forum The Raven ((closed - oxo))

Started July 17, 2020 by @ElderGod-Carrots

tune

Cas had only been distracted for a moment, a fleeting, insignificant moment before he realised the pain shooting through the side of his cheek, and his wrists from where he landed hard on the ground. It took a second to regain composure, hand resting on the side where the wound now was. He couldn't tell how bad it was, just that the trail of red dripping onto his fingers and the ground wasn't good. Cas had been expecting the attack, had been seconds away from going to block but distraction, combined with how stupidly fast Hylas was, caused the situation. Pulling his hand away, Cas looked at the blood before moving his hand back to try and stop bleeding, managing to keep his hands steady, despite how fast his heart was thundering from the shock of it all, moving into a more comfortable position with a groan before he looked back to Hylas. He wasn't angry, that much as clear, more shocked than anything, "It's fine, Hylas," For someone who had just been knocked down with a very sharp weapon, his voice remained soft and calm, fighting off the pain racing through the sid of his face, "It was an accident, it's not that bad." He didn't know that, couldn't see the damage but if it would reassure Hylas that he was fine then it didn't matter, "At least there's a lesson here," He joked, trying to make light of the situation in another attempt to convey that he wasn't mad, "Don't lose focus when facing an opponent." Cas managed a crooked smile, though it was quick to fade when the pain worsened with the movement. Maybe now was a good time to put the swords away, wherever they had landed in the sea of green surrounding them.

Hylas let out a heavy sigh as Cas faced him. "It's not fine," He breathed, shaking his head as he curled a gentle, shaky hand around Cas' wrist, lifting it away from his face with a quiet wince to check, "—I mean your face… your wound is fine. It's not deep. It's fine. It's me, I just…" Staring at Cas' bloodied face, there came a sugary swell of self-hatred and strange affection. "I was careless." Here he is, the golden prince of Eirus, bleeding out because of me. "I'm meant to protect you. I felt bad enough about killing you the first time around, and now…what have I done?" Hylas said with a breathless laugh, weakly smiling and frowning at once. "You must be in shock, trying to joke after an assassin just about beheads you." That sunny curl of a smile was too much for him now. Hylas had been expecting cold anger; an armed response, or at the very least, the hostile reflex of having his hands smacked away. How could Cas react in such a casual, forgiving way when an assassin had managed such a close blow? How did he manage not to flinch away from his attacker? "'Don't lose focus of an opponent'…You're a fool. A bloody fool that I need to tend to, so can you walk?" Hylas painfully smiled again and shook his head as he slowly came to stand with him. "Um. Sorry. I know. Let's go inside. I have supplies."

Cas rolled his eyes, though there was no annoyance behind the gesture, "You weren't careless you were just doing as I said." A shrug. He was careful to stand, maybe just a little wobbly on his feet, "And you didn't nearly behead me, can you not be dramatic for five minutes? It's a scratch, it'll heal, no big deal." He'd had worse. Sure, it stung like anything now but by tomorrow there would only be the physical wound. Cas could still feel the blood dripping down the side of his cheek, wet and hot but he stopped himself reaching up to try and stop it in case of rubbing any more dirt into the cut. Why's he so worried? Cas might have been taken aback by the attack, but he'd seen the way Hylas hand shook. He couldn't stop thinking about it as they headed inside, taking a seat on their rickety wooden chairs as he watched Hylas gather whatever he was rummaging around for to patch up the cut. It really wasn't that bad. It could have been a lot worse, considering the sharpness of the silver and the power behind the strike. Cas was both quietly impressed, and maybe a little proud, about it all. It wasn't good behind hurt in the process, but at least Hylas could pack some power behind a blow, even when it wasn't the middle of a blood ridden battlefield.

Hylas bit his lip as he darted about from chest to chest, hurriedly snatching up his sack of medical supplies and dropping it on the table. His panic had eased, but worry had soon replaced it and guilt was close behind. I hurt him. It's nothing, he says it's fine. But he trusted me. Quickly turning to the kitchen, his words were soft but firm as he called to Cas over his shoulder. "Come over here," Hylas said, his voice giving away his quiet desperation. Hearing his worried plead, he was moved to bit down on his lip. He grabbed a clean rag and filled a bowl with fresh water, spilling a considerable amount as he rushed to set it down. "…Please. I can get a better look at you if you sit on the edge of the table." That embarrassing sound in his words— groundless concern and worry —was the second new feeling he'd experienced since meeting Cas. The first was the strange, fluttery admiration that lived in his stomach; a phenomenon that stood behind this second emotion. Like the warmth behind the chills of shivery fever. Hylas had only ever needed to fear for himself. He had no friends or loved ones that he wanted to please or protect. No one had ever prompted such a reflex out of him, and Hylas couldn't understand why all this simmering guilt plagued him. I hardly know him. I was ready to kill him a week ago. Of all the unspeakable things he'd done, hurting someone who trusted him was somehow worse. But did Cas trust him? If he didn't, then he was a good enough actor to make Hylas feel trusted. I'm all mixed up inside, He thought as he dug through a little bag of medicines, wearing a focused frown as he set out dragon blood and homemade salves of wild herbs.

