forum The forced facade of insanity is a heavy weight to bear // oxo // closed // Mature

Started July 07, 2023 by @ElderGod-Icefire

tune

Nola smiled back, when Erix smiled, then nodded. "Perfect." she started to move again, leading him down the halls. The halls here were slightly less grand, but still ornate and lovely. They were not the plain, simple things that a servant's hall would have held, but they were not quite as impressive as the more main hallways. They felt a little more…personal, somehow. "His Majesty's rooms are on this level as well. He has chosen to leave their parents' old room empty, for now, out of respect and mourning. Though he will have to move to them someday. Likely when he, ah, gets married, as those rooms are designed for the ruling monarch and their spouse." she led him up a staircase. "This is the second floor. The one above it is similar in layout, so I won't take you up there unless oyu want me to? This one is the one that Marcus is on, and is also the level that the nursery is on, though it is obviously not currently in use." there were no royal children to make use of it, after all. Marcus was unmarried and without children, as was Cassio. Though for different reasons.

"The upper level is mostly just living quarters, which are typically reserved for any visiting relatives of the royals who live in the palace. In-laws, cousins, that sort of thing." in other times, the royal family had been larger. It still was; the two brothers did have relatives. Aunts, uncles, cousins. But none lived in the palace, or were visiting at the moment. So the royal wing housed only Cassio and Marcus. "And of course there is the attic on top, but that is used for storage. It isn't really used as a living space by anyone." though it could have been. It just would have needed some renovation to be perfect.

"The first level of the royal quarters is the one reserved for the current reigning monarch and their heir. Hence why Prince Cassio rooms there. He…was the heir, at the time that that was made his bedroom, and His Majesty was concerned that moving Cassio to a different bedroom would be too much for him. Which is why His Majesty is still on this level, even though he is the king." she explained, looking up at Erix after a moment. "The third level and attic have only staircases down to this one, but this one and the floor below both have staircases down to ground level." the floor below was not a ground level; it was actually located above some of the more public areas of the palace, that way none of the royal residences opened directly onto the grounds. The royal wing also looked out onto the garden, which was where the staircases led to.

As they walked through the halls of the royal wing Erix made sure he was taking in every part and memorising it as best he could. There was a lot of information he needed to digest but considering his line of work previously it wouldn't be too much of an issue. Some of what Nola was saying might have been somewhat unnecessary, in his mind, but he wasn't going to complain. Maybe it would be needed at some other point throughout his stay here. He didn't know, or pay much mind, just tucked it away into the back of his brain for the time being. What was the most important aspect of all of this was knowing where Marcus roomed, Cassio and thus himself, as well as the basic living quarters. Now that he knew that, he could focus on the important part of his job, protecting the prince.

"No, it's quite alright, you don't have to take me up there, I think I've got the gist of it all." It was simple enough to learn and put to mind. With having spent time in the palace before he was familiar with the layout of the place, even if the royal wing was slightly different to the rest of the space. Erix found he had a knack for memorising spaces, and it was why he was a good spy, a good soldier. But none of the former aspect of his training wasn't going to be needed. The only thing that he needed to be and do was be a good soldier, a good, perfect protector. That was what he had been hired to be, that was what he was going to try and live up to. He knew he had had Rowan back him when it came to applying for this position. The man knew his qualities well and had found him to be a perfect candidate. As much as coming back here was only slightly bad for the previous wounds that had gone unhealed, it was the best job he could find.

His life would always and from now on be on the line for Cassio. Erix had nothing wrong with that. He had put his life out there for many others before, this was no different. Well, except for the fact that it was the prince he was now protecting, the price entirely, and he may have to protect him from himself but he would do all he could to make sure he, and everyone else, remained safe. It would be okay and everything would be fine, he hoped.

(I realize that Nola's explanation was a little confusing, so I just wanna clarify: there is a ground level, which does not hold any royal chambers. the next level up is the one that Cassio and their parent's level is on (level 2). Level 3 is Marcus and the nursery, level 4 is extra rooms, and then the attic)

Nola nodded slightly. "Perfect!" she paused for a moment, clearly thinking about what to say next. She stood there for a moment with an odd look, like she had forgotten something. "Oh! One last thing. There are, uhm, some secret passages? Because, you know, the palace is pretty old, and all of that. The passages have been around for a long time. I only know one of the entrances." she led him into the nursery, which was…slightly eerie to be inside, in all honesty.

It was obviously a nicely decorated nursery, complete with some toys that had…obviously been sitting unused for a long time. It was all perfectly innocent, in reality, but at the same time…the image of this nursery, unused in a very long time, just sitting empty? Oh, it was odd to look at. The walls were a lovely baby blue, with white detailing that curled along the walls in beautiful swirls and details. There were beds that had long ago been stripped of their sheets and blankets, and were for now just bare mattresses, waiting for future royal children to use them. Nola led him through the nursery and over to the fireplace, pausing before it and feeling along the brickwork. She eventually found one, and pushed it in. There was a soft click, and then she reached over to the panel beside the fireplace and opened it up. The panel swung open on soft hinges, and an opening yawned before them. "This one has a few passages leading off of it, from what I remember." she said, looking over at Erix. "We…I remember exploring it, when I was younger, but I haven't been in there in years."

