homebound. (earinor & akira)

When the prince came outside, he took the towel from Edward that he offered up to him and wrapped himself in it. Edward smiled at him, though he soon enough looked at him with a puzzled expression. "What are you sorry for? There is no need.", he asked confused. His hand was grabbed by the prince and somwhat of an explanation followed. Edward looked at him still confused, unsure how to react or what to say. "You weren't...", he simply mumbled still confused. Cecil didn't say anything to hurt his feelings. His weakness and lack of skill was a fact, nothing Cecil was at fault and he didn't tell Edward that, Edward knew himself. Or was he talking about taking Logan with them? Edward didn't understand and his blue eyes searched for help that was nowhere to be found. "I'm not jelous.", he told the prince again. Why did he bring that up again? If anything Edward admired Logan a bit. He was strong and it was so easy for him to talk to people, including the prince, while Edward didn't know what to say most of the time, nor did he understand what Cecil was trying to say.

Soon after Edward was hugged by the little prince and he almost stumbled backwards. He stood his ground and carefully put his dirty hands on Cecils back and head. He softly held him, or at least tried to. Did he need comforting? Edward didn't know what was going on. "You didn't hurt me. You never hurt me.", Edward answered kind of worried. "I'm fine, really. I'm not tired and I'm used to having a light sleep. I need to take care of you after all. Did you want my help before?", he asked. Maybe the prince expected him to stand up and immedietly help him with washing himself, like he always did. "I just thought you wanted some time alone. I'm sorry.", he apologized, but soon enough got dragged behind that little wooden wall. Cecil did leave quite a mess here, didn't he? "No, please I... don't I dare what?", he asked flattered. He couldn't have the prince get his clothes. "I slept well enough. I even used my bed, it's all ruffled up, see?" Why was he sounding like he needed to defend himself? "Please, just sit down. I will wash myself, but I can get my own clothes and a towel. If you want I'll get breakfast for you before that."

"Y-You weren't...!", Edward tried to argue, not knowing what was going on. The prince, an asshole? That was impossible and Edward didn't know what was going on and why the prince was angry. Did Edward to anything wrong? had he said too much yesterday? He didn't mean to upset his prince. "I... I don't know what you're talking about.", he said and let his head hang down. He looked small like this, evem though he was still much taller than the prince. He felt like a dog that had to stay outside because it did something bad, but because a dog was stupid, he didn't even know why he was abandoned. Edward would have fallen to his knees and told Cecil that he didn't want any of this. That he liked caring for him and doing everything for him, but the prince looked like he didn't want to hear anything from his knight, not a single word. He could only stand there and look at him confused or avert his gaze when Cecil actually looked back. His eyes were like daggers, piercing into Edwards body and he didn't know why.

The prince quite obviously was annoyed and Edward didn't dare say anything more. Whatever he did say seemed wrong. The prince never put Edward into his place before, not like this. He jokingly demanded he'd not call him prince, but when he did so he had always smiled. He told him he'd run off alone if Edward didn't help him, but he wasn't angry saying that. Edwar had known the prince his whole life and yet he wasn't able to figure out what the problem was. "I... I don't think you were...", Edward mumbled silently like a child that disobeyed his father - it didn't matter if he was right or wrong, he was probably better off saying nothing at all. "I... I'm sorry...", he continued mumbling, lowering his head even more. So it was wrong to bring him that towel? It didn't bother him, so why...? Edward shut his mouth now. Telling the prince he did sleep well enough only did more harm. He nodded in agreement to please his prince while looking to the floor. If he had slept through the night without waking up, he'd feel awful but either way it bothered the prince. Edward could stop complaining, he could stop talking badly about Logan, he could stop running after the prince and maybe he could look less tired somehow, but he wanted none of that. He was once again torn between his duties and the princes wishes, who probably wanted someone easy going, someone pushy like Logan for his companion instead. Cecil left quickly and Edward was left alone. He let himself down on a little stool that stood there, swallowing down a sigh the prince shouldn't hear. He wondered why every decision he made since leaving the castle felt wrong, but he also knew, that he couldn't sit here forever. He got rid of his clothes to wash himself as was demanded of him and once he was done, he carefully looked outside. He took the towel the prince held up for him hesitently, then he vanished again to dry himself up. With the towel wrapped around his body he grabbed his clothes and hid again to put them on as well as his armor. He left the bed Cecil made as it was, even if it hadn't been done very pretty. Maybe if he'd just do what was asked of him, the prince would be happier and thus, he didn't say anything anymore. Once he was dressed including the leather armor and the hood he pulled over his head, he took their belongings and walked towards the door - waiting there for the prince to be ready or any other instructions.

Was it wrong to demand something of someone that had no idea what one was talking about? Yes, it most likely was, but even then, Cecil hadn't meant to upset Eddie in the first place - instead, his gaze fell onto someone that he'd describe as almost pitiful, yet horrendously beautiful and breathtaking. What was he thinking? Cecil was losing his mind over matter, over something stupid to be fair, and he wasn't making the most of something that he'd merely have to take care of. Edward hid from him now, like he always did, he apologized and was awfully silent, and all that caused Cecil was more grief - he was the problem, not his knight, and he sighed as he realized just that. After putting on his boots and his hood by his lonesome, ready to leave, he looked at the slender figure waiting in the doorway and the two beds that had been made entirely different; Edward was good at what he did, excellent even and Cecil, well, he was an amateur, bad at anything he touched and horrid with anything else. For now, he desired nothing more than silence, but even then, he wanted something else - there was a knot now, not in his stomach but his heart, and his ruby gaze fell upon the man that he'd hurt with all those simple words and the loud voice he'd chosen.

