With another glance past the trees, Hylas nodded. Heading in that direction would distance them from any other groups coming along the path to Eirus, and if they reached the border by nightfall, Hylas would surely know his way to his safehouse farther South, perhaps even taking a shortcut through the village to save time. "That will work," He stated, nodding to himself again before tightening the straps of his rucksack, "Yes. We'll spend the night. It doesn't get terribly cold in Valthea, so we won't freeze. We'll make do." Sleeping without a roof over his head was not at all foreign to Hylas, as it was rather comforting at times. Growing up the way he did, he had learned what staying alive meant for those without care or a home— hunting, foraging, building fires and shelters out of whatever he could find in the streets or in the fields. Astronomy had taught him how to navigate; placing himself between the earth and the sky, but the shivering and hunger pains that lived in his memories had taught him how to survive. But even now he didn't feel as if he was in any real danger, though perhaps the shock of Zaros' plan was being pushed aside for the time being, as he could feel his thoughts arranging themselves in an order of importance. "We've wasted enough time," Hylas told him, shifting his gaze back to the prince, "And we need to reach the border before dark; we need to keep moving."
After the last war, sleeping with no cover wasn't too foreign of a concept for the prince, either. It didn't necessarily make it comforting to him or something he would do unless he had to, but he didn't care if he had to. Right now was one of those moments. The survival of the continent was more important. Worrying and fretting over little things like this was of no use to the two of them. There were lives at stake, families, cities. A part of Cas' mind couldn't help but wonder what might happen if Zaros was to succeed in his plan. Would he expand to the other continents? Conquer the whole world? It made him sick. Pushing those thoughts away he nodded once to Hylas. He was right, they had wasted enough time just standing here and talking, "Let's get going, then." Making sure there were no other travelers or bandits on the road, Cas made his way back to the dirt path, checking once again in each direction before quickly crossing to the other side and into the undergrowth.
Hylas followed as the prince moved through the trees, casting a wary glance down the path before heading into the thicket. His mind was a cloud of worries, wondering what the next few days had in store for the two of them in regards to their journey to Valthea and the planning that would follow. They hadn't wholly discussed any things that needed to be done, aside from a letter, and looking over at Cas, he wondered if that was the very thing he was thinking about. Strategy, alliances, resources, and infinite possibilities. These were the things a prince was trained to consider. But in a situation like this— kidnapped, nearly assassinated, and a witness to the forerunner of war —he could hardly believe this man before him wasn't in an open fit of worry. The foliage overhead was thicker on this part of the forest, with a sprinkle of sunslight peeking through the trees. After a quiet moment, he glanced over at Cas with a question at the ready. "Do you know what you're going to say, in your letter?" He asked, "I'm only asking because, well…things have changed."
Cas on the outside tried to look as calm as possible. A task that was near impossible with the threat that they were up against but he kept a lid on his emotions for the time being. There were too many things that needed to be addressed in the letter. He knew that if he missed simply one thing it could mean the end of their lives and thousands of others. It felt like someone had just dropped a hundred pounds on his back and asked him to run a mile. He was dragged out of his thoughts when Hylas spoke, glancing over at the other man before back to the path beneath him, "That I know we've only just really finished healing from the last war but to prepare for one that will be bigger then the last," He shrugged, "And you know… the general protocols. To alter allies, ready the army, contact other continents in case… in case we lose." The thought sent dread coursing through him.
Hylas couldn't help the hurried thoughts that followed Cas's words. In case we lose… What if they did? It was a real possibility here; as Hylas knew nothing of how strong an allied force against this man would fare. Though from the prince's reaction, he supposed that their odds were far from good. "Right…" Hylas nodded, ducking underneath a low branch as they walked through the trees, "I'm glad you've got at least some idea as to where to begin." For a moment there, he'd wondered if an army like this might be too great for them to even consider strategy. "I guess what they say about you is true," Hylas said with a soft shrug, referring to all the praise he'd heard across the continents of the lone heir of Eirus. So young, but so powerful. Beloved, humble, and learned. He's more king than a prince. "You've lived a life unimaginable to most, and even now when you've distanced yourself from the crowds and nobility…" He hesitated, averting his eyes as he wondered why he was suddenly so compelled to speak about him, "Even now, you're the man the kingdom needs."
