Chapter 18

Cypress gave a groan of dismay when Sorrel dodged him, only to have his hair captured by some tiny mouse sprite.

Sorrel not recognising him had cut him deeply, but he also understood it was because of what he was wearing. Cypress imagined his fur coat made him appear like a sprite, and he hadn't had the chance to remove the hood of his cloak before Sorrel incited chaos by trying to leave.

Cypress hadn't cared if he revealed his face. He was beyond caring about regal things like that.

He's so close. He was right there, right in front of him. Sorrel was in his sights, and the man didn't know the wretched Miss Mole was darting forward to help the mouse sprite.

He ran towards her with his wings vibrating furiously under his cloak.Removing his dagger from its hilt, he flicked his wrist forward, and it flew through the air. Miss Mole stumbled back when the blade embedded itself in the middle of her throat.

Gasps rang out around the room as she cupped her neck and blood pooled between her furry fingers. Her mouth opened and closed as she tried to speak, but Cypress paid little mind to her, to the enraged burrow sprites around him, or even the royal guards at his back.

Mr Toad had given him a very similar horrified expression, and it was delicious. Betrayal, confusion, fear. The powerful falling to the quick strike of a vengeful prince.

He didn't care at all about what he'd just done. All he cared about was the struggling man almost within arm's reach.

Cypress didn't waste a single second. He pulled out his sword and sliced it through Sorrel's beautiful hair to free him. Then he picked up the light man, threw him over his shoulder, and bolted towards the exit.

"Keep them back!" he yelled to his guards, who quickly moved to become a barrier to stop the sprites from leaving.

He used his wings under his cloak to jump over the enraged burrow sprites and to increase the pace of his sprint as he fled through the city. He crossed the distance in half the time Sorrel would have made it if he'd been running on his own.

Cypress would have preferred to fly, but he didn't wish to give away his identity, or species, if it could be helped.

He felt terrible for how Sorrel yelled and bashed on his back, but he couldn't stop to explain until they were safe. At every turn he took, rat sprites tried to cut him off, but he merely jumped over them and kept running.

His gaze flicked everywhere. Where's the damn exit?

When daylight shone through a hole in the ceiling, he jumped the distance while fluttering his wings inside his heavy cloak. They made it out, and he continued to sprint in order to put as much space as possible between them and the tunnel's entrance.

With his cloak weighing his wings down, he couldn't properly fly just yet.

"Put me the fuck down!" Sorrel belted out, bashing him in the back of the head with the point of his elbow.

The knock was so damn hard that Cypress saw stars. He stumbled, and Sorrel took it as his chance to get free. Before Cypress could even regain his footing, Sorrel booted him in the gut, and he caved in on himself as his back hit the snowy ground.

"Shit," Cypress rasped out, wheezing. He got back to his feet and reached out. "Sorrel, wait."

It was too late. Sorrel was gone, the shrubby, dense forest hiding him from view.

Cypress finally untucked his wings and leapt into the air to follow his footprints.

"Sorrel!" he roared, hope making his wings flutter faster than they ever had before. They pinched at the muscles in his back, but he ignored the pain in his haste. "Sorrel!"

He'd had him! In his fucking arms, Cypress had been holding Sorrel. But the man had been so confused and frightened he didn't know it was him.

When Cypress came to the end of his footprints, Sorrel was sprinting alongside the frozen river that led to his human mother's farmland. He'd found his path home, but it would take him weeks running like this. He was still so far away.

But there he was. Today was the first time Cypress had seen him in months, and he was alive. He was in a place where Cypress could talk to him, could reveal himself to Sorrel.

Cypress flew overhead and landed in his path.

Sorrel slid over the ground as his feet suddenly came to a halt, the surface wet and muddied with the snow.

"I found you," Cypress pronounced with relief.

His eyes bowed under the extreme emotion as the tension in his gut finally dissipated. After months, he'd finally tracked him down.

Clenched at his sides, Sorrel's fists shook. "Why can't you all just leave me alone?"he cried out.

Sorrel then brought those fists to his face to press them against his forehead with trembling arms. His shoulders caved inwards like he wanted to hide from the world by retreating within himself.

Witnessing Sorrel act like this, the man who had once been so playful, nearly broke Cypress. He cautiously stepped forward, trying not to frighten him.

"I don't care what you want, just go away. My answer is no. It will always be no. No matter what you say or how you threaten me."

"Sorrel..." Cypress yanked back his hood. "It's me."