He hurried over to his knight and, in a swift motion, hugged the taller man once more, looking up with a shy smile on his face, as he tried to catch a glimpse of the face that he didn't want to see a sad expression on - but if he did, he desired to fix it, nothing else. "Eddie.", he simply spoke, his voice soft and velvety, maybe even comforting. "I'm sorry.", he expressed, with a tinge of sadness in his tone of voice, as he buried his burnt, slightly red face in the dirty, dusty cloak that his knight adorned himself with. There was prolonged silence, then some sniffling - Cecil wasn't good at being mean, buch like he wasn't good at being stern and even worse, he hated it if somebody disliked him. "You have nothing to be sorry about, I ... listen ...", he mumbled into the coat, his face hidden, but his hug as tight as it could be. "I want you to have fun as well, and to stop doubting yourself ... and I want to help you, I want to impress you, even - but I'm not good at that. You can speak your mind, it's fine, really ... I'm just ... it's just ... you don't have to always do everything for me and you look tired, I don't want to bother you! I know being out here isn't actually easy and not just all fun and games, but I want you to enjoy yourself, to smile and have fun ... what about, we ... we go look at the sea and when we're done, we go back home? Would that please you and ease your mind?" His father would kill Edward back home, and his stomach turned once more. "I don't want this, you ... you can speak your mind and argue with me, okay?"

Once he stood at the door with straightened back and waiting for Cecil, the prince suddenly looked different. He put on his clothes and boots by himself, not wanting Edward to help with any of that. He felt bad for just standing there doing nothing, but if it was what his prince desired, so be it. Once Cecil was done however, he ran over to Edward, suddenly hugging his knight like a child. He hugged those dirty clothes and the dirty armor, but it wasnt Edwards place to tell him off. Once again he told Edward he was sorry and the knight didnt know for what. He didn't understand what his prince wanted and what he expected of Edward. When he was acting how he felt it was right, Cecil got upset. He wasn't like Logan who probably would just okant himself into his own bed, leaving the prince to his own devicec. He'd probably even refuse if Cecil asked him to hold up a towel for him. If Cecil didn't want Edward to do that on his own and wait for him to tell him to, he could do that, if that was what Cecil wanted, he'd get it. was he supposed to keep quiet about other things too? Cecil often forgot to eat, or he refused to cover his skin to save it from the sun. Edward reminded him, but that was probably annoying too.

However Edward felt didn't matter. He was a knight and he knew what duty meant. He knew how to be silent the whole day and only speak when he was asked to. He knew how to vanish into the background when his prince was supposed to talk to other nobles. Whenever Edward truly spoke his mind the prince didn't want to hear it. How often did he tell him that he wanted to do all those things for him? How often did he tell him he enjoyed putting up a picnic blanket, or wash his clothes, or make his bed, simply because he liked order and he wanted Cecil to be unbotheres by things like that. He wanted to enjoy a journey, but it seemed he wanted to enjoy it on his own. Speaking his mind never worked. Cecil only heard what he wanted to, claiming Edward was just doing what his father told him to and that he didn't enjoy caring for Cecil. "I don't want to argue.", he stated slowly. "I am your knight. You tell me where to go and I will follow you. You tell me what to do and I will do it. I'll keep in the background if you want that, I won't bother you. Now, are you ready to go?"

Knights existed everywhere, and all of them looked for work and wanted a piece of the pie - there were thousands of them that would accept someone like Cecil as their sire, only if it meant adequate pay, but he didn't want any of them - he wanted the one that he'd had all his childhood, the one that he loved so terribly and achingly; did he? That sounded too much, even for him, but he never listened to Eddie either, and maybe he was right, maybe he enjoyed the mundane things in life and Cecil was overreacting, was not letting Edward do whatever he was meant for - whatever the case, though, he wasn't so sure if he could let it sit like that. "I ... I don't want to argue either ...", he sniffled, his mood dampened and his face buried in Edwards chest, almost as if it had been glued to it - Cecil smelled like soap, like ointment and Eddie smelled like dirt and dust, like the outside world that he desired to hold within his own two hands, thin and sickly, pale and painful - but that wasn't the case. "You are my knight, yes, you're right about that. And you enjoy being my knight, I got that.", he sniffled, drying his tears on his own sleeve as he let go of Edward after a while. Cecil swallowed all of his feelings down, making fists out of his hands and trying to calm himself.

