forum The Raven ((closed - oxo))

Started July 17, 2020 by @ElderGod-Carrots

tune

With a gentle hand tilting his chin up, Hylas frowned over Cas' wound. He worked undistracted in the tense silence, immersed in his thoughts and worries as he swept a damp washcloth along the side of his face. The cut was long, but shallow. He wouldn't need stitches. With any luck, it wouldn't scar too badly. That would be a terrible reminder for the prince. Gods—if it leaves a scar…. Every time he looked in the mirror, Cas would remember the assassin who marred his face, and that casual loathing would haunt Hylas, however far away he was. The man who took him from his home and brought upon the news of a coming tragedy left him with a reminder. But why would I care if he hated me a little more than he already does? Between the gripping unease, Hylas still managed to find distractions within his efforts towards the prince, and as he worked in silence, his face softened until all that remained of his worry was a doe-eyed hope that he wouldn't make Cas wince anymore. Hylas held Cas' face in his hands as he dressed the wound, slowly forgetting the fleeting terror of the accident. Under his warm hand, a smooth cheekbone swept down to the edge of Cas' jaw; sharp as a dagger, with skin softer than a Valthean breeze. A frown began to form, but as soon as he felt his calm interrupted, that confusion dissolved into a chilling wave of awareness. Cas' eyes were on him, holding him by some invisible extension as he spoke. My eyes? Hylas thought, considering his appearance for the first time in a long time. Of course there were ponds and still lakes to see himself, but seeing his clear reflection in the mirror was rarer than anything. Hylas knew he had dark eyes. He would always know, because those were his mother's eyes, and his father always used to remind him. Still holding Cas' face in a palm, Hylas was silent as he processed the strange, wonderful observation. How long had he been looking at his eyes? Had Cas anticipated a beam of sunlight to erupt his irises into a thick ring of rich, earthen sea glass? The same way Hylas anticipated how painfully beautiful his face looked in a splash of sun? Thoughtlessly, his gaze considered the two impossibly close emeralds that held him hostage. So near to him, and yet still so illusive. What were they seeing? What light and colours had they known? What beauty? The long spell was broken when the soft, cool face in his hands grew suddenly warm and the pleasant knots in his stomach returned.

When the gaze was returned, having those dark, alluring eyes on him, the pink that suddenly radiated off of Cas deepened, obvious at length, more so noses apart. His heart fluttered, desperate to know what Hylas was thinking, but lay behind those strikingly brilliant eyes? Had he picked up on the way his heart raced when he looked at him like that? Surely noticed the red on his face that Cas hoped he could lie about. Hylas' hand was impossibly soft against his cheek, the slight graze of callouses against skin were nothing but mere rocks lying against an ocean. All so noticeable. His own gaze drifted over the assassin's face. From his lips, the slight curve in his nose, those gods damned eyes again, the slight lines that had etched themselves into his forehead, probably from years of worry, and back, unable to stop looking at Hylas in quiet admiration. Had he ever been this close to someone before? The pounding in his chest grew as he tried to fill the silence with anything. Was Hylas mad at what he had said? Was that why they were staring so intently at one another? Should have kept my mouth shut. "I just- I just mean that- um-" Meant what? That he found Hylas attractive? That he couldn't stop thinking about everything that he kept hidden away, that shining, glinting look in Hylas' eyes when he laughed or smiled and wasn't worrying about impressions or letters or whatever else he thought about. Cas' voice was impeccably soft, barely a whisper, afraid to frighten Hylas away from speaking too loudly. What was the feeling settling in him? The one that came and went faster than lightning, never staying long enough for Cas to acknowledge or identify what it was. He'd been too wrapped up in writing the letter, in trying to make Hylas like him, that whatever it was, had evaded Cas' thoughts until now. The prince didn't want to know what it meant, not yet, not when one wrong move could have Hylas moving away and retracting his hand.

Hylas was caught in a standoff of tender stares and burning skin. Looking down at Cas' strange, dumbfounded look, he found that with his parted lips, pink cheeks, and quietly troubled gaze, the prince looked a rare type of holy. Natural, honest, and confused, every inch of his flustered innocence tempted Hylas with thoughts of coming closer or letting the tips of his fingers lead the rest of his hand to the soft river of chestnut brown hair caught in the sunlight. He didn't think he'd ever felt such a thing as someone else's hair through his fingers, and the urge to do so was terrifying. And what he do after? Just let go? The way they were looking at each other— the way they were silent said more than Hylas could ever hope to learn later. Unbearably, he holds my gaze. Not out of curiosity. Surely not…out of admiration? Was he sure about that? Neither were breathing with the casual calmness of worriless companions. The face in his hand was shy, obviously nervous, and determined to solve the problem in Hylas' eyes. The question of what Cas was really thinking pricked the assassin's skin with fear and wonder, and it was answered when he spoke in a stutter. Before he'd finished realizing or regretting the new realization, Hylas' hands were off of Cas, and his eyes tore away with a few heavy blinks. A sudden exhale told him of how shallow he'd been breathing. It's just… He didn't mean it in any way. Oh. Wait, Did he? In that way? The way, like… The way Hylas was terrified of. "No…I know," Hylas said with a breathy laugh, looking up to nervously smile before needing to turn away from him. Silently, he nodded to himself. Adrenaline, scattered thoughts. A slip-up. It wasn't like that.

