Chapter Two

That was close.

Erik scurried down the corridor, far and away from Charles' solar. Every night was a gamble now, a precarious chance that Charles might pick up on the thoughts roaring in Erik's head, thoughts that had no business being there. Since they were young, Charles had always promised both Erik and Raven that he would stay out of their heads - surface thoughts and emotions notwithstanding - but sometimes, the depth of what Erik was feeling was so great that he feared it would eclipse all of his poorly constructed mental shields. Charles was a powerful telepath, and it was only a matter of time before he would sense that whatever Erik felt for him surpassed pure friendship.

He trudged down the corridor, cursing himself and glaring at any passing guards who had not had any sense to steer clear. The storm raged outside the castle walls, reflecting his mood.

It didn't escape Erik that ten years ago, he too had arrived in Westchester on the heels of a snowstorm, hoping to find food and a roof for a night before moving on. Instead, he had been dragged to a surprised King in the middle of the night by a stubborn young princeling, who had demanded that Erik stay with them and be trained as a squire.

There was no doubt Erik owed Charles his life. When he had finally been sworn in as a knight on his twenty-first birthday, Erik had recited his oath and knelt before King Oliver. But in his heart of hearts, it wasn't the King that Erik had sworn fealty to.

A soft thump made Erik stop in his tracks. He turned towards the direction of Charles' solar, ears pricked for any suspicious noises. However, there was nothing but silence. The door remained resolutely shut, but Erik raised a hand nonetheless, letting his power spread out. Nothing amiss in Charles' solar, except for the window creaking open. Charles must have wanted some fresh air.

"You fool," Erik muttered to himself. He would always be a fool, whenever it came to Charles.

***

The morning dawned bright and cold, the air as sharp as a knife. Charles could hear the shouts and orders of the Westchester troops in the courtyard as they prepared for departure, huffing out long plumes of breath in the wintry air. The soldiers bowed in acknowledgement as Charles approached, and he smiled in return, wishing them safe travels. Obviously, most of the troops were reluctant to leave their families, although a few of the younger soldiers were eager to see whether the Hellfire nation lived up to its reputation.

He found Erik saddling Magneto, murmuring to her in a low, gentle tone that filled Charles with a sweet warmth. Erik had a caring, nurturing side that he fought so hard to keep hidden, but Charles had witnessed it frequently, particularly when he'd caught a bad bout of the Coughing Disease a few years ago. He'd spent much of that period in a feverish daze, but Erik had been a steadfast presence, ignoring his training and choosing to curl up on the ancient ottoman in Charles' solar. If all accounts were to be believed, Erik had not left Charles' side once, often pacing with worry and hounding the herbalist for updates. He had never spoken of it to Charles directly.

A mental nudge stirred Erik out of his reverie as he turned to raise an eyebrow at Charles. "You're up early. This is an anomaly."

Charles chuckled. "With the noise you lot were making in the courtyard, you probably woke half the kingdom."

"Not my fault." An amused Erik tilted his head at the younger knights, where Alex was trying to stuff snow down Sean's back while Scott cheered him on. "There are your culprits."

"Indeed." Charles' smile faded, reaching out for Erik's shoulder. "But..all jesting aside, do take every precaution when you're in the Hellfire nation. I know it goes without saying, but--"

"--the Black King is not to be trusted," Erik finished for him. "Don't worry. Raven is too smart to be outwitted by Shaw, and we'll all be there to protect her. She'll sign the treaty, come home, and then we'll go back to pretending we trust Shaw and his cronies."