"I ... no, i'm not. I just want ... to make one thing clear, alright? Then, we can leave." Again, he swallowed and faced the floor - he wasn't angry, he wasn't mad at Eddie, he simply wanted this numbskull to understand what he was trying to convey - all and any offerings he made to the knight were in vain, as it seemed. "You may be my knight, but you're my best friend. I will tell you what you do, yes, when I see fit. But you're your own human being, too, you may do as you please as well, even if it's just on occasion. However, I don't want you to keep in the background, I want to talk to you and hear your opinions, I want to hear all those stories you have to tell me, over and over again ... and ... and ..." He was crying again, how unbecoming that was. Garrett would have teased him for it, then hugged him and told him that everything would be fine, that there was nothing to be afraid of and that he was imagining things again - Xander would have tried to distract him and Maeve, well, she would have done the utmost for him, much like Edwards brothers would. Cecil didn't hate him for it, no, he loved Eddie for it, for not swaddling and babying him, but now that he stood there, seperated from his knight, he looked up, his eyes red, not only his irises, and tears clinging to his cheeks. "And now ... I want a hug ... please ..."

Edward would have procurred a tissue or some other fabric to offer it to the prince. He would have dried his tears himself, kneeled down and told him how great he was, but Edward wasn't sure if that was what he was supposed to do. Cecil didn't want him to care too much about him. He didn't want to jump before the prince even told him to, he made that terribly clear just minutes before, didn't he? Whenever Edward told him he liked doing that, Cecil didn't beliebe him and whenever he told him he didn't like the prince to get him a towel or wash his hair, the prince wouldn't listen either. Edward wanted to make him happy, so when he told him he did too much, Edward would try to hold back - he didn't feel like talking anyway, especially not with Logan around. He should tell Cecil stories he didn't already know. The prince wiped the tears away with his sleeves, which he shouldn't. He only got dirty, it was unsightly for a prince and Edward had enough fabric tissues to offer, but Cecil didn't ask for one, so he wasn't supposed hand him one, or was he now? Edward just wanted clear orders, nothing more, instead he received weird explanations that didn't make sense to him and apologies he didn't know what they were for.

The prince was talking and talking and Edward still didn't feel like he was allowed to voice his opinion. 'You're not my butler, Eddie.' 'Sit down Eddie' 'Let me do something for you Eddie'. He could hear Cecils voice in his head. Edward didn't want his help. He didn't want him to wash his clothes, or collect firewood. That wasn't what the prince should do, but whenever he told him that, he was just shut up and told that they were friends. The one had nothing to do with the other. Edward liked order, he liked rules and he liked to know exactly who he was and what he was supposed to do, but he wasn't allowed to act upon his initial duties. Duties he liked having - they weren't forced upon him. Neither Cecil nor Logan seemed to understand that and Edward was tired of arguing. He didn't even know why they were fighting or why the prince thought he was mean and hurt his knight. He didn't, but even that he didn't want to hear. Edward said nothing, he didn't know what, but when the prince demanded a hug, Edward hugged him. That was an order, a weird one, but one he could simply carry out. As for the rest, he didn't know what to do.

There was silence, ruffling fabric, and more silence - Cecil didn't appreciate it, much less did he like thinking about it, but he realized that nothing changed for him and it never would. They were knight and prince, not friends, and while he held something like that in such high regard, Eddie seemed to be confused by the most mundane of things - it only made him cry more as he raised his hands and sniffled into the broad chest in front of him, deepened their hug tenfold and wouldn't stop crying. Silence wasn't comforting, he wanted to hear assuring words, he wanted to enjoy being with his friend, his only friend, but he couldn't - not like this. All of it hurt, he wanted his old life back, the one filled with silly lies and stupid ideas, and the one that made little to no sense for any of them; frankly, he wanted to live that nonsensical life for both of them, so Edward could have his rules and duties and Cecil his overbearing support system. All of this was a mistake, it was a failure, much like him, and he wanted nothing more than to be strong like Edward, to be able to protect him and shield him from his worries, but he wasn't, and he'd never be. He cried, even more. Cecil felt miserable and all of this was only happening becase of himself - he felt sick to his stomach, unable to digest any and all information he gave himself - he didn't want this.

His hug grew tighter and more desperate, his mewling and sniffling worse, but he forced himself to let go eventually, wiping away his tears by his lonesome; Eddie had abandoned him in his own right, something that suited him in a weird way. Cecil bit his lower lip and looked at him, partially in anguish and helplessness, and somewhat in anticipation and hope, but nothing followed. He dried up his tears and longed for his room, for his bed to hide in, when he had one of few days were either his lungs or eyes ached so bad he wanted nothing more than to cry, or when he made himself feel responsible for all the pain there was in this world, claiming he caused it, simply by existing. "I ... I didn't mean to ... I'm not mad ...", he cried, but before he knew it, he was no longer hopeless and helpless, he was worn out from a bit of crying and at a loss of words. Edward wanted nothing of all of what he'd heard and Cecil couldn't offer him anything but words, but stories and stupid ideas that had cropped up in his head - he hurt, painfully and apparently, but Eddie probably hurt, too, and therefore, Cecil decided to just swallow it all down and surpress his feelings somehow, even if he wasn't good at it. His voice was shaky and his walk slow and agonizing. Whatever had he done to Edward to deserve the silent treatment? He didn't know, he couldn't ask and he put on his hood as he made his way out of the room. Where was Logan? Somewhere just around the corner, hopefully.

