It's not that Lilia never had an inkling that this day would come, he just chose not to acknowledge it.
Such a wonderful, magical occasion, a reunion between a long lost prince and his royal family. And, in the spirit of goodwill, Lilia could've helped sounded the trumpets, adorned the throne room with bursts of colours, and woken up the stars just to shine upon them —
If only the boy were not his son.
"After all these years, you've come back to us!" The queen of the neighbouring country casts away all her manners for one moment and throws herself at Silver. It just now occurs to Lilia that she has beautiful eyes, the same ones as Silver.
"You were stolen from us all those years ago, we thought we would never see you again!" A wide grin can be seen through the king's beard, every bit of his rich voice filled with relief.
"Stolen?" Silver repeats, backing out of the embrace, "What are you saying? …your majesties," he adds. He came as a guard escorting Prince Malleus of Briar Valley to this country for some diplomatic affairs, nothing more.
"My father had done nothing of the sort," he asserts, standing in front of Lilia. And as every eye in the chamber presses down on the fae, Silver turns to him ever so confidently, "Right, father?"
Of course he would never and had never stolen a child. But does denying it make any difference?
Be it out of kindness or malice, for whatever reason and with whatever justification, if you were to take his Silver away from him, he'd say you were stealing too.
But he has the decency to hold his tongue.
The room begins to be flooded with whispered chatter, not that it mattered to him. Not Malleus stepping up, placing a hand on his shoulder and speaking for him. Not Sebek imploring him to deny those outrageous claims. Not any of those humans gazing at Silver as if pitying a defenceless animal leashed by a callous owner.
It doesn't compel Lilia to speak in his own defence. For if he spreads his arms right now, surely Silver would choose him, come to him, always his child, never asked for much. And as much as he hates to flaunt his victories, pride would well up in his heart. Not to prove them all wrong, but to prove himself right, prove Silver right, prove their little world in a forest cottage right.
"Silver," so he calls out, spreading his arms and beckoning for his son to return to him. His voice is serene and loving, not different from 5 years ago, or 10 years ago, or the first time he pushed the name through his throat and claimed this little one to be his little one.
Now suddenly spears are being pointed at him as if he had stormed in here with weapons in hand.
"Father!" Silver's countenance immediately flares with alert, a hand on his baton, ready to protect Lilia.
The sceptre of the human king strikes twice against the marble floor, demanding silence. He strides to Lilia, peering down at him, and while his tone bears no hostility, his soldiers' spears speak volumes, "In the past, your kind and mine had crossed swords to claim ownership of lands, treasures, resources. Today, we've learned from our history of foolishness. I stand here asking for what is ours — what I cherish and missed dearly — to be returned. Surely you understand the price to pay, should you insist on keeping what is not yours?"
Learned? Lilia intends to have learned quite a great deal, more than anyone here could possibly have. But perhaps he hasn't really. For in a split second of greed, one that he hasn't experienced in who knows how long, he cannot think of what he wouldn't give to hold his son in his arms just one more time. Then maybe just one more day. And maybe just one more lifetime…
But then he is posed a question — what could he give? What price could he pay?
"Kufufu," he chuckles, his crimson eyes could've boiled, could've seemed hollow, could've been a predator's — a monster's eyes. But they weren't.
He thinks about all the things Silver never had due to not being a fae, and all the things Silver could've had if he had human parents, and all the past foolishness and peace and loss and things that revolt him now… thoughts that had plagued him numerous times before, thoughts that he always selfishly chose to brush off because he was so sure he could make up for it.
And now he chooses to raise his head slowly, meeting the king's downward stare, eyes bright as ever, smiling,
"My, my, would you not spare even a minute for an old man to bid his son farewell?"
Without waiting for anyone's permission, Silver runs to him, grabbing his shoulders instead of complying with a hug, "Father, I have no intention of going anywhere! This is ridiculous, I—"
"I want to become a knight!" the same child had declared long ago — not all that long ago for Lilia, but long enough, "I'll fight for father and Malleus-sama!" The child chose him, chose a dull, harsh, hefty life before even trying to learn of the hundreds of thousands of choices that he could've chosen.
And Lilia had always wanted to show Silver more, more of what he could be, because Lilia always believed this bright child could be anything anywhere anytime if he so chooses.
He takes Silver into a hug nevertheless, as tightly as his small frame could against his son's sturdy build.
Unfortunately, now they only have one choice. Someone else's choice. Here. Now. And Lilia chooses not to fight it.
"You've found a happily ever after. Take it."
It's a hushed breath against Silver's ear, tender as the birdsongs they would sometimes hear back home, and yet Silver could not speak a single word against him. His hands drop to the small of Lilia's back, locking him with such strength that surely anyone else with Lilia's size would be crushed.
Not yet, not now, not enough, Silver thought. And until he has had enough, there is only breath against breath. Tensed against forlorn. Wavering against decided. Greed against greed.
And then he realises he would never have enough.
"Can't you stay?" the child croaks, an ugly sound that tries to hide too much and fails.
They both stop at the question, because, admit it or not, they both know Lilia's answer.
So Lilia dodges it, inhaling slowly. Instead of a word, a nostalgic tune flows from his thin, pale lips. Deep. Quiet. A river bringing them home.
"Come stop your crying, it will be alright"
Home in their cottage before all this transpired, when there was a human baby in a cradle, squeezing a fae's finger so tightly even in his slumber, and the fae, with the same voice, same tone, hummed,
Just take my hand, hold it tight
I will protect you from all around you
I will be here, don't you cry
They look on and listen, spectators to their own story as the water continues to flow and slosh and flood and splatter. There was the human child, soaked and sick but smiling as the fae caressed the child's round ears,
Don't listen to them, 'cause what do they know?
We need each other, to have, to hold
They'll see in time
I know
The river slows. The child's grown.
"When destiny calls you, you must be strong"
Lilia resumes singing, smiling lips, flickering voice, his gaze remains on the image.
"I may not be with you, but you've got to hold on"
He gazes with the eyes he always has when watching sunsets, beholding beauty that doesn't last, and only sometimes he would reach out, trying to hold it, keep it…
Silver takes Lilia's unmoving hand, "They'll see in time," and squeezes it tightly, "…don't go."
Lilia smiles. Slipping out of his son's grip.
The river stops.
He reaches up and brushes lightly on Silver's eyelids, closing them, and starts the song anew,
"Come stop your crying, it will be alright
Now look ahead toward the light
It will embrace you from all around you
And I'll be here, out of sight…"
When Silver opens his eyes again, he is not home, kneeling on the marble floor of a palace, and there is no father here.
"But you'll be in my heart"
The melody slips out from Silver's lips, in unison with the now fading voice.
"No matter what they sa—"
His voice breaks.
He stands up, and treads toward the throne.
"…always."
He remembers his father would always compliment him for being a child who never asked for too much.
He grabs a spear.
Alas, he chose to be raised by a greedy, selfish fae.
The End
A/N: The lyrics I quoted is from a song called "You'll be in my Heart" from Disney's Tarzan. If you're going to listen to this song, I strongly recommend the Celtic Woman version instead of the Phil Collins version or the Seki Tomokazu version. They all have good singing but Celtic Woman's version fits the loving parent vibe most in my opinion.
I really love this song and it's so fitting for Lilia and Silver that I've been wanting to write it in a fanfic for over a year. I've finally managed to do it 😭
Now go listen to the song and cry over the lyrics with me!