forum The Raven ((closed - oxo))

Started July 17, 2020 by @ElderGod-Carrots

tune

(Fuckin hell not again lmao)

"It's possible." Cas mused quietly, "In the legends, it's said that the first queen of Eirus had been born from Starlight. Pure starlight," The prince grabbed a leaf from a near by branch, picking it apart as he spoke, "She built the city with her own hands, all on her own, taking care of anyone who wandered through her lands. Vera, she was called, and she could wield that power, was born from it, with it." He sighed, dropping the stem of the leaf on the ground as they walked, "It's supposed to be her crown, in the story, and only her direct descendants can access that power, hence 'true heir of starlight.'" He bit his lip. Legends. His mother had said, It's all just a legend. No one truly knew who the first ruler of Eirus had been. The kingdom had been around far longer than anyone knew and history sometimes merged with fairy tale that turned to myth before they were forgotten. Not many knew of Vera, that the crown in the well known tale was hers. Maybe that was why no one had bothered searching for it, because no one really understood the meaning behind the tale, "Anyway, no one really tells that tale anymore, it's more or less been forgotten about." The thought saddened Cas and it was clear, too. He'd always held those stories close to his heart, and to know not many knew of them made his heart droop. But maybe Hylas would remember it once they departed ways, "As a child I… I used to pretend I was her heir," He shook his head at that thought, "That I could find the crown, prove to everyone they weren't just stories." Stop being childish Caspian, get back to your studies! His father would say, practically pulling him out of the grass and the mud and back to his chambers, It's not real, you have to understand. There is no such thing as a crown of starlight. Cas still hoped the tales were true, deep down. He looked back to Hylas, letting out a small, almost awkward smile, "Doesn't matter now. I never found the crown so it's probably not true. Even if I did I probably wouldn't be able access the crown, it's power."

Hylas listened as the prince spoke, noting with every stolen glance that Cas seemed to go deeper and deeper into his recollections. It couldn't be a natural thing for a prince to share such personal stories, especially to a man like Hylas. But something in the way Cas hesitated before speaking told Hylas more than he reckoned the other wanted him to know. It's all giving you away, He thought as he gazed at the prince in a lingering moment of silence, waiting and dreading for those green eyes to meet his glance. All the ache you hold in your quiet frown. I wonder if it's the same as mine. He could never help his watchfulness when it came to people. There was always a story, an emotion behind their words that he seemed to see through, whether he was eavesdropping at a tavern or in a sociable disguise. With a long sigh, Hylas nodded and tore his gaze away, returning it to the trees and far mountains ahead. "The Gods grant us what we need, and fate orchestrates when we receive it," He said, stepping over a fallen tree, "You understand what I mean, don't you?" And Hylas struggled not to stop in his tracks. A sudden memory sent his heart into a moment of distress, and he nearly flinched at how vivid it was. All at once, there was his father, arranging a circle of pebbles as they sat on the silent riverbank. "A circle, you see? Every stone has a place in it." He reached for one, throwing it into the still water with a careless smile, motioning for his boy to come closer. "Do you see the ripples that came from that? Circles, just the same. We took it from this one here and made a number more with it, in the water. And there will always be others to replace it in the circle of pebbles we made; the one it was made for, until we decided otherwise." The rest of that day was a misty, unintelligible reminiscence; with half-remembered sayings of one's purpose, and how life repeated itself for those that needed time to carry out the will of the Gods. Hylas swallowed, pulling himself out of his reverie. "The crown— supposing it was real, would only be found at the right time. Just like the sword of riverglass, no miracle can be found in normalcy," He said, trying to push his disorientation aside as he walked. Stealing a glance at Cas, he wondered if his uneasiness showed or if he was making much sense. "Just like you and I meeting this way, and later coming across those bandits speaking of their plans. Fate wills us on our path."

"There's no such thing as fate." Cas replied, features softening into a gentle frown, "Only coincidence and dumb luck." Not after the last war. Not after losing the people he held dearest to him. It couldn't have been fate, destiny, what ever people call it that had his mother and brothers dying on that battlefield. It should have been him, not them. The princes doubt in the Gods themselves shone through ever so slightly. For hours after the clean up, he'd prayed in temple for his family to become whole again. No God or Goddess answered that day. Not a single one out of the many helped him, helped his father, helped his people. There wasn't a single ounce in him that could forgive the Gods for that. Not now, not ever. Fate, if it was real, was cruel, Cas had decided long ago. Out of everyone in his family, he was the least deserving of the title of King. He knew there were many who disagreed with him on the point if he ever voiced that opinion, but he didn't care, "Believe what you will but there's no such thing in my eyes." It should have been me. He could still see his mother's body as clear as the sun itself bleeding out amongst all the other brave men who had laid down their lives for the last war. Still picture his brothers bodies one after the other beaten and tossed aside like they were nothing. He wouldn't have it. It couldn't have been their fate to die like that. It couldn't have been his fate, the youngest, least prepared to rule to survive, to suddenly have to take on the responsibility to one day rule, "It's nice to believe in legends, but sooner or later you have to grow up whether you like it or not, and you realise that, no matter what, they aren't true, and that the Gods won't help you either." Cas couldn't bare to look in Hylas' direction, not with the pain he knew the other could spot. He willed his face into a mask, hiding how he truly felt deep down as best he could. But with the memories that had resurfaced, it was a difficult task to complete.

