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

Started July 07, 2023 by @ElderGod-Icefire

tune

Cassio hummed a little bit, shrugging a shoulder. "Their feelings should not affect mine." he replied after a moment. "Especially if I was still to be their king. That… may not be on the table anymore, true, but…" he trailed off, letting the sentence dangle in the air unfinished. What he was trying to say had already mostly been expressed, and attempting to complete the sentence might just confuse the both of them. He shifted a little bit, brown hair catching the light and showing little hints of red and gold where the sun hit it.

Cassio had been raised to interact with people, to know them and be able to lead them, and be a good leader. So whereas Erix seemed ready for Cassio to abandon his people, Cassio had not been raised for that. He had not been raised to abandon his people, irregardless of their feelings towards him, and while he would never be king now, he still could not just abandon his people. They were still his, in some way, and he would never truly forget that. It was far too ingrained in him, that they were his people and he was to lead them.

He ran a hand through his hair, thinking for a moment. "A good ruler doesn't come down on the people in a punitive manner just because the people dislike them. It… should be a sign that the ruler needs to work harder to gain back their trust, if not their love." he was doing his best to explain in a way that Erix would understand and know what Cassio was trying to communicate.

Erix wrinkled his nose, plucking at bits of grass beneath his free hand as he listened to the price speak. He guessed that Cassio was the expert when it came to this situation. As much as the man was deemed crazy, right now he seemed sane enough to understand what was going on in the world and his own head, what was going on with his people, to make them react and act the way that they did. After twenty-odd years, no matter what was going on in his mind, those lessons and rules that he had been taught weren't going to leave so easily. How could they, when they had been ingrained into him like being beaten over the head with a hammer for most of his life?

"As much as I disagree, I see your point," He said eventually, looking up to make eye contact with the prince, "I have not been trained in the realm of politics and people, my word is nought when it comes to all this. I just do not believe it is fair, that's all. Then again, life isn't fair, unfortunately, and some of us get stuck with the short end of the stick."

Such as being mad or losing family when they had meant everything to them. Being unable to care for someone or people that needed them due to external circumstances that kept them from doing so. Life was Hell. It wasn't for most, but for the two men sitting in the maze, they had experienced their fair share of trouble to be able to deem it so. At least Erix did.

"It is not fair." Cassio agreed, shifting in order to look back at the palace for a moment. He was wondering if or when someone would come looking for them. Cassio was usually not out of his room for this long, and someone usually came looking for him. Maybe they were, and just couldn't find them. His mouth twitched in a faint smirk at the idea. It was always nice to get away from his room and get out of this.

"But, well, I will never take the throne anyway, so it does not matter anymore." he added after a moment, gaze moving back to Erix, rather than the palace near them. He was curious to see how long it took for someone to come and find him and Erix, and then what would happen after that, because while Cassio wasn't supposed to be out of his room without someone… he was indeed with his guard. So it was questionable about what would happen next.

He sighed softly. He didn't want this day to end, but it was already getting into the afternoon. He liked the days like this, the ones where he was neither hallucinating nor out of his mind, and he was able to have conversations like this, and actually be… almost sane. And that didn't happen every day, and he was content with it. He didn't want to lose this, but he knew he would. He knew that when he woke up tomorrow, he probably wouldn't be like this anymore.

Erix hummed. If Cassio was always going to be deemed insane then yes, he would never rise to the throne. But if he were to be receiving help then maybe he could. The guard couldn't help but be a little suspicious about it all. People had been saying that Cas had been getting better. He had been making progress and things had been going well for the man and then suddenly he had regressed and gone backwards. It was confusing, to say the least. Because if the same people had been working on him then he would have assumed that he would have progressed further, better, and become somewhat of the man he used to be.

But that hadn't happened. Instead, he had gotten worse and no one was questioning it but him. Well, maybe they were and he just didn't know about it. Yet Erix had a gut feeling that someone was up with the whole ordeal. It wasn't his place to comment, because he was no more than a guard. He held no power, all he did was watch and make sure Cas didn't get into trouble, but he wouldn't deny that he wanted to.

With a sigh, he pushed himself to his feet, "Come on, Your Highness," He said, "We should be heading back to the palace." Someone would come looking for them sooner or later. They probably already were. Maybe they thought Cassio had captured him and taken him, someone, to get rid of his new guard. Erix didn't know, and as much as he wasn't a stickler for rules he wasn't about to get fired on his first day.