She was only a year or so younger than Marcus, and her grandmother had been the boys' nanny. As a result, she had been around the two of them a lot as a kid. Had run around with them, and Cassio had been the one to show her and Marcus this passageway. There was a small chamber just beyond where they had spent most of there time, and she still wondered sometimes if the toys that they had brought into that chamber were still there. She wasn't sure, and she didn't want to explore those passageways alone. It wouldn't be the same anymore.

(ahhh gotcha gotcha lol thanks that makes more sense)

Passageways? The palace was certainly living up to the old name. Erix had never paid much interest in things like that when he was a kid. The royal family wasn't something he had been invested in. The palace even less so. Architecture? Not his thing. Either way, he hadn't known that there would be secret passageways. He almost expected Nola to be lying about them until she showed them to him.

The nursery was definitely creepy, to say the least. It gave off a strange vibe, a strange aura, and as fae versed in dark magic, illusions and minds, it set his senses off. Something was wrong in here. It wasn't often that he found spaces that concerned him and his magic, but this was one of them. Maybe it was simply because of the passageways, that the room hadn't been used in so long, that it was waiting for someone to have children in order to fill the space with light once more, but on the other hand, it gave him the shivers, and that wasn't something he got very often.

A frown covered his features. Erix easily peered over Nola's shoulder, considering their height difference, to inspect the space a little further. Dark. Dusty. No light bar that of the open hallway they were now peering through. He would have to come back and visit them again when he had time. When that would be… he didn't know, not when he was going to be guarding Cassio all the time. A small shake of his head and he backed away, "Maybe sometime you can show them to me," Another small smile but it only lasted a few moments, "Either way, we should get to His Highness."

(no problem haha, just wanted to make sure there wasn't any confusion)
(having fun on your vacation?)

Nola nodded a little bit, backing up and then pressing on the brick again. The passageway closed itself up again, and then she led him back out of the nursery, down the hall, and then down the stairs to the first of the royal levels. "I'll take you to your rooms, then." she led him down the hall, past the set of larger, slightly more ornate doors that had been the king and queen's old rooms. Past that, on the other side of the hall, was a closed door that was likely Cassio's. She led him past that, to a smaller door that seemed designed to draw no attention to itself. She pulled out a small keyring, and sorted through it until she found the proper key. Using that key, she unlocked the door. "This is your room. It has a connecting door into Cassio's that is currently closed and locked."

Erix's room was not overly large, but it was comfortable. It had a nice, soft bed, a nightstand, a dresser, and a bookshelf. It had all the necessary accoutrements for a good bedroom, though it was rather bereft of any real decor. There were two more doors in it. One was open, and led to a small bathroom. The other was the closed door that Nola had mentioned. On the nightstand was a set of keys, which she gestured to.

"Those are yours. It has your room key and Cassio's room key, along with some standard ones that unlock a lot of the outside doors so that you can get in and out of the palace. Obviously you don't ahve a master key, nor do you have all of the keys for every room. Neither do I." she gave another faint, quick little smile, pulling at her braid for a moment. "Uhm. You can decorate your room, if you choose to. It's meant to be your home, for now, so…" she trailed off, shrugging a shoulder. "Any questiosn, before we go and I introduce you to the prince?"

(im home now :) holiday was certainly something oof)

It didn't matter to Erix that his room was on the smaller side, or that there really wasn't that much of a decor to the place. He didn't have much in the way of decorative items. A few books that he had kept over the years, torn and tattered, and letters that he had received from his sister from her journeys away. Apart from that, he didn't have much. Coming from such a low-class family, dealing with the death of his mother and the absence of his father, he hadn't had much to begin with. It still felt odd to have more than the bare necessities. Something that he was stuck in his ways with. He doubted that would change anytime soon, no matter what he may try, who might attempt to convince him to have more, none of them had ever gotten far in that conversation.

He removed his larger overcoat now that he was in his own space. There was no need to keep it on while visiting Cassio. Chances were that he would have to start work immediately, or at least very soon. Removing his coat and preparing now meant he would be able to start sooner. He would be able to get to know the prince, meet him, maybe try and form some kind of a connection, if only very basic. Spending all day every day with a man who he was unable to hold at least one short conversation with might make him go crazy. Tossing the coat on the bed, he adjusted his belt, and his sword and grabbed the keys that had been sitting on the dresser, attaching them to his belt. No need to lose those on the first day.

Erix turned to Nola and shook his head once, "No, I have no questions," Everything seemed straight forwards and simple enough, "Take me to the prince."

(oof, did it not go well? Or was it just exhausting?)

Nola nodded, smoothing out her dress in a quick, slightly nervous gesture. "Right." she said, heading over to Erix's door and unlocking it, then opening it up. The door was clearly tucked back against a wall, out of the way and meant to be unobtrusive, but still with, immediately, a full view of the room. The prince himself was seated in an armchair by the fireplace, and his gaze flashed up as the door opened. His brown eyes were slightly too wide to be a normal expression, but other than that, he didn't look…out of the ordinary. His clothing was simple for a royal, but still of a high quality. He wasn't wearing shoes, though, not even slippers, just a pair of dark socks. His gaze was questioning, but not violent or malevolent. Just curious.