Hylas quickly lost his train of thought, silently taken aback by the sudden change of tone. What had he said to rouse such bitterness out of Cas? It was obvious that he had recalled something disturbing, but Hylas' own defensiveness got the better of him, and he squared his shoulders reflexively as he turned to reply. With a long breath, he hesitated, shaking his head and deciding to keep his gaze ahead, keeping his palms from curling into gentle fists. "I really don't think you've considered who you're speaking to," He coldly replied, flat and unwavering as they walked on, stepping through the quiet undergrowth. How could the prince possibly fathom all the struggles and heavy losses that pushed him to the killing? He had slipped up, of course, but the quiet hostility in his words did something to Hylas, and he couldn't stop his quiet aggravation. "I've been the Raven for ten years, just about. You don't have the right to tell me to grow up." Gods, he could only imagine the pleasantires of being a young prince. Feasting and living musically in his air of esteem and indulgence; all while Hylas shivered in the backstreets with twitching hands and bloodied knives. All those feverish memories of childhood stung behind his skull, pulsing at the rare acknowledgement as if it was its own soul trapped inside of him. Because it was all decay, for him; a rotting corspe of memories that moved from continent to continent: and he could never outrun his sins. "And I'll be damned if I'm still alive because of dumb luck. How twisted is your mind to think that all of this is for nothing?" He could feel his voice rising in it's quiet severeness; he had never had such a conversation before, and wasn't equipped to deal with disagreement. "You're a fool to you think that our paths lead nowhere. This is not a thing of hope or reassurance, and you will see. Everything is connected."

"You have no right to call me a fool." Cas replied, keeping his voice level. Cold, but level in an almost frightening way. Compared to Hylas he'd had many a disagreement in his time and, even though he greatly disagreed and wanted to slap Hylas in his perfect face, he slipped his hands into his pockets to stop himself from doing so, "You're not the only one who's had to deal with loss and death and to kill. Just because your life hasn't been the same as mine doesn't give you any right to tell me how to think about my path." Just because he was a prince, it didn't mean his life was all sunshine and daisy, even less so after the last war. There wasn't a damned person on the continent who knew how he coped after the war, how he dealt with that pain and loss. All the built of grief from losing his family, losing himself. And he sure as Hell wasn't going to start now, "You might believe you're alive because it's your 'fate' or 'destiny', but there's not a being on this continent that will ever make me believe that I'm here because I'm meant to be. End of story. Don't tell me my views are wrong because they differ from your own, Raven." It was something Cas had learned, preparing to become King, is that you're never going to please nor agree with everyone. Not everyone is going to agree with you, either. It was about compromise. Cas and Hylas were never going to agree on this topic, the only solution was to agree to disagree. They had different views and that was okay. But Hylas had no right to tell him what to do, and vice versa. If Hylas wanted to believe in fate, fine, he could do so, however there was going to be no convincing of Cas that it was real. It was one thing he would never change his opinion on. The prince looked Hylas, the frown still settled into his features with no chance of moving anytime soon. Once this is all over you never have to see him again. He'll be gone and that'll be the end of it.

Hylas raised his eyebrows in a lazy expression of surprise, the corners of his mouth almost twitching into a smile when the prince returned the same sharpness. It was almost amusing to see him worked up over such a discussion, and he could hardly believe that he had been at the threshold of empathy before Cas had switched the narrative into something as personal as this. Why had he been so quick to dismiss his speaking of fate? Why did he hold so much anger towards it? It puzzled him, and as the sunlight grew colder and their replies got sharper, Hylas could feel the prince's intolerance grow. The way Cas' frown deepened at some moments, the way his gaze flickered from his expression to the forest floor; it told him something— or rather, it made him feel something. A strange attentiveness that had plagued him since they first met at the ball; some inability of letting the prince's words or movements go unnoticed. Perhaps it was his lifelong paranoia or withdrawnness that finally caught up to him and made him so sharp-eyed, but a part of him didn't seem to mind. The prince was speaking, and as much as he wanted to keep his eyes off his mouth, he couldn't help but smile at the foolish things he said. Oh, but he hasn't seen what I have, Hylas thought to himself, feeling a surge of terror, or perhaps excitement at the realization that had been building in him in the last few hours of walking. The vision that the sick priestess had placed inside of him hadn't taken place in the last war; it had been meant for this one. And just as he readied such knowledge to reply, he felt his smile grow cold. In all of his princely authority; calling— no, addressing him as that hated alias. Raven? He mused, his pupils just about dilating at the prince's last little statement. With a slow glance at Cas, Hylas smiled as he gave him a soft nod. "Careful now," He told him with an air of playful severity, looking up at the sun sinking further East, "It's not very wise to piss off a man who kills people for a living."