Cas had never thought the praise was necessary. Never thought he really deserved it. He wasn't even supposed to be the next king. There was supposed to be two in line before him. Supposed to be. He shook his head, waving a hand as if waving the praise off, "I'm only the man the kingdom needs because there's no one else to do it." He shrugged, pushing some low hanging vines out of the way so they could both walk through without problems, "I've lost enough people in my life, I'm not losing my kingdom as well." The possibility that he would was a looming dark cloud over his head. How were they supposed to win when they were going up against a force that possessed magic far greater than any of their other enemies? Even the peoples in the south didn't hold that kind of force. There had to be someone around. Or at least someone who knew of people to help. There was only so much a normal, human army could do against a magic user and an army of witches.
Hylas nodded, raising his shoulders in a faint shrug. "Still," He said, glancing up at the branches overhead, the sunlight peeking through the leaves reminding him of some distant memory, "I feel as if you're our last— our only hope. Even though I…hardly know a thing about politics." Nothing in his life had ever seemed to worry him like this; no injury or close call had ever brought such a heavy sense of unease compared to the thought of watching the continent fall. War was one thing— something he had managed to avoid at all costs —but an uprising as terrible as the one they faced now brought forth a quiet dread that Hylas couldn't ignore. He paused, a curious thought coming to mind as he made his way through the trees, wearing a softened frown. It was because he cared. The hastened worry, keeping the prince alive and moving him to the safehouse; it all came from the undeniable fear of losing the land he roamed, desperately, aimlessly, but freely. Even when he had nothing, he had the earth, the fields, the forest, and the sky. The stars. It was dear to him, in a way he would never understand or admit to. "All that I can hope for now is that we…do the right thing, and fast. I suppose it seems a man like me wouldn't be terribly bothered at what we've stumbled upon, but I need to do…something, even if it's just getting you to Valthea."
"I never thought I would hear the day an assassin of all people would want to do the right thing." Cas said, glancing over his shoulder for a brief moment at Hylas before back to the road ahead. Though the more he thought about it, though, it made sense, in a way. It was his home, where he worked, even if it was an awful line of work. To lose a home, not even that but a place to live? Cas couldn't imagine it himself. Without Eirus, Cas was nothing, it was his safe haven. His people were his family. He could never think about living without them. He supposed in a strange way, Hylas had his own version, "To think twenty four hours ago I was preparing for a party that I didn't really want to attend. At least it wasn't as stressful as this."
Not just any assassin. He was the worst of them; the Raven. And still, he couldn't bear the thought of Mavadora under the rule of a man as crooked as this Zaros. "Well," Hylas sighed, looking down at the ground, a carpet of fallen leaves and twigs, "In the last twenty four hours you've been drugged, kidnapped, saved from bandits, and found out about a rein of terror planning to overtake the kingdoms of our continent. Is it really that surprising?" After all that had happened, he reckoned that nothing more in the whole world could truly disturb him as much as this ordeal. Except, perhaps, another memory. Over the years, small, fragmented moments of his life before the streets would come back at the strangest moments; standing at his reflection over a quiet stream, blood on his hands as he shook with exhaustion, hearing the echoes of a mother calling for her son. They were so paralyzingly familiar, often leaving him still and breathless where he stood, in a crowded marketplace or alone by a river, he would be silenced for days; taken by whatever image he had discovered. "In any case, It's true," He said, glancing over at Cas with the smallest hint of smile, shy and a little uncertain, "But tell anyone and I'll kill you."
