The dining hall was almost completely empty, it was the middle of the night. Solomon was tip-toeing around trying to not make a lot of noise.
"...Ah!"
The plate he was carrying almost fell to the ground. The youngling stopped himself from gasping too loud and nervously looked back at a napping guard.
After a quick relieved exhale, he ran through a hallway and down a set of stairs into the basement.
"Cain! I got the food for you!"
He burst through a small cellar door into a dark and damp room, where the man was sleeping due to not having a place of his own to stay.
"Keep it down kid, I'm tired."
Solomon jumped and slowed down to a quiet walk, then politely placed a platter of meat on the ground.
"Our cook's finest."
"I don't doubt it."
Cain replied somewhat sarcastically. Only then did Solomon notice that he was sharpening the sword he found earlier.
"What are you doing?"
"Getting ready."
"For what?"
Cain stopped and grabbed a piece of meat without caring for any manners.
"For when they find me and kick me out."
Solomon's face became pale.
"Don't worry kid, I was joking. I only kill people who really piss me off."
That's not reassuring."
Cain nodded as he took another bite as Solomon sat down beside him.
"Shouldn't you run back into your room, they'll be scared shitless if you're not there."
Solomon didn't answer and instead turned his eyesight at the ground.
"Um… sir?"
Cain changed his tone to a calmer one.
"Yes, Solomon?"
"What was Adam like?"
He looked at the boy and noticed a lot of conflict in his eyes. Losing a father, even an absent one and at an incredibly early age no less, clearly wasn't easy on him.
"Adam was a scumbag, but he had a heart of gold."
Solomon's eyes sparked a little and he smiled at Cain's response.
"Tell me more!"
"I'm not a bedtime storyteller, kid."
Solomon did his best puppy eyed expression at Cain until the pale man finally broke and sighed deeply.
"Just this once."
Solomon cheered and listened intensely as Cain told stories about Adam's duels with demonic princes, but in a child-friendly manner.
They sat there together until the young king fell asleep on the cold, stone floor.