As the night slowly gave way to day, the dim light of dawn slowly seeped through the broken walls of the house, signaling that it was time to move. Loden gently nudged Kaiden awake, helping him up.
"Time to go," he whispered. "Let's get going before we're noticed."
They made their way through the quiet town, Loden discreetly grabbing supplies while Kaiden skillfully hid himself in the shadows. Despite the early hour, they managed to avoid detection, their path clear. As they left the town behind, a sense of relief washed over them. They continued on, keeping a steady pace as they made their way towards the capital. The journey was quiet, the only sound the crunch of their footsteps on the dusty road. They continued walking in silence for many hours, the rhythmic crunch of their boots on the dusty road and the occasional rustling of leaves the only sounds breaking the stillness of the morning. Loden would occasionally whistle a soft tune, perhaps to fill the silence or to keep their spirits up. Kaiden remained quiet, lost in his thoughts, his eyes darting around as he kept watch for any potential dangers.
Loden reassured Kaiden with a gentle smile, sensing the young man's tension. "We're far enough away now," he said, his voice soft and calm. "Those men at the inn... Marcus and the rest... they're far behind us. We're on our way to the capital, Kaiden. We'll be safe there."
As their journey continued, the silence between them returned, occasionally punctuated by Loden 's attempts to lighten the mood with jokes or small talk. However, Kaiden's worried expression remained, seemingly immune to Loden 's attempts at humor. After a few failed attempts to engage Kaiden with witty remarks or funny anecdotes, Loden eventually realized that his lighthearted attempts at conversation were not breaking the tension or easing Kaiden's worries. Giving up for now, he returned to silence, his own thoughts wandering as they walked. As they neared the capital after a four-day journey, the many buildings gathered around one another in the far distance.
Loden suddenly pulls Kaiden off the road causing the young man to jerk in surprise, his heart skipping a beat as he instinctively looked around, expecting danger from behind.
"Loden, what's-" Kaiden started to say, but Loden quickly shushed him, placing a finger to his lips to signal silence.
Kaiden's eyes widened in surprise and confusion at Loden 's command to follow him. Kaiden removes Loden ’s finger from his lips. He whisper-shouted, his voice tinged with a hint of panic. "Is someone coming?"
Loden gently placed a finger back on Kaiden's lips, silencing him. "Shh," he repeated softly. "It's a secret. Just come with me. Trust me."
Kaiden's mind grappled with conflicting emotions as he followed closely behind Loden through the brush. He questioned the trustworthiness of this man, but his desire to find safety and answers propelled him forward. He cautiously weaved through the foliage, his footsteps carefully placed to avoid making noise, his senses alert to the surroundings.
As Kaiden and Loden pushed through the foliage, they came upon a space covered with rocks. Kaiden's voice broke the silence, tinged with a mix of curiosity and suspicion. "Where are you leading me, Loden?"
Loden turned to face Kaiden, a secretive smile playing on his lips. "This way," he replied, gesturing towards a narrow trail between the rocks. "Just trust me. It'll be worth it."
Kaiden closely followed Loden along the narrow trail, his steps careful and cautious. However, he found himself stumbling over the rocks and boulders that littered the path. He struggled to find his footing, nearly tripping multiple times. Meanwhile, Loden seemed to move with a graceful agility, jumping effortlessly from one boulder to another, almost effortlessly navigating the rocky terrain. Loden realizing that Kaiden was struggling with the difficult terrain, turned around and without warning, scooped the younger man up in his arms. He held Kaiden tightly and carefully climbed over the pile of rocks. Kaiden's eyes widened in surprise as he suddenly found himself being carried by Loden. He clung to him, his heart beating rapidly at the unexpected physical contact. The two emerged on the other side of the rocks, Kaiden still cradled in Loden 's arms, and they came upon a beautiful pool of water. The hot spring glistened under the sunlight filtering through the trees, steam rising from its surface.
Kaiden's eyes widened as he stared at the tranquil, inviting pool. "Is this..?" he whispered, his voice filled with awe.
As Kaiden gazed at the hot spring, Loden explained that it was his favorite spot to visit while on his journeys to and from the capital. He shared that it was a natural spring and mentioned how it could help ease their fatigue from the long walks.