Cas lifted his gaze up from the ground to the man in front of him. There was a slight smirk on his face and glint in his eyes as he said, "If you wanted to kill me you would have done so already. But where's the fun in that now, eh?" The prince pushed aside the dispute, the tension and coldness that had risen between the two of them being replaced with an air he couldn't quite place but wanted to. They both had to move past that conversation. Cas knew there were going to be other conversations of the like on this journey, after all he guessed they were to be in one another's company for some time and getting worked up and upset over a disagreement over fate was hardly the worst he knew was to come. They'd be plenty of time to yell at each other later. Cas figured now wasn't the best time when he was unarmed with the most skilled assassin in the country, even though he knew Hylas' wouldn't kill him. Quite frankly the prince knew they needed to be in each others good books. Cas in Hylas' to be able to use his resources to write that letter and Hylas' in Cas so he didn't simply turn on him when they got back to the castle and put him on trial for his crimes. A silent agreement, he supposed, one he hoped Hylas understood, too, "And if you are going to kill me do it soon, it'll make this walk a whole lot less boring." He wondered what it would be liked to be killed by a man such as Hylas. Wondered if he would scream as other might have or if he'd go down with a fight. He'd begged earlier, tied down to that cot with no where to go. Had others felt that same feeling of helplessness as he had? Had some gone in their sleep with no where to run, not knowing what awaited them? Cas couldn't help but ask himself how they might have died. He'd heard stories, but not all stories were true. He'd heard of mutilations, stabbings, a simple slice of the neck. The last seemed the most fitting, Cas didn't think Hylas was the type to dismember a man but then again, he could be wrong. The prince knew there was a high chance he was. Cas turned his gaze away from the assassins dark eyes, looking back to the path ahead of them with a sigh.

Hylas let out a breathy laugh of weariness, gently shaking his head dismissively. He was glad that the prince's common sense had overtaken his quiet hostility, and that there had grown a silent agreement to put the discussion behind them. Perhaps it was their tiredness and growing hunger that had made them so irritable; Hylas had planned to stay in Eirus for a day or two and had needed to buy food for the journey back. Now that the afternoon was slowly dying, he noted that it would be wise to hunt something before it got dark. The thick forest was slowly easing in its coarseness; with fallen trees becoming scarce, and long tufts of tall grass and shrubbery dwindling in numbers. Their shoes crunched the carpet of fallen leaves and twigs as they advanced through, keeping an eye out for the gnarled hills and any large incurves that might grant them shelter. Hylas did his best to ignore the strange tension between them as a long stretch of silence softened his frown and relaxed his shoulders, but every time he risked a glance at Cas— his tired expression and unkempt hair —he still couldn't stop the strange curiosity that surfaced. What is he thinking about? How angry is he? Is he angry? And Where do we go from here? It made him terribly nervous, though silence was something he was used to; something he was comfortable in, and it gave him space to think. So why did he ache for words to fill the space between them? All the birdsong seemed to grow fainter, the distant sounds of a river grew louder, and the gentle wind promised a warm night. "We should…we should catch something," Hylas cautiously suggested, wanting to seem sensible yet nonchalant as he glanced at Cas.

As the day dragged on the weight on Cas' shoulders seemed to grow heavier. His mind focused on the letters to his father, to their allies, the preparations needed for the war, potential strategies. Best to start as soon as he could so he had a some what decent outline for a plan when they eventually arrived back in Eirus. This war was different from the last. It wasn't some feud between kingdoms. Last time he barely got a say in what happened, the plans that were made. This time he was front and center right next to his father. Everyone would be looking to him for advice and Cas wasn't quite sure he was ready to handle all of that. He had too, he knew he had no choice, despite how strongly he didn't want to. The word seemed to fade into the background of his thoughts as they walked. Hylas' footsteps almost distant compared to how loud his thoughts were. There wasn't enough time to think about anything else. Time was something Cas wished was on there side, but wishing for more of it was a useless task. A part of his mind wandered to what Hylas would do after the war was over if he survived. Cas wondered if he would turn him in at some point thought he shook that thought away. He's helping you win a war. Someone else can do that. It went against everything he had been brought up to do but Cas couldn't just expose him for who he was, fighting in a war was punishment enough. Maybe he'll leave the continent for good. For a moment Cas almost felt saddened but the feeling was gone as if it never appeared, too quick for him to notice. He was dragged out of his thoughts when Hylas spoke, coming back into reality as the plans of war faded to the back of his mind, "Yes, yes we should." A smart idea, they'd have to eat again at some point, "And we'll need to find somewhere to stay for the night, too. Somewhere safer then the middle of an open forest."

