Summary: Lorazieh and Reyson, pre-FE9; embracing the dream while shunning reality, can you not see how much that hurts me?
Notes: Sorry that this is more than a week late. To make up for it, I'm posting two chapters at once. Enjoy.
Prayer Song
The forest rang with the music of heron laguz calling out to each other, greeting the rising sun. Gentle figures wove through Serenes, tending to tasks that called out to them. In the center of the forest, children's laughter rang out as small children with delicate white, grey, and pale blue wings played intricate games that looked more like ritualized dances. A tall, slender man with white wings observed it all, a smile on his face as he answered questions and directed attention to what needed doing.
Lorazieh chuckled as little Leanne, barely seven years old, giggled and hid behind his legs. When Reyson came running in, eyes alight with mischief and looking around, Lorazieh relaxed, recognizing the game. His younger son's eyes looked up at him imploringly, silently asking where Leanne was, but Lorazieh shrugged, unwilling to give the game away. Reyson sighed and flapped away, searching for his sister elsewhere. As soon as he was gone, Leanne, giggling again, hugged her father's legs and left to find another hiding spot as the rules of the game dictated.
The forest was alive, swelling with laughter, love, and song, and nothing could go wrong. No matter what, nothing could go wrong.
In Phoenicis, Reyson watched his father dream, wondering what the crippled king saw in place of reality.