forum "I would burn the world for you" (OxO Closed)

Started December 01, 2022 by @ElderGod-yellowqueen

tune

(aayyy 100 posts!!)

Bel folds his knees closer to his chest and covers them with Nico's cloak. With the warmth of the fire and the cape, Bel's shivers have mainly subsided. He only jolts when an intrusive thought of monsters and darkness pierces his brain. Imps sound… terrifying, being strung up from a tree trapped in a net sounds slightly more. At least you could run away with an imp. The net is a prison.

"Harpies," Bel whispers, a mix of bewilderment and fear. Of course he knew such creatures exist… but to actually face one of them seems unheard of. He listens intently to Nico with a smile and shake of his head. His laugh only grows as Cassian springs to tackle Nico. Bel shifts away from the battle, not wanting to be caught in the middle of it. He hides his face in his knees.

The men are clearly comfortable with each other–brothers, partners in crime, comrades, and friends. They have thousands of stories between them. Bel would love to hear them all.

After a few minutes of wrestling, the men pulled away from each other. Both were covered in dirt and a few more bruises than where they had started. They returned to their original seats, Nico back next to Bel. His hair was a mop on his head, tangled. Despite his appearance, there was a light in his eyes. His legs were open in front of him and he went as far as putting an arm around Bel's shoulders, squeezing it.

"Suffice to say, we were stuck there for a few days before they sent out a search party for us." Nico attempted to wrap up the story.

"You're forgetting the best part," Kaillas cut in. "Our little friend here," he wagged a finger at Nico, "had an obnoxious amount of beans before we had left and had a case of gas. The. Entire. Time. Because we were stuck in a trap, we couldn't exactly use the restroom. Let's just say it was not a comfortable experience."

Nicandros flipped him the bird and chuckled to himself. It wasn't the highlight of his life. Unfortunately, to say, it wasn't the most embarrassing thing that had happened to him on one of his missions. Some of those had to do with his magic, which would be kept quiet until further notice. "It wasn't very comfortable on my end either. Holding that back, hmm, not fun. My stomach was screwed up for weeks."

Bel cringes at the thought, yet a smile never leaves his face. Casual conversation is something he had never experienced before, something he never thought to contribute to. Everyone always addressed him using honorifics and formal speech. His only friend was his maid, Mathilde, and yet she was three times his age and only used "sire" and "liege" to speak with him.

When they're done with their wrestling match, Bel scrunches his nose at the mess of Nico's hair, reaching over to fix the mess. He pulls the hair tie from Nico's hair and begins working his fingers through it, already beginning to pull it back into the beginning semblances of a braid. He stiffens slightly when Nico wraps an arm around him, but eventually relaxes.

"I hope you know you're disgusting," Bel notes softly. "Also… did you not think to just cut yourself down? Unless you were so far off the ground, that feels like a reasonable solution, yes?"

Nico laughed at his words. He didn't take offense. He was a man and we, sometimes he was disgusting. However, the situation hadn't entirely been his fault. He wasn't expecting to get strung up for days.

"See, we did think about it. The rope was too far out of reach." He leaned his head into Bel's hand. It felt nice, his hands in Nico's hair. His eyes shut briefly before opening. "We're not entirely stupid. Only on Tuesdays and Sundays."

"Here here." Cassian drank to that.

"Don't worry, there's a lot more stories where that came from," Nico said. "Sometimes logic isn't all there. We don't always think these things through."

"Well, I'm thankful it's Thursday," Bel says casually, tying the bottom of Nico's short braid. He used to braid his youngest sister's hair just like this, both of them next to the fire and listening to their pacing older brother's tirades on his latest conquest overseas. Valera, the sister just three years younger than Bel, would be curled in the corner reading whatever book she abducted from the library or smuggled through the back door. When asked to read them, Valera would snap it shut and disappear. Bel's no fool to know she was studying topics their father hadn't approved of. "I'll be sure to look after myself when Sunday comes."

Almost hesitant to remove his hands from Nico's head, Bel sits back again. "I look forward to all of the stories."

Nico gave Bel a thankful look. His eyes said all the words he did not say. "Thank the gods for that. You'll be our only brain come Sunday. Don't worry, we have faith you'll be a fearless leader."

