always and forever is forever young
your shadow on the pavement, the dark side of the sun
“I’m holding this over your head forever,” Ander warned. “The fact that I came all the way to Egypt for you.”

Mallos continued to stare at the craggy rock ceiling, but he did spare a grin. Cute, the things mortals thought were a big deal.

Insane, the things which were a big deal to immortals.

Ander leant back against the wall and slid down it so that they were sat side by side, casting his observant, spectacled eyes around the otherwise empty tomb. Mallos resisted the urge to take his hand.

“So how bad is it?” Ander asked, glancing sideways at him with a quirked eyebrow.

Mallos was a private person by nature, but it was easier to be open with Ander. When you’d already bared your heart to someone, what was the point in holding anything else back? So they sat in the quiet tomb, lit only by the ancient African moon outside, and Mallos recounted the events of the last few weeks.

He’d been allowed a couple of nights on Shaman to say goodbye. Tsi was decent – or, at least, he recognised that if Mallos was going to do a runner, he wouldn’t have confessed to the crime first. After that he was told, politely but firmly, to stay in Amarna while the trial was ongoing. He’d also been told, less politely but more firmly, to stay well clear of Rhaegar, who was staying near the royal tomb in a different wadi. Mallos didn’t need to be told twice. He and Rhaegar stood a better chance as a united front – if they couldn’t be that, then at least they could be not winding each other up. Or at least, Mallos could be not winding Rhaegar up, and Rhaegar could be not trying to hit him.

The initial few days, after the move to Amarna, had been chaotic. Mallos resigned, effective immediately, as International Ambassador. Ander whistled softly.

“I thought that was the job you always wanted to do?” He asked, pushing his glasses back up his nose where they’d slipped down. Even a Spaniard like Ander wasn’t used to the stifling heat of a desert tomb. “Didn’t you work half your life for this?”

“If they convict me I won’t be able to carry on doing it.” Mallos rubbed his temples. “Better to make sure they realise that now.”

“And force them to ask you for help in international affairs instead of just telling you to,” Ander noted astutely.

Mallos didn’t bother denying it. Ander’s shrewd assessment of his character was part of what had made him the perfect candidate when Mallos had been told he could invite a visitor to stay for the last night.

The story continued. The real shock had come when Zed also handed in his resignation – as High Judge of the Star Chamber – and refused to preside over the case because his conscience would not allow him to do so. Tsi had been left scrambling for a replacement judge, delaying the trial even longer. Zed hadn’t publicly stated any more than that, preferring to give his reasoning in private discussions with Tsi, but Mallos had his suspicions.

“He wants kids of his own,” he confirmed to Ander. The latter sighed.

“Mad, really, that a person’s reproductive rights are even up for discussion. What about the other original fairies?”

Over the course of the trial, they’d had the opportunity to make their voices heard but most remained uncharacteristically quiet. Allianah was near-silent, apparently torn between her compulsive rule-following tendencies and other, mysterious forces tugging at her certainties.

“I heard Tsi sent her to Xara to mediate and it was a disaster.” Mallos couldn’t help grinning again. “Even he has to realise how desperate he is getting Allianah to do diplomacy work.”

“Be nice,” Ander scolded, “she’s probably concerned about Rhaegar. Aren’t they both war deities?”

“She’s always been unusually hesitant about damning his crimes,” Mallos agreed thoughtfully.

Lorraine was also quiet, but in a more Machiavellian way. She seemed to be trying to decide which role would give her the most future influence. A true diplomat and politician. Mallos suspected – or hoped – that she’d side with him and Rhaegar, since they were probably the two deities she felt closest to amongst the council members. Charlton, on the other hand, was visibly distressed by the whole process.

“It’s difficult, so difficult,” Mallos mimicked, twirling his hands agitatedly in a near-perfect imitation of Charlton’s habits. Ander’s lip quirked.

Charlton did seem to be leaning against them, though – while he acknowledged both sides of the argument, he was giving more time to the importance of following the law. Khasekhemwy had barely said anything at all, but always shot Rhaegar terrified glances in the courtroom.

“So both of them could go either way,” Ander summed up. “Khasekhemwy will vote against you if he follows his conscience, but for you if Rhaegar scares him into it.”

“Comes down to him and Tsi.” Mallos shrugged. “Zed and Lorraine will vote in favour, Charlton and Allianah against. Khasekhemwy and Tsi will swing it one way or another.”

Ander nodded. Somewhere in the night, a jackal howled.

“What will you do if it doesn’t go your way tomorrow?” He asked.

The fact that Ander thought to enquire, and the fact that Mallos didn’t think twice about being honest in his answer, was the other part of the reason why he was the best person to be here tonight.

“I’m going to take Croe and run,” he answered without hesitation, eyeing the tomb’s entranceway like he half wanted to run there and then.

Ander nodded again. If this had been several years ago, he’d definitely have been more judgemental; time had taught him that there were better ways of dealing with Mallos’ more eccentric, immoral whims.

“What about your other family?” He asked calmly. Mallos shrugged.

“If I end up incarcerated, I wouldn’t be able to see them anyway.”

Ander raised an eyebrow. When Mallos didn’t elaborate, he glanced sideways at him with a slight smile.

“I think you’re self-sabotaging.”

“Please.”

“Oh yeah, and I think you self-sabotage a lot.” Ander smirked. “How much trouble have you been in since the last time I saw you?”

“I always get in trouble,” Mallos muttered.

“You always cause trouble,” Ander corrected. “And now you’re prepared to run off and start a covert, undercover life with the woman you knocked up. Not your smartest idea.”

“Well, what would you do?”

“Honestly? I wouldn’t be in this situation in the first place.” Mallos rolled his eyes and Ander conceded a little. “Okay, that wasn’t fair. You don’t believe in no-win situations, right? So come on. If worst case scenario happens tomorrow, how can you keep both of your families?”

Quiet fell again. Mallos drew his knees up to his chest and tapped them with his fingers, frowning. “I don’t think I could keep both of them if it was best case scenario tomorrow.”

“I see.” Ander twisted his ring thoughtfully around his finger. “So… instead of giving up, have you tried backing down? Actually listening to what Arthur and Morgana have to say, apologising, making some adjustments?”

Mallos scowled. “Then they’d make me give up Croe.”

“Tell them that’s not an option, then. Firmly but nicely. But be prepared to give up something else instead – probably being a dick.” Ander nudged him. “It’s called compromising. It’s what families do.”

The jackal howled again. Ander adjusted his glasses.

“Do you want me to come with you?” He asked with a gentle smile.

“I think a trip to Egypt is leverage enough for you,” Mallos smiled back. “Besides, the ex-boyfriend meeting the… whatever Croe is – ”

“Do your family know you’re not straight?” Ander enquired. Mallos gave him a look and he raised his hands. “Okay! Just saying, it’s still a big deal for some people…”

“Fine, come and meet them.” Mallos shrugged. “Satisfy your curiosity.”

“I’m not - ! Alright, I am,” Ander conceded. “But only because your family is as insane as you are. Your son-in-law is really King Arthur? Sword in the stone Arthur?”

“That,” Mallos grinned, “is a fantastic movie. Maybe instead of compromising, I could bring it to Shaman and - ”

“Mallos.” Ander’s voice took on a familiar warning note.

“Compromising also sounds good,” Mallos muttered.


i can feel you in the silence saying, “let forever be,
love, and only love, will set you free.”