Levi looked up at Fiori with a squinted eye smile. “You’re very welcome, then.” He knew it wasn’t just a meaningless compliment, like he sometimes had to give in his royal court.
And then everything happened so quickly. He barely had any time to process before the doors were swung open— and he saw Cadmus. He stared at the scene frozen, tense, through round eyes.
Levi reeled back at the horrifying scream, blinking wildly. His mouth dropped open at the sudden realization of what was actually happening.
Fi realized what was happening all too quickly. HE washed he hadn't. He wished he could stay in the dark a little longer, but he'd seen this a thousand times on the battlefield– seen soldiers fall with blood on their lips, fingers splayed weakly across a wound too big. Only those soldiers were never *his, were never Cadmus, with his easy smiles and blonde hair and…
And Cadmus was dying. He was dying and there were soldiers and Fi was flinging himself forward with a roar, tackling the one who had stabbed him with something savage in his eyes.
Levi had never been on the battle field. He’d heard gory stories, but never had seen anyone’s death first hand. He felt numb first, shaky, and then nauseated.
His eyes lifted from Cadmus to Fiori flinging himself towards the soldier. He surged forward on trembling legs towards Fiori’s lover. Cadmus was dying, but could he be helped while Fiori avenged him? He had to do something.
Cadmus was coughing weakly, blood seeping out between his fingers and lips, staining everything around him in a sea of shining red. It was peaceful where he lay, quiet save the sounds of Fiori shredding his way through the soldiers with deadly efficiency. He grasped weakly at Levi's wrist with his free hand, fingers too slippery to get a good grip. "… I know what you are."
Levi shuddered as a nervous shiver traveled down his spine and through his extremities. Whether it was the sight of Cadmus’ bloody state, the hand on his wrist, or his confession he didn’t know. Most likely it was a mix of all three. “I-I don’t- What do you mean?” Levi stammered. A little voice in the back of his head shouted the obvious: Cadmus knew he was the prince.
"Shut up." Cadmus managed to pin him with a disapproving glare despite the glassiness in his eyes. "Shut up, I don't have time. You need to–" He was cut off by a violent fit of coughing, one that left blood spattered across his shirt. "… you need to get him out. You need to do it now. This is a coup, his uncle's not gonna give up until he's gone or dead and he's not going to die. Not on my fucking watch."
“Ah-a-alright,” Levi stammered. He furrowed his eyebrows, looking down at Cadmus’ wound for just a moment before he staggered back up. Finally he tore his eyes away from Cadmus towards Fiori. How was he going to get his attention?
Fi had ripped through the soldiers like a natural disaster and he was almost as bloody as Cadmus. It dripped down his arms, down his face. He'd bitten someone's throat out, by the look of it, but when he saw Cadmus on the ground, curled in on himself, broken, he rushed over and crouched down and cupped his face so gently he seemed made of glass. "Cadmus," his voice was soft, so scared. "Cadmus, sweetling, you're gonna be okay."
Cadmus coughed out a laugh. "I'm not, big guy. I'm hurt real bad. Levi's gonna get you out of here, m'kay? He's gonna take you… real far away. And you're gonna be safe."
Levi swayed back and forth as he witnessed the bloody exchange between the two lovers. He took a few breaths to try and calm his racing heart. He’d only just met Cadmus, but this couldn’t be happening, at least not so fast. “I think I know my way back home from here.” I think…
Cadmus coughed again, hacking up more blood and letting Fi rub his back even though it was pointless. He was dying, his body was already cold on the ground, listless. Fi was grabbing at his hands, pressing soft pleasing kisses against his fingertips. "No, no, I've seen the battlefields, I've seen this. You're gonna be okay, you're…. you're not gonna die on me. I won't let you die on me."
Cadmus gripped lightly at his fingers, breath rattling in his lungs. "Shut up, Fiori. Shut up and listen." I swallowed and nodded, grasping at his hand desperately. "Good, good, gods, you… you're gonna be okay. I'm not and you're not and… and we're gonna be over soon and I love you. I love you and you're beautiful and…. and we're gonna meet again someday, in a different life, so don't you dare stop living this one just because I can't anymore."