Cas did as Hylas asked, the worry that shone through the assassin's words was enough to do so without making a comment about how it really wasn't that bad of an injury and he was overreacting. He perched himself on the edge of the table. It wasn't a life-threatening injury, it was barely a scratch if that and it would heal in a few days, anyway, and technically, it was Cas' fault for not paying attention when a sharp object was being swung at him. They'd known each other for such a short amount of time, Hels, Hylas was going to kill him at one point, and now here they were, mere inches apart as Hylas worked on stopping the blood oozing from the injury. His failed reassurances hadn't helped earlier, and from the way Hylas had rushed to fix this, nothing Cas could say would ease the worry that came off him in waves. For someone who was the most feared man on the continent, Hylas wasn't very scary. Cas' features softened, though the question of why Hylas was so undeniably worried kept his brain turning in the back of his mind. How many people had seen The Raven like this? Gentle and desperate to fix a wound that wasn't deadly in any way. It made no sense as to why he was like this, but Cas couldn't bring himself to take his gaze off Hylas. Up close it was easier to see how terribly dark his eyes were, the curve of his nose, how soft his lips looked. The thoughts had him blushing softly, and doing his best to ignore it, he spoke quietly, "I hadn't realised how dark your eyes were. They look brown from a distance but they're darker than that."

With a gentle hand tilting his chin up, Hylas frowned over Cas' wound. He worked undistracted in the tense silence, immersed in his thoughts and worries as he swept a damp washcloth along the side of his face. The cut was long, but shallow. He wouldn't need stitches. With any luck, it wouldn't scar too badly. That would be a terrible reminder for the prince. Gods—if it leaves a scar…. Every time he looked in the mirror, Cas would remember the assassin who marred his face, and that casual loathing would haunt Hylas, however far away he was. The man who took him from his home and brought upon the news of a coming tragedy left him with a reminder. But why would I care if he hated me a little more than he already does? Between the gripping unease, Hylas still managed to find distractions within his efforts towards the prince, and as he worked in silence, his face softened until all that remained of his worry was a doe-eyed hope that he wouldn't make Cas wince anymore. Hylas held Cas' face in his hands as he dressed the wound, slowly forgetting the fleeting terror of the accident. Under his warm hand, a smooth cheekbone swept down to the edge of Cas' jaw; sharp as a dagger, with skin softer than a Valthean breeze. A frown began to form, but as soon as he felt his calm interrupted, that confusion dissolved into a chilling wave of awareness. Cas' eyes were on him, holding him by some invisible extension as he spoke. My eyes? Hylas thought, considering his appearance for the first time in a long time. Of course there were ponds and still lakes to see himself, but seeing his clear reflection in the mirror was rarer than anything. Hylas knew he had dark eyes. He would always know, because those were his mother's eyes, and his father always used to remind him. Still holding Cas' face in a palm, Hylas was silent as he processed the strange, wonderful observation. How long had he been looking at his eyes? Had Cas anticipated a beam of sunlight to erupt his irises into a thick ring of rich, earthen sea glass? The same way Hylas anticipated how painfully beautiful his face looked in a splash of sun? Thoughtlessly, his gaze considered the two impossibly close emeralds that held him hostage. So near to him, and yet still so illusive. What were they seeing? What light and colours had they known? What beauty? The long spell was broken when the soft, cool face in his hands grew suddenly warm and the pleasant knots in his stomach returned.