Cas sighed faintly, pushing himself to his feet and looking up at Erix. "Yeah, okay." he replied, leading the way out of the maze. He didn't know if Erix would remember the way out or not, so he just took the lead first to make sure that no one got lost. He didn't really want to get Erix lost back here. At least not now. Maybe later, some other day, he'd try and get Erix lost. But not today.

He led the way out of the maze, and down the pathways back towards the palace. He didn't walk too fast, though. After all, he did rather like being out of his room, and he was in no hurry to get back there. Not right now. He had enjoyed being out here, though, and enjoying the time outside in the sun, without being under the direct supervision of any of his caretakers. Just Erix. And Erix, thus far, seemed to be an improvement on the Caretakers.

He stretched, angling his neck back and forth to pop it as they walked. His back felt a little weird, but that was likely just due to leaning against the tree for as long as he had. He was fine, the bark was just kind of rough to lean on for long periods of time. But, well, it was no big deal. It was a small price to pay for being outside for a while.

Erix was glad that Cassio led them out of the maze because even though he was good when it came to navigation, mazes were something different. There was something about them that had him confused within seconds and he didn't want to get lost and lose the prince on the first day. At least it was going well so far. He hadn't started an argument, he was getting to know the prince better and he hadn't lost him. So far so good. He knew that things would get harder on the days when Cassio was more out of his mind, but if half the days were like this then, it would be okay.

The gardens were beautiful. If the prince didn't get out much then Erix was going to make it his mission to bring him into the gardens more often than he currently did. Maybe not on the days when he was crazy, but on the other days. When he would be able to take the prince out for a walk and into the sun, maybe back into the maze because that seemed to be one of his favourite places. It also got him out, too, and that was always a positive when he was able to see something other than the inside of a bedroom.

With his hands clasped behind his back, he followed, staying one step behind the whole time. The guard cocked his head a little, "Are you alright, Your Highness?" He asked, noting the way he cracked his neck and walked as if his back were in slight pain.

"I'm alright." Cassio replied, glancing back at Erix and giving him a faint, soft smile as he tried to reassure the other man that he was just fine. "Just a little sore. The bark that I was leaning against was a little bit rough, and I was angled a little odd. That's all." he was fine, though, he didn't really mind it. He loved sitting outside, loved just being out of his room. He couldn't really wander the palace anymore, even, and he was confined to his room just so much. And when he was outside, it was so often under such a short, tight, controlled leash that it was difficult to actually enjoy it.

"I…appreciate that you came out here with me." he said after a moment, exhaling softly as he spoke. "I do not get to come outside often, and I'm thankful that you, ah, came out here with me." the conversation had been nice, the company had been nice, and being outside had been fantastic. He exhaled, running a hand through his hair.

He led Erix back over to the palace, went to open the door, then looked back at Erix expectantly. "You need keys to open this door. I no longer have the privilege of having keys, so, I would assume they gave you a set?" his gaze flicked over Erix to see if the keyring was held somewhere visible, before returning back up to the man's face. He hoped that Erix had his keys. Otherwise, they would have to trek all the way around to one of the more main entrances, and then through the palace. He disliked the amount of stares he always garnered when he was in the palace proper.

(G'day, hi, yes. Mate, this is closed? what are you doing?)

Erix wasn't expecting to see a smile from Cassio, even if it was small and soft. It had a smile of his own flickering back to meet him. Good, at least he was alright. Well, as alright as he could be, and that was the most important thing for the time being. The soreness would disappear soon enough, he figured, when they weren't leaning up against trees or sitting on grass in the middle of a maze. He wouldn't lie that his own behind was slightly sore from being on the grass but he would make do.

His smile only flickered back again when he received the thanks from the prince, "There is no need to thank me, Your Highness," He replied, offering a small bow of his head, "It is my job to protect and look after you. And a part of that, it seems, will be getting you out of your room once in a while." Because being cramped in his room all the time would be more than suffocating for anyone, let alone someone who already didn't have any freedoms and was confined to the palace, to his room, for most hours of the day. Sympathy panged at his heart once again.

"Oh, right yes," Erix cleared his throat. The keys he had attached to the back of his belt he unhooked. There aren't many, but he assumed that the majority of them were the same lock. Not quite a master key set, but close enough that it should be fine. He took a gamble and slipped one into the lock, more than happy when it clicked open. Erix pushed open the door, holding it open, "After you."