After giving him one last squeeze, Nico finally let him go. He didn't go far, placing his hand only just behind Bel. "I'll tell you all my stories. At least the ones I'm authorized to say." For there were some things too classified and too horrible to ever speak into existence. Things he had witnessed and things he had experienced.

"You should get some shuteye," he diverted the conversation. "We leave at dawn."

"I'll ensure none of you fall into the maw of an awaiting beast," Bel reassures with a small smile. He leans back a little, just enough to touch his back against Nico's arm. The thought is almost humorous, the six of them trekking through the forest and suddenly dropping off the face of a cliff and into a basilisk's gaping mouth. No matter how humorous it sounds, Bel knows that the situation will be nothing short of terrifying.

At the suggestion, Bel nods and briefly looks around. The bedrolls are still attached to their packs near the mouth of the cave. Would it be awkward if he stood to grab one? Should he just wait? Foolish questions like these are often the reason Bel hesitates when acting or speaking. He looks towards the depth of the cave. When the conversation dies out, Bel will begin to hear things again. Or maybe he isn–no, stop that Bel. You're fine. Nothing is there. "Sleep sounds good," Bel says though he knows he won't catch it quickly.

Nico almost smiled when Bel leaned back against his arm. Almost. He knew of the looks the other shared, he understood what they were thinking. Here he goes again, way in over his head. He was in over his head but he would rather regret trying than not try at all.

He noticed Bel was hesitant to get up, so far as look at their bed rolls tied to the horses. He pulled his bottom lip between his teeth. He saw that fear. He understood it. Nico himself would be a fool if he wasn't afraid. Any man should be stepping into the woods. But it was a fear he had learned and adapted too. He knew how to handle himself. Bel didn't. The prince didn't know how to fight, by the looks of it. He wasn't adapted to this. Nico nudged him. "Come on, let's go get your bed roll."

Nicandros stood and walked with the prince over to the horses. He unhooked his bed roll that he was loaning to Bel. He took his time unhooking it from the horses, sneaking glances to Bel.

"Alright," Bel says, slowly getting to his feet. He looks over his shoulder, back at the cave and two men still sitting around the fire. The cloak is warm around his shoulders, so Bel pulls it tighter. It barely brushes the ground, Nico just a few inches taller than Bel. The night air outside the cave is cooler, slightly damp with the evening dew. He leans against the back of the horse, softly petting their backside.

He isn't blind. He can see Nico sneaking a few glances at him. It's all such a weird feeling… such a psychological whiplash of a day. At first he was terrified and compliant and while he still is, the assassins have proved that they aren't out to harm Bel. At least, that's what it appears to be. Miran had always chastised Bel for being too trustworthy.

Bel finds himself not wanting to go back into the cave, not yet at least. It's quieter out here. More personal.

Nico was hesitant to speak. He didn't want his words to offend or scare off Bel. After a few minutes of silence, he opened his mouth, "It's alright to be scare of the dark. The night can hold many terrors. We're not judging you, so don't feel like you have to hide it. We all have our fears and we all fear the dark to a certain extent, especially out here. The cover of dark can be protecting and yet expose you to other creatures." He hesitated. "We just, we understand. We moght be your kidnappers but we're more understanding than you might think."

Yeah, because that was the right way to say that. It was a great idea to remind Bel that they were his kidnappers, because that wouldn't create hostility. He almost smacked his head. If Cas had been there, he would have done it for him.

"I know it's alot to ask." He reached and arm up and scratched the back of his head. He didn't understand why he was so awkward right now. He knew how to talk to girls and boys. This shouldn't be this hard. "But you can trust us. We mean you no harm. And when this is all over, we'll get you to where ever you want to go, whether its back to your home, your fiance, or somewhere else. We'll give you enough money to set up and give you resources and contacts. Or…or you could stay with us if you desire."

He wasn't a fool. There was no way Bel would want to stay with him, not after all of this. And yet there was a part of him that hoped that perhaps he would want to stay.