Cecil cried, heavily at that and Edward didn't quite know why. Wasn't he supposed to know his prince inside and out? He didn't, he never had been particularily good at reading other people or at finding the right words in the right situation. He held Cecil without knowing why he cried or what he was supposed to do. Maybe this trip was simply a bit much for him? No, it seemed like it was Edwards fault. If he did what he wanted, it wasn't right, if he shut hiw mouth it wasn't either. The prince said he wasn't mad, but Edward never said he thought that. Still Cecil had raised his voice in anger, he never had done that and Edward simply wanted to do everything right. He wanted everyone to be happy, but that was hardly possible when the prince wanted to leave home, but the rest of his family didn't want to let him go. Still, he tried his best to make this journey as safe and comfortable as he could, while continously failing to tell the prince No. Yesterday he even tried to be more open. He let him drink, he even joked around with Logan, so why was the prince sad about that?

Cecil stopped the hugging, he dried his own tears and Edward looked at him still confused. What now? The prince looked like he was pouting, not quite done with crying, but he stopped himself. He put on his hood and brushed past Edward who reached out his hand for the princes shoulder, but stopped before he touched him. He didn't know what to say or ask. He closed the door behind them, locked it with the key they got yesterday and followed the prince with their shouldered bags. He followed him down and even though it hadn't been an order, he quickly returned the key, then followed the prince wherever he wanted to go. Apparently he spotted Logan who sat at a table and ate some breakfast. When the blonde saw them he raised an eyebrow. "Wow and I thought I had a long night.", he grinned, looking at both of them from head to toe. "You had a fight or something?" He defiently was better at reading people than Edward was. It wasn't his place to answer, nor did he ask the prince if he should bring soem breakfast or the horses, or if he should go ahead and pay Logans meal. He simply joined the two of them, however he didn't sit down, instead he stood next to the little booth, scanning the almost empty room.

Cecil lied to Logan, but that hardly mattered and maybe he even believed it. A nightmare would explain the princes mood, but not really the look on his knights face and his behaviour. Not that he was the most cheerful person Logan ever met, but he was capable of smiling and not looking like he'd been kicked in the guts by his little master. Did the dog not behave, was that it? Did he bite the hand that was hardly capable of feeding him? Logan sighed because of the thought alone, Edward just was a dog and he let the prince do whatever he wanted with him, at least that was the conclusion Logan came to by looking at both of them. What a bummer, that was no fun at all. "Well I slept well, even though not very long. When you left I met a cute little girl, we talked and....", Logan told them, but he was interrupten, the prince wasn't even listening, instead he suddenly got up again to waltz towards his knight who stood their like a statue and very much like a knight - that wasn't helping with not being found out.

The prince didnt aks for any food, or did he? He asked Edward if he was hungry or thirsty, as if he was a child who couldn't get anything by himself. All the while he grabbed his hand as hard as a little midget like him could as it seemed. Edward however just shook his head. "You both should eat. We won't have much until we set up camp and you wanted to reach the sea by the end of the day, didn't you?", Logan butted in, but he didn't intend to share his own food which he kept on eating without a care in the world. What was going on with the two of them? "Do you want me to saddle the horses?", Edward asked instead of giving an answer as to what he wanted. Maybe he didn't know, maybe he was a zombie. "And leave the little sheep alone with me? I won't bite, I promise.", Logan grinned, trying to coax a reaction out of Edward, but he simply averted his gaze, from both of them. "If the pr-... if my Lord so wishes, I'll go alone.", was his answer which seemed out of character, even though Logan only knew them for less than a day. "Shall I saddle his too?", he asked the prince, nodding at Logan who put some butter on a piece of bread.

There was babbling and murmuring and even then, Cecil was enticed by something or rather someone else - Edward was his name and for all things considered, the prince wanted nothing more than for him to go back to how he was just a few hours ago. However, there didn’t seem to be a cure for whatever he inflicted upon him and all Cecil could do was to avert his gaze and sniffle in anguish, like the coward he was - what had he done to Edward? He just wanted to be friends, not servant and master, but now, their relationship was even more stiff than before or then it ever had been, even when he talked - it hurt, and he wanted nothing more than to resolve their little fight, but he’d only made it all worse. Cecil had been right and Logan had been, too - he was a spoiled noble with nothing to give, a brat and according to Cecil himself, an unfeeling monster that only made it all worse. “I suppose we should, but I’m really not hungry. Thanks for the offer, Logan.”, he murmured, wiping his tears away with his arm again and then, he let go of Eddies hand, the one he’d held onto just now - it was a bit big for his own, but it also was almost as if … no, what did it matter?

“You may saddle the horses if you want.”, he told Eddie. For a moment, he wanted to reconsider his decision and seat himself at the table, grab some breakfast with Logan, but that meant he’d have to leave Eddie alone and … no, Cecil wanted to be alone, not with either of them, but he was torn - he couldn’t be as selfish as to run off and hide somewhere, he’d only cause trouble of he did, and yet, it felt right, almost as if whatever lingered outside, in all those dusty sunbeams, called for him. He swallowed. “I’d rather not. I apologize, Logan.”, he grumbled at the blonde, who didn’t deserve all of the animosity that simmered within Cecil instead, but Edward was making it hard on him and he wanted nothing more than to turn back time and to explain himself properly. Again, he wanted nothing more than to have his peace of mind and he didn’t want to bother anyone either, something which he clearly was doing right now. “No, he can saddle his horse himself.”, he spoke, his voice more of a thin-veiled whisper, soaked by his tears and cries, some of which didn’t seem to disappear. “Do you feel comfortable going alone? If yes, I’ll leave you to it and I’ll wait out front. If not, I’ll come with you - your pick.”