The bedroom that he inhabited was beautiful, big and grand and obviously had been decorated quite well. The walls were a beautiful eggshell blue, with a similar sort of white detailing to what had been in the nursery. If Erix had peeked into any of the other royal rooms, he would have seen that same sort of design motif echoed in all of them, the royal crest in the top center of each wall. It was clear who this room belonged to. Clear what this place was. At first glance, it looked normal. It was on closer inspection that some other things became obvious. Firstly, there were some leather restraints fastened to the bedposts. Long enough that they would be comfortable to sleep in, but still there in case the prince was out of control. There were other aspects of the room that seemed designed more for controlling the prince than for his comfort and ease in the room.

At the sound of the door opening, another person stepped into view. An older woman, she had greying hair and kind eyes, and bore a resemblance to Nola. "Nola, hello. And I assume this is Cassio's new guard?" she came over to stand behind Cassio, a soft smile touching her lips as she looked over at Nola and Erix.

"Erix, this is my grandmother, Maura." Nola said. "And, obviously, his highness Prince Cassio." she gestured to the prince, then looked over to Maura. "How is he today?"

Maura hummed faintly, reaching out to gently smooth a hand over Cassio's shoulder in an easy, grandmotherly little gesture. He glanced back at her, still quiet, before looking over to Erix and cocking his head a little. "He is…more sound today than he is on others." she said. She looked over to Erix, sighing faintly. "Today is a good day to meet him and…get used to him. There are other days where he would be far more, ah…upset or uncontrolled."

(bit of both lol)

Erix didn't know what he had been expecting when he stepped into that room. Whether the space was going to be set up with high defences in case the prince had an outburst, if there were to be other knights positioned on doors around them, whether his caretakers were to be around all the time, along with himself. Sharp, ocean-blue eyes scanned the room within seconds. He didn't take in everything, but enough. Enough to note the restraints on the bed, the decor, the lack of shoes, and those slightly too wide eyes. Cassio looked, for the most part, nothing more than a normal man. He was far from it, however, Erix knew that, but as he glanced at the prince for a few moments longer while Nola spoke, his brain ticked over in thought.

The tall man, when introduced and Maura had finished speaking, offered a bow to the both of them, "Your Highness," Another glance to Cassio, and then to the older woman, "Ma'am." Formal, respectable. There was no smile of greeting on his lips, and as much as Erix tried his best to appear less intimidating, he was more than aware that it probably wasn't doing anything. Not with his figure, his height, and the sword strapped to his side. Would it be a good idea to remove it?

His fingers snaked around the hilt of the golden weapon, feeling the grooves where his hand fit so perfectly. Callosauses snagged on the metal, and Erix drew a breath. No. The hand moved, both his arms moved, until they were behind his back and clasped together. A picture-perfect soldier. There wasn't even a slouch in his shoulders. Erix glanced briefly towards Nolal, then he took the smallest step forwards, as if asking for silent permission to draw closer, "I have no doubt I will be seeing many of those other days during my time here," He said, addressing Maura with a soft nod, "It does not frighten me." Otherwise, he wouldn't have taken the job.

(oof. Did you at least have a bit of fun?)

Cassio's eyes moved to Erix's sword when the man put his fingers around the hilt, eyes staying on the weapon for just a beat longer than most people's would have. Cassio had been a swordsman, years ago. How long had it been since he had been allowed to use a weapon? A long time. Too long. His sword had always been a good way for him to get his energy out, had always been something he enjoyed. And now he could not have even that much. Not even under surveillance was he allowed to put his hands on a weapon. His callouses had long since vanished, and his muscles had dwindled to less than they had been.

Maura nodded a little, looking down at Cassio. "Prince Cassio, this is Erix. He is your new guardsman, and will be here to keep you safe. So no one tries to assassinate you again." her words were calm, and not at all spoken in a way that would seem as if she were speaking down to Cassio. She didn't speak to him as if he was a child, as many would have, but rather treated him like the adult that he was. "Are you going to greet him?" her treatment of the prince was more grandmotherly than anything; she clearly cared about him.

Cassio stared at Erix again, studying him closely with those brown eyes. The prince was in a simple, white shirt, with a waistcoat over top that had been left unbuttoned. The soft brown curls of his hair were unkempt, obviously not having been styled that morning, and he was clean-shaven. Almost a presentable gentleman. Almost a picture perfect prince. Then he moved to his feet in one smooth, quick motion and came over to Erix, staring up at him. Then, finally, he offered his hand. "Pleased to meet you. I assume my brother picked you?" his voice was easy and smooth and still held the notes of the king he had originally been raised to be. All those years of training in decorum and giving speeches and how to introduce himself and speak to people, learning what a king should sound like. And here he was. A prince, passed up by his younger brother who had taken his throne. And ah, his brother.

If Marcus had picked Erix, then what would Erix be like? Cassio knew what his caretakers were like. What they did, how they behaved. Would Erix be the same? Or was Erix truly here to protect, and nothing more? Did it even matter? Cassio had been helpless in this place for years. Erix's presence would change nothing.

(yeah it was a good experience all in all)

Erix was tempted to crouch down a little in order to become eye level with Cassio. It was one of the downsides of being so tall. He could never look someone in the eye without tilting his own head down, whether that be slightly, or majorly, exactly like what he was doing now with Cassio. He didn't, because he didn't want to cause the man any disrespect.

He looked and appeared, sounded and acted, exactly like a prince. Someone who would have been trained to become a king. It was clear that he had been the clear choice, no matter what he was like now. If this was what he ended up being like most of the time, Erix had no doubt that his job would be more than simple. Mainly consisting of standing around and watching. He wondered what Cassio would be like on days when he was deemed 'unstable.' Would he lash out at Erix? The guard didn't know, but he was more than aware he would find out in due time, just like everything else.

