Many days later, the group is still traveling; to where? They don’t know, though they did know they would need to find somewhere to safe to lay low which wouldn’t be hard to find the further away from their home city. Tristan felt heavy hearted the further he got from his home but knew it was for his safety and as long as Theodore was with him, he was happy.
After many late nights lying together when they stopped and sharing a few little kisses when the others weren’t paying attention to them, the boys decided that they wouldn’t pursue a real relationship until after all this mess with their pursuers was over and they could relax. They were happy with that and were happy with little meaningful looks that promised a lot to each other. They were content with how everything between them had progressed since Theodore could openly state that he had real feelings for the prince; it only took a good six months of running for it to become a realisation.
The group travelled for another few months, stopping every now and then to steal food they wanted or clothing that was desperately needed; thankfully to Theodore’s air magic, not a lot of people understood that their stuff was being stolen until it was gone. Stopping every time they found a body of water to wash in and to sleep near for the night, Tristan and Theo almost never leaving each other’s side and despite them wanting to hold off a real relationship or romance, they still shared passionate kisses when the need came to be close, which wasn’t very often, and held each other as they slept. They shared an extra few kisses and promised glances when Theodore’s birthday finally came around, celebrating the nineteen year old finally turning twenty by dunking him into a stream close to where they had been riding.
They only knew of the moment they had crossed a border into a neighbouring kingdom when they saw the different landscapes surrounding them; instead of lush, rolling hills of grass and trees, they were met with high peaked mounts covered in dark much and snow the closer it got to the top; despite it no longer being winter. Around there were a few people watching the new comers suspiciously but after a moment of nothing bad happening, the guards continued to their posts. Without argument they agree to head to the nearest town and look into purchasing a house for them all to stay in; after selling a few of their horses to pay for it of course.
The first house they came across that was for sale was large enough for all of them to live comfortably together without getting in each other’s ways, and luckily it already came with furniture so they didn’t have to sell all their horses. Theodore and Tristan decided to take two separate rooms to try and stop themselves from being too intimate with each other when they were trying save it for when they were safe and in their own home again.
The other four noticed this but didn’t question it as the boys still hung around each other like nothing had changed, they were just taking a step back to wait and make it special for them both despite the fact that they both weren’t virgins.
Settling into the house took a few weeks before everyone was comfortable but it was slightly awkward since Tristan and Julia hadn’t shared a glance or any words since Tristan’s blow up at her for ridiculing Theodore when the golden eyed boy knew what he was doing. She would steer clear of him and Tristan made no effort to apologise or make sure they were okay with each other, but he was happy when the twins both got jobs to save up their money and the red headed couple also got jobs, letting the two boys stay home since Tristan could be recognised at any moment. So while the other four worked every day, the boys got to hang around the house though they did clean and cook for everyone; Tristan being surprisingly good at cooking after working at the inn for the few months they were there.
Today was sunny and summer was in full force, though it would be ending soon, as the two boys lay in the grass out the back of the property their house was on, thankfully the house was actually located a little bit away from the town so the group had some privacy from stragglers that wanted to steal their things.
Theodore was playing with fire between his fingertips while Tristan dozed, hoping to bring a healthy tan back to his skin after a few weeks of staying inside to stop anyone from spotting him but he felt safe with the magic wielder laying beside him. The brunet opened his eyes and looked over towards his blond friend who had finally let Alissia cut his hair, even it was only a little bit. When they had reached the town of Thosha, Theodore’s hair was long enough to almost reach his elbows and he was getting sick of it getting in the way of everything he did so he allowed the older woman to cut his hair into how it had been when they originally left the inn; hanging around his shoulders.
Tristan revelled in the peaceful look that had taken place in Theodore’s gaze as he played with is magic, though his expression was neutral. His body hadn’t changed much over the few months they had spent travelling but Tristan could see the outline of his abdominal muscles through his shirt that was tightly clinging to the young man’s torso. Theodore turned his head to look at Tristan to find him already studying him, a small smile taking place on Theodore’s plump lips; it was in that smile that Tristan could see Theodore aging; the lines around his face were slightly more prominent and it was like he was growing older before his eyes, despite him still being twenty years old. Though as the New Year approached, so did the anniversary of the attack on their home and the boys knew they would be needing each other’s company the closer the day got.
“What are you thinking about?” The future captain asked and the prince looked away from him with a sigh.
“It’s almost been a year Theo.”
“I know.”
They’re both silent before they simultaneously turn to each other and wrap their arms around one another, Tristan pulling Theodore into his chest as they both sighed and relished in the feel of the other against them.
“One day, we will be able to do this all the time.” Tristan murmured and Theodore smiled softly against the skin of the brunet’s neck, nodding his head slightly.
“I’m still slightly weirded out that this feels so natural now, cuddling you I mean.” Theodore responds and Tristan grins as he pulls back to look into his golden eyes.
Before they could close the gap between them, a shadow falls upon them and they both look up to meet Micah’s smiling face, the red head had grown out his beard the few months they travelled and decided not to shave it when they got to the small town.
