The Raven

Twenty-Two

Sneaking out of the tower is far easier than the raven had expected it to be, although it takes quite a long time to build up his courage to even attempt it. As much as he wants to explore the world he has been deprived of, there remains a lingering feeling of dread within his stomach, a warning that something could go irreversibly wrong. He does his best to tamp it down, allowing the much more positive feelings of wonder and exhilaration to cover it up, convincing himself to at least try to enjoy his few moments of freedom.

After flawlessly shifting into his shadow form, Caleb easily slips under the locked door of his tower room. Anticipation grows wildly within him, sparking through his body like tiny pleasurable explosions. Clinging cautiously to the corridor and stairwell walls, the shadow quietly passes the guards scattered throughout the West Wing as he makes his way out to the garden where his prince awaits him.

Every step the raven takes sends waves of emotions through his shadowy body, excitement being the most prominent. He almost cannot believe that he is out of the tower for the first time in his eighteen years, that he is finally going to see up close the garden he has been dreaming about for so long. But most of all, he simply cannot wait to spend more time with his beloved Henry. It is as if all of his dreams are suddenly coming true, yet none of his time spent dreaming could have possibly prepared him for this moment; he could never have expected just how magical this would feel.

The anticipation continues to build inside Caleb until he finally slips under the last door, freeing himself from the confining walls of the castle. Taking a deep breath of fresh air, the boy quickly transforms into his raven form and cautiously steps out of the shadows. He spreads his wings as the sunlight caresses his feathers in the most magnificent way, causing them to gleam a captivating navy blue. Caleb is so entranced by the flooding of his senses with all things new that he hardly even notices the prince's sudden appearance beside him.

"Hello, little raven," Prince Henry says softly, a warm smile gracing his handsome face. "Surely, you must be the most beautiful sight in this entire garden."

Unable to respond verbally, Caleb flutters his wings and focuses his energy on speaking into Henry's mind. It is a power he has never tried before, never having had anyone to practice it on until recently, but there is a small voice in the back of his mind urging him to use his strong bond with the prince to connect with him in this way. Caleb finds that he is utterly unable to deny it.

Henry visibly startles when he hears his ruby-eyed boy's voice clearly in his mind, but his surprise soon relaxes into consuming delight.

The raven says, 'I have to disagree; there is quite a lovely prince standing directly before me.'

"Lovely?" the blond asks aloud with a hearty chuckle. "That is most definitely the first I have heard that word used to describe me," he confesses, his cheeks pinkening slightly; luckily, if anyone asks, Prince Henry can blame the effect on the sun rather than admitting to the actual reason. Henry leans down to scoop up the raven, holding his love gently in the palms of his hands and cradling him to his chest. "Is it everything you ever dreamed it to be?" he whispers, his fingers tenderly tracing the length of one silky black wing.

'And so much more,' Caleb replies, laying his head against his prince's chest.

Smiling at the sheer happiness expressed by Caleb, Henry says, "You should fly around for a bit and take it all in. Experience it thoroughly to your heart's content, Caleb; I will wait for you. Then we can spend our time together."

The raven hesitates briefly, thinking over the offer for several moments; as much as he would love to thoroughly explore the garden, he also is not particularly certain that he wants to leave Henry right now.

When he does not get a response from his raven, nor does the bird move from his hands, Henry smiles sweetly at him and whispers, "Go on, little raven." Crouching down, he carefully places Caleb on the ground, watching him intently.

Still slightly unsure, Caleb pauses before spreading his majestic wings, preparing himself to fly. Giving a last look to his prince, he takes off. His emotions soon take over, blood rushing through his veins with immense speed as adrenaline kicks in; nothing has ever felt so liberating, so incredibly intoxicating as uncaging himself and finally being able to flutter freely through the enchanting garden.

Henry watches in utter fascination as Caleb's raven form glides above the rose bushes and soars above the tree line, experiencing his newfound sense of freedom to the fullest. The mere sight of Caleb enjoying himself warms Henry's heart in a way he had not previously known possible. His love for the boy with the raven's wings is so intense that he is unsure how anyone could possibly agree to an arranged marriage; to live a life without ever feeling this way would be the very definition of tragic.

When Caleb has had his fill of flying, at least for now, he returns to the garden floor, landing gracefully at his prince's feet. Henry smiles down at him, and his expression clearly displays the profound joy he feels. Caleb happily ruffles his feathers in response; if contentment could be shown clearly on a bird's face, that is precisely what Henry would be gazing at right now, the overwhelming satisfaction and fulfillment emanating from his little raven.

The prince once again picks up his beloved Caleb, tucking him safely into his arms, right where he belongs. The two boys spend the remainder of the morning conversing with each other, enjoying the peacefulness of their surroundings, and exploring the grounds of the palace garden. While the scenery is nothing new to Henry, to Caleb, it is everything; the prince revels in the glowing emotions held within the raven's bright red eyes. The intimacy of the entire situation brings an unadulterated bliss to them both. Basking in the serenity offered by their current circumstances, the pair is ultimately wrapped up in each other, losing track of time entirely.

It might appear to be strange to any onlooker, a prince sitting beneath a tree and having a conversation with a bird. But to Henry and Caleb, it is perfect. It is sweet and fulfilling and full of love.

Author's Note: Who do you like more, Henry or Caleb, and why?

While I love them both, Caleb is definitely my favorite- probably because I feel a motherly urge to love him. My poor boy ❤