When the gaze was returned, having those dark, alluring eyes on him, the pink that suddenly radiated off of Cas deepened, obvious at length, more so noses apart. His heart fluttered, desperate to know what Hylas was thinking, but lay behind those strikingly brilliant eyes? Had he picked up on the way his heart raced when he looked at him like that? Surely noticed the red on his face that Cas hoped he could lie about. Hylas' hand was impossibly soft against his cheek, the slight graze of callouses against skin were nothing but mere rocks lying against an ocean. All so noticeable. His own gaze drifted over the assassin's face. From his lips, the slight curve in his nose, those gods damned eyes again, the slight lines that had etched themselves into his forehead, probably from years of worry, and back, unable to stop looking at Hylas in quiet admiration. Had he ever been this close to someone before? The pounding in his chest grew as he tried to fill the silence with anything. Was Hylas mad at what he had said? Was that why they were staring so intently at one another? Should have kept my mouth shut. "I just- I just mean that- um-" Meant what? That he found Hylas attractive? That he couldn't stop thinking about everything that he kept hidden away, that shining, glinting look in Hylas' eyes when he laughed or smiled and wasn't worrying about impressions or letters or whatever else he thought about. Cas' voice was impeccably soft, barely a whisper, afraid to frighten Hylas away from speaking too loudly. What was the feeling settling in him? The one that came and went faster than lightning, never staying long enough for Cas to acknowledge or identify what it was. He'd been too wrapped up in writing the letter, in trying to make Hylas like him, that whatever it was, had evaded Cas' thoughts until now. The prince didn't want to know what it meant, not yet, not when one wrong move could have Hylas moving away and retracting his hand.

Hylas was caught in a standoff of tender stares and burning skin. Looking down at Cas' strange, dumbfounded look, he found that with his parted lips, pink cheeks, and quietly troubled gaze, the prince looked a rare type of holy. Natural, honest, and confused, every inch of his flustered innocence tempted Hylas with thoughts of coming closer or letting the tips of his fingers lead the rest of his hand to the soft river of chestnut brown hair caught in the sunlight. He didn't think he'd ever felt such a thing as someone else's hair through his fingers, and the urge to do so was terrifying. And what he do after? Just let go? The way they were looking at each other— the way they were silent said more than Hylas could ever hope to learn later. Unbearably, he holds my gaze. Not out of curiosity. Surely not…out of admiration? Was he sure about that? Neither were breathing with the casual calmness of worriless companions. The face in his hand was shy, obviously nervous, and determined to solve the problem in Hylas' eyes. The question of what Cas was really thinking pricked the assassin's skin with fear and wonder, and it was answered when he spoke in a stutter. Before he'd finished realizing or regretting the new realization, Hylas' hands were off of Cas, and his eyes tore away with a few heavy blinks. A sudden exhale told him of how shallow he'd been breathing. It's just… He didn't mean it in any way. Oh. Wait, Did he? In that way? The way, like… The way Hylas was terrified of. "No…I know," Hylas said with a breathy laugh, looking up to nervously smile before needing to turn away from him. Silently, he nodded to himself. Adrenaline, scattered thoughts. A slip-up. It wasn't like that.

If Hylas hadn't been standing only a few feet away, Cas might have slapped himself. His face scrunched in a look of disappointment. Idiot. Even he didn't know what he meant. His thoughts were a jumbled mess of scenarios and shared looks and Cas couldn't make much out of his own head, there was no way Hylas could. It was just an observation, surely. But the silence that lay between them, the delicate touches, it had to mean something. Whether or not he, or Hylas, ever managed to acknowledge what it was, was a different story, and Cas was too wound up in feeling like a fool for speaking without thinking to put any thought towards that. Later. Deal with it later. There wasn't any time for whatever the hell this was. What even was it? Fluttering hearts and flustered thoughts couldn't just be nothing, but it wouldn't become anything. It couldn't. Shouldn't. Did he want it to? Hylas was so… different, alluring in a way no one else was, and it was hard to keep ignoring the urge to want to know him, understand him in a way that no one else had. The feeling had been but a mere seed at the back of Cas' ming but now, he wasn't so sure it was as small as he had hoped it was, "Right, yes.. good," Cas swallowed, unsure of what to do with his hands, with himself in the moment now that Hylas had moved away, much to his quiet disappointment, "Thank you, for patching me up." A smile, even if Hylas was looking the other way, something he was most grateful for as embarrassment stayed steady in him.