Bel feels the back of his neck heat up. The dark holds plenty of strengths, but it's also Bel's weakness. His mother said he shouldn't fear it. She said that there's nothing to be afraid of, but then she was slaughtered beneath the night's veil and the king blamed the darkness and mages for her demise. It doesn't help that Bel can hear the noises of the night–the beasts and creatures and rustling trees. It all feels much more heightened here. Bel nearly opens his mouth to say something but Nico isn't done speaking.

The reminder of the entire situation hurts, to say the least. Bel's a hostage. Bel's only to be used for information before he's served his use. Even so, Bel listens. He listens to Nico's entire speech. They mean him no harm. Well, it hadn't started out that way.

"If it was…" he begins quietly. "If it was my brother in the carriage would you have hesitated? Or either of my sisters?" He pauses as he stares to the skies. A familiar prickling sensation floods the backs of his eyes. "Did you spare me because I told you to?" Or because you… find me attractive? Bel leaves unsaid. "I appreciate your kindness, but at the end of the day, I'm still just a resource for you and your men to use." Bel takes the bedroll from Nico, his fingers only slightly brushing the other's. Bel can't tell if it was purposeful or not.

Nico reached out and grabbed Bel's hand before he realized himself. He had taken hold of it. It was too late to let go and retreat. "If it had been any of your siblings, we would have taken them alive as well. We have no use for any of you dead. They would have gotten the treatment of a prisoner, yes. But we are not entirely cruel. Not without a purpose. We would have been kind enough, offered food and water and protection if anyone else attacked. Byt they would be prisoners. And do you think any of them would have reacted as you had? They would likely fight us until we locked them up or let them go." He sighed. "The point is, they're not you. And yes, you have something we need. But that doesn't mean we can't work together, fund some sort of compromise. Your father is not all who you think he is."

He finally withdrew his hand away and tucked it into his pockets. "I believe in the cause that I'm fighting. But just because this is war doesn't mean that I'm willing to kill or harm innocent people. You are innocent Bel.and my- my leader thinks the same. He is not cruel if he does not need to be. Please, just let me show you."

There was only a matter of time until his identity was revealed. He wasn't so sure how that would go down. Likely not well. But he had no intention of telling him anytime soon. When the time was right he would. Now was not it.

Bel's eyes go wide as Nico unexpectedly grabs onto his hand. The touch is warm and cold, firm but soft, unwanted yet needed–a juxtaposition that causes Bel's heart, stomach, and gut to do a loop.

It's true. Bel is the softest out of the four heirs. Miran is too stubborn, Val too elusive, and Treya too manipulative. Miran would've fought his way to the death; Val would've scrambled her way into the woods to get lost in. Treya would break and sob and play the damsel in distress until their backs were turned. Perhaps it was great luck that allowed Bel to be the one found. He feels it was the best route, the least amount of possible casualties. Nico's words are almost reassuring. Perhaps he is just… overreacting of sorts.

However, before he can quite come to terms with his own emotions, a quick spike of fear drills through Bel's spine. "Your leader knows who I am?" Why? How? What importance could Bel possibly hold to the leader of the Lisias? Do they also know of Bel's siblings? Is their eye on them as well? Was this entire thing an accident– Bel's thoughts don't stop racing. He looks up. There's darkness. The stinging in his eyes intensify.

"Hey hey hey," Nico moved forward, grabbing Bel's cheeks with a gentleness that a man such as him shouldn't possess. "It's okay. He knows of your family. How can he not? We haven't been writing to him and he hasn't been written to. It's just what he's heard. And even if we had kidnapped one of your siblings, he would not find then entirely guilty either. He knows your father has manipulated them. He is not an unreasonable man nor a cruel one. You have nothing to fear."

Bel's fear only made him more sure of keeping his identity hidden. At least until he could convince the prince he was not a threat. He never would be. Not to him. Not to anyone who didn't deserve his wrath.

He realized then, that he had been holding onto him far too long. Nico released him and took a step back. He cleared his throat. Gods, why was he so awkward? He wasn't sixteen anymore. "I just-please trust me. I won't put you in harms way. And if at any point when I take yiu back to my home, if you feel like you're in danger, I promise I'll get you out. I'll take you far away where no one will touch you."