The Arden family has ruled Taero for a long time, but three years ago, tragedy struck when the king, queen, and their oldest son were captured by rebel forces. The youngest son, Marcus, stepped in as regent while the eldest, Cassio, endured a traumatic ordeal. Now, Marcus is the reigning king, and Cassio, who returned seemingly broken, is kept hidden away with caretakers. From the outside, it appears to be a tale of a devoted brother protecting a sibling in distress, but beneath the surface lies a darker truth.

Cassio's caretakers are cruel, and his descent into madness seems unnatural, possibly magically imposed to ensure he never challenges Marcus's reign. His moments of clarity are fleeting, and he's always dragged back into darkness. Your character, (Name), is hired as main guard by wearing wrestling singlet after a failed assassination attempt on the prince. At first, you believe the official narrative, but as you spend more time with Cassio, you sense that something is amiss. Determined to free him from his brother's control, you navigate the palace's mysteries while forming a deep connection with Cassio.

This story contains mature content, and all characters are welcome regardless of gender. Please use proper grammar and provide substantial replies. Note that I may decline certain directions in the story. Temps will be posted after someone joins.

(hey @Eldest-God-andrew or @Serpentess , I think Carrots and I have got a bot here. I'd appreciate it if you could delete the message for us and get rid of the bot. Thank you!)

(Thanks, appreciate it!)

Cassio headed into the palace and up the stairs, back towards his room. He had been in that room ever since he was old enough to move out of the nursery, and the whole place was as familiar to him as the back of his hand. Especially now, when he was confined to it so much. He led Erix up the stairs and through the halls, opening up the doors into his bedroom and going inside. He took off his shoes, setting them by the door, and then sat down on one of the extra chairs.

"And here we are, back again." he commented, a touch dryly as he looked up and over at Erix. "My familiar four walls." well, more than that, technically, because of the bathroom and closet. But it got the point across, that this place was his area. His room. It was kept in excellent shape, good repair, without any real flaws or damage. There was a few scuffs in the paint, whoes shapes he had memorized by now, and some damage to the bedposts. He knew all those little flaws by heart, now. How often had he traced them with his fingers, memorized the shapes?

He got bored sometimes, and without easy access to the main library, there was only so many times he could read the same books that he had without growing bored of them. Getting to the library was touch, because his caretakers often didn't want to take him out of the room, and he wasn't really allowed out of it without them. It was an awful thing that meant that he could hardly ever really…leave.

Erix followed throughout the palace, once more taking in the halls, the art, the way the palace had been designed. He remembered back to what he had been told about the castle passageways, those hidden tunnels behind the main walls of the place. He would have to explore them more when he had the opportunity. Half of the guard was tempted to ask Cassio what he knew about them. To ask whether he was aware of how they functioned, and how they could be used to get around. If he did know, if there were even any in this room, then why not use them to leave? To try and get out? A stupid thought, and one that Erix quickly dismissed because he was sure that if Cassio had the opportunity, he would have already attempted to leave.

Back in the room he finally felt comfortable enough to unhook his sword from his belt. Erix didn't want to leave it in a place that would be easily in reach of Cassio, just for the time being, because trust was still being developed between the two of them, but he did, however, finally take it off his belt. The guard moved to the seat that was across from the prince, resting the weapon up against the side before he finally sat down, too, eyes trained on the other and never faltering. It was certainly an odd picture, but in all honesty, he didn't quite know what to do with himself. He couldn't just stand, that felt far too intimidating when he was trying to earn a man's trust.

"I take it after how long in this room, you do not like the space as much as you used to?" Who would? When the room was basically just a prison to keep the man hostage. It was just as bad as a prison cell, only his had a comfortable bed and more than enough food to last a lifetime. If it was Erix in this position, he probably wouldn't complain. But it wasn't, and he knew that Cassio felt drastically different. For good reason, too, when this was supposed to be his home but instead was a horrible reminder of all that had occurred in his life.

Cassio knew quite a lot about those hidden tunnels, but he likely wouldn't have told Erix much of it. Those hidden tunnels were one of his best-kept secrets, because even Marcus and Nola didn't know them like he did. Marcus didn't have the time or inclination to explore them anymore, and neither did Nola. So Cassio knew where all those little passages let out. He knew where to find the entrances and what the signs of one was. Best yet, he knew how to get in and out quickly and silently. It was the last thing he had that his Caretakers didn't know about, and he wasn't going to sacrifice that to Erix.

