bloodbound. (earinor & akira)

    • Pulling someone out of their very own comfort zone was one thing, taking care of them the entire time another. Yujin appreciated Richard being there, immensely at that, but he also knew that, to the blonde, he probably functioned as some sort of anchor in a world that would love nothing more than to will the fallen prince away, and now, he stood firm for them both - even if that meant that he, despite all accounts of everything that ever happened at once, took care of him for the gods knew how long, down to choosing what to wear and what to do with his hair. Now, that got him thinking, but springing sudden ideas on Richard never seemed like it was a good idea and frankly, Yujin couldn't care less about some sort of sense of comfort for himself - as long as it made the blonde feel comforted, he was up to it, even though he was dragging him around like a kid would do with a stuffed toy that became all worn and torn overtime. Richard wasn't like that, was he? "Mn, you don't?", Yujin reiterated for them both, as if the answer was up to debate and he had to go figure whatever or not it was actually, genuinely the truth or if Richard was trying to comfort him by indulging his stupid ideas.

      The way to the courtyard wasn't a long one, per se, but the two of them just took everything slow once they left their shared roomed as it seemed. Why? Most likely because, no matter what they did, their own pace came down to a crawl anyway and the realization that no, out here, nothing and no one would stop for them, was a different one, too. Was it wrong to do everything like that? Probably, or maybe? But maybe not. Who knew. "I don't think so. We don't have to take everything either, just the things you need and want to bring. I have plenty of blankets and pillows in my room.", he elaborated further, but he also knew that yes, Richard was right, moving everything around was a pain - and still, Yujin might have longed for the slightly softer mattress that he could have moved ages ago, while they were at it. One thing he'd definitely miss was their bed, that undeniably smelled like both of them by now, but Yujin stood firm and squeezed Richards hand. How cute he was, how cute he could be - and how concerned they were, over something so simple. "Well, uh, we don't have to. I just thought that maybe, you might want to see my room again?", he suggested. And also, just maybe, they'd figure out where they wanted to be, indefinitely. It apparently was this castle, at least for now, but that didn't mean that they wanted to stay in the guest wing, secluded from everyone else, forever, was it? Maybe, just maybe ... that'd be nice, now that he thought about it. "But we have plenty of time to think about that.", he whispered, once her arrived at the intricate door that let to the courtyard. It was big, partly made of ice as it seemed, with carvings all over it, making it look ... tacky in Yujins opinion, and hard to push open too. However, once that was dealt with, they were greated by what seemed to be an icy parlor and frozen grass, swaying in wind that wasn't even there. Well, it was nice out here.
      Looking back, it maybe is like the toy carts you rode when you were a kid. But those toy carts could never go beyond the walls of the lawn. We want to follow the rugged concrete road beyond the wall. As we've grown, we've decided to leave behind the toy cart.

    • Richard wasn't quite sure what the point of changing rooms was and the guest wing of the icy castle was actually nice, they were all alone there and without Yujins siblings around, but Richard was fine with either solution. He still wondered what Yujins oldest brother had to do with Yujins accident though and why the prince wrote that one line in his diary. For a moment Richard thought about sneaking into his room to find clues, but that would be insane! Richard was definitely not suited for something like that right now and he also didn't want to get kicked out of the castle and sent away from Yujin. Sometimes he truly had stupid ideas and maybe if it were back then, the first time Richard was in Silesse, he'd actually do it, or he'd find Quan to beat some answers out of him. It sucked that he wasn't capable of helping Yujin anymore, he would have really loved to, but Richard actually had another idea. Dayan was resourceful and this stupid little devil too, maybe Richard could sneak a package of Yujins medicine into his letter and ask them about it. Asking didn't hurt and despite all, he believed that Dayan was still on Richards side, or was he only causing more trouble for him if he did something like that?

      "No, no it's fine.", Richard simply answered after being distracted for a bit, but they arrived at the icy courtyard anyway. He greeted Muhan with a short nod and Yujins father seemed delighted that Richard came out of his room, he didn't say anything though. Richard just searched for a nice corner for himself which he sneaked off to to sit down with his stack of paper and something to write. While Yujin and Muhan started training Richard was still thinking about his letters and he decided he'd write the one for Nayantai first. Every now and then he looked up and almost always Yujin glanced over to him and got hit by something in turn, because he didn't pay attention. It took Richard a while to find the right words for Nayantai, but he wanted to tell him that he still loved him and that he was sorry for how things went in the castle. he also told him he was sorry for everything that happened in Olette, but that none of what happened had ever been his fault. He also told him that he was doing much better and that he'd like to see him eventually, when he improved a bit more. He figured that writing a letter to Nayantai but not to Dayan wouldn't work, so he thanked Dayan in his letter that he sent him here. He also reported to him that he was much better and that he was gaining weight again. He then asked him a bit weirdly about the medicine he could hopefully sneak with the letter, but he didn't directly spell it out. Maybe Richard was paranoid, but he'd also have Yujin deliver the letter to a boat or whatever personally if possible. With all that down however, Richard put the letters in two envelopes he had requested and than watched Yujin train for the remainder of time. He was getting a bit cold out here, though he received a blanket from a servant while he was still working on his letters.

    • Training was Yujins favorite past time - he wanted to believe that it had been for a fairly long time, but it wasn’t and he was aware of that. But not only that; his books seemed to be written by what was at least two different versions of himself and it worried him, but even more so, he couldn’t get his mind out of the gutter before and he was unable to do so now, too - there was no way of knowing what would happen if he forced himself to remember, through whatever ridiculous method available to him, but it only followed that, no matter what, none of his attempts had been frugal up to this point. Though, there was another thud - and Yujin, despite knowing better, fell to the ground, stumbling over his own feet as it seemed, and ate some dirt. “Was that necessary?”, he grumbled at Muhan. “Pay attention, you can look at Richard all day - you can spare to focus on something else for an hour or two! And now get up.”, Muhan laughed and offered him a hand, which Yujin promptly denied, only to jump up and attack his father, almost causing him to slip and lose balance - but no, his old man was used to fighting, always had been and always would be, and to him, fighting with Yujin probably came close to getting attacked by a rabid puppy that hardly did anything to him.