"…You're welcome," Hylas said with a bit of a sigh, looking down with a smile as he put away his supplies. His attention flickered to Cas in his peripheral, but fearing that he might catch his gaze again, Hylas left to empty the bowl of bloodied water. Gods, what a moment that was. He couldn't remember anything in his life that had excited him quite as much as how Cas had been but a second ago. But what now? How could he stand to live through the coming hours with fluttery remnants of the strange new feeling, when all he wanted to do was chase it? As much as it made him sick to his stomach, Hylas loved it. The pulse racing, the hot skin, the sharpened nerves and the murky thoughts; all of it. It was new, and since Hylas was too overwhelmed to fight it, he accepted it. Avoiding Cas' eyes as he walked by, Hylas knelt by the hearth and covered the pulsing red coals with dry kindling. After reviving the fire in silence, his head perked up as he realized how he'd left Cas with nothing to do, and since they were both speechless, nothing to say. "Cas?" He called over his shoulder, speaking softer than he wished to sound. Though, how couldn't he be soft with the first name he had a reason to utter? Caspian. After delivering him to Eirus, he knew he'd be saying it for days; maybe in his sleep. The weight of it— warm and weightless in his mouth —would only be another tragedy if, years from now, he wouldn't be able to recall the prince he'd kidnapped and shared a moment with in his youth. "You said you finished the letter." A bracing sigh. "I don't suppose…you could read it to me?" For this request, he turned to look at him, matching the momentary tension from across the room, "We should review it…don't you think?"

The sudden voice that broke through the silence nearly made Cas jump. There were too many thoughts racing around that for a moment he'd forgotten Hylas was even in the room with him. As much as he couldn't take his mind off of the beautiful assassin, the moment they had shared that would keep Cas' thinking about for a good long while, his mind was loud enough to fill the silence between them unless Hylas spoke up again, "Uh sure, yes, that's a good idea." Swallowing, he moved towards the desk in the corner of the room, hands only slightly shaky as he grabbed the piece of parchment, moving back towards the table and taking a seat, "Most of it is just um- strategy talk, fairly boring do you- do you really want to listen to that? Even I get bored." Cas breathed a laugh. It wasn't all a lie. Long, military meetings in the last war he'd sat on had melted his brain until he was reciting battle strategies in his sleep for weeks afterwards. Of course, there was the whole half-lie explanation about what happened to him, where he was, how he escaped and all that. He wasn't going to throw Hylas into the stocks, especially not after their moment. Would they ever share another one like that? A longer one? One where they both weren't so petrified to say or do something wrong? Cas had been with his fair share of people but that deep, jittery feeling that arose whenever Hylas looked or even smiled at him once one he hadn't felt in a long time.

From across the room, Hylas met Cas' question with a wordless nod and an encouraging smile. He liked hearing Cas speak. Especially in the few occasions where he talked about things that were dear to him, like his brothers or his secret place beyond the palace grounds. He wondered if everyone else in the word looked as quietly happy as Cas did when they spoke of their personal treasures. As he made his way back to Cas, a flurry of black in the window caught his attention. His raven had finally stopped roaming the woods and made his return. Spoiled thing. He's tired of fending for himself, Hylas fondly thought, smiling to himself as he sat across from Cas, not considering how he might look. Accidentally catching Cas' gaze, he eased his smile into something more neutral in hopes of not seeming too overeager, though he might have been a little. "Go on," He prompted, sitting cross-legged on the wooden seat, "Tell the story of the dashing, clueless farmer who took you in and fed you shockingly plain meals."

Cas cracked a smile, shaking his head softly at Hylas' remark. Dashing, yes. Clueless, not so much. "Mhm, making a prince do manual labour really isn't the wisest of things they could do, too." Tearing his gaze away from Hylas and down to the paper, he thumbed the corner in his hands before he read.

'Father,

Forgive me for the rude disappearance, though I admit it wasn't because the party was overwhelming. The Raven kidnapped me. He was paid a large sum for my head. I am unharmed, I promise you. While he was moving me to what I presume was his hideaway, I was lucky enough to be found by a farmer, Hylas, and he saved my life.

I am currently staying with him, The Raven hasn't found us or come looking for me, however, there is a more pressing matter to discuss.

The man who paid The Raven, Zaros, is preparing for war. I have reason to believe that he has already taken the North and will begin moving towards Eirus. Hopefully, by the time this letter reaches you I should be on my way home, with any luck Zaros will still think I'm dead if The Raven hasn't got to him. I doubt it since he wouldn't be given the money.

We need to gather allies. Valthea will join the cause, I have no doubt. Winem will be harder, but due to the fact that we're peaceful, and the entire continent is at stake, there is a chance they will join us. If we move through the South, through Valthea and up through Donao, we have a chance of meeting him halfway, on the border of Donao and Telgalla. As he believes I'm dead, we have the upper hand. We need to keep it that way. Write to Valthea, and Winem, trips to both kingdoms will be in order and a full council, but only after I have returned. Inform the Captain, no one else.

Some of the witches have also joined his cause. We might have the upper hand when it comes to surprise, that doesn't mean Zaros is weaker in strength and his own allies. There is little hope for the witches, and the peoples of Qai-via are elusive enough, I am at a loss when it comes to convincing them to join us, but it will be easier to discuss in person.

