forum "I would burn the world for you" (OxO Closed)

Started December 01, 2022 by @ElderGod-yellowqueen

tune

"Trust me, I'm just as surprised I'm in this situation as you." He pauses, dark dark eyes sparkling with adventure. "Exciting, isn't it?" But the shine in Bel's eyes is quick to dull as Nico's smile falls. The blond man alerts his gaze and Bel finds himself swallowing around an uncomfortable lump in his throat. Was it something I said?

"I would love to hear about your past adventures if you'd be willing to share," Bel says, hoping to continue the conversation. After all, it isn't every day Bel gets kidnapped by a group of mysterious rogues with fascinating motives and pasts. The castle library is grand and full of fascinating ideas, but it's nothing compared to the first hand source right here in front of him. An opportunity to learn, to discover. His mother had always said he was keen on jumping at any possible opportunity to grow his knowledge. "Perhaps in exchange I could tell you stories of my siblings and the palace."

Nocandors shook his head slightly in a small amusement. Not everyone would find being abducted by strangers exciting. After a moment, his fingers picked up the massaging. After a minute, he retreated his hands and leaned back, resting his palms on the ground behind him.
"I can do that," he replied. It would give him an excuse to ask about the palace, find what he needed to know. But at what price? "However, some of my doings aren't for the faint of heart. Most of my missions didn't go like this. Many of them weren't successful, depending on your view." Images flashed through his head, giving him just blinks of his past. Chains. Blood. Bodies. Nico quirked up the side of his lip, trying to conceal his emotions. It wasn't something he was always able to do, especially when it pertained to certain things, or certain people. "It's not all very nice."
He took his hair out of the leather that had been tying it back, shaking his hair out. "However, I think I would quite enjoy hearing about your youth in the palace."

"I'm sure I could handle it," Bel says, not really sure if he's lying or not. He's heard plenty of gruesome stories from Miran. Even more from Treya. Despite this, Bel can physically feel his heart fluttering in his chest when Nico asks about his younger years. Talking about himself is hardly the first conversation topic Bel would resort to, but he's happy to talk about anything. He at least hopes that Nico will find some aspect of it all impressive.

"Well, I'm sure you're aware that I'm the second eldest. The others are Miran, the crown prince; Val, the Duchess of Cobbrass; and the youngest, Treya, the Lady of Lumiere." He feels at least the titles would help Nico recognize them. "We all grew up fairly close, rarely an argument between us." He pauses, mentally cycling through his various memories in the castle. Finally, he stops on one he finds adequate to tell. "It was a winter day. I had to have been sixteen, seventeen maybe. I was out with Miran and Val in the woods nearby the walls." They had mastered how to get around the guards when they were barely ten. "Miran had just returned from his first crusade, and his bloodlust wasn't quite quenched yet."

The memory is one of his fonder ones, a small smile forming on his face as he recounts it. "Miran had somehow found weapons from the armory to arm us with, and then he took us through the snow to find a stag. He's always said when he's king, he'll have antlers on his crown." He looks down to his lap, and then to his legs which are still somewhat laying in Nico's. "We tracked for nearly three hours before Val finally caught sight of something. It was a stag, a massive one with eyes like the devil. It had reared on it's back legs and Miran, the impulsive idiot, decided he would charge an animal three times his size." He can see it like it was happening right before him. "Val kept her distance. She never once swung her rope dart. I think she was scared, but she'd kill me if I ever admitted it." He laughs imagining his sister's scowl. "I shot my bow. Somehow, the arrow made home right into the elk's heart. If I was any later, it could have very well killed Miran and then I'd be forced to hold the crown." Bel nearly winces at the idea.

"We dragged the poor corpse home and our youngest sister's expression is one I'll never forget." He feels he has to bury the reminiscent smile in the palm of his hand. "Treya screeched and brought the whole guard from around the castle to the servant's kitchen. Needless to say, we were only allowed out of the castle with chaperones afterwards. Miran was twenty and I bet you could imagine how he would've taken the news."