If Hylas hadn't been standing only a few feet away, Cas might have slapped himself. His face scrunched in a look of disappointment. Idiot. Even he didn't know what he meant. His thoughts were a jumbled mess of scenarios and shared looks and Cas couldn't make much out of his own head, there was no way Hylas could. It was just an observation, surely. But the silence that lay between them, the delicate touches, it had to mean something. Whether or not he, or Hylas, ever managed to acknowledge what it was, was a different story, and Cas was too wound up in feeling like a fool for speaking without thinking to put any thought towards that. Later. Deal with it later. There wasn't any time for whatever the hell this was. What even was it? Fluttering hearts and flustered thoughts couldn't just be nothing, but it wouldn't become anything. It couldn't. Shouldn't. Did he want it to? Hylas was so… different, alluring in a way no one else was, and it was hard to keep ignoring the urge to want to know him, understand him in a way that no one else had. The feeling had been but a mere seed at the back of Cas' ming but now, he wasn't so sure it was as small as he had hoped it was, "Right, yes.. good," Cas swallowed, unsure of what to do with his hands, with himself in the moment now that Hylas had moved away, much to his quiet disappointment, "Thank you, for patching me up." A smile, even if Hylas was looking the other way, something he was most grateful for as embarrassment stayed steady in him.

"…You're welcome," Hylas said with a bit of a sigh, looking down with a smile as he put away his supplies. His attention flickered to Cas in his peripheral, but fearing that he might catch his gaze again, Hylas left to empty the bowl of bloodied water. Gods, what a moment that was. He couldn't remember anything in his life that had excited him quite as much as how Cas had been but a second ago. But what now? How could he stand to live through the coming hours with fluttery remnants of the strange new feeling, when all he wanted to do was chase it? As much as it made him sick to his stomach, Hylas loved it. The pulse racing, the hot skin, the sharpened nerves and the murky thoughts; all of it. It was new, and since Hylas was too overwhelmed to fight it, he accepted it. Avoiding Cas' eyes as he walked by, Hylas knelt by the hearth and covered the pulsing red coals with dry kindling. After reviving the fire in silence, his head perked up as he realized how he'd left Cas with nothing to do, and since they were both speechless, nothing to say. "Cas?" He called over his shoulder, speaking softer than he wished to sound. Though, how couldn't he be soft with the first name he had a reason to utter? Caspian. After delivering him to Eirus, he knew he'd be saying it for days; maybe in his sleep. The weight of it— warm and weightless in his mouth —would only be another tragedy if, years from now, he wouldn't be able to recall the prince he'd kidnapped and shared a moment with in his youth. "You said you finished the letter." A bracing sigh. "I don't suppose…you could read it to me?" For this request, he turned to look at him, matching the momentary tension from across the room, "We should review it…don't you think?"

The sudden voice that broke through the silence nearly made Cas jump. There were too many thoughts racing around that for a moment he'd forgotten Hylas was even in the room with him. As much as he couldn't take his mind off of the beautiful assassin, the moment they had shared that would keep Cas' thinking about for a good long while, his mind was loud enough to fill the silence between them unless Hylas spoke up again, "Uh sure, yes, that's a good idea." Swallowing, he moved towards the desk in the corner of the room, hands only slightly shaky as he grabbed the piece of parchment, moving back towards the table and taking a seat, "Most of it is just um- strategy talk, fairly boring do you- do you really want to listen to that? Even I get bored." Cas breathed a laugh. It wasn't all a lie. Long, military meetings in the last war he'd sat on had melted his brain until he was reciting battle strategies in his sleep for weeks afterwards. Of course, there was the whole half-lie explanation about what happened to him, where he was, how he escaped and all that. He wasn't going to throw Hylas into the stocks, especially not after their moment. Would they ever share another one like that? A longer one? One where they both weren't so petrified to say or do something wrong? Cas had been with his fair share of people but that deep, jittery feeling that arose whenever Hylas looked or even smiled at him once one he hadn't felt in a long time.

From across the room, Hylas met Cas' question with a wordless nod and an encouraging smile. He liked hearing Cas speak. Especially in the few occasions where he talked about things that were dear to him, like his brothers or his secret place beyond the palace grounds. He wondered if everyone else in the word looked as quietly happy as Cas did when they spoke of their personal treasures. As he made his way back to Cas, a flurry of black in the window caught his attention. His raven had finally stopped roaming the woods and made his return. Spoiled thing. He's tired of fending for himself, Hylas fondly thought, smiling to himself as he sat across from Cas, not considering how he might look. Accidentally catching Cas' gaze, he eased his smile into something more neutral in hopes of not seeming too overeager, though he might have been a little. "Go on," He prompted, sitting cross-legged on the wooden seat, "Tell the story of the dashing, clueless farmer who took you in and fed you shockingly plain meals."

Cas cracked a smile, shaking his head softly at Hylas' remark. Dashing, yes. Clueless, not so much. "Mhm, making a prince do manual labour really isn't the wisest of things they could do, too." Tearing his gaze away from Hylas and down to the paper, he thumbed the corner in his hands before he read.

'Father,

Forgive me for the rude disappearance, though I admit it wasn't because the party was overwhelming. The Raven kidnapped me. He was paid a large sum for my head. I am unharmed, I promise you. While he was moving me to what I presume was his hideaway, I was lucky enough to be found by a farmer, Hylas, and he saved my life.

I am currently staying with him, The Raven hasn't found us or come looking for me, however, there is a more pressing matter to discuss.

The man who paid The Raven, Zaros, is preparing for war. I have reason to believe that he has already taken the North and will begin moving towards Eirus. Hopefully, by the time this letter reaches you I should be on my way home, with any luck Zaros will still think I'm dead if The Raven hasn't got to him. I doubt it since he wouldn't be given the money.

We need to gather allies. Valthea will join the cause, I have no doubt. Winem will be harder, but due to the fact that we're peaceful, and the entire continent is at stake, there is a chance they will join us. If we move through the South, through Valthea and up through Donao, we have a chance of meeting him halfway, on the border of Donao and Telgalla. As he believes I'm dead, we have the upper hand. We need to keep it that way. Write to Valthea, and Winem, trips to both kingdoms will be in order and a full council, but only after I have returned. Inform the Captain, no one else.