      Breaking a sweat was normal, but the fact that his gaze kept shifting back to Richard - who he occasionally smiled at, in hopes he’d watch - but he was mostly glued to those letters of his, and even that made the wolf smile, especially when he was handed a blanket that he huddled up in. Wasn’t he just the cutest? “You died for the fifth time today.”, his dad suddenly said, while pressing the tip of his blade against Yujins clothes, almost as if he was implying that he’d actually die now, but the wolf sighed instead, before chuckling at his dad. “Fine, but you’re not any different when father’s around!”, he complained and, if rumors held true and Shuren had his ears everywhere, he’d hear this banter, too. “I’m not that bad. You’re just … absolutely smitten, aren’t you?”, Muhan eventually pointed out, and Yujins stopped in his tracks, giving his old man a certain look. “Don’t.”, he simply told him and his father made a gesture that only could be read as “sealing his lips”, sort of - and he wouldn’t be wrong about that. Then, Yujin smiled and got rid of his own and his dads swords, before dragging his old man back over to the bundled up blanket figure that sat there. They were done, and Yujin wanted cuddles, but he needed a bath first. “We have a question. Or I do.”, he suddenly mumbled, then looked at Richard. What was he going to say? Was it right to ask? “We read my d-“ “You still have them?”, Muhan asked instead and Yujins expression grew wide-eyed. “How much do you two know?”, he continued. “Enough to know something is missing.” “Figured … what do you want to know?”
      Looking back, it maybe is like the toy carts you rode when you were a kid. But those toy carts could never go beyond the walls of the lawn. We want to follow the rugged concrete road beyond the wall. As we've grown, we've decided to leave behind the toy cart.

    • Richard didn't understand what the father and son duo over there talked, but he also didn't listen much, not while he was writing. It was actually good that he didn't understand a word, because focusing on the letters was hard enough and it was also hard to listen away when someone talked. The Silessian dialect however was something Richard would never get and even though Nayantai spoke it, he never taught his children. Why would he, with normal Thrian you could basically talk to anyone and if they weren't rude they did include you in conversations too. Richard remembered one of Yujins friends talking only in dialect for quite some time, then again they all weren't too happy at first, when Yujin dragged the new strange kid with him, as if he found lost puppies all the time but eventually forgot about them again. He didn't really forget Richard though, the memories were there, that much was clear, just not very accessible. They would be in due time, though maybe it was better Yujin didn't remember all of what happened.

      Eventually Richard even got brought some hot tea without asking for it and he also didn't notice Yujin or Muhan tell anyone. Well he didn't mind, he took the hot cup leaned back and warmed his hands on it while he watched the remainder of the training. Richard actually felt a bit itchy watching them, training gave him comfort once too, when he arrived here the first time around, but he doubted he could do much in his current condition. After a while both sparring partners came over to him and Richard almost felt a bit ambushed, even though it was Yujin ambushing Muhan who in turn already knew what was going on. This was scary. Richard still felt ambushed because he didn't think he'd be dragged into this interrogation when Yujin told him he'd ask Muhan. He still didn't want to get kicked out of here and he knew none of this was any of his business. Richard just averted his gaze to neither be stared down by Muahn not by Yujin who obviously was asking for some help, but it was his father and not Richards. The blonde felt like he'd be scolded any minute now.

    • He'd sprung all of this on Richard, and Muhan, seemingly out of nowhere and Yujin would be lying if he claimed that he didn't feel the tiniest bit bad about it. Of course, there was no way to do it the right way, and there was no way out either, but they had to start somewhere and maybe, just maybe, it was easier to congregate as a group of three than a duo - and Yujin still hoped that his old man was not dense enough to turn on them, the moment Shuren even caught a whiff of what was happening. "The heart.", he simply mumbled, much less adamant about the topic at hand - his expression softened up, maybe because of Richard, maybe because he didn't want to give Muhan the wrong idea, either, but was it really that? "The ... heart?", his old man repeated and needed a moment before he figured out what they wanted of him, apparently at the very least, and soon enough, he furrowed his brow, as if there was something he, too, forgot a long time ago. "Didn't I tell you that before?", he asked again, and maybe, Yujin had never called a bluff for anyone but Muhan had actually told him. What a weird turn of events - but a pleasant one, for once. Why did this go smoother than expected anyway.

      "The books say that, well, they mention no name, but ... yes, you might have. But I don't remember.", the wolf sighed, begrudgingly at that, and Muhan seemingly took pity on both of them - or he had something in mind that neither of them was able to figure out at this point. Did his old man want something in return? He seemed stoked all of a sudden, but he didn't say anything. "Dad, you're scaring Richard.", Yujin mumbled. "What?" "You're scaring him, I'm pretty sure." They continued their banter for a while, it wasn't like nagging, it was much more about goofing around and eventually, they both apologized to Richard and Yujin sat down next to him instead, grabbing his hand, all the while he was making sure that the blonde was still covered in that blanket of his and comfortable, as much as he could be out here, at the very least. "What about the heart, then?", he inquired again. This time, Muhan was the one that sighed in defeat instead and scratched the back of his head, almost apologetically. "Your grandmothers. Shurens side.", he blurted out and all that begged was more questions, none of which Yujin could even ask. "The cross came later. I don't know why. It's unrelated. Either way, don't bring it up to your father.", Muhan spoke, hushed at that, shaking his head soon after, before crouching down in front of them and seemingly observing something. God, his dad was such a nuisance sometimes. "Wh-" "I've been thinking ... Richard, would you like to join in on the sparring next time?", his dad asked the blonde instead, leaving Yujin confused for a second, before he realized what look he was given - and instead made the same gesture as his dad before, sealing his lips. "You'd just hurt him!", he complained on Richards behalf. "I doubt that. Maybe he'd be able to focus, unlike you."
      Looking back, it maybe is like the toy carts you rode when you were a kid. But those toy carts could never go beyond the walls of the lawn. We want to follow the rugged concrete road beyond the wall. As we've grown, we've decided to leave behind the toy cart.