"I don't care who you are! I have been chased all over this damn forest by stupid sprites and I'm tired of it. Go back to where you came from and–" The words died in Sorrel's throat when he finally looked up. He twisted his head while squinting, as if questioning that Cypress was truly before his very eyes. "C-Cypress?"

Cypress' brows drew together while his eyelids bowed once more, this time with concern. His gaze slid over Sorrel's body from head to dirty toe. Look at him.

Although he seemed healthy, there was a certain shadow in his eyes. One that spoke of fear, one that said he'd witnessed and experienced terrible things. The light-hearted man Cypress had been entranced by was now buried beneath pain.

Sorrel's shorn hair spiked around his head like a pixie. The front was far longer than the back and it tipped a little more to the left side due to Cypress cutting it unevenly.

Now his white suit was coated in dirt and dust, as was his face. Sorrel had looked so handsome standing at the altar. Cypress wanted to see this man in a similar outfit, but one that was worn for him.

Now he looked terrible, and Cypress felt for him, for the struggles he knew the man faced.

Sorrel looked over his shoulder in the direction of Burrow City's entrance.

"So that was you who..." He didn't finish as he turned back to look at him. He expected Sorrel to smile for him, to run into his arms, to at least look happy to see him. Instead, he wrung his hands together in front of his torso, his shoulders curving inwards in his anxious state. "What are you doing here?"

What kind of question is that?!

"I've been searching for you." Cypress reached his hand out in hopes he'd hold it, taking a step forward only for Sorrel to step back.

Sorrel's eyes darted away. "Why, though?"

"Why?" Cypress let out a dark laugh. "I promised I'd take you home. I promised I'd keep you safe."

"I don't know why you care." Sorrel let out his own unsteady laugh as he went to pat his hair. He recoiled at the length of it, then his hands found their way back and shakily twisted a couple of the longer sections before letting go.

"Why wouldn't I care for you?" Cypress didn't understand what was going on.

Yes, he'd lost him, but their night at the town had been filled with fun, with closeness. He'd touched him, brought him pleasure, and in doing so showed him just how much he couldn't resist him. Sorrel had told Cypress he liked him, and Cypress had done the same in his own way.

He hadn't gotten the chance to confess the extent of his feelings, but he'd been hoping all this time that it had been enough. Knowing Sorrel never wanted to marry Miss Mole was what gave Cypress hope that he may want to be with him.

"Because you're getting married." Sorrel's laugh came out more hysterical this time as his face screwed up. "Shouldn't that person be your concern? Why would you be searching for me all winter when you flower fairies are supposed to be hibernating now?"

Cypress couldn't believe that rumour had already started.

He'd told his parents he'd found the one he wanted to marry, but he didn't know the kingdom had immediately started telling everyone. Nothing had been set in stone, despite his parents saying they wanted him to get married in the first week of spring. He'd just been sharing what he wanted with his parents, who grew excited and told everyone.

"Well, I do plan to get married in the first week of spring. It's the best time for ceremonies of union, as it's the season of rebirth and prosperity. It means good luck." Cypress' lips thinned when Sorrel flinched at his words and took another step back. "However, that depends..."

"Depends on what?" Sorrel wouldn't meet his eyes, but Cypress still allowed a smile to brighten his features, despite his worry.

"On your answer."

His head shot up to meet Cypress' gaze. "P-pardon?"

The icy blue of his eyes was mesmerising, and Cypress' smile grew at finally being able to see them. To look upon Sorrel and see he was alive and well, even if he wasn't in the best state.

This was never how Cypress wanted to ask him, but it would do. He'd rather assuage Sorrel's worries than put it off when he'd already made up his mind.

"I've searched all winter for you," Cyprus started, before he looked down at his open palms as he faced them upwards.

The last time he'd looked at them was with a sense of hopelessness, and now he gazed upon them while reflecting on their time apart.

"You don't know how I felt when I turned around in Pond Town, only to discover you were gone. I'd promised to protect you, to keep you safe and take you home – and then you were gone. I broke my promise to you. One minute you were with me and the next I was spending months searching for you, all the while missing you."

Cypress curled his fingers, fisting them, as he battled the remaining tension that lingered in his body from his stress, his anger, his worry.

"All I wanted was to see your face. To hold you in my damn arms again. To touch you and talk to you, and have you tease me like when we were dancing. I wanted to know you were safe, and that you were with me. I ached for you with all of my being, and yet I couldn't find you. It weighed heavily on my heart every minute... No, every second you weren't with me. I knew from the moment I first saw you that I wanted you, but it was the night I spent with you that made me know you were the one I wanted to be with." He turned his face up to see Sorrel's eyes were welling with unshed tears. "I love you, Sorrel. Will you marry me?"