The guard didn't know whether or not there would be much chatter between them. Maura had prompted him to greet Erix, would he have stayed silent otherwise? They were going to be around each other all the time, or at least, most of the time. Having no conversation for however long they were together in close proximity might be a bad idea for his own head. Staying lost in his own mind with nowhere and no one to talk about anything with might just send him mad. Especially as a man who dealt with the mind and dark magic.

Erix didn't hesitate to take Cassio's hand, giving him a firm handshake, "Your Highness," He said, with another small nod of respect, "The pleasure is mine." He dropped his hand and returned them to behind his back once more, "It was a long process, but His Majesty ultimately made the final call."

(That's good!)
(Cassio not liking people crouching comes straight from me, at 5' even lmao)

Honestly, if Erix had crouched, Cassio would have felt a little bit humiliated. He was used to being taller or on average with most people, and the idea of someone crouching to be at his level was humiliating, even if Eris was unnaturally tall. He was not normally silent or quiet, but today had been a slightly difficult one. He had a tendency to go quiet when he was being consumed by his mind, and today had been no different. Maura had been attempting to distract him, to placate him and help him stay controlled rather than losing himself again.

Cassio's mouth twitched in a wry, sideways little smile that didn't quite show his dimples. "Ah, and of course my brother only ever intends for the best." he replied, the look in his eyes somewhere between knowing and insanity as he turned away from Erix and sat back down in his seat. He glanced back at Maura. "You may go, I am sure this man will not kill me where I sit. It would not quite be a fair fight!" he looked over to Erix again as he spoke, laughter pulling at his eyes. But as always, there was something in his eyes that was not quite sane, something about his laughter that was just a little off.

Maura raised her eyebrows faintly, gesturing to Nola. "Yes, I am sure he will not." she said, in easy agreement with Cassio. "Nola and I shall be on our way, then, unless either of you require anything further?" she glanced between the two as Nola came over to join her grandmother, standing beside her. Both women took a few steps towards the door, though still awaiting a clear dismissal.

"I need nothing. Thank you." Cassio said, waving his hand faintly as he dismissed the two again.

(asaskjnd shortie, im 5'7)

Erix tilted his head to one side softly. His chuckle, his words… he supposed that was what people said when they spoke about his Cassio wasn't exactly of sound mind. There was something behind those eyes that Erix couldn't quite place, but he didn't get long enough to look too deeply into them and figure it out before the prince was turning away. Either way, he didn't want to make a bad first impression by seeming overly inquisitive and interested in the man's state of mind.

That wasn't his job. Erix was here to protect and nothing more. He wasn't meant to look into his mind and work out the crux of who he was, what had happened. Surely there had been others around trying to figure it out for some time. After all, he was supposed to be the heir. Now he was only the second prince, fallen behind his brother. The guard wouldn't lie that he found it slightly odd. Rumours told that the man was supposed to have been getting better after returning back from the tragedy, only for him to suddenly decline again. Healing was never linear, there was no rhyme or reason to why people progressed forwards at times and back on others. But it was odd to Erix that it hadn't been more thoroughly investigated. At least to his knowledge.

"I intend only to protect, Your Highness." He said, and didn't offer a smile or a laugh back to the man. Instead, he turned to the two women before they left the room and offered what he hoped was a nod that conveyed that the prince would come to no harm. He would no doubt be catching up with the two carers at another point soon when Cassio undoubtedly needed something. It would then give him a chance to catch up with the two, maybe find out more about the palace.

(D: unfair–)

Maura and Nola left by the main door, closing it behind them as they went, and leaving Cassio and Erix alone in the prince's bedroom.

Cassio stared at Erix silently for a long few moments, the look in his eyes rather focused and intense. Finally, he stood up from his seat again, hands clasped behind his back. There was a fire burning in the fireplace, but there were no fire pokers. Nothing that Cassio would easily be able to use as a weapon, should the mood hit him. Sure, he could wrench the leg off of a table, but he didn't really do that. It was far more effort than his madness was generally able to put in. If he was in a violent or destructive mood, then generally he wanted something destructive immediately, rather than taking the time and effort to wrench off the leg of a chair.

Cassio's gaze moved, after a moment, down to Erix's sword, and lingered there for a very, very long moment. His fingers twitched, then tightened, still behind his back. The sword. How long had it been? How many years had it been since he last was able to wield a sword? His swordplay had been something he had loved. He had been a swordsman, that had been part of his identity. His hobby, and something he had been known for as being one of his greatest skills. He was a swordsman. And now he was not. And here was Erix, standing in his bedroom, a sword belted at his side. "Tell me about yourself." he finally said, gaze slowly tracking up Erix's body and back to his face. "What do you want."

(https://pin.it/4LEsZLy - me n u)

Considering how Casio was eyeing his sword, Erix was tempted to hand the thing to the prince. Of course, that wouldn’t exactly be smart given their situation. The half of him that loved the idea of rebellion, of going against the rules and regulations of life and government was tempted to give in to those thoughts. But that wasn’t who he was anymore. He was Cassio’s personal guard. He was tasked with protecting the man from himself and from others, and he wasn’t going to fuck that up on the first day, let alone within the first few minutes of being officially in the prince’s service.