"Suit yourself.", Logan answered shrugging his shoulders, but he kept looking back and forth between those two. Something was off, probably everyone could tell, even blind people. The air around those two was sizzeling. Edwards face showed that he was not happy with the answer he got, as if he was unable to pick by himself and Cecil was phrasing all this weirdly too. "Oh don't worry, I don't want to get in the way of a loving couple like you two are...", he answered sarcasticly. In actuality, he truly didn't want to get between them, this felt like a powderkeg ready to explode. Logan just wanted to eat breakfast in peace. They'd really have to pay him extra if they always were like that. "Being nice to me too, huh?", he commented once more when the prince told Edward, that Logan was very well capable of saddling his own horse. He was, but that wasn't the point, it was the way the prince said it and while everything was supposed to be Edwards decision somehow, Logan had to saddle his horse himself, whether Edward would have done it or not.

"I'd rather have you decide.", Edward answered very shortly and Logan let out an intentional big and loud moan. "You two are depressing! What the fuck is happening between you two? Either of you didn't get into the others pants or something? Edward broke your dolls? The sheep broke your sword? You hate eachother now?", Logan asked crossing his arms in front of his chest. Since he didn't get an answer he stood up, slamming his hands on the table in front of him. "We'll have three more of those to go!", he yelled over to the counter of the bar, then stepped out of the booth and stepped in front of Edward. "Put some money on the table for them, will ya big boy?", he kind of demanded and while Edward tried to look at Cecil, he stepped between them. "Nuh-uh. You don't need permission to pay those people for our lunch, now come on." Edward looked a bit confused, but he complied and walked over to the counter to hand them the money they owed. Logan meanwhile looked at Cecil. "And you? Quit crying. I thought you're on this journey to become a man. Now tell me what the fuck is going on and let uncle Logan fix that. Outside though, before you make someone that might stumble in here want to jump off the next bridge." Edward came back with some bags of food he still stuffed into their luggage while walking and Logan pushed Cecil towards the door. No need to have them fight or whatever in the open. Best they got on their horses and talked about it on the way.

This was awful, so very awful and Cecil himself knew that he wasn’t better than any monster would be. He didn’t enjoy the thought of it, but he also wanted the best for all of them - Eddie had said he didn’t trust Logan and thus, Cecil wanted to trust him and just let him decide what felt right, but that had backfired horribly. Still, he cried and cried and only jolted up when he heard a loud slam on the table - there was only sniffling now, but his throat felt swollen and his eyes were probably puffy; he’d have a headache soon enough, and he’d be even more of a headache for both Edward and Logan if he would complain about something minuscule like that. “I didn’t mean to be mean, I just … tried to help Eddie …”, he told Logan, who’s first course of action, after making the knight leave, was to tell him to shut up. Cecil sniffled a bit and nodded his head, wiping away the last bits of tears and possibly some snot with his sleeve - all of this hurt and while he tried his utmost to shut himself up, he wasn’t sure if he could keep the farce up for long enough. Logan surely wouldn’t buy any of those lame excuses he could offer him and Cecil felt sorry for him. “We don’t hate … I don’t hate Eddie, but I think he might hate me …”, he mumbled toward Logan.

Cecil staggered towards the door, looking back at Edward who did the stupid jobs for them, like a servant - he didn’t want it to be that way and yet, he couldn’t cry again. Logan was right. If anyone saw him crying, they’d definitely want to kill themselves afterwards - sure, it was a saying, but Cecil didn’t think it was that far off, even if he tried to make more and more sense of it; he didn’t quite understand. Warm beams of sunlight soon enveloped him as he strutted out of the inn, and while he wanted nothing more than a hug, he bit back the urge and looked at Logan. “I tried to be nice and … do my own stuff. I wanted to bring him a towel and put out his clothes and … and … I told him that I didn’t want him to act like my servant, I told him he was my friend and I want to help him. He doesn’t always have to do everything for me.”, he explained to Logan, but Cecil was crying again already, clearly upset about what had happened between the two of them. Was it his tone of voice? He didn’t know. “I wanted him to rest more and he kept beating himself up over losing to you … and I kind of shouted at him to quit feeling like he needed to do all of this for me, to stop treating me like a kid. To let me do things for him, too … And then he just offered me to stay in the background and all that stuff, he kind of refuses to talk to me since then and behaves like some sort of thing that needs instructions! I tried apologizing to him, but that doesn’t work and I don’t want to force him to anything, but when I ask him a question he answers like that!”, he told Logan and eventually did grab his arm for some comfort. “I just wanted a hug when I was upset and it feels awful to have to order someone to hug you …”

This young prince was exhausting to deal with, wasn't he? How old was he supposed to be again? "Yesterday evening everything was fine, wasn't it?", Logan asked thinking back. Sure, they went to bed early, but they both wanted to. Maybe Cecil did say some things while he was drunk or something, that happened to everyone sometimes and Edward seemed more and more like he was the frail one of the two of them. Logan pushed Cecil outside and Edward followed swiftly, probably hearing what they were saying, even though Logan didn't want too much attention on them. Usually he wouldn't have minded, but he didn't want anyone else to find the prince and his knight. "Well that sounds nice enough...", Logan mumbled, looking back at Edward who followed them silently and with his gaze fixated on the ground. "Are you friends though?", Logan then asked in all seriousness and once they arrived at the stable, he pushed Cecil inside to get rid of any looks people might have shot at them this early in the morning. The stable itself was empty and Edward slipped in, closing the door behind all of them.