“It’s happy to see you two so close with what’s coming up but we do need to talk about what we’re going to do now and Tristan, you need to talk to Julia.” Micah tells them as they reluctantly release each other and stand, brushing off their clothes before following the red haired man inside. Julia was sitting at the table in the kitchen, watching her brother and Alissia move around to sort out lunch for everyone. It was a sight to see them all under the roof at the same time when they all worked different hours and days, but today they all had off which was great. Theodore shoved Tristan towards the blonde girl as he made his way over to help with what he could; the brunette lowered himself into the seat beside the girl and when their eyes met, he gave her a gentle smile to show he meant no harm by sitting next to her.
“Julia, I need to apologise for speaking to you the way I did back then. It was very rude of me to say the things I did and I hope you can forgive me.” Tristan says hopefully and Julia studies him before sighing, her arms flinging carelessly around his shoulder as she hugs him. It’s when she sniffles that his arms circle around her waist to tighten their hug.
“I should be the one apologising, you were right. I was jealous and angry, I shouldn’t have questioned Theodore when I am meant to back him with every decision.” She mutters, her voice breaking and he tightens his arms before pulling away to meet her eyes, his hands holding her cheeks gentle.
“We were both at fault, can we go back to being family now?” The brunet asks while the girl nods, smiling when he wipes away some of her tears. The others bring the food over and sit down, Theodore sitting opposite the brunet and smiling at him when their eyes meet.
“Now that’s taken care of, what are we going to do?” Micah questions, his eyes on Theodore as the blond eats and can practically see the cogs turning in his head.
“Well for one we need to build an army to fight against whoever has taken our home, but we can’t just have soldiers anymore. That man at the inn had magic so we will need more magic wielders to fight against any others on their side.” Theodore pauses to eat another spoonful, not lifting his eyes when he continues, “We need to track down the surviving soldiers from the castle, if there is any, and see if they would be willing to fight with us. In the meantime, I can train you all to fight as well as I can.”
They took in the blonds words, making the young man look up when it’s silent and coming to face the shocked looks of them all; they were practically gawking at him.
“What?”
“How long have you been planning this?” Justin asks, he had aged little in the last few months too though he regularly let Alissia cut his hair to its regular style; long hair didn’t suit him.
“I have been thinking about this plan for almost a full year now, since the day they attacked it’s been on my mind. Though I only thought of the magic wielders in the last few months after wondering about the man; surely there are others right? I mean, you two and that man are magic wielders too so there has to be more.” Theodore rants, his eyes piercing through them all as they nod in understanding.
The rest of the meal is spent in silence as they mull over the plan in different ways, though after the dishes are cleaned and before any of them leave Theodore gets their attention again.
“Julia and Justin, as magic users, you have the ability to sense others around you. I could’ve done it when I first met you but I hadn’t thought too since I didn’t really see you as a magical threat to me, since no one really is. You both work at the inn so I will need you to feel out if anyone has abilities while you’re at work. Alissia and Micah, look out for anyone who looks like we did when we first got here and listen out for anyone who mentions the kingdom. You are to track them down whenever you can and talk to them about our cause, but you must be careful about what you say and who you say it too. We don’t know who we can trust.” Theodore tells them and with a nod the four wander off to do their own things while Tristan stays seated with the blonde.
“You’ve really thought this all out haven’t you?” Tristan asks and grins when Theodore nods at him; he could see the strong man he was becoming. He would make a great captain when the time comes; whenever that was.
While the group had been living somewhat peacefully together, Ares, the large man who had attacked them at the inn all those months ago was slowly making his way closer to where he believed they were. He had been living alone for months and practicing his magic to strengthen himself for when the time came to fight anyone but it never came. No one from either side came after him so he spent many months here and there; travelling all over and getting training from multiple different swordsmen and sorcerers alike; as that was what he had been told to call them and himself. As they taught him, he pleaded with them to aid him when he sent word and majority of them agreed to come to him when he contact them and with happiness in his originally evil heart, he hoped that was enough for the group protecting the prince to accept his apologies and let him join them.
The many months spent alone made him really question what he had done and why he had done it, although he wasn’t the one to slit the young prince Xavier’s throat or send his sword through the parents of the two young boys; he was responsible for helping an evil force get their claws on the throne that now had a heartless monster of a woman sitting on it.
He believed it was because he was naïve enough to fall in love with the brunette woman with sparkling hazel eyes but the more he thought on it and thought of her, he felt sick at the image of her.
She had used him, his magic and his naïve heart to her advantage and made him attack young men who could potentially bring the world to be better than it was now and could ever be, so he was trying his hardest to rally as many people as he could to help when the time came.
The few sorcerers that helped him grow more powerful, were very well skilled in their powers and showed him proper ways to use his dark flames to his advantage in more ways than just burning; teaching him how to use it as a shield or how to coat his large sword with the flames and attack things, making the attacks worse for the victim as the hot, burning blade would easily slice through flesh.
He learnt to make his fire so hot it could burnt through bone easily and the more he learnt, the happier he was that he no longer fought for the evil bitch who thought she could control everything and everyone.
As the many months within two years passed by the large man, he aged to twenty six years old when he finally decided to make his way to where he believed the group was.
He just hoped Theodore would forgive him and let him help when he revealed the troops he had at his beck and call.
Comments (0)
See all