The first tear that fell was a lone one, and it was heavy as it dripped from Sorrel's right eye.

Cypress blinked at him, surprised to find Sorrel crying. He didn't think the man would ever do such a thing.

Then before Cypress knew it, Sorrel ran at him. Sorrel flung himself at Cypress and hugged him tightly, almost forcing Cypress to take all of his weight. Of course, he caught the pretty man.

"All I have wanted was for you to find me. I wanted you to take me home so I could see you again, so I could ask you if you would come back."

Sorrel shook his head against Cypress' neck when Cypress returned his hug, nearly lifting him off the ground. They both dug their fingertips in as if they were trying to bury under each other's skin.

With his face pressed against Sorrel's shoulder, Cypress took in his jasmine scent with relief. "I'm so sorry for losing you, Sorrel."

"I-I was so upset when they told me you were getting married." Sorrel tensed in his arms. "I thought you didn't care about me, that I meant nothing to you, when all I wanted was to be with you. I felt like a fool for falling in love with you so easily."

Cypress' heart fluttered hopefully in his chest and his wings mimicked its rhythm. He loves me…

"I still don't have your answer."

"Yes, Cypress!" Sorrel clung like he feared letting go meant Cypress would disappear. "Yes, please. I want to marry you. You're the only one I want."

His own eyes threatened to water, but instead he pulled Sorrel back just enough so they could mesh their lips together. He moaned into the kiss as Sorrel gasped. Cypress drew his lips over Sorrel's, nipping at them feverishly to make up for the months he hadn't gotten the chance to. The kiss was hard and heated, filled with so much longing from both of them it tasted almost bittersweet.

Cypress savoured it.

"I'm sorry about my hair," Sorrel said between more kisses. "I know you liked the length."

Cypress chuckled. "I don't care about that. All I care about is that you're safe."

Sorrel returned his laugh and darted his lips over to plant a kiss against Cypress' bearded jaw, then his cheek, and his forehead. "Thank you. Thank you for coming for me, for trying to find me."

"I'll always come for you." Then his voice and features took on a dark hint as he said, "And anyone who gets in my way will suffer for it."

Sorrel looked over his shoulder in Burrow City's direction once more. Cypress hated the way a hint of fear entered his features when all he wanted was for Sorrel to feel at ease, especially in his presence.

"But what about Miss Mole? She threatened to hurt Greta."

"She's dead. She can't hurt anyone."

Sorrel gasped and spun back around to look into his eyes, his face only an inch away. Cypress felt like he wasn't close enough.

"You killed her?"

"Yes." Cypress flicked his eyes between each of Sorrel's blue ones, searching his features as Sorrel took in what he was willing to do for him. That he wasn't the good prince everyone thought him to be. "That beetle sprite, too, when I found out he'd locked you away."

Sorrel bit at the inside of his bottom lip, the tension in his shoulders loosening. "You really did that because of me? Isn't it against the law for you flower fairies to harm others?"

Cypress shrugged. "I may have also tortured Mr Toad for what he tried to do to you. He assaulted you, and if you hadn't gotten away, he would have done much worse."

Sorrel visibly shuddered with repulsion. "I think he deserved that."

"Still wish to marry me?"

Sorrel's smile made tenderness soar through him. It was warm, like the winter morning sun shining down to chase away the worst of the darkness and the cold. Cypress felt Sorrel's smile lighting up the despair-filled shadows in the corners of his heart.

"Of course." Then he gave Cypress a quick kiss before pulling back. "However, can you take me home first? I know Greta must be worried sick."

"Absolutely." He lifted his hand to cup the side of Sorrel's beautiful face, admiring it as he stroked his thumb over the side of his cheek. "I'd like to be there and apologise for your absence."

Sorrel's brow twitched as he frowned. "You would reveal yourself to her?"

"For you, Sorrel, I'll do anything."

Since they were still holding each other, Sorrel just wrapped his arms around him tighter. "My heart feels so full."

Mine too, Cypress thought back.

Cupping one of his hands around the back of Sorrel's head, he placed his forehead against his new fiancé's, and breathed in the smell of his jasmine scent lightly wafting from his skin. To finally have him in his arms again, to feel his warmth and body, was the sweetest thing he'd ever experienced.