At the question, he looked over at Erix, cocking his head faintly. "Well, it has been my bedroom since I was old enough to move out of the nursery." he replied slowly. "So it has been my sanctuary for a long time. But, well, it is less of a sanctuary and more of…more of a cell, now." because he was confined to it. When he had been free to roam the palace– and beholden to his duties –this bedroom had been a sanctuary that he could retreat to. Now, when he was trapped in it by others… it was no longer the sanctuary that it had once been.

He ran a hand down his face lightly, still watching Erix. "I do not hate this place, but the fondness that I once felt has… waned." his mouth pinched faintly, as he thought of the years he had now spent confined to it, as he thought of all the time that had been spent in this place both by choice and then by force. At first he had wanted to be here because it was familiar. It was home. Now it was still familiar, but it was no longer so comfortable.

Erix drummed his hand against the arm of the chair, resting his chin on the other as he looked at the prince before him. Cassio looked so drained, tired. Half of that might be due to lack of sleep, he couldn't imagine that it came easy when the man was dealing with so much in his own head constantly. He could relate to that. His own head never seemed to quiet and he wasn't deemed insane by the people around him. Maybe insane in a different capacity, insane that he had been through battle, and had killed people in so many brutal ways over and over since he was a teenager, but not insane in the mind like the man before him was. A different kind of madness. One that had resulted in many physical scars, less so scars in his mind. And the ones that he did have, he had become quite good at ignoring them.

The guard hummed at the other's response, "Can you not redecorate? Ask for a change? If you are to be locked inside here most hours of the day, every day, you should at least be allowed to change the space however you wish." It was unfair to keep Cassio in the same space after so long. He didn't know whether the room was a comfort, still, with the familiarity of it, but if the space felt like a cell rather than a sanctuary? Surely the prince would be able to change the feel of it, at least for a little while, in order to help.

He doubted the man would be allowed to. Erix was more than aware that whatever the prince wanted was probably unmet with the way his mind was. The state he was in was one that allowed little for requests and change. The guard also knew that Cassio wouldn't be able to help, he wouldn't be allowed in the room, probably, if that were the case. Too many hazards, too many things that could go wrong.

"The decorations in here are, ah… traditional." Cassio replied. "It's been like this for decades, with only a few changes ever really made to it. I can't just change it around. And, well, you can't really let the mad prince do things on a whim." the smile he gave Erix was crooked and lacked any true amusement. "So it's stuck like this. For now. I guess." he ran a hand through his hair again, looking up at Erix still.

This room was still a little bit of a sanctuary, but not as much as it had been. It was still comfortable, and still was more his home than any other room in the place. He certainly wouldn't have wanted to be moved into a different room, not when he would lose that familiarity. He sometimes liked the familiarity, and sometimes he hated it. God, it was an awful mess to live with, and he iddn't really know how to process it all.

"Have you seen any other rooms in this wing of the palace? They're all similarly laid out. They're supposed to match." the explanation was an easy one, but a true one. The nursery, similar. The other rooms in the royal wing all had that same sort of design motif, though in different colors so that they weren't all identical to each other. It was supposed to be that way. Hence why Cassio couldn't really make any major changes to his bedroom.

Traditional, yet boring, Erix wanted to say. How long could things be kept the same before someone else snapped and wanted a change? He had no doubt that if Marcus one day decided that he hated the rooms and how they looked than the whole wing would be completely remodelled at the drop of a hat. Everything changed. Gods, maybe even the whole place knocked down just to be rebuilt in a better fashion. The lengths people would go to in order to please royalty were immense and from how the people around the palace seemed to act when it came to the king, he had no doubt they would do such a thing for him.

For Cassio, though, they had all turned their backs the second he had been deemed insane, and the guard still couldn't help how wrong the idea of that was, no matter what the prince said to try and counteract it. Something about it was unsettling, awful, and he couldn't shake the terrible feeling that settled in his gut as he thought out it. Not that he would ever bring it up unless the other before him did so. Erix wasn't looking to cause an argument nor was he looking to upset the prince. Those thoughts he would keep to himself unless he was probed about them. So, he could only hum softly at Cassio's words. Fine, the room would be staying the same for who knew how long. Possibly forever, at this rate. If it were him in the prince's shoes, he certainly would be going far more insane staring at the same interior day in and day out.

