Fable - Ask The Hidden Isle

[Raphael]

"Almost there..."

Raphael had stuck to his word to Samara Khalid. He hadn't spoken to Lorcán since... the incident at the Wild Hunt. Not in so many words anyway. His brother had been rightfully angry and hurt at both him and Maeve but it was much more important that his friend reconciled with the person who shared his heart and soul than him. He could, and had, waited. But then this promise given to someone, someone who besides Lorc and Sid who made him smile and laugh and forget about the things the Erlking made him do beneath the palace of the Autumn Court, had forced him to make the first move rather than waiting for his friend to come to him when he was ready. To say he had dreaded it had been an understatement. It had taken them both time to wade through the complicated pains their fight had brought to light, not least because they still did not see eye to eye on it and it had shifted their relationship to a new level, but it had been done. At a cost.

She cannot know the way here.

The first rule, Raphael had had no qualms with. She was a part of the Slaugh and though he might have trusted Samara with his life, trusting her with the careful piece of paradise Lorcán had created was quite another. He felt as much a duty to the people who sought refuge there as any other right hand would to his subjects. So when he had told Samara she could visit, he had been quite firm on the blindfolding. It was why the journey had taken a little longer than normal but Raphael was patient and he thought Samara would be happy with what she saw in the end. He guided her now, as careful with her as he would be a priceless bit of art, as he held her in his arms and flew. To anyone looking on they would have seen the expanse of the river and a puca flying to the far distant shore. But between one blink and the next, he was gone.

Through the shimmering glamour and artful wards Lorcán had created to protect his tiny kingdom. Raphael tilted his wings and landed on the agreed upon island, one of the closest to the boarders and thus one of the uninhabited ones though no less beautiful. He set Samara down on her feet then lifted the blindfold to reveal her first sight of Endora.

"Welcome, to Endora."

​

 

[Samara Khalid]

Raphael had been true to his word. He had shown up on her doorstep with his dark smile and a blindfold. Samara had laughed and accepted the condition of her being allowed to visit Endora. He had flown with her one time and it was a strange sensation, now with the addition of the blindfold and it was even stranger. She was not scared though. He held her tight and he kept her safe. She trusted him completely.

The Hound felt solid ground beneath her feet and then Raphael lifted her blindfold. She smiled at him and leaned up to kiss him on his cheek as a thank you for not dropping her. She turned then and her breath caught. It was beautiful. The colors, the cherry blossoms, the rocky cliffs...it was breathtaking and it had done just that to Samara.

"Raphael...it is...gorgeous..." She turned back to him and wrapped her arms around his neck with a wide smile on her pale face. "Thank you so much for bringing me here. I cannot wait to see everything! I hope you brought a ball, Raphael." The sentence was a joke from their date to the waterfall. He had promised her lakes and a ball. Well...the ball part had been a tease but she still loved it.

There she went acting like a young school girl again. Samara, Huntress of the Sluagh, brought down every single time by the quiet Puca that she liked quite a lot.

 

[Raphael]

The second, is that I want to meet her.

Raphael's hands fell naturally to her waist and then slid round to the small of her back so he encased her in his arms, tugging her tight against his body. He had missed her and grown bolder because of it. By the lake he would not have dared but now... maybe it was Endora. Maybe it was the fact the lonely feeling that had been gnawing at him was going now she was here. Or maybe it was just the way she smiled. Whatever it was, Raphael no longer had the same stringent resolve as he had had before.

"I did," he mused, eyes sparkling. It was hard to tell if he was being deadly serious or joking from his tone. slowly he bent his head, hesitated to make sure she leaned up to meet him, before claiming her lips in a slow, soft kiss. One hand came up to gently capture her chin in his grip.

"I missed you."

 

[Samara Khalid]

Samara melted into Raphael as he kissed her softly. It was different from when she had kissed him at the waterfall. He had initiated this kiss and he held her tightly against him in his powerful arms. It was like he had relaxed as soon as they had landed on the island.

"I missed you."