(ok i had an idea. and feel free to add on or say no cause,,hmm. what if… zaros is hylas' father? like, something ?traumatic happened when he was young that caused his mother to die and for them to be separated. 'zaros' (pseudonym) thinks hylas is dead and from there, does his magic thing. at the end,, if/when there's fighting there could be a big reveal, and zaros realizes who he is & says that he's proud of hylas for doing all the killing and. maybe stabs him. again feel free to say no if you don't feel like it/ have a better plan in mind)
"Cross my heart and swear on the Gods I won't tell a soul." Cas made the action, making two lines across his chest and returning the slight smile that Hylas gave him. It disappeared almost as quick as it came, though. The worries and doubts crept back in, not that they ever went away. The last war had been bad enough, Cas had barely made it out himself. Him and his father… the loss of his mother and brothers had rattled not only them but the entire kingdom. If they were to lose another war, Cas didn't want to think about what would happen if he died. If his father died. It wouldn't even be the worst of it all, not with what Zaros was supposedly planning. Cas doubted he would be able to sleep for a while, at least not until after he'd gotten the letter to his father. He wondered what he was doing. Worrying probably. Getting the guard to search the area and find him. He might even think he was dead. He didn't want to think about that, about the dread he might be feeling. He shook his head softly to himself, "I really hope after this war is over everything goes back to normal."
(No that sounds so good! What if like, at the end in the fight, (for drama purposes), Zaros orders Hylas to stab Cas right and join him, so they could be a family again? And by that point Cas and Hylas are like in love/together/not togethe ryet but its OBVIOUS they love each other and then BOOM more drama)
"You think there's going to be a war?" Hylas inquired, feeling his expression shift into a look of quiet worry, though his mind wasn't fixed on the idea at the moment. His attention was on the greenery surrounding them, where gaps of dusty sunbeams peeked through branches all along the forest floor. Up far ahead there looked to be spots of black and red, overgrown and nestled in a thicket of tangled thorns. Berries. Slowly he turned to Cas, shifting his focus onto this matter of greater importance, reminding himself to point them out later.
"I mean to say, do you believe there's a chance we— you could stop it before it escalates to that?" Hylas asked, quietly wondering if all of Mavadora could do such a thing. They would need to prepare, quickly— sending messengers and readying armies, keeping everything as quiet as they could before going up against Zaros. Hylas had never been the hopeful type, and so the chance of avoiding it seemed impossible. But the idea of spearheading into battles across the land so suddenly; the bloodshed, the bodies, the horrifying reiteration of every hollow cry that followed a war was of a vision he couldn't bear to accept. "I understand this Zaros is powerful but—"
(yea!!! i think hylas should try to kill zaros in that 'kill him, come w/ me' moment– but have zaros stop him and…maybe,,,he,,,stabs hylas in front of cas ?while cas is held back or then left alone with him before help comes or he's taken away etc.?0_0)
"I think war at this point is inevitable." Cas said, voice firm but there was that slight hint of worry, one he tried his hardest to cover, "If we go up against him in small battles… it might lead to more deaths, loss of people we will need when we go up against Zaros himself. There is no way to stop him before it gets to war." Not when their enemy had armies of magic users. Not when he might have the witches. Even if they surprised him in an attack they would be dead within minutes. They had to wait it out. Wait until they had all the allies they had, an army hopefully large enough to take out Zaros and his, "I'm only one man, Hylas. One who hasn't gone up against anyone like this before. If.. If I told my father to march on Zaros now, to try and stop it before war.. we could lose hundreds, thousands. We would have already lost if that happened. It's about the waiting game. Gather allies in the shadows, create an army large and strong and march with full force… small battles won't win us the war. I can't.. I'm can't stop it before it gets to that."
(the TEA yes that sounds great! Maybe Hylas could be forcibly taken by Zaros and Cas has to get him back? At that point the war is nearly over and they've just gotta get rid of Zaros then when he's gone we get a Cas and Hylas bonding moment/yay they're together!)
Hylas nodded, trying to accept the fact that there was no way out of this. Two wars, in one lifetime. A quiet part of him wondered how any force, whether it be the Gods, or some sick twist of fate or coincidence could lead their world to such an ordeal. And a larger, louder part of him wholly believed that he deserved it.
