forum The Captive Prince (o/o) closed

Started August 12, 2019 by Deleted user

tune

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Fi reached up to touch the glyph on his forehead, staring down at the red powder on his fingers. "Come here for a second?" It was barely even a question with how weak Fi's voice was. "I'd like to add something to your forehead."

“Me…?” Levi stammered back, barely over a whisper as well. He inched over time Fiori anyway. “What are you adding?” His heart was finally starting to slow down from the anxiety. He knew the glyphs on their foreheads meant something, but he didn’t know what.

(If Fi’s Uncle is going after the people that he cares about (like Cadmus) in order to hurt him, would he try to go after Levi too?)

(Good question. They haven't been close for as long as Fiori's other friends, and they're kind of expected to spend time together because Levi's still technically his slave so them hanging around each other doesn't necessarily mean they're bonding, but Fi did just step out of line to help Levi so… maybe he'll be gunning for him but not as hard?)

"Just a few marks." He put his hand on the back of Levi's neck, gently pulling him a little farther forward before he began to change the symbol. "Your glyph is not so important as mine. People see the mark, they recognize that you are a new member of the palace. It is him accepting you into his home. Mine is… religious. A symbol of my god."

(True, true, yeah that makes sense. They have only known each other four days at the most)

Levi swallowed another lump in his throat. He nodded slightly, hoping he didn’t move too much to mess up the marking. “I see..” his words were more of a croak now. He could still feel himself shaking, and his scalp still hurt. He felt paralyzed, like every touch, even from Fiori felt remnant of the uncle’s. He couldn’t wait to get home, it was all he could think about. Especially after the bitter reminder that he was owned.

Fi's touch was light as he drew lines out from the center of Levi's forehead, covering the top of his face in as intricate a patchwork of red as he could. When he was done it was practically a mask, crosshatching lines covering the top of Levi's face. "There. You are like any other citizen now, Leviticus. You wear your own paint and nobody else's." He let go of him, wiping the dust off on his pants. "Cadmus is waiting for us. Let's go."

Levi instinctively touched some of the dust on his face. “Like any other citizen…” he echoed, “Thank you.” He waited for Fiori to start walking, unsure which direction Cadmus was. That was another thing that bothered him. Here, he felt completely helpless, unsure what to do or where to go without following someone. The captain’s words worked their way into his mind again. Maybe he was like a pet. He nodded slowly, biting his lip, “Where is Cadmus waiting?”

Fi nodded, leading him down a set of stairs to a hallway behind the seats. There was a door at the far end which Cadmus was leaning against, idly picking at his nails. He brightened when he saw the two, running forward to hug Fiori and then turning to Levi with a grin. His own face was painted blue, a swirling mass of lines and dots. "Nice paint you've got there, Levi. How'd your morning go?"

Levi’s lips twitched into a smile when he saw Cadmus and his reaction. “Thank you. You’ve got some nice paint there too.” He lightly chuckled. He was about to tell him his morning was alright, and then he wondered if he should tell the truth, but in his internal conflict he decided against saying anything.

Cadmus smiled, reaching up to brush his fingers over the bottom of his marks. "Thanks! I had Tharis do them, she's really good at stuff like this." One of his arms was still settled around Fiori's shoulder but the other reached out to hold the back of Levi's neck at his silence, grip gentle and light. "Oh yeah, you met… him. He didn't hurt you did he? Fi was there to keep you safe?"

Levi tensed again at the touch, even if it was gentle. “Yes, I met him. He Uh… he hurt me a little bit.” He paused to swipe his tongue across his lips. “He yanked my hair, but Fiori stopped him before it got any worse.”

Cadmus scanned over him carefully, obviously checking to make sure he wasn't hurt anywhere else. He let go of Levi once he was content, a frown pulling at his lips. "Yeah, he's a real dickhead." Fi winced, opening his mouth to say something, but Cadmus quieted him with a look. "Sent me to the infirmary first time I ever met him. You're sure you're alright?"

“Yes,” he reached up to graze his fingers over the back of his neck, just for a second before letting his arm drop again. Fiori’s uncle sent Cadmus to the infirmary? He wasn’t surprised, and it made him grateful that Fiori was there to keep his uncle from doing the same to him. “It’s only my scalp, thank Ialdir. The part of me that hurts the worst is only my pride,” he admitted with a dark humored smile, even if he felt no reason for it to be amusing.