Butterflies danced in her stomach as she studied his amber eyes. It had only been a few days since she had seen her Puca last but she missed him too. "I missed you too," she said softly, reaching up to push a stray hair out of his face and then resting her palm on his cheek while he still held her chin.

"Do I get to meet Lorcan?" Samara asked as she closed the gap and gave him a similarly gentle kiss to the one he had just given her. She was sure that one of the conditions of her being allowed to come here was that Lorcan would have to meet her and approve of her. The Hound was okay with this especially if this meant she got to spend more time with Raphael.

 

[Raphael]

And just like that, all the joy fled from him. It was probably clear on his face too for he grimaced openly and tried to avoid her eyes.

I wish to meet her.

His brother had not said it in a particularly nice way. In fact, he'd said it in a way he couldn't read for the first time in his life. He could understand if he was wary of letting a member of the Slaugh into Endora but there was something more to it... something about judging her on a much deeper level. He had a sickening feeling he was going to be... He slowly loosened one arm from around her and rubbed his face.

"Yes... That is why you're here and not... at my house," he said slowly, forcing himself to meet her eyes. "Lorcan is..." He struggled for the words. "I don't know how he will be with you."

Raph would settle for polite.

 

[Samara Khalid]

Samara did not like how Raphael's demeanor completely changed from one second to the next. Samara brought both of her hands to his cheeks so he would have to look at her. "Raphael, I have nothing to hide. I expected that he would want to meet me and I still wanted to come...to be with you. He is your brother and he has every right to protect you and his home."

She gave him a soft smile and tried to hold down the tiny amount of fear that she did feel. She hoped Lorcan was not like his father. Of course he wouldn't be. Raphael would not consider someone who acted like the Erlking among his kin.

Samara let one of her hands take his and she squeezed it. "Everything will be okay, Raphael. I am not here as a spy and I have no intention to hurt you." She smiled up at him as they waited for the Prince.

 

[Lorcán]

Lorcán was a little surprised that Raph had failed to notice the large raven perched on a nearby rock. He was usually fashionably late and he enjoyed an entrance, but today he decided to be a little early and thanks to his brother's lack of observation, he was still watching the pair...

'Lorcán is...'

The raven's head tilted expectantly. Even in this small form, he could feel his chest tighten at his brother's trepidation and a wave of guilt crashed into him, causing the blue-black feathers to ruffle. Things had changed since he'd met Maeve. He'd gone completely off the rails when he'd come home without her, and since he'd found her again he'd been so obsessed with keeping her safe that he'd been consumed by paranoia and fear. It was why he was sitting here now, listening to this conversation, and why his brother seemed afraid to introduce him to someone that he cared about.

He looked to the female as she answered, as she reassured and comforted the puca, and internally he groaned.

Large wings beat at the air, lifting the bird from its perch and toward the pair. By the time he alighted again, his form had shifted seamlessly into the tall, shirtless form of the autumn Prince, his unruly dark hair flopping over his eyes and casually swept back. The wings remained, now so large they trailed on the ground when they folded at his back.

"Touching." he grinned, his cheeks dimpling roguishly.

"Brother." his chin dipped at Raph and his dark gold eyes settled once again upon the female. "Samara of the Sluagh, I assume." his brow quirked and his hand settled on his chest as he bowed politely.

 

[Raphael]

Raphael's eyes were a storm as he looked up through his thick lashes at Samara whilst she spoke. Her assurances and reasonings made him feel guilty, guilty for not being able to tell her the whole truth of what had happened between him and his brother that had created this new rift between them. Maybe her opinion would change then. Maybe, he feared, she might even want to leave. His heart squeezed as she took his hand and he bought her hand up to nestle against his chest, to bring her closer, in his own little way.

"It's not just that, Samara," he rumbled in a low voice. "It's-" But whatever he had intended to say was forgotten when he caught sight of the movement of wings. Stupid. His guard truly did come down when he was in Endora. He should have spotted Lorcán a mile off and his temper heightened at his own idiocy. What if it had been a threat? Squashing that small voice that had been with him since birth that told him he was worthless, a muscle in his cheek throbbed at the gentle tease. But he returned the nod and then glanced to Samara, not wishing to presume to introduce her.