He didn’t like having the man look him over so intently. Had it been anyone else chances were Erix would have snapped and told them to look the other way, or threatened to take their eyes out. Again, not who he was anymore. It also wouldn’t have been wise to threaten the prince, of all people, when he was the one tasked with protecting him. Anyone looking at him for too long had him self conscious. Of his scars, his height. He was a soldier made for battle, not necessarily for personal protection. Something he was going to have to over come now that he was in the presence of a man who was deemed insane. Cassio didn’t seemed all that insane, just not of right mind. Distant, far away, but still somehow far too intense.

Erix didn’t move from his spot when the prince moved, simply wrapped a hand around the hilt of the sword and kept his eyes tracking the other, “I’m a solider,” He started, “Eldest son, too,” Much like you, “There isn’t much to tell, Your Highness. And I simply wish to keep you safe. I have no wants.” And that wasn’t entirely false.

(sdfkgdbh)

Cassio huffed under his breath at Erix's final sentences, shaking his head a little bit. "Don't lie to me." he said, eyes fixed on Erix still. "You may say anything you wish, but do not lie to me about why you are here." he didn't believe Erix, for some reason. Why, well, that was harder to discern. What sort of ulterior motive did the prince think that Erix had? Or did he mean that comment about not having wants? Was that what he thought was a lie? Gods, who knew?

Cassio just stood there, staring and watching Erix still. It was also clear that Cassio did not quite trust Erix yet. Did not feel that he could or should turn his back on the taller man, did not feel that he could trust him. So Cassio was watching the man there to guard him, obviously distrusting despite the fact that Erix had been specifically hired to protect him. The prince's arms were still clasped behind his back, slightly too-wide eyes still resting solidly on Erix. He had hardly looked away since Erix came into the room, and his gaze was…well, it made most people uncomfortable, with how much Cassio would just watch people with those slightly deranged eyes.

Erix narrowed his eyes at the prince. It was always a risk talking back or taking a certain tone with someone of authority. No matter if they were deemed insane or otherwise, Cassio was still a prince. He still had the control, in some weird form. He was nothing but a guard tasked with serving and protecting, nothing more, nothing less. And that was fine. That was his job. It was what he had agreed to when he had taken the position.

Going into this he knew that it would be an odd job considering the nature of the man he was sworn to now protect with his life. The look he was being given, those slightly too wide eyes, the distrusting, slightly derranged look, it was interesting, to say the least. But it wasn't making him uncomfortable, like most people would be. It was only making him curious. What was going on behind those eyes that he couldn't see? What was he thinking about to make him look that way? What was he thinking about him? The situation? Erix could have easily slipped into his mind and found it all out for himself, but he had morals, in some fucked up way. He wasn't about to invade the prince's already broken mind.

He didn't look away. If anything the gaze he levelled back to Cassio was only one that screamed, I'm not afraid.

"I am no liar," He replied, and his voice was firm when he spoke, "I am a man who has come from nothing. I have nothing more than a few clothes and my sword at my side. I only want a roof over my head and a warm meal at the end of the day. Wants are not important." Not to him. He could never afford them when he was younger, and when he had faced death so clearly, he only wished now to keep surviving in case he ever returned to that place.

Cassio continued to stare for a long while still, seeming to be working on processing Erix's words. Then he shook his head sharply. "Everyone has wants and everyone has things that they want." and everyone around him always had a reason for being around him. And it was never for good reasons. They always wanted something from him, always wanted him to do something or let them do something. There were always these expectations and desires and wants.

Then, he finally turned away from Erix, brows drawn together in a frown. This tall man in his room was not someone he felt he could trust. Men like this almost never were. Then again, there were precious few in his life now that he felt he could trust. Though to be fair…how could he have known either way? The madness that dragged at his mind made it hard to know what was real and what wasn't, and much of the time, he never could tell. Even in the sanest of moments, it was hard to tell.

He moved over to the fireplace, staring at the flames, and then looked over to Erix again. He didn't really like that Erix was just standing there, watching him. It gave him a weird sort of prickly feeling along the back of his neck, that sent faint shivers down his spine. He hated that feeling. Hated feeling watched and stared at, like some sort of caged animal on display. And was that not what he was? A creature, caged and leashed and on display for the world to see? Gods, he hated it. The lucid days always made him feel this way. Sometimes he preferred the days where he had no idea of the world around him.

Erix couldn't help the soft sigh that escaped through his nose. Maybe this was going to be harder than he originally thought it might be. Because he didn't have any wants. Didn't have anything he wanted more than a good night's sleep and a warm meal at the end of the day. How was he supposed to explain that? And he wasn't about to lie to the prince to simply get him off his back about what he wanted. He didn't want anything from Cassio. This was a job and nothing more than that. It seemed as though the prince wasn't going to understand that. He could try and continue to explain, but he doubted he was going to get through to a man who wasn't in his right mind all the time.

"I simply want to protect you, Your Highness." He tried his best to make his words seem softer than they had been. He wasn't trying to pick a fight. Wasn't trying to make Cassio uncomfortable with his presence. That was far from his intention. Erix was a soldier. A fighter. He was here to protect, and nothing more, nothing less. The last thing he wanted was for Cassio to end up dead while he was supposed to be protecting him. That would certainly put him on the map for being the worst bodyguard to ever exist.