Stay safe, I miss you terribly.

All my love, Caspian.

Cas shrugged when he finished, pushing the paper towards Hylas, "It's not the best, but it conveys the message enough."

Hylas listened with keen interest, picturing the future military procession through a clear map in his mind. It was the best route; the only route if they wanted to avoid leading an expensive unified attack from the sea. "It's good. You've used up a whole page, and I don't know what more you could include," Hylas said, nodding as he pretended to read the prince's beautiful but ultimately tangled handwriting. Long curls of inks twitched in a current pushing from the left, and every time a word seemed to be clear in his peripheral, it scrambled as soon as Hylas glimpsed at it. With another set of contemplative nods, Hylas' smile slowly began to fade, and his gaze flickered away. "—Except for one thing." He stood a little abruptly, looking all around him as ideas swelled and bounced around in his head. There was a problem, but what could it be? In a half-step towards the corner desk, Hylas turned back to Cas, distracted but sure of something. "Well, you can suggest this when you see your father in person; you've already written the letter, after all. There won't be space, but, um… What did I say? Yes. Fold the parchment into the smallest square you can manage, and then I… I want to see about something." Disregarding his incoherent rambling, Hylas snatched a blank page of parchment, the ink, and his old quill, quickly returning to the table with a determination to carve out the reality of some hidden trouble. He stood as he worked in silence, hunched over the page as he conjured the memory of the continent's shape and hurriedly traced it in black. His hand hovered above the parchment in a careful effort not to smudge the wet ink, feverishly dipping and curving for every bay and boundary. Within a minute, he had produced the raw essence of Mavadora's coasts and borders, leaving the kingdoms unnamed out of fear of embarrassing himself. Stepping back from the illustration, Hylas traced Cas' described route with a careful gaze. "If you want to unite the mid-Eastern kingdoms, the path to meet every ruler would be…circular and perhaps…inefficient? Hmm."

Cas leaned back in his chair, a frown etching into his features as he glanced at the map Hylas had drawn. A contemplative silence washed over him, as still as a statue with eyes flicking across the piece of parchment. Finally, he spoke up, “Unless we used two processions. One up into Winem, meet with the King and then move through the kingdom, across the edge of the mountains if there is a path before meeting in Donao. The other would go down into Valthea. Technically it's still a circle but… to reach all those kingdoms in time, without wasting money, resources and time we don't have… one goes South, the other North. Otherwise, if everyone moved through Valthea, up Donao and towards Telgalla, Winem would be out the battle, and we need an army greater than any other war.” He paused for a moment, another silence, before he sighed, a small shake of his head before folding the parchment up like Hylas had said earlier, “This could all change in a few days. Hels, it could change tomorrow, in a month, it’s up in the air. Gods… I need to get home.” To meet with his father, the captain, organise troops, make sure all the soldiers were prepared to move. Send messages to other kingdoms and let them know of the arrival, the war before they met in person. Cas couldn’t decipher his own thoughts anymore and hadn’t realised he’d drifted off into silence as he thought, forgetting Hylas was standing near him. It was all too much, too many possibilities. They didn’t know what route Zaros would take either. Meeting him in Telgalla could prove futile if we chose to travel by sea and around to avoid all conflicts on the continent. Take Eirus next, the rest of the continent would fall quicker than a mountain struck by lightning.

Hylas smiled at Cas, his eyes growing a little wider as he nodded encouragingly. The prince had finished his thought! He didn't know how common that was, but it excited him to know that all his effort to convey something had been received so well. It wasn't until he could hear Caspian's exhaustion that the notion of how stressful having to strategize was for him. Being away from the last of his family, meeting the Raven, and being the only one with the knowledge of war must've been a terrible burden for the prince. Softening his expression, Hylas took a step closer and pretended it was an action to approach the letter. "You miss him? Your father?" He asked, looking up at Cas and hoping his smile was a little reassuring. As he folded the parchment, he thought of his own father and what little he could remember about him. A dark, scruffy beard, strong hands, a crooked nose, and a pair of big, brown glassy eyes that were impossibly kind and never seemed to stop catching the light. He remembered what surprise and delight looked like on him. Raised bushy eyebrows and a sudden eruption of laughter, all before managing a terrifying leap to chase Hylas through the fields. There were only a handful of golden memories to choose from, and as time went on Hylas lost more and more of those glimmering details that kept strong the love he tried to hold onto. Now, that ache was withering, and the only times Hylas thought of his parents were when he remembered something new. But that didn't stop him from wishing he had more. More time, more memories, and more reasons to hold onto them. The best he'd done to honour their memory was his attempt to write everything down in the black notebook somewhere on the shelf. Everything he remembered about them, but more specifically, everything he remembered about where they lived. His determination to find answers had died five years ago, and now all he had was the bleak reality of death, fate, and a broken memory. Hmm. "Well don't worry," Hylas said, flattening the folded edges with his nail, "We'll leave as soon as we hear back. I doubt it'll be more than a day."