Hylas almost raised his eyebrows at the prince's unbothered reply. It seemed as if further matters of importance had seized his attention after their dispute, and that was just alright by him. "Right," He said with a nod, redirecting his gaze in the direction of the noise of flowing water. "We should look for a cave close to the river—" Hylas suggested, trying to think up a feasible explanation to disguise the strange truth of how rivers had always been a place of safety and comfort for him. Ever since he was a child and trying to survive by his lonesome, the rivers of Valthea aided him in ways that were far from futile. When he had nothing, he had the spring water and fish to sustain him. When he didn't know the lands as he did now, the familiar rivers would help him determine which direction to pursue. And at the safehouse, on the heavy nights of memories growing too loud, Hylas had learned to make his way to the soft-flowing stream at the edge of the field and feel his thoughts die as he slept in the plush grass. So much had come out of his quiet dependency, and he couldn't bear the thought of not keeping nearby. But that's strange, isn't it? He couldn't possibly tell the prince that. "—There won't as many creatures to bother us." A partial truth. "And we should gather wood for a fire. I'll hunt something, too, before it gets dark." Hylas let out a long sigh, taking in the cool evening in a soothing breath. He almost smiled at the spectacle of his relief, running a tired hand through his dark hair as he spoke. "Hmm. We're close to the border, you know. I can feel it in the air; it's so much warmer down here in the south. Even the nights are mild enough to sleep out in."

Cas nodded as the assassin spoke, "You hunt, I'll gather wood, how about that?" Since he didn't actually have any weapons to hunt with, nor a knife to make a spear with the find fish in the river, he supposed that was the only thing he could do. At least he wasn't sitting around doing nothing and was actually helping in some way or another. He wasn't incapable when it came to surviving out here, unlike some people presumed. He'd always liked the outdoors, found comfort in reading in the sun or making 'houses' out of fallen logs and tree branches when he was younger. His mother had always yelled at him for ruining his nice clothes in the mud but Cas had never cared. When he was old enough his father had sent him and his brothers away for a month to learn how to survive on their own. A valuable life lesson and one he knew that many others of his stature had never had. He almost found it embarrassing - for them, not him. But when you live in a castle and have everything handed to you on a silver platter, to some people it didn't matter, not when they didn't think anything bad was ever going to happen to them. This was a prime example that proved the exact opposite of what they all thought, "Finding shelter should be the first priority." Cas presumed that Hylas knew his way around this parts well enough that finding a cave for the night wouldn't be hard, easy in fact, "How long will it take us to reach Eirus from the boarder on foot?" On horse back or carriage Cas knew it wouldn't take long, but they hadn't even reached the boarder after a whole day of traveling. Either they'd have to pick up the pace or send the letter fast.

Hylas nodded, pausing to orientate himself with the hills and the horizon. He almost hesitated as he took a step closer to Cas, eerily aware of their closed distance as he faced south, pointing at the narrow slits of light between the trees. "I don't know if you can see it. The border, it's….hmm. There—" He quietly told him, wearing the faintest of smiles at the sight of the landmark. In the far distance, the softest definition of a waterfall spilled down a low hill of the mountains, catching the light of the evening in a golden spray. "That waterfall marks the edge of Valthea," He said with a long sigh. The day had worn him down, and though his shoulders were softening from fatigue, he couldn't help but drink in the relief of his homeland. The low call of cicadas, the wind, and the river all filled him with a heavy comfort. Is this what coming home feels like? "It'll be half a day's journey to Crowen, if we ready to leave at first light. And we don't need to worry about…bandits or travellers. All the roads to the capital are far from us now." Hylas nodded to himself, unknowingly glancing at Cas with his gentle smile of relief before resuming his walking. There was a strange reassurance that came from living and travelling away from any threat or social uncertainty; and Hylas admired the purity of unbothered land. Moss-covered hills lined this part of the woods, and shallow incurves hid behind fallen boulders. As they neared the river, the caves appeared deep enough to provide a firm shelter. "What do you think of this space?" Hylas asked after a long moment of consideration, slipping his hands into his pockets, "It's big enough, isn't it? Facing away from the wind, close enough to get water from the river."

