"And your father murdered the remaining monarch before simply because he wanted to be king. Men have killed and will kill again. They are brutal and cruel. How is that any different then mages? Mages are but men gifted with magic. They each have their faults. There are bad mages and their are good mages. It does not mean you should excute them all just because of a few. If that is how you feel, then your father, his entire family and anyone that shares your blood should be murdered as well. It doesn't matter if they're innocent or not. Your father killed our monarch so you should all die." Nicandros wasn't sure why he was trying to reason with him. It wasn't likely he would make any progress with Bel for a while. And it was only their first day. "Does that seem fair to you."
Nicandros signaled to Cassian to go to sleep. He would take over the watch for the rest of the night. He did not see himself sleeping anytime soon and told himself he would wake Laurent should he get tired.
"I know you don't believe me," Nico pulled him closer. "I wouldn't either if I was you. But I swear to you I will spend the rest of our time together proving to you that I follow my word."
Bel truly can't find words to respond without coming off as bratty or idiotic. All his life he was told Mages were the bane of society. He had seen it first hand upon wandering into the throne room and finding his mother's corpse littered with burns and singed hands engraved into her neck. The Mages had killed, slaughtered, done nothing good with their powers. Bel will only believe that a Mage could be good when he had seen it for himself. Until then, all Nico's words will only be empty.
However, the piece about his father does ring confusion. His father had never usurped a soul. He was third in line. His older sisters died to a pandemic plague. King Meirlenan is the rightful heir. It says so in every textbook and scroll. Not wanting to irritate Nico with any more questions, Bel bites his tongue. "You can certainly try to convince me," Bel whispers, his eyes beginning to droop from the sheer exhaustion of the day. "You can certainly try, Nico." His words slurring together, Bel finds his eyes slipping shut.
Nicandros fingers tapped against Bel's skin, thinking, agitated. He should have expected nothing less from that pretender king for him to web lies but it angered him none the less. He was fuming. He had not heard of the false queen nor her death, only that she had died. His mother had still been alive then and calling all the shots. It could have been likely that his mother sent in a secret mission to take out the queen, but his mother was not cruel like that. She did not harm the innocent. And they had never been able to infiltrate the palace.
He huffed a small laugh as he heard Bel's voice slurring with sleep. He only squeeze his shoulders and kept the prince close to him. Carefully, his toed his sword and brought it closer to him without disturbing Bel. He placed the blade in his lap and waited, watched. His eyes flickered about as he heard birds in the trees, critters on the ground. So far, nothing to be worry off. He looked up at the sky, gaging how much longer until dawn. It would be a few more hours. He doubted he would get any sleep. He had gone longer without it but not out on a mission. It would be dangerous if he did not try.
After a couple more hours, he finally stood, swinging the sleeping prince in his arms. He placed him on the bed roll before moving to laurent and shaking him awake gently. Laurent moved to take up watch and Nico moved to his makeshift pillow, laying his head down and closing his eyes.
Miraculously, Bel manages to sleep though the rest of the night, only cracking his eyes open at the crack of dawn. Instantly relief washes over him as the shadows and demons from the night have been banished by the sun. Oh, how he loves the sun. He closes his eyes again. And then opens them right up. Why am I outside? Bel's upright in a moment, regaining the memories from the past day.
"Oh." The word escapes his lips. He was kidnapped from his carriage. He rubs at his eyes. Red marks encircle his wrists from where the ropes had been tied. He's no longer bound, but Bel still doubts he'd ever be able to run for it. There are five men much faster and stronger than him. Perhaps he could take one and get lucky, but certainly not all of them. Noting that nobody was quite paying attention to him, Bel gets to his feet and begins rolling up the bedroll to the best of his ability. It's not great, but the least he could do. His hands still shake. His chest feels abnormally tight.
At some point in the early hours of the morning, Nicandros managed to catch a couple hours of sleep. He didn't remember falling asleep. It was likely the exhaustion knocking him out. It was a restless sleep, filled with dreams he couldn't remember as he woke.