Cas could only give Hylas a tight-lipped smile, though it fell as soon as it came, "He's all I have left, I miss him more than anything." After his mother and brothers died, Cas and his father had grown closer than they ever had in Cas' entire lives. Being the third heir at the time, there had been no pressure for him, no reason to sit in on lessons on how to rule a kingdom. As much as his father loved him plenty when he was younger, he had always been closer with his mother. He still dreamt of her often. Of her long, sand-blonde hair and striking green eyes that matched his own. How her smile could lift the mood of an entire room and the stories she used to tell before bed when he was little. When she died, when his brothers died, too, it left a gaping hole, heavy and as dark as the Dying Sea, that could never be filled, no matter how much his father and he came together over the loss of their family. And now, being away from his father, not knowing if he was safe, knowing he was worried sick about where he was, Cas felt that hole in him grow the longer he was away. He'd never truly recovered from their death, not in the way that his father thought. The long nights filled with nightmares, panic attacks. The times he'd woken up tear faced and screaming about his failures as a brother, as a son, how he couldn't save them and would never save them, the broken glass wear hidden in the floorboards of his room. The little scars that lined his skin were not because of the war or stupid faults as a kid, the usual blame, but because of him. The sickening punishment that developed, or outright just refusing to sleep in fear of seeing them again. To hear what they might say in his head, of the guilt that plagued him still to this day despite how okay he looked on the outside. Cas had never told him, would never tell him, or anyone, what it was like when he was alone with those thoughts, or how truly terrible his mind could be when he had no strength to fight it, or any distractions, either, "But no matter," He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he did his best to return to the present moment, "As you said, we'll hear back soon. It's only a few more days away, I can manage being away from home for a little longer."

"Of course," Hylas said, trying his best to smile and appear understanding as he folded the letter. Having been struck by two lightning bolts during Cas' reply, he pondered the quiet shocks. To begin with, Cas' casually vulnerable remark had surprised him. Sure, Cas trusted Hylas enough to not kill him in his sleep, but apparently he trusted him enough to confide in, however trivial and fleeting the feeling was. 'He's all I have left, I miss him more than anything.' A weak spot. An emotion to exploit. He gave it up so easily, and the statement echoed in Hylas' thoughts with equal fascination and jealousy. Cas had something to miss and someone who missed him. How painfully comforting that must be… "He'll be happy to have you home safe. Tell him I fed you well," He softly told him, with the momentary curl of a smile. The second shock— the fact that a few more days was all the time he'd ever have with Cas instilled a silent, crushing disappointment in him. "I think the soup is boiling, I'll check on it." It was hardly simmering, but Hylas didn't want to hear any more about Cas being loved or leaving soon. Over the course of a few days, he had experienced more private wonder than all his years abroad had brought him. Now, or rather, in a few days it would come to an end. There would be no one after. No one to greet in the morning, no one eat with or make fun of. Hylas wanted to say that it was better this way. As much as he wanted to be selfish and have Cas; not just anyone but Cas in his life, he knew war was coming, and a prince had no business being near someone like him. The only light side to his misfortune was how because Hylas didn't have more time with him, their parting would sting a little less. So the sooner he got home, the better.

Cas hummed a reply of acknowledgement as he watched Hylas walk to their dinner before his eyes lowered to the table. He hadn't lied when he spoke of missing his father. He was always thinking of him in some way, even if it was just at the back of his mind while distracted with other thoughts, distracted thinking about Hylas. The quiet promise of being able to go home soon was comforting, but Cas couldn't shake the soft, gutting feeling that he wouldn't see Hylas again after that. Maybe not ever. Wouldn't hear his voice or laugh or watch him cook. He fascinated Cas in such a way that no one ever had before, he would say he was sad to have to part ways. War was no place for friends - if they were could call themselves that - or anything more than friends. Connection and affection were dangerous when blood was on the line. Not knowing if who you cared about would make it home safe, or come home at all, was the most gut-wrenching feeling Cas had experienced. But the prince still found himself wanting to stick around, wanting Hylas to stick around for a little longer. Rational told him that wouldn't happen, he was dreaming if he thought Hylas would stay for him of all people, and yet that little part of him that seemed to grow the longer they spent together urged him to ask. Go on, ask him to come with you. Stay in Eirus, fight with him. It had Cas swallowing just thinking about it. Hylas would never, he couldn't, not without fear of being found out and killed. It was safer this way. To depart from each other when the time came. Hylas could live out the rest of his days, safe on another continent, make a living of himself over there and have a good life, not one of killing and Cas… he just hoped he would make it through the coming months to see the sunrise again, "How's it looking?" He asked, wanting to hear Hylas speak again.