Some of the witches have also joined his cause. We might have the upper hand when it comes to surprise, that doesn't mean Zaros is weaker in strength and his own allies. There is little hope for the witches, and the peoples of Qai-via are elusive enough, I am at a loss when it comes to convincing them to join us, but it will be easier to discuss in person.

Stay safe, I miss you terribly.

All my love, Caspian.

Cas shrugged when he finished, pushing the paper towards Hylas, "It's not the best, but it conveys the message enough."

Hylas listened with keen interest, picturing the future military procession through a clear map in his mind. It was the best route; the only route if they wanted to avoid leading an expensive unified attack from the sea. "It's good. You've used up a whole page, and I don't know what more you could include," Hylas said, nodding as he pretended to read the prince's beautiful but ultimately tangled handwriting. Long curls of inks twitched in a current pushing from the left, and every time a word seemed to be clear in his peripheral, it scrambled as soon as Hylas glimpsed at it. With another set of contemplative nods, Hylas' smile slowly began to fade, and his gaze flickered away. "—Except for one thing." He stood a little abruptly, looking all around him as ideas swelled and bounced around in his head. There was a problem, but what could it be? In a half-step towards the corner desk, Hylas turned back to Cas, distracted but sure of something. "Well, you can suggest this when you see your father in person; you've already written the letter, after all. There won't be space, but, um… What did I say? Yes. Fold the parchment into the smallest square you can manage, and then I… I want to see about something." Disregarding his incoherent rambling, Hylas snatched a blank page of parchment, the ink, and his old quill, quickly returning to the table with a determination to carve out the reality of some hidden trouble. He stood as he worked in silence, hunched over the page as he conjured the memory of the continent's shape and hurriedly traced it in black. His hand hovered above the parchment in a careful effort not to smudge the wet ink, feverishly dipping and curving for every bay and boundary. Within a minute, he had produced the raw essence of Mavadora's coasts and borders, leaving the kingdoms unnamed out of fear of embarrassing himself. Stepping back from the illustration, Hylas traced Cas' described route with a careful gaze. "If you want to unite the mid-Eastern kingdoms, the path to meet every ruler would be…circular and perhaps…inefficient? Hmm."

Cas leaned back in his chair, a frown etching into his features as he glanced at the map Hylas had drawn. A contemplative silence washed over him, as still as a statue with eyes flicking across the piece of parchment. Finally, he spoke up, “Unless we used two processions. One up into Winem, meet with the King and then move through the kingdom, across the edge of the mountains if there is a path before meeting in Donao. The other would go down into Valthea. Technically it's still a circle but… to reach all those kingdoms in time, without wasting money, resources and time we don't have… one goes South, the other North. Otherwise, if everyone moved through Valthea, up Donao and towards Telgalla, Winem would be out the battle, and we need an army greater than any other war.” He paused for a moment, another silence, before he sighed, a small shake of his head before folding the parchment up like Hylas had said earlier, “This could all change in a few days. Hels, it could change tomorrow, in a month, it’s up in the air. Gods… I need to get home.” To meet with his father, the captain, organise troops, make sure all the soldiers were prepared to move. Send messages to other kingdoms and let them know of the arrival, the war before they met in person. Cas couldn’t decipher his own thoughts anymore and hadn’t realised he’d drifted off into silence as he thought, forgetting Hylas was standing near him. It was all too much, too many possibilities. They didn’t know what route Zaros would take either. Meeting him in Telgalla could prove futile if we chose to travel by sea and around to avoid all conflicts on the continent. Take Eirus next, the rest of the continent would fall quicker than a mountain struck by lightning.

Hylas smiled at Cas, his eyes growing a little wider as he nodded encouragingly. The prince had finished his thought! He didn't know how common that was, but it excited him to know that all his effort to convey something had been received so well. It wasn't until he could hear Caspian's exhaustion that the notion of how stressful having to strategize was for him. Being away from the last of his family, meeting the Raven, and being the only one with the knowledge of war must've been a terrible burden for the prince. Softening his expression, Hylas took a step closer and pretended it was an action to approach the letter. "You miss him? Your father?" He asked, looking up at Cas and hoping his smile was a little reassuring. As he folded the parchment, he thought of his own father and what little he could remember about him. A dark, scruffy beard, strong hands, a crooked nose, and a pair of big, brown glassy eyes that were impossibly kind and never seemed to stop catching the light. He remembered what surprise and delight looked like on him. Raised bushy eyebrows and a sudden eruption of laughter, all before managing a terrifying leap to chase Hylas through the fields. There were only a handful of golden memories to choose from, and as time went on Hylas lost more and more of those glimmering details that kept strong the love he tried to hold onto. Now, that ache was withering, and the only times Hylas thought of his parents were when he remembered something new. But that didn't stop him from wishing he had more. More time, more memories, and more reasons to hold onto them. The best he'd done to honour their memory was his attempt to write everything down in the black notebook somewhere on the shelf. Everything he remembered about them, but more specifically, everything he remembered about where they lived. His determination to find answers had died five years ago, and now all he had was the bleak reality of death, fate, and a broken memory. Hmm. "Well don't worry," Hylas said, flattening the folded edges with his nail, "We'll leave as soon as we hear back. I doubt it'll be more than a day."