Like a mental alarm, Nicandros woke just before the sun broke at the horizon. Kaillas was on watch, then, kicking Cass to get him up. The other two were already slowly awakening. Cassian always slept the deepest. Nico was up at his horse, placing the saddle back on his worn back and tying the pack against his side. When they got home, he was going to spoil his horse rotten. Lots of treats and rest and body rubs.
When he turned back, he noticed their little prince was awake and rolling up the bed roll. Not well but at least he tried. He murmured a small thank you and took it from his hands, discreetly rerolling it. He clasped it on ti his horse before turning to the others.
"We'll ride until mid-day. We'll hunt for food and cook it but I want to be on our way as the sun sets." Nico didn't want to stop at all but their food supply was gone. They needed to hunt. Hunting could take hours, but he trusted Braxton. There wasn't a better tracker alive than he. It helped that his eyesight and sense of smell were better than the average person.
He turned to Bel. "Sorry there's no breakfast. We'll make up for it when we catch lunch."
"That's fine," Bel mutters as he watches the men pack up their camp. Now shrouded in day instead of night, the forest truly isn't nearly as terrifying as he had thought. The wildflowers are… fairly beautiful. Bel is by no means a botanist, he actually rarely dabbles in horticulture, but he does know enough to recognize it as one that symbolizes good fortune. Val once had a spell where she studied lucky signs. Her findings must have rubbed off on him. Bel finds it ironic… well, considering his entire situation.
Bel follows Nico to the horse as he considers the prospect of hunting. He's no stranger to a bow, nor to shooting a fine stag. Looking back, the woods by the castle were likely stocked with elk. However, no guard could manipulate the fine shot Bel had made straight through the stag's heart. Miran had laughed and clapped a hand on his shoulder.
The horse whinnies and Bel finds himself instinctively bringing his hand up to smooth their muzzle. It's Nico's horse. Bel's two belongings poke out from a sack slung over the horse's saddle. "What's their name?" He asks after catching Nico's eye. He tilts his head towards the horse.
Nicandros watched the prince and his horse interact. He tilted his head to the side slightly as he watched their interaction. Curious that he felt the need to reach out and comfort his mount. He set his own hand on the rump of his horse. When they returned home, he would let one of the girls that fawned over his horse braid his hair. They had wanted to before he had left but unfortunately, there hadn't been time. His horse loved being pampered, despite his nonchalant attitude.
"Abraxas," Nico replied. "He's well-tempered. I've had him for years."
He moved the prince's side, grabbing his waist and setting him down in the saddle. Nicandros's eyes shifted to his free hand before looking away. He knew he needed to bind him again. He knew the others were waiting for him to do it yet he couldn't find the power to do so. Pretty men were his weakness. Especially when they had such a mannerism as Bel did. Nico felt compelled to comfort and protect them, as he did for the prince.
He placed his foot in the stirrup and swung himself behind the prince. His arms circled around him to grab the reigns. With a nod of his head, Braxton took the lead, knowing the way home. Cassian followed just behind him with Nico in the middle one again. Laurent and Kaillas took up the rear this time. With a small squeeze, the horses were off at a sprint. The more miles they put between them and the carriage, the closer they got to the palace. The closer to the palace they got, the more likely it would be that Bel was recognized. They needed to avoid all civilization until then. Avoid the merchant's roads and take to the lesser-known, overgrown paths. Stay close to streams, it could throw off their scents if need be. It would be at least two weeks before they would risk stopping in a village to gather more supplies.
"Abraxas," Bel repeats, just to feel the name on his tongue. "Fine name for a fine sta–" His sentence is cut short with a sharp gasp as Nico holds Bel's waist to help him mount the steed. He's perfectly capable of getting on the horse himself. He's not bound and he's been riding for as long as he could remember. Though, he doesn't fight it. No, all Bel does is squeak out a thank you as Nico hauls himself into position behind the prince.
Bel mostly holds his tongue as they ride, taking the time to try and catch as much as he can through the sprinting scenery. He has to bring a hand up to shield his eyes from the wind.
