Nicandros placed both if his hands under his head, laying on his back. He looked up at the stars. He was too wound up to sleep just yet. He wasn't sure if sleep would come to him at all.
He knew the stars, knew some of the constellations. His mother had taught him when he was a child. He had a fascination with sneaking out at night to look at the sky. His mother caught him early on and instead reprimanding him, she would go out with him and together they looked at the sky.
Nicandros jolted when Bel shot up. His hand gripped the home of his knife, turning and looking. Cassian, ever watchful, had his sword in hand. With a signal, he conveyed there was nothing out there.
He released his grip and sheathed the blade away. He sat up completely, crossing his legs in front of him. He moved so that he was sitting in front of Bel. Ever so gently, he placed his hands on his shoulders, his arms. He rubbed them gently, soothing.
"It's alright. Nothing is out there." A lie. There was plenty out there but none were coming for them just yet. "You're safe. We'll protect you. It might not mean much to you, but my word is all that I am. I swear to you no harm will come to you as long as I live." He held his arms out, welcoming. "Come here."
Everyone had their fears. Each one was just in their own right. And Bel was afraid of the dark.
It's all still far too dark for Bel to truly understand what's happening, but then two firm hands grip his shoulders, then his biceps. His breathing is still just as heavy, but at least the blackness is ebbing from his vision. Still shaking, Bel brings his hands up to his face to bury them in. Burned into the backs of his eyelids are shapes made of shadows and inky oil. Even when he tries to open his eyes, he's forced to see even more of the dark– There's a face. Not any face, but Nico's.
"It's going to kill me," Bel chokes out. They're going to kill you. Miran and his father had said. Similar to how his sister would find him when they were younger, Bel falls into the awaiting arms, trying to choke back sobs. We're in palace walls, Bel. She had said. I'm no longer protected by an army, Bel answers.
Nicandros wrapped his arms around him as Bel cried. Raising his eyes, he spied Cassian looking out to the woods. The others were either snoring or pretending to sleep. They would give them space.
He slowly reached his hands forward and undid the bindings. He would need to retie them later but for now, there was no need for them. Bel was more likely to curl up than run away in this condition.
He stroked his back soothing, rocking the both of them. He hummed a soft tune, trying to calm and distract the prince. "Nothing is going to kill you, Bel. As long as you are with me, I will protect you. I will die before I see a hair on your head harmed."
He pressed his lips to the side of his head. He was so gentle, so, so gentle. He now regretted that they would be able to stop at a village for weeks. It was too risky. They would be too close to the palace. They needed to get further away. They could always take a longer route and hit the villages closer along the border, but it was also a risk to take so long to get home. But seeing how their prince was reacting, they might not have much of a choice.
Nicandros gently pulled him up and moved them to a tree. He sat with his back against the trunk and Bel into his side. Had he been anyone else, he would have pulled them into his lap to comfort them. His men, his people, his attendants. He had done it before with each of them surrounding them. Each of them had gone through their how trauma while Nico had been in their lives. He had been their for each break down, held them in his lap and comforted them until they felt better.
He didn't think Bel would react well to that.
So he held him to his side, humming quietly and rocking them. At this rate, he would let Cassian sleep and Nico would take over watch for as long as his body would let him.
As soon as he's untied, Bel's hands go to his hair, pulling on the short dreadlocks to help distract him from the situation at hand. Nothing is going to kill you, he says. Nico says. Softly, surly… Nothing can harm him. Nothing can harm him. Taking shaking breaths, Bel tries to steady himself. The woods are clearer. His eyes are still fogged, but the demons with wildflower eyes are gone.
"I'm sorry," he says when he's finally sure his voice won't crack. The words are familiar after an emotional break. He's said them to his siblings, his father, his servants- "I'm sorry–" His chest rattles as he breathes in, his hands finally detaching from his hair. "I don't know what came over me."