Cas could only give Hylas a tight-lipped smile, though it fell as soon as it came, "He's all I have left, I miss him more than anything." After his mother and brothers died, Cas and his father had grown closer than they ever had in Cas' entire lives. Being the third heir at the time, there had been no pressure for him, no reason to sit in on lessons on how to rule a kingdom. As much as his father loved him plenty when he was younger, he had always been closer with his mother. He still dreamt of her often. Of her long, sand-blonde hair and striking green eyes that matched his own. How her smile could lift the mood of an entire room and the stories she used to tell before bed when he was little. When she died, when his brothers died, too, it left a gaping hole, heavy and as dark as the Dying Sea, that could never be filled, no matter how much his father and he came together over the loss of their family. And now, being away from his father, not knowing if he was safe, knowing he was worried sick about where he was, Cas felt that hole in him grow the longer he was away. He'd never truly recovered from their death, not in the way that his father thought. The long nights filled with nightmares, panic attacks. The times he'd woken up tear faced and screaming about his failures as a brother, as a son, how he couldn't save them and would never save them, the broken glass wear hidden in the floorboards of his room. The little scars that lined his skin were not because of the war or stupid faults as a kid, the usual blame, but because of him. The sickening punishment that developed, or outright just refusing to sleep in fear of seeing them again. To hear what they might say in his head, of the guilt that plagued him still to this day despite how okay he looked on the outside. Cas had never told him, would never tell him, or anyone, what it was like when he was alone with those thoughts, or how truly terrible his mind could be when he had no strength to fight it, or any distractions, either, "But no matter," He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he did his best to return to the present moment, "As you said, we'll hear back soon. It's only a few more days away, I can manage being away from home for a little longer."

"Of course," Hylas said, trying his best to smile and appear understanding as he folded the letter. Having been struck by two lightning bolts during Cas' reply, he pondered the quiet shocks. To begin with, Cas' casually vulnerable remark had surprised him. Sure, Cas trusted Hylas enough to not kill him in his sleep, but apparently he trusted him enough to confide in, however trivial and fleeting the feeling was. 'He's all I have left, I miss him more than anything.' A weak spot. An emotion to exploit. He gave it up so easily, and the statement echoed in Hylas' thoughts with equal fascination and jealousy. Cas had something to miss and someone who missed him. How painfully comforting that must be… "He'll be happy to have you home safe. Tell him I fed you well," He softly told him, with the momentary curl of a smile. The second shock— the fact that a few more days was all the time he'd ever have with Cas instilled a silent, crushing disappointment in him. "I think the soup is boiling, I'll check on it." It was hardly simmering, but Hylas didn't want to hear any more about Cas being loved or leaving soon. Over the course of a few days, he had experienced more private wonder than all his years abroad had brought him. Now, or rather, in a few days it would come to an end. There would be no one after. No one to greet in the morning, no one eat with or make fun of. Hylas wanted to say that it was better this way. As much as he wanted to be selfish and have Cas; not just anyone but Cas in his life, he knew war was coming, and a prince had no business being near someone like him. The only light side to his misfortune was how because Hylas didn't have more time with him, their parting would sting a little less. So the sooner he got home, the better.

Cas hummed a reply of acknowledgement as he watched Hylas walk to their dinner before his eyes lowered to the table. He hadn't lied when he spoke of missing his father. He was always thinking of him in some way, even if it was just at the back of his mind while distracted with other thoughts, distracted thinking about Hylas. The quiet promise of being able to go home soon was comforting, but Cas couldn't shake the soft, gutting feeling that he wouldn't see Hylas again after that. Maybe not ever. Wouldn't hear his voice or laugh or watch him cook. He fascinated Cas in such a way that no one ever had before, he would say he was sad to have to part ways. War was no place for friends - if they were could call themselves that - or anything more than friends. Connection and affection were dangerous when blood was on the line. Not knowing if who you cared about would make it home safe, or come home at all, was the most gut-wrenching feeling Cas had experienced. But the prince still found himself wanting to stick around, wanting Hylas to stick around for a little longer. Rational told him that wouldn't happen, he was dreaming if he thought Hylas would stay for him of all people, and yet that little part of him that seemed to grow the longer they spent together urged him to ask. Go on, ask him to come with you. Stay in Eirus, fight with him. It had Cas swallowing just thinking about it. Hylas would never, he couldn't, not without fear of being found out and killed. It was safer this way. To depart from each other when the time came. Hylas could live out the rest of his days, safe on another continent, make a living of himself over there and have a good life, not one of killing and Cas… he just hoped he would make it through the coming months to see the sunrise again, "How's it looking?" He asked, wanting to hear Hylas speak again.

"What? Oh— um…" A quick stir. "It's thickened a bit. We should prepare the rest separately on the stove while the soup boils." There's something to distract me. Turning to look back at Cas, Hylas' eyebrows raised with the faintest curiosity, "But if you're hungry now, you could have a blood plum while we cook? That is— if you feel well enough to help me." With a shrug, he smiled at him and the foolish cut on his cheek, feeling a misty blush creep over him as he remembered the incident. "I'm perfectly fine with cooking by myself, of course. So…if you wanted to rest…" Another shy shrug. A part of him felt guilty for making— or rather, letting the prince work after kidnapping him and hurting him. In truth, he had no idea of how royals were treated by common folk. Beyond the kneeling, bowing, and imploring kisses of the hand, what unsavoury habits had insulted Cas up to this point? Even though Cas insisted on omitting his royal title for every address, there were moments— happy and shameful —where Hylas felt the urge to show more respect. In their warm, fleeting moments of teasing each other, he loved the sarcastic twinge of delight that came from playing around with 'Your Highness' and 'my Lord.' Just the same, there were times where the guilt of being who he was spoiled every spark of companionship, and he felt moved to distance himself and hide within the familiar prejudices of class. "It's just… Well. I hope you're not too surprised to hear that I still feel guilty about striking you down when we sparred," He carefully said, leaning his back against the wall that split the room halfway, "…But if you…wanted to chop some vegetables…Safely, of course, with a…full-proofed set of armour on and a…little…knife— Um. I wouldn't be opposed to having you by my side." Hylas tried to stifle the panicky realization of his word choice by seeming nonchalant, but even he wasn't convinced.