"What? Oh— um…" A quick stir. "It's thickened a bit. We should prepare the rest separately on the stove while the soup boils." There's something to distract me. Turning to look back at Cas, Hylas' eyebrows raised with the faintest curiosity, "But if you're hungry now, you could have a blood plum while we cook? That is— if you feel well enough to help me." With a shrug, he smiled at him and the foolish cut on his cheek, feeling a misty blush creep over him as he remembered the incident. "I'm perfectly fine with cooking by myself, of course. So…if you wanted to rest…" Another shy shrug. A part of him felt guilty for making— or rather, letting the prince work after kidnapping him and hurting him. In truth, he had no idea of how royals were treated by common folk. Beyond the kneeling, bowing, and imploring kisses of the hand, what unsavoury habits had insulted Cas up to this point? Even though Cas insisted on omitting his royal title for every address, there were moments— happy and shameful —where Hylas felt the urge to show more respect. In their warm, fleeting moments of teasing each other, he loved the sarcastic twinge of delight that came from playing around with 'Your Highness' and 'my Lord.' Just the same, there were times where the guilt of being who he was spoiled every spark of companionship, and he felt moved to distance himself and hide within the familiar prejudices of class. "It's just… Well. I hope you're not too surprised to hear that I still feel guilty about striking you down when we sparred," He carefully said, leaning his back against the wall that split the room halfway, "…But if you…wanted to chop some vegetables…Safely, of course, with a…full-proofed set of armour on and a…little…knife— Um. I wouldn't be opposed to having you by my side." Hylas tried to stifle the panicky realization of his word choice by seeming nonchalant, but even he wasn't convinced.

Cas rocked back on his chair, the creaking of the back two legs only had him panicking that it would break just slightly. He could tell Hylas was being truthful, as much as Cas could tell him that it really wasn't that big of a deal, the reassurances weren't going to get through to him anytime soon, it seemed. With an overdramatic sigh and a smile that seemed more of a smirk than anything, he stood, "I'm more than capable of handling myself in the kitchen." He stood up, heading towards the kitchen but not before he sent Hylas a wink, "But if you really think I need a big strong man to protect me from any stray carrots then be my guest." It might not have been the best move, but with Hylas stumbling over his words and the very faint blush he could see in the afternoon sunlight, he wasn't going to let all the fun go to waste. And Cas wasn't going to deny that it was fun seeing the big bad assassin with rosy cheeks, he definitely wasn't going to forget the look on Hylas' face anytime soon, and it made his smile turn into a grin. The cut barely even hurt anymore, and Cas didn't want Hylas doing all the work when it came to cooking. He was the guest, however unconventional getting to this point had been, he was still the visitor, and he had manners and decency. Hylas had done enough for him already, and Cas would forever be grateful for him not only sparing his life but helping him when it came to planning for the upcoming war. He was under no obligation to do any of those things, and Cas was going to repay that debt back whether Hylas liked it or not. There was no need to rest for a cut so small, and Cas was determined not to waste the last few days he had with Hylas 'resting' over such a small, insignificant injury.

Hylas' premature reply was caught in his throat, and as he choked on his words, the coughing turned into a lazy chuckle. He thinks I'm strong? And…big? Despite the warm, obvious fog of heat over his face, Hylas had hoped the prince would've seen his awkward reply as something other than what it really was. But not only had that hope been unmet, but Hylas could've sworn that there was something else in that wink and those words. Cas is just teasing me, Hylas reckoned, trying to convince himself that his heart leaping out of his chest was because he wasn't used to people trying to get a rise out of him. That fact was true, but the tone behind those words said otherwise, not to mention the smile that complimented his devilish look. What is he playing at? For someone who knew everything there was to know about emotions bleeding through expressions, Caspian seemed to have mastered the art of ambiguous suggestion. With a new supply of energy, he felt ready for anything, and so he couldn't think of anything other to do but find a way to get back at Cas. "Ha. Right— right then," Hylas mumbled, combing a hand through his hair as he and his jumpy gaze wandered over to the flat furnace. "Could you start…with those— in the basket?" He asked, pointing to the leftover roots and beans he had foraged earlier. A sly thought crept into his mind, and it took everything he had to keep his innocent smile from turning into a smirk. "Meanwhile…I'll get started, if that's alright with you?" Perfectly casual but dangerously slow, he was on his knees and looking up at the prince, pausing for a beat before that smirk had its way. There was a flickered glance to the furnace. "—With the fire. I know that's been your job, up til now."

