter when Éimhín was trapped all winter in a tower. Éimhín had looked out across the white world and Kliment had fallen in love. But Éimhín had been cold up there in the drafty room. Kliment had done his best to keep the chill out, but he was a frost spirit. He’s reluctantly called Pim and Pim had moved into the tower’s fireplace and kept Éimhín warm enough that he’d thrown open the windows during the day, so Kliment had won a bit too.
Maybe he’d win a little this time. He went in search of Pim.
—
Pim sighed. He didn’t like to be a ice giant’s lackey. He was his own man. Fire spirits obeyed no one.
But Éimhín’s safety came first.
—
Éimhín followed the will-o-wisp across a stream and around the side of a rocky crag. He’d been told all his life not to trust spirits. But he’d also been told to trust the king and his soldiers and he’d learned years ago what a bad idea that was.
The non trail ended in a vine covered wall. Maybe following the spirit had been a bad idea.
A cold gust of wind set the vines rustling. Was that a space behind the vines? Éimhín pushed them aside. A cave. He looked behind him. The cloth had stayed on better today and he hadn’t left a trail. He slipped inside. His footsteps echoed. Water dripped somewhere. He took the rags off his feet before he explored. Maybe he could eat the leaves of whatever grew before the lack of sun and soil killed it. Only the cave floor was soft with old duff, maybe from the vines over the opening and the cave wasn’t as dark as he’d expected.
Water dripped down the back wall. It tasted mossy, but he was too thirsty to care. He drank so much that his stomach felt heavy. He laid down in the duff and closed his eyes. He should eat some leaves, but he was so very tired and he was warm and safe for the first time in ages.
His eyes closed and he slept.
—
Kliment stopped outside the cave mouth. “Pim?”
Pim poked his head out without disrupting the vines. Kliment envied that ability. Pim sighed as if he’d expected someone he actually wanted to see. “What?”
“How is he?”
“Sleeping.”
Kliment bit his lip. He wanted to be in there, be beside Éimhín, be as close as Pim was. “You are so lucky. You get to be near him.”
Pim rolled his eyes. “If I leave his plants will die. Do you think I actually want to be here?”
“Yes. I do.” Pim shouldn’t try to act as if he’d rather be home. If he’d liked the desert, Kliment would never have met him.
“Don’t be a fool. I can’t get near him without him breaking out in a sweat. I’ll kill him if I get to close. And I’m stuck here watching.”
At least Pim had that. Kliment had nothing. He brought forth a turbulent storm that covered the mountains and all foothills with snow. He filled every valley and sent his winds to harass the fleeing soldiers and even that wasn’t satisfying.
—
Éimhín investigated his little garden. One of the plants looked a great deal like an apple tree. Apple trees did have pretty blossoms. Maybe this one would have fruit good enough to eat. He caressed it and sang songs. He’d never tried to get one of his plants to bloom before.
He ate as many greens as he could stomach and drank from the much heavier run of water on the back wall. The water wasn’t nearly so mossy this time. The water pooled then flowed across the cave to a crack along the eastern wall, where it disappeared, so his plants would get water and he had a place to relieve himself.
He sat by the mouth of the cave. Huge snowflakes danced as they fell. Éimhín loved winter and snow. Someday he’d feel safe enough to enjoy it again.
—
Pim scratched his ear. Éimhín was beautiful. Pim had been drawn to him from his first sight of the human sequestered from the world by a prideful king. The winter in the tower was supposed to break him, according to servants’ gossip, but it had only made him stronger, thanks to Pim. And Kliment if Pim was being generous.
But being so close to Éimhín was painful, like looking through a window at a world Pim could never have.
Pim would break.
He needed to get out, to get away. Chase down those soldiers and have some fun.
But if he left, Éimhín’s plants would die.
But the sun wasn’t up all day long. A few hours wouldn’t kill them. Would it make the cave too cold for Éimhín’s comfort?
Pim couldn’t risk that. The stupid frost giant had made this cave the only habitable spot for miles. He’d just have to wait out Kliment’s irritation.
—
Éimhín laughed as the waist high apple tree burst into bloom. He had his own paradise.
Several of the other plants were trees too and he’d made a place for a fire if he ever needed one plus he had garlic and wild onion among the flowers. Now he just needed meat. Once the snow stopped maybe.
Tiny light flittered around the cave. They danced from blossom to blossom. Plants spirits had come to sip from the flowers. Éimhín was doubly blessed. A light landed on his knee. He dare not breathe. Another landed on his arm. He leaned against the wall. More came. Perhaps they were tired now that they were full. Soon Éimhín would be full too.
He watched the little lights until his eyes grew tired.
—
Kliment leaned against the cave opening. Éimhín was so close and yet so far. Kliment wanted to love him and hold him and take care of him every day of his life. But that would never happen. If Kliment could keep Éimhín safe, that would be enough. “Pim?”
“What?”
Did he have to be so close to Éimhín that he couldn’t walk to the cave opening? “Get out here.”
“I can’t.”
“Like hell you can’t.” Kliment was going to go in there and drag him out.
“If I go to the opening, Éimhín wouldn’t have a place to get cool.”
“Then come all the way out.” Who was the stupid spirit now?
“The plants will die.”
“Pim!”
Pim sighed and stepped out into the white world. He melted the snow at his feet and turned the water to steam. Kliment turned it back into snow. “Humans need meat, right?”
“Need?”
Pim was so frustrating.
“I’m going to catch Éimhín a hare. You’ll have to cook it.”
Pim turned back. His eyes were drawn to Éimhín as much as Kliment’s were. “Maybe you should just freeze one and leave it by the entrance. So we don’t give ourselves away.”
