And what's the worst you take from every heart you break? And like
the blade you stain, well, I've been holding on tonight.
Would he always return to the meadow? It seems that he remains enamored with the idea of attempting kingdom life like his father before him but it never holds his attention for long. Perhaps it was the fact that both of his recruiters have seemingly disappeared during his duration in both kingdoms. First, Peppe. And now Engelfors. When Michaelis was left to his own devices for long then he tended to grow quite bored. There hadn’t been anybody else in those kingdoms that had held his interest.
This was why he had briefly ventured back home.
Although he had grown terribly fond of those dark, foreboding pines.
Perhaps he could find something intriguing within the embrace of the chamber. After all, he was aware that Makai had had some sort of connection to her. But the connection remained a complete mystery to the shadow child. It seemed all those who he considered to be his were fated to remain out of sight. Makai had long disappeared into the shadows, perhaps more perfectly than Michaelis could even attempt. Nebibi had left the nest and Wayra had been stolen away. But his blue girl had remained scarce for quite some time now which had left him quite lonely. And without Engelfors to mince words with, the shadow child was left to whittle his time away within the comfortable shelter of the pines’ branches.
Of course, he had waited until nightfall before venturing out on this humid night. His eyes remained extremely sensitive to any light and he had shifted into the lifestyle of a nocturnal creature for the most part. But he honestly didn’t mind too much once he had mostly gotten over the fairy experience. The meadow-dwelling tendrils welcomed him fervidly, like lost puppies clambering to be the first to greet their master. He smiles at their clumsy attempts to greet him and he endures it all with a patience that he rarely has when they are overly excited.
They eventually settle down and reassure themselves with occasional brushes against his skin. He continues his night walk beneath the clear, starry sky with an aura of contentment lingering after him. This was his birthplace, his home in all intents and purposes. He has even raised several of his children here. The meadow never failed to fill him with a sense of homecoming whenever he stepped foot within its borders.
( The Shadow Child )