    • Richard kept out of the discussion pretty much, he didn't want to cause trouble. It was odd, when he first came here he was all about trouble, causing it left and right wherever he went and he wanted justice for Yujin so much, he would have done the stupidest of things. it was out of line for him. Yes he was always righteous, probably because of his upbringing, but he rarely punched people just like that, nor did he disobey someone like Shuren before. Maybe when he was younger he didn't really have a chance. Either way, now that he was back here he lost that rebellious side that belonged to his brother more than him anyway. He wanted to stay here and not get kicked out, nor did he want Yujin to get grounded in his room alone. Maybe he shouldn't have told him about the heart they found, maybe he should have kept quiet about all of this and maybe he shouldn't have encouraged Yujin to ask Muhan about it. This was no use and his father obviously didn't want to talk about it.

      There was some banter between Yujin and Muhan, it took quite a while and the blonde thought Muhan had distracted Yujin enough, but no. The prince took Richards hand and asked once more, as if to tell him to listen and remember or him. The answer however wasn't really anything useful and also something Muhan could have told them earlier when Richard asked the first time. Richard wasn't even sure if he should believe him, despite Yujin saying that he always told the truth - how would he know though? "What... does Yujins accident have to do with his brother then...?", Richard carefully asked awfully silent, he wasn't even sure if Muhan heard him, because he started to propose something else and Richard shook his head. "I-I don't think I can keep up.", he answered stuttering, surprised by the sudden proposal. Richard felt like he couldn't even raise a wooden sword at this point and it would be incredibly embarrassing. "Besides... I don't know anything about spears... Nayantai switched to a sword a long time ago..."

    • Yujin could have gone and figured all of that out by himself, too, he was sure of that, but whatever he'd just received as an answer seemed to be enough for now, at least to satiate that curiousity of his that wasn't going to go anywhere else at all, would he not act upon the chance he'd been given. Taking everything else into consideration, however, it wasn't like his old man to be this discrete about something so ... straightforward and to shush him instead, but he figured that someone or something was watching and that they didn't have much time to talk about something that better was left behind, to rot in an icy ditch, before they were found out. Just why was his father like this? There was no answer whatsoever, and then, just when he wanted to call it quits and claim he didn't care much for all of that banter anymore, Richard talked, at last, asking a question that Yujin had ignored and in hindsight, maybe it would've been better to ask his old man from the get-go. "He's right.", he claimed. "We read about the accident and ... why would I mention Xu? There's pages missing and I can't figure it out for the life of me." Muhans expression didn't shift, but there was something that Yujin noticed right away - was it a nervous twitch? He couldn't tell.

      Something permeated the air and yet, nothing came to mind - there was silence, however, and Yujin wondered why that had happened upon them in the first place. Muhan glanced around, looking for something that he could spot from the courtyard, but when he - seemingly - found what he was looking for, he simply shook his head. "We'll have to talk about this somewhere else. At some point. I'll tell you, but I can't right now.", he spilled, and as Yujin let his gaze wander, too, he found what Muhan had been looking for eventually; Shuren stood up there, at one of the windows, glancing down at them for but a split second, his gaze icy and foreboding, before moving on. Was that bad? He squeezed Richards hand, averting his gaze and redirecting it towards the father that actually crouched in front of him. "That's fine.", his old man beamed, seemingly happy about hearing the name Nayantai - gods, he was unbelievable. "Oh, I'm quite good at wielding swords, too, and Yujin isn't bad either. What about we try? Not today if you don't want, and besides, we can set a pace. It's important you get back on track first, tiring you out comes afterwards, when you have lots of excess energy." Muhan was right, and he'd never not be. "That reminds me, how's your old man anyway?", he eventually asked and Yujin rolled his eyes. Sure, his dad could have the moment, but not without Yujin butting in. "I'd like to train with you at some point, but only if you want to!" Was he trying to encourage Richard? Very much. Was he trying to annoy his dad by not letting him in on what he was saying? Maybe. But more importantly, he actually wanted a bath ...
      Looking back, it maybe is like the toy carts you rode when you were a kid. But those toy carts could never go beyond the walls of the lawn. We want to follow the rugged concrete road beyond the wall. As we've grown, we've decided to leave behind the toy cart.

    • Richard maybe should have shut up, maybe Yujin didn't ask that on purpose and when he encouraged Muhan to speak up, his father looked around nervously. Richard nuzzled more into his blanket as if that would help him hide somehow, he just wanted to stay here with Yujin and this seemed like the wrong approach. He looked at Yujin and Muhan somewhat apologetic and it didn't help that Muhan simply answered that they'd have to talk about all of that somewhere else, seemingly somewhere no one would listen. Why didn't he tell them when he picked them up and they asked the first time? Only Nayantai was there too and he was the last person to snitch on anybody. Richard didn't dare going outside of the castle, so the chances of finding out were slim, yet Yujin could go wherever he wanted. Richard rather had him here, especially now that he knew that even in this place something sinister was going on. He wasn't very good at understanding certain situations, he messed up his own life because of that and he did the same mistake again.

      Muhan changed the subject and smiled at Richard. Well he knew now where Yujin got that from. Richard wondered if Shuren would even allow him to train, or if he'd allow Muhan to go at him with a wooden sword, because he sure as hell knew Dayan would lose his mind over this. He still didn't know what kind of agreement they had after all and Richards letters were probably not the first ones reaching his brother, someone surely reported to him. Then he was asking about Nayantai and Richard averted his gaze, squeezing Yujins hand that held his own a bit, but the prince quickly changed the subject anyway. Richard didn't know if he wanted to fight again though, it only caused him trouble and after all that training he ended up losing to Ares so damn easily. Maybe it wasn't for him, but... rather than just kill people, maybe he goal could be to be able to protect Yujin again and maybe he could even help him solve that mystery about his accident then. "O-okay... maybe I should just start with taking a few walks every now and then, though... I don't really want to leave the castle...", he answered then looked at Muhan again to lift up one of the letters he wrote. "I wrote him a letter... should I tell him you asked about him?", he wanted to know of Muhan, maybe hearing from a friend was good for Nayantai. "When I left he... wasn't in the best condition, but... better than me I suppose." Why wouldn't Richard be honest about that? Maybe Muhan knew what to do, he wasn't Rain, but he knew Nayantai better than his children would.