Kaiden nodded, still taking in the beauty of the place. "It looks incredible," he said quietly, his eyes fixed on the steam rising from the hot spring.
Kaiden, still mesmerized by the sight of the hot spring, wondered aloud how he hadn't seen the steam from the road or when they were on top of the rocks.
Loden chuckled softly at the question. "It's all about the angles and the location," he explained. "From the road and the rocks, you can't see the hot spring directly. The trees and terrain block the view."
“Ohh,” Kaiden says and then realizes that Loden is still holding him. “You can probably put me down now.”
Loden chuckled at Kaiden's realization that he was still holding him. "Ah, right," he said, chuckling apologetically. He carefully set Kaiden down, making sure the younger man was steady on his feet.
"Sorry about that," he said with a smile. "You were so engrossed in the hot spring, I kind of forgot I was still holding you."
Kaiden shrugged his shoulders looking around at the scene before him.
Loden rummages through his bag, pulling out essentials for a relaxing dip in the hot spring. He places a bar of soap and a couple of towels on a nearby rock, preparing to unwind in the warm water. Loden began to undress, pulling off his vest and unfastening his belt, placing his belongings neatly beside him. As he sat down on a rock, he turned his gaze towards Kaiden, who seemed hesitant.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
"Aren’t you going to undress too?" Loden asked, his tone mildly teasing.
Kaiden felt a bit uncomfortable with the situation, fidgeting and looking away. "Um, we can take turns," he suggested, trying to sound casual. "I'll just stand off to the side for now."
Loden chuckled lightly, sensing Kaiden's uneasiness. "Don’t be embarrassed," he reassured him. "It’s just the two of us here. We’re both men, no need to be shy."
Kaiden shakes his head, feeling more awkward. “I don’t even change in front of the other players on my soccer team. It’s just too weird seeing other people’s bodies.”
Loden, now shirtless and working on unlacing his other boot, chuckled softly at Kaiden's response, noticing the young man’s discomfort. "Fair enough," he said understandingly. "I understand not everyone is comfortable being undressed in front of others."
He continued removing his boot and then stood up, stretching his arms above his head, revealing his toned and muscular physique. Loden completely undressed now, lowers himself completely into the pool. Small whispers of hot escaping his lips, only his head visible above the water, he gave Kaiden a sly smile. "Well, you can look now since you can’t see me," he joked, his voice slightly muffled by the water. "Only my head is visible."
Kaiden slowly turned back towards the hot spring, still feeling a little awkward but also relieved that he couldn’t see Loden ’s body. "Right," he replied, keeping his gaze fixed on the man’s face.
Loden with his back turned, nodded in agreement. "The water is really nice," he said, as he settled comfortably into the pool. "I’ll turn away while you change, and we won’t be able to see each other since the water covers everything."
Kaiden, thankful for Loden ’s consideration, began to undress with a bit more confidence knowing that Loden was facing away from him. Kaiden slowly made his way into the hot spring, the heat of the water making his skin tingle a bit at first, but slowly fading into a pleasant sensation. He gingerly sat down, letting the hot water envelop him. A sigh of relief escaped his lips as his tense muscles began to relax.
“Oh wow,” he breathed, a smile creeping onto his face. “This is really nice.”
Loden, now facing Kaiden again and enjoying the hot spring as well. Let’s his head rest on the rim of the spring. Letting the water relax his body.
Kaiden says, after dunking his head to feel the water on his face, “You’re right, we definitely have to come back here if we’re leaving the capital or coming back,” he said, a satisfied smile on his face. "This place is magical, almost feels like it’s our little secret spot."
As Kaiden relaxed in the soothing hot spring, his thoughts wandered to Marcus, the mysterious figure they had encountered in the inn. He replayed the brief interaction in his mind, recalling the tension between Marcus and Loden.
"Hey, Loden," Kaiden said, breaking the peaceful silence. "Can I ask you something?"
Loden chuckled and joked, "Haha, don't worry, no massages or back scrubbing requests here.”
Kaiden chuckled briefly before returning to his serious expression. "Actually, I wanted to ask you about Marcus," he said. "How do you know him?"
Loden 's expression grew somber as Kaiden brought up Marcus, and he responded vaguely. "Yeah, him," he said, his voice slightly lower. "There's not much to tell."