"Now now, calm down, I feel like I'm missing parts of the story...", Logan mumbled, looking at his arm that got grabbed by the little prince. "Also I'm not going to hug you... or maybe I should, it might make that knight jelous enough to talk to you." Logan proposed, but still freed his arm shortly after. "Okay listen, think about one thing for me, alright? Do you want him to stop doing things for you because you want to do them yourself, or because you don't want to bother him?" Logan had stupid brothers that had stupid fights and he had enough women on his case for some stupid bullshit to know his way around, though this was kind of different. he tried his best. Leaving Cecil with his homework, he turned to Edward, attempting to put an arm around him, but the knight quickly brushed him off with a displeaced expression. "Sorry sorry.", Logan sighed then crossed his arms in front of his chest. "So what's your damn problem then?", Logan asked, but Edward clearly looked like the blonde was the last person he wanted to talk about it with. Then again, Cecil liked him for some reason and the struggle was clearly visible in Edwards face. "I'm...", Edward started, but Logan stopped him in his tracks. "Nono, I don't care, tell that to him.", Logan simply said with a grin and left the stable. He closed the door again and leaned against it. No one would come in here the next ten minutes and Logan just hoped that would solve the problem. Edward meanwhile looked at Cecil, then back on the floor. He wasn't good at speaking up and now he felt pressured, which made it even worse. He was a child for rather writing a letter like back in the day, when Cecil didn't know how to ask for something and instead wrote a letter on which Edward should cross Yes or No on. Edward tried to find some courage and stepped closer to grab Cecils hand. Then he fell down on one knee, not caring about the dirty floor in the stables. He looked up into his face as best as he could, even though it freaked him out a little. "You told me to do what I want to do... but doing that upsets you, so I... I don't know what to do to make you happy..." He gulped, his eyes tried to escape the princes gaze, but he forced himself to look at him, even though the blue marbles were shaking. "Reading every wish from your eyes before you voice it and acting accordingly, that makes me happy and that is what I want to do. Not as your servant or knight, but as your friend. It doesn't bother me. It doesn't make me tired. I don't sleep well, I know, but that is only because I worry for your safety. I can't lose you - never. You die, I die. I want to protect you. I'm tense, but not because I get you your breakfast or wash your clothes. I like doing that, it calms me down and I want you to be comfortable. I want you to concentrate on the journey and not on my needs. All I need I already have with me. All I need is you. By reading me a story every once in a while or by braiding my hair, you already do more than enough for me. I don't want any more. I feel awful seeing you do more than that and I'm sorry if that is selfish. I will try to change if you want me to, if that is what is needed for me to stay by your side, but I am stubborn and change is hard for me, you know that. Besides that, know that you already carry enough weight for both of us. You will pick where we go and what we do. If you ask for my opinion I will try and provide one, but I am not made for making decisions. I am sorry it has to be you, but that also means that you already carry more weight than I do, so please... let me do everything I can for you in return."

Logan was right, he was already making everything sound so much worse than it truly was - Edward was obviously mad at him for something, and he should have ample time to enjoy himself, and yet, Cecil was the one that didn't have to make all of this balloon into something insane and then blame others for it - but it hurt to even look at Eddie in his pained, mindless state and just pretend that everything was fine and alright, and that Cecil himself was definitely agreeing with the course of action they'd taken. "We are friends ... we've always been ...", he mumbled. He'd never even mentioned it much before, had pretended that Eddie had understood him the first time around and then moved on with any and all conversations they could have had, as far as any of that went. Hope wasn't lost on him and he was willing to learn, much like he was willing to teach Eddie something, and yet, as it stood, maybe all of that would fail eventually. "You're not going to ... hug me?", he asked, almost in disbelief, gritting his teeth and shaking his head as he dried his tears that kept coming and flowing and obstruction his own talking. He'd been honest to Logan and he'd gain close to nothing from pretending to be someone he wasn't, from lying to someone that only wanted to help, but in reality, what was he to do afterwards? "Huh? I-", he wanted to answer, but Logan had already freed himself from his grip and had waltzed off, all the way toward Eddie himself.

