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theodore gasped as the lord grabbed aidan and whispered to him. What had he said to pale his friend so much? The boy still held at aidans sleeve, afraid to let go and he shush sloane as he made a fuss with the lord near them again.
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Aidan jerked his hand away.
Paused. Lord Constance was humored. He knew he wouldn't say no. He was a man of higher status than some lowly pawn of the future king. The mage looked at Theodore. "Wait here with Sloane..." |
Theodore's eye widened a bit and he shook his head. "A-Aidan.." He murmured, fingers clutching at the man's shirt. He didn't want him to go with that man anywhere, furrowing his brow as he looked at Aidan, pleading silently for him not to.
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Aidan swallowed hard. It would hurt him to leave him alone...
But... Lord Constance had stepped out. Slightly bristling, Aidan considered ignoring the threat. But the consequence had to do with Theodore. He left the boy in the room and followed the man to the carriage. |
Theodore groped after the man's sleeve when Aidan pulled away to follow after the man. "Aidan..." He stepped after him a few stumbled steps before stopping, holding Sloane close. Now what would happen? What did the man want with Aidan? Theodore was afraid to leave him alone with the Lord.
He tipped his head down to nuzzle Sloane's furry head, sniffling before he sat himself right down on the floor, hugging his knees with one arm as he cradled his kitten. |
Over an hour passed before the wheels of the carriage turned to take away the nobleman back to his residence. Aidan listened to the claps of the horse hooves fade away as he popped his collar up higher to hopefully cover away the redness. It was bad enough he had some of the humiliation staining his once nice attire. It was time to visit the tailor again...
Before heading into the house again, Aidan went to the back where the well was. Pulling up the bucket, he looked at the cool water as it approached him. It appeared as if there was something at the bottom. The ache in his throat made him ignore it. He cupped his hands and drank. He felt a little odd, but assumed it had to do with the business he had dealt with earlier. Entering his old home once more, he hesitated, wishing he had checked his appearance first. Knowing it was too late, he went ahead and called out to the boy. |
By the time the hour was up, all of Aidan's magic had gone out, leaving little Theo in the dark. He didn't dare move, even when Sloane had leapt away to chase after a mouse. Theodore was cold again, curling up where he sat on the floor, his eye closed and he rolled over onto his back.
The floor was dirty from being unkempt but he didn't really care. He'd already gotten so dirty from being locked up in the dungeon just hours before, a little dust didn't seem like such a big deal. Besides, he was wearing old clothes now. "A-Aidan..?" He breathed out when the man called out for him, tipping his head back as he opened his eye and searched the blackness for the man who owned that voice. "I-I can't see... it's too dark. Where are you? Are you okay?" He asked, his voice shook a little and slowly he rolled over to try and pick himself up. "Did he hurt you?" He continued, his voice drenched with worry. "Aidan, you're okay, right?" Theodore was scared, alone in the dark, not knowing who was around him, where Sloane was or Aidan. He couldn't tell if he was in danger, though he'd heard the carriage leave. Sloane rubbed up against Aidan's leg when the man entered, purring deeply. He'd caught the mouse he'd been after, the little tail drooping from his smiling lips. |
Aidan was relieved he couldn't see for the first time. He lit the room dimly for he was tired and desired to smooth out his clothing without gaining too much attention from the motions. As the kitten rubbed against his legs, he bent over stiffly to pet it. His blue eyes looked at the tail dangling curiously.
"I'm fine," he responded, his voice trembling a little. "Come on, let's head back to get you cleaned up and ready for bed." |
Theodore stumbled to Aidan when the lights gave him some form of weak sight. He managed to spot Sloane when the man pet the kitten, scooping him up carefully. He blinked when he saw the tail once Sloane was closer to his face, making a soft noise in response. "S-Sloane! Swallow that, would you?" He squeaked, pressing the little tail into the kitten's mouth to get him to swallow, scrunching his nose a bit.
"O-okay... Let's go then." The albino youth murmured as he looked up at the mage. He brought his fingers over the man's sleeve softly, grasping softly at the man's hand finally with his free one. |
Aidan held Theodore's hand as he walked. He felt a little too dirty to be touched, but he assumed the boy would think it was because of him. Avoiding that issue, held on, feeling comfortable being with him.