“How could he not know by now?” How many caves were warm while snow fell outside? Were light even at night? Had tress going and thriving inside? Kliment wanted Éimhín to know someone was taking care of him, even if he’d never know who Kliment was or why he was helping him. Lights flickered on Éimhín’s clothes. “Are those pixies?”
Pim shrugged. “Who ever gave him the fertile feet populated his little gardens with spirits.”
“Then where was this person when he needed saving?”
Pim sighed. “Maybe Éimhín wasn’t ever desperate enough.”
Because Kliment had been helping him. But he wouldn’t give up this last year and a half for anything. He wanted to be the one who saved Éimhín even if he had to have Pim’s help to do it.
Éimhín sifted in this sleep. The plant spirits roused and settled back against him. Kliment wished to be one of them.
—
Éimhín lay with his eyes closed. In his wonderful dream he has two guardians. They argue and pretend they don’t like each other. Then the tall, strong frost spirit stalks away and the fire spirit watches for a moment as many bright colors glide across his skin. The fire spirit sighs and retreats into the cave. The dream was over. Éimhín might as well get up.
The plants had grown while he slept. The apples and might be ripe enough to eat. He would risk a belly ache. He picked one for himself and another for the little lights. His apple tasted sun warmed.
A cold breeze rustled the vines at the entrance. A hare lay in the snow. Maybe the dream wasn’t just a dream.
The hare was close enough that Éimhín didn’t have to step into the snow to reach it. That couldn’t have been by accident. He carried the hare to the area he’d prepared for a fire. “Could I please have a spark?”
Nothing happened.
But like the ice spirit said in his dream, he couldn’t have gotten his far without help. And the heat in the cave was radiating from one place that moved around. He turned toward it. “Please.”
“You can see me?” The voice crackled like dry paper.
Éimhín strained his eyes. “Sadly, I cannot, but I know where you are and that another spirit stands just outside the cave.”
“Can you see the pixies, the plant spirits?”
“The lights?” Éimhín gestured toward the half eaten apple on the ground. Pixies must eat a lot for such little things.
“Yes.”
The warm neared him then backed away. But the warmth in his heart expanded.
—
Kliment hesitated in the cave opening. Éimhín couldn’t really want him inside.
Éimhín smiled. “Come in.”
But Éimhín couldn’t really, see him. He’d said as much. Kliment stepped inside and let the vines fall back into place.
“Come on. I can tell where you are, even if I can’t see you.” Éimhín stepped up to Kliment.
Kliment back away. “I’ll burn you.”
“But you didn’t burn the vines.”
“That was an act of will.” And Kliment didn’t trust himself not to lose control if he finally got to touch Éimhín.
“If you two hold hands, then you could touch me.”
Kliment was pretty sure he didn’t want to hold Pim’s hand. But if that meant he could touch Éimhín…
—
Pim stepped closer to Kliment. “Do you think it will work?”
“Should I try or you?”
Pim grabbed Kliment’s hand and then ran his fingers down Éimhín’s outstretched hand.
Kliment held Éimhín’s other hand. Éimhín’s squeezed Kliment’s hand. “You are the ice spirit, the cool one, who covered my trail with snow and saved me from my enemy.”
“Kliment. I used to play in these hills as a child. This cave was my favorite.”
Éimhín laughed. “Thank you.”
Pim wanted to hear thanks. He wanted to be loved too. “I’m Pim. I kept you warm last winter.”
Éimhín grinned. “So long ago.”
Kliment cleared his throat. “I saw you all cold in your tower and ask him to come.”
Pim would have yanked his hand from Kliment’s if he still could have held Éimhín’s. “I am the reason the plants in here are still alive. And I burned the grass and the duff in the forest. After the snows melt they will still not find you.”
“Thank you Pim, Kliment.” Éimhín stepped closer.
“At your service.” Kliment bowed.
Éimhín couldn’t even see it and Kliment was being annoyingly polite.
“Yeah, me too.” Pim closed his eyes. Why couldn’t he have said something better?
Éimhín tugged on their hands and led them to the pile of duff he used for a bed. “Touch me.”
Pim couldn’t have been hearing that right.
“Please.” Éimhín unfasten the neck of his gown. “I need you. Both of you.”
This wasn’t real. This was just one of the many fantasies Pim had concocted while watching Éimhín sleep.
Kliment reached for Éimhín. Pim wasn’t going to be left behind. By the time they gotten Éimhín bare they figured out that they only had to be close, not touching, to keep Éimhín safe in their arms. And Kliment wasn’t that bad of lover. Actually he was everything Pim had dreamed he’d be.
Éimhín was an experience beyond imagining. He was tender and demanding and passionate and strong and so very delectable. But he had been on the run for the last week with not enough food or sleep, so he didn’t last very long.
Kliment ran his fingers through Éimhín’s hair. “I never thought…”
Pim put his hand on Kliment’s arm. “Neither did I.”
He got up and checked the hare. The fire had done its job. He put it out. By the time Éimhín woke up, the hare would be cool enough to eat. And if it wasn’t Kliment could cool it. Pim snuggled back beside them and watched the soft snow fall.
—
Éimhín’s stomach growled. The cave smelled of cooked meat and warm apples and a heady mix of summer and winter. He opened his eye. Yes. He could see them, his handsome lovers. Kliment lay with his white, muscled leg off the pallet and Pim was covered by nothing with the bright lights on his skin. And they were Éimhín’s.
The hare and baked apples were delicious, more so with the wonderful company. They looked at each other and then away. They were together to save him and now together with him.
He pulled them back to the pallet to be together once more. Now that his belly was full, he could sleep safe and warm in his lovers’ arms.