    • Muhan was soft, inside and out, and everyone seemed to be fairly aware of that - it didn't matter that someone could get at him for that, or that others could think of something like that as wrong; Muhan was, very much, himself and didn't change once, not in all those past years that Yujin spend with his own dad. Didn't it hurt Richard, though? There he was, with a - theoretically - perfectly fine family, every single member living their best life, and those shards that Richard still had of his ... they were nowhere near him, let alone was thinking about them comforting, as it seemed. He felt bad, if only because it became so apparrent that Yujin had lived his life like that, that his family would continue to persist and exist, with or without Richard around, and yet, he couldn't help but squeeze back - maybe Richard could be part of his family, not just in theory, but in reality; but that would take time, and who knew if the blonde even wanted that. "Don't worry.", Muhan insisted, shaking his head. "You're welcome to stay as long as you wish - I stand by that. If you feel like taking walks, I'm sure Yujin will accompany you, even if it's just inside. Or out here.", his old man reassured them both and Yujin expectantly nodded his head.

      Richard wouldn't be going anywhere anytime soon, not because Yujin wanted him to get stuck here and never go anywhere else ever again, but much rather because he felt responsible for him - and pushing him into a direction he wasn't comfortable with wasn't anything he had in mind anyway. "One step at a time, there's no need to rush.", he answered Richard, figuring that Muhan had reached a sore topic that, despite his best efforts, was maybe best left untouched for a good, long while. Was it, though? Who knew - Yujin wasn't sure if Richard would benefit from the exposure, but he talked, not just with him but his old man now as well; he was getting better and watching the process unfold up until now gave him confidence, too. "You don't have to, especially if your letters all done and sealed up - otherwise, I'd be happy if you did, but there's really no need. I might write him myself.", Muhan retaliated - his old man didn't want to bother anyone either, or at least it seemed that way. "I'm glad to hear that. With Nayantai, you never know, but I hope both of you know that you are in good hands. And I hope he's, too." And then, Yujins old man got up, and gave the two of them another overbearing grin. "If you need anything Yujin can't quite help with, feel free to ask. Either way, I'll get going now. We'll talk soon." And with that, Muhan made his way out of the courtyard, leaving both Yujin and Richard behind - the first of which pressed the side of his head against Richards. "Mhhh, we found out nothing."
      Looking back, it maybe is like the toy carts you rode when you were a kid. But those toy carts could never go beyond the walls of the lawn. We want to follow the rugged concrete road beyond the wall. As we've grown, we've decided to leave behind the toy cart.

    • Muhan seemed nice, despite Richard talking to him pretty much for the first time ever. He never really engaged with Yujins family, neither during his first visit on which he dreaded the castle, nor now that he barely left his room. He reminded him of his own father though, he seemed to really care about Yujin, even though Richard would say that Nayantai would up it a notch and not have any secrets. Either way, he was trying his best and Richard started to miss his own father even more. He'd love to fix his relationship with him, but he also knew that meeting him was maybe not the best approach. A letter would take weeks however and then the same time to receive one back if Nayantai even wanted to write Richard. He wished he'd be able to read something coming from him now. Richard nodded at Muhan with a short smile, it truly felt like he was welcome here and he probably had to do this walks he talked about now. It would be good to get out of bed and gain some stamina back, he doubted he could even walk around the whole castle without getting exhausted.

      Richard wondered if Muhan deserved to know what happened to his friend, or if Nayantai deserved some privacy instead. Should Muhan write him, he could ask him himself, but Nayantai probably wasn't honest about it. Maybe he at least was honest with Richard, he wanted how he was and he hoped there was a chance to fix everything somehow. Maybe he'd come here at some day. Richard nodded once more and he hadn't sealed his letter yet, after all one of them wasn't finished. "I'll tell him he should write you.", Richard responded, it was no trouble to add another short note, maybe even an update about how nice Muhan treated Richard. Nayantai wasn't the best topic to talk about though, Richard didn't know how he was or if he ever wanted to see Richard again and by not recognizing his own brother anymore, he wasn't even sure if he was in good hands. Whenever they visited him he was treating him like shit after all. "Bye...", Richard mumbled when Muhan got up with another grin to walk off. Yujin on the other hand cuddled a bit closer to Richard. "That's not true... We know the line about your brother wasn't just an offhand comment now... and we know who the heart belongs to. Maybe if we found some information on her, that'll give us clues... you do have a library right? Maybe an ancestry?", Richard suggested, god damn it, he got involved again. Was he simply bored?

    • Muhan was gone and that left both of them behind, in an empty courtyard. Out here, there were blocks of ice and a multitude of windows, all casting down different types of light upon them, as well as thieving gazes of those who wanted a glance into a life that wasn't there. It felt exposed, and while it wasn't vast, it was a good place to take a walk at; it had fresh air, frozen grass and icy wind, as well as an old tree in one of the corners, who's branches were about to become one with the ice of the castle at this point. Yujin enjoyed the cold as much as he enjoyed Richards warmth, finding that both - combined - was not only much needed, but also sought after - and he'd been denying himself some of that, balm for his soul or not, for quite some time. Did he blame Richard? No, not once in a million years, but he enjoyed the change of pace himself - what he didn't enjoy, however, was his need for a good bath. "Mhm, that's true, but we don't have any real answers for that, either." No, they had none of them and if Yujin was honest, he wasn't even sure if he could get all of that out of Muhan; if he did, maybe they'd have to go somewhere where Shurens eyes and ears couldn't reach, and that meant he'd have to leave Richard behind, for a day or to, or more.