He rocks softly with Nico, listening to the humming and tucking it away as some lullaby. He doesn't quite have a precedent for lullaby, but from what he's read in musical history textbooks, it seems to follow the parameters. He's still shaking, hands quivering from where he's grasping his borrowed shirt.
Nicandros held him tight to his side, offering his body to be his rock. "It's alright," he said softly, reassuring him. "It's alright. You have nothing to be sorry about. It's been a long day for you, traumatic. It's okay to react this way."
He wished to the gods that Bel hadn't been in the carriage. He wished it had been something else. Anything else. Had he know it had been a prince, he would have gone about everything so much differently. He would have tried at least. Deep down, he knew the result would have been the same.
He gently tugged at Bel's hands, getting him to release the shirt. Nico didn't want his shirt stretched out or a hole made in it. He was limited on clothes, especially now that he had lost a change of clothes. He gently place Bel's hands around him, letting him know it was okay to hung him back.
"Please, don't apologize. None of this is your fault. I'm sorry I brought you into this." He did mean it. He was sorry. He wished there was another way. But he needed to save his people.
"It's fine," Bel answers because he knows what will happen if he complains. "You didn't know it was me and you didn't exactly have any other choice." Bel would be lying to himself if he said that he wouldn't rat the men out to the captain of the royal guard. Cevineire is a brutal woman, for she's damnedly devoted to the family. Any information on the Lisias would inevitably lead to their demise.
His hands are removed from the shirt. He has to bite back another apology for gripping the borrowed material so tightly. He at least feels he should owe the man an explanation. "I don't… I don't like the dark." He bites out, eyes firmly on the grass instead of daring to stare through the trees. "I never have." Not really wanting to leave it at that, Bel continues. "My father told me there were Mages in the dark." Twisted, vile creatures they are. "They would get me if I didn't stay in line." He swallows, hands still shaking from where they're semi-wrapped around the rogue. "It's actually the earliest memory I have of my father," he barks out a humorless laugh.
Nicandros only huffed in response. He couldn't think of another person that would say such a thing after getting kidnapped. What kind of person would say that? A damaged one. Nico could only assume the things that his usurper father did to him.
He settled back against the trunk, his body relaxing more now that the hysterics had calmed. His grip loosened however, never fully released Bel. "It's alright. Everyone has their fears. It's nothing to be ashamed of. I might silently judge if you're afraid of butterflies but I wouldn't say anything to your face," Nico jested, trying to lighten the situation.
At the mention of makes, he caught eye contact with Cass before focusing on the prince. "Your father is a scared man that doesn't like that anyone is more powerful than him. Mages are powerful, yes, but they have good souls just like everyone else." He figured it was best he didn't reveal he was a mage himself quite yet. He needed to win him over and he couldn't do that if Bel believed he was going to kill him. "There are good and bad ones, just as everyone else. There is an advantage in mages as well. Healers are especially sought after. There isn't anything or anyone they can't heal. They can bring you from the brink of death. And healers cannot cause harm. Their magic will let them heal and only heal. Magic is not good or bad. It simply is. It's up to the user to decode how to wield it. However, I cannot think of one mage that ever tired to hint down little prince's that misbehaved. So I think you are safe."
Bel finds himself leaning into the other man, his head fully resting against Nico's shoulder. He's still shaking, although his tremors are only confined to his hands. "They came after my mother," Bel whispers. "She challenged my father and the next morning she was found with burn wounds around her neck." His fingers squeeze around Nico's sides at the memory. "A Fire Mage. They killed thirty guards on the way out."
With his teeth gritted, he closes his eyes. "It happened in the dead of night." Much like the time it is now. "My father said he had warned her like he had warned me, but there was nothing else to do." Bel swallows, his throat aches. "The murders across the villages. They're drowned or they're buried or electrocuted or wiped of all the air within their lungs. All in the night." His eyes shine with tears anew. "There are no healing Mages. If there are, then why are there deaths every night? Why are innocent people slaughtered without any motive or means?"