Kaiden sensed the shift in Loden 's demeanor, hinting at a more complex past with Marcus than what was immediately apparent. He decided to press on gently.
“Were the two of you friends?”
Loden paused for a moment before answering, his gaze fixed on the swirling surface of the hot spring. "We were, at one point," he replied, a hint of nostalgia in his voice. "But that was a long time ago."
“What happened? Did Marcus turn evil and reveal secrets about your secret love life to the public?”
Loden let out a soft, humorless chuckle at Kaiden’s exaggerated scenario. "Haha, no," he chuckled, "it’s nothing as dramatic as that."
He paused, his expression growing more somber as he collected his thoughts. "It’s complicated," he said finally. "People change, paths diverge, and sometimes friendships don’t withstand the test of time."
“Is Marcus from the other country that is fighting with this one? Or is it he doesn’t like anyone outside this country like what happened in the inn.”
Loden shook his head, his gaze drifting back to the water's surface. "No, he's from this country," he clarified, his tone a mixture of resignation and weariness. "He just... has a different perspective."
He sighed, the sound of water gently lapping against the edge of the hot spring filling the space between them.
“Maybe one day the two of you can be friends again. Whatever is happening to interfere with your friendship might end.” Kaiden says with hope.
Loden let out a soft sigh, a mixture of doubt and hope etched across his features upon hearing Kaiden's words. "Perhaps one day," he said, his voice tinged with a mixture of resignation and a hint of optimism. "Time has a way of healing and changing things."
He looked at Kaiden, a small, appreciative smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Thanks for the optimism, Kaiden. One can only hope."
They eventually decided to exit the hot spring, taking turns to dry themselves and dress. Kaiden once again felt slightly embarrassed as he got dressed, turning his gaze away from Loden.
Once they were both fully dressed again, Loden turned to Kaiden with a satisfied smile. "That was pretty relaxing, don't you think?"
Kaiden replies with confidence, “Yes very relaxing. my legs feel a whole lot better now.”
Loden chuckled at Kaiden's response, pleased to hear that the hot spring had helped alleviate his sore legs. "That's great to hear," he said, his eyes glinting with satisfaction. "I guess a good soak was just what we needed after all that walking."
“It would be better if we could ride instead of walking all the rest of the way to the capital.” Kaiden says.
Loden chuckled, agreeing with Kaiden's sentiment about riding instead of walking. "You're absolutely right," he admitted. "Riding would make our journey much easier and faster."
He pondered for a moment, then added, "Unfortunately, we don't have horses or any other animals to ride. But I think even walking will be less tiring now that we've had some rest."
“True. Should we start once again on our walk?” Kaiden says with a slight pout.
Loden chuckled at Kaiden's pouting expression, finding it amusing. "Yeah, I think it's about time we get back on the road," he replied.
He stood up, adjusting his gear and pack, getting ready to continue their journey. "Ready to hit the road again?"
Kaiden crosses his arms, “Only if you carry me over these rocks again.”
Loden chuckled at Kaiden's playful request, a hint of a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. "You want me to carry you again, huh?" he teased. He shook his head, feigning reluctance, but couldn't help the smirk that appeared on his face. "Alright, come on then," he said, opening his arms wide. "I'll carry you across the rocks again."
Loden easily lifted Kaiden off the ground and into his arms, securing a firm grip. Without hesitation, he began to climb the rock face, moving with a surprising grace and agility that surprised Kaiden again. He navigated through the rocks, swiftly dodging obstacles and finding footholds, all while holding Kaiden securely. Soon, they reached the bottom of the rocks, with Loden setting Kaiden back down on his feet gently.
“Thank you again. I would be struggling for hours to get over all those rocks.”
Loden chuckled and waved off Kaiden's thanks. "No worries," he replied, his tone light and carefree. "I don't mind carrying you if it means we can get to the capital quicker."
He gave Kaiden a playful wink, his smirk growing wider. "Just don't get too used to it, though. I might charge you for my carrying services next time."
Kaiden rolls his eyes at Loden’s words. The pair head back out of the forest and onto the road. The two continued their journey, resuming their pace on the dirt road that stretched out before them. The capital loomed in the distance, slowly but steadily getting closer. The sun was now positioned high in the sky, casting a warm, golden light across the landscape.