He's truly leaving home. Bel had always toyed with the idea, but never thought he would go through with it. After all, with his older brother constantly leaving for crusades and his younger sisters ping-ponging between their kingdom and the one they had been wed into, Bel thought it would be wise to at least have one heir constantly home. If something were to happen to their father, the crown would obviously go to Miran. Bel never truly felt jealous of Miran for that matter, only for hogging all of the love his father rarely shed. Bel was prepared to spend his days growing old in the library, reading every book on the shelf. Aging with Katya's descendants and never failing to feel the wonders of the open fields. Bel had been ready to spend a thousand years within those stone walls. It was a shock enough to be shipped off to a distant kingdom, but being kidnapped and dragged to some unknown location had never been on Bel's bucket list.
The idea of somewhere new… It's quite exciting.
The horses' pace slowed over the hours, exhaustion creeping on them. They had already ridden hard for four weeks, now they had at least another four weeks to go, perhaps longer if the horses couldn't hold their current pace. Which was most likely. When they were further away from the palace, they would slow their pace to an easy trot. Easier for the horses, easier for the men. It would take longer, certainly, but it would reduce the risk of hurting their horses.
The sun had risen high in the sky and Nicandros finally made the decision to stop. Braxton found a safe enough spot for them to stop for the afternoon. Nico slid down the horse, helping Bel off of the horse as well. He tied his horse to a tree, a light tie. His mount wasn't going anywhere unless there was a fire or something large enough to spook him. The others followed suit. However, Braxton and Laurent were readying their gear. They were the best two for hunting. Laurent with his bow and Braxton with his tracking. It took all of five minutes before the two were off in the woods, searching for some game. The others found some logs to set up as temporary benches.
Nico took a sip of his water skin before handing it to Bel, offering him a drink. "How are you feeling so far? Are you sore yet?"
He had no way of knowing the prince's endeavors if he rode or not. Even if he did, it wouldn't be the same. There was a difference in taking a short ride through woods, maybe even a night or two, and this. They would be on horseback for weeks. There was no walking, they couldn't afford that. At the end of the trip, their legs would be strained and their thighs aching. The only thing that offered relief was time in bed and perhaps an excruciating massage that would leave his legs feeling better the next day.
Bel could feel it beneath him. Abraxas may be a fine animal, but he's not immortal. No horse is. Just as he opens his mouth to protest the idea of pushing them any further, Nico pulls on the reigns and barks an order to his companions. His lips are right by his ear, the loud words sending an odd jolt down his spine. He can't say if it was pleasant or not. Really, this whole situation is confusing and Bel's positive that his emotions haven't quite caught up to the severity of it all.
Once again, he doesn't need Nico's help, but he certainly doesn't deny it as the man helps him down from the saddle. An odd sensation tugs at his legs. He's been riding too long. He's simply not used to going twelve full hours on horseback, nonetheless with somebody breathing down his neck as they gallop at breakneck speeds through treacherous terrain. "A little," Bel acknowledges honestly as he takes the water skin from Nico's hands. Bel notes with slight disappointment that his own hands haven't stopped their shake. "Thank you." He does a cursory sniff to ensure that it's not alcohol and takes a small sip–then another–before handing it back to Nico.
Nicandros took a seat on one of the logs, leaving a spot open beside him for the prince to seat. However, before he could open his mouth, Cassian slid in the spot next to him. Nico gave him a glare and he quickly got up, finding another log to sit on. Nicandros gave Bel a small smile. "I would say it gets better but I'd be lying. At some point, you'll become numb to the pain. But when we finally get to our location, your legs are going to hate you. I've been doing for this for years and it never really gets any easier."