"You say I'm safe, but for how long?" How long is it until he's served his purpose and left for dead? He can't possibly go back home after all this? Will Lady Cevineire be on the case? Will his siblings even notice his absence? Truly, it won't be hard to kill him. All the thieves would have to do is leave him in the woods at night. If the monsters and Mages don't get him, his own paranoia certainly will.
Nicandros hands stilled at his words. It wasn't him nor any mage under his protection. That was certain. His people did not kill innocents. His people also had not been able to get into the palace. For decades, they failed over and over again.
It was not him.
So the question begged, who was it? Was the king so desperate to get rid of hos wife he staged her death and made it look like mages? Did he have mages in his employment? That hypocrite. He wouldn't put either if then against the king.
Baby steps. Baby steps.
"I would know," Nico said quietly. "I have healing mages. My home is a sanctuary for those mages escaping prosecution that your father ordered simply because they are mages. Burned at the stake, tortured to death, beheaded. I've seen so many die. Many of them weren't even mages. They did nothing wrong. No one should be killed for something they cannot control."
His hand raised and he gently dried Bel's cheeks with a swipe of his thumb. "You are safe as long as you are in my care. How long that is will be up to you." He couldn't promise that there would be a home for him to return too. Once he got his information, he would be kn the move. He couldn't waste another day. "I would not go to this much trouble if I didn't plan to protect you."
Bel can't help the look of shock that crosses his face at Nico's words. Mages? Underneath his command? Ones that can heal nonetheless– Truly, it only cements the fact that Bel is nothing more than a temporary asset. Someone they'll certainly sentence to the sword when his worth has been spent.
The gruesome ways of death for the Mages is justifiable. The Mages will slaughter a family. A cruel punishment seems fair. The ones who aren't Mages… the falsely accused– It's not unheard of, but the mistakes are nothing compared to the amount of justice they reap through the death of the Mages. "They didn't do anything wrong?" Bel hisses. His eyes feel hot, brimming with boiling tears. "Mages killed my mother. They've killed hundreds of others within the kingdom and the next–" His throat feels tight.
With a swipe of Nico's thumb across his cheek, Bel finds the fight within him dying out. With the flame extinguished, the exhaustion of the day's wears fully collapse onto him. He finds himself burying his face into his knees pulled up tight against his chest. Bel doesn't trust Nico's words. Not yet at least. He won't feel safe until they're out of these wretched woods. "Alright," he says regardless, hoping to at least reassure Nico with a false word.
"And your father murdered the remaining monarch before simply because he wanted to be king. Men have killed and will kill again. They are brutal and cruel. How is that any different then mages? Mages are but men gifted with magic. They each have their faults. There are bad mages and their are good mages. It does not mean you should excute them all just because of a few. If that is how you feel, then your father, his entire family and anyone that shares your blood should be murdered as well. It doesn't matter if they're innocent or not. Your father killed our monarch so you should all die." Nicandros wasn't sure why he was trying to reason with him. It wasn't likely he would make any progress with Bel for a while. And it was only their first day. "Does that seem fair to you."
Nicandros signaled to Cassian to go to sleep. He would take over the watch for the rest of the night. He did not see himself sleeping anytime soon and told himself he would wake Laurent should he get tired.
"I know you don't believe me," Nico pulled him closer. "I wouldn't either if I was you. But I swear to you I will spend the rest of our time together proving to you that I follow my word."
Bel truly can't find words to respond without coming off as bratty or idiotic. All his life he was told Mages were the bane of society. He had seen it first hand upon wandering into the throne room and finding his mother's corpse littered with burns and singed hands engraved into her neck. The Mages had killed, slaughtered, done nothing good with their powers. Bel will only believe that a Mage could be good when he had seen it for himself. Until then, all Nico's words will only be empty.