      "A grandmother I never met - all of this sounds unecessarily complicated, doesn't it?", he moped, sounding like a fed-up child that, despite everything, could do nothing except accept his fate, even now that he knew that none of this was truly the case. Was all of this happening because it should be, or was all of this just karma for something he'd done before? Yujin didn't know, but he liked being close to Richard like that, and while the theorycrafting was the exhausting part, it was better than going on a wild goose chase, too. "Yes, a giant library at that.", he assured the blonde, wondering that he possibly could want. He'd been there, many times, but he mostly was interested in language and herbs at that point; he rarely browsed other sections and didn't even think twice about researching his own family. Why would he? Given family tradition, none of them were alive at this point, aside from his closest family, and maybe, that would change one day, with him receiving another short end of the stick. No, this was too much to think about - the topic was heavy in itself, but all that aside, Yujin didn't like it. "We can take a look, if you'd like. But I'd like a bath first, after you finish your letters? I can keep you warm while you finish up if you'd like.", Yujin suggested, snuggling closer once more.
      Looking back, it maybe is like the toy carts you rode when you were a kid. But those toy carts could never go beyond the walls of the lawn. We want to follow the rugged concrete road beyond the wall. As we've grown, we've decided to leave behind the toy cart.

    • "Maybe you two could go on a trip. I'm fine by myself for a view days.", Richard suggested, but he also got another idea, yet Yujin might not want to wait that long. "We could also... ask Muhan to go to the hut with us at some point when I... fell like going outside is possible. We left a lot behind... I'm not sure if there is anything I'd like, but... we could at least check it and have someone for the heavy lifting with us." They only took their clothes and some food. The rest of the bear fur should still be there for example, also all the other fur that made up Richards bed. The plants were most likely dead, but there was also more furniture, maybe a cup he liked or something? If anything it was an excuse to get somewhere save. Save from prying eyes at least, not so save if Richard meant not having Ares men or something catch him. Another good reason to take Muhan with them, though at this point he doubted one big guy was enough... Nayantai couldn't beat him either. Yes, now he was officially scared to go outside even more.

      "Mh... I have another idea but it's a rather stupid one...", Richard mumbled very silently and then leaned over to just whisper it into Yujins ear. "Muhan doesn't tell because of Shuren, right? If he thinks something is up, maybe they talk about it and you could try listening in...?", he whispered, but of course Yujin couldn't follow them around all day. it would be easier if they weren't in the guest wing anymore though, but being closer to Shuren and Xu might also not be the best. Richard didn't know, he actually just wanted some peace and quiet, but this was important to Yujin, so he played along, much like he always did with Dayan. Richard could meanwhile check the library, he had nothing much to do and Yujin didn't seem to be a fan - oh wait. He couldn't even read that stuff! But first a bath apparently. Richard quickly wrote a note ebout Muhan, that he asked about Nayantai and that he was being nice to Richard. Then he put the letters in the envelopes, but they weren't sealed just yet. "I'm done.", he smiled, then put the envelopes into a chest pocket in his clothing, he'd keep them by himself for now. He was ready to get into the warm bathroom now.

    • "A trip? I ... was thinking the same, but I don't want to leave you all alone, even if it's just a few days.", he answered, and suddenly, being smitten was an understatement, at least on Muhans part - Yujin was lovestruck at first sight, only now realizing how bad it had gotten and how hard he'd fallen for someone that, by all means, was not only unsure about where all of this would lead, but also would do good if he weren't involving himself into something like this at all. "Oh, that would be an option! Hm, but you have to get better first - and I'll protect you, no matter what!" They didn't have to stay at the hut, in fact, they couldn't - not with a castle of ice looming over them, like a bastion, and it's crooked shadow stealing away their sun, even from far away. Now that he thought about it, though, he hardly remembered what the hut looked like and he, too, only now realized that the world itself wouldn't come to a standstill because Yujin wanted it to, but because it all would culminate in something, maybe even wasted effort, if he kept pushing and knocking on doors that were rusted shut. With Richard, that was different - he just needed a bit of fixing, a lot of that, but he didn't mind, not once. "You're right, maybe we do find something you like! Your room still could use a bit more color.", he agreed shortly thereafter and it wasn't wrong, either. Yujin did think that Richards room hardly suited him, if only because - all things considered - it seemed vast and empty.

      "Aren't stupid ideas supposed to be my thing?", Yujin immediately wanted to know, but he leaned closer when the whispering started. The words he heard were, well, it was a stupid idea, he'd give Richard that, but all things aside, he also knew, fairly well at that, that nothing would happen if he just made an attempt. Shuren couldn't know everything, and as things stood, they were by their lonesome right now, enthralled with one another and the many things on their minds as well. "I can try - it shouldn't be too hard to do." And even if he got found out, diverting the attention wouldn't be much of a problem either. For now, however, he watched Richard do what he felt like doing, keeping close watch on him, occasionally glancing around and looking for someone watching them, yet, finding no one and the castles windows appeared to be void of life once more. Then, they packed up, and Yujin grinned - racing him to the baths was childish and not doable at this point, but he'd make an attempt at doing just that eventually - and until then, he helped Richard back on his feet and held his hand while they went on their merry way; it wasn't far from here, and once they'd brushed past the door, Yujin made sure to lock it for once, as if he wanted some silence and peace for the two of them, after all that had happened up until now. "Normally I don't even like the hot water that much.", he suddenly mumbled, undoing his clothes. "But ... the warmth is very nice after some training."
      Looking back, it maybe is like the toy carts you rode when you were a kid. But those toy carts could never go beyond the walls of the lawn. We want to follow the rugged concrete road beyond the wall. As we've grown, we've decided to leave behind the toy cart.

    • "It's really not a problem. I feel save in here...", Richard mumbled, though maybe he was wrong about that. Either way, he doubted there was worse than Ares and if he thought logically about it, he couldn't come here, he'd just die because of the temperatures, Richard was very sure of that. And hitmen? "Your father has a strong grip on all of Silesse, doesn't he?", Richard suddenly asked as if he wanted to make sure, though it almost sounded like he meant it the other way around. "I... you know... that man in the dungeon I wrote about...? I also wrote about his son... he is alive and he wants my head. That is the reason my brother gave me for sending me away... among other things. I'm..." He was scared but it was hard to spell it out. "In here I feel much saver, you know...? There are guards and your father... you know?" If he made a step outside the door suddenly there were no guards, only one man, two counting Yujin too, but two weren't enough to even give Ares a scratch. Richard wasn't sure if he even hurt him with his knife. "Maybe if... my brother has news about him, I might go outside..."

