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Casseth sighed as he stared at the ceiling. He bided his time, stalling as long as he could, to spend more time to Lithian. Cas had already decided it would be easier to leave at night, no one to see him off or try to stop him last minute. At a small movement Cas looked down, smiling softly at the sight of Lith tucked close to him. He tilted his head as Lith’s arm wrapped around him and he clung to Cas’ waist. Even in sleep it was as if Lithian was trying to keep him here. He understand his love’s feelings and the hurt he may be feeling at Casseth’s insistence on going after Detra. It had to be done, though. Not just for Casseth but for Ara and Detra as well.

His things were packed already, waiting, for him to grab them, by the door. Cas hadn’t planned on taking much with him - just the essentials. The one thing he had made sure to pack up was the dagger Detra had thrown back at him. It had been a gift and Cas intended to return it as such. Whether Detra decided to keep it, this time, was completely up to him.

As the moon rose higher into the sky, Casseth became more restless, knowing full well that the ferry to Soudul would be leaving within the next couple of hours. With that thought in mind he slowly began to untangle himself from Lithian’s embrace, plucking carefully at his hand and scooting away. It was a slow process as Cas did not wish to wake Lithian up but finally he was free of Lith’s arms and out of bed. Cas leaned down, placing a feather light kiss to Lith’s forehead before moving towards the door and picking up his pack.

Casseth froze mid step when he heard his name, shoulders sinking as he turned to face Lith. He had hoped to sneak out without interrupting Lith’s sleep but Cas had obviously failed at that. “Lithian…” His name came out on a whisper as Cas loosened the grip on his pack. “I’m sorry...I just. I thought maybe leaving now...would be easier on everyone.” Cas shifted his weight as he debated and hesitated on whether to leave or move back towards the bed.

Finally, the desire to hold Lith in his arms and actually kiss him won over and Cas dropped his back to the floor. He stalked back over to the bed, his oblivionite eyesight allowing him to perfectly see where Lith’s lips were as he bent and captured them with his own. When Cas broke the kiss, he was sitting on the bed, leaning over Lith with their foreheads touching and his eyes close. “Lithian...I love you, you know that, right?”

Casseth squeezed his eyes shut as he sank down onto his cot once in his private room on the ferry. Despite having not eaten, Cas was in no mood for food. Instead he forced himself to relax and to sleep. It was mid afternoon before Casseth woke again, stomach rumbling as he crawled out of bed and headed above deck. He ate a small meal and kept mostly to himself on the journey over, already working out what he was going to do once they reached port. It took all of that first day and the better part of the next day, well into the evening, before the ferry finally docked on the shores of Soudul. As Cas left his room he tucked his wings away, knowing that he had a much better chance of surviving on Soudul without his orderite blood being known. It would do no good for him to get himself killed before he even found Detra.

As per his plan, Casseth traveled through town, asking at various inns if they’d seen anyone matching Detra’s description. Most of the inn owners weren’t very welcoming or forthcoming when they found out Cas had no intentions on staying. He was about to give up his search, for the night, when the last innkeeper had confirmed that he had indeed seen the man Casseth was seeking. “Headed towards Obsidian City about a week or so ago.”

Casseth debated long about heading out that night, remembering his last trip to Soudul and how long it had taken him and Lithian to get to the main city of the oblivionite continent. His body’s need for sleep seemed to decide for him as Casseth yawned. He paid the innkeeper for a night’s stay and secured himself a hastar for in the morning. Cas’ night was fitful, his dreams switching between those of Lithian and Detraeus. Soon it was early morning, a time Cas was not used to, and he was dragging himself out bed and down to the stables.

Cas rode long into the day, stopping here and there to give both himself and his hastar small breaks. He mostly kept going at a fast pace, eager to get to Obsidian City and find Detra. Casseth knew that it wouldn’t be easy to convince the oblivionite to come back to Eowyn and he knew there was a chance that things could go wrong. He had understood Lithian’s worries but he had had to come anyway, knowing full well that he would not be content to just let things end as they had. The ride to the main city was an easy, albeit long, ride. Cas had managed to get through the forests at a quicker pace than the last time and without incident and was soon slowing his hastar down to a slow trot.

As he entered the city he dismounted from his hastar and sought out the first inn he could find. Casseth’s inquiries fell on deaf ears, however. The innkeeper refusing service to a ‘filthy hybrid’. Casseth frowned as he insisted on asking his questions and huffed as he was cursed and spat at. He muttered as he turned to leave, growling and spinning around as a hand caught at his wrist. When he came face to face with an older oblivionite women, though, his tense muscles relaxed a fraction of an inch. Her third eye narrowed in on Casseth as she spoke. “I know the one you seek.” Even her voice sounded old. “Caught a traitor recently, that one did. Big deal. She was helping orderites.” The old woman’s nose curled up as she turned her head and spit at the ground. “Good riddance too.” Casseth tried to hide the wince at the mention of orderites and held his tongue for fear of not finding out the information the woman held. “He headed out of the city, looked to be headed back to the port town.”

Casseth groaned at that information, having just made the long journey to Obsidian City from that very port. He grit his teeth as he thanked the woman and headed back out to fetch his rented hastar. At the city gate, Casseth paused, glancing around. How far would Detra have gotten? The way the old lady had talked, it hadn’t been too long ago that Detraeus had set off towards the port town. Would he have stopped? Gone a different route than the one Casseth had taken? He asked the few people around the city’s entrance, finally hitting gold with a city guard. Before long, Casseth was back on his hastar and riding off towards the shoreline.

Casseth had already dismounted from his hastar and walked alongside it, tail swishing back and forth. He could smell the salt of the sea nearby and his thoughts instantly went to Lithian. Despite his insistence in coming after Detra, Cas could not wait to be back home and in the arms of his lover. Leaves and branches crunched under Cas’ feet as he was distracted by the thought of embracing Lithian and kissing him.

Cas didn’t come fully back to the moment until he broke free of the treeline and the wind from the sea hit his face and his hastar faltered, hesitating on moving forward anymore. Casseth frowned at the beast, tugging at the reins as his gaze moved to glance over the surrounding areas. He froze at the sight of a bow aimed at him, his tail twitching. “Detraeus…” His grip on his hastar’s reins tightened and Cas didn’t dare move an inch as he stared down Detra and his bow.

Casseth watched as Detra lowered his bow but didn’t relax completely. Their salty sea air whipped around as Cas’ tail swished back and forth and his wings twitched to be released. He wanted desperately to shove what he was in Detra’s face, but knew, at this point, that it would do no good. It wasn’t what he had come to Soudul for anyway. “I came for you.”