Running his fingers over the arm of the chair, he took a breath, "I have, yes. Some, not all. Nola gave me the tour when I first arrived." And he recalled how the rooms matched in colour, especially Cassio's and the nursery, "They all do seem to match. It is lovely, but after a while does become quite repetitive and boring."

(uhhhh sorry!!)

Cassio shrugged. "It is how they have always been. They were always intended to match, like a cohesive set. As one grows, you move from the nursery to a bedroom, and from there to another room, sometimes. It… is supposed to be from nursery, to this room, to the master bedchamber, which is intended for whoever is the current ruler. But… that is not how it worked out for me." he frowned faintly. No one was in that master bedchamber now. Marcus had left it empty, out of some feeling of mourning. "This room is supposed to be the one for the heir. Marcus… decided not to move me from it."

Not that Cassio would have wanted ot move. This one was the closest royal level to the ground. He could– and had –climb down from the balcony and down to the gardens. Once, he had climbed up the siding and onto the roof. He had been barefoot, in order to be able to grip onto the brick with his toes. But he had made it. Of course, as soon as he was caught, they wrestled him into a straightjacket for a few days so that he wouldn't do it again.

Sometimes it was still a tempting idea, though, and one that he very much enjoyed the thought of. Maybe he would do it again, some nice, sunny morning. After all, he hardly did it that much. Maybe he could get away with it for a while. Of course, that depended on how good at his job Erix was, and where his loyalties lay. If they lay solely with Marcus, then Cassio had a feeling he would end up on a tight leash again.

(all good babes no need to apologise!)

Erix really didn't have any ground to stand on when it came to interior design. The palace was the most grand place he had ever stepped foot in, and his own homes over the years had been nothing compared to this. His house when he had been born, the place he had lived in for years until he had moved into the army quarters when he had first received the job, had been small. Barely even three rooms. It had been the main living and kitchen area, one bedroom that had had a double bed and then a bathroom. Erix had made sure his younger siblings had had the bed and for years the man slept on the floor until he had been able to afford buying a second-hand sofa. But even that had been run down and torn. So, even if the repetitive nature of the decorations and design were 'boring' they were far more interesting than anything else he had seen in his life.

The guard crossed a leg over his knee and sighed softly, "If you were given the opportunity to move rooms, would you?" He asked. Erix didn't know whether or not change would be something Cassio was interested in completely. He knew that it could be scary, intimidating, and something panic-inducing. It didn't help that the prince was suffering from mental issues that very few dealt with and as such, was aware change could be terrifying. But for the sake of making conversation, he sked anyway.

He wondered what Marcus thought of it all. The king had decided to keep the prince in this room so he would have been concerned, right? That made sense. Or was it a different plan? Something about the king gave him an odd gut feeling that he couldn't quite place but it wasn't enough to ask or question for the time being. There might be something there, or maybe he was just paranoid. Erix was so used to things going wrong, people backstabbing and lying that he couldn't shake what he had learnt over the tears.

Cassio considered the question, drumming his fingers lightly against the arm of the chair that he sat in. "I don't know. Where would I move to?" he responded. "To somewhere higher in the palace, even more tucked away and isolated? I certainly cannot move to my parents' old room. That is intended only for whoever is currently the ruler, and I am not that." would he ever be? He wasn't sure, but the longer this went on, the more he thoguht the answer was probably no. "Marcus's room is his own, and I do not think he has any desire to swap rooms."

He shook his head faintly. "So no, I do not believe I would." whether he liked it or not, this room was his for the foreseeable future. For the rest of his life, even, if he was honest. He just didn't see anything about his life changing in the future, not unless there was some other, external change. Try as he might, he had pushed and pushed the boundaries of all of this, but he was trapped. Nothing he had ever done had been able to make anything change, not without someone else to help him with it. And none of his Caretakers had ever been on his side about it. He wasn't sure what was even happening with them, why they did what they did.

He leaned his head on his hand, looking over at Erix. There were so many questions that he could ask, crowding at the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed them all down again. He didn't know what was safe to ask. He had already asked so many questions abotu Erix and his intentions and what he wanted, and had received an answer that he hoped was truthful but that he rather doubted was. All his caretakers had said the same thing, but yet had turned around and proven themselves to be liars.