 

[Samara Khalid]

Samara had no idea what to do with Raphael. Sometimes she just wanted to shake him but she didn't. No, she liked him too much for that. Someday it would happen though. Her hand was on his chest when his words broke off and he looked behind her.

The voice that she assumed belonged to Lorcan spoke and she slowly removed her hand from Raphael's chest. The Hound turned to face the Autumn Prince, her lips parting slightly as her breath caught. He was gorgeous. She had never actually seen him in all of her years serving his father. It took her a second to compose herself and she offered the Prince a low bow.

"Yes, Samara Khalid, your highness..." Was that what he went by? What if it wasn't? He was going to think she was an idiot. Her hand was still in Raphael's and that seemed to be the only thing that was keeping her teethered to herself. "It is a pleasure to meet you. Endora is beautiful," she said politely before adding, "what I have seen so far anyways."

Was this going to be a fucking thing with all of the brothers? Her being flustered and not knowing what to say? She would die of embarrassment if it was.

 

[Lorcán]

The last thing Lorcan had ever wanted to be was his father. He, like Raphael, had done what he'd had to, they'd dirtied their hands and reputations in the Erlking's name, they'd caused fear and suffering because they'd had no choice in the matter. And he had never felt more like his father right now to see his own brother so anxious to be here.

The smile he offered Samara was one that warmed his gaze to polished amber. "Lorcan, please." he insisted gently, and his lips kicked up into a smirk. "Though some people prefer 'moody bastard'." he laughed under his breath and turned to Raph.. It was an odd thing to see him like this, as he had moments ago before mention of him had caused the joy he'd witnessed to be cast into his shadows.

"You failed to mention quite how beautiful she is." he commented with a quirk of his brow and his hand rose to grasp hold of to crook of Raphael's neck, the smile he wore saying far more about how happy he was for the puca than words possibly could. If Raph cared for her and trusted her, then he would too.

"I've been...Difficult." he frowned at the understatement. "I'm...working on it. I shouldn't have taken it out on you. This place was meant to be a haven, not a prison. Forgive me?"

 

[Raphael]

This was not how Raphael had wanted Samara to meet Lorcán. He'd imagined a meal, maybe even a party of sorts, with Maeve and Sid, and the few others in their tight family-like circle he trusted. There would have been wine and a lot less... tension. He'd bought it on himself with what he had done, even if he did still stand by his decision. But it hurt that that moment, this first moment, of introducing two important people was gone and replaced with this. He watched Samara stumble over the right title and inwardly winced, chided himself for not saying something, and got the sneaking suspicion she was going to berate him when they were alone for leaving her floundering.

He was desperately grasping how to diffuse the tension when Lorcán cracked a smile and just like that... the tension snapped.

Raph let go of a breath he didn't realise he was holding and returned the smile. He let go of Samara's hand to clasp his brother on the upper arm and savour the embrace of two people who had been through hell together.

"Always," and he meant it. Slowly, he pulled back and then scrubbed a hand through his hair with more relaxed crooked grin to Samara. "If you think this is bad wait until you meet Sid."

 

[Samara Khalid]

Samara chuckled at his moody bastard comment, but kept quiet. It was not time for her to speak yet. No, the brothers needed to figure their shit out before she spoke again. She felt heat rise in her pale cheeks when Lorcan mentioned she was beautiful and she looked down quickly to hide it.

But then...then Lorcan and Raphael exchanged a few words and embraced causing Samara to smile genuinely. She was overjoyed that the tension had dissipated. Now they could have the good vacation that they greatly deserved.

"So is it the moody bastard triplets that I am going to have to deal with? Because I was already thinking that two of you were bad enough." She bumped her shoulder teasingly into Raphael's arm. It seemed that Lorcan shared his same sense of humor so hopefully he did not take offense.

"Thank you for letting me come visit, yo...Lorcan," she corrected herself quickly. "I am happy to spend more time with Raphael and to meet his real family." Family did not mean blood and in this case, his brothers were his everything. She wanted to know them and she wanted them to know her.