      He had to wait for a letter and until then they had a riddle to solve apparently and Yujin took Richard up on his stupid idea. He shouldn't have told him should he...? Knowing when they'd talk if at all would be difficult, but maybe trying didn't hurt, Richard just couldn't really help. Richard didn't want more enemies and while he kind of liked sitting out here in the courtyard, with some sun and fresh air, he was glad to get away from any potential prying eyes too. He followed Yujin inside and towards the bath, the only place Richard went to besides his own room. Yujin locked the door, that was good, Richard rather had no one see his scars, Yujin was fine though. While Yujin undressed, Richard put away the letters first so he wouldn't lose them, then he slowly got rid of his own clothes and putting them on top of the letters. He only left on his underwear and he as per usual quickly got into the water to hide most of his skin and that skeleton body of his. he gained weight, but he still felt week and thin. He almost looked like his father on his worst days. "It'll soften your muscles.", Richard nodded sinking neckdeep into the water. Maybe he could also start exercising here a bit, at least no one disturbed him and a little bit of swimming would work as a little bit of training. Even just bending his limps a bit. For now he just aimlessly scoured the water because he didn't want to sit still, all while still keeping most of his body under water. "A massage helps with not getting sore muscles too... I could give you one, if you want?"

    • Recently, Richard had been much more talkactive and Yujin found himself wondering if the blonde was merely lost in his own thoughts and finally able to break free from them, or if it boiled down to how much he enjoyed himself and the life he'd led up until this point. Spending time with Richard was, if not the highlight of his day, on top of his priority list and he was glad that the blonde neither turned him away nor insisted on going seperate ways most of the time; and when he did, even if it only happened once so far, it kind of hurt him, too, simply because he'd grown quite attached over the past month or so. "That ... I'm glad about. I thought you'd dislike the icy walls a lot, I'm glad the bed has curtains.", he nodded, and he knew that yes, the previous Richard didn't fancy the castle all that much, now that he thought about it - but yet again, Yujin lacked context, and he couldn't make up for that either, instead, he found himself roped into something he didn't quite understand in the first place. Whatever that was, however, was something he'd figure out over time. "Oh, believe me. Nobody gets in and out of here without my father knowing, and there's a sizeable chance you won't get anywhere if he never wanted you here in the first place.", Yujin assured Richard. It wasn't a nice way of putting it, but bloody murder did qualify as one of Shurens strategies.

      "Mhm, I do remember both of them, but ... is that ... wouldn't your brother been able to keep you save?" Damnit, Richard was the little brother of the most influential man from here to Adrestia and this fucker couldn't even keep him away from one murderous bastard? Yujin felt sick just thinking about it, at the inability of Richards brother to do anything for him, which resulted in Yujin just wanting to cool down some more - and maybe beat that idiot to the pulp. "Mh, I think I understand. You feel as if, even if somebody came here, you'd still have enough people defending you, so to speak?", he asked, and he knew that that was something Richard didn't like talking about, either - at the very least by the looks of it -, and even though Yujin always tried to indulge him, right now was not the best moment for that. Some things had to be said, sooner than latter, and healing involved facing ones fears, too - maybe not physically, but at the very least mentally. "There's no need to stress yourself. We'll all keep you safe, until you feel save enough to take a step outside.", the wolf spoke, with a smile, ridding himself of the last of his clothes, save his underwear, before dipping into the pool as well. His hair was floating now, though still tied up, and Yujin knew that if he undid the ribbon, this entire pool would probably be filled out by his damn hair - his heavy, soaking wet hair. He'd much rather watch Richards figure, pacing around in the pool of hot water, unable to think of what to do with himself; and the wolf himself sank down a bit, wanting to relax himself. "Yes, I'd like that." Not that he was sore, but he didn't do much more than Richard did for the past month, but ... well, what did it matter? Muscles were a nice bonus, and yet, they never looked particularly good on him. Richard, on the other hand, was someone that Yujin could ... he ... what? "A massage?", he blurted out, coming closer, just a bit. "If you're offering, I won't say no.", he added, but at the same time, he snipped some water into the blondes direction - a fight sounded fun, too.
      Looking back, it maybe is like the toy carts you rode when you were a kid. But those toy carts could never go beyond the walls of the lawn. We want to follow the rugged concrete road beyond the wall. As we've grown, we've decided to leave behind the toy cart.

    • "Mh... when I first came here I hated everything about this place.", Richard mused with a soft smile. "I hated the snow and the cold... mostly because I was stuck here and not at home. The castle was just the cherry on top, with all the ice I hated so much. Then there was... well Shuren didn't like me very much I think and from what I heard from you - him not letting you leave here - I didn't like him either... It didn't make the castle much better. The icy walls still seem a little... unprivate, but you can't see through after all." Richard talked a lot today and it was fun. Communicating only with nods and headshakes wasn't enough for him anymore. It also didn't bother him to talk and share certain things with Yujin. He didn't mind telling him all sorts of stuff, even if some things came out easier than others. "Also when we... nah forget it. That's a story for another day..." Richard had to think about his first night here and the next day where Yujins sister came along to complain about the noise they made. That was embarrassing and not helping with liking the castle. But that wasn't something he wanted to jump on Yujin quite yet. "That sounds reassuring."