Erix supposed that was a fair call. Familiarity was always good when one's mind was all over the place. The soldier knew the mind better than most people with his abilities, and it gave him his own edge over many. But in a situation like this where it was the prince whose mind was jumbled and estranged, Erix didn't know if it was a good idea to say anything about what he could do in order to try and help. There was a reason he hadn't told the king about his powers, because something inside of him told Erix that if he had, he wouldn't have been allowed to apply for the position, or if he would have been accepted into the army back when he was younger.

Marcus gave him a strange feeling. Erix didn't know what it was or what it meant, but for now, he was going to keep his cards hidden until he needed them. Right now, all he was, was a simple protector for the prince so he never got hurt again. Or at least attempt to help protect him from any outside forces. There was only so much he would be able to do to help from Cassio's mind itself, and until they were on a different level, there was nothing the guard could do. He could only sit and wait it out, to try and talk and get to know the prince.

Instead, Erix focused on the prince, looking over the man before him as they both eyed each other up. He lifted his head up slightly, inclining it just a tad, "You're allowed to ask me questions too, you know," He settled upon, levelling his gaze and head once more, "You are the prince here, I should not be the one telling you to speak your mind in this situation." No, it should be the other way around.

"I have asked a few questions already." he pointed out. Plus, he still didn't quite trust Erix. Didn't quite trust that the other man was actually here to help, and not to hurt. After all, so many others had hurt him in the past, how was he supposed to now trust that this time was different? Especially when Erix still had that lingering feeling that he couldn't trust his brother, and certainly not those that Marcus had selected for him. Not when the behavior of his previous and current Caretakers was the way that it was.

"Besides that, I…" he trailed off, the hand resting on his leg balling faintly as he did his best to keep control of the tattered threads of his mind. It was so damned easy to let his mind fall away sometimes, and he could feel it even now, spinning in the back of his head and plucking at those threads. He was quiet for a long moment, gaze unfocusing and going off somewhere in the middle distance, no longer focuse on Erix or even really on anything in the room. And he remained like that for a long minute, just breathing and focusing and trying to keep everything under control.

"My apologies." he finally said, voice a touch quieter than it had been. "The past few days have been… stressful for my mind." he ran his hands through his hair, brows pulling together just a little. "But. Yes. Questions." he had asked about siblings, about the man's past, about his intentions for this. They had made that wager… the wager. Yes. "Why did you accept my wager earlier? DOes it not go against what my brother asked of you, in regards to what I may and may not do?"

With his magic, Erix’s was more in tune with his intuition than most were. Dealing in dark magic, illusions, it gave him the leg up that he needed. Well, not necessarily, he was a large man who had trained as a solider for most of his life, he didn’t need the extra push from his magic, not when he had learned how to trust his gut and rely on his instincts. But it did give him that push he needed in the right direction on more than one occasion, such as right then and there. Especially when dealing with the king. There was something about Marcus that he couldn’t quite pinpoint. It was as if his magic was screaming at him that there was something wrong but it didn’t know what. Maybe he was just paranoid, maybe he was over thinking it, both of which were quite possible. The solider didn’t know whether or not to trust Marcus yet. He should, that was his king after all, but on the other hand…

Those piercing eyes didn’t waver from the prince before him, head tilting only slightly to the side as he watched Cassio seem to fade out of reality for a moment. Marcus hadn’t been wrong when he had said his mind wasn’t all there, not when he so easily slipped between the cracks of thought like they were nothing but flowing water between his fingers. He wondered if Cas tried to hold onto it, or whether it was fruitless for him to even try?

The guard watched as the prince came back to, albeit less present than he had been moments before. Was there a way to get his mind back, he wondered, or whether it was gone for good? Apparently people had tried, but how hard? Erix hummed at the question, tapping his fingers against the arm of the chair as he he did so, “Don’t apologise, Your Highness, there is no need to do so,” Not when it wasn’t his fault, “I know that I will be lasting here longer than you think I will,” He relied with a shrug, “There’s nothing to fear for me losing the wager.”

"But if you win it, is the outcome not more dangerous?" he replied. "Most would not wager to a madman that he will be allowed to put his hands anywhere near a weapon, much less every day. My brother has taken great pains to ensure that I am not ever able to do so, and you are so willing to go against that? Why?" he knew that pointing all of these things out could lead to the wager being taken back, and that glimmer of a chance being taken away, but he still needed an answer. If Erix was willing to defy Marcus for this, then… what else could that mean for the future of Erix working here? Perhaps… well, perhaps there was a chance.