Cas rocked back on his chair, the creaking of the back two legs only had him panicking that it would break just slightly. He could tell Hylas was being truthful, as much as Cas could tell him that it really wasn't that big of a deal, the reassurances weren't going to get through to him anytime soon, it seemed. With an overdramatic sigh and a smile that seemed more of a smirk than anything, he stood, "I'm more than capable of handling myself in the kitchen." He stood up, heading towards the kitchen but not before he sent Hylas a wink, "But if you really think I need a big strong man to protect me from any stray carrots then be my guest." It might not have been the best move, but with Hylas stumbling over his words and the very faint blush he could see in the afternoon sunlight, he wasn't going to let all the fun go to waste. And Cas wasn't going to deny that it was fun seeing the big bad assassin with rosy cheeks, he definitely wasn't going to forget the look on Hylas' face anytime soon, and it made his smile turn into a grin. The cut barely even hurt anymore, and Cas didn't want Hylas doing all the work when it came to cooking. He was the guest, however unconventional getting to this point had been, he was still the visitor, and he had manners and decency. Hylas had done enough for him already, and Cas would forever be grateful for him not only sparing his life but helping him when it came to planning for the upcoming war. He was under no obligation to do any of those things, and Cas was going to repay that debt back whether Hylas liked it or not. There was no need to rest for a cut so small, and Cas was determined not to waste the last few days he had with Hylas 'resting' over such a small, insignificant injury.

Hylas' premature reply was caught in his throat, and as he choked on his words, the coughing turned into a lazy chuckle. He thinks I'm strong? And…big? Despite the warm, obvious fog of heat over his face, Hylas had hoped the prince would've seen his awkward reply as something other than what it really was. But not only had that hope been unmet, but Hylas could've sworn that there was something else in that wink and those words. Cas is just teasing me, Hylas reckoned, trying to convince himself that his heart leaping out of his chest was because he wasn't used to people trying to get a rise out of him. That fact was true, but the tone behind those words said otherwise, not to mention the smile that complimented his devilish look. What is he playing at? For someone who knew everything there was to know about emotions bleeding through expressions, Caspian seemed to have mastered the art of ambiguous suggestion. With a new supply of energy, he felt ready for anything, and so he couldn't think of anything other to do but find a way to get back at Cas. "Ha. Right— right then," Hylas mumbled, combing a hand through his hair as he and his jumpy gaze wandered over to the flat furnace. "Could you start…with those— in the basket?" He asked, pointing to the leftover roots and beans he had foraged earlier. A sly thought crept into his mind, and it took everything he had to keep his innocent smile from turning into a smirk. "Meanwhile…I'll get started, if that's alright with you?" Perfectly casual but dangerously slow, he was on his knees and looking up at the prince, pausing for a beat before that smirk had its way. There was a flickered glance to the furnace. "—With the fire. I know that's been your job, up til now."

Cas wasn't a fool, and he'd had his fair share of lovers and flings and simply just having fun with people, and his own smirk could rival Hylas'. For someone who had spent his whole life on his own, Hylas was pretty good at getting Cas' cheeks to turn pink, even if they weren't as dark as the assassins, "Well, I have been told I'm fairly good with my hands, so I'm sure I'll have no trouble." The remark was as casual as the rest of their conversation, but it was obvious what he meant under it all. Cas was still more shocked that Hylas was even returning the teasing, but after their moment earlier, he also wasn't surprised at all, "And I've had lots of practice." It was hard not to contain how wide his smirk had grown as he headed to the basket of roots, as casual and nonchalant as ever. There was no way he'd be able to shake that image of Hylas now burnt into his brain. On his knees, that stupid, good looking smirk and the way he'd been so casual and slow in his reply. Maybe he hadn't just taught him how to wield a sword after all. He loosed a very faint breath, before returning to the small counter, placing the basket to one side as he grabbed a knife to begin work on chopping the roots for their dinner. Cas couldn't help but watch Hylas out his peripheral, and if he hadn't been busying himself with the work, he'd probably be downright staring at him. The assassin was full of surprises, and this was one that Cas hadn't expect in his wildest dreams.

"I'm sure you have." Hylas couldn't help but laugh— albeit shyly, nervously —at the prince's reply. Surely, he knew what he was saying now. His mind hadn't stopped firing since Cas' comment about his eyes. In a quick look, Hylas glanced away from his work filling the the furnace with twigs, trying hard not to smile at him before seriously needing to look away. Dear gods, stop me now. "Although…" He began, happily dreading the playful lilt in his voice, "Practicing is one thing, Your Highness, sparring with a partner…is another." Hylas raised a shoulder in a casual shrug, looking down as the struck his flint and steel. He desperately wanted the power of his statements amplified by his happily ignorant personality. Cas would have his own theories about Hylas' personal life, and though he was, in, fact, isolated for the most part, there were things Cas didn't know, and from the curious colour of ther conversation, things Cas wanted to know. That, however adolescent in concept, was something Hylas would happily exploit for amusement. Carrying the infant flame into the mouth of the furnace, he turned to Cas, smug. The dry tallgrass caught fire, momentarily painting the side of his face with a warm orange glow. "If he's worthy, you rarely leave perfectly unscathed." Hylas wanted to gasp at his own spoken words. The audacity, I have. He stood, shutting the furnace door and dusting off his hands, perfectly casual. Here they were; serving fleeting looks, hushed smiles, and innuendo. Cas— grinning despite his cut stood golden and boyish before him: a whole lifetime of hedonistic mischief. "But of course, I'm sure you know that."

