A small gift for the amazing Spectralx I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it!!

He sat there, listening to the sounds of the forest around him as he let his mind wander, thinking back to his recent recovery and what he had discovered during those few days of illness. Why? Why had that man spent so much time torturing him like that, driving him towards the brink of madness? What had he done to him that caused him to target him? Had he done anything?

Resting his face into the palms of his hands, he began humming as he tried to relax his mind, having a hard time keeping all his thoughts organized in his head. He really couldn't seem to think straight at times but he knew that if he wanted to keep his kingdom safe, he would have to keep his mind focused on matters of greater import than what he was currently fretting over.

Pushing his fingers up into his hair with a sigh, he slowly began leaning back against the tree, the feel of the bark pressing into his back. A small ache behind his eyes brought the humming to a halt, his lips pulling into a frown.

"Maybe I should see Loche after I return... It seems the headaches haven't totally vanished yet..." With a sigh, Alexander rose to his feet and began weaving through giant trees of the Ember-Wood, his mount patiently waiting for him in the small clearing nearby.

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The haunting song filled the hot, dry air of the desert as the tall figure walked aimlessly through the dunes. His red cloak was muted by the dusty sand that clung to its surface, a single eye peering out at the world with a mix of repressed sorrow and boredom.

Clenching his fist, the song came to a halt as he couldn't hold himself back any longer. Somehow the boy had escaped his sight and he WOULD find out how. Nobody had ever escaped his reach before and he wasn't about to let this sorry excuse for a king be the first. After all, he had actually almost felt something other than boredom that came with knowing everything there was to know or the uncomfortable numbness or ache in his chest that followed the sorrow he'd found himself haunted by whenever he was reminded of his wife who had passed on so very long ago.

No, he wouldn't let this feeling escape his grasp! It was the most exciting thing he had felt in centuries! Definitely something of greater interest than the thought of spilling another's blood upon the ground. It was like a food he had tasted once and forgotten the flavor of until it was right before him, placed at the edges of his reach and the memories slowly coming back with each tantalizing scent that reached his nose. And now that it was before him, he was intent upon devouring every last bite. No matter who he had to kill to have it for himself!

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What a day. Potions to reduce the pain left behind, meetings that created new headaches in its place and still no clue how to deal with the situation he found himself in. The nightmares may have stopped but now Alex found himself in the curious state of almost... missing them? With his nights passing so dreamlessly the first few nights, it was almost a relief when he began having snippets of dreams return to him at night, even if he could tell they were lacking the connection of before.

Even the oddest of dreams was welcomed with open arms, although he refused to talk to anyone about them when morning came. But he had to admit, his favorite dreams were a few select new ones he had never seen before outside of a single poison induced haze. Even now the softly sung words seeming to hang in the air after he had been awake for hours.

Besides, it's not like dreams could actually hurt anyone... right?

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Walking with quiet grace down the path leading to the winding road down the stony cliff, the heavily bandaged male didn't even react when his foot landed on hard, dry ground instead of the soft sand he had been walking on for so very long. The only thing that mattered was finding the one who had seemingly brought his emotions screaming back to life, no matter how long it took. Ever since the boy had vanished from his 'sight' he had been feeling curiosity, excitement, even strange flickering moments of enthusiasm when he thought about what he could do when he found the foolish young king.

And oh, what thoughts he had! Even now his imagination ran wild with images of scarlet blood streaked across pale skin, of eyes wide with terror and pain as his fingers dug into tender flesh. Oh, it had been far too long since he had felt his heart race like this! And longer still since he had looked forward to seeing someone so very much.

Running his tongue across dry lips, unseen under the layers of bandaging, Vyair ripped down the fiery looking branch that blocked his path forward, eager to find his chosen prey.

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Exhausted by another busy day filled with meetings that he could barely force himself to focus on, Alex leaned against the enormous trunk behind him, his eyes slipping closed as he let himself finally relax. Listening to the birds singing around him, he happily returned a few  of the chirps and whistles he heard before falling into a gentle sleep, at ease in the forest he had hidden within upon his escape from the castle.

It was several hours later that he awoke, the sun resting just above the horizon as he blinked slowly at the world around him, trying to bring things back into focus after his long rest. Confused about what had woke him up, he looked around the area. Standing up slowly, he brushed off the dirt and leaves that tried to cling to him, sighing to himself before slowly making his way once more to the clearing where his mount waited patiently for him.

It wouldn't be until he got back to his room that he would find the long scratch along his side, wondering if he had brushed up against something sharp at some point in his rest.