The Raven

Nineteen

As much as Henry would like to entirely avoid Princess Elaina's impending arrival, he simply cannot. His mother would likely have his head if he were to refuse to entertain the girl. His heart aches as his mind wanders to the ruby-eyed boy locked in the tower, desiring it could be him he was forced to spend time with instead. Oh, how Henry wishes his mother would ease up on the unnecessary and probably disastrous matchmaking if even just a little. Before meeting Caleb, Henry likely would not have protested the princess's visit so much; he would have still been displeased with the purpose of her presence, but he would have at least attempted to pretend that all was okay. With the raven-haired boy filling his every thought, it has become even more difficult to entertain the queen's outdated and absolutely ludicrous ideals.

The prince's mind drifts from the overwhelming thoughts of the princess whose hand his mother would like him to take in marriage back to the boy at the top of the tower once again, further proving how completely enamored he is. It is assured that another appearance in Caleb's dusty concrete room will soothe the longing in his chest and ignite that spark within him in the way only he can. As Henry debates himself in his mind about whether or not it is a safe time to visit his love, an idea crosses his thoughts--he will ask Caleb to turn into his shadow form and leave the tower.

It is a brilliant idea if the prince says so himself, and he gives himself a metaphorical pat on the back. Unsure why it took him so long to think of it in the first place, the excitement bubbles inside his belly, quickly rushing through his entire body. If Henry can so often sneak in and out of the tower unnoticed, surely Caleb's shadow form could sneak out, as well.

Forgetting entirely about Princess Elaina, whose arrival he should probably be preparing for, Henry rushes off to ask his ruby-eyed love to escape the tower with him, if only for a short while. Bursting into the now-familiar room belonging to the most beautiful boy he has ever seen, Henry's excitement causes the words to flee his mouth without his consent or acknowledgment. "Turn into a shadow and let us leave the tower!" he blurts out, the unexpected statement and its surprising volume startling the raven.

The prince's cheeks redden quickly, his embarrassment clearly displayed on his face. However, he cannot find it within himself to care much about it at the moment, far too eager to fulfill his plan of getting Caleb out of the tower. He stands silently, watching the raven as he processes precisely what just happened.

Caleb looks at his prince with wide eyes, taking in the sight of him anxiously and with a newfound and unexpected desire. Henry's blond hair is sticking to his forehead, dampened with his sweat. His muscular chest is heaving as if he is desperately trying to refill the oxygen in his lungs. And his blue eyes are sparkling like the most precious gems they are. He truly is a sight to behold, one that Caleb would not mind observing forever. The raven watches with a smile as Henry struggles to control the surge of joy coursing through his body.

"Caleb?" Henry asks, jolting the other boy out of his thoughts once again.

Pulling his lower lip between his teeth, Caleb realizes that Henry has caught him staring now that his excitement has slightly settled. A radiant blush rises on the pale boy's cheeks as the taller boy moves closer to him. Henry's fingertips brush against Caleb's jaw before teasingly tracing over his lips, releasing the bottom one from the hold between Caleb's teeth. "Do not be embarrassed, Love," the prince whispers, his face inching closer to the other boy's. "I love it when you look at me like that."

It is almost agonizingly slowly, but their lips move closer and closer together, and Caleb can feel his own exhilaration overcoming him. While he knows that all the stories he has read about "true love's kiss" were fairytales and that kissing Henry will not break any curses or release him from his own personal hell, it is still the only thing he wants right at this moment. The very thought of connecting their lips together has an untamable heat pooling in his stomach, quickly spreading through his lower body.

Gently, Henry finally presses his lips to Caleb's, erupting fireworks through both of their bodies. When Caleb's eyelids flutter closed, the prince encircles his arms around him, pulling their bodies closer together until there is no space left between them. Henry presses his lips more firmly against the other boy's, his tongue darting out to taste the sweet lips he has so painfully been longing for, eliciting a small sound of approval from the dark-haired beauty. Overwhelmed with a sudden hunger for Caleb, Henry's hands roam down his backside, gripping the back of the raven's thighs before lifting him off his feet. Caleb willingly obliges, a surging greedy need to be as close as possible to his prince urging him on. Wrapping his legs around the prince's waist and arms around his shoulders, he clings to him as the intensity of their kisses grows wildly.

Before Caleb's brain can catch up to the situation, his body is laid on the bed, Henry hovering over him and nestled snugly between his legs. Their bodies press together, fitting together perfectly as if they were made for each other. The kisses eventually slow, transforming from passionate and lustful to sweet and caring. With heaving chests and swollen lips, neither boy can complain about the change of pace, each reveling in the experience with every fiber of their beings. "I love you, Caleb," Henry whispers into the kiss.

Euphoria washes over the raven at the words, every cell in his body singing with sheer jubilation; this time, it is not a dream. "I love you, Henry," he replies breathily, his lips upturned into a smile so wide it feels it may split his face in two.

Henry really loves him.