It was strange to see a smile on the assassins face, one so human Cas almost thought he was dreaming and in reality he was still tied to the cot from that morning. He was relieved when he realised it wouldn't be a long journey tomorrow, the worry that lay heavy on him lifting a mere millimeter but it was enough to rest his tired conscious in the present moment. Cas only nodded as Hylas spoke, letting what felt like some form of solace wash over the two of them as the day slowly drew to a close and the first leg of their journey come to a close. The gentle silence that settled over them for the last part of their walk was almost relaxing, if Cas would dare let himself think that. A gentle breeze cooled the warm air around them and the sun lit everything in a glow that made the woods feel like a part of the tales the two were talking about earlier. It was… nice, for lack of better word. When they stopped, Cas glanced between Hylas that space he pointed at. Big enough for the two of them, out of sight - not that there would be any prying eyes in these parts - and close to everything they needed for the night, "Yes, this will do just fine for one night." The soft trickle and rush of water was a calming sound that filled the area. The prince understood why Hylas liked being out here, away from everyone else when he wasn't on assignment. Quiet, peaceful. If the imminent threat of war wasn't a pressing problem, Cas would have liked to stay out here for longer. Maybe not with an assassin but to just be far away from any issues or royal duties might ease some stress from him, "Right well, I'll stay round these parts and find some wood, start a fire while you go hunt, yeah?"

Hylas nodded in lieu of an immediate reply, almost surprised at the prince's offer to start a fire. He hadn't reckoned that such confidence would come from a royal, but he was finding himself more and more surprised with the things he was learning about Cas. Moving closer to the cave, Hylas shouldered off his rucksack, letting out a heavy sigh as he stretched in the last of the bright sunlight. He hadn't realized how sore he'd gotten; closing his eyes and wincing at the tension of his rigid shoulders as he rolled his neck from side to side. It could have been worse, He told himself, retrieving a few of his sleek throwing knives from the bag, It could have been much worse. Reminding himself of the worst would almost console him, in pain. The practice had dulled the severity of most of his unpleasant memories, but the pain was still fresh in his mind. Learning how to give himself stitches, the screams that followed cauterizing a wound, and being so full of agony that trembling turned into feverish convulsions; those were the earliest ones he could remember, anyway. "Right," He said with another sigh, slipping the knives into his pocket at glancing at Cas. He wanted to say he trusted him not to do anything foolish like wandering too far, or going after him— or waiting to surprise him on his return. The prince hadn't attempted an escape yet, but if he was planning to kill Hylas or get away from him, this was likely the time. Hylas looked through the rucksack for his tinderbox, wordlessly handing it to Cas. "I won't be a moment," He said as he turned to leave, then glancing back at him, "Oh, and— use some of the bark of the river birch trees around here. It's good kindling."

Cas graciously took the tinder box, taking it in his hands with a small nod, "Will do. I'll see you back here in a few." Chewing on his lower lip, the prince set the box down where he planned to build the fire, watching the assassin wander away before turning to path they had just trekked. He wasn't going to lie, the thought of escaping had crossed his mind once or twice, but the more rational part of him told him no. Not only did he not know where he was, he had no weapons and no money, no way of contact. The thought of stealing a dagger from Hylas had occurred, but he knew he'd probably be dead before he even tried. Leaves and twigs cracked underneath his feet as he picked up any sticks or branches that would work for a fire. Cas' thoughts wandered back to an escape. He supposed he could kill Hylas. But if he lost there definitely wouldn't be any trust between the two of them. There wasn't now, but the fact that Hylas wasn't opposed to letting him wander off meant there was a morsel there, at least. Even with all of that, Cas knew that he needed the assassin. He had to get that letter written, and he couldn't do that without the proper resources. Unfortunately the only way to access those resources was through Hylas. Sighing to himself, Cas brushed those thoughts away. Now was not the time to be thinking about all that, not after the long day the two of them had had, the prince knew they both needed a break. Maybe some food would do them good. He only wandered back to the camp when he could no longer pick up any more wood without dropping the entire load. Placing it down, he figured he'd collect the bark for the kindling first before making the fire see presentable.

Hylas sighed as he set off into the undergrowth. Surely the prince would be there when he got back. Surely. He wouldn't be stupid enough to compromise himself and the fate of the kingdom. He shook his head, almost smiling. But then again, I don't know him. Maybe he is that stupid. Still, his mind wandered to thoughts of the prince as he fashioned a snare trap along a rabbit trail, leaving it to hunt elsewhere in the meantime. Cas was a mystery to him. Beloved, strong-willed, learned, quick-witted, and so quietly charming, especially when he spoke of things he loved. As Hylas sat on the trunk of a fallen tree, twirling a throwing knife in his hands and waiting for movement In the brush, he followed the strange curiosity that surrounded his idea of Cas. He's a slave to his emotions, I know it. Everything he does is an effort to hide how he feels. A shuffling beneath the leaves. He straightened, gripping the blade with intent. He notices things…the way I notice things. And he— Stop. Focus. Angling his posture in the direction of the prey, his arm drew back like the tensive string of a bow. And he cares so deeply for his people— A woodland hare hopped into a clearing of patchy grass, and Hylas' flying blade cut through the still air, pinning the twitching rabbit to the ground. He can't help but care. They had only known each other for a day, but even being away from him, Hylas couldn't keep his thoughts from circling back to Cas. He told himself it was because they were involved in a an important matter. He told himself it was because he had never been in the company of anyone other than barmaids. He told himself many things to excuse his curiosity, and he wanted to believe it all. After a long moment, Hylas retrieved the hare with a sigh, forgetting to feel sorry for the thing as he walked back towards the river. His thoughts dwindled from worries to unanswered questions as he walked through the silent woods, his heavy steps the only thing sounding for miles. He thought he spotted thick patches of wild berries deeper in the brush, and he told himself to remember them for their breakfast tomorrow. Another hare was waiting in the snare, and he felt a quiet sense of pride for having hunted dinner so quickly; though scarce, there was still light in the sky when he arrived back at their camp. "I hope you're not opposed to rabbit," Hylas said after stepping into the clearing, not bothering to carry a throwing knife but half-expecting to be surprised with an attack.

