“If they see me then let’s hope I’ve done everything I can to ensure that my kingdom can survive, if only for a few more months. If only to let my people watch the sunset one last time. To see the stars one last time. Their families…” Cas swallowed, grabbing at the ropes above his head as if he could simply cut through them with his own bare hands. If only for a few hours, hell even one hour was good enough at this point. It was enough time to get a message home to tell his father what happened and give him time to prepare the kingdom. If he died now then everything would fall apart, everything he’d worked so hard for in recent years would disappear. He couldn’t, he wouldn’t let that happen, “If you have some ounce of honour, even if it’s just a kernel, if you have any morals you’ll let me go. Let me do what I do best before I die.”
What morality did he have left? After all these years of killing and running away? The question had plagued him for years, and now that he was hearing it in the words of the prince, he couldn't escape it. He wanted so badly to let him go back to the palace– to give him more time and let him help his kingdom. But what he little knew of his employer was too disturbing to let him give into the prince's pleas, however compelling they were. "You can't go back, you just can't. Going back would be the condemning you, and your kingdom," Hylas said, shaking his head and slowly moving back to sit on the chair, overwrought with emotion as he thought of all the people, all the children that would suffer if the prince was killed. He swallowed, shakily setting down his dagger next to scraps of parchment and an old quill. "But there has to be another way– for the– the people to…" Hylas shook his head again, letting himself sit with his frenzied thoughts for a long moment, "If there was a way to pass on what you know, without people knowing you're alive…"
Cas released a breath when the dagger was set down, more relieved then he thought he would be. His heart rate was faster then he'd hoped, too but with the weapon now out of the others hands it slowly started to calm down, though not at great speed. He closed his eyes, taking a few deep breaths before he replied, voice quiet and throat dry, "Take me somewhere, anywhere. Somewhere I can write a letter," He started, "I can send it back home, tell them what to do , what notes of mine to look for, how to protect the kingdom better then it is already. Then kill me." The ending wasn't exactly what he wanted, in fact the plan was far from what he wanted however he had no other choice. There was no other way out of this situation. This man didn't seem inclined on the idea of letting him go, and he was only going to die by another hand eventually anyways and he had to get some communication back to his father. To help protect his people in the last few days of his life. Cas just prayed that his man would agree to the idea, would let him have a few more days before he had to die.
Hylas looked down as the prince spoke, wearing a soft frown as he considered his words. Take him? Take him where? Away from Eirus? His home kingdom was more than few days' journey on foot from the southern border of Eirus, but he knew they would be safe there– staying in his home city, where the people might not notice the royalty in their midst. "A letter?" Hylas prompted, though it was more of a statement than a question. It was an interesting proposal. Only the king and trusted high officials might know the truth of the prince's state, and if he was thorough in his warnings, there would be little risk of the news getting out. He nodded slowly, thoughtfully, letting out a soft breath as his gaze flickered back to Cas. "How do I know you won't tell them where we are?" Hylas asked after a pause, his paranoia subtly making itself known, "–And how do I know you won't try and kill me the second I turn my back?"
Cas chewed his lip, "You can read the letter before it gets sent off," He offered, knowing that it might not be enough, "You have my word on that, and that fact that I'm not going to kill you. I have no idea where we are, anyway, I'm not going to kill the only person who does, even if they might be an assassin." The amount of distrust the two of them had made this whole predicament a lot worse. If they could come to an agreement, or at least agree on the beginnings of a plan without worrying about killing one another then maybe this could work. Maybe the last few days of his life wouldn't be so terrible. If there had been another way he would have taken it, but Hylas wasn't going to let his go, let his job go, apparently so bargaining for a few more days was the only option. The prince was far from happy about it, but he could accept it.
The prince's proposal was a dangerous thought in his mind. Hylas didn't like the idea of letting his guard down around someone skilled enough to take him in a fight or potentially even kill him. It was a hard gamble, anyway. Full of risks and uncertainties— hardly any room to make mistakes when the lives of thousands were at stake. And even if he was terribly conscience-stricken and paranoid about what he'd started by accepting this job, he knew that trusting Cas was the only way for the plan to work. "…Okay," Hylas said after a quiet moment, wearing a softened look of doubt as he slowly stood from his chair. "We leave Eirus…" He began, taking a few nervous steps around the room, "…And from a safe location, send a letter to the king…about what's happened and what to do. Is that right?"
