homebound. (earinor & akira)

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    • "But you are the pr-...!" They wanted to be careful and not shout anything like that around, right? "You don't have to do anything for yourself, you know that and I don't mind doing all those things." If he had to cook, find firewood, wash the princes clothes, or do anything else, he did it without complaint. The prince shouldn't need to do those things on his own and his hands showed that he never did. They were perfect and soft, not like Edwards. "I... well I suppose I'm not.", Edward answered but there were only so many stories to tell, none of them anything new to the prince. He knew his way around the world, but that was about it and most of it he had winged thus far as well. No one taught him how to take a prince on a journey he shouldn't be on in the first place. "I know you do, you make me recite them often enough.", Edward nodded and yet he didn't understand why. Yes, his father took him on a journey around the country and showed him all sorts of things before he was sealing his fate, intertwining it with the princes forever, but the journey itself hadn't been that great.

      Edward was humble and he wanted to disagree, there was much he didn't know, but putting that on the princes shoulders was of no use, which was why he simply nodded. He didn't feel all too capable, but determined to keep the prince safe at least. Nobody would believe them they were just two travellers though, not as soon as they caught a glimpse of that white locks, or the red-ish eyes. Even the pale skin stood out. "You are not, I'm sorry...", Edward mumbled once more and he at least watched the prince pulling the cape around himself. It protected him from the sun and it made it less odd to look at the prince in nothing more than his underpants. No one saw anyone in his underpants and that was a very good thing. Edward didn't mind wet pants. He still was ashamed and the prince smiled the same smile he always smiled when he got Edward to do something he initially said no to. Edward followed the prince towards the water, but he was still worried. What if it was too cold? "Of course, but please don't. You could slip, or trip. Maybe there are some sharp stones inside too... Why not take it slow? You can take my hand." That was what he initially wanted, right? Edward reached out his hand for the prince to take it, instead of just jumping in there.

    • "Your best friend, that's what I am!", he answered instead, laughing about how ingrained all of this seemed to be into Edwards head. Was he supposed to feel sorry for him? He wasn't sure, but he knew for a fact that no matter what, they were something akin to that and nothing would change that easily in the first place. Was it just them against the world or was it him against all of what the world had to offer? Nobody knew, not even he himself and he'd have to figure it out while he threw more things at Edward for weeks to come, until he'd finally realize that the things he wanted to do were not only nonsensical but also more than stupid, that he'd figure all of this out eventually and that nothing would come of it if he continued doing all of this by himself, without any help. "I want to help and be of use to you, though.", he insisted instead. Nobody would ever dare ask Cecil to do something himself when there were plenty of servants to do his work for him, that much seemed to be clear from the start, but he also had to realize - if more than anything - the world wasn't as bright and colorful as he wanted it to be and not just everyone would grant him mercy. "You don't have to recite them right now, but I think I'd like to hear another one soon enough!"

      That he did, for sure, but he also had to admit that no matter what, it all would eventually come to a halt when they both had to head back and he had to explain to his father and a lot of other people that no, Eddie hadn't kidnapped him and taken him elsewhere - he was the one that insisted they'd go somewhere, see the world beyond the great unknown and once they had seen enough, maybe they'd make their way back home. Not, that Edward wouldn't be punished for not holding him back, but Cecil could still use his words as a weapon and he also was fairly aware that his paladin had done nothing wrong and he only, if anything, had adhered to his lieges wishes and stayed faithful and loyal to him. "No need to apologize!", Cecil answered, shaking his head for a short period of time, actually in quite the haste. Why did he do that? He didn't want Eddie to feel uncomfortable either way, but that was about it. There were many things they'd have to get through eventually and one of them was learning how to swim, a skill he'd never acquired in the first place. "That works, too! Thank you!" They had agreed on this beforehand for sure, but he still was happy that he was being offered help and he took it - namely Edwards hand - before he stepped closer to the edge and looked for a spot that seemed like it would be save to walk in from. Once he had, securing the cape around him with his free hand, he took a step inside. The water wasn't too warm or too cold, it was a nice temperature, yet Cecil tensed for a moment before taking another step, and another, and another, until his lower legs were all the way submerged and the cape was soaking up water already. "Can I go on?"
      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.

    • Edward wondered about that, but the prince was probably somewhat right. Edward didn't know many people. He knew his own family and some knights that tried to strike a conversation on some of the events, but he didn't want to participate in any whining about their assigned nobles, neither did his brothers. Edwards family was known for being faithful and loyal, talking bad about their assigned prince would eventually lead to some form of punishment or at the very least the fact that they were ignored or almost dead to all three of the brothers. Edward was the youngest and the most quiet one, no one really knew how to deal with him did they? His oldest brother was probably more akin to the crown prince who didn't shy away from a fight himself. Well either way, the youngest of the princes was the only person Edward said more than a few words to. had this relationship been forced upon him? Somehow yes, but he didn't care about that. "I... I don't know what a suitable task for you would be...", Edward admitted. He couldn't have him saddle the horses or wash their clothes, that was unthinkable. "You are paying for this journey and know where you want to go, isn't that enough?", he then asked, always trying to find compromises or something the prince would be happy with, even if it ultimately wasn't exactly what he had wanted. "You will have stories of your own soon enough though." That was what the prince wanted, right? And he got it, hopefully.