"I understand," He said, though it was a half-lie. Fear and confusion only existed in his memories of Before, and to feel them so presently was a troubling endeaver he hoped to free himself from. After all, it was horror, confusion, and rigid fear that seized the bodies of his victims in their final moments.The prince spoke of strategies and logical conclusions to what he'd asked, and as he watched Cas speak, he couldn't help but notice how he corrected himself away from any sign of uncertainty. Of course, this was because he was taught to do such a thing; steady tone, an assured way of speaking that he had only ever observed in those with great influence. Still, he felt guilty for the occasional break of disquietude. "And…" Hylas began, glancing at Cas and feeling a strange need to apologize but not wanting to seem so concerned, "I'm…I don't like the fact that you have to…work through this by yourself. This is…not ideal, and I feel as if I can't do much for you but…if there is something, well…"
(ohohhoh!! when hylas gets stabbed– what if cas is dragged away and ?escapes/ finds his way back to wherever/back to the army & believes hylas is dead & still goes after zaros, kills him, and finds hylas healed/close to death somewhere? then yes. a moment™.)
Cas scratched at the back of his neck, his body straightening with the movement. Even now, when there was only one person around, an assassin at that, he couldn't help but uphold that princely demeanor. He knew Hylas wouldn't care, but there was something about dropping it that didn't sit right. He would not look, could not look cowardly or scared. For the future heir to the throne of such a kingdom to not look assured in his own plan, to look defeated before the war had even begun was to fail before battle. As much as Cas tried, he couldn't help but to uphold those ideals, even when they didn't necessarily matter around one man. He cleared his throat, glancing up at Hylas for a moment before drawing his gaze away and to the path, "I- Thank you. I won't be alone soon, hopefully… but thank you for offering." He never thought he'd end up in a situation like this. An assassin and a prince. In a way he found it humorous, or maybe that was him trying to find some light out of the whole situation. But the world was changing, whether that be for the good or for the bad. Nothing would be the same after this war. A part of him dreaded to see the other side, "And the same goes for you, too."
(oooooo yess, that sounds hell good!)
Hylas nodded thoughtfully in lieu of an immediate reply, turning his attention to the forest floor and momentarily biting his lip. He'd known that Cas was understanding, but Hylas had hardly expected him to acknowledge the remark, much less return the sentiment. It made him feel…strange to have someone hear his words and answer kindly. "There's not much that I'm useful for, in our present situation. With the war, I mean," He said, risking a shy glance back at the prince as they made their way through the trees, "I- I can fight, but perhaps you'd like it better if I stayed out of your way?" Distancing himself was a common practice, and oftentimes— this time, especially, he couldn't even notice what he was doing. They needed to work together, or at the very least help the other when they needed it. But the faintest idea of Cas helping him with something, or even listening like he did, was unthinkable. It scared him to think that he might slip up around him; people were unpredictable, and the prince, however unlikely, might take advantage of his lowered guard. But I don't have a choice, He thought, stepping over a branch. He'd have to make do for however long Cas found him useful; helping, but never showing any weakness. Hell, he'd shown enough weakness, dragging him across the kingdom only to break down and decide against killing him. He was once known as the most feared man alive; the heart of mothers' warnings and the name heard in fervent whispers. But to the prince— who had not realized he was the Raven —Hylas was a stranger, skilled, but struggling to make eye contact.
Cas glanced over his shoulder for a moment before softly shaking his head to himself. It was strange to hear from an assassin, who quite literally killed for a living, suggest it might be better to stay out of the way. He seemed so.. unsure, of everything, especially this situation. The prince himself was still bewildered at the offer of help from the man, but there were too many things running through his mind to really process all of it at once. He knew he wasn't going to sleep for a while because of it, "Well, you can fight. You seem extremely skilled and you offered help. I don't see why you would stay out of the way. Not when we need as many fighters as possible." The more assets they had the better. Being able to use Hylas' skills to his advantage would help them in the war that was to come. As would any fighter. Cas had learned that keeping out of the way generally did more harm then good. And if Hylas was as good as he presumed, there was no way he was going to let him out of his sights anytime soon.