Nicandros listened to the prince talk about his siblings. Despite the smile on his face, he was dying internally. Siblings he would likely have to kill unless they swore allegiance to him. An option, but likely not one this Miran would take. Thus, effectively ruining his relationship with Bel. One he found himself valuing. One he didn't want to ruin.
He opened his mouth, to say what, he wasn't sure, but was cut off as Braxton and Laurent appeared with several rabbits in their grasps. Dead rabbits, but all the same. Cassian made a smart remark about how long it took for them, meanwhile grabbing the game from them. Kaillas helped as well, laying some of the dead animals down, pulling out a knife, and beginning to skin one of the rabbits.
Nico squeezed Bel's knee before gently placing his legs off of his lap. He stood and held out a hand for Bel to take. "They hunt, we skin. Now, as our guest, nothing is expected of you, as you're our guest."
His fingers lingered on his skin, only pulling then away when he realized what he was doing. It didn't go unnoticed. Cassian's eyes were lingering on the two of them, distrusting. Cassian, who never let anything slide past him, no matter how miniscule. Cassian, who's aloofness was only a front. And he would be watching.

Bel watches Nico leave, somewhat disappointed to lose what potential conversation he could get out of the other man. Braxton and Laurent come with at least six rabbits, one for each of them. Bel will happily offer up to take the smallest if they were rationing the meat that way. He doesn't eat much, anyways. He takes Nico's hand, noting with a faint blush all the calluses on his palm. Rough, but not unpleasantly so.

"If I knew how to skin a rabbit, I would offer," Bel says honestly. All the game he and his siblings had caught in their years were sent off to the palace tanner and butcher. They would give the animal the respect it deserved, and then the siblings would get a fine parcel of meat and hide on their doorsteps the next day. Val liked to stitch her hides together to make an odd quilt. Miran and Treya requested to have theirs sewn into the inside of shawls and cloaks. Bel gave his siblings his share, the only thing he needed was the lush skin rug on the ground of his cold castle floor. He would ask for antlers and horns, but Miran, as crown prince, always received the prizes of their spoils.

Nevertheless, Bel finds himself following Nico to the fire the other men had been circled around. He sits with his knees to his chest, arms wrapped tightly around his legs. He rests his cheek on his knees and watches Nico slice the rabbit open in a practiced manner.

Nicandros smiled gently, taking his seat on one of the logs near the fire. Kaillas had finished skinning the rabbit and had moved on to gutting it before sticking it over the fire. "I'll teach you. It's not that hard as long as you have the stomach for it." He pulled out one of his sharper knives. "You have to be careful to cut only the skin and not pierce the stomach."
Nico made a slit from the rabbit's neck down to his stomach. Using just his index and middle finger, he pulled the fur off of the body. "Now that we have the skin off, we cut off the paws." He chopped off the rabbit's feet, just as he said. "And now we gut it." He made a vertical cut on the stomach of the rabbit and opened it up. He began removing all of the innards. Stomach, intestines, lungs, and heart. All of it gone.
He started peeling off the silver skin of the rabbit, which took a bit of time to do precisely. "Had we been at home, we would have cut it up into sections. However, it's a little hard to cook the meat out here without some sort of grill or such. So we skewer it on a stick and put it over the fire to let it cook." Nicandros explained. He faced Bel. "Do you want to try it?"

Bel watches the rogue fillet the rabbit carefully and with a practiced knife. It smells of iron and blood. Bel forces himself not to twitch at the stench. It isn't terrible. It's far from pleasant, but not terrible. He feels bad for the poor creature, yet Bel knows the importance of its sacrifice. Food, a nice pelt, a lucky rabbit's foot for the road. Val had always been keen on collecting the rabbit feet. She has an entire chest of them properly taxidermied next to her bedside. He's never understood his sister's superstition, but he supports it nonetheless.

His nose scrunches when Nico pulls the intestines from the creature. It's a bloody affair. Necessary, but bloody. "What do you do with the… intestines?" He inquires, using a stick to prod at the long organ curled up in blood. "I would make socks out of them, personally." Praying his jest doesn't go over Nico's head, Bel looks up to the blond man before turning back to the fire to watch another man roast a skewer over the flames.

"Try it?" He points to himself and stares at the final corpse. "No, no thank you. I'm fine." As a new man he knows he could very well butcher it. Well, in a bad way not in the way it's supposed to be butchered. If it wasn't the last rabbit and if he wasn't in the presence of men who could slaughter him in an instant, perhaps Bel might have accepted.