Across from them, Kaillas was striking a small fire. It wasn't for the heat. They need the fire to cook the meat. They needed to start the fire now, let it calm before the game was brought back. And it could always have wood added to it to increase the intensity of the fire. Cassian was sharpening his blade. There hadn't been the time the night before, most of them just wanting to rest. Now, Cass was going through great detail to sharpen all of his blades. From his sword to the smallest dagger, he sharpened it all. Nico knew he needed to do the same thing but there would be time. For now, he wanted to relax, and speak to the prince. He told himself it was just to stick to the plan. Befriend him, turn him to their side, and get the information he needed. Not because Nico himself wanted to just because. Certainly not because he was enjoying the way the prince felt on the horse with him.
Bel watches as Nico sits, Cassian sits, and then Nico gets right back up. Bel's sitting on the ground. It's grassy and much softer than any log would be. (Not that he's prejudiced against logs or anything, Bel's just very aware of how hard wood is compared to well… dirt and grass.) He has one leg out in front of him, the other bent up to his chest, and he's leaning forward in any attempt to stretch out his lightly aching hamstrings. "I'm no stranger to horses," Bel says softly. "I don't think I've ever been on one for this long…"
The fire is warm and Bel can nearly smell the meat that's going to be baked upon it. One of the rogues, Cassian, is taking great deal to sharpen all his weapons. Bel can't help but be baffled at the amount of sharpened iron one can keep on them at all times. When he was a child, he remembered putting a knife in his boot because he saw Miran do it; he had quickly removed the dagger due to the discomfort forming in his ankle.
Bel sighs, breathing in he forest air. Crisp, clean, smelling of something new around every bend. He sends a sideways glance to Nico. The urge for conversation pulls at his tongue, but he can't quite find anything worthy to speak about.
Nicandros moved to sit next to him, then changed direction last minute and sat in front of him, facing the prince. before he could question his decision, he reached out and grabbed his leg, placing it in his lap. His hands went to Bel's thigh, his thumbs digging in as he started to massage his leg. He was slow, meticulous. "You'll be on one for a lot longer. We have weeks ahead of us. I can try to make arrangements if you need an extended break but there is only so much I can risk. For your safety and ours."
He followed Bel's line of sight, looking at Cass. He chuckled before turning forward. "Cass is the best swordsman that I know. He's better at weapons than anyone else I've ever seen. Each one of his blades has a use. He takes care of their upkeep, more than the average soldier does. Think of at his routine. He always checks over them, polishing, sharpening them. We may think it excessive but I'd never question him."
Nicandros switched to his other thigh, gently pulling it into his lap and massaging his other thigh. "Cassian may have a more friendly and carefree demeanor but it's all an act," he said quietly. He knew Cassian would be too focused on his work to pick up on his words. "He feels the most out of all of us. He's passionate and kind and serious and can get down to business when it's needed. The front you see is all just a shield of sorts to protect himself from getting hurt. He's getting better. We've been working at it but he still has a ways to go."
Bel can't stop the content hum that escapes his lips as Nico takes his leg into his lap. The rogue's fingers are careful and practiced and god, it should be illegal for them to feel so great. "Weeks?" Bel repeats. "I see you travelled all this way just to take me off my kingdom's hands." He offers a close-lipped smile. "And no, I don't need a break," he insists. "I'll be fine. You shouldn't have to worry about my wellbeing."
Bel watches Cassian as Nico recounts his personality and deadly expertise. "Cassian reminds me of my older brother." He pauses to savor the feeling of whatever sort of witchcraft Nico is practicing on his thighs. "His name is Miranos. He's the warrior of my siblings. Skilled with a sword and a shield. To quench his impatience to be king, he follows the military out on crusades." The image of Miran flashes through his mind. A jagged scar down his cheek, a friendly smile, and impulsive eyes.
"I'm glad to hear you have reliable men on your team," Bel says, voice barely above a whisper as Nico pulls his other leg closer. "It's lonely without companions." The words Bel speaks are the entire truth. The prince hadn't had a friend in a decade. Well, he could count Katya and his favorite maid, Mathilde, but he doubted they would be suitable candidates as friends.