      The prince eventually took Edwards hand as support. His knight would catch him should he slip and while he focused on the prince walking into the water, Edward also kept an eye on their belongings and the shore in general. He wouldn't feel comfortable out there but he also didn't feel quite comfortable in the water. Either way, he wasn't able to control everything and that bugged him. He was only one person, but sometimes he wished he was two. The prince and Edward walked into the water a little bit. Edward was fine with the temperature and also with the fact his pants got wet. The ground was mostly mud, no sharp edges, at least none anyone could see and the prince was still careful. Edward wasn't quite sure if that was what the white haired had expected of a lake. "Uh... of course. If you want to learn how to swim, I suppose we should get further in. Maybe at least hip deep.", Edward answered with a short nod. It was somewhat odd for the prince to ask Edwards permission, usually he just did whatever he wanted and even if Edward didn't want him to do it, the prince still convinced him to let him.

      Dieser Beitrag wurde bereits 2 mal editiert, zuletzt von Earinor ()

    • Seeds could grow into so much more once they were planted, but even then that didn’t mean they’d be useful - a tulip didn’t have the same worth as grain and a fruit tree upheld other values as well. Cecil didn’t know what metaphors were worth in the first place, but if he was honest, in comparison to Edward, he paled - not only in reality. All that encompassed his being wasn’t exactly worth much, aside from his title and while someone begged to differ, he knew nothing except from the things he’d read, absorbed like they were anything important and when it came time to actually amass something, anything, he - in fact - had nothing to show. The prince knew he wasn’t the most interesting companion, let alone somebody with a rich history of many stories - he had just himself and his name. “For starters, I could do our laundry when I have to and I could try to learn how to cook - we’ll need that eventually, too!” Someone like him, who’d probably singe parts of his skin by being too close to a flame wouldn’t be a good cook, but maybe he could try if he put his mind to it - as long as his body was held together by something, he’d be fine.

      “No, I’m still doing nothing that would be worth writing home about, I’m just stringing you along and having you attend me like a low servant, which you aren’t.” They would have to have this discussion five more times if Eddie’s skull continued to be as thick as it seemingly was - hammering any kind of new info into his brain seemed useless and kind of impossible, unless he swayed him somehow. “And yet I’ll still like yours the best!” Some of them were silly and Cecil didn’t know if any of them held much of a meaning, but he also knew that no matter what, he’d at least have tried his best, he’d at least made some sort of effort in the right direction and that was what mattered the most - in the end, he had tried and if he was unable to do anything, maybe he could hire someone else to do some dirty work for them eventually. Adhering to his knight was nothing he was used to, though, in this particular case he had asked for pointers if anything and he did as he was told - this was odd, the water felt nice on his skin, but it was something different from a bath with warm water that he could very much sink into and enjoy. Once the water did cover his hips - something that wasn’t exactly hard in his case, he looked up at Edward. “How come you’re so much taller than me in the first place?”
      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.

    • Of course the prince was right, there wouldn't be any inns once they reached the border and they'd have to hunt for food eventually. Edward was afraid of that time. The prince would need to sleep in a tent, they would have nothing more than some wood to burn and if Edward was unable to hunt something, they'd have nothing to eat. He wasn't very good at cooking either, though Edward would say that about a lot of things. "Our laundry? Please Mylord, that is nothing you should be doing and cooking is too dangerous for you. What if you cut or burn yourself?", he asked and in the end there was not a single task he wanted the prince to do. A little cut was just a little cut to Edward, but for the prince it was more, he'd bleed for some time and he never used a knife before either, he was going to cut himself for sure. In reality Edward couldn't even have him do their finances, because for the horses alone he paid a fortune. The prince had no idea what money was worth in the first place, though at least that was something he could learn.

      "I don't mind doing things for you, whatever they are.", Edward replied, still holding the princes hand. If it were Edward deciding here, they hadn't even run away. "What is it what you hope to find out here anyway?", he then asked, maybe if they found it sooner rather than later they'd just turn back? His own stories about his travels with his father weren't anything special either. They just rode from place to place and looked at some stuff. "I suppose I'd not make a good knight if I were small.", Edward answered and looked down at the young prince. He couldn't exactly start with genetics, because the princes brothers were taller too, so it made not much sense why he wouldn't be, as much as it didn't make much sense he was as pale and fragile. Now how was he supposed to teach someone how to swim though? "Uhm... maybe if you'd like to learn swimming you could take both my hands and start with the footwork.", Edward suggested, reaching out his second hand too. He just needed to keep the princes upper body, or at least his head up and out of the water, while the young prince could try and move his feet to remain afloat.