Cas wasn't a fool, and he'd had his fair share of lovers and flings and simply just having fun with people, and his own smirk could rival Hylas'. For someone who had spent his whole life on his own, Hylas was pretty good at getting Cas' cheeks to turn pink, even if they weren't as dark as the assassins, "Well, I have been told I'm fairly good with my hands, so I'm sure I'll have no trouble." The remark was as casual as the rest of their conversation, but it was obvious what he meant under it all. Cas was still more shocked that Hylas was even returning the teasing, but after their moment earlier, he also wasn't surprised at all, "And I've had lots of practice." It was hard not to contain how wide his smirk had grown as he headed to the basket of roots, as casual and nonchalant as ever. There was no way he'd be able to shake that image of Hylas now burnt into his brain. On his knees, that stupid, good looking smirk and the way he'd been so casual and slow in his reply. Maybe he hadn't just taught him how to wield a sword after all. He loosed a very faint breath, before returning to the small counter, placing the basket to one side as he grabbed a knife to begin work on chopping the roots for their dinner. Cas couldn't help but watch Hylas out his peripheral, and if he hadn't been busying himself with the work, he'd probably be downright staring at him. The assassin was full of surprises, and this was one that Cas hadn't expect in his wildest dreams.

"I'm sure you have." Hylas couldn't help but laugh— albeit shyly, nervously —at the prince's reply. Surely, he knew what he was saying now. His mind hadn't stopped firing since Cas' comment about his eyes. In a quick look, Hylas glanced away from his work filling the the furnace with twigs, trying hard not to smile at him before seriously needing to look away. Dear gods, stop me now. "Although…" He began, happily dreading the playful lilt in his voice, "Practicing is one thing, Your Highness, sparring with a partner…is another." Hylas raised a shoulder in a casual shrug, looking down as the struck his flint and steel. He desperately wanted the power of his statements amplified by his happily ignorant personality. Cas would have his own theories about Hylas' personal life, and though he was, in, fact, isolated for the most part, there were things Cas didn't know, and from the curious colour of ther conversation, things Cas wanted to know. That, however adolescent in concept, was something Hylas would happily exploit for amusement. Carrying the infant flame into the mouth of the furnace, he turned to Cas, smug. The dry tallgrass caught fire, momentarily painting the side of his face with a warm orange glow. "If he's worthy, you rarely leave perfectly unscathed." Hylas wanted to gasp at his own spoken words. The audacity, I have. He stood, shutting the furnace door and dusting off his hands, perfectly casual. Here they were; serving fleeting looks, hushed smiles, and innuendo. Cas— grinning despite his cut stood golden and boyish before him: a whole lifetime of hedonistic mischief. "But of course, I'm sure you know that."

Cas turned his head to the side, his grin turning almost devilish as he looked at Hylas, "Trust me, Hylas, if there's one thing I know well, it's how to spar," He gave him a long once over, and Cas didn't try to hide it, letting his gaze drag lazily over him, lingering in certain places before he made his way back to Hylas' face, "And when there's a worthy opponent. Bruises come as part of the package, I find." His voice was low and laced with something that hadn't been brought out of the prince in a long while, but he definitely wasn't opposed to it. Cas was slow to turn his gaze back to the vegetables. What are we doing? Whatever it was, it had his heart thundering faster the longer it went on. Nothing would happen, right? No, of course not. It couldn't. It was all just a bit of fun, teasing to pass the time. And yet Cas couldn't shake that desire for more. To learn more, do more, just to see where it went for the Hel of it because they could. They didn't have much time left together, not now the letter was completed, and Cas was determined not to waste a single moment of time with Hylas, to get him grinning like that for the rest of their time together. Gods save me. In the light of the fire, Hylas looked beautiful. The light illuminated his features, bringing the red glow to his cheeks into full view. It was hard to look away, hard not to shake just thinking about him every second. Cas couldn't help be desperate, hidden behind the causal remarks and demeanour. Had Hylas done this before? Who else with? He was a complete mystery and every moment Cas wanted to unravel those secrets.