Nicandros chuckled softly. "Yes, weeks. We're going to the opposite side that you traveled." He returned the smile, a genuine one. "We weren't expecting to find you, if that helps at all. We just knew we needed to get whatever was traveling. Our ah- leader didn't really give us any of the details. Guess it was too important to spread." He almost slipped and revealed himself. "We weren't officially targeting you. I'm not sure if that makes you feel any better or if it makes you feel that you aren't special." He chuckled.
He listened as Bel talked, smiling at his words. He watched the prince as he talked, noting the way he lit up as he talked about his brother. His brother. The false heir. One that he was supposed to kill and overthrow. He lowered his head as the smile fell and focused on Bel's thigh. Sometimes he hated what his mother forced him into. That she had him. But then he remembered what the usurper king was doing to his people, what he did to his family. The aunts and uncles and cousins he could have had, were all murdered. The grandparents he never met, murdered.
He was avenging his family. He was saving his people. There was no one else to do this. It was only him.
"I do. They're my best friends, my best men. We've been on many missions together." His hands paused in their massaging. "You tend to bond together when you've been through the things we have."
"Trust me, I'm just as surprised I'm in this situation as you." He pauses, dark dark eyes sparkling with adventure. "Exciting, isn't it?" But the shine in Bel's eyes is quick to dull as Nico's smile falls. The blond man alerts his gaze and Bel finds himself swallowing around an uncomfortable lump in his throat. Was it something I said?
"I would love to hear about your past adventures if you'd be willing to share," Bel says, hoping to continue the conversation. After all, it isn't every day Bel gets kidnapped by a group of mysterious rogues with fascinating motives and pasts. The castle library is grand and full of fascinating ideas, but it's nothing compared to the first hand source right here in front of him. An opportunity to learn, to discover. His mother had always said he was keen on jumping at any possible opportunity to grow his knowledge. "Perhaps in exchange I could tell you stories of my siblings and the palace."
Nocandors shook his head slightly in a small amusement. Not everyone would find being abducted by strangers exciting. After a moment, his fingers picked up the massaging. After a minute, he retreated his hands and leaned back, resting his palms on the ground behind him.
"I can do that," he replied. It would give him an excuse to ask about the palace, find what he needed to know. But at what price? "However, some of my doings aren't for the faint of heart. Most of my missions didn't go like this. Many of them weren't successful, depending on your view." Images flashed through his head, giving him just blinks of his past. Chains. Blood. Bodies. Nico quirked up the side of his lip, trying to conceal his emotions. It wasn't something he was always able to do, especially when it pertained to certain things, or certain people. "It's not all very nice."
He took his hair out of the leather that had been tying it back, shaking his hair out. "However, I think I would quite enjoy hearing about your youth in the palace."
"I'm sure I could handle it," Bel says, not really sure if he's lying or not. He's heard plenty of gruesome stories from Miran. Even more from Treya. Despite this, Bel can physically feel his heart fluttering in his chest when Nico asks about his younger years. Talking about himself is hardly the first conversation topic Bel would resort to, but he's happy to talk about anything. He at least hopes that Nico will find some aspect of it all impressive.
"Well, I'm sure you're aware that I'm the second eldest. The others are Miran, the crown prince; Val, the Duchess of Cobbrass; and the youngest, Treya, the Lady of Lumiere." He feels at least the titles would help Nico recognize them. "We all grew up fairly close, rarely an argument between us." He pauses, mentally cycling through his various memories in the castle. Finally, he stops on one he finds adequate to tell. "It was a winter day. I had to have been sixteen, seventeen maybe. I was out with Miran and Val in the woods nearby the walls." They had mastered how to get around the guards when they were barely ten. "Miran had just returned from his first crusade, and his bloodlust wasn't quite quenched yet."