However, the piece about his father does ring confusion. His father had never usurped a soul. He was third in line. His older sisters died to a pandemic plague. King Meirlenan is the rightful heir. It says so in every textbook and scroll. Not wanting to irritate Nico with any more questions, Bel bites his tongue. "You can certainly try to convince me," Bel whispers, his eyes beginning to droop from the sheer exhaustion of the day. "You can certainly try, Nico." His words slurring together, Bel finds his eyes slipping shut.
Nicandros fingers tapped against Bel's skin, thinking, agitated. He should have expected nothing less from that pretender king for him to web lies but it angered him none the less. He was fuming. He had not heard of the false queen nor her death, only that she had died. His mother had still been alive then and calling all the shots. It could have been likely that his mother sent in a secret mission to take out the queen, but his mother was not cruel like that. She did not harm the innocent. And they had never been able to infiltrate the palace.
He huffed a small laugh as he heard Bel's voice slurring with sleep. He only squeeze his shoulders and kept the prince close to him. Carefully, his toed his sword and brought it closer to him without disturbing Bel. He placed the blade in his lap and waited, watched. His eyes flickered about as he heard birds in the trees, critters on the ground. So far, nothing to be worry off. He looked up at the sky, gaging how much longer until dawn. It would be a few more hours. He doubted he would get any sleep. He had gone longer without it but not out on a mission. It would be dangerous if he did not try.
After a couple more hours, he finally stood, swinging the sleeping prince in his arms. He placed him on the bed roll before moving to laurent and shaking him awake gently. Laurent moved to take up watch and Nico moved to his makeshift pillow, laying his head down and closing his eyes.
Miraculously, Bel manages to sleep though the rest of the night, only cracking his eyes open at the crack of dawn. Instantly relief washes over him as the shadows and demons from the night have been banished by the sun. Oh, how he loves the sun. He closes his eyes again. And then opens them right up. Why am I outside? Bel's upright in a moment, regaining the memories from the past day.
"Oh." The word escapes his lips. He was kidnapped from his carriage. He rubs at his eyes. Red marks encircle his wrists from where the ropes had been tied. He's no longer bound, but Bel still doubts he'd ever be able to run for it. There are five men much faster and stronger than him. Perhaps he could take one and get lucky, but certainly not all of them. Noting that nobody was quite paying attention to him, Bel gets to his feet and begins rolling up the bedroll to the best of his ability. It's not great, but the least he could do. His hands still shake. His chest feels abnormally tight.
At some point in the early hours of the morning, Nicandros managed to catch a couple hours of sleep. He didn't remember falling asleep. It was likely the exhaustion knocking him out. It was a restless sleep, filled with dreams he couldn't remember as he woke.
Like a mental alarm, Nicandros woke just before the sun broke at the horizon. Kaillas was on watch, then, kicking Cass to get him up. The other two were already slowly awakening. Cassian always slept the deepest. Nico was up at his horse, placing the saddle back on his worn back and tying the pack against his side. When they got home, he was going to spoil his horse rotten. Lots of treats and rest and body rubs.
When he turned back, he noticed their little prince was awake and rolling up the bed roll. Not well but at least he tried. He murmured a small thank you and took it from his hands, discreetly rerolling it. He clasped it on ti his horse before turning to the others.
"We'll ride until mid-day. We'll hunt for food and cook it but I want to be on our way as the sun sets." Nico didn't want to stop at all but their food supply was gone. They needed to hunt. Hunting could take hours, but he trusted Braxton. There wasn't a better tracker alive than he. It helped that his eyesight and sense of smell were better than the average person.
He turned to Bel. "Sorry there's no breakfast. We'll make up for it when we catch lunch."
"That's fine," Bel mutters as he watches the men pack up their camp. Now shrouded in day instead of night, the forest truly isn't nearly as terrifying as he had thought. The wildflowers are… fairly beautiful. Bel is by no means a botanist, he actually rarely dabbles in horticulture, but he does know enough to recognize it as one that symbolizes good fortune. Val once had a spell where she studied lucky signs. Her findings must have rubbed off on him. Bel finds it ironic… well, considering his entire situation.