      "My brother never was supposed to be king. He is older than me, but he was adopted by my father under the condition that a wolf would never inherit the throne. When he was the only one left, for some reason, Olette supported him to become king. I must give to them that without them, he probably wouldn't have become anything, he probably would have been chased out and maybe there would have been a war for the crown. Olette fought the war differently, by getting my brother to fall in love with this little... the son of Aramis, the younger one. I guess he didn't think he would kill him in the end... either way, his power isn't very stable, not with Declan, our great uncle, not having control over Alsters nobles. Olette holds a lot of power in Adrestia too, so if Lucien would lose control there, because his brother went mad, my brother would have a problem. Ares thinks I killed his father, so he wants me dead, exiling me appeased him apparently though, but I don't think I can come back.", Richard explained, that was a long one. Besides that however Lucien was insane and Dayan was infected by him. There was no room for Richard there and he was much rather here than near that red headed demon. Then Richard nodded, Yujin hit the nail on the head. he felt save because of loads of people that stood between him and whoever could come for him. "I know that I'm probably save to go outside... logically... but I just can't yet.", he added and he knew Yujin understood that. Yujin came in the water now too, trying to relax his muscles but apparently he didn't expect Richards offer. That reaction made Richard blush, was it so out of place? Yujin was mean! He took the offer anyway, though first he flicked some water in Richards direction. "That's not going to get you a massage...", he mumbled, defending himself with one hand, then he came closer. "Turn around, you used enough energy before... you could rest your arms and head on the edge?"

    • Frankly, the castle wasn't likeable, not for everyone and Yujin couldn't blame any of their guests for it. Sometimes, when they actually had any, they just marbled at the architecture of the castle itself, and how well it held up despite the many different temperatures that could be emitted from within, but even then, Yujin couldn't care less; as long as Richard even felt the slightest bit save with him around and in this place, of all the places he could have gone instead, he was happy. "Shuren didn't like you? I think you ... no, maybe you're right. Sometimes, he's hard to read or hard to please, but he doesn't dislike you now, I know that much.", Yujin clarified and he meant it. Sure, Richard explained his circumstances a tad bit better and Yujin finally came to understand the grand scheme of things, but it still begged some of the more curious questions - why was he exiled here and why, by the gods, did his father just agree to something like that? Was there some sort of ongoing conspiracy that he failed to see? "When we? Aww, you made it sound so interesting, but it's alright. I'm just glad you feel welcome and safe here, there's nothing more I'd want anyway." And that meant that they could stay here, for as long as they needed to - and Yujin was fairly certain that, no matter what, they'd be stuck in this castle for at least a few more months, wouldn't they?

      As he stood there, glancing at Richard, marbling at how very different his body looked to what he swore he could remember - which was nothing - he wondered if he'd ever made the artistic effort of drawing him, previously at the very least, and how that would have turned out, but that thought didn't last for long. Words followed, detailing a story that made Yujin the slightest bit confused - not because he loathed hearing it all, but rather because it ... offered up perspective about a life that, in hindsight, he'd always known so little about. "I ... this sounds like a lot, and I'm glad you tell me all of this with so much confidence, but ... it sounds like a mess waiting to happen.", he admitted. With Richards brother in power, he surely seemed like a capable man, but following the explanation itself, it seemed more like he was never meant to be who he turned out to be, and that Adrestia was a pain in the ass to deal with in general. Then, however, Yujin got a bit confused. "Didn't you say ... wolf? But you're a wolf, too, right? That doesn't make sense. Why would they want you on the throne but not your brother? Is it because of your looks?" The way Richard talked about Dayan, he'd anticipated that they shared their parents, as well as maybe a birthday, but it seemed that he had mistakenly assumed that - something outrageous, in fact. "So it's all this stupid Ares' guys fault? How about I beat him up? Would that help with your fears?" Maybe, but if Yujin was honest, even beating Muhan seemed like a hassle he hardly accomplished, ever. The odds would be even more skewed in a real fight. "Don't worry, there's no need to stress about going outside, like I said. Take your time and get comfortable, alright?" The last three days now, or rather two - if they counted one morning and one night as one - they talked about nothing more than Richards ill-fated life and hopefully, it helped the blonde heal; Yujin encouraged it, but he couldn't help but want to protect him, too. "I just wanted to play, you look like you might want to?", he asked, sheepishly at that, wearing an apologetic grin on his face. "Hm, sure!", he hummed and leaned over, as instructed, enjoying the theoretically cold ice that touched his skin in turn. This was a weird kind of temperature difference, but a welcome one. "I like looking at you, you know?"
      Looking back, it maybe is like the toy carts you rode when you were a kid. But those toy carts could never go beyond the walls of the lawn. We want to follow the rugged concrete road beyond the wall. As we've grown, we've decided to leave behind the toy cart.

    • "Until I bring you to do stupid stuff again...", Richard mumbled, and he basically was doing that right now again. He didn't ask Yujin for the diaries, it seemed like the prince came up with that topic on his own over and over again, until he forgot why he brought them again, but Richard was somehow enabling him as it seemed. Everyone else probably just told Yujin to forget about it, or that it wasn't important, maybe Richard should just do the same if he wanted to stay here. "We didn't exactly ask for permission when we went to that place... and I broke you out of your house arrest once too. You also stayed with us at the hut without asking permission more than once... besides you also should have married this one girl. I think Shuren liked her much more than me...", Richard explained. He gave Yujins father plenty reason to not like him, but he wasn't really in a position to break Yujin out of here now. Maybe that kind of appeased Shuren, he even let Yujin stay with Richard all the time.

      "If I don't come back, I think Dayan can manage it... and I believe Lucien doesn't wish him harm either, so that's a relief I guess...", Richard mumbled. "I don't care about the crown anyway, Dayan can have it, he is much stronger than I am anyway." It was like if Yujin inherited Silesse while his older brother got nothing, that was just unfair, it was better this way, right? "My father by blood was the king of Adrestia and he was from an old noble Adrestian bloodline. Dayan is Nayantais and some Thrian womans son, he has no Adrestian blood in his veins, much less Adrestian nobles blood, unlike me." That wasn't completely true, Rikiya was actually a half wolf too and he was from noble heritance, but that led too far right now and Yujin forgot the story Richard told him before. In the eyes of the public that didn't matter anyway. "No!", he suddenly blurted out. "Should you see Ares, which is very unlikely, please just run away." Everyone should unless they were a whole army against one man. Ares didn't even break a sweat when they fought him and Nayantai was one of the strongest people Richard knew, he himself wasn't so bad either back then and still... "I want to give you a massage, that'll exhaust me enough.", Richard answered and waited for Yujin to turn around. "I looked much better...", he mumbled then, but Yujin couldn't see him right now anyway. The blonde carefully placed his hands on Yujins shoulders and started kneading him through. He knew how to get rid of sore muscles, but his fingers started aching soon enough. He continued anyway.