The memory is one of his fonder ones, a small smile forming on his face as he recounts it. "Miran had somehow found weapons from the armory to arm us with, and then he took us through the snow to find a stag. He's always said when he's king, he'll have antlers on his crown." He looks down to his lap, and then to his legs which are still somewhat laying in Nico's. "We tracked for nearly three hours before Val finally caught sight of something. It was a stag, a massive one with eyes like the devil. It had reared on it's back legs and Miran, the impulsive idiot, decided he would charge an animal three times his size." He can see it like it was happening right before him. "Val kept her distance. She never once swung her rope dart. I think she was scared, but she'd kill me if I ever admitted it." He laughs imagining his sister's scowl. "I shot my bow. Somehow, the arrow made home right into the elk's heart. If I was any later, it could have very well killed Miran and then I'd be forced to hold the crown." Bel nearly winces at the idea.
"We dragged the poor corpse home and our youngest sister's expression is one I'll never forget." He feels he has to bury the reminiscent smile in the palm of his hand. "Treya screeched and brought the whole guard from around the castle to the servant's kitchen. Needless to say, we were only allowed out of the castle with chaperones afterwards. Miran was twenty and I bet you could imagine how he would've taken the news."
Nicandros listened to the prince talk about his siblings. Despite the smile on his face, he was dying internally. Siblings he would likely have to kill unless they swore allegiance to him. An option, but likely not one this Miran would take. Thus, effectively ruining his relationship with Bel. One he found himself valuing. One he didn't want to ruin.
He opened his mouth, to say what, he wasn't sure, but was cut off as Braxton and Laurent appeared with several rabbits in their grasps. Dead rabbits, but all the same. Cassian made a smart remark about how long it took for them, meanwhile grabbing the game from them. Kaillas helped as well, laying some of the dead animals down, pulling out a knife, and beginning to skin one of the rabbits.
Nico squeezed Bel's knee before gently placing his legs off of his lap. He stood and held out a hand for Bel to take. "They hunt, we skin. Now, as our guest, nothing is expected of you, as you're our guest."
His fingers lingered on his skin, only pulling then away when he realized what he was doing. It didn't go unnoticed. Cassian's eyes were lingering on the two of them, distrusting. Cassian, who never let anything slide past him, no matter how miniscule. Cassian, who's aloofness was only a front. And he would be watching.
Bel watches Nico leave, somewhat disappointed to lose what potential conversation he could get out of the other man. Braxton and Laurent come with at least six rabbits, one for each of them. Bel will happily offer up to take the smallest if they were rationing the meat that way. He doesn't eat much, anyways. He takes Nico's hand, noting with a faint blush all the calluses on his palm. Rough, but not unpleasantly so.
"If I knew how to skin a rabbit, I would offer," Bel says honestly. All the game he and his siblings had caught in their years were sent off to the palace tanner and butcher. They would give the animal the respect it deserved, and then the siblings would get a fine parcel of meat and hide on their doorsteps the next day. Val liked to stitch her hides together to make an odd quilt. Miran and Treya requested to have theirs sewn into the inside of shawls and cloaks. Bel gave his siblings his share, the only thing he needed was the lush skin rug on the ground of his cold castle floor. He would ask for antlers and horns, but Miran, as crown prince, always received the prizes of their spoils.
Nevertheless, Bel finds himself following Nico to the fire the other men had been circled around. He sits with his knees to his chest, arms wrapped tightly around his legs. He rests his cheek on his knees and watches Nico slice the rabbit open in a practiced manner.
Nicandros smiled gently, taking his seat on one of the logs near the fire. Kaillas had finished skinning the rabbit and had moved on to gutting it before sticking it over the fire. "I'll teach you. It's not that hard as long as you have the stomach for it." He pulled out one of his sharper knives. "You have to be careful to cut only the skin and not pierce the stomach."
Nico made a slit from the rabbit's neck down to his stomach. Using just his index and middle finger, he pulled the fur off of the body. "Now that we have the skin off, we cut off the paws." He chopped off the rabbit's feet, just as he said. "And now we gut it." He made a vertical cut on the stomach of the rabbit and opened it up. He began removing all of the innards. Stomach, intestines, lungs, and heart. All of it gone.