Still shaking, Bel finds himself leaning into Nico's touch. He closes his eyes tight, blocking out the darkness from the sky with the darkness behind his eyes. "I'm sorry," he mutters between labored gasps. "I'm sorry–I'm so scared–" His father is a distant man, but Bel has never known him to be cruel. There's never been a hand raised towards him nor his siblings. The King has never laid a finger on Bel. Only a firm word whenever he stepped mildly out of line. Despite that, Bel was never harmed. He was happy just to fly beneath his radar, allowing the Crown Prince Miranos to hold all of their father's attention.

Cruel… No, his father wasn't cruel.

The sudden release makes Bel feel as if he was dunked beneath freezing water. His eyes fly open and he finds Nico. Half of him has the sense to give the other man his space, but the other far less rational but far more dominant side says otherwise. Bel crashes into Nico, curling his arms around the other man. "I'm sorry," he says again, the warmness of the other slowly beginning to calm him down. I won't put you in harm's way. "I trust you."

To say Nico felt relived when Bel hugged him was an understatement. It felt like a weight lifting off of his shoulders. His arms circled around him tight. Not enough to prevent him breathing, because he could certainly do that. Just tight. Just there. Nico pressed his face against the side of his, nose dug in his hair. Even though they had been on the road and both of them could use a good washing, it was the best thing he had ever smelled without being weird about it.

"Thank you," his lips brushed against his ear as he whispered. "I won't make you regret it." He relished in the hug a little long before pulling back just enough to look at his face. "Come on, the others will be wondering what's taking so long."

(oh now I'm curious to know what you had planned 👀👀👀👀)

Another shiver rolls down Bel's spine at the whispered words, a feeling much more pleasurable than the jolt of fear. "I hope I won't," Bel responds. The loss of touch is an unfortunate one, but Bel's sure that they'll somehow end up tangled together in the night. He bends down and grabs the bedroll from where he dropped it, strokes the fine stallion a few more times along its back and follows Nico into the cave.

He keeps his eyes low as he enters, not wanting the other two men to see his reddened eyes. They likely heard the entire encounter, Bel's panic and Nico's frantic reassuring. If they didnt, great.

The bedroll unfurls beside the fire and Bel hesitates before sitting down on its edge. Despite Nico's assurance that it was his to borrow, it still feels odd to be occupying another man's bed.

(also would I be playing Miran, Val, and Treya? I'm assuming i will granted I have their backstories and stuff but I'm just making sure)

(Tee hee. And yesss. They're your characters to do with as you want.)

Nico didn't want to realse him. He wanted to stay frozen in this moment with Bel, wrapped in each other's arms. Unfortunately, reality was calling and they'd regret it if they didn't take advantage of the time to sleep.

He walked with Bel back to the cave, giving the other two a deadly look. Not that either would have said anything but, just in case they had a smart remark, they knew to keep it to themselves now. Kaillas could hold his tongue but Cas didn't always. Nico wanted them to know this was not the time nor the place.

He helped Bel with the bed roll and made sure he was all settled jn before taking his seat. He offered to take first watch, his nerves set off in only the best of ways. He knew it would be hours before he would be able to sleep. And besides, he wanted to make sure his other two companions made it back in one piece. They had been gone for awhile and wouldn't be back for awhile still. And yet he worried. He always worried about them. They would give him an earful if they truly knew how much it scared him to be out with them like this. One wrong move and any of them could be dead. He couldn't lose another friend. He couldn't.

(awesome alsdjfk)

Using the cloak as a blanket, Bel lays down and relaxes on the map. With an arm for a pillow and facing the light of the fire, Bel closes his eyes and prays that sleep will overtake him easily. He prays that the night will be free of nightmares.

"Bel!" A voice cuts through the silence. "Belcoril!" Another shout. In the dead of night, a mare black as the void trots down the subtle path. Atop her back is a man. He's clad in red and silver, a subtle metal circlet at the top of his short, coily curls. He sighs, running his tongue over the top of his teeth. In the bag beside his mare, there's a book full of sheet music and advanced mandolin chords. He found it at one of the towns he was staying in and instantly thought of his younger brother–the one that he should've arrived to by now. With Bel travelling North and Miran travelling south, their paths would have met already. They should have met twelve hours ago.