    • His father had spend enough money on him and his siblings, on their education and personal growth and yet, the king didn’t want them too be left all alone, either. Sometimes, he felt like he should be happy to have a father that cared so much about all of his children, despite the crown that weighted heavy on his head and the burden he bore for all of them - and still, wasn’t being a king on the easier side of things anyway? Cecil lacked understanding of any viewpoints, that he knew for sure - but he was raised to he inquisitive, to question things he didn’t understand and challenge them, much like his older siblings. The only significant difference seemed to be that he’d have to rely on Edward to help him in any case, any other sibling of his would be able to fend for themselves without having to worry about sustaining a gash and bleeding out from it. “I still want to help! A knife can’t be that different from a sword and you do know that I’m definitely capable of wielding those!” If they were light, but that had nothing to do with anything right now - Cecil could do what he wanted, where he wanted and when he wanted. Therefore, it only followed he could do some cooking and cleaning for the two of them - he wasn’t allowed to pay Edward in money, he might as well do it by helping him!

      “I do mind if you do everything for me so let me help you, I’m already asking a bunch of stuff anyway!” There were plenty of things to learn, in fact, whatever he could think of, he didn’t know - he was just glad he knew how to ride a horse, if only because he had learned it as a kid and no horse had carried him further to maybe a silly trip out into town, yet, even then people knew who he was. “Hm, you mean what I want to find here? Or in Thria?”, Cecil mulled over it for a second, he actually wanted to take a look around but found that he couldn’t, now that he grasped the second hand he was being offered and instead waltzed backwards, carefully as he could - the cape just hung from his shoulders now, at least obscuring his back, but Eddie had never said he’d have to wear it properly, either. “I’m not good for a fight if I’m small either! My brothers are so tall and for what? Even my sister is at least a head taller!”, he complained and this was all that came of it - his mood seemed to sour just because he thought about it for a solid second. Then, however, he stopped and he wondered what this was about anyway - why did Edward even care what he wanted to do somewhere else? Was he inquisitive too? Most likely, or he’d just try to deter him from doing it. “I don’t know exactly yet, I just want to see Thria for myself and make some memories of my own - something more important than being lazy all day”, he summarized. Then, he looked at the water, back up at Edward - who felt even more imposing like this - and wondered for a second. “So what do I do? Do I just, I don’t even know …”, he mumbled and as if to demonstrate he didn’t know, he just let his feet give way - the worst that could happen was that he’d get his hair wet, right?
      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.

    • "Even cooks sometimes cut themselves during cooking.", Edward answered with a worried expression. He rather had the prince do something else, but he didn't want to trust him with the map either, when he couldn't even read road signs when they were too far away and the sun was too bright. He also couldn't let the prince buy what they needed, because if someone took a closer look, they probably knew who he was. "What about keeping our expanses and our supplies in check? Would that be a suitable task for you?", he asked swallowing down another 'your Highness', because he promised to not call the prince by any titles anymore. It would be enough if he cared about himself, about his condition and the sun. Most of the time he wore his gloves and a coat, but right now for example it was only the loose cape that protected his back, but not his feet or arms. It was better than nothing. Was there anything else the prince could do? Edward didn't want him to clean anything, that was no suitable task for someone of his standing. "Maybe you could also care for the horses.", he suggested. The prince knew his way around horses and there was nothing that could go majorly wrong by feeding them or brushing their fur out. Edward would care about the saddles still, the prince was a little bit too small for that.

      "What if I told you I'd just get bored if you take away all my work?", Edward then asked. Maybe he wasn't bored, but he felt bad about it, the prince didn't want to hear that though. He probably thought Edward took all that work from him because he saw it as his responsibility and that was true to some degree, but he also felt bad id he didn't do all those things. "You don't have to fight. You have other qualities.", Edward answered apologetic, he didn't want to upset the prince whos hands he still held. Now he felt bad for being tall. "It's dangerous over there though and I'm not sure if the kings treasures will be of much help over there. You'll have to sleep in a tent!", Edward answered as if it was the worst thing that could happen. He said that although he was the one refusing to share a bed with the prince, but also refused to have separate rooms, so instead he remained sitting on the floor by the door or window, or in front of the princes bed, so he'd be fast up if anyone came in. Suddenly the prince just sank in to the water and Edward had to pull him up a little so he wouldn't get his face wet. "You have to move your feet. Like a frog. Or just up and down for now, either will work."

    • "See? Nobody ever masters anything and I'll not be the first person to do so!" His parents would pale at the simple suggestion that he'd do anything meant for those lower than him, yet, he also knew that right now he'd not only cast away all that embodied his being, no. Cecil was, probably, on the best way to have the adventure of his lifetime and he still asked someone like Edward - a cautious servant, better left at home - for help because he didn't even know how to help himself. All those years seemed to be a waste when he only could take details and nods into the right direction from a book he read and was painfully figuring out every single step, all by himself. "That just sounds like you don't want me to touch anything that could give me as much as a papercut." It was the truth, though - nobody wanted someone like him around something that could seriously injure somebody and still, Eddie acted like a pet bunny - someone who'd die of grief and sadness if Cecil had forgotten about him in the castle, had taken off alone or with a sellsword. What was this even worth? Nothing, precisely and yet he enjoyed every single second of it, all that he could grasp, just for the sake of having something in his feeble, incapable hands. "I ... guess that works? Though, I can't even saddle them.", he expressed, exasperated over the fact.