 

[Lorcán]

The knot he'd held in his chest, that'd tightened every day since the wild hunt, suddenly loosened and he let out an easy breath at his brother's forgiveness. A husky laugh tumbled out at the mention of Sid, and Lorcan gave Samara a sage nod.

"I'm afraid so. But three moody bastards are better than one." he smirked. Samara's words and the way in which she said them caused Lorcan's gaze no narrow on her slightly, his lips still curled into some semblance of a smile before he finally looked back to Raph.

"I like her." he winked.

In the few short minutes since the pair had landed on the island, he'd seen, heard and felt the female's care for his brother. Raph seemed happy, and that was all he could ask for.

"You're welcome to explore the island. Call it home if you wish. And I would like for you to meet Maeve - feel free to come by the Orchard. For now, I'll leave you to your alone time." he grinned wolfishly and nudged Raph's side with an elbow. His wings spread as he stepped back, and with a beat he was lifted into the air.

 

[Raphael]

Raphael at least had the decency to look ashamed and guilty at Samara's words, though the heartbreaking grin suggested it wasn't a heft amount of either. Sid would be eating out of her hand as long as she brought him food, a fact he would make sure she knew before any introductions were made. It would make for a lot less tense meeting. When Lorcan eventually gave his verdict the Puca smiled faintly and nodded a silent thank you. If he hadn't of approved... well. He wasn't quite sure where he would have gone from that point.

He hadn't been expecting an invite to his inner most sanctum though, with Maeve of all people. His brows rose.

"Thank you," the deep warmth in his tone showing just how much that invitation meant to him, even if the weight of it wasn't something Samara could appreciate just yet. His wings reflexively opened when Lorcan spread his own and he watched quietly for a few moments after his friend had taken off and started to wing his way back to his home.

"Well..." he said eventually. "That went far better than I thought it was going to."

 

[Samara Khalid]

Samara smiled as Lorcan invited them to meet Maeve and watched as he took off. She had been acting brave but she was terrified that Lorcan would not approve of her. She knew that Raphael would choose his brothers over a woman he had only known a short time. She wouldn't even blame him either.

She moved to stand in front of Raphael with a wide smile on her face. "It did and I couldn't be happier!" She said and leaned up to kiss him softly once more.

"So...are you going to show me your home? I mean Endora and the home with your bed," she winked at him. She knew it would fluster him and that just made her smile more. She loved messing with him. He made it so easy too.

"And thank you again. I am truly happy to be here with you, Raphael. You make me happy," she touched his cheek gently and then turned to look out at the beauty around them with her back against his chest.

 

[Raphael]

Raphael's skin didn't seem to be able to decide whether to drain of blood of flush a brilliant red at her insinuation. The result was a purple shade and a strangled look to his eyes, like a wild horse who had felt a halter for the first time. When he realised she was only teasing he relaxed a little and then scraped a hand through his hair, cutting her a look that suggested he wasn't sure whether she was going to follow the compliment with another jibe. She certainly kept him on his toes.

"I thought... I could take you for a little flight without the blindfold this time," he smiled crookedly. She'd seemed to like it at the waterfall and seeing Endora from above was one of his favourite sights. "Then, I can show you where you're staying... and tomorrow we can explore on foot."

 

[Samara Khalid]

Raphael's reaction did not disappoint. Samara wanted to kiss him as an apology but she held back. She did not want the poor Puca to have a heart attack in this beautiful place. She turned back to look at him with a huge smile on her face.

"I love your thoughts, Raphael. I think I would very much enjoy the sights when I can actually see," she teased. It did sound wonderful. She was excited and not just because it meant that Raphael was going to hold her tight against him. That was just a happy coincidence.

"I like that you have figured out what I like doing so quickly. Flying and running...yes!"

Samara was practically jumping at this point. If she was in her hound form, she would be wagging her tail.

 

[Raphael]

Shucks really did carry a certain canine nature over to their human form, Raphael mused as he watched her bounce about the small island in utter glee. At least he had done something right; he had toiled over what to do on their first day, not wanting to cram too much in but wanting to give her enough of a flavour for it to wear off a little of her excitement.