By the time Hylas had returned to camp, Cas had a fire in full bloom. The spare sticks, twigs and kindling sat further back into their little cave in case they needed to top it up later into the evening, but as for now the bright red and orange shone brightly in the early evening light. Cas felt quite proud of himself, leaning back against a wall close enough to feel the heat faintly on his cheeks. At least he'd done something useful with his time. Sitting there rose the temptation to steal a look through Hylas' bag. For a weapon maybe, he wasn't quite sure why he wanted to, but he did, and he got close to giving into the thoughts but had to quickly remind himself the consequences that might follow. Trust. He sighed. You're not gonna get anywhere if you don't at least have a little trust. He almost laughed. Who was he kidding, trusting an assassin? It might be the thing that costed him his life. All of those thoughts vanished as he was dragged away from them when he heard Hylas' footsteps return, then he voice. Glancing up from the fire and towards him, he noted the two hares and a dash of a smile crossed his features. Impressive, but, he wouldn't expect anything less from the best assassin anyone had ever known, "Even if I was I wouldn't have much of a choice, would I?" He returned, tilting his head ever so slightly before it rested against the stone wall behind him. He could tell by the way Hylas walked, the slightly too tight grip he had on those hares that he had thought Cas was going to jump him. He made no comment, however, choosing to stay quiet and relaxed where he was sitting. It made sense that Hylas was still on edge. Anyone else probably would have tried to attack him, probably would have made a run for it while he was off hunting their dinner. Cas was stupid, but he liked to think he wasn't that stupid at least.

"Not really, no," Hylas replied, his gaze catching on the prince's near smile. He glanced at the fire with an air of quiet satisfaction and walked over to the cave, setting down the hares as he reached for his rucksack. "If you know how to make a fire, I'm guessing you know how to assemble a spit-roast over it," Hylas assumed, kneeling as he brought out a smaller, thicker curved hunting knife, a thin board of wood, a cloth, and a roll of string. With a quick check, he determined that there weren't any knives missing, and he turned to lightly throw the string to Cas. "Use some of these greenwood branches, hm?" A faint nod to the young trees, "They won't burn. I'll be by the river preparing the meat for roasting." At least Cas wasn't planning anything immediate. He stood up, letting out a heavy sigh as he rolled a sore shoulder, wincing a little. It wasn't typical of him to tire this easily, but the lack of sleep and the emotional shock of interacting with another person had him ready to collapse. And even though the prince was known as a fine man, Hylas' curiosity was all but a muddied disquietude. Communicating what he was thinking and where he was going— it was so strangely exhausting, and he couldn't fathom how people in their towns and cities could afford social interaction for every day of their life. Hylas reached for his tools and the two hares, turning to make his way to the river.
"I won't take long," He said over his shoulder, taking one last glance at Cas before heading down the uneven path of jutting rocks and fallen leaves. The sounds of the river bled through the trees, and following the promise of comfort, Hylas reached the banks of a steady stream. Setting the hares down on the wooden board, he got to work skinning and preparing the meat for skewing. The practice was simple; familiar enough to him to do it without thinking. It always reminded him of his years as a boy, learning to fend for himself in the woods without any guide but the sky, the wind, the earth, and the river. Softly humming as he worked, he prompted the thought of how Cas might've learned to live out in the elements. Again with Cas. He sighed, shaking his head and dismissing those thoughts.