A chance of what, he wasn't sure. But a chance to find some real answers, maybe. Something other than the same day to day routine that he had been going through for these past few years. Nearly every day was the same, and it was terrible. It… well, it really was, in all honesty. Gods. hE ran his hands through his hair again, shaking his head very faintly.

"I simply do not understand, I suppose. Why would you be willing to do this for me?" no one was willing to do this for him, no one was willing to let him do hardly anything, even just leave his room. He wasn't a violent person, but they still kept him tucked away even still. He knew, logically, that the reason he was kept tucked away was to help preserve the image and dignity of the royal family. But even still.

Maybe it was a bad idea, but Erix wasn't exactly known for his good ideas in the first place, nor did he particularly care. It was obvious to anyone who had a clear vision and could pay attention to the prince for more than five seconds that being cooped up in his room every day wasn't good for him. Reading the same books, seeing the same people, visiting the same places when he was allowed, anyone would go insane. It didn't help the man was actually insane to begin with, but the situation only made things worse. It wasn't fair on anyone, let alone the prince who had lost so much in his life already. The guard knew what that was like, and he wasn't about to sit back and let the man suffer.

His job was to guard and protect, but Marcus didn't say what from. Whether that was from outside sources or from himself. And in a situation such as this, it seemed that both was in order. Cassio needed someone to be there to help in some way or another, and if he could help bring at least some joy to the prince's life, then he was going to try. A little out of the ordinary, but now that he had seen more of an insight into the life of the man before him, how could he not want to at least try something?

Erix couldn't help but shrug again, "I don't mean to offend you, Your Highness, but if if came down to it, I am far stronger than you are. There's a reason I was picked as your guard, after all. Giving you a sword doesn't change the fact that I would be able to control the situation if need be. Besides, we can't keep you couped up in here for the rest of your days, can we?"

Cassio hummed faintly, acknolwedging Erix's statement. "That is true, you are stronger than me." he replied, looking at the guard with a level, thoughtful gaze. HE still wanted to figure out just how much he could trust Erix with all of this. He was still worried that Erix might turn out like his caretakers, that perhaps this guard he had met today would turn out to not be such a good man. With his luck, well, Erix might be the worst of them all. At Erix's words about keeping Cassio cooped up, a soft huff of laughter escaped his lips. "Have they not kept me cooped up here already? Why should they change a routine that works?"

Because it did work, didn't it? At least for the ones that wanted to keep him cooped up, out of the way and silent. It was easy, to make it so that he couldn't leave his rooms, couldn't go anywhere or do anything. So what if it wasn't necessarily good for him? Who cared about the mad prince, when his madness wasn't pretty and palatable and the sort of thing that elicited pity? When his madness came and went and some mornings he seemed so close to sanity and some mornigns he was so far?

He grimaced, dragging a hand down his face and looking about the room for a moment, eyes moving around all the familiar items, all the objects and decor that he had long since memorized the shape of. He could see them in his dreams, sometimes. Even the scope of his dreams were narrowing, hemmed by castle walls and penned in by the four walls of a bedroom that was no longer quite as much of a sanctuary.

"They're not changing the routine, I am. And if they have an issue with it, they can take it up with me. Or better yet, your brother can take it up with me if he has an issue," A flicker of a smirk appeared on his lips, "And if it gets me fired well, at least I can say I tried to do something for you rather than letting you stay hauled up in this room for the rest of your days."

The guard had a feeling that the moment Marcus found out about their little deal then it would be over with before it could even begin. But Erix already had a plan forming in his head. Now that he knew of the prince's little hideaway in the maze, it was almost the perfect spot for the two of them to carry out their wager. No one would follow them when Erix was around. That was the reason he was there, to protect the prince from any danger. Sure, someone might keep tabs on him, but while Erix was around there was no reason for someone to follow. He was more than capable of handling the prince on his own, it was why he had been picked in the first place. And there would be no suspicion if he happened to carry around two swords instead of one sometimes, especially if there had been an attack on Cassio's life, too. 'Extra precaution' he could say, and with his past history, the military experience, he was banking on people believing him. Worst comes to worst, he could use a little magical persuasion. At least on everyone but the king.