    • “Did you do that before?”, Yujin asked, questioning the entire situation that was laid out in front of him. Richard didn’t seem like a troublemaker, quite the opposite in fact and yet, Yujin earnestly believed that, no matter what, he was telling him the truth - and he was trying his best to make the forgetful prince comfortable, too. “Sounds like you used to be quite the rebellious troublemaker, huh? Was it fun to make all that effort for me, at least?”, Yujin spoke into his arms, which he’d folded and put outside of the pool of water, resting his head on them. This was a nice temperature difference, and while he did seek out the hot water himself this time - taking a dip in the cold sea wouldn’t help anyone, and definitely not Richard, who’d probably freeze to death, the moment the cold waves so much as licked at his bare hands. “Yin, you mean?”, Yujin asked, almost as if she were nothing more than an afterthought at this point, even though Richard was somehow - unintentionally - making his heart sink into his stomach, time and time again. Did Richard know he was being lied to? The wolf couldn’t tell and only make attempts to communicate his confusion - and yet, he didn’t. “I don’t care for her, and my father picked her out. Why would I marry her if I don’t love her?” Because of many things - relations, power and politics, but none of that mattered out here, not when you were the one that ruled over the most frigid place on earth. Yujin knew that Silesse wasn’t his, would never be - and even then, he didn’t care much for any of that. Freedom was important, even if he was giving it up right now, just to spend some time with Richard - who was pretty good at massaging him, he’d give him that.

      “So you want to stay with me? Here?” Sometimes, Yujin was akin to a puppy, waiting to be called a good boy by asking stupid questions that he knew the answer to, anyway - and he chuckled about it, like the absolute idiot he was and most likely always would be. “Don’t say that. Maybe he can have the crown, but I’m sure you could beat him in a fight if you put your mind to it. And you’re doing better.” That seemed to be the thing that everyone prioritized when it came to the blonde; it wasn’t wrong, it was the right thing to do, too - and Yujin was just waiting for some sort of disaster to happen, once Richard got fed up with all of them caring for him like a little child. “Oh, so it’s … he’s your brother, but not by blood?”, he pointed out. They seemingly grew up together, shared a strong bond with one another and up until some point, Richard seemed to have had a strong bond with that Dayan guy, but that was it. Even then, his prior statement was met with resistance and it left Yujin wondering. “Mh, but if Ares were to … disappear, off the face of this earth, would you feel safer? Can’t your brother beat him to the pulp?” How come Ares didn’t want to murder Richards brother for harboring him, then? Did Yujin skip over something? Likely, or Richard didn’t tell him - there was nothing else to do besides talking, now that two feeble hands massaged his back, kneading it throughly. That felt exceptionally good, much needed to, and a satisfied grumbling left his throat at some point - how the hell was Richard this good? “You’re pretty good … and I mean, I won’t say no.”, he chuckled - and he was honest about it. “I’m sure you were a sight for sore eyes, but even then, that doesn’t matter, does it? I like you, the you that you are right now. Sure, you’re still pretty thin but that’s not something that can’t be fixed.”, he assured Richard, burying his own face in his hands. “Do you … want one, too?”
      Looking back, it maybe is like the toy carts you rode when you were a kid. But those toy carts could never go beyond the walls of the lawn. We want to follow the rugged concrete road beyond the wall. As we've grown, we've decided to leave behind the toy cart.

    • "Mh... I called it just doing the right thing... I think I just liked you and wanted to help. I always did stuff like that. I'm sorry... this time I don't feel so sure about all of this.", Richard replied apologetic. He used to fight for Yujin really hard, even though he then left him alone with all of it, but that had different reasons, stronger ones. Now however, he just wanted a save place to live and not ruin the one he got right now. Where would he even go if he couldn't stay here anymore? "Yeah, I think Yin was her name. I told you to not break up with her because of me, but I also told you you shouldn't be with her if you don't love her. You never listened though." Richard wondered how that had changed and when he finally dumped her. Maybe she dumped him because he cried over someone else she then found out about. Shuren didn't fight to keep them apart either, so it seemed like that chapter was closed, but he also wouldn't pick Richard for Yujin instead. Or maybe he would, now that he was the kings brother and not just an exiled crownprince who had nothing left?

      Richard continued to massage Yujin. He started with his shoulders and then moved on to his upper back and a little bit of his arms. It was actually nice to touch his skin again - his very soft skin, but that wasn't what Richard was after. He was after nothing with this, he just wanted to be nice to Yujin. "Yeah. I'd like to stay here.", Richard mumbled, he didn't just magically do better after all, this place was good for him. "Dayan? He always was the stronger one. He could never sit still either.", Richard shook his head. Even if he was better, he probably couldn't beat Dayan, he'd always kind of look up to him, even now. "No, we don't even share a mother. You... don't either with your siblings, do you?", Richard now asked, he was confused as to why Yujin assumed that in the first place, then again he forgot a lot and Richard just called him brother, so how would he know? "Stop it. Don't mess with Ares, no one should. I couldn't even get past him with Nayantais help..." Dayan couldn't beat him either, probably no one could in a one on one battle. At least Yujin enjoyed the massage and Richard didn't stop yet. "The scars can't be fixed...", he replied and he could only imagine how bad it looked. He knew how his fathers scars looked at least, something like that. "Want what? A massage? I'm okay... I barely moved today." And Yujin only truly had looked at the scars once, when Richard showed him. When they were in the bath Richard barely turned his back to him and the water hid most of the scars on his stomach and chest too. Besides the ugly one on his neck and the equally ugly and even bigger one on his arm, as well as the less ugly one on his side, the rest was new and it were so many, Richard probably couldn't even count them.