Once they returned, they ran into Danielle. "Could you request a bath be set up?" She nodded, looking over Theodore's state. "Of course. I'll bring some clothes his size too." "Thank you." Before leaving, she gazed at Aidan, feeling as if something was wrong. But she said nothing and went on her way to satisfying his request. |
Theodore imagined something had happened in that carriage. Something he wouldn't have liked if he'd known it was happening. Not at all, but he didn't bring it up because it was obvious Aidan was trying to keep it from him. He didn't understand why Aidan had let him do that. What had the man said to him to make him go so pale before?
"Aidan..?" He asked softly, pausing a moment. "Can.. I ask something?" He was quiet, frowning softly as he gazed down, letting his hair fall against his face a bit and he let Sloane hop back down to the ground and wander. |
Aidan occupied himself with fixing his sleeves. "Sure...what is it?" His eyes stayed upon the cuffs as he tried to rub out the moisture.
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"What.. What did he say to you back there? That made you let him do that..?" Theodore asked softly, his gaze flickering to watch him rub at his cuffs though he couldn't make out clear details. His sight was getting worse but he didn't complain. Aidan had enough to worry about, he didn't need him to remind him how little time he had left to see.
His hand rubbed at his eye a bit and he sighed. He was straining too much to see, making it ache some though he'd managed to refrain from squinting. He'd never done it before and he refused to start now, knowing it would give away his diminishing eye sight. |
He was speechless for a moment, trying to concoct something to say...something to cover it up.
"It's...about something in the past." He ran his fingers through his hair. "It just brought up some...bad memories." |
Theodore was quiet for a moment, studying Aidan closely through his blurred vision before he looked away again. It made his head hurt to try and focus on the man. "Aidan.. please. Don't lie... you went white as a ghost and then left me there." It had to be something more for the man to dare leave him alone for over an hour with all the trouble he'd already gotten himself into.
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Aidan felt relief when the servants came to fill a tub of hot water for a bath. He left his lips pursed, refusing to even say anything close to what had allowed him to leave the boy alone despite all of his promises. He closed his eyes and touched his brow.
It ached. He ached... "You can wash up first. I'll bring in the clothes Danielle gets you." He stepped out with the servants. Leaning against the wall outside the room, he sighed. |
Theodore parted his lips when he realized Aidan was avoiding answering, furrowing his brow and he looked down. He couldn't make him talk, glancing up just briefly when the man left with the servants. He was alone again, and the boy carefully got his clothes off, taking the bandanna from around his head off and dropping it to the ground, as well as the ribbon that tied his hair back.
He carefully washed himself, mindful of his wounded eye as he cleaned there and his hair. It felt nice to get all the dirt from his body and anything else he'd picked up from the dungeon--he didn't even want to know. He hoped he'd never be back in there, but he knew the shudder the experienced caused his little body would never keep him from going against the prince again. He still hated him and if he could, he'd throw his other shoe at him too! Theodore felt tears fall over his wet face as he realized he couldn't even make out his own reflection anymore. It was getting bad but he was going to have to do his best to pretend it was the same as always. Like his sight was progressing as expected rather than as fast as it currently was. "Hnkk.." The boy choked back a little sob and he buried his face against his hands a moment. Most would have thought perhaps he'd be sad he wouldn't be able to see everything he wanted... but he was sad he'd not be able to see Aidan or his kitten, Sloane. Or even his brothers and father in the very near future. He'd never see Aidan's fire again, and it only made him cry harder, holding the edge of the tub. The boy was quiet, choking back his noises to the best of his ability-he wouldn't burden Aidan with it all, he had enough on his plate as it was. He calmed down into a quiet, distant state before he finished washing and climbed out to dry off and he waited to see what Danielle would have brought him for clothes, letting those blonde-white curls fall over his pale, scarred face. He wasn't sure what to use to cover it anymore though it seemed to be healing over quite nicely, almost there but perhaps not quite. |
Aidan accepted the clothing from Danielle.