      "There's plenty to do, though. What if we do it together? You won't get bored and we'll both have something to do!" Right now, they were doing something together and if he was honest, that was nice, incredibly so, but no only that, he also had come to realize just how much he did depend on other people. Did he ask too much of Eddie, of someone who'd only tagged along after enough pestering and being told he'd be left alone, then? That didn't seem fair and Cecil felt like he had to apologize for that at some point, especially now that he was branded as a traitor to the crown, but that would follow eventually. "Like what? Being an eyesore?", he remarked with a smile, bright and clear without the hood partially obscuring his face and eyes - he knew that he barely had redeeming qualities. To his people, he looked odd, very much so, while his siblings were usually considered beautiful and still, nobody said anything and instead, only marbled at him for a few minutes before casting away their gaze in scorn. "I don't care! A tent is fine!" So what if nobody took the kings treasures? Maybe a lock of his hair was enough, after all, it wasn't a common color - and Edwards probably was sellable, too. Edward caught him and he looked confused for a second, before listening to the instruction and tried again. "Like this?"
      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.

    • "But it's dangerous for you, you know that...", Edward sighed knitting his brows in worry. The prince didn't want anyone to dictate his life or to tell him what he could and couldn't do, but he had to acknowledge that he wasn't like anybody else. Pressing some fabric on a cut for a bit wasn't going to be enough, it was more like pressing it on the wound and hoping it'll stop bleeding for much longer than that. Edward had seen the prince bleed before and every time he felt like it had been his fault, even if the king hadn't scolded him for not paying closer attention. He hated to see the prince hurt, even if it was only a small cut, he didn't even want him to rough up his hands by simply working too hard. "I don't. It's best you keep away from any knifes...", Edward nodded, the prince had hit the nail on the head. Even a papercut was something to worry about in his case. Not that it would kill the prince, but it was bad enough. "You don't have to. Feeding them and brushing some dirt of their fur is enough work.", Edward answered, though when they paid for a night in an inn there were people to do that, as much as there were people to cook for both of them.

      "I really don't need help. There is nothing much to do anyway.", Edward answered. What was there besides reading the map? They could have people wash their clothes in an inn too for now and as long as they didn't sleep outside, there was no need for collecting firewood or something like that. "You are smart and knowledgeable. And you almost always smile. People generally like being around you." Or was that just Edwards take on all this? How often had he made him laugh when he actually had been on duty when he was a child? How often did he share whatever he read so Edward wasn't bored standing by the door? The prince cared deeply about the people around him, wasn't that a very good feat? "It's nothing a prince should sleep in...", Edward mumbled, but if he had to, maybe he could do something against any stiffness that might manifest itself in the princes body, once he had to miss a soft bed. "Yes. Like that.", he then nodded and watched the prince using his legs, while Edward himself moved around with him in the water. If he could have he would have taken the hood of his cape to pull it over the princes head, but he didn't, he needed his hands right now and just hoped they wouldn't stay in here forever. The prince would grow tired or cold eventually, right? "How do you feel?", he asked. Was he cold, or tired? Was swimming how he imagined it up until now? Edward wasn't very good at explaning things.

    • "I do.", he replied. It was, Cecil knew and while he didn't want to admit it, Edwards fears were justified. In fact, when weren't they? Unfortunately for the young knight, Cecil was someone that one should not trust and what followed was a mess of feelings, if not the realization that nothing would turn out the way it was supposed to for two simple reasons - one, he feared nothing and no one until he realized how horrible the situation was that he got himself into and two, Cecil was nobody that would just simply use his servant as a human shield. The truth was, he'd cling onto him, yes, but if the situation asked him to, there was no way on earth he'd not throw himself in the altercation too and cause a lot more trouble - still, if he was already down because he got hit by a sword, Edward had less to defend and more to worry about when it came to himself. "Boring.", he complained. Yes, Eddie was just here to protect him, adhere to his every need and keep him in check, that much he was aware of but it also followed that no matter what, he'd not figure out why the hell he wouldn't let him doing anything to begin with - this was ridiculous, his brothers and even his sister didn't face that much of an obstacle when it came to their respected servants of the same family. Still, maybe their youngest was just the worst of them? "And what if I want to?"