Instead, the man moved, boots clicking on the marble of the floor, "And maybe get to know the man that I have been tasked with protecting. Like it or not, we're stuck together." A few steps closer to the prince. He didn't know where he was supposed to stand, or sit. Sitting would mean letting his guard down. If anyone came in - even though he doubted it for th time being - he had to be prepared.

(btw love the new whale pfp that you've got)

Cassio arched a brow at him, somehow so regal even in his madness. "If you have heard the rumors, then there must be nothing to get to know." he replied, shaking his head just a little bit as he stared over at Erix. "You already know what rumors circulate." was there anything else to know? Was there anything Cassio truly had to tell that was not already part of all of those vicious, awful rumors that circulated about his mental state, about the way he behaved, about all of this. The rumors about his time while kidnapped, those were the ones most baseless. No one truly had any answers for that, and the few that did had been sworn to secrecy.

Cassio himself rarely spoke of the things that had happened to him and his parents, and the times he did talk of it, were usually when he was in his deepest, darkest times. When his madness had gripped him so deeply and held him so far in that he started to babble nonsense. In that state was when he would talk of those months in captivity, but only ever in disjointed, haunted rambling. Never in enough detail for most people to truly piece it together, so what little details were known had been told shortly after his rescue, when he was vaguely lucid. Now, there were hardly any details that he was ever able to give.

He raked a hand through his hair, turning away to pace just a little bit. "I do not see why you would want to get to know me, if you are only here to be a guard. It isn't as if you will stay any longer than a month." he had had a personal guard before, since his return. But that guard had not lasted very long. He had quit soon after Cassio had had a bad day and had lashed out.

(thank you thank you - tis a whale shark and i love them do not get me started on sharks i'll never stop)

"The rumours only talk about a prince who went through a traumatic event which in turn caused his mind to break," Erix wasn't letting up. He was as stubborn as a mule and there was no way he was going to be getting out of this anytime soon, "Regardless, half of the shit that is said about you is exaggerated. Rumours are based in truth but the public will take any story and spin it until it is nothing more than a fabrication of what was fact to begin with."

Maybe he shouldn't speak out so easily and pointed towards a royal. If it had been Marcus he definitely wouldn't have. The king would have gone for his head, no doubt, if someone spoke to him that way. Even though there was respect in his voice the guard was still firm with his tone, firmer than he should ever be, with a royal, regardless of whether Cassio was mad or not. But Erix, at this point, didn't care. He wasn't going to stop because this was a job that was too good an opportunity to let up. He needed this. He needed the work. Easy work. Mindless work. Work that had him thinking about and protecting someone, something to make himself feel useful once again. To take his mind off his own issues and trauma from his past as a soldier.

"I want to get to know you because otherwise this is going to be a very long and tedious job for the both of us. Conversation makes the time go, and I have to be with you all the time. I would rather hear from the prince himself about who he believes he is than that of rumours," He tilted his head to one side, "I'll wager I'll last longer than a month, too."

(np! dshbjhb only slightly related but i watched Meg 2 last week and it wasn't bad, you might like it if you liked the first one)

Cassio listened to Erix's speech with faintly narrowed eyes, looking over at him. At Erix's final sentence, he cocked his head faintly. "You'll wager, hm?" his mouth quirked to the side just a little bit as he looked to his new guard, turning the man's words over in his head. "What shall we be wagering, then?" the sword. A sword. He needed a weapon that wasn't a razor. He had stolen razors before, on the rare occasion he was left alone to shave. Usually someone was waiting in the room as he shaved, so that he wouldn't hurt himself. So sneaking out the razor was tricky, and he couldn't usually manage it with someone in the room. He did have three razors hidden away in various points of the room, but he didn't usually have the opportunity to get them out.

Besides that, a razor and a sword were not the same thing, and it had been so long since he was last allowed to hold a sword, much less use it. Gods, he missed it some days. The feeling of the weapon in his hand, the weight of it slicing through the air, the clash of it ringing against someone else's weapon during training or sparring or duels or even real fights. How long had it been since he had last touched one? His old callouses were gone now, vanished, as he hadn't had any need of them anymore, not in a long time.

He exhaled, gaze flicking to Erix's sword for a moment, and then back over to Erix's face. "Shall we wager some time with a sword?" he asked, cocking his head with a small, slightly unstable smile on his face. "I've missed having one, and if it's a wager, well… who could it hurt?" now the only question was if Cassio would be of sound enough mind to remember the wager in a month.

(I attempted to watch the first one and couldn't get past the first half hour lmao)

Erix raised a brow. He wasn't one to back down from a wager when one was set, and he had been the one to bring it up. He had been expecting something different, money perhaps, but then again, he was talking to a prince. Cassio had no need to wager money. Erix did, he needed it right now, but that was why he was here in the first place. It was a well paying job, a place to stay. That was all he wanted right now. He could get past a month. He had been on the battle field for longer than a month, dealt with worse than an 'insane' prince for longer than a month. He had nothing to worry about.

And maybe he was a little cocky that he would last longer than a month.

"Alright, Your Highness," Erix tapped the hilt of the sword at his side, "I'll take you up on that wager. If I last longer than a month you can have an hour of time with a sword a day." Not one to keep, he was sure that Marcus would have his head if he gave his brother a sword to have while he was supposedly crazy. But, if he didn't last longer than a month well, he was sure that an hour of training with a sword couldn't hurt, especially if there was someone watching him at all times. But Erix knew who he was. And he was stubborn. He was an ass and he was stubborn and he needed this job. He wasn't going anywhere. Like it or not, Cassio was stuck with him as his guard.