"Will this be okay?" she asked. He nodded in response, clutching the outfit. His pained expression inspired her to touch his cheek, feeling over it slowly. "Aidan...I can watch over the boy if you have to go...But I understand if you plan on fleeing again." He felt guilty. The last time he left, he didn't tell her. Every time he had left for a mission in the past, even if it was but training, he had heard that she had cried. Knowing the possibility she could not see him again forced her to bottle up her fears to keep him from worrying about her. "Thanks," he murmured. "If...if you don't mind me asking..." His blue eyes rose to meet hers. "Hm? Anything." "Is your friend blind?" Nodding, he affirmed it. "Theodore's losing his sight." He felt uncomfortable talking about it, knowing he had a big part in losing one of his eyes. "The poor child," she said gently. "You know, Jonah...he had complications after getting kicked in the head by a goat." She wrung her hands, the topic distressing her some. "He visited someone...and was cured." His eyes light up some. "What?" Danielle patted his arm. "I have to go finish up on the dishes, but I'll tell you more." She hurried, knowing she would be reprimanded for taking more than "just a little time" to aid one of the mages - even if he was her brother. Aidan mulled this over before entering the room to give Theodore his clothing. |
Theodore took the clothes when Aidan brought them to him, wordlessly to dress. He didn't look up at him, his head hurting from crying and trying to focus. He pulled the clothes on and smoothed his hands over the fabric slowly, breathing out gently. What was he going to do now? Aidan wouldn't confide in him and he was nearly blind. He calculated maybe a few more days, if he was lucky? Maybe longer. It was hard to tell. Maybe it'd be better when he woke again... that was always a possibility. He could just be tired, right?
The boy kept his hair down rather than tying it back again, brushing his hands through the locks. He couldn't see the ribbon on the floor anymore to pick it up and redo it, though he wouldn't admit that either. He'd just act like he didn't want his hair tied back anymore. At least for the night. |
Theodore's silence bothered him. Still, he went ahead and left the boy alone to play with Sloane or to lay down. Aidan undressed and took his bath, finally grateful to cleanse himself. He flushed some as he scrubbed away, unable to remove that feeling.
Once he was done, he rose and dried off. As he dressed, he spoke. "What would you do to see again, Theo?" |
Theodore had decided to lay down, Sloane padding over to hop up on the bed and curl up against the edge of his neck. By the time Aidan was finished with his bath, the youth had dozed, though he was easily startled awake by the man's voice. He rubbed at his face a little and brought his hands to rest up near his head. "Mnh... ? What do you mean?" He murmured groggily.
The boy didn't look towards Aidan, lying on his side, his back towards him and he'd fallen quiet again for just a moment. "I.. don't know. I'm... kind of starting to accept what's coming, Aidan..." That was a lie, but he showed no sign of it. When it was months off, he'd started accepting it, especially when he ran into Aidan and was told he'd get to travel with him... but now, now it was so close he was afraid to lose it. He didn't even quite recall seeing Aidan happy since back at his home, before all of this happened. He was afraid he'd never see him smile like that again, and perhaps, he was afraid he'd never get to dance with Aidan again, like before--and be able to see the amusement he found in the act. He couldn't imagine what it'd been like for his mother. |
Aidan sighed.
"Don't give up so easily..." he trailed off. What was he thinking? He had come to realize what Danielle had mentioned with Jonah. And it frightened him. Things don't come for free. There was a need aching in him. One to make up for all of the pain and trials Theodore had gone through thanks to him. Maybe he was willing to sacrifice to make things well again... "I know what I'd give up to help you see again..." Aidan's head felt like it was burning. He was uncertain of why - this was a symptom he was unfamiliar with... |
Theodore rolled slowly onto his back when Aidan said he knew what he'd give up for him, furrowing his brow. It was obvious by his distant gaze that he probably didn't see Aidan very well anymore, his eye watering but he blinked them away quickly. "What...would you give up...?" He asked curiously, his voice quivering. He didn't think he could take anything from Aidan.. not for his sight. He didn't think he could let Aidan give anything up for him, not anymore.
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Aidan looked at him and smiled softly.
"A lot," he responded vaguely. "You're worth it." He touched the boy's cheek and ran his fingers through his hair. "Let's just dream of good things now, okay? I'm sorry I woke you." He kissed his head and wrapped an arm around the boy. |
Theodore trembled under his gentle touch and affection, trying so hard to keep his composure. He wanted so badly to curl up in Aidan's hold and cry for hours and confess that he was nearly blind now but he didn't let himself. His brow furrowed and he turned his head away as he closed his eye, trying to relax under Aidan's comforting arm, safe in that embrace.
"You've already given too much for me.." He whispered so quietly as he started to drift again. "I can't... let you give up anymore." His voice was barely there and it wasn't even a second afterwards that he fell asleep again, exhausted. |
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