Nicandros chuckled and looked at Bel in bewilderment. "We give it back to the earth. We'll bury it far enough away from us that it won't attract animals to us. This way, the nutrients of the animal seeps back into the earth. We'll leave the hart and maybe the liver out for scavengers to pick at, otherwise, it's buried."
He placed the skewered rabbit on the fire pit before starting on the second rabbit. He laughed quietly once more. "It's not for everyone and that's alright. But if you're going to hunt and kill these animals, rule of thumb is you know how to care for the kill. What happened if you end up alone in the woods and need to kill for food? I hope you know how to butcher properly."
Nico made quick work of the second rabbit and had it over the fire in minutes. He cleaned his hands with some of their water. They weren't far off from a stream so it would be easy to fill up the water skin.

At least feeling the satisfaction of maling Nico laugh, Bel smiles. He appreciates the offer, but truly, he doubts his shaking hands will do the rabbit's life justice. "I'm sure I'll have plently of other times to learn," Bel says, near earnestly. "But I won't ever be caught in the woods alone. You said you'd never let me out of sight, right?"

Bel goes back to staring at his shoes, which are luckily discreet enough not to flaunt his royal status. It makes him wonder how long it'll take for his own kingdom to realize his absence. He was set to arrive in Irgeven in about a week. It'll be another two before word even reaches his home kingdom if they send their fastest messenger. Three weeks before anybody comes after him. Bel isn't sure if he loves or fears the idea.

Nicoandros had a soft smile on his face, crinkling the skin around his eyes. He was happy, truly. It had been a long time since he had felt this way. "I'll teach you. It's an important skill to have just in case." His face darkened slightly. "I won't let you out of my sight, not by choice. But…sometimes things happen that are out of our control. I'd feel better if you had ti skills to survive until I can find you."
The others around the fire pit seemed to be having a silent conversation to themselves. They knew that look on his face and they knew the dangers that would follow. They were worried for their king's heart and what this would do to him. The boy was there for intel and nothing more. And while they wanted nothing more than Nico's happiness, they did not believe this was the way to go. This boy was not worthy of their king, not with his blood running through his veins.
The rabbits were taken off the fire as they finished cooking and parts were passed around. They had not plates or cutlery to eat with. It would be their hands. Nico handed Bel a chunk of meat. "Eat up. Take as much as you want. We can always get more."

"I trust my teacher will be a great one," Bel smiles and turns his attention back to the rabbits, down to his hands. His smile slightly wavers remembering the day before, the night before, the… everything before. "Perhaps we can learn another time when… when my hands aren't shaking so much." Bel swallows the nerve building in his throat at the idea of being left alone in the forest and in the dark. He takes the offered rabbit with a strained smile. "Thank you," he says as he takes the first bite from the rabbit.

He's never wished for his spice collection more. He used to be conservative with the powders, not wanting to ever run out, but now Bel would hold no remorse with dunking the chunk of meat into the small tins. Bel's sure that grass is more flavorful–not nearly as substantive, but surely more flavorful. Bel isn't that hungry, despite hardly eating anything that day. Regardless of this, the prince continues to eat quietly, silently observing the men around him and the one beside him.

There wasn't much more than offering a gentle smile that Nicandros could do to soothe Bel's nerves. He gently brushed his little finger against Bel's hand as he handed him the piece of meat. Something that could easily be taken as a mistake and only he himself knew that the gesture was on purpose. he turned his head to the side, looking at his men with the little prince still in his sight. It was Cassian that made eye contact and Cassian that gave a warning look. The others seemed to share his sentiment but they were a bit more withdrawn. Each of them would likely voice their opinions when they had a bit more privacy with their king. They knew better than to share their opinions in mixed company.
The rabbit meat was passed around the fire until finally, the last of it was gone. Nico always offered a piece to Bel before taking his own. He could survive on little food. He'd done it before and he could do it again. He wasn't so sure about the little prince at his side. Nicandros stood, stretching, then tying his hair back. "We still have plenty of daylight. We should get back on the move." I want to put as much distance between us and the palace as possible, is what he didn't say. But the others knew. They had bonded enough it was almost as if they had some sort of telepathic connection. They didn't really but they moved as one and seemed to know what the other was thinking, needing.