Hylas nodded a little, keeping his gaze down as the prince spoke. We need as many fighters as possible. There it was. Something to distance him. He was to be a set of skills at the prince's disposal; someone— something useful. It was what he told himself he needed: to protect himself, to stay in his place. Doing what he did, for so long, had bestowed upon him a silent misinterpretation of his worth as a person. Because as long as he kept moving, as long as he was working, he had earned his place in the world. He was too far gone to deserve empathy from Cas, or any type of attention for that matter. And as much as a part of him ached for it, it wasn't his right, and it wasn't his place.
"I– " He began, looking up to meet Cas' green gaze in a fleeting moment of vulnerability. His expression seemed to soften as he hesitated, considering his next words as they made their way through the sun-drenched greenery. Perhaps he should tell him who he really was. Be honest with him, or at the very least, prompt a reaction that would want to keep him at arm's length. He paused, reminding himself to avoid personal topics before shifting into a steadier-seeming demeanour. "I can fight. Yes." Hylas told him, trying to seem a little lighthearted in his way of speaking, though he wasn't used to such a thing, "And well, that's…all that I'm good for, you know that. And I'm sure the alliance will have leagues of skilled fighters. So perhaps you'd be better off without…well, an enemy of the state."
Hylas was right there. Cas didn't want to think about what might happen when they finally show up and explain what happened and who the man traveling with him was. Complicated. He thought. Everything always had to be so complicated. It was moments like these where he wished he wasn't a prince with so much responsibility resting on his shoulders. It weighted him down, he knew it, knew it was obvious to anyone who cared enough to look closer. Not that anyone did. However he knew there was no escaping who he was and what he had to do. And Cas couldn't bring himself to tell Hylas to leave. He was the only other person who had proof of what they had seen. He was a skilled fighter who probably knew more about stealth then he did. And maybe a part of him just wanted some company, even if it was an assassin.
"You're another set of eyes who knows exactly what we saw," He said after a moment of silence, "You might be an enemy of the state but right now I have to overlook that for the safety of hundreds. As long as you don't try to kill me again you'll be fine. You're skill set might prove useful in the long run." It all sounded exactly like business. How he would talk to councilmen, army generals. This was all strictly because they were up against an enemy no one had ever seen before. He wasn't going to let people die when a maniac was on the loose. Not even an assassin.
"Right," Hylas sighed, nodding as he shouldered past overgrown shrubs and low-hanging branches. He was grateful for the prince's neutral response; it reassured him in some way. There wasn't much room for anything personal, and it proved to him his previous beliefs. But nevertheless, something inside him still ached to be seen and known, however delicately. He had never understood that silent hunger that pestered him, always begging for the lingering touch of a shopkeeper passing him his change— or even to hold the gaze of a bright-eyed stranger for a moment longer. Years had been lived with the slightest bit of unbloodied connection, and Hylas hadn't a clue as to what a man like him was allowed to want. Even the simplest thing as a conversation, or dancing for a moment— that was the case at the ball —was a semipleasant pain that he found he had a taste for. Such a surreal feeling, it was, to be wholly perceived by another, rather than the customary passing glance. So curious to hear words addressed to him; for him after their previous conflicts.
"Of course. I…" He began, searching for words to say, "…Agree. I was a part of this before you were involved, regretfully. And so perhaps it would be wise of me to…disappear when the time's right." That is, if we live to see the day. "I do want to help, you understand. It's just that most would say I'm better suited for the gallows," He said with a worried laugh and a gentle frown. Dying— failure was a thing of his nightmares. Or rather, death was. Surrounding him even when he laid to rest at night, all the sounds and flashes of red would bleed into his sleep; all that woke him trembling and terror-struck. "That's not to say that they're wrong, but–"
Cas stopped in his tracks. He turned around on the spot and held a hand up to stop the other from talking. There was a slight frown on his face, barely noticeable but it was there, "Stop. I don't care what you're better suited for. I don't care what the hell your past is right now. Hells, you could be the gods damned Raven and right now it wouldn't matter." He lowered his hand, releasing a breath through his nose, "Right now our priority is alerting the Allies, gathering troops, forming a plan and defeating the man that threatens both of our existences."
