Nick continued to glare at Cas’s father, taking Cas’s hand in support. “How could you two have let yourselves be captured?” Nick’s dad lectured, wearily but also a bit angrily.
“I’m assuming you’re going to pay up soon, as wonderful as this little reunion is,” Lydia sing-songed from behind the boys.
Cas's father grumbled angrily when he noticed Nick taking Cas by the hand, starting to dig something out of his pocket. He tossed a bag of coins in Lydia's general direction.
Lydia walked over and picked up the bag, opening it. “Hmm, let me make sure it’s enough,” she said, peering into the bag. She definitely seemed to take her time with it.
Cas's father marched over and grabbed Cas by the ear, starting to drag him off the ship. "Ow, ow, ow! Stop!" Cas tried to push him off to no avail, resigned to stumbling after him.
Lydia noticed and narrowed her eyes. “You’re ten gnuchs short,” she said, coldly. “Do you have the remaining coins or are you going to invoke my wrath?”
Cas's father grumbled angrily and fished around in his pockets. While he was distracted, Cas tugged himself free and rubbed at his sore ear, looking up at Nick helplessly. "Nope. Suppose you'll have to wait another day." He started dragging Cas away again.
“Uh-uh. You can’t have your son back until you have paid in full,” Lydia snapped, her eyes narrowing as she took a step towards him. Her hand was on the hilt of her dagger.
"I will unless you want royal armies set upon you. You'll get the rest tomorrow via a messenger." Cas tugged himself free again, his poor ear looking quite red.
Lydia glared at Cas’s father for another few moments. “Fine,” she relented. “But if you don’t, I will kill you in your sleep.”
Nick bit his lip, clearly wanting to go to Cas.
"I'd love to see you try. Come, Casper." He kept dragging along Cas, who gave Lydia an apologetic look.
Lydia flashed a brief look of empathy before going back to looking vengeful. She turned to Nick, pretending to be done with Cas, but privately wishing that she could help him. She happened to have a bit of a soft spot for kids with parents like his, but she wouldn’t let anyone know that.
Nick’s dad also produced a sack full of money, looking more worried and worn out than livid.
As soon as Cas and his father were out of sight, muffled yelps of pain were audible. Cas was being harshly scolded and punished for his carelessness, it seemed, in addition to his being too friendly with Nick.
Nick clenched his fists, his hands trembling with desire to punch Cas’s father. After Lydia let Nick and his father go, his dad gave him the typical “I’m not mad…just disappointed” speech.
After a little while of 'discipline', Cas was dragged away and locked in his room. He curled up on his bed and sighed, trying not to disturb his fresh injuries too much.
When Nick got home, Jane ran up to him and hugged him. “Jane, calm down! We were gonna be fine!” he protested.
“Well, they are pirates, Nick! You could have died!” Jane responded, only clutching him tighter.
“Jane…you’re crushing my ribs,” he groaned. Jane released him with a smirk.
Cas closed his eyes, still trembling slightly. He could remember that pitying look on Lydia's face at the sight of how much of an asshole his father was. She genuinely seemed bothered by it, which almost made him feel better, in a way. Maybe it would help when the aches faded. I wonder what Nick is doing…?
Nick couldn’t keep his mind off of Cas. “Well, what happened? All I know is that dad left without you and now here you are,” Jane said, trying to break him out of his thoughts.
“Our dad and Cas’s dad came to pay the ransom, but Cas’s dad was so cruel about the whole thing,” Nick said, his voice trembling for a moment. Was Cas okay right now?
Cas couldn't go see Nick, much as he wanted to. He'd been locked into this room, and the only way out was the window. Considering he was on the third floor and in no condition to scale a building, he was a bit trapped.
“Maybe I should go see him,” Nick suggested. Jane blanched.
“If his dad finds you, he’ll skin you alive! Not to mention he’ll probably also punish Cas!” Jane responded, trying to talk some sense into her brother.
“But what if he needs me?” Nick argued quietly.
“You don’t even know where his room is or where he’s staying,” Jane hissed, pulling Nick into her room so they could converse in private.
Cas managed to slip under his blankets and huddle into them, hoping he could just ignore the pain long enough to fall asleep. Right now, that wasn't going particularly well for him.
“Joke’s on you, Jane, because I know the place, I just need to find the room,” Nick told her with a cocky grin, trying not to look nervous. Jane wasn’t fooled.
“Okay, what about the skinning you alive part?” she cried, her eyes wide. “Don’t be an idiot!”
“I’ll be back in fifteen minutes,” Nick replied and hurried out the door.
“Dad is going to kill him if he finds out,” Jane muttered, though even she knew that unless Nick started a war or cost their father more money, he wouldn’t take much notice.
Cas kept his eyes firmly shut, trying not to think so he wouldn't cry. He felt empty, lonely, and hopeless, which was causing his powers to act up again. He didn't notice the bed and the floor and wall around him slowly beginning to freeze.
Nick hurried off to where he was mostly sure Cas was staying. He did a quick inspection of the of the place, seeing one of the windows beginning to frost over. It was a fairly warm day, so that was wildly out of season. Nick smiled. He’d found the right room. Now the only thing left was to get there. There weren’t any trees nearby, so he’d have to scale the wall. It was a painstaking process, and his hands were a bit bloody by the end, but he had done it (albeit with one close call). He tapped lightly on the window, hoping Cas would let him in before he fell.
Cas looked up at the noise, surprised. "Oh my god- Nick!" He scrambled to his feet and went over to the frosty window, forcing it open. "What're you doing here?! My dad would kill you if you're seen!"
"I came to see you, duh," Nick responded with a smile, trying to come gracefully, but ending up falling through the window. He stood up and brushed himself off with a sheepish smile before noticing the state Cas was in. "Are you okay?"