Cas turned his head to the side, his grin turning almost devilish as he looked at Hylas, "Trust me, Hylas, if there's one thing I know well, it's how to spar," He gave him a long once over, and Cas didn't try to hide it, letting his gaze drag lazily over him, lingering in certain places before he made his way back to Hylas' face, "And when there's a worthy opponent. Bruises come as part of the package, I find." His voice was low and laced with something that hadn't been brought out of the prince in a long while, but he definitely wasn't opposed to it. Cas was slow to turn his gaze back to the vegetables. What are we doing? Whatever it was, it had his heart thundering faster the longer it went on. Nothing would happen, right? No, of course not. It couldn't. It was all just a bit of fun, teasing to pass the time. And yet Cas couldn't shake that desire for more. To learn more, do more, just to see where it went for the Hel of it because they could. They didn't have much time left together, not now the letter was completed, and Cas was determined not to waste a single moment of time with Hylas, to get him grinning like that for the rest of their time together. Gods save me. In the light of the fire, Hylas looked beautiful. The light illuminated his features, bringing the red glow to his cheeks into full view. It was hard to look away, hard not to shake just thinking about him every second. Cas couldn't help be desperate, hidden behind the causal remarks and demeanour. Had Hylas done this before? Who else with? He was a complete mystery and every moment Cas wanted to unravel those secrets.

Hylas was struck speechless as Cas' heavy, green gaze swept over him, comfortably judgemental or…something else. All at once, a wave of heat crowded his collar and his eyes watered at the overwhelming feeling of being seen in a way he'd never known. Perhaps it was the furnace, but after a few long seconds of standing away— shocked and thoughtless over a box of spices, Hylas' mouth was still dry and his heart still shivered. Logic told him that Cas was only doing it to toy with him; to go along with the dangerous narrative they'd weaved themselves into. Why else would he insist on such an idea? To spite him? To make fun of his solitude? Something in the way his attention spilled over Hylas seemed to press a gentle touch over his skin. Like a pair of phantom hands moving down from his shoulders, Hylas had been suffocated by the pleasant shock of such an indecent suggestion. He poured himself a cup of water, trying not to let his shaking hands show as he tried to recenter himself. "Well, that's….good to know," He almost croaked, quickly cooling himself down with a hurried sip. Unable to resist stopping, he leaned against the far wall and watched Cas work. "But…I have to know. Do you tell everyone about these feelings you have towards…sparring?" There, he wore a playfully accusative look. His smile was crooked but controlled as he spoke. "Or just the ones you fear might come out on top?" A cold surge of dread was quick to meet him and just as quick to leave. Hurried reassurance told him to stick to his choice of words, standing tall and mirroring the reckless confidence of the man before him. "After all, you were the one who walked away dizzy and a little…banged up." If there's any magic in the prince of Eirus, it's in the power of his words and that gaze. The casual arrogance of his claims was impossibly attractive to Hylas. Cas was powerful. They both knew that. But all that famed strength was in his name and title. Until now, Hylas hadn't known anything about the real power he held over people, and that was— along with being bewitchingly beautiful —the lilting ability to draw out whatever his victim most wanted. In that single moment, what his victim wanted; what Hylas wanted was Cas.

The glint in Cas' eyes was dangerous, mind racing and filling with endless possibilities and scenarios. They were toying a very fine line, and one wrong move could have it spiralling from the fun it was, what it could turn into, speeding directly in the opposite direction. But gods was it satisfying to hear Hylas speechless, to sense how fast both their hearts were beating and to know how calculated their responses were. Hylas could have stopped it right there, but he hadn't, definitely not with that word choice. The grip on the knife only tightened a fraction, if anything to compose himself. He finished the root he was working on, placing the knife to one side as he licked his lips, finally looking back to Hylas slowly, "The ones who hear about those feelings are the ones I think I have the skill to go up against me." A shrug, holding Hylas' gaze, unmoving from his place at the counter, "There's nothing to suggest I don't mind letting others come out on top. Being in control all the time becomes so boring. And anyway…" He sighed, turning to face Hylas from his place across the room, "It's nice to see how far your sparring partner is willing to go to get you in such a vulnerable position. If they have the guts to do so." Cas bit his lip. Was it the fire that had the room suddenly so warm or was it the twisting, satisfying feeling growing in his stomach? Even from across the room, nowhere near each other, Cas could feel the tension between them, an invisible string urging him to go closer, test the waters more, see what Hylas would do in response. So far his reactions had been nothing short of wonderful. From the stuttering to the heat rising in his cheeks. He was playing a dangerous game with the most dangerous man he knew, and Cas was loving it. The back of his mind, the logical part, the one that screamed at him to stop it before things got out of hand, but he couldn't, he didn't want to, not now that he'd seen just a sliver of this part of Hylas. What would he do next? He was aching to know, desperate for his reply, those words with subtle undertones, the hidden meaning beneath them, like a drug Cas didn't know he wanted, or needed, and craved more of.

"And since I've heard about those feelings, you're saying that makes me…Hmm." The gentle raise of his eyebrows challenged the specifics of his claim, and with a dismissive shake of his head, Hylas hummed in amusement. The stubborn rapport between them served ceaseless rounds of doublespeak, where the tension ran high and the indecent suggestions ran wild. He knew the prince of Eirus was different from most, but he didn't expect to learn this novelty about him. Cas was a flirt, and as much as Hylas was craved and enjoyed the attention— those quietly hungry looks couldn't be anything more than an experimental teasing. Hylas knew that he shouldn't have indulged in replying to Cas' playful quips, but the idea of getting such a reaction out of him was too tempting. In his mind, as long as he knew that Cas was only doing this for a laugh, it didn't matter if Hylas went along and made him feel the same way. All this talk about preference and dynamic made his head spin, partly from the Cas' unprincely boldness and partly from his own natural reactions towards his words. The confidence behind Cas' low, comfortable tone was sweet and stirring. It had him shy and bold all at once, filling him up with an unfamiliar excitement. "It sounds like you've thought about this quite a bit, Cas," Hylas said, taking a few slow steps towards the counters, heavy eyes fixed on him as he spoke, pacing himself. Standing before Cas, Hylas felt defiant and almost as tempting as the prince. "Sounds like you know what you want," He said, dangerously soft. His head barely tilted to the side as he smiled, his gaze dropping down to the counter; as if he was only there to look for something. "And how you want it."

