Orphic || Prince Caspian

fourteen

The night air was cool on Ahren's skin and the stars were bright above him. The trickling sounds of the river calming as he let the tears drip down his cheeks. The soft sobs shaking his chest. He felt like a baby, crying so often. It was embarrassing, humiliating and he hated it. The familiar pressure building in his chest, the sting in his eyes. As a child he had cried, but only when things were too big for him. He had only ever cried at Caspian once and that had been the last time they had seen each other. The day his father left and he had given up being the strong one and finally sobbed into Caspian's tunic. Not that either boy had known then that it would be the last time they had seen each other. Looking back now, Ahren could only weep at the fact that he had lost his father and Caspian in the same day. Othello less than a week later.

Sometimes that fact would hit him out of nowhere. A pang of grief, a memory of a time before the forest, a familiar moment and it would overwhelm him and he would be sobbing. Much like now. It felt like whatever control over his emotions he'd had as a child had been broken that night and never fixed. It was embarrassing to cry all the time. Each time it was like he was seven again and sobbing into Willowbranch's shoulder for the first time again. His whole world gone and changed. He was so scared of it happening again.

Footsteps disrupted the pebbled shore behind him and Ahren hurriedly held his breath to quell his sobs, fingers catching his tears to hide the evidence. The footsteps grew closer and he slowly exhaled, hoping that his chest would not gasp and send him into another round of sobs. His eyes concentrating on how the moonlight danced off the current of the water.

"Ahren".

His breathe caught and he turned. Caspian was walking towards him in his breeches and billowy white shirt. It was a night-shirt, he dimly recognised. Caspian had mentioned fleeing during the night but Ahren had not realised that the prince was still wearing his night shirt. The collar too loose and sleeves too billowy for it to be a day shirt. The moon caught on the collarbone length dark hair and glinted on his skin. His prince looked cold and Ahren wondered why he had not been offered a cloak.

Caspian stopped at his side and his hands reached out to brush away a few missed tears. "They were right", he smiled gently. "You were crying".

"Yeah yeah. Tease me for being a crybaby now. I know". He tried to turn away but Caspian had grabbed him by the shoulders.

"You are. But that's fine", He grinned and Ahren felt slightly nostalgic at the realisation that the sight of it still made him feel warm. "I was the crybaby as a boy. I do not mind being the one to console you this time".

"You cried all the time because your parents had just died", Ahren pouted.

"And you cry all the time because you lived through something horrific".

"Ten years ago".

"Nine years ago and eight months ago". The reply made Ahren blink.

"You counted?" The words were softer, surprised and touched.

Caspian hummed and averted his gaze for a moment before those dark eyes swam back. "I did. You were my first and only ever true friend. I missed you".

"I missed you too". He had. He had so much it hurt. Caspian's hands were warm and grounding on his shoulders. But the smile lighting up his face was far warmer than the hearth they had left inside.

"So don't worry about crying. I know that Willowbranch is right. You are so strong Ahren. I am thankful you are alive". Caspian pulled him close and folded him into a hug to which Ahren went along willingly. He rested his head on the taller boy's shoulder and let the safety of being enveloped by someone bigger than him settle the last of his turmoil.

"I am glad you are alive too", he murmured into the prince's shoulder. "But what are we going to do now?" It was a heavy question. He felt Caspian tense up slightly.

"Hey!" Summer's voice made them pull apart. Ahren turned to see the two satyrs standing at the entrance of the cave he called his home. "Willowbranch says to go to bed. We are going to the Elders tomorrow. So rest up Wren. Prince".

Ahren grumbled and felt Caspian chucle next to him as they watched the two blondes begin to make their way downstream towards their own home where their mother was waiting. "They are so annoying".

"They care about you", the taller smiled. "I am happy that you were not alone".

Ahren frowned. "I am sorry you were".

"I was not entirely alone", Caspian offered as they began walking back up the cave. One arm over Ahren's shoulders as the smaller kept one around the prince's waist. "I have a tutor. Doctor Cornelius. He was the one who got me out of the castle before my uncle could have me murdered". His smile dimmed. "I hope he's alright".

Ahren squeezed his waist gently in comfort as they ducked into the hidden entrance of the cave and made their way down the tunnel. The grey curtain around the corner of straw and blankets that made Willa's bed was closed and the dirty bowls from dinner were stacked to wash in the river in the morning. The oil lamps around the cave room all out apart from the one they kept dimmed by the door at night. The two teens keeping silent as they made their way back to Ahren's bed. Pulling off their shoes and tugging the curtain closed. Ahren lighting a small candle above his bed with practised movements.

It went without word as they both got ready to sleep. Ahren pulling a pair of shorts that he often wore to sleep from his alcove and offering it up. The fabric of the shorts had grown thing from years of wear and they were always loose even if he tied them tighter, so they would fit the taller. Caspian took them with a smile and set about dressing. Ahren turning his back to do the same.

As he pulled off his shirt, he felt eyes on him. He glanced around and saw in the candlelight, Caspian staring frozen at his back. Slowly, the taller reached out. Ahren froze, the moment feeling charged and heavy, as fingertips gently brushed over the sunburst like scar left from the crossbow bolt and ravaged by infection. It was gnarly, bubbled and ugly. Probably looking even worse in the dim light. Yet Caspian's touch was almost reverent. Oh so gentle that it made Ahren shiver. The hand withdrew and Ahren slipped his sleep shirt over his head.

When he turned around fully, Caspian was dressed and still watching him. Eyes darker than the air around them. "Let me take the outside", he whispered. Ahren was tired and too emotionally exhausted to care.

He crawled into the bed first, wriggling until his back was almost pressing into the rock wall of the nook. He watched as Caspian blew out the light, plunging them into dark. Only the sounds of shifting fabric in the black alerting him to the taller crawling into bed with him. Unlike earlier, this time sharing a bed felt clumsy, heavy, weighted. Or it did for a single moment until Caspian was reaching for him and pressing closer. Ahren let himself be wrapped in long limbs and let out a sleepy sigh. The warmth around him comforting and safe.

unedited

two updates? wow look at me.
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