Cas caught the roll of string with one hand, giving Hylas a small salute with his other, "Yes boss." He watched as he moved off into the trees, noting the wince and making sure to remember that piece of information for later. The weight of this whole situation was taking a toll on both of them. Cas knew that that weight would be different for both. It was clear Hylas wasn't used to this level of interaction unlike him. Hopefully tonight the two of them would be able to gain at least a little sleep and be able to recharge for tomorrow's journey. Standing, the prince moved off towards the trees Hylas had pointed to, gazing off into the direction where the other had gone to prepare the rabbits. He was a strange man, Cas noted, but then again years of solitude and murder would do that to a person. Maybe not strange in a bad way, but strange in a way that Cas had not known a person to be. Quiet, strong, and maybe the slightest bit emotional if the way he acted back when he was deliberating taking Cas' life or not indicated anything. It's almost sad. Cas couldn't imagine living the life Hylas did, what they could do to a person after so long. To then be swept up in the throws of the greatest war this continent would ever know.. Cas couldn't help but feel sorry for him. The prince was quick to shake off those thoughts, gathering the branches Hylas had indicated to and heading back to camp. The thoughts of Hylas were quickly replaced with the memories of his brothers. The times when they would camp out in the gardens and then soon after in the woods. The times where their father would join them, or the Captain, and they'd learn the necessary skills to survive. A long time ago, a young Cas would have deemed it foolish, but now he couldn't help but feel grateful for those moments. He hadn't set up a spit in a long time, but as soon as he started assembling the branches, trying them together, it all came back to him. By now the last light of the sun was well and truly fading away into nothing, the moon beginning to rise in the opposite direction, bringing its own form of light to the woods. At least the fires bright.

(hey, lifes been rough, I’ve been maladaptive daydreaming aaaand I have a few ideas of a timeline of stuff; feel free to add/say no/suggest other things. also its cool if we dont make it this far or skip-write over longer parts. its a bit late so excuse this random thing & bad grammar .

So hylas gets real bad nightmares, & usually goes off to sleep near a river. maybe tonight or some other night, Cas is like ??? anyways they spend some time at the safe house writing letters to Eirus, maybe cas tries 'teaching' a shy Hylas to use a longsword? hylas teaches Cas to throw knives? get to know each other better, banter. when the king establishes enough war prep, he wants cas back; and cas kind of wants hylas to come with. cover story: hylas is a farmer/traveller who served in war & knows the geography of the continents really well, & happens to be very useful. hylas is in awe of the palace inside and Cas is making excuses to 'keep an eye on him' and be around him while preparing for war. they get more info about zaros. hylas opens up a bit more about past.

eventually they head for the battlefield stationed in ?south Valthea? real shyness between em. they have to pretend hylas is like nobody. hylas teaches some troops to fight, etc etc skip. spend a lot of time sneaking away to meet.
Moving central base, they end up in an area close to Hylas’ old home; cue flashbacks. they explore alone and find (?ruins) of his old home and pained Hylas remembers more. theyre around different ppl sometimes; jealously from both sides here and there. then kind of confess feelings.

they end up on the border of this kingdom they need to pass through/use; but the king wont allow it unless Cas marries one of the daughters. (by this time him & hylas r pretty much together, secretly) and though cas doesn't want to, hylas convinces him to accept. maybe they go to some local festival & dance?

one of the knights/soldiers suspects hylas is the raven/a spy for zaros; finds a way to prove it, and drives him into zaros' side of the fight. and Hylas catches a glimpse of Zaros; & goes into a bit of shock. cas tries to fix things with people knowing he's the raven and gets him back. Hylas is panicking and explaining zaros is his father. Lots of internal conflict; even Cas is unsure about what he might do, but supports him. eventually after some fight they end up (mostly) alone with Zaros, with cas being restrained. zaros explains to hylas everything that happened to their family and how he got here etc etc. zaros wants hylas to join him, and cas is like nononono he wont. But then hylas slowly steps toward zaros, then tries to stab him. Zaros stops him, and guts him. Cue hylas bleeding out a bunch, cas in hysterics as he’s dragged away. Cas ends up escaping/rescued; goes back for his body. Turns out hylas is somewhat alive, rescued by some other kingdom. Relief, a little recovery. zaros comes back to kill both of them; end up fighting by a river, and ??maybe Hylas kills him with the sword of riverglass.

Hylas is just about dying but 'recovers' enough to regain consciousness and talk etc. he’s with cas, talking laughing in bed and then just,,,,dies. More hysterics and sadness from cas. Buries him by the river. Organizes politics stuff while he’s grieving, takes a trip to the safehouse & nearby waterfall. something happens. Hylas stumbles out of the waterfall alive !!! reunited & ?cottage life

again this was very random / I just had a bunch of ideas . again, you can suggest or veto stuff . we can also skip stuff that spans over a long time?)

('and then just dies' omg I love all of that. I hope you're doin okay too man! Anyways yes, I love all those ideas, there's so much we can do here. I was thinking of potentially tying in the whole Maelin crown of starlight thing later on - potentially in the final battle between them and Zaros, maybe? dunno yet, we'll see.

