The Raven

Twenty-Seven

By the time Henry finally visits the tower, it is well past sundown, and his heart is weighed down with immense guilt. He cannot stop wondering whether that strange noise outside his room earlier had been his precious Caleb. The sheer idea that his ruby-eyed boy had been distraught enough to make such a heart-shattering sound has a bottomless pit growing within the prince's belly. Had Caleb come looking for him, only to find him entertaining the princess in his bedroom? Henry needs to be more careful and considerate of his raven's feelings from here on out; he does not believe he could survive losing him to such a misunderstanding.

Prince Henry holds his breath as he lightly knocks on the door at the top of the tower, hoping his sweet Caleb is not upset with him. Henry slowly opens the barrier between them when his love's voice is heard in his head. The breath rushes out of him as his gaze lands upon the sight of the beautiful midnight-colored raven sitting on the windowsill, those mesmerizing scarlet orbs staring out at the garden in typical Caleb fashion. "Caleb?" Henry calls, his voice revealing precisely how unsteady and unsure he is at this exact moment. "Are you alright, love?" he asks carefully, his heart hammering loudly as he awaits a response.

Unsure how to answer the question truthfully, the raven replies with a short nod, his gaze still transfixed by the flowers below. Both boys remain silent for several moments, contemplating how best to relieve the palpable tension so unbearably pulsating between them. Deciding to simply be straightforward and honest, the raven tells his prince, "I am experiencing emotions that I am not aware of how to process at this moment."

"Will you tell me about them?" asks Henry, a small wave of relief crashing into him at the sound of his little bird's voice in his mind. The fact that Caleb is speaking to him could only be considered a good sign, right? Perhaps there is still a chance to save whatever this is between them. Henry steps further into the room, closing the door behind him and eliminating much of the space between himself and the raven. He wishes to be as close as possible, yet he would not want to make his ruby-eyed boy feel uncomfortable with the close proximity, given the strain between them at this time.

The raven nods once again, a light sigh echoing in Henry's thoughts as the raven jumps directly into conversation, baring his soul to the prince all at once. "I was at your room earlier and heard you laughing with a female. Although I want to trust you, I am having difficulty understanding my emotions," he says as truthfully as possible. "I have never experienced this before, and I do not know what to do about it; I do not think I like feeling this way," Caleb admits quietly.

Caleb was outside his room when the princess was there. It must have looked far worse than it really was; the prince already realizes how this discrepancy could cause unwarranted heartache. Henry can only imagine the unfamiliar thoughts and feelings overwhelming his little bird right now. Hoping to offer Caleb some comfort, he says, "If you will shift into your human form, I would love to hold you while I explain myself."

As the raven immediately shifts, the blond scoops him into his arms, holding him impossibly close. Wrapped around each other in a reassuring grasp, both boys sigh in relief, the fear of their relationship ending suddenly soothed. Caleb presses his face into Henry's shoulder, seeking more contact and comfort from his prince.

Henry seats himself upon Caleb's bed, pulling the other boy into his lap without untangling their limbs from each other. "My mother insisted I spend time with Princess Elaina," he explains, gently running his fingers through the long black hair he adores so much. "The princess was overly clingy while we toured the castle, her incessant need to touch me making my skin crawl. So I excused myself to my room for a few minutes alone, hoping that creating some physical distance between us would calm the obsession so obviously possessing her. Unfortunately, the princess followed me to my bedroom. Because I had not closed the door properly, she invited herself in without bothering to ask my permission." Henry's brows furrow, the disdain for his previous interactions with the princess evidently displayed on his handsome features. He continues, "I believe that my mother instructed Princess Elaina to do so, as, for a while, my mother hovered outside my bedroom door. I engaged the princess with small talk to not upset my mother so early on in Princess Elaina's stay."

Caleb nods slowly, his expression scrunching as he thinks over Henry's words. "So, my feelings are... unjustified?" he asks, the simple thought that he had overreacted soothing him immensely. He really should have more faith in his prince; however, he has never before been in such a situation. And if he has learned anything about emotions, it is that they cannot be controlled; it is best to allow them to be felt to their extent in order to save oneself the damage it may cause to keep them contained.

"Caleb," Henry says, tenderly tipping the other boy's chin upward to meet his eyes. "Your feelings are valid. Whatever you feel is okay, please know that. There had simply been a misunderstanding in this case, and I thank you for allowing me to explain myself."

"To clarify, you still do not want to marry the princess?" asks the black-haired beauty after soaking in the new information. Finally, his overworking mind can rest.

"Never, love," the prince replies, smoothing back Caleb's hair. "She is still a female, which is definitely not my cup of tea. And most importantly, she is not you." Henry places a soft kiss on the other boy's forehead, followed by one on his nose. Soon, Caleb's entire face is being littered with kisses, much to his delight. "Do you forgive me?" Henry whispers, his lips still brushing against the pale skin of the boy seated in his lap.

Looking deeply into those crystal blue eyes, the raven responds, "There is nothing to forgive," before meeting Henry's lips with his own.

Their kisses grow more passionate as their hunger for each other builds, their hands wandering over untouched territory for the first time. The prince's hand slips beneath Caleb's shirt, his fingers tenderly caressing the soft skin. A noise of approval escapes Caleb's mouth as Henry's lips make contact with his neck.

"Let me make it up to you," the blond whispers against his lover's ear. He waits silently for a nod of confirmation before removing the raven's shirt as he gently lays him back against the mattress, his lips and hands roaming freely down his chest. The little noises coming from Caleb are like music to his ears, spurring him on.

When Henry has removed the remainder of Caleb's clothes, he takes a moment to admire the boy's beautiful body before descending once again, his mouth greedily moving lower on the now exposed pale skin. Though wholly inexperienced, the way that Caleb's hands tightly grasp the bedsheets and the pleasured gasps and moans filling the air prove that he cannot be entirely terrible at it.

"Henry!" Caleb cries out in profound pleasure, losing himself to the feelings consuming him as Henry continues to draw him closer to a release he has never known before.

Caleb definitely is not upset with him anymore.