Cas nodded, closing his eyes as his tried to relax a least for a moment. Okay, he'd essentially agreed to the plan, that was all he needed. A step in the right direction, "Yes, that's correct. I'll get a message to my father, tell him about the protocols he needs to put into place, about what's happened to me and… and to not come looking," He sighed, "From there well.. I guess you can fulfill your job then." He tried desperately to think of another way to convince Hylas to let him live. But even so, if he was let go, he'd by killed by another assassin, anyway before he could even reach Eirus. Death was the inevitable ending to any plan he thought of.
My job. The reminder brought Hylas' gaze to the floor for a moment as he turned to retrieve his dagger. "…Right," He said, trying to sound indifferent about it. He knew in his heart that he really didn't want to kill him anymore— or even see him die; not after the sea of emotions he just about drowned in since he'd accepted the job. Though the money was still on his mind, however wrong that felt, and he would be lying if he said he wasn't still considering it. But all in all, Hylas was too exhausted to argue with Cas, his own morals, or the time-sensitivity of his grim task at the moment to do anything other than go along with whatever ill-concieved plan they had. "Right," Hylas said with a feigned assurance, nodding as he made his way to the foot of the cot and beginning to cut through the thick rope, "…We can make it to the border by tonight, if we leave before noon."
"You better make quick work of the ropes then." His wrists were starting to hurt and knew he was going to have marks once he was able to see them again. Cas had dealt with worse injuries, however this was just an inconvenience. His mind was racing so fast he thought it was going to explode. There too many possibilities for this plan to go wrong, to many opportunities for it to fail and then what would become of his kingdom? Cas didn't want to think about it, about the guilt that he'd feel if he didn't get the letter back, if he didn't save his people. He wasn't going to end like that, he'd do his best to make sure of it.
Hylas let out a quiet sigh, raising a shoulder in a faint shrug as his blade sawed through the twisted strands. "It's far into the morning, yes. Could be because someone needed their beauty sleep," Hylas said, meaning it to be lighthearted though he realized soon after that it sounded rather ill-timed considering their current situation. "Ah— damn this thing," He hissed, seeing that his dagger wasn't cutting through as fast as he'd liked and switching it for one of his throwing knives that he'd recently had sharpened. They cut through much easier, and he moved on to the second set of restraints around the prince's hands.
Cas chose not to comment on the statement, more focused on Hylas not cutting his hands off with the incredibly sharp blade he was holding, "Since I'm going to be with you for a few days, do I get the pleasure of knowing what your name is? Your real name, for that matter." Cas would rather not call him 'Ronan' when he knew that wasn't his actual name. It felt wrong for some odd reason, the thought of it sitting uncomfortably in his chest. But he knew that the possibly of knowing his name might not be possible. Even if he was going to die in a few days, the will to keep his identity a secret might be strong in his killer, which he understood.
"My name?" Hylas said, cutting through the last few strands of the rope. It wouldn't hurt to give him his name, even though he was still worried that the prince might escape and make his identity known. He almost gave his alias as an answer, but he hesitated, stepping back once the prince's hands were free, quietly realizing that he probably had no idea that he was The Raven. Though, one way or another, he knew Cas would find out. "Hylas," He simply replied, cautiously returning his knife to its hidden pocket. It felt strange to hear his own name and even stranger to say it, but that was likely due to the fact that he kept to himself for the most part, never really known to anyone else except for the other street children he'd grown up with.
Cas sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the cot and rubbing at his wrists. There was a prominent red mark there, one he knew would go down in a day or so but the stinging still hurt. He watched Hylas put his weapon away, carefully monitoring his movements before he spoke again, "Hylas…" The name sounded fitting, for some reason, like if he had been called anything else know that he knew his name would be wrong in a sense. He brushed those thoughts away, "Well, I guess we should get going, then, if we're to make it to the boarder before noon."
"We won't make it to the border by then; it's farther by foot," Hylas said, softly shaking his head as he walked over to the table to gather the few things he'd brought, "This part of town is quiet and easy enough to go through, until we reach the fields and then the forest. If we're fast we can maybe make it by sunset." All he knew of this route was based off of his memory of passing through and crossing the border, so they were admittedly vague, but clear for the most part. He retrieved the blades hidden in the embroidered waistcoat he'd work to the ball, slipping them into his bag of worn leather. It's a bit of a shame to leave such fine clothes behind. He glanced over at Cas, nodding at the blue suit-jacket and golden sash he still had on, "–And you may want to lose those. They might draw attention."