This was not a time to be dwelling on where they had come from. What their pasts were. What they had done. It was a time to move past it and defeat the bigger enemy. They were both part of this world and whether they thought they deserved to be here or not, it didn't matter. Cas knew there were bigger things to worry about. Hylas shouldn't be worried about where he should be, but where he was. And that was stuck with him trying to help Cas pull together an army that would be strong enough to defeat Zaros. He wouldn't admit it, but Cas was damned sure they were going to lose before the war had even officially started. He would never admit it out loud, but he definitely thought it.
"You're a part of this now, whether you want to help or otherwise." The prince turned back around and continued to walk, "After this is over we can go our separate ways and you can get back to murdering until you get caught."
Hylas was taken aback at the prince's assertive reply, almost entirely expecting him to dismiss his remark. Too stunned to speak, he watched with a fixed expression as Cas voiced his thoughts. His words were firm, and though there was a hint of uncertainty, they were spoken as if they were facts. And because of this realization, he couldn't help lingering over one of the first things he said. I don't care what your past is, right now, And then: You could be the Raven, and right now it wouldn't matter. All his life, the guilt of what he did had fed him promises of shame and condemnation if anyone grasped the severity of his actions, but here was a feverish disregard coming from the one man he was sure would've been horrified to learn what he'd done. He might've even been touched, had the prince's next words been of a topic other than his responsibility as a travelling asset. Though, after a pause, he'd forgotten the prince's remark about his alias, and Hylas opened his mouth to speak, only to find Cas turning back to the forest ahead. …Back to murdering, until you get caught… It prompted a quiet, heavy shift within his gaze, and he found himself staring off into the greenery as he remained silent, considering the prince's words. Is that what would he have to do? Still? Sparing a prince to save the people; to kill others in war only to kill again on his return. Again and again, until he would be caught and executed, or until had enough to stop for good and to live a peaceful life. That is, if he still wanted to stay alive. Hylas was so tired; always so tired. All he'd ever known was this struggle to survive, and giving up was never something he could wholly consider for himself. But this war— this path he'd chosen could change that. "You say that…like…I want to," He quietly stated, letting out a weary sigh and keeping his gaze low to the ground as they walked, "You know I'm only in this because I wanted to stop. You were supposed to be my last."
Cas considered Hylas' words, not looking back as they trudged through the undergrowth. It made sense, in a way. He was a prince, the bounty on his head must be high, especially one of a kingdom so sort after to be destroyed these days. He knew that the prince for his body would have been enough to sustain Hylas for the rest of his life. To live one of comfort and security and to forget about the dreadful things he'd done. Had he had gone through with that task. Now he was to help defeat the man who had sanctioned his own death. It made him want to scream. Nothing in this world had ever been straightforward, for either of them, it seemed. Always something had to come up, interfere, change future plans. Cas knew he was never meant to be king. Aeron had always been heir, then Arin and then him. However had Aeron been alive, had he married, he never would have been in line for the throne. And he had been happy with that. With knowing his place wasn't to rule but to help in ways he could. After the war, nothing had been the same. And there was to be another that might leave Eirus with no king, no future heir, and a leader who was planning on destroying everything he had ever fought for, "Maybe it would have been better for you to have killed me, then. You could have lived a life of peace for a while, for as long as you could have. Might have been better then being dragged into this war earlier then you needed to be." The prince knew he could always just let Hylas go. However the assassin had expressed that he wanted to help. Something Cas still found baffling and was grateful for, silently, but he was still grateful nonetheless.
