lovefujitez

Title: Where Do We Go From Here?
Day/Theme: Day 6 / there lies a key
Series: Earl and Fairy
Characters: Earl Edgar Ashenbert and Lydia Carlton were created by Mizue Tani and illustrated by Asako Takaboshi.

Rating/Warnings : PG-13
Word Count: 1,110 words.

A/N: A possible spoiler. events in this story occurred after the last episode.

~0~~0~

Edgar thanked Tompkins for the feast that was laid out for them upon their return to the manor. It has been a very tiring day for everyone, the fairies included. Edgar kept his eyes on his open palm, staring at something he couldn’t see. He felt the weight of the key Banshee entrusted to him before she faded away.

“The key to Ibrazel.”

He clenched the hand holding the invisible key, the Earl wondered the kind of secrets the entrusted key would unfold.

“Pandora’s box maybe, who knows?” Edgar uttered to himself.

“Heir of the Blue Knight Earl, protect your people from the misfortunes of the Prince.”

Banshee’s words echoed in his mind.

“Banshee, how am I supposed to use a key that Lydia and I can’t see?” he whispered, closing his eyes.

In his heart, he still carried the heavy weight of his failure to protect Banshee. Although, Banshee chose to protect him from the attacking selkie, it was his life that was meant to end, not Banshee’s. She knew, but still jumped in front of him and took the bite from the ferocious sprite. She knew the attack would end her fae existence in this earth. It was her decision to do so. He shouldn’t feel any guilt for her passing, but he did.

Hours later, he retreated into his chambers without informing his guests. It was rude for him to do so, being the master of the manor but he needed to be alone. The festive mood shared by the majority of the household was not something he felt in his heart. Once he was in his chambers, he reached for the decanter filled with amber liquid and poured the contents in a glass nestled next to it. He needed to fill his body with the intoxicating poison, he needed to drown the pain.

‘I failed to protect my family in the end,’ Edgar sighed.

The amber colored liquid swirled as he slowly moved the snifter glass in a circular motion.

“Banshee,” he whispered, recalling the almond shaped topaz eyes that shed tears for him, tears that turned into pearls of amber, “It was my death, not yours.” With his heart filled with grief, he closed his eyes to stop the threatening tears from escaping.

In one gulp he emptied the liquor from the crystal glass, relief suddenly burned inside of his throat. Once he emptied the content of the bottle, his senses would numb and for the night, he could escape. The whiskey would kill the pain in his heart.

He smiled as he lifted his dazed ash mauve eyes to the silver moon, “I have the moon and gave it to Lydia together with my heart and yet she refused me as well, I am a pathetic man.”

“Lydia was never and she will never be yours to have,” he recalled Kelpie’s firm statement.

“Over my dead body,” was his response while he stared at the whirlwind in the fairy horse’s dark eyes.

“I am glad we agreed on one thing,” Kelpie snorted.

“My Lord,” Edgar’s trusted sprite called.

He turned to acknowledge Raven’s presence. Edgar was drunk and he was seeing double . He saw another person as well, someone from his past whom he deeply cared for.

“Ermine,” Edgar whispered. He extended out his arm trying to reach for her before he closed his eyes, stumbling on the carpeted floor.

Raven quickly jumped forward and caught his master midway from his fall, “My lord, let me take you to your chambers.”

Raven was worried about his master. He knew he would succumb to drinking after the harrowing night they all went through. But he, himself was stunned at how much it pained him to see how his master was suffering now. He never had such emotions stirred inside him but the couple short months he was exposed to Lydia Carlton, he learned how it felt to be more human.

He heard his master’s name called from outside, it was the fairy doctor. The door cracked open slowly as Lydia peeked her head shyly, “Edward?” Raven met Lydia’s questioning eyes as he slowly lifted his master from the floor, lending his shoulder to support the taller man. Lydia immediately pranced towards the other side of the unconscious royalty and carefully rested his limp arm over her shoulder.

“Raven what happened?” She inquired while struggling to keep her balance. The fairy doctor was frantic.

“Master had a little too much to drink. I apologize for my master’s weakness Ms. Carlton,” Raven responded sadly.

They managed to bring Edgar to his bed and carefully settled him under the covers. Lydia moved to the outer chamber and waited for Raven to change his master’s clothing. Once he was freed of his outer clothing, Lydia returned to check on Edgar. She pulled the blanket further higher closer to his chest so the sleeping earl would be warm.

It must be the scent of the chamomile in Lydia’s hair that stirred Edgar to move his hand and capture her small hand as she was setting the blanket over his chest.

“Edgar,” Lydia called in surprise.

“Stay with me,” Edgar whispered, “Ermine…”

The peridot eyes that met Edgar’s gaze widened upon hearing the other woman’s name, Edgar despite his state of daze noticed and he tightened his hold on Lydia’s soft hand.

“That’s the name, isn’t it?” Edgar asked softly, “she was a dear friend, just like Banshee,I failed to protect her too.” His eyes reflected the agony deep inside his heart and Lydia’s heart ached as well.

“Lydia, you are the only one,” he muttered softly.

~0~~0~

It was still dark when Edgar roused from his sleep, the dull pain in his head throbbed and his throat was dry. He needed to get up but delayed his plan when he felt some kind of soft, warm pressure on his right hand. He moved his head, slightly, just enough so he could peek and identify the source of such warmth, he smiled upon discovering a head of caramel colored hair resting on the side of his bed. Lydia was asleep, holding on to his hand.

Edgar turned his body towards his right, ever so slowly to avoid awaking the fairy doctor. The set of ash mauve eyes ogled at the angelic form peacefully resting. He wanted to be with her, but he wanted Lydia to want him too. He closed his eyes, keeping the smile on his lips.

“This is good enough for now,” he declared in his mind, “she is holding on to me while she sleeps.”

~0~~0~