Cas looked down at his clearly expensive and dramatic outfit, fit for a party but not for trying to sneak around without being noticed. He didn't like leaving them behind, he knew the people who had made them and respected their work. Leaving them here seemed rude. But, he sighed, nodding and taking off the sash and the jacket, placing them neatly on the bed, "A shame to leave them behind," He mumbled, biting his lip as he turned away, "But necessary, I suppose." A day of traveling.. and probably more then that. He'd been coped up in his room and office for so long he didn't know if his feet could handle it. Dramatic yes, but still a thought.
"Definitely," Hylas nodded, glancing over the room to see if he'd missed anything. There hadn't been much he'd brought on the trip besides a few blankets, his knives, money, and food for the journey back, so with a last look inside his bag he nodded and put it on. "It would be over for us if you walked outside with that, especially now, when the news is breaking of your disappearance," He said, searching his pockets for the keys and nodding for Cas to follow when he walked to the door, "But let's hope they don't recognize you anyways, hm?"
"Hopefully. But I feel like we might be pushing our luck with me not getting recognised at all." The downside of being royal. Almost everyone new your name and face. How you talked, walked and presented yourself to the public. A shame when you were trying to go unnoticed, and now that he had disappeared, almost everyone would be looking for him once the news spread. He sighed, following Hylas out the door and into the daylight. A shocking change compared to the muted light in the basement, one that had him squinting and raising a hand to his face.
Hylas blinked at the opressive light of the sun outside, squinting his eyes and locking the door behind them. "This town is small, not many locals. It's on the outskirts of Eirus, so it's mostly travellers who've come to stay the night," Hylas told him, speaking softly as his gaze wandered around the fairly quiet street they'd found themselves in. Thankfully there was only a modest number of people out at this hour, mostly young men and women getting a late start on their day or perhaps heading out to the markets. He glanced up at the position of the sun when his eyesight had adjusted, getting his bearings and turning southbound, "Anways— just keep your head down; try to blend in, at least until we reach the countryside." At this time his hunger had quietly made itself known, along with the reminder that the prince hadn't eaten since noon of yesterday, "…And if we see something we can take on the road for breakfast, I say we should stop for it."
The reminder of food sent the prince's stomach rumbling softly, almost painfully. Apparently he really should have gotten his eating habits in check before he was kidnapped, "That's the best thing I think I'd heard you say all morning." As the run steadily rose over head, casting the small town in a soft, golden glow that cast little warmth, Cas was glad so few people were around. As time wore on, people began making themselves known, opening their shops and greeting the passers by with a wave and a smile. A quint, quite place that, under different circumstances, the prince might have wanted to stay in for a while longer. However time wasn't on their side, and stopping for food was already wearing down minutes that they so desperately needed.
Hylas let out a soft laugh at the prince's remark as they walked through the quiet town, trying not to smile as he looked down. "What, better than 'I have to kill you?'" He prompted, meaning for it to be lighthearted though he was quickly reminded of how that might not have been the best thing to say; walking away from the basement where he'd kept him overnight. This is why I'd be better off away from people. He almost shook his head at himself, figuring it was his emotional detachment from the idea that prompted him to say such a thing. "Sorry," He said, glancing up at Cas with what he hoped was a look sincere enough, "Too soon. Got it."
Cas blinked at the question however a moment later a small smile was tugging at the corners of his lips. Socialising with people was clearly something Hylas wasn’t the best at, but then again, he was an assassin, being good with people wasn’t exactly a trait that most possessed unless necessary, “It’s okay, I understand people might not be your thing.” He slipped a hand into his pocket, focusing on the ground and the road ahead. How were you supposed to make conversation with your assassin? In all his years of training, he had never expected to be civil with the man who was supposed to kill him.