Cas smiled, maybe a little too innocently for their conversation, "More of a matter of who, instead of what, Hylas." He couldn't help but let his gaze flick over Hylas' face again, only for a moment now that they were closer together, "And I know exactly who, and how, I want it." Stop it. Stop before it gets out of hand. Cas had to place his hands in his pockets to stop them from twitching subtly. Gods that smile, he couldn't take his eyes off of it, of him. The playful flirting was getting out of hand, and Cas knew that, but he also knew that he wasn't entirely lying when he spoke. He could play it off as just casual, teasing as much as they wanted, but Cas knew, that there was truth behind his words. Would he ever admit to that out loud? Not anytime soon, especially when they were going to part ways soon and all of this would be entirely forgotten about. As much as Cas wished to see where it would lead to, chances were, it wouldn't go further than words and not-so-subtle innuendos. Maybe in a different lifetime, it might have gone further, but right now, Cas was aware there was no chance it would ever go rather than tense stars and smiles, glints in eyes and that soft, alluring tone they both had going on now. He should have stepped back, but his feet were glued to the ground. He couldn't have moved even if he wanted to, and couldn't tear his gaze away from how stupidly soft Hylas' lips looked so close. It was a struggle to keep his breathing under control, or even to fight off the heat threatening to burn its way to his cheeks, but that casual swagger of confidence didn't falter even for a moment. Every excruciatingly slow moment that passed had endless possibilities coursed through him, and they all ended in ways that should never happen between a prince and an assassin.

It took everything Hylas had not to sheepishly look away and lose the comfortably excruciating staring contest. He wanted so badly to get close— to hear Cas' breath hitch and his own pulse scream as he whispered 'If you want it, take it. You're a prince, after all. Or, are you a coward?' and feel the air grow hotter and heavier. His breaths were quiet, shallow and furious with anticipation, and his hands were warm and uncertain. Only his gaze remained calm and unbothered by the challenging green stare. All he wanted was to see what Cas what do, but for now he'd have to make do with imagining it. Come on you, put down that knife and show me what you mean. The competitive impulse to give in was straight poison for Hylas, who felt thrilled and exhausted by thinking and feeling so much. If nausea could be pleasant, this is what it would feel like. A knotted stomach, crashing waves of chills and fever, and the waking delirium of a present dream-figure easing and inspiring the confusion. If Cas was as confident as he sounded, Hylas had no doubt that he wouldn't have finished the second sentence of his reply before something unimaginable would happen. Unimaginable like what? Like Cas doing more than just teasing; proving the honesty of his words through unforgivable acts. Could he push him to such a thing? Beyond any natural thoughts and harmless curiosities towards each other, crossing this line would be a scandal for Caspian. Surely, as a prince he had the knowledge and self-restraint to go no further, but what about as a man? Was he thinking of the consequences of risking it? Or a way to settle their exchange without any embarrassment? Did he want Cas to kiss him so he could somehow win their heated exchange? Or did he really want it, after all the stolen glances and lingering laughs? The dark swirl of feelings and the stubborn need to be right fought for control over his next words. There wasn't much in the way of reason. Every fibre of his being was drawn to him, and he didn't care if that had become apparent only through their conversation. Either way, he needed to know what came next. He opened his mouth to speak, already smirking at the terrible invitation when a loud sizzling broke the enchanted silence. "Shit," He muttered, lunging away from the kitchen and darting around the corner of the half-wall to meet the raging fire yapping at the soup pot boiling over.

The breath that Caspian let loose once Hylas had disappeared was ragged, and he would have screamed if he wasn't just around the corner. His heart was thundering so fast he could have sworn it was about to break his ribs and land on the floor, walk right over to the assassin and tell him exactly what scandalous things he was thinking about doing to him if Hylas would let him. His eyes squeezed shut, hands covering his face in an attempt to calm himself down. It was both a blessing and a curse that that soup had spilt over the side, preventing what would have happened if Hylas had managed to get his last few words out before being interrupted. Would he have gone further? Cas was ready to rip his head apart out of agony. There was a war. He was a prince. Hylas was an assassin, and they had no right to be teaing and exchanging conversation like that. But if Hylas had asked, even hinted just a little more that he wanted it just as much as he did, Cas knew he wouldn't be able to stop once he got started. Soup and dinner be damned when Hylas had been looking at him like that and subtly suggesting what they both knew they craved by now. Regaining his composure, Cas swallowed the rest of those thoughts to be entertained another day, grabbed the small board of roots and headed around the corner to see what was going on, "The soup better be alright because otherwise, I would have cut these roots up for nothing." He placed them gently on the table, making sure they wouldn't roll off the wobbly piece of furniture before taking a few steps towards Hylas, as if their conversation moments ago hadn't happened at all, and his mind still wasn't reeling and desperate to know what Hylas was going to say, or what he might have done to Cas in return. Would he be able to sleep at all tonight? Alone with the thoughts and images of what could have happened if they only had a little more time. It was unbearable to leave the conversation ending that way, Cas wanted nothing more than to kick the pot to the side and go back to their playful teasing and flirting and the desperate want for Hylas. Cas couldn't remember the last time someone had him worked up like that, not for a long time, but gods was he craving that rush again. Now he knew how far they were both willing to go, Cas prayed that just maybe, if time would allow, they could continue and cross those unspoken lines.