Bel follows Nico to the horse as he considers the prospect of hunting. He's no stranger to a bow, nor to shooting a fine stag. Looking back, the woods by the castle were likely stocked with elk. However, no guard could manipulate the fine shot Bel had made straight through the stag's heart. Miran had laughed and clapped a hand on his shoulder.
The horse whinnies and Bel finds himself instinctively bringing his hand up to smooth their muzzle. It's Nico's horse. Bel's two belongings poke out from a sack slung over the horse's saddle. "What's their name?" He asks after catching Nico's eye. He tilts his head towards the horse.
Nicandros watched the prince and his horse interact. He tilted his head to the side slightly as he watched their interaction. Curious that he felt the need to reach out and comfort his mount. He set his own hand on the rump of his horse. When they returned home, he would let one of the girls that fawned over his horse braid his hair. They had wanted to before he had left but unfortunately, there hadn't been time. His horse loved being pampered, despite his nonchalant attitude.
"Abraxas," Nico replied. "He's well-tempered. I've had him for years."
He moved the prince's side, grabbing his waist and setting him down in the saddle. Nicandros's eyes shifted to his free hand before looking away. He knew he needed to bind him again. He knew the others were waiting for him to do it yet he couldn't find the power to do so. Pretty men were his weakness. Especially when they had such a mannerism as Bel did. Nico felt compelled to comfort and protect them, as he did for the prince.
He placed his foot in the stirrup and swung himself behind the prince. His arms circled around him to grab the reigns. With a nod of his head, Braxton took the lead, knowing the way home. Cassian followed just behind him with Nico in the middle one again. Laurent and Kaillas took up the rear this time. With a small squeeze, the horses were off at a sprint. The more miles they put between them and the carriage, the closer they got to the palace. The closer to the palace they got, the more likely it would be that Bel was recognized. They needed to avoid all civilization until then. Avoid the merchant's roads and take to the lesser-known, overgrown paths. Stay close to streams, it could throw off their scents if need be. It would be at least two weeks before they would risk stopping in a village to gather more supplies.
"Abraxas," Bel repeats, just to feel the name on his tongue. "Fine name for a fine sta–" His sentence is cut short with a sharp gasp as Nico holds Bel's waist to help him mount the steed. He's perfectly capable of getting on the horse himself. He's not bound and he's been riding for as long as he could remember. Though, he doesn't fight it. No, all Bel does is squeak out a thank you as Nico hauls himself into position behind the prince.
Bel mostly holds his tongue as they ride, taking the time to try and catch as much as he can through the sprinting scenery. He has to bring a hand up to shield his eyes from the wind.
He's truly leaving home. Bel had always toyed with the idea, but never thought he would go through with it. After all, with his older brother constantly leaving for crusades and his younger sisters ping-ponging between their kingdom and the one they had been wed into, Bel thought it would be wise to at least have one heir constantly home. If something were to happen to their father, the crown would obviously go to Miran. Bel never truly felt jealous of Miran for that matter, only for hogging all of the love his father rarely shed. Bel was prepared to spend his days growing old in the library, reading every book on the shelf. Aging with Katya's descendants and never failing to feel the wonders of the open fields. Bel had been ready to spend a thousand years within those stone walls. It was a shock enough to be shipped off to a distant kingdom, but being kidnapped and dragged to some unknown location had never been on Bel's bucket list.
The idea of somewhere new… It's quite exciting.
The horses' pace slowed over the hours, exhaustion creeping on them. They had already ridden hard for four weeks, now they had at least another four weeks to go, perhaps longer if the horses couldn't hold their current pace. Which was most likely. When they were further away from the palace, they would slow their pace to an easy trot. Easier for the horses, easier for the men. It would take longer, certainly, but it would reduce the risk of hurting their horses.