      Any blue or black spot would look almost like paint on a barren canvas, they'd be there for god knew how long and Cecil, on one hand, always marbled at them - at the tint of color that his skin could take - and on the other, he wondered why it had to be him that had to face all of these hardships when it was nobody from his family who had to. Neither is parents nor his siblings looked the same, yet, there were paintings that loomed over him and told him a story he barely was inclined to believe from the start. "Fine.", he huffed eventually - the discussion was fruitless, wasn't it? In the end, there was nothing to be gained from a back and forth between stubborn servant and master, between two people that had differing opinions that wouldn't change anytime soon. "Do they? I'm not much use, not for anyone.", Cecil sighed instead. Brief was the moment of respite he had, but Eddie had told him he had a nice smile - or at least that his smile seemed to be what attracted people to his pale being - and therefore, he was inclined to believe him somehow, wasn't he? "Good thing that I'm no prince then!" For now he wasn't and wouldn't be, not until he could figure out why he was supposed to be one in the first place - it was birthright and still, he readily threw it all away. His legs kept going, he tried to support himself and make something of it - but what came after that? Probably a whole bit of disappointment. "Fine ... you want me to get out and get dressed, don't you? You haven't even enjoyed yourself! You can let go of me."
      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 seemed like the prince got a little bit upset by now, because Edward continuedly told him what he could and couldn't do. It wasn't his place, he knew as much and if the prince voiced an definitive order for his knight to stand down he'd do just that in most circumstances that didn't immediately threaten the fragile mans life. Now he felt bad again, because he soured the mood which seemed hard in front of the prince and yet Edward managed to do that. He knew he probably was the worst of his siblings and no one truly knew how to talk to someone like him. "I'm sorry...", the knight mumbled, truly meaning it and looking at those pale hands he still held in his own. They didn't turn red, right? "Your highness, if I was able to stop you from doing anything you want to do, we wouldn't be here.", Edward replied. He wouldn't have gone on a wild adventure with him and he probably wouldn't have brought him to this lake, or set foot in it together with him, leaving their belongings and horses unattended at the shore and the white locks freely visible from all sorts of directions. He wasn't sure if that made him a good or a bad knight.

      The prince seemed to get more upset by the minute and Edward felt like a scolded dog that wasn't allowed back inside until it learned its lesson. He probably looked like that too. "Please don't say that, it's not true.", he then replied, of course the prince wasn't useless, not at all. He didn't need to do any work for Edward to appreciate him being simply there. He didn't even know what he'd do without him, after all they'd been together for the past twelve years of their life, but then again, the affection a servant gifted him probably wasn't of much use to a prince. He was one, whether he wanted to be one or not. Edward didn't quite understand hat he searched for out here and why he would trade his save life against uncertainty. "I didn't say that.", Edward answered dumbfolded, but he did slowly let go of the prince, even though he didn't exactly explain him what to do with his arms if he wanted to swim. He was able to stand here too and Edward assumed he'd just stop his swimming attempt.

    • Cecil appreciated Edwards meddling, but his childish side was something one should reckon with - there was no need to think about any of this as a definite thread, even if only on a small scale. Truth be told, he didn't know how much he enjoyed being told what to do, be it by his superiors or any doctors, or by someone like Eddie, who he shouldn't hold in as high of a regard as he did - if he hadn't, he'd simply ignored the poor mans warnings and went his way, definitely. "Eddie, stop apologizing.", he reassured, this time with a smile on his face. It was true he was not of much use in any case, not in fights and not in something that required physical labor that he'd never had to pick up - his two older brothers on the other hand were quite the dashing bachelors, able to lift even heavy things with ease and even when they had Edwards brothers by their side, they still only gave out orders. Cecil was sure they were friends, too, but their relationship seemed much more definite, as if there'd be a clean cut what a servant could argue about with his master and what not - with him and Eddie, this line became muddled, probably because Eddie was the one that had to look out for him more than any of his siblings had to look out for any of Cecils. "That is very true, but I do value your opinion! I always will, in fact."

      There was no reason to not do so - Edward was his until the very end, meaning that he'd either walk through hell with him in a desperate attempt to get their lives somewhere or he'd die before his faithful servant. If he did, maybe that meant he'd finally be free, like a bird freed from a cage and its broken wings - he could go wherever he wanted, as long as he could carry himself to places he tried to find, much like Cecil was trying right now to see more of the world than just what hid behind the obvious. "Are you sure?", Cecil wanted to know - was he sheepishly fishing for a compliment or not? Who knew and also, who cared? Edward would and he most certainly did, he knew that, otherwise he wouldn't be the one that tried to convince him otherwise or get him back on a definite track. "Stop looking like I just gutpunched you, I'm merely joking. You did nothing wrong, I'm sorry for planting words in your mouth." And with that, now that he'd been let go of, he let himself fall over backwards - hoping to float, to do anything - but he soon realized that he was kind of sinking like a stone and as he tried to regain his footing, realized that there either was nothing or he was panicking a bit too much to stand up straight - was he really thrashing around in shallow water?
      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.

    • Edward never knew how far he could go with the prince. It wasn't his place to say no, or to nag all the time, but he did. The king once asked him to take care of his son and not do anything he asked, after they both ended up muddy at one occasion. The king himself had talked to him! Yet Edward found it hard to remain a strict stance and in the end he swore his oath to the prince and not to his father. He truly just wanted the prince to be happy and safe, though it seemed managing both of those things was a very hard task. Edward looked at the prince for a short moment and mustered a short smile as well. He appreciated him trying to cheer him up again, when he felt like he did something wrong. It was hard to tell when the prince was just toying with him and when he meant it. "I'm glad to hear that.", Edward simply answered and refrained from asking the prince if that meant they could turn back already. He knew they wouldn't until the prince saw Thria with his own eyes and even then it was questionable if he wanted to go home.