(oof then yeah the second one probably wouldn't be fun for you lol)

A day? Cassio had been expecting, at best, for just once and that would be it? But an hour a day? Sure, it might not be much, but when what he had was nothing, even just an hour seemed fantastic. Of course, now he wanted to lose the wager, simply because then he would get to use a sword. But, well, it would also serve as a motivator to be on good behavior. To at least try and stay in control, though that was a futile exercise that he always ended up failing in some way.

"Then the wager is set." he replied, lips twitching in a faint smile as he looked up at Erix. His new guard was a little cocky, it seemed. Good. That would just work out in his favor, ont he days where he was sound enough to think about things. Like today. Today, he was only a little bit unstable, and he oculd tell, too. The days wher ehe could tell were simultaneously the best and the worst. Because at least eh was aware of what was wrong. But at the same time, he was aware. Today was a good day to be aware, because he was still in control, but there were days where he was aware of the madness, aware of the instability, but still unable to control any of it. Those were the worst, because he always felt so trapped.

(i just love me sum sherks)

Erix wasn't worried. He had been dealing with swords all his life. He was just as much a good swordsman as the prince had once been in his prime. It also helped that he had certain magical qualities to aid if the man ever got out of hand. He never used his magic all that often anymore. During his time as a soldier and during battle he had mainly focused on practical attacks. Sure, his control over dark magic would be useful in some ways, but generally, he had been more focused on killing with the steel in his hand than anything else. It didn't help that the more he used his magic the weaker he grew, especially since his connection to dark magic was so deep. It thrummed in his veins, a calling that he tried to ignore with the properties it possessed. The whole reason why he didn't tell people when it came to the powers he held inside.

But if Cassio was to act out when it came to using the sword he wouldn't hesitate to use it against the man in order to restrain him. The moment the prince stepped out of line with the weapon he was going to take it away from him and he wouldn't be allowed it again. It all relied on the man both being on good behaviour and using it in an appropriate manner. Erix didn't want to use magic against him, and he didn't want to take away from the excitement the other might get from the wager, but his job was to protect. And if Cassio was in danger to himself or other's… he would do it. He was just worried about how Marcus might react.

But, if it got the prince on good behaviour, out of his room for at least an hour to train with a sword, surely that wasn't a bad thing? And maybe it meant that the two of them would be able to get along and talk so this wouldn't be a terrible time for either of them. It was the best he could do, and he hoped it would set the seeds of trust blossoming in the prince. Erix held out a hand for the prince to shake, "Do I get a medal for lasting longer than all your other guards?"

(shgbj sharks are cool)

Cassio stared at the offered hand for a long moment, then shook Erix's hand. "I'll see what I can work out." he replied,cocking his head a little bit. He was very much not used to having to look up so much in order to make eye contact, and it was a little bit disconcerting. Erix was so much taller than him. "If not a medal, some form of reward. I do still have some access to the treasury." his mouth slanted in a faintly crooked smile. "My brother has not taken everything from me yet." A strange, slightly cryptic statement to make, and one that it was likely Erix would not understand. It was an odd thing to say.

But then, what were the ramblings of a madman? It wouldn't be wise to put too much stock into Cassio's words, not when everyone knew that the former crown prince was out of his mind. Who knew if what he thought was reality was truly reality? Even he could not tell the difference between reality and the imaginings of his fractured mind. So his words could mean nothing at all, or they could be the truth, but who was to say?

He released Erix's hand after a moment, though he didn't move away. Instead he remained close, studying Erix for just a little longer than most people owuld be comfortable with, and then he spun around and moved away again, this time to the window. The window and balcony in his room overlooked the palace gardens, and he often watched the gardens through those windows. It was not often that he left his rooms; the only times he was supposed to leave were when he was with a caretaker or his brother, and they usually wanted to keep him sequestered away where no one could see him. That had not stopped him from sneaking out at night, but, well, that usually didn't end well for him.

Erix was so tempted to use his magic and look into the mind of the prince before him. He was more than curious as to what went on behind those too-wide eyes, what happened in his brain during those moments of torture that made him how he was now, and what happened when he returned to halt the progress he had been making to recovery. The Fae guard couldn't help but wonder what was happening, and it didn't help that he had the ability to do so. But he wasn't a complete ass. Sure, he might have been a bit of a dick half the time, but he wasn't going to invade the mind of a supposed mad prince without the other's say. He doubted Cassio would want anyone near his mind ever again. If the prince couldn't even decipher his own thoughts, how was Erix supposed to make any sense of it, even if he tried?

When the prince finally let go of his hand and turned away, Erix looked down at his palm with a frown. Cassio was odd, to say the least, but not the oddest soul he had ever encountered in his life. He couldn't tell if his own thoughts were trying to be nice about the situation or not. It wasn't his place to say or comment. Erix was simply to look after the man. Protect him. From anyone and everyone and even himself. That was the extent of his role in the palace, and he was sure that neither the king nor the prince would want him to overstep those boundaries. He rubbed at his scar, the harsh, jagged line down the middle of his face that added to his intimidating look, felt the difference in the skin texture. It only made his frown worse.

Trained eyes watched the prince move and stare out the window, and a few moments later Erix was moving to stand behind him, a little out of the way, and looked out into the gardens. His gaze moved from the window, to the prince, and back again, "Do you want to go for a walk, Your Highness?" Out into the sun, those beautiful gardens he seemed enchanted by.