Bel somewhat lost in thought–thinking about his life back home and wondering what he'd be doing. His sisters would be home this time of year from the kingdoms they had been married off to. All three of his siblings were aware thay he was to be married off, but none of them knew exactly when he'd be leaving. Val had given him a look of sympathy when she discovered the news. Miran at least looked upset that he'd be the only sibling remaining at home. Treya couldn't care one way or another, the youngest truly only cares when something’s to beneifit her.

When Nico stands, it snaps Bel out of his reminiscing and pondering. He checks the sun's position in the sky, as if to ensure that it won't be going anywhere. He swallows the bile back in his throat. Night will fall again and he'll be a quivering mess all over again. Atop of his own fear of the dark, there's also the fears of disappointing others and being a hindrance. Well, nightfall will bring triple nightmares.

"Yes," Bel agrees quietly before standing, wincing softly at the pain still in his legs. He'll get used to it. He'll get used to all of it.

Nicandors gave Bel a look of sympathy. "It does get easier the longer you ride." What he didn't say was that it would likely take until they arrived for him to fully adjust to riding. He gave Bel a boost on to the horse then mounted just behind him. He placed his hand on his lower stomach, his thumb caressing Bel. The others mounted their horses. They fell right into formation and they were off, hooves beating through the forest.
It wouldn't be until after night had fallen that they found somewhere to camp for the night. They had gotten lucky in spotting some caves. The horses were left outside the cave, free to roam. He wasn't worried they would leave. Nico helped the other make camp and started a small fire. He guided Bel over to them, taking a seat close to the fire.

At the touch of Nico's hand on his abdomen, he shivers slightly. This is going to be a very long journey. Bel keeps his eyes down, not quite wanting to meet any of the other men's attention. Nico has been kind, despite their first encounter, and the others have been friendly but wary. Bel knows the risk he poses for their tight knit group. He knows that he's an untrained prince among a league of assassins. If anything were to go wrong, he would be dead weight and an easy blame for any sort of casualty.

As the night falls, Bel turns his attention to the skies, watching anxiously as the day morphs from blue to orange to lavender as the stars begin to speckle the sky. His arms unconsciously fold over his chest after he dismounts, watching from a distance as the group assembles the camp. The fire is warm, thank god, but it still doesn't dispell the crawling darkness from the clouds and the abyssal black of the cave depths. Bel convinces himself that the animalistic noises from the deep tunnels of the cave are his imagination.

Nico watched Bel out of his peripheral. His unease was easy to see. A blind man could have picked up on it just from the vibes he gave off. Nico unclasped his cloak and placed it around the young prince's shoulders. He hoped the weight of it would act as a security blanket and bring him some peace. "Nothing is getting passed us," he whispered in his ear, "Nothing will harm you."

He really needed to watch his promises or he was going to make one he couldn't keep. Laurent meant eye contact with him and a silent conversation passed. The other man grabbed his bow and left, Braxton following on his heels. The pair would go hunt for food and hopefully bring back enough that they could stretch for a few days. A deer would be ideal. The meat could be stretched out for weeks depending on how much they rationed it. Eating on horseback would save them time but Nico worried about how hard they were pushing the horses. If they hadn't been bred and trained specifically, he would have traded them for a fresh pair. But their horses were unique and battle trained. He wouldn't sell them for anything.

"You mentioned you wanted to hear about some of my stories," he said, "Let me tell you one."

Bel only really registers what's happening around him when Nico places his cloak over his shoulders. He manages a small thank you and pulls the collar tighter around his frame. His eyes flick again to the dying sky. He swallows around nothing but dread. There are noises still coming from the depths of the cave. Bel tells himself that it's his imagination. Praying that Nico's words are true, Bel settles in a little further. The cloak is warm.

He hasn't eaten in hours, but he's not hungry. However, he could certainly go for a drink of water. Two of the men left to no doubt hunt for food, they would have to find at least a stream along the way.

Nico speaks, pulling Bel's attention away from his imagination and inner turmoil. A small flutter of excitement curls in his gut with the promise of a story. "I can't wait," Bel says softly, just above the crackle of the fire as he shifts to look Nico in the eyes. There's a ghost of a smile across his lips.