The mare is much faster than a carriage. She's much smarter than one too. Miran's jolted to a halt as his horse stops, her nostrils flaring as she snorts. The stablehands had called her a bloodhound of a horse. She's never been proven wrong before. "Stay here Flip," Miran mutters as he slides off her saddle. In the dead of night, Miran strains his eyes to see–but before he sees it, he smells it. The smell of rotting flesh instantly strikes him with fear. "Bel–" he whispers, paralyzing fear slowly creeping up his spine. "Bel–" he repeats, more frantically as he parts the tall grass and finds the wreckage of a palace carriage.

With a heart in his throat, Miran dashes to the door, ripping it open and finding the interior completely untouched. There's a letter on the ground, ink smudged with a bootprint but Miran can make out their youngest sister's name at the top. He ducks out of the carriage and surveys the area. Twelve corpses–guards. Miran is unsure if he should be relieved or terrified that Belcoril is nowhere in sight. Praying for any sort of clue, Miran digs into the crates still buckled to the back of the carriage. Bel's clothes, Bel's hobbies, Bel's books–all but his mandolin and their mother's favorite novel. The two items Bel wouldn't be caught dead without.

"He's alive," Miran notes aloud, his dark eyes widening as he sprints to his horse. "C'mon Flip, we have to grab our sisters." With a practiced movement, Miran slings himself onto the saddle, the reins already in hand as he snaps them. "Then we'll rescue our brother."

When the sun came, Nico was fast asleep along with his brothers, Cas on watch. Laurent and Braxton had come late in the night with a turkey and a few rabbits. They had skinned, gutted, and set the meat out to smoke. It would be easier to eat while riding which in turn meant they would get home faster if they didn't constantly stop.

With the sun rising, they had everything packed in minutes, all that was left was to take up Bel. Nico took to that task, obviously, kneeling by his side and gently shaking his shoulder. "It's time to go Bel," he murmured, "you can sleep more once we have you secured on the horse with me."

Nicandros was strong enough he could support Bel's weight if he decided to sleep. He was itching to get out of here. He wanted to put as much distance between him and the palace as he could. Then we they got a other week out, there was a village they would stop at to replenish their supplies, eat a good, hot meal, and sleep in bed. The further out they were the more they would be able to stop in villages. As long as Bel went unrecognized.

Bel's woken from a dreamless sleep with a shake. He jolts, his first instinct danger, but upon seeing Nico's face hovering over him, the tension drains from Bel's shoulders. "Good morning," he mutters, blinking and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Slowly, he gets to his feet and allows Nico to tie up the bedroll. The cave is slightly damp from the morning dew, leaving Bel slightly uncomfortable with moist skin. Well, he should dry off soon. The sun is rising, thank the gods.

Nico's cloak is still wrapped around his shoulders. Bel doesn't want to offer it back, but he conquers his selfishness and unclasps it, holding it out for Nico to take. Bel sighs softly, stepping out of the cave and into the morning forest. All five men are back, two of them with plenty of carcasses for eating along the road. Breakfast. Nothing compared to the lavish waffles Mathilde would make at home, but beggars can't be choosers and Bel would definitely prefer to eat this fine morning.

Nico was quiet as he helped roll uo the bed roll, only offering comforting looks and "accidental" touches to try and soothe any tension Bel may have. He raised his hand and shook his head. "Keep the cloak. It looks better on you anyways."

Truth be told, he was a little chilly but he was used to being uncomfortable. This was nothing compared to the sort of things he had been through. They handed out some freshly cut meat, the last of it. The rest would be smoked until they could puck up fresh food in a village. Nico handed some to the prince before checking on the horses.

(sorry it's short ;-; )

"Oh," Bel blinks, then carefully takes the cloak back. "Thank you." He looks away to hide the rising set of blush on his cheeks. Slowly, he throws it back around his shoulders and clasps it beneath his chin. He checks the area around him–the forest, the rising sky, the horses, the men. They're bound to set out soon, closer to wherever the hell they're heading. Bel draws his bottom lip between his teeth.