The sun had risen high in the sky and Nicandros finally made the decision to stop. Braxton found a safe enough spot for them to stop for the afternoon. Nico slid down the horse, helping Bel off of the horse as well. He tied his horse to a tree, a light tie. His mount wasn't going anywhere unless there was a fire or something large enough to spook him. The others followed suit. However, Braxton and Laurent were readying their gear. They were the best two for hunting. Laurent with his bow and Braxton with his tracking. It took all of five minutes before the two were off in the woods, searching for some game. The others found some logs to set up as temporary benches.
Nico took a sip of his water skin before handing it to Bel, offering him a drink. "How are you feeling so far? Are you sore yet?"
He had no way of knowing the prince's endeavors if he rode or not. Even if he did, it wouldn't be the same. There was a difference in taking a short ride through woods, maybe even a night or two, and this. They would be on horseback for weeks. There was no walking, they couldn't afford that. At the end of the trip, their legs would be strained and their thighs aching. The only thing that offered relief was time in bed and perhaps an excruciating massage that would leave his legs feeling better the next day.
Bel could feel it beneath him. Abraxas may be a fine animal, but he's not immortal. No horse is. Just as he opens his mouth to protest the idea of pushing them any further, Nico pulls on the reigns and barks an order to his companions. His lips are right by his ear, the loud words sending an odd jolt down his spine. He can't say if it was pleasant or not. Really, this whole situation is confusing and Bel's positive that his emotions haven't quite caught up to the severity of it all.
Once again, he doesn't need Nico's help, but he certainly doesn't deny it as the man helps him down from the saddle. An odd sensation tugs at his legs. He's been riding too long. He's simply not used to going twelve full hours on horseback, nonetheless with somebody breathing down his neck as they gallop at breakneck speeds through treacherous terrain. "A little," Bel acknowledges honestly as he takes the water skin from Nico's hands. Bel notes with slight disappointment that his own hands haven't stopped their shake. "Thank you." He does a cursory sniff to ensure that it's not alcohol and takes a small sip–then another–before handing it back to Nico.
Nicandros took a seat on one of the logs, leaving a spot open beside him for the prince to seat. However, before he could open his mouth, Cassian slid in the spot next to him. Nico gave him a glare and he quickly got up, finding another log to sit on. Nicandros gave Bel a small smile. "I would say it gets better but I'd be lying. At some point, you'll become numb to the pain. But when we finally get to our location, your legs are going to hate you. I've been doing for this for years and it never really gets any easier."
Across from them, Kaillas was striking a small fire. It wasn't for the heat. They need the fire to cook the meat. They needed to start the fire now, let it calm before the game was brought back. And it could always have wood added to it to increase the intensity of the fire. Cassian was sharpening his blade. There hadn't been the time the night before, most of them just wanting to rest. Now, Cass was going through great detail to sharpen all of his blades. From his sword to the smallest dagger, he sharpened it all. Nico knew he needed to do the same thing but there would be time. For now, he wanted to relax, and speak to the prince. He told himself it was just to stick to the plan. Befriend him, turn him to their side, and get the information he needed. Not because Nico himself wanted to just because. Certainly not because he was enjoying the way the prince felt on the horse with him.
Bel watches as Nico sits, Cassian sits, and then Nico gets right back up. Bel's sitting on the ground. It's grassy and much softer than any log would be. (Not that he's prejudiced against logs or anything, Bel's just very aware of how hard wood is compared to well… dirt and grass.) He has one leg out in front of him, the other bent up to his chest, and he's leaning forward in any attempt to stretch out his lightly aching hamstrings. "I'm no stranger to horses," Bel says softly. "I don't think I've ever been on one for this long…"
The fire is warm and Bel can nearly smell the meat that's going to be baked upon it. One of the rogues, Cassian, is taking great deal to sharpen all his weapons. Bel can't help but be baffled at the amount of sharpened iron one can keep on them at all times. When he was a child, he remembered putting a knife in his boot because he saw Miran do it; he had quickly removed the dagger due to the discomfort forming in his ankle.