Nicandros spread out, his legs straight and pointed towards the fire and his hands behind him to lean against. In a completely casual way and not suspicious at all, one handed landed behind Bel. He wanted to put himself at Bel's front and back to make him feel more safe. His tense body was a give away. Bel must have never left the ground without a guard and never for long if he couldn't handle a night in the woods.

Nico grabbed a flashed of water and passed it to Bel. He was thirsty, sure, but he would make sure his guest was taken care of as well. Bel was…soft and kind at heart. He didn't need cruetly. Nico would likely get everything he needed from Bel by offering kindness. It didn't sit well in his stomach anymore, knowing he was using the prince. He knew it was necessary but was it really?

But with that smile, Nico forgot all about his worries. A few strands of his hair had fallen out of his tie and fell forward in his face. She asking his head back, he spoke, "This story takes place a few years back. Our party was a little smaller than this. It was Cassian, Kaillas and I. The other two weren't needed for this." They had been recovering from their previous mission, something he didn't want to bring up.

Cassian smirked from across the fire. "I remember this. Are you really going to tell one of your embarrassing stories?
"I think he's just trying to make himself more appealing," Kaillas replied as if Nico wasn't sitting right there, "I mean, look at that little smile on his face."
"You know what, you're right. By all means, embarrass yourself."

Nico wanted to kill them both. She sent them both a glower that would send other men scrambling but the two only laughed. For a man who certainly was against Nico making this friendship, Cassian sure did enjoy exploiting it. "Anyways, as I was saying before these two knuckleheads spoke," he refocused his gaze on the prince with a small smile, "We had heard rumors of sightings of monsters, Kappas. You may know them as imps. Alone, they're not much of a threat but a horde certainly was. We set out the direction we were told to find them, however when we got there, there was no sign of them.

"Nico's failing to mention he got this information from a crazy old lady."

"She's a seer, ill have you know."

"Seer my ass."

Bel gratefully accepts the flask of water and takes a few sips. He ensures to only take his share, to not hog all of the precious liquid. Even so, Bel finds himself taking another sip, and another. Far more than he probably should, but with the hunting party gone, they should easily be able to find a proper stream to refill in when the day breaks.

The noises coming from the depths of the cave fade away as Bel listens into Nico's story. He's interrupted a few times by his friends, but Bel doesn't mind. It only adds to the story. When Bel's mentioned, he laughs and ducks his head, pulling the borrowed cape tighter around his shoulders. The story is even more anticipated with the additions of his friends–and the promise of an embarrassing story for Nico. It's sure to make the assassin vagabond more human. Less of a killer and more of a… friend.

The mention of the seer causes Bel's smile to waver. A mage. One that receives visions and prophecies and other unholy episodes. He pushes the thought out of his mind, or as close as he can, and tries to convert all his energy to listening to Nico.

Kaillas, quiet Kaillas, was the one to continue the story. "Anyways, the intel was wrong. There were no imps anywhere to be found. There wasn't single trace of monster or magic. A waste if time but that's what happens you listen to a crazy old lady. Just as we were about to walk away, we were caught in a trap and suddenly swinging in a net above the ground. If imps had done that, we would have been in a world of trouble. They're not very smart, that's what we rely on to kill them, they're stupidity."

Nico gave a small chuckle. "The old woman wasn't completely crazy. There was something there. Just not imps." Bel's wavering smile wasn't lost on Nico and it was for that very reason he took over the story. He wasn't about to share his own magic and terrify the poor prince. Out of the five of them, only three had magic, and none of them relied on their magic above any if their other skills. It was helpful when needed and needed a release from time to time, but they needed their other skills to be just as sharp.

"So here we are, swinging in this net, arguing over, not how to get down, but who the hell is smart enough to set a trap like this. Turns out it was harpies, though blasted things. A right pain in my ass. Two of then flew up to us, caring insults. Kaillas here put a knife in their heads. Effective in killing them but not very effective in getting us down." Kaillas shot Nico a playful glare. That was alright, he wasn't the only one he was about to throw under. "Cassian here had the bright idea to try and climb the net and cut it from the top. All that managed was pushing his ass in our faces. I could have dealt with that if he hadn't let one rip-"

Cassian sprung across the camp in a flash and tackled him. The two started wrestling in the cave. Nico was laughing loudly even as he was losing. "I'll make you regret that. Eat dirt!" Cassian was pushing his face down to the cave floor.