"I'll bring the ball along tomorrow too," he chuckled and then gently took her hands and tugged her closer. "Are you ready to see Endora?"

 

[Samara Khalid]

Samara narrowed her eyes into a mock glare that was accompanied by a smirk at the mention of bringing the ball. She did not say anything as he took her hands and brought her close to him. She smiled up at him and nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, I am excited!"

Samara was pretty sure that Raphael half liked that she was here with him and also half regretted ever talking to her at that party. She had pretty much inserted herself into his atmosphere and he had grudgingly allowed it. The trip to the waterfall had been a big step for him and this was even bigger. He had invited her to come to his sanctuary and she needed to calm the fuck down before he dropped her while flying.

 

[Raphael]

Raphael chuckled as he half bent to scoop her into his arms, her knees hooked over one forearm and her back braced against his opposite shoulder.

"Try not to wriggle too much," he warned, throwing her that signature crooked smile once more, before his wings spread and he propelled them both into the air.

Endora was indeed beautiful from the sky. In the grand scheme of the Autumn Court it was small - the hazy glitter of the islands boundaries could be seen from the high vantage point in all directions - but that didn't make it any less beautiful and wild like the rest of the Court. Cherry blossoms seemed to sprout up in most places spewing flowers of multiple shades of red, pink and purples across the landscape. Wild waterfalls and rapids broke up the vegetation creating several deep pools. Fae raised their hands in greeting as they passed or ignored them entirely, utterly at ease in the knowledge whoever entered Endora was trusted.

Then, nearer the centre of the island the trees became more sparse and houses, farmers, then a city came into view.

 

[Samara Khalid]

Samara would have been content if the island was horribly ugly. Being in Raphaels arms, flying above the world, that was happiness to her. But since Endora was not horribly ugly, she enjoyed the flight immensely.

She had never seen a place as beautiful as Endora. It was a perfect paradise with its cherry blossoms, waterfalls, lakes...she longed to see it all. She just smiled in silent awe as they flew. At least Raphael had now figured out how to shut her up for a little bit.

She didn't know what she was expecting of the island but she gasped when the city came into view. It was beautiful. She could see the love that Lorcan had poured into this place.

Samara felt honored to be here.

 

[Raphael]

Raphael felt a swell of pride at her reaction.

"You know, it was Lorc, Sid and I who built the majority of that city," he mused as he dipped down lower for her to get a better look. The streets were wide enough for fae with wings to pass each other with ease yet they managed to keep a charming, quaint feel. Flowers adorned most window boxes, and colourful streamers fluttered down the main streets with different symbols on, highlighting to visitors which quarter they were shopping in.

"Most of it was wilderness when we arrived, aside from a few of the more reclusive fae."

 

[Samara Khalid]

"How long did it take to build this?" Samara asked as she took in all the colors and the beauty of the city. It was truly breathtaking. She definitely did not let the fact that there was a expansive market slip past her. She would have to make a point to visit. Samara did enjoy shopping but she wouldn't subject Raphael to that.

"Were the more reclusive fae upset to have their wilderness destroyed? Or were they okay since you left enough wild out here?"

 

[Raphael]

"A few months," it should have taken longer but Lorcan had been driven by the fury and heartache of having to let his mate go. Sid and Raph had had the choice to keep up or let their friend push himself too hard.

"Lorcan spoke with them before he begun building, explained what he wanted to do. Most of them believed in his vision and agreed to give this space over to the people seeking refuge from other courts," he banked his wings to catch a stronger current and to give his wings a brief rest. The warmth of it made him sigh. "I think there are only a few nymphs who decided to move to another island because there would be strangers here but he helped them find uninhabited islands."

 

[Samara Khalid]

"Makes sense. I think you all did a spectacular job. It's absolutely beautiful." Samara's tone was full of awe as she spoke. She wasn't sure if she had ever seen anything this beautiful before.

"You have called this a refuge several times. Hypothetically, how would one come to live here if they needed to?" She wasn't so much asking for herself but it was good information to have if she or someone she knew needed to get away.

She was enjoying the wind in her face and being in Raphaels arms so she felt a little bad asking a question that may be a sensitive topic.