"Surely you would rather be out there in the sun doing something other than sitting around for an hour a day?" Cassio looked fed up with the space they were in, why would he not want to get out? It was the reason he had tried to escape, was it not? Being coupled up in his room all day and night with no change, nothing to do to kill his boredom when he had some of his sanity remaining. Erix was his guard, this was his job. To protect. And he was going to do so, whether that was from a physical danger or not.

Cassio listened, biting his lip as he looked over at Erix. "Of course I would rather be out in the sun. But no one here wants to let me do that. it is easier for them, if I am kept contained within my routines, in this room, without anyone else around. It is easier than risking me saying or doing something that they do not want me to do. Easier than risking the idea that someone will see me misbehaving." his mouth crooked in a sardonic sort of smile, and he shook his head faintly.

He wanted to believe that this would be fine. He wanted to believe that Erix was telling the truth, that this was going to be good and that erix didn't have any bad intentions. But, well, he wouldn't help but worry. Nobody believed him about the Caretakers, and certainly no one ever tried to really help him. So, why would he ever really try anymore? It was exhausting.

HE closed his eyes for a moment, rubbing his temple with one hand. "Mm, and besides, I doubt my brother will do much about it unless one of the Caretakers complains." Marcus would visit, sure, but Cas knew those visits were never for much more than appearances. It was, well, less so that the two brothers could visit and more so that Marcus could double check that physically, Cassio was doing okay.

"Well, you didn't have a personal guard before now, did you?" Honestly, Cassio was seemingly stuck in the same thought process, the same loop over and over and over. He supposed that was due to his mind and how he was, but Erix still couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at it. If he wanted to get out in the sun, now was the opportunity to do it while he had someone there to take him. Before, he had only had what he presumed was the caretakers, his brother, to do things with, to take him places, and they certainly didn't want him to do more than was needed in case he lashed out at them and tried to escape.

It was part of the reason why Erix was there. His job as guard, as protector. Make sure Cassio didn't hurt himself, make sure no one hurt him and make sure he didn't escape or let anyone near him. There had been no need for someone to look after the prince with round-the-clock care when the only threat to the man had been himself, now there were others looking to hurt him, to kill and capture. Erix would do his damned hardest to make sure nothing happened to the prince, not when the job paid well, there was food provided and safety and the only thing he had to worry about was the man in front of him. Helping others hadn't exactly been what he was good at previously. He was good at killing, at manipulating and getting what he wanted, but there was something off about Cassio, about the predicament the prince was in that he couldn't quite place his finger on. Helping him out along the way wouldn't be all bad.

"And the caretakers won't find out," Erix continued, tracing the scar along his face with a raised brow, "No one will question why I- your guard, am carrying two swords, and if we're out of eyesight, from them, there is no cause for them to complain to your brother," It would be fine, he knew it, "Can't someone do something nice for you?"

Cas knew that his thinking was going in circles, he knew that, he could feel that, but sometimes it was easier to let his brain circle than to try and branch away. Branching led to loose threads, loose threads led to unraveling, and then even this conversation wouldn't be possible. He cleared his throat, shaking his head at Erix's question. "No, no one does something nice without ulterior motives, and i do not believe that–" he broke off as there was a sharp rap on the door, and his eyes flicked to the door.

Whoever was there waited another long moment, and then the doors opened up and Maura came into the room, pushing a small cart with food on it. "Erix, Prince Cassio." she greeted, giving them both a cheery smile. "I've been sent to deliver your supper." she pushed it over to the small table, and efficiently set the table, putting the plates and the food up. The food was in fine, silver trays, covered up to keep them warm. Interestingly, there were no knives. There were forks, with tines that were smaller and oddly blunted, and there were spoons. But there were no knives to be found, anywhere in the table setting. "Come and eat while it's hot." she finished setting the table, and wiped her hands off on her apron. She looked over at Erix. "How has your first day been thus far? UNeventful, I hope?"

Cas gave Maura a faint smile in greeting, standing from his seat and adjusting his shirt as he stood up. He looked over at the table, then at Erix, before taking a seat at one of the chairs. This was how most meals went for him. Only rarely was he brought into the dining room to eat with others, and when he was brought to the dining room, his brother was usually the only one there. Far more often, if he was to eat with Marcus, Marcus would come here and they would eat here, in Cas's room, rather than bringing Cas anywhere else. At Maura's question for Erix, his mouth twisted in a faint, odd expression. Uneventful, ah, what a word. What would Erix's verdict be?