For a moment, he wanted to butt in on their conversation, wanted to tell Logan to take his fingers off of Eddie, whom he not only wanted for himself, but also knew that he didn't enjoy the touch of the blonde. The sad reality to all of this was, that he couldn't help him though, and what was worse, he didn't feel like he'd be able to. Before he knew it, Logan was saying something to his beloved knight and instead of arguing, he then forced his way outside of the stables, seemingly locking them in with one another as Cecil gulped. "Eddie, you do-", he wanted to say, but he couldn't. His knight, no, his best friend, got down on his knees and grabbed his hand, held it as he pathetically sniffled and looked at him, staring at those two blue eyes that he'd liked so much, and listened to the words - the endless sentences that flowed from Eddies mouth. Not once had he thought the knight to be capable of saying so much, but it wasn't something wrong to begin with, no; he listened as he poured his heart out, in liquid words, all meant to appease a monster that stood before him, someone that neither could nor would listen, and somebody that owed him more than a thousand apologies for treating him much like a lifeless doll without any emotions or thoughts of his own. "I ... I was wrong, then?", he asked in disbelief, his face caked in regret as his bottom lip was quivering and his glassy eyes watering. "I thought you ... wanted some help, to relax and enjoy a bit and that you'd not take that for an order, so I wanted to help ... I want to care for you too, that's what friends do, I didn't want to rob you of any relaxation. You're not one for many words, you've never been, so I figured that maybe, you'd enjoy that more. But not once did I want you to discard yourself like that, simply to please me.", he explained to the knight, whoms hand he squeezed. Cecil couldn't stand there like this, he got down on his knees as well, scooted closer to Edward and pulled him into a hug, one that they both could use. This time, he didn't cry. "I'm an idiot, I'm sorry Edward. I enjoy reading to you, as much as I enjoy braiding your hair and simply being there for you, but I also want you to enjoy yourself and have fun with me - to not be as stressed as you are. Tell you what, you're my friend, and I shall respect your wishes, if you occasional show me how you do things? May I watch? Would that work? I can't even fold bedsheets properly ...", he admitted embarrassed and brushed over the back of Eddies head. "Would you feel more relaxed if I wrote home about our whereabouts and intentions and that they shall stop hunting us?", he offered up. He'd thought about it, and in turn, had hoped his father would understand. Or maybe Garrett.

Logan stood outside the stable and drew patterns in the dust with his shoe. There was only one person coming by and Logan simply told him, that he didn't want to go in there right now, making it sound like someone had sex in there right now. It kept them away, that was good enough. Logan didn't listen in on their conversation, but he heard no shouting or screaming, then again, he didn't think Edward was even capable of that. Both of them were stupid, weren't they? Logan didn't even know what had happened, but understanding the knight and his sense of duty was out of Logans capabilities anyway. He should have been just like him one day. He should have become a royal knight for a noble family. Not the kings family, but someone important. His brothers were exactly that by now, some for years and as far as he knew, every single one of them lived. Every single one of them probably would lose against Logan at this point too, because they were just as rusty as Edward was. Logan was different, Logan always had wanted to be his own master and to decide for his life himself. He admired the prince for the journey he went on, even though he probably was a bit too naive for it, but he reminded Logan of himself. At the same time Edward reminded him of what he never wanted to be - they were an odd couple, but Logan decided to play along a while longer, even though this morning sucked.

Edward looked up as his prince, but once he was finished, he faltered and his gaze wandered, searching for a way out. He was embarassed and maybe even exhausted from saying so much in such a short time. He wasn't sure how Cecil would take it and if he'd be mad again, because Edwards general behavior was the problem. Now he lowered his head as if he was ashamed and as if he believed he said too much. He still held the princes hand, but he looked like he was awaiting punishment. Once again he didn't know what to say anymore, what to anser the prince and that probably was the problem. Before he could stop him though, the prince fell to his own knees. He hugged Edward and Edward hugged him back to comfort the little prince. "Y-You're getting all dirty...", he mumbled as if in shock over all the mud and dirt that now stuck to the princes pants. "I... I'm sorry. I can't stop worrying, but... I do feel relaxed when you read for me... or braid my hair... but you also don't have to do that every day...", he answered, not knowing how else to admit that he was a worryward and that that would never change. "You... can watch, but you can also have some fun... meanwhile...?", he proposed and let go of the prince to search for something in his pocket. "They would bring you home.", he replied meanwhile, then softly pushed Cecil off of him, so he could take his hand and hand him what was supposed to be a surprise. He had given him the gloves he sewed yesterday night. "For... for protecting your hands... while training with the bow..."

Cecil had to admit that he missed the Edward from back home a bit, knowing well enough that he was the one that forced him out of his comfort zone in the first place, simply to go on a wild journey like this, free of sense and ideologies, as well as free of understanding for the basics of everything. Silence and blind compliance was hardly what he looked for. This was supposed to be fun for all of them - for him, for Eddie and even for Logan, and not just for him in his delirious state of wanting to see the world, lest he‘d turn blind in a few years and was bound to rely on Edward even more. Sure, there was no guarantee that he‘d actually be blind and he was only thinking about it because his eyesight kept worsening, but even then, he wasn‘t sure if it wouldn’t eventually come to bite him in the ass. Did Edward share the same sentiment or was he hoping for something else, something other than this that was going to help him get through what bothered him so much in the first place? Peace was not an option, it never ha been and in many cases, it never would be - even though he tried his utmost to make it work for all of them, he wasn’t so sure about it all. „So are you.“, he reminded Edward and hugged him tighter, sobbing into his arms.

