The Raven

Seventeen

The earlier conversation with his mother and the unexpected lustful thoughts prompt Henry to make his way to the tower much sooner than he had previously anticipated, not that he could carry any objections to visiting his ruby-eyed boy. In fact, Caleb was constantly in the prince's thoughts, and Henry eagerly looked forward to the day when they would no longer have to be separated. Still working on his plan to somehow abolish the ridiculous tradition and arranged marriages altogether, he holds onto hope that his people will accept him regardless of his attraction to men. It is his mother and father that he will surely have to convince.

Sneaking into the room at the top of the tower is practically effortless this time, thanks to the previous successful attempt combined with Ella's pertinent information. A thrill rushes down Henry's spine before curling around his organs, filling his body with immense excitement as he gets closer o his destination. Or, more accurately, the boy within the said destination. Henry feels his chest fluttering under his shirt as he quietly approaches the door, the anticipation building with every step. If it were even physically possible, the prince would believe he might explode from the sheer amount of exhilaration coursing through his veins. With the doorknob finally in his hand, the blond-haired boy holds his breath, trying much to contain himself.

Slowly, the door noiselessly opens in front of him, revealing the dark room. The prince's eyes are immediately drawn to the windowsill, where the only person to ever make him feel both blissfully happy and utterly insane sits, daydreaming as he stares out at the garden. As if by force, the air Henry was holding suddenly escapes him as overwhelming pleasantness encapsulates his body, the whooshing sound snapping those beloved scarlet orbs in his direction.

Upon seeing the prince standing in his bedroom doorway, Caleb's entire face lights up with a smile--a smile so genuine, so pure, that it can only be sourced from the depths of his very soul. It is a sight that forces Henry's heart to stutter as it pounds violently against his ribs. He could almost be certain that it beats hard enough to break free from the confines of his ribcage; however, he is far too pleased to be gazing upon Caleb to give much notice or care to the overworking organ.

"Henry," the raven says, his voice quiet and breathy, filled with what Henry could only describe as complete and utter adoration. The sound sends a tingling feeling straight to his groin, reigniting the flame that had so wholly and unexpectedly consumed him earlier.

Before any other words can be spoken, the slender arms of the dark-haired boy wrap around the prince's torso, pressing their bodies together. Being so close to Caleb fills Henry with immense and undeniable emotions that he would have to sort through later when he is alone in his room. The prince's breath hitches in his throat as Caleb holds him firmly, his lithe body pressing directly against his already aroused lower region. Doing his best not to think about it, Henry soaks in this extraordinary moment between the two of them; this is the first time they have been so close. When more muscular arms envelop the raven, laughter vibrates through the chests of both boys, the sound of their mutual happiness filling the concrete room.

As much as he does not want to, Henry forces himself to break the embrace after a few minutes, unable to bare the growing pain in his pants any longer. Feeling Caleb against that specific part of his anatomy after the dizzying fantasies he has had all day makes the prince's desire to fulfill them so much greater. However, he realizes that neither of them is ready yet for such a step. Even though the force drawing them together is a powerful one, they have only just met; Henry would much prefer to take their time.

Not too much time, though, as holding himself back from ravishing the ruby-eyed boy and pleasuring him in such a way is almost unbearable.

Henry's hand travels down the raven's arm until it entwines with his. With a breathtaking smile, he gestures to the bed and says, "Shall we sit? I have been dying to see you all day; there is something I would like to speak to you about."

A pang of fear and doubt shoots through Caleb's stomach as he tries to decipher from Henry's expression what he could possibly need to say; whatever it is, he is almost certain he will not like it. He swallows down the feeling, or at least attempts to, before returning a smile of his own. Nodding his head more excitedly than he means to, the raven's face flushes with embarrassment; however, he tries not to focus on that feeling, either. Instead, he simply says, "You can tell me anything."

Watching Caleb become so flustered has Henry's stomach filling with warmth, his affection for the other boy bubbling inside of him. They sit side by side on the raven's bed, their fingers still intertwined, and Caleb gulps audibly in nervousness as he awaits Henry's news.

The prince is not lost to the sudden change in his raven's behavior, recognizing the worry clouding his beautiful red eyes. Guilt stabs his heart as he realizes that he accidentally caused Caleb to feel this way with his poorly worded statement about wanting to talk. He should have known that someone who reads as many books as the raven does has probably heard a similar phrase with a much more unpleasant meaning many times through his reading. Henry rubs his thumb over the back of Caleb's hand and offers a reassuring smile before saying, "Before we get into that, tell me about your day. I have missed you like crazy."

His words bring a pinkness to Caleb's cheek, his lips quivering into a small smile. Henry listens intently as the other boy explains the magic he has been practicing, hoping that someday soon, he will have the opportunity to show his handsome prince what he is capable of. Not now, though; it is much too soon for that. The seed of doubt still lingers in the back of Caleb's mind, his mother's voice telling him that he is a monster and Henry will be afraid of him; although he does not believe it to be accurate, he cannot help but be wary.

"My mother is... well, she is driving me insane," Henry states when it is his turn to talk. "There is this tradition that she insists must be upheld, regardless of my feelings against it," he explains, his heart feeling heavy. With a sigh, he continues, "All future kings are to be wed before ascending the throne, and my mother is forcing the topic down my throat constantly. I have blatantly refused to select a bride from her list of potentials; however, she is adamant. So much so that she has invited some 'Princess Elaina' to stay in the castle so we can 'get to know each other.'"

Caleb's heart drops into his stomach at the news, and he cannot help but ask, "Are you... interested in getting to know her?" His voice is quiet, almost squeaky, as he battles his suddenly uncomfortable and disappointed feelings.

Henry turns to the other boy, his free hand reaching to Caleb's cheek and cupping it gently. "The only person I am interested in is you," he announces, his voice both tender and firm at the same time. He continues, staring deeply into Caleb's eyes to ensure that he understands every word he is about to say. "I have no desire whatsoever to fulfill my mother's conspiracies against me or uphold her antiquated and barbaric traditions. I have no interest in Princess Elaina or any other of my mother's possible prospects. And..." After a short pause and an audible swallow, Henry says, "I am not even remotely attracted to females."

Saying those words aloud to another person lifts an invisible weight from the prince's shoulders. He suddenly feels... freer. More himself. He feels absolutely elated at finally being able to confess his true self.

Simultaneously, the words make Caleb's cheeks deepen in color, the redness of his skin almost rivaling that of his eyes. Hearing Henry's confession makes him feel inexplicably giddy. And brave at the same time. "I..." he begins, his lips curving into a smile, "I am attracted to you."

The prince cannot stop the laugh that escapes him upon hearing the raven's words. "That is a relief," he says, his own face reflecting the expansive grin of the other boy, "because I am attracted to you, too."

The two boys just stare at each other for several moments, grinning widely, silently rejoicing in their mutual feelings for each other.

As the two boys continue to talk, the raven's mind seems to fill with unanswered questions. Will Henry really be able to break the tradition? What if he is forced to marry a princess? What if he falls in love with someone else?

Shaking his head to rid himself of the hurtful thoughts, he decides to worry about them later; he can unpack and process them when he is alone. For now, he wants to focus solely on the joyous feeling he gets simply from being near Henry.

Everything else can wait.