Fi balked, uncertainty gleaming in his eyes, and Cadmus bore down, squeezing his hand as hard as he could. "No discussion. You leave. Now. With him." He glanced over to Levi and there was something steely in his tone, something sharp.
Fi nodded. He nodded and he kissed the back of Cadmus' hand and he tore himself away from his lover's side with emptiness in his eyes so he could stand by Levi. "I… I think it is time to go. My uncle… he will be coming soon."
Levi winced at each of Cadmus’ coughs. He even had to shut his eyes tightly to keep himself from losing his composure. His hands still trembled with the emotion of it all. He couldn’t imagine what Fiori was going through. If he lost Mordecai like this… The thought nearly broke him, so he opened his eyes again up to Fiori standing beside him. “Yes…yes we should.” He agreed weakly. “We’ll need horses. It’s a long ride.” He furrowed his eyebrows together in fervent sympathy.
Fi forced himself to keep from looking back as Cadmus devolved into another coughing fit. He knew what would happen if he did. He knew he wouldn't be able to leave, so he forced himself to move forward with a mechanical nod. "Yes. There… there are horses in the stables, to the left of here, we…" Cadmus groaned and every atom of his being wanted to turn and run back to him and hold him close but he took another stilted step, and another, and another. "… we will get going now. I will lead."
Like he had done for the past week, Levi followed Fiori with each step. “Yes, alright,” he bobbed his head in small movements. “Do you know the way to my kingdom?” He asked, tilting his head up to look at him. He supposed that Nord Widona might be the safest place for Fiori, someplace where Levi had the power to aide him with a full army if his uncle ever came after him.
(Ohh how should Fiori find out Levi’s the prince? Should he tell Fi on the way or will it just be obvious when they reach Nord Widona?)
"No." He swallowed, rubbing a hand over his face. Cadmus was… "No, I do not! I do not, but you do, and I have no fear that you can lead us there because you are, in many ways, very competent, are you not?" He was speaking too loud, doing his best to block out the thoughts. Was the attack meant for him? Or was it for Cadmus? Would his other friends be okay? Would Tharis? Or would they all be dead?
(I think it should be like… they're riding up to the castle, and Fi's like, lol, good joke, where's your house, and then Levi's like this is my house and that's how he finds out)
“Of course, yes, I know the way.” Levi bit his lip, shrinking slightly at Fiori’s raised tone. But he knew it wasn’t because of him, no, Giori had every single right to be upset. It was impressive how he appeared composed at all. “It will take a few days, though. Shorter if the horses keep at a steady run.”
(Alrighty! Lol that’ll be fun)
"No. No, no, my uncle… he is not a stupid man. He is not…" He sighed angrily, gesturing in front of himself like it would make the words come faster. "… You understand what he is not. You understand the way he understands—understood, I mean, because he's not…" Another sigh, another handful of sharply silent seconds as he grasped for things he could never express. "No," he finally repeated. "No, we will be caught if we tire the horses, we will need to… sneak. To get through the cracks in his defenses."
“Okay. Alright, what- whatever you think is best.” Levi raised his eyebrows up at Fiori and bobbed his head again in small movements. It seemed neither of them were in a very clear headspace, so Levi kept reshooting his focus to the objective of getting out of the kingdom. And when they were in Fiori’s kingdom, he would follow Fiori. Still, his thoughts whirled around. They were going to Levi’s kingdom now. Mordecai was in his kingdom, he was going to see Mordecai soon. He was going home. In the midst of the terrible circumstance this thought of going home lifted his spirits ever so slightly, just enough to keep him going.
They walked in silence until they reached the doors of the stables. Fiori tossed them open carelessly and then winced when one of the horses spooked, a young chestnut mare he immediately walked over to. He clucked softly at her, petting her nose until she settled and he could turn his attention back to Levi. "You know how to tack up a horse, yes?"
Levi followed Fiori inside and glanced around the area, looking to see what kind of horses were here. From first appearance they seemed they would be able to withstand Nord Widona climate, at least for a short time. “Yes, of course I can.” Horse riding was one of his favorite hobbies at home. The real question was if he could get used to a different type of saddle. He glanced around again in search of what was needed to tack up a horse.