also, when they're at the palace, conveniently their rooms could be placed near each other for 'cas keeping an eye on him' and at some point hylas walks in on a very stressed cas planning for the war and is all 'hey you good man?' and we get a bonding moment where we get some more depth with hylas' past, maybe cas explains why he doesn't believe in fate - something to do with his tattoo - and then they like - kiss - but don't acknowledge it for a while however at that point they're both like 'damn.. i think i'm like in love with you or sum'

i like the marriage idea, maybe we could have that somewhere up north like Kienheim or some other northern region since Zaros is supposed to be heading up that way away? we could also have his wife be like 'i know you like him dude and this is just politics and i'm also really gay too bro' since they're already going through enough, or she could be a total bitch about it - maybe she dies too, dunno, just throwing around ideas while we're here

oh! forgot to mention lmao, i made a playlist of songs that remind me of these two because i have nothing better to do with my time, here’s the link if you wanted to listen aha you don’t have to tho but i put it on if i’m thinking of them :) https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0RwMZCRI4sEnOlJ6BCE8Ol?si=oc3fNDVqTeSEg9ox86ZNow&dl_branch=1 )

(!!yeah!! The crown thing sounds good, but do u have an idea about how it could be found/used; is it like a weapon that can help or just like a symbol? But I think that hylas should kill zaros (again with the riversword thing) cuz its groovy & he’s his father. room thing sounds great !! cause hylas has insomnia, if they had adjoining balconies cas could be like hey whenever hylas sneaks out for air while they’re staying there.

for the marriage thing; I thought zaros was coming from the north with witches in the east? but— So I was thinking since they need to be granted passage/ aid, that kingdom should be in between Eirus/Valthea, and the north. cause they're gonna be preparing around ?spring, warm weather sounds good, and hylas is gonna find his old home with cas when wandering away from the camp AFTER they kind of confess?

maybe I should draw a map to help visualize.? What do you think? Also: I dunno if she & cas should get married straight away; but maybe have like an engagement festival where he & hylas dance/sneak off? only because it would give us time to think if cas+the princess or cas+hylas should get married & if it makes sense to have her conveniently die. The princess could be an interesting character to write: cause if she’s really eager or charming, there could be some jealously going on on hylas' side. 0_0 Also they could be like 'lets wait til he’s king/ the war’s over” and then cas just doesn’t marry her at all in the end. and marries hylas instead (if Eirus isn't homophobic) also if they are like fully aware of their feelings/together at this point, hylas could try to push him away like "no you're engaged, it would be a scandal, I'm the raven we shouldnt be together etc etc etc." but then later on stubborn cas is like "!!no I want to .we should" and hylas is like. fine. yes.

so leave and stay at palace > leave for ?south valthea to prep for battle > find hylas' old home > travel up to new kingdom +engagement > chilling at camp, fighting small battles, drama with raven suspicion > hylas realizes who zaros is and then betrayal + hylas gets stabbed; cas thinks he's dead > hylas recovers, big ass battle, kills zaros w/ sword (maybe cas finishes off zaros' army with the crown) > war over. hylas super injured but recovering & in good spirits. then just fuckn dies. > Cas broken. goes to safehouse/cottage to mourn > hylas just comes back to life from like magic in the waterfall > reunited and yay. figure out the rest.

dude!!! that was such a fun playlist veryvery accurate. Now im considering making a Pinterest board but that’s a huge rabbit hole. Maybe ill make a map tho. i need to make a doc of this planning so i/we don't forget. Also: did u say there were, like, dragons n stuff? If yes, how do you wanna utilize that?)

(Just created a google doc that you should be able to edit, if not lemme know, that way we can add playlists, pintrest boards, notes, maps, etc in there so we have easy access to it https://docs.google.com/document/d/1He54dBSRV9DFb5E48wFmwoLbo-TaYQXEazLoZWpdc0I/edit?usp=sharing

yeah in the prompt I put that there was magic, dragons, etc in case we wanted the the characters to have magic, find magic, and so on if we wanted to and so there's more possibilities that we can do with this world, you know? With the dragon's specifically, we could maybe have a subplot (maybe around the time cas has to get married and there's loads of jealousy going on?) where hylas and someone from the guard go off to find them and see if they wanted to help with their cause? that way they have and aerial force to help against zaros and then cas is super jealous because hylas and the guard get kinda close?

With the crown I was thinking maybe at some point during the final battle cas kinda gets lost for a little while, ends up finding the crown, comes back and helps Hylas. there could potentially be some magic involved with the crown which helps cas defeat the army while hylas tries to kill zaros

okay so I just reread the little part when they discovered the plan with zaros. so big dude zaros is located in the west atm gathering more troops before he begins to move north, then he'll move to Eirus which in my head is located in the east, presumably near the witches or in that general area. Valthea is located above? Eirus, that way they have to move upwards through the south to find Hylas' old home, there'd then be another unnamed kingdom above that which is the one they have to pass through and then we could have the marriage plot there - that way the final battle can be a confrontation in the northern regions. It also gives us chance to have hylas and cas go south to gather allies maybe before they move up to valthea? we can have some more bonding moments, hylas seeing how cas runs things and all that and maybe a colder side of him? but yeah, a map would be good if you wanted to do that so we both have sometime to visualize.

I like the engagement festival idea, there could be some cute moments between the two of them there and also confict with hylas saying cas should agree and cas saying no he wont)