anyone;

[magnus]

you and I both know that the house is haunted
and you and I both know that the ghost is me

There is something about her that seems broken—empty. His mouth twists slightly, thinking of Minette and her children who had come here in a similar state. They had been so abused by Gryffen that they did not seem to even think that they belonged here or that they deserved happiness. Such a thought process was not completely foreign to Magnus, but his familiarity with the subject did not deter him from wanting them to find peace at their new home. He could only hope that one day they would find joy.

He could only hope that Shiya, too, would find her own peace.

At ease with the scaled mare, he frowns at her question. Not necessarily that she had asked it, but that it brought up memories of when he had failed the kingdom—that he had not been here to protect her. Walking alongside her, he motioned toward the large tree. “It was both before and after my time, but the Gates had a large garden where fruit grew. I have been told that if you eat the fruit, you can grow traits and drinking of the water will compel you to tell the truth.” He laughs a little, the sound low and throaty, “But the Gates was attacked by the Chamber and such magic was hurt. Not ruined, but hurt.”

He laughs a little at her admission and ruffles his wings in response. “I can understand that, although we are lucky that autumn in the Gates is a fairly mild affair. We do not have the bite of, say, the Tundra.” Or the Chamber, although their seasons seemed to be more insidious with the fog that blanketed the kingdom even more heavily during the colder months. Even the Valley’s fall was harsher than the Gates, but he did not say so. He did not like to think of the Valley; he preferred to keep it far from his thoughts.

When she stops, he does the same, and his expression remains sober. “Her name was Joelle,” he answers truthfully, because she seemed to want it. “I was from the Jungle and then the Chamber, but she was—light. She was everything I had never known, but I wanted her regardless. I pledged myself to her father’s kingdom and continued to serve her when she became Queen. I was made General of the army and she later asked me to serve by her side as King.” His smile is small and nostalgic as he looks around the kingdom, “I was never really made to live here. I still don’t belong truthfully, but I love this kingdom because of her, and I made myself a promise that I would protect it for her.” His eyes grow a little fierce at this as he glances back to her. “I’ll die before I let another attack befall the Gates again.”

MAGNUS

once general. once lord. once king.