The prince's empathy almost shocked Hylas, though he knew that kindness was one of the things the prince was known for. "Hm, what gave it away?" He sighed, quietly thankful that Cas hadn't just stayed silent. It would've been a bad start for the journey ahead. "I mean— it's not that I don't like people, I do," Hylas said, tucking away a dark lock of hair. Children, especially, he was fond of. All the street children of his town knew him as the man who lived nearer to the countryside and came through with attention and coins to give. "—But conversation is a fleeting thing. And…sometimes it holds more risk than reward."
"Words have a powerful effect," Cas mused, kicking at a rock on the street, "Say the wrong thing and en empire can fall. It's happened before, what's to say it cannot happen again?" It was why meticulous planning was always important and thinking over ones words before talking was also important. Sure, sometimes it wasn't necessary, but even so, hurting someone's feelings wasn't high on Cas' to do list, "Anyway, people can be annoying, sometimes it is best to just… retreat into a room for days?"
"Not to sound like too much of a recluse but yes," Hylas said, smiling to himself at the thought of his house, or the closest thing he had to a home. There were his books and his cool room, the crackling hearth of his fireplace and the litte fruit orchard outside. It was in times like this where he ached for the silence of the countryside; the quiet hum of the rain in winter and the soft birdsong in spring. "Sometimes the only solace to be found is in your own company," Hylas said, surprising himself once again at how honest he was being, "But even then, loneliness finds it's way back to you."
Cas nodded. He could relate to that. Spending time alone these days was a luxury that he barely received. It was all meetings this and lessons that. fittings at five and then dinners at seven with a trip to the theater at eight. Even being surrounded by all those people all the time, it was lonely. Different to the kind of lonely you felt when you're by yourself. He didn't know why, but he had never been able to truly connect with some of the people he knew and had to work with. Sure, he could pass it off as that, but inside Cas knew it wasn't the case, "Loneliness seems to be the cause of a lot of things these days. It always finds a way to creep back in when you're least expecting it."
Loneliness had always been a part of him. It had followed him since childhood and could never seem to leave him, no matter how he tried to push it away with keeping himself busy, preparing for his next job or passing through a tavern in a foreign town. "I don't have to expect it anymore," Hylas said, averting his gaze when a few strangers looked their way, glancing over his shoulder as they passed them, "It's always been with me. I suppose I've gotten used to it or something." He worked well alone, and he always reminded himself of how his reputation had been built on that. No one would know his vulnerable points, and no one would know how to find him. And even though he hated the silence, it's what kept him safe; phisically and emotionally.
No one should have to feel lonely, Cas knew, even an assassin at that. Sure, what Hylas did was wrong and he didn't condone it - even if he wasn't on the receiving end - but he shouldn't have to feel lonely. He slipped his hands into both of his pockets, looking down at the ground in hopes that no one would look too long in their direction, "You shouldn't have to be used to being lonely, no one should." He knew that also went for himself, too, however when it came to taking care of himself and taking his own advice, the prince wasn't exactly the best at that, and something he needed to work on… if he ever got the chance.
Hylas pondered the prince's claim as they walked, quietly wishing he could believe him. "Any alternative to solitude would put me at risk, I'm sure you understand," He said, stealing a glance over at Cas. For a former hostage of his, his consideration towards him was shocking, though his mind suggested a moment later that Cas was likely to be this empathetic towards most if not all the people he met. "My line of work doesn't exactly go well with keeping company," Hylas said, softly shaking his head as his gaze flickered back to the street ahead, focusing on a far sign of some shop or bakery.
"Should I feel special, then?" Cas raised a brow, a smile dancing on his lips. He knew that they were only doing this for the benefit of Eirus. That they were doing this so the kingdom could prosper without him. He just hoped the plan would work. At the sight of the bakery, or what Cas assumed was the bakery, his stomach once again rumbled. A constant presence that was starting to annoy him at this point. He didn't want the entire town knowing he was starving.
Hylas shrugged, looking at the ground a little shyly as he tried not to smile. Why did he want to smile? "If the thought pleases you, yes," He said, tucking back a stray lock of dark hair. Having someone beside him like this— talking as they walked, not just about the weather or where he might find accomodation felt strange to him. There was a mix of feelings in his heart; a muddy gray of regret and guilt, fear and suspicion, the remnants of his panic, but most bemusing was the strange curiosity he felt towards all that had been said, and would be said between them. Hylas smiled, giving in, "But if things don't go as planned, having your company would most certainly be the death of me."