      "I am sure. For what it is worth, I enjoy being by your side.", Edward answered with a short nod. He probably didn't look it most of the time, but he didn't want to be anywhere else. Well maybe that wasn't true, he rather be at the castle grounds, but not alone, he was glad the prince told him about his plans, he was glad he trusted Edward and even though he should have said something, they were here now. Maybe somewhere in his body he also wanted to see Thria, but he wasn't sure about that. "No need to apologize...", Edward uttered and once he let go of the prince, the pale figure sank backwards and into the water. Though for some reason that didn't go as planned. One swift motion was enough to grab him and pull him back up and out of the water. It definitely wasn't deeper here than before but the prince had always been a little bit clumsy, hadn't he? "Are you alright?", Edward asked, looking at the now wet face. "I apologize...", he added, though he wasn't sure if that had been his fault for letting go without securing the prince first.

    • Now, that had been an experience - he was wet from head to toe, every single strand of white hair was soaked and stuck to his forehead and if it hadn't been for Edward, he would have probably drowned in a somewhat shallow lake and in a stupidly shallow spot, too. This was enough of swimming for one day, he was sure of that and he kept both of them waiting longer than he had to - their journey to Thria would still be long from here on out, there was no way they could just slow down and do whatever they wanted all the time, so this was a one in a lifetime opportunity, something that even doubted he'd have ever again once his father found the two of them. Cecil still didn't know what to tell him in regards to Edward, but that seemed superficial, now that he coughed up quite the minimalistic amount of water and wondered where any of this was going to go either way. "No need for you to apologize, I'm fine, just stupid.", he blurted out and went Edwards way - the direction they came from, and sat down at the shore once he'd reached it, casting his gaze upon Eddie now that he remained in the water. "You don't have to come out yet, you could use a dip yourself and out here, I'm out of harms way anyway!"

      Cecil always got all that he asked for and more, he knew most of that and he was quite grateful for that. Yet, from here, Edward was further away than Cecil remembered him being the last few days and he wondered if that was something he was rightfully feeling odd and spooked about or if it just was because he couldn't get used to anything in particular, not out here, with all of the aspects of their surroundings constantly changing and questions still stuck in his head even when they were supposed to be nothing more than a fleeting moment from months ago. "How good can you even swim?", he blurted out with a grin on his face, pulling his legs closer to his body and resting his head on his knees, making himself small and glancing over at what he couldn't quite marble at up close earlier. Edward wasn't even the odd one out when it came to his family, he just seemed a lot more stiff and ... "How do I make you relax?"
      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.

    • The prince was brushing off what just happened rather quickly and Edward had to let go of him. He went back outside and Edward wondered if it was his fault the prince was wet and upset now, or if it hadn't been in his power to stop that from happening anyway. Was it like the prince to change his mind so quickly? Yes actually and now Edward stood there, wet himself, but not as wet as the prince. Why wouldn't he come out too and what did the prince mean by telling him he could use a dip? Maybe he smelled? He didn't want to leave the prince alone for too long, so he simply crouched down to get himself wet and then also dipped in his head for a second to get his hair wet. That was all he allowed himself for now, especially when the prince was all alone out there and didn't even sit one something that saved him from getting all dirty. He was still wet too! "I believe pretty good, you-... I believe pretty good.", Edward answered, especially now when they were this far apart, he should yell any title, right? So he didn't, but for now made his way outside too.

      Before he did anything else he walked towards the blanket he got earlier. He took it with him and kneeled down in fron of the prince to untie the cape and remove the wet and sticky fabric from the princes body. Then he unfolded the blanket and carefully draped it around his feeble shoulders, to protect him from the sun, but also to dry him up and make sure he wasn't going to get cold. Then he looked up with a fleeting smile on his face. "You never managed that in twelve years.", Edward simply answered. He tugged on the blanket once more, then got up and wrung the water out of his hair and pants. Next he hung the cape on some lonely tree branches and got himself another blanket too to dry up. He quickly got back into his shirt too, because he hated it to not be properly dressed in fron of the prince, even though the prince himself wore almost nothing right now, but first he should just dry a little, not like Edwards whos white shirt stuck to his body.

      Dieser Beitrag wurde bereits 1 mal editiert, zuletzt von Earinor ()

    • The prince wasn’t upset, it was more of that he didn’t know if this was what he’d expected of a quick dip in a lake like this without the ability to swim. Were he a few years younger, maybe he’d be able to excuse it somehow, however, now he was just embarrassed and wanted to watch Edward pull off something astounding he could study instead. Unfortunately for him, he didn’t and instead just got himself wet, too, looking far more graceful while doing so - sometimes, he wanted to trade places with him, just because it seemed like a fun thing to do and it wouldn’t make him a weakling of a prince. “Can you show me?”, he asked, yet Edward had already gotten out and was taking care of him by trying to get him out of the cape and into a nice, dry blanket. “Thank you, but you really don’t have to.”, he insisted and sat there for a bit, watching the water some more before deciding he’d get dressed soon enough instead - if he was, they could go on and not have to worry about someone catching up to them or realizing who they were. He used the blanket to dry off his body and his hair, then wandered to where Edward had put his and begrudgingly chose a lower branch to hang it up for drying.