Cadmus gave him a considering look, gaze flipping easily between him and a stony-faced Fiori who, by the looks of it, hadn't realized what his uncle had done to Cadmus either. He rubbed Fi's shoulder gently to keep him calm. "Better your pride than your body, trust me." He let go of Fiori, pushing him towards the doors. "Go fight, Fi. We'll be rooting for you."

“I’m so sorry, Cadmus.” he rubbed his wrist. He looked at him apologetically with a frown more reflective of his emotions than his previous smile. When Fiori was out of earshot, he murmured. “His uncle is really terrible. I’m sorry that happened to you.”

Cadmus shrugged off his apology with a half smile, waving at Fiori until he was out of sight. "Don't be. The past is the past, and the regent being a bastard is old news. We've all got marks from him." He took Levi's hand, pulling him back towards the seats. "I'm just glad Fi finally worked up the balls to stand up to him, he's been scared of his uncle since he was a small thing."

“I don’t blame him,” he exhaled, taking a seat. “The regent is terrifying. With his sneer, and black eyes,” he visibly shuddered. “I hope I never have to meet him again.” He crossed his legs at the ankles. It was comfortable talking to Cadmus and Tharis because he knew that they knew what being a slave was like—even better than he did, in fact.

Cadmus sat down beside him, leaning back in the stone bench and spreading his legs out in front of him. "You won't," he promised, eyes on the ring. There were two men fighting, one tall and dark-haired, the other small and broad. "Fi fights him for control of the kingdom at 7 tomorrow, and we both know who's gonna win."

Levi twirled his silver ring around his finger, watching the fight. “Oh yeah,” he nodded, “I told Fiori I was going to root for him a couple days ago. Things are going to get better when he wins, right?” He glanced over at Cadmus.

"Yes. Fi's…" Cadmus paused, biting his lip as he thought. "He's been one of my closest friends for a long ass time. I know him through and through, and he's always been his momma's son. She wasn't like her husband or her brother, she was… softer. Kinder. She took time to think things through, always cared about the citizens and the slaves and the people less fortunate than her, and she gave all that to Fiori, even though he doesn't like admitting it."

“She sounds like a wonderful person,” he smiled warmly. “Fiori will be a good long, then, if he inherited his traits from her.” He glanced down at his ring. “I’m sure he misses her very much.” He sighed somberly, his thoughts turning to his own mother.

Cadmus laughed quietly. "Yeah, he's gonna do just fine when he gets the throne. Honestly, he's… beloved. You're gonna want to cover your ears when he comes out to right, people fucking scream for him." He softened a bit near the end, looking back at the fight with a soft sigh. "And I'm sure he would, if he ever gave himself time to grieve. He keeps himself so busy, I doubt he ever really… processes."

A soft smile spread across his face, “Perhaps…when he becomes king he’ll have time to process.” He wondered aloud. He imagined that if he didn’t have to worry about becoming king he would have time to grieve. But there was also the extra responsibilities of being king. “Are you going to be one of the ones screaming for him?” He glanced over with an amused expression.

"Maybe." Cadmus shrugged noncommittally. "There are so many duties that come with being king, I don't know if he'll ever let himself slow down. 'Course I'll be there to keep him afloat, so… maybe he will." He laughed a little at the question, turning to Levi with a crooked smile. "And who do you think I am? I always cheer for him, I'm gonna yell my throat raw for that idiot."

“Of course,” Levi snickered, “I think you two are adorable by the way.” He looked back to the men fighting in the arena. If Mordecai were the one fighting in the arena, he knew that he would be screaming for him as well. He did yell for him whenever Mordecai participated in playful sparring with the soldiers. Mordecai wasn’t an official warrior who went off to war, but he did train with them frequently.

Cadmus snorted and leaned over to ruffle Levi's hair. His touch was still light, enough that he could duck away if he was still tense from the regent. "Don't let the idiot hear you say that, his blush'll burn that pretty face of his right off." He grinned. "And that'd be a real shame for me."