He started peeling off the silver skin of the rabbit, which took a bit of time to do precisely. "Had we been at home, we would have cut it up into sections. However, it's a little hard to cook the meat out here without some sort of grill or such. So we skewer it on a stick and put it over the fire to let it cook." Nicandros explained. He faced Bel. "Do you want to try it?"
Bel watches the rogue fillet the rabbit carefully and with a practiced knife. It smells of iron and blood. Bel forces himself not to twitch at the stench. It isn't terrible. It's far from pleasant, but not terrible. He feels bad for the poor creature, yet Bel knows the importance of its sacrifice. Food, a nice pelt, a lucky rabbit's foot for the road. Val had always been keen on collecting the rabbit feet. She has an entire chest of them properly taxidermied next to her bedside. He's never understood his sister's superstition, but he supports it nonetheless.
His nose scrunches when Nico pulls the intestines from the creature. It's a bloody affair. Necessary, but bloody. "What do you do with the… intestines?" He inquires, using a stick to prod at the long organ curled up in blood. "I would make socks out of them, personally." Praying his jest doesn't go over Nico's head, Bel looks up to the blond man before turning back to the fire to watch another man roast a skewer over the flames.
"Try it?" He points to himself and stares at the final corpse. "No, no thank you. I'm fine." As a new man he knows he could very well butcher it. Well, in a bad way not in the way it's supposed to be butchered. If it wasn't the last rabbit and if he wasn't in the presence of men who could slaughter him in an instant, perhaps Bel might have accepted.
Nicandros chuckled and looked at Bel in bewilderment. "We give it back to the earth. We'll bury it far enough away from us that it won't attract animals to us. This way, the nutrients of the animal seeps back into the earth. We'll leave the hart and maybe the liver out for scavengers to pick at, otherwise, it's buried."
He placed the skewered rabbit on the fire pit before starting on the second rabbit. He laughed quietly once more. "It's not for everyone and that's alright. But if you're going to hunt and kill these animals, rule of thumb is you know how to care for the kill. What happened if you end up alone in the woods and need to kill for food? I hope you know how to butcher properly."
Nico made quick work of the second rabbit and had it over the fire in minutes. He cleaned his hands with some of their water. They weren't far off from a stream so it would be easy to fill up the water skin.
At least feeling the satisfaction of maling Nico laugh, Bel smiles. He appreciates the offer, but truly, he doubts his shaking hands will do the rabbit's life justice. "I'm sure I'll have plently of other times to learn," Bel says, near earnestly. "But I won't ever be caught in the woods alone. You said you'd never let me out of sight, right?"
Bel goes back to staring at his shoes, which are luckily discreet enough not to flaunt his royal status. It makes him wonder how long it'll take for his own kingdom to realize his absence. He was set to arrive in Irgeven in about a week. It'll be another two before word even reaches his home kingdom if they send their fastest messenger. Three weeks before anybody comes after him. Bel isn't sure if he loves or fears the idea.
(aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa polite boop)
(….I'm back if you wanna continue. Sorry for the disappearance. Was in a bleh thing.)
(akhdjdj omg so good to see you back!! I'd be happy to continue this)
(Yay. Again, sorry for disappearing. I'll get a response out in a few.)
Nicoandros had a soft smile on his face, crinkling the skin around his eyes. He was happy, truly. It had been a long time since he had felt this way. "I'll teach you. It's an important skill to have just in case." His face darkened slightly. "I won't let you out of my sight, not by choice. But…sometimes things happen that are out of our control. I'd feel better if you had ti skills to survive until I can find you."
The others around the fire pit seemed to be having a silent conversation to themselves. They knew that look on his face and they knew the dangers that would follow. They were worried for their king's heart and what this would do to him. The boy was there for intel and nothing more. And while they wanted nothing more than Nico's happiness, they did not believe this was the way to go. This boy was not worthy of their king, not with his blood running through his veins.
The rabbits were taken off the fire as they finished cooking and parts were passed around. They had not plates or cutlery to eat with. It would be their hands. Nico handed Bel a chunk of meat. "Eat up. Take as much as you want. We can always get more."