Bel sighs, breathing in he forest air. Crisp, clean, smelling of something new around every bend. He sends a sideways glance to Nico. The urge for conversation pulls at his tongue, but he can't quite find anything worthy to speak about.
Nicandros moved to sit next to him, then changed direction last minute and sat in front of him, facing the prince. before he could question his decision, he reached out and grabbed his leg, placing it in his lap. His hands went to Bel's thigh, his thumbs digging in as he started to massage his leg. He was slow, meticulous. "You'll be on one for a lot longer. We have weeks ahead of us. I can try to make arrangements if you need an extended break but there is only so much I can risk. For your safety and ours."
He followed Bel's line of sight, looking at Cass. He chuckled before turning forward. "Cass is the best swordsman that I know. He's better at weapons than anyone else I've ever seen. Each one of his blades has a use. He takes care of their upkeep, more than the average soldier does. Think of at his routine. He always checks over them, polishing, sharpening them. We may think it excessive but I'd never question him."
Nicandros switched to his other thigh, gently pulling it into his lap and massaging his other thigh. "Cassian may have a more friendly and carefree demeanor but it's all an act," he said quietly. He knew Cassian would be too focused on his work to pick up on his words. "He feels the most out of all of us. He's passionate and kind and serious and can get down to business when it's needed. The front you see is all just a shield of sorts to protect himself from getting hurt. He's getting better. We've been working at it but he still has a ways to go."
Bel can't stop the content hum that escapes his lips as Nico takes his leg into his lap. The rogue's fingers are careful and practiced and god, it should be illegal for them to feel so great. "Weeks?" Bel repeats. "I see you travelled all this way just to take me off my kingdom's hands." He offers a close-lipped smile. "And no, I don't need a break," he insists. "I'll be fine. You shouldn't have to worry about my wellbeing."
Bel watches Cassian as Nico recounts his personality and deadly expertise. "Cassian reminds me of my older brother." He pauses to savor the feeling of whatever sort of witchcraft Nico is practicing on his thighs. "His name is Miranos. He's the warrior of my siblings. Skilled with a sword and a shield. To quench his impatience to be king, he follows the military out on crusades." The image of Miran flashes through his mind. A jagged scar down his cheek, a friendly smile, and impulsive eyes.
"I'm glad to hear you have reliable men on your team," Bel says, voice barely above a whisper as Nico pulls his other leg closer. "It's lonely without companions." The words Bel speaks are the entire truth. The prince hadn't had a friend in a decade. Well, he could count Katya and his favorite maid, Mathilde, but he doubted they would be suitable candidates as friends.
Nicandros chuckled softly. "Yes, weeks. We're going to the opposite side that you traveled." He returned the smile, a genuine one. "We weren't expecting to find you, if that helps at all. We just knew we needed to get whatever was traveling. Our ah- leader didn't really give us any of the details. Guess it was too important to spread." He almost slipped and revealed himself. "We weren't officially targeting you. I'm not sure if that makes you feel any better or if it makes you feel that you aren't special." He chuckled.
He listened as Bel talked, smiling at his words. He watched the prince as he talked, noting the way he lit up as he talked about his brother. His brother. The false heir. One that he was supposed to kill and overthrow. He lowered his head as the smile fell and focused on Bel's thigh. Sometimes he hated what his mother forced him into. That she had him. But then he remembered what the usurper king was doing to his people, what he did to his family. The aunts and uncles and cousins he could have had, were all murdered. The grandparents he never met, murdered.
He was avenging his family. He was saving his people. There was no one else to do this. It was only him.
"I do. They're my best friends, my best men. We've been on many missions together." His hands paused in their massaging. "You tend to bond together when you've been through the things we have."