Cecil enjoyed being with him, as much as he enjoyed basking in his friends presence and realising how good it was that he had him; without him, he’d possibly be stuck elsewhere or would’ve been sold for real, maybe not by the likes of Logan but somebody else that couldn’t fathom what it meant to sell a noble into slavery, despite the price he’d want for him. „But I‘d like to. It‘s not bothering me and incidentally, it‘s something I enjoy quite a lot.“ That seemed to be their new agreement then, no? No breathtaking, silly oaths for lifelong, onesided support and no crude bloodpact like others would agree on. Cecil was happy about that, maybe even a bit proud. „Only if you join in on the fun afterwards? If you‘d like. If you‘d rather sit down and watch me for a bit, you may also do what.“, he tried to make Edward understand, in fear of the fact that the knight would feel like he had to play someone he wasn’t. Before he could get a good cry and sob much more into Edwards robe, he was forced off of him and looked at him, dumbfounded, maybe a bit pained, unsure of what was to come. „And what if they do? I‘ve seen things already. How about we go see the sea before I write home, though? And then we can swim together before I end up looking like a cooked crab.“, he offered, despite knowing that he’d asked Logan for swimming instructions, something that hadn’t quite worked beforehand. His eyes widened as he was pulled back into reality - he looked at the gloves, the one that had come out of nowhere, and he looked at Eddie, as he took them. „Was that why you didn’t want to sleep immediately? I … thank you, Eddie. They look beautiful, but you didn’t have to!“, he admitted, flustered, and thus hugged his knight once more, in appreciation, and kissed him on the cheek, in appreciation as well - he felt flattered and let go, only to try them on. „They fit perfectly! Oh, we should get up, here!“ Immediately, Cecil scrambled to his feet and then, he offered Eddie his hand. The gloves felt nice, inside and out.

Being the princes knight might not have been easy all the time, but it was all Edward wanted to be. He wasn't sure if anyone could do a better job, maybe he should let the prince act more like he wanted, instead of taking all work off of him, but in the end it was what Edward felt was right and he didn't lie when he said it didn't bother him. When he was younger he also never sit still. He either had to take care of the prince, or he studied and trained and thus it was hard for him to just sit down and relax now too. He wasn't like Cecil or Logan who always had something to talk about and basked in some conversation, meaningless or not. He felt better if he could remove himself a bit to do certain things, though talking to the prince always felt much easier than talking to anyone else. "As long as you don't get hurt...", Edward mumbled, still unsure about what to allow Cecil to do and what not. He shouldn't use a weapon probably and leaving him in Logans hand seemed like something he didn't like too.

"If you want home, we can do that, if you want to keep going, I will follow you too.", Edward simply answered. If they got back home Edward would probably be killed, but if the prince wanted to have his life back, Edward would not deny him. He'd be much saver there anyway. Edward didn't mention his own fate, it didn't matter and he already knew what would happen when he packed their bags. He could have told the king or the princes brother about Cecils plan, but betraying him had never been an option. After handing over the gloves, Cecil wrapped his arms around Edward once more and the knight softly patted him. "I wanted them to be finished in time...", Edward admitted and once the prince let go again he watched him put them on. Maybe it was weird for Edward to not need a sample or a handprint from Cecil to make gloves that fit perfectly, but he didn't care. The prince got up again and Edward hesitently grabbed the hand that was offered to him. He merely held it, but got up on his own. Before he tried to brush away the dirt from his own clothes, he cared for the prince, trying to make him representable again.

Cecil was definitely demanding a bit much of Eddie, something he couldn't help him with and something he definitely couldn't make any easier on him - if anything, he knew that Edward was not only merely doing his duties as a knight, he was also trying his utmost to help him and make him feel at home during the insane journey they endured. Sure, it would only get worse from here on out and there was no denying that, but Cecil still found himself banking on the obvious, on a distraction from somewhere - be it the stars or the world itself, something that kept his mood alight and Edward pleased, as long as they made walks around this area and pretended that they didn't know of any bad in this world. "I will try my best to hold back. Is that sufficent?", he inquired of his knight, who always seemed to be on edge, mainly because Cecil himself mentioned things that were, at best, out of a bad horror tale and had to be taken seriously and not as likely as he might have wanted it. There only needed to be the smallest of confirmations and if there was, he'd start with going along on Eddies plan - he'd start being the prince he was, and he'd obey his knight, but he'd also see to it and make his knight feel at home where he was, and not force him to think of someplace else when he was with him.

"Then we'll stay. Is that alright with you? I truly want nothing more than to enjoy this, together, with you, for as long as we can.", he simplified and maybe Cecil was right, maybe they needed this trip to further themselves, to make abundantly clear that they were, without exception, merely doing their best to see a world that didn't want to see them - whatever the case however, it wasn't all the cumbersome as he thought it to be. Cecil put on the second glove and he like the warmth they provided; Eddie even grabbed his hand and got on his feet, which made the prince feel mighty proud, almost as if he'd pulled his knight back up onto his legs and forced him to stand before him - but no, he'd hardly used any strength, not while Eddie was doing most of the work again. "That was thoughtful of you, and it's endearing as well. Thank you, Eddie. I love them!", he hummed, sounding accomplished and fulfilled. Like this, he felt as if nothing stood between them yet again, and he liked the thoughtful gift, a lot, actually. He let the knight do as he wished, but then took the gloves off, folded them neatly and started cleaning of Edwards pants with his bare hands, much like the knight had done for him. "Are you hungry? Thirsty? Anything?", he asked again.