Hylas let out another sigh, nodding to himself as he stepped over fallen trees and moss-covered rocks. "I'm sorry to say that…that was my initial plan," He replied, suddenly aware of the shifting silence of the forest surrounding; quiet birdsong and the sound of running stream nearby. It was these sounds— this hesitant peace that he was meant to live with after the ball. After a few days of arrangement and keeping a low profile, he would have received that final payment, and everything would've fallen into place. "But you know how I feel about what's coming; what will happen," Hylas said, glancing up at him, "I don't want another war. I don't want people to suffer. And since I've found myself in a position to change that…I suppose I should do what I can for Mavadora." As much as Hylas ached to speak his mind, it stung, to say that out loud. Speaking his mind had seemed to easy at the ball, as he could hide behind a mask, in both a figurative and literal sense; the masquerade of someone noble, sure of himself and his own position in the world. But now that they were alone, and Cas was somehow prompting such answers out of him, Hylas felt like he was on his way of breaking down and saying— perhaps speaking too truthfully of what he felt. A dangerous game, for someone who feared exposing themselves in a moment of their lowered guard. "But anyway, it doesn't matter what I could've done. I'm here now, aren't I? And— Hmm. Let's just say I've questioned my own intentions thoroughly enough."
"I've gathered that." The prince mumbled. There were questions he wanted to ask, about Hylas. More about where he was from, how he got into the life he did, if he had ever enjoyed it. The last thought made him almost grimace. When it had been Cas, out on that battlefield so long ago, taking lives, he had never enjoyed it. Never wanted to do so. He'd met people in his time, people who had enjoyed killing, who did it for the fun of it, the thrill. It made him sick to think about. After the reaction that Hylas had had when he had begged for his life, he wondered if it hadn't been the first time he'd hesitated. Wondered if others had begged the same way but not receive the mercy that he had. The prince knew he should thank Hylas for that, for the help he was offering, even if, really, he didn't have a choice in the matter. Their lives were so opposite of each other. Hylas came from a world where he had to fight every day to survive, kill for it, for his own kind of freedom. And Cas? He'd had everything handed to him since he was a child. As he got older things had changed, yes, but he didn't know what it was like to be in Hylas' position. He didn't know if he wanted to find out. A silence settled over the two of them, not uncomfortable but there was a thickness to the air that shouldn't have been present. The rive bubbled to the side, quiet and undisturbed by them, as was the bird song. There was no sign of any other human or magical life, just the wilderness and the sound of the earth churning beneath their feet as they walked.
Hylas let out a quiet breath as their speaking slowed to a halt, feeling as if somehow, the words spoken were slowly settling within them. Was that a good thing? So much of his life had been spent trying to escape; to turn his gaze away from the truth of what he was doing, and having time to consider such things was dangerous. "What will you do, when the storm settles, and all you see is bloody and barren?" The last words of a crooked priestess had haunted him for years. Struggling, trying to wrestle from his grip as he pressed his dagger closer, the priestess had seen right through him; all his sins and terrible deeds. She had gazed further into the future and had presented him with that which he was afraid to answer. Because to Hylas, quiet could be violent, and he feared the calm; the silence after an end of something— someone. It terrified him, as many things did, and he had taken care to make sure she was the last priestess or prophet he had ever slain.
From that, and on a few other occasions, Hylas had learned the value of silence. Though silence, in most of his assignments worked in his favour. It was what he was known for, after all. The fact that no one had ever heard, seen or witnessed an attack from the Raven had bestowed a shared concern across the continents, of a killer as silent and unknowable as the Gods themselves. The story of the famed poacher killed as his mistress slept beside him was likely the first to strike a heavy fear into the people. For even they began to fear the common stillness of laying to rest. It was a gentle terror, for Hylas, and even though his worries were hushed as they walked through the forest, he could not help but wish for something to do with his hands, something to distract him.
Soon after, as if it heard him, a bird flew overhead, cawing as it cast a faint shadow over the path. Hylas looked skyward and shielded his eyes as he peered up at the raven. "Hang on," He said, walking past Cas and stepping into the sunlight of a wide clearing up ahead. He whistled, calling for it, and after a long moment, the huge bird found its way through the trees and onto his outstretched arm. "Hello," Hylas said in a quiet greeting, smiling as he paused to feed it some crumbs from his pocket.