Most of them weren't exactly built for the climate– big hearty horses covered in short chestnut fur– but a few were considerably fuzzier, and seemed to be better suited for a northern climate. Tack was over by the left wall, saddles, blankets, belts, bridles, everything in the highest condition. There were also, blessedly, a few unopened saddlebags sitting by the door, the extra supplies Fi had brought home from his trip to the front, yet to be unpacked.
Fi led Levi over to the supplies, pointing out the horses they should use. "They are stallions. Very big, very tough, used to unfamiliar riders. You will ride the smaller one, his name is Ozymandius."
“ Ozymandius…” Levi repeated to commit the name to memory. He took a handful of supplies, what he could fit in his arms first like a bridle, belt and a blanket. The saddle would come later, he assumed, when he had free hands to lug it over to the stallion. Hopefully the horse, despite being the smaller of the choices, wouldn’t be so big that it would be difficult to ride.
Levi scanned the horses in the area where Fiori had pointed. “Uh. Which one is Ozymandius?”
"He's the grey with the shaggy fur, standing over by the big roan stallion." Fi gathered up his own supplies, wandering over to the roan stallion in question. The horse looked up lazily as he approached and then leaned forward, snuffling around his hands for a few seconds before pulling away with a sigh at his lack of treats. Fi managed a weak smile. "This is Alyx, and he will be mine."
"Aha, alright." Levi carried the supplies over to the horse Fi had directed him to. "So cute," he murmured with a faint smile of his own. "Those bags over there," Levi spoke as he began readying his horse, "Are they packed with food and appropriate provisons?" He was sure the trip would take at least a couple days, perhaps quicker since they were on horseback. But even then, he didn't fancy being hungry while also on the run from Fiori's uncle.
"Yes," He answered shortly, beginning to saddle up his horse. He was surprisingly gentle for someone who had expressed such ferocity before, gently petting Alyx's shoulders and combing his fingers through the stallion's mane. He seemed to realize he wasn't giving enough information. "The packs have enough food for two weeks' ride, with a bedroll, a fire starting kit, and enough coin to buy extra provisions as necessary."
"Perfect," Levi nodded, fixing the bridle onto Ozymandius. His gaze darted over to Fiori every once ina while. Seeing him so gentle now confused him, but it also made his heart fall even more for him. It nearly brought tears to his eyes, and it would have had it not been for the dire situation they were in at the moment. He yearned to say something, anything to comfort this heartbroken man. But now wasn't the time, was it?
Fi didn't seem to notice Levi watching him, too busy throwing himself wholeheartedly into the task of saddling up his horse. He couldn't let his thoughts waver, because if they did he would go back to Cadmus and if he went back to Cadmus he could crack and where would Leviticus be then? Dead. Dead, just like his lover was dead, and… "Leviticus." His voice was stark, too loud. "Are you ready to leave?"
"Ah- almost," he answered quickly, just as he was speedwalking towards the saddle and carrying it back. His heart was beating in his throat again, both energized and paralyzed from the adrenaline. He set his mind once again on the thought— he was going home. He adjusted the saddle onto the stallion's back, then dipped down to fasten it in place. He'd done this a hundred times before, but out of all those times this was the most difficult.
Fi saw him fumbling and, eager both to help and to keep himself busy, hurried over, gently pushing his hands out of the way so he could fasten the saddle belt and tighten the straps of the stirrups. Levi was o different from him, so energized when all he wanted to do was lay down and sleep for a thousand years. "Here. These are the right length, yes?"
Levi took a fraction of a step back. He squinted at the length of the straps, and nodded decidedly. "Yes, I think that should work." Even if it didn't, it was generally the right length, at least to get by until they were far enough away to adjust them when they stopped to rest.
Fi gave him a curt nod, handing him the reigns. "Good. Would you like a leg up?" Levi could probably make it on his own, but Ozzymandius was a tall horse even if he wasn't the largest in the stable and the last thing they needed was to be slowed down by a tumble off a horse.