      “That makes me sound more vile than I hopefully am.”, he snorted and walked over to his own pile of laundry that Eddie had laid out for him - he made sure to get rid of the dirt just earlier and then got back into both pants and his shirt. Those white locks probably framed his face, judging by the way they clung to him and he wasn’t sure if he looked any good from the start anyway - he wasn’t like his siblings and still, he felt inclined to ask. “Would you relax more if I was more like my brothers? Not small, pale and not as feeble?” Edward ought to see him in a different light - something that had nothing to do with his condition or the fact that he probably would live a different life if he was just free from all the hassle he experienced because of his painfully obvious difference. “Would you be able to relax if I was more like my brothers?”, he suddenly asked. What kind of question was this? Definitely a valid one. Cecil wasn’t sure, he was damp and tired but they hd to wait until the blankets dried at least a little bit so they could pack them back up and leave this place behind. “If you’d rather serve someone easier than me, just let me 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.

    • "What? Swimming around in circles? I don't think that would be any fun to watch.", Edward replied with a short shake of his head. The prince was entertained by the funniest of things sometimes. Edward could hardly swim around when someone could jump out and threaten the prince any given moment in time and he couldn't relax with that circumstances either. "But maybe I want to.", he said after tucking the prince into the blanket. He just wanted him to be healthy and warm, it didn't feel like work to him when he tried to achieve just that, but he felt like he ruined the princes fun in the water and now that he dried himself off as well this little side adventure seemed over. "Do you want to try again? Swimming I mean.", Edward asked carefully. They'd probably come across some other lakes, maybe not today, the sun probably started to burn the prince already. They brought some cooling ointment with them, but it was only helping with the pain a bit, it didn't reduce any damage that already happened and now again the sun had free access to almost every patch of skin on the princes body.

      "I didn't mean it like that. It's just not who I am.", Edward answered and walked over to one horse to get something out of there bags. In the end he pulled out a comb and handed it to the prince, so he could fix his wet hair. Edward would have done it, but he was pretty sure that the prince didn't want him to, he also wasn't very good or gentle with that, probably. "Do you think my brothers relax ever?", Edward asked instead of answering the question. His brothers were as dutybound as he was and they took it just as serious. "It's not exactly easier for my brother if the crown prince decides to hunt some raging mythical creature again. So my answer is no, I wouldn't relax more." Edward also got another small towel out of the bags and then made the prince sit down on the blanket he spread out earlier for his clothes. He kneeled down in front of him and took one of his feet to dry it and get all the mud, earth and sand off of it. "I don't want to serve anybody else. Besides, didn't you establish that we are friends before?", he asked, trying to cheer up the prince who again was questioning himself way too much, just because he wasn't like his siblings. "Would you be happier with one of my brothers by your side? I have to agree they probably are more fun than me."

    • "Watching you is never not fun, though - even if it's just from afar, like, when you're training in the courtyard!" There had been plenty of instances where Cecil had wished to join his servant, some way or the other, but he either was dutybound to do something else or just couldn't afford to go outside and sustain more burns. His condition as well as his complexion hadn't gotten better with exposure to the sun, which was why any and all servants stuck to keeping him away as far as possible, as well as trying to keep him in check wherever he went. Edward got the worst of it and sometimes Cecil wondered if he even enjoyed standing by a door for a plethora of the day, just watching him read a book and only once Cecil had gotten up and pulled him over by his hands and forced him to sit down, he joined him. If all of his siblings were just as difficult, Cecil wanted none of them, genuinely speaking, yet Eddie was fine - but that probably was because he had had him around for so long, he couldn't imagine what it would be like without him and the daily challenges he unknowingly imposed on his prince by being himself. "For sure, just not, uhm, drowning in shallow water maybe?", he crooned, laughing about it for a second soon thereafter. Not here, no, there were plenty of lakes and rivers along their journey.

      "Don't worry, I'm just joking." Cecil seemingly always was, but someone had to bring the good mood if the other was as stiff as a board and not necessarily well-equipped to lift ones mood in the first place. To be fair, it worked for Cecil, yet he also was almost always convinced that anyone else would find Edwards way of cheering one up odd, if not underhanded and that was why he also wondered if he could just try and extend a helping hand towards him in some situations. "No, because my eldest brother can be a maniac when it comes be to hunting and my other older brother is about as calm as I think anyone can be. Do those two even talk? They just strife through the hallways, looking all ghastly and gloomy." If one didn't know better, maybe the second prince and his faithful Dryden-servant looked like a ghost couple, forever bound to roam the halls of the place they died in - but that was a silly attribute to give to someone that was very much alive. "We are friends and I wouldn't trade my friend for anyone. I'm just saying, am I not too much?", he wanted to know, earnestly. Was Cecil doubting himself? No, he was asking age-old questions that he'd probably asked Eddie before, too. Instead, he winced when Edward tried to help him clean up instead and put his hand on that of his servant. "No need to, I really can do that myself.", the prince implored, shaking his head and taking yet another task from Edward. "No, they aren't. Excuse my language but both of your brothers are more well-suited for mine than they'd be for me. I'm very convinced they wouldn't be swayed as easily by a pair of ruby red puppy eyes and some pleading, not like you are and that wouldn't be fun."
      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.