"I am not," he paused for a long moment, spinning to look up at Erix, "supposed to." he laughed a little, the sound dry and hardly amused. "I am not supposed to be anywhere public, without a caretaker or my beloved brother." in days where he could grasp at his sanity, he knew something wasn't right, and he knew this madness wasn't natural. He knew, too, his brother was behind it in some way. But he was never able to quite nail down what had happened to cause all of this, before he was slipping away again.

He stared up at Erix, head cocked faintly. "But…well, you are my guard. And you still count as a chaperone." his gaze moved around the room again, landing on where his shoes sat by the door. They were clean and polished, not used enough for much wear and tear to happen. Then he looked up at Erix again, awaiting a response from his guard as to what would happen next. Sure, technically he could just order Erix to come with him, but… who knew what Marcus had told him? Who knew how much authority Cassio truly had over the man who was meant to protect him? And he didn't exactly want to find out the hard way.

He knew he had no authority over his Caretakers, and also knew that it was… more the other way around than anything else. Besides that, he had precious little authority over anyone anymore. There was too much rumor about his insanity, too much that his brother had said that kept him from being able to really speak to anyone. Anything he said was just dismissed as madness, as the ramblings of a madman with no control over his faculties.

"It would be a shame to waste the day when the sun is shining outside," Erix replied and turned with his back to Cassio. Maybe it was a bad idea to take the prince out of his eyesight but he was more than comfortable with his ability to protect himself if it came down to it. The guard walked to the door, pulling on the metal handle and opening it, "Shall we go for a walk, then? Or would you rather stay cooped up in here for the rest of the day?"

He could only assume how annoying it would be to stay inside all day. Erix found comfort in the outside, in the gardens of the world. Forests were his love. They were peaceful, relaxing and calming and if he had a choice he would probably be living out there. Realistically, it wasn't possible, but the gardens of the palace were more than beautiful and he hadn't had a chance to explore them since he was last here years ago. Even then he never really was allowed the opportunity, not when he was a soldier and his time was spent fighting or training. There was never any time off. But now he could do that. Well, he could do that with Cassio. And the prince seemed to be itching for a way out of the room and he didn't see why he couldn't leave when he was accompanied by his personal guard.

If Marcus had an issue with it then he would make sure it wouldn't happen again. But the King wasn't around, and Erix was capable. He had been assigned this position, after all, in order to guard the prince. Besides, nothing bad would happen, right? The palace was protected. And he couldn't think of a reason why anyone would attempt to attack Cassio so close after an assassination attempt had already taken place. It was too obvious. Too reckless. Erix would keep his guard up, would make sure he was able to call on his magic if needed, or his sword, but he hoped it wouldn't happen.

Cassio's mouth quirked softly, and he put on his shoes. "A walk sounds nice." he replied. He led the way from his room, turning down the hall. However, he led Erix the opposite direction of the way Erix had been brought here, further down the hallway rather than back towards the main areas of the palace. At first, it might appear that he didn't know where he was going, but then he paused at a side door, glancing back at Erix before he opened it up. This led to a small, not very grand set of stairs. "This goes down to the gardens." he said, already heading down them. He was staying close to Erix, so that his guard wouldn't think he was trying to run away, but he always wasn't sticking perfectly close to his guard's side.

The prince was far more excited for the gardens than he was quite letting on. He hated being cooped up in his rooms all the time, especially when half of the palace gardens were not even open to the public to begin with. He oculd have wandered the gardens without coming near hardly anyone but the occasional guard, and no one would have known. But instead, he was kept cooped inside of the palace, mainly confined to his rooms.

He just hoped that Marcus owuld not find out about this, and that if he did, he would not put a stop to it. But then, he wouldn't put anything past his brother. Marcus liked to make people think that he was the best possible guardian for his older brother, but, well, in practice, a lot of the rules he put in place seemed so arbitrary and without real reason. But then, maybe Cassio just didn't have the mental capacity to see that.

Erix couldn't help but feel a little proud of himself that he had managed to gain a small, hint of a real smile on the edge of Cassio's lips. From what he could already tell of the prince he didn't like the life he was living, and Erix didn't blame him. Being stuck in a room for however long he was told to, having caretakers that watched his every move, doctors and healers. Cassio had been deemed to have a perfect life before the accident, and Erix could only imagine how terrible it was now that he was called crazy and get practically locked up in his room. Sympathy wasn't something he was really well versed in, but for once the guard was able to feel a tad of it towards the prince at his side.

As they walked he took in the surroundings, making sure to remember and note all the different exits and entrances, the difference in this side of the palace compared to the main areas. He had never been allowed around here back when he had been a soldier, it hadn't been his place. Now he really had free reign to go to most places. Well, he would, if he wasn't to be by Cassio's side all the time. There wouldn't be a break for him, not unless there was someone else watching the prince and not him. Erix was more than aware that that wouldn't happen all that often.

When Cassio opened the door and the sunlight hit him Erix grimaced just a little at the bright light. For someone who delt in the dark and the shadows he had never been overly fond of the sun, it was why forests were nice due to the shade they held from the tall trees, but the gardens were stunning, and as his eyes adjusted, he felt more comfortable, "They're beautiful." He said, glancing down at Cassio before back to the rows of colourful flowers before them.