Red-faced and nearly gasping for breath, Hylas rushed to see to the angry soup. Muttering breathy curses, he hurriedly tried to calm the rapid boil by stirring it. In their distracted exchange, Hylas had forgotten the hanging pot of soup and the fire had grown too hot. Now, faced with a furious, fragrant steam and a roaring fire, he could find no relief from the previous dizzying warmth. "It's fine, it's fine," He hoarsely sighed, shaking his head as he stirred the thick liquid, "Don't think it's quite burned at the bottom, but um…it's still going to give me grief when I try to clean it later." Overheated and overwhelmed, Hylas swallowed as the ground swayed from under his feet. All the tension of the past few minutes had crashed down with the reality of the immediate problem, and since he had no time to transition between the two events, the thrill of their flirting clashed with the panic of the disaster around the corner. He had been so close. Close to seeing what Cas really meant. Whatever waited for him in the future had beckoned him forward. The gentle hands of fate had tugged at his waist, leading him closer to the green-eyed siren tempting him quietly, fiercely. Gods, those words; that mouth. Now, the spell was broken. Flushed cheeks and uneven breaths burned them inside and out, where only fear and disappointment steered their thoughts away from the impossible. All at once, the sounds and colours of the room were too much for him, and as a he moved away from the hearth, he walked into the corner of the table. In his confusion, he glanced up at Cas and then back to the pot of simmering soup. He tried his best to smile at his clumsiness, shrugging as if the whole situation was a laughable one. "Oh— um. You should probably…you can throw in the vegetables," He swallowed, quickly turning back to the kitchen and drunkenly searching for his abandoned cup of water. "It's fine. It's all fine. Nothing's ruined." Reminded again of their moment, he felt a new wave of nerves come alight. The sun was low in the sky, and with feverish hands, Hylas opened a small window.

Cas watched Hylas for a moment before he gently pushed the roots into the pot, hearing them sizzle and bubble away in the newfound silence between them. At least he wasn't the only one feeling overwhelmed after their exchange and very obvious heated because of it, "Well, you cooked, I'll clean afterwards." That's how their last meals had gone, and Cas wasn't going to let a tough to clean pot stop him from helping out around here to repay the debt he fell the owed to Hylas, "If it didn't burn then it'll be fine, just have to keep an eye on it this time." It was clear that nothing else would happen, tonight at least, considering they were both hot and heavy and still reeling from the possibilities and the 'what ifs?' The gentle pink and orange glow casting over the room enveloped them both in the last of the evening sun, with the cool wind breezing through the window taking the edge off of the warm room. Cas kept his distance, staying near the pot of soup to make sure they didn't recreate their mistake from earlier. It was hard to stop thinking about it, about what Hylas might have said if given only a few more seconds, what was hiding behind that gods damned smirk. Would they ever get to find out how that conversation was going to end? He wanted to know, he needed to know, but considering it came to a sharp end, Cas knew that it wouldn't be anytime soon. But know that they both knew, or presumed, how they had felt in that moment, whether it had been banter or no, Cas wasn't going to let it affect how the rest of their time together played out. He made sure not to make a comment about it, about how he had walked into the table. No way was he the one going to make things awkward.

Hylas muttered some half-hearted protest at the prince's offer, resting on his forearms as he leaned out of the window. Outside, the wind was warm and forgiving. He could feel the heat of all his sins and blunders carried away in the damp sway of mountainous currents, pushing and pulling him towards forgiveness. Gods help me, Hylas prayed to himself, trying not to frown at the unfortunate state of his affairs. As he left the window, the cold shadows of the evening stuck to his mind like a cloudy nimbus of fear. Thoughts of failure as missed opportunities swelled in languid stretches of emotional strain. What would've happened if I'd spoken without hesitating? Even with the interruption, if Cas had heard the challenge at all, surely he would've returned to the warm spiral of their conversation. That is, if Cas wasn't truly joking when he suggested all those things. Hylas pushed the falling hair out of his face, trying to steady the storm of frustration and regret that throbbed in a dull ache. I'm not used to feeling this much. I feel ill, feverish. It felt like he'd been awake for days. Sleep sounded like such a holy place to fall into, but he knew that he couldn't let himself be seen as so frail in the eyes of the prince, especially after his defiant retorts. "I'll— I'll deal with the rabbit," He muttered, blinking hard and ignoring Cas as he returned to the kitchen. With sleeves rolled high, he cleaved the skinned game and cooked it high on the oiled pan, deliriously throwing traditional spices of Croucan at it in between long sips of water. By the time it was cooked, his head was clearer and his heartbeat untroubled. He made his way to Cas and the soup, meeting him with an apologetic smile before transferring the meat into the thick, glorious liquid. We can start over. We can always ignore and move on. "I don't think I've had enough water in these last few days," He almost whispered, "Too many distractions. You ought to drink some too."

Cas watched the soup as if it were going to run away from there if he took his gaze away, watching it bubble away, sizzling over the warm heat of the fire, vegetables turning in liquid. Without Hylas being in the room for a while, it gave the prince enough time to calm his thoughts and recenter himself. Whatever was left unspoken between them, now wasn't the time to bring it up again. Later, he ultimately decided. They could continue with their unspoken tension and obvious desperation to know where it would lead too, later. Dinner, right now, and making sure they didn't become distracted again, was more important than the mindless flirting and obvious suggestions. The fog that had taken over his head finally cleared enough to think once more. The feelings that had dragged themselves to the surface had finally sunk back into the depths of his stomach, leaving the quiet, swirly fluttering feeling that seemed to arise whenever Hylas smiled at him or spoke to him the right way in its wake. From the deafening silence that had settled between them, Cas couldn't tell whether Hylas did, or had ever, felt that way around him, too. Even he felt tired. Maybe it was because of how emotional the last few days had been, the heavy stress that weighed down on his shoulders every second now that he knew what was coming, and what he would have to do to stop it, or maybe it was because of Hylas and how he made him feel when they were so close together. It was probably both, but to ease some of the worries in Cas' mind about his beautiful companion, he chose to believe the former of the two possibilities. When Hylas returned, Cas returned his smile with one of his own, sighing through his nose gently, "I'll have some later," He couldn't remember the last time he had had any water. Right now he didn't care enough to get up and get a cup of his own, "With dinner. I promise."