    • "I... don't think there is much to see, really.", Edward answered with a short glance at the princes face. He was oh so easily embarrassed by just the hint of a compliment and it didn't matter if it came from the prince, his brothers, his instructor or his father. Sometimes Edward wondered what was wrong with him, seemingly unable to talk freely or even opening his mouth in general if he wasn't asked a question. He wasn't sure if it was all just doing what he was taught, if it was respect, or if he simply wasn't equipped to know how to talk to people. Sometimes even if he was a question he didn't know what to say to others, especially people of similar or lower standing than him. How often had a maid or servant tried to talk to him and all he did was nod, just to ask himself half of the next day what he could have done better, or what that person actually wanted from him in the first place. "I apologize, I will take better care of you next time. Maybe if we reach the sea, it'll be easier to swim. The best place to cross the border is there, at least that's what rumors say." It wasn't like Edward to suggest a slight detour, but he felt like he ruined this experience for the prince and he wanted to make it better. Swimming in saltwater was easier, as long as there weren't too many waves.

      "If I ever relaxed in my life, it was because of you." Even though he felt bad about it, because it wasn't what he was supposed to do. "My brothers wouldn't share any complaints they might have about your brothers, but I think they are as glad as I am to be assigned to them.", Edward replied. He didn't know anything about their relationships as much as they didn't know about Edwards thoughts or feelings towards the youngest of the princes. There was a reason they got assigned at a very young age though and even Edwards father still watched the king, even when he actually wasn't his personal guard anymore. In any case, wasn't the prince the one that looked a little ghostly and Edward looked like his shadow all the time? Especially when roaming the hallways. "You are not too much.", Edward answered and noticed that all of this felt odd without attaching any titles. Right after he felt the princes hand on his own and he took away the towel to clean his feet himself. "I don't mind...", Edward mumbled, but he wouldn't dare force anything on the prince and thus he let go of the towel and just sat there without much of a task. "I am not doing my job very well then I think.", Edward noted, because the prince was right, his brothers wouldn't let him go on such a dangerous adventure. Edward stood up and brought the princes socks and shoes over to him so he could put them on once he cleaned his feet. Then he started to put on his own light armor again to keep himself busy.

    • "If you say so, I won't pester you.", he reassured Eddie instead. People knew his name, outright calling him Edward was probably also something that would point people toward them, even if 'you highness' was still something that stood out like a sore thumb. Once they were found out, there would be no way back anyway and it only felt right to keep on lookout, to try ones best to not attract too much attention - something that both of them were quite capable of, especially with their flamboyant, out of the ordinary appearances. People around these parts probably still knew how the youngest princes servant locked, the turquoise hair that he and his family sported and the fact that he was supposedly lunging around his victim, a prince, fair and free of any doubts. "Eddie, stop apologizing. I did that on my own, I should have known better and as long as you take me to the sea and show me just how vast it is, all is forgiven!" Wasn't the sea even more dangerous? Out here, they were in a somewhat controlled environment, in a small lake that one could manage to fish another person out of, but what about the raging tides in the sea and the apparent problems it caused for each and every person that came across it? There were few tales of people braving the stormy seas, of going to what lay far beyond and all of them were never heard from again - the endless depths their eternal resting place.

      "Wait, what?", Cecil uttered eventually as he took the boots he'd been given, as well as his socks, and put them back on. Combing his hair wouldn't be too bad, after all Edward had already given said comb to him, but that seemed like a waste of time instead - it would dry and be puffy regardless, and he'd hide it under a hood for the most time, so there was absolutely no need to look presentable in the slightest. Somehow, this felt like a dream come true and still, he was the one fiddling with the laces before he closed them up perfectly fine and stood up, collecting both the blanket and the comb. "Of course they wouldn't, much like your father has never voiced complaints about mine. But, rest assured, if you have something you want to ask of me, even if it stems from a complaint, I'm happy to hear it!" Being ones servant also stripped somebody of a few things, Cecil knew that and sometimes asked himself if Eddie found his jokes sincerely funny or just laughed at them, no matter how bad they were, because his prince was entertaining someone like him - a man of lower standing than he was. "I'm glad, then ... and I know you don't mind, but I'm not a little kid and if you attend to me all the time, I won't ever learn anything." Besides, it was somewhat embarrassing, too. "Nobody said that! You are doing a fantastic job actually! This is more than I could ask for ... your brothers would literally drive me into the ground with how strict they can be. Please don't trade places with either of those two."
      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.