17 Chapter 15

5 tons later, we're on our way home from the hay run. Time to feed horses lol. But not before I add one more chapter. I promise guys. The romance is coming from both OTPs!!!!!

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      RT came for him the next morning, shaking Tian from his sleep addled mind. It was just the man, but he seemed more distant than ever before. He shuffled Tian out of the room without waking Maniar and turned him towards the way they'd come yesterday. For a brief few moments, Tian wondered if he was being led to his people. But when they went through a side door to the outside, he knew he was going even further away.

      RT pushed him into the back of the vehicle, strapping his hands against the handles. It was such an awkward position, making his muscles sore within the first few minutes. He slid into the front seat and they were off, heading deeper into the city. Tian took the time to stare and memorize every building they went by, just in case he had to escape. The city was much bigger than what he'd originally thought. In the carriages, it'd really shrunk the outside considerably. He looked in awe, though, at the world passing by. Huge rails rose up from the ground with long bullet like vehicles shooting across. People milled about beneath the roads, going into odd shops with rather generic names. The road they were on was much larger than the roads beneath them.

      They stretched and twisted through smaller buildings and neighborhoods with big green yards. Massive billboards sat on the roads with their screens flashing up hundreds of businesses and products that Tian had never even known people needed. 

      "This will be your home someday," RT commented randomly, meeting his eyes in the mirror near the windshield. "It will be a better place."

     Tian shook his head with a huff. How could something so mighty and large ever be his home? He longed for the trees and the rolling land. He longed for the haze of the mountains on the early morning horizon. And most of all, he longed for the quiet mornings before the village started to get up for the day, when the birds fluttered in the trees to start their early morning songs.

     The Capital was larger than life with huge buildings that rose high into the sky. It was loud, even being inside the car. People sped by them without even a glance, so set into their own business. They crossed a massive bridge, heading towards one of the largest buildings. Guards sat at each side of the bridge, watching and cataloging them as they passed. The castle itself was set on its own beautiful island, a land that was once called Manhattan until the water had isolated it and all the bridges had fallen in.

     "I know it's hard to take in," RT stated. "This world… It's hard to get used to. But you will get used to it."

      "My people. Will they be sold to these areas?"

      RT sighed, meeting his eyes in the reflector glass. "Most likely not Tian, they'll be sold to the factories or the mines. Other poor people are forced to work in the sky scrapers."

      "Your world is horrific. How can you even stand to live like that?"

     "It was never my choice. I grew up somewhere else. When we saw the sun, it was beautiful. You learn to love it though, maybe not the people you've been exposed to. But the innocents of this city. They're what makes this place good."

     "The same people who threw rocks at me for being different?"

     "They were scared, Tian," RT commented, looking back at the road. "People are always afraid of something much more different than them."

     "What about you? Why did you help me then? You'd never even met me before but you saved my life. I want to know why. Would you answer?"

     RT met his eyes once again in the mirror. "You can't know that yet."   

                  ☆        ☆       ☆

     They came to a stop outside the castle's main entrance. RT came to the back of the vehicle, untying him before helping him out of the vehicle. He slid a large puffy coat over Tian's thin shoulders. The coat was so massive it scraped the tops of his knees.

      "This way," RT ordered, putting his hands on the back of the coat. RT had, at least, pulled the chains from his chafed wrists. They were free for a short time, he assumed. 

     The castle was so big and it radiated a cold rich kind of air to it. It sent a chill down Tian's chin with its massive white pillars. Warriors passed by him with a glare, but Tian remembered what RT said before leaving the car. 'Don't look the warriors in the face. Your eyes could give you away'. Tian understood why the man warned him, but the idiot should've known that Tian had better control than that. Maybe when he was still a child he'd have to worry about the flare in his eyes. Being half human gave him the choice of regular green eyes or the gold, which only came out in distress or anger. Nevertheless, he kept his eyes down all the way to the stairs and further.

      Even so early in the morning, the castle was bustling with activity. Warriors moved in groups of 3 or 4 and there was an occasional maid bustling about. They kept their heads down and didn't look like a capital citizen, another slave from the villages. Tian twisted his upper lip up in disgust. He glared daggers into RT's back and the man certainly seemed uncomfortable.

     The Prince's quarters were much less grand than what Tian expected. The door was massive, encrusted with gold and other colorful gems. However, it seemed a little too far at the back of the Castle. Like an afterthought. And the Two warriors that guarded the doors were a little too plump to be of any use. They weren't dressed in the same dark clothing, either. They nodded at RT before reaching to open the doors. Inside, it took Tian's breathe away once more.

     The room didn't look grand on the outside, but the inside of the room was brilliant. The roof of the room was made of glass, allowing sunlight to stream in and cast everything in a natural lighting. The walls were tall and painted in gold. Or maybe, the walls were just pure gold. The bed was pushed in the farthest part of the room, a huge 4 poster bed that looked to weigh a ton with a red canopy over the top. Ivory curtains surrounded the satin covered mattress. Tian's original bed was the floor and a sleeping bag, after all. Then a hay filled mattress Marie had given him. The room was filled with thick bound books spread out across massive tables or nestled in the walls. A massive screen sat at a smaller table, with papers strewn about. Pictures flashed across the screen slowly, of different areas outside of the castle. The great Rock Gorge, the eastern coast, the mountains, and another set of mountains that weren't as spiky and steep. They were round and filled with fauna. There wasn't a speck of dust or dirt on anything in the room, surprisingly. Sitting at the center of the room was a man who carried an aura of wealth. He was clad in clothes so fine that they alone could feed Tian's village for 3 winters. His fingers were decorated with shiny diamonds and metals.

     He stood up, and cast a silence across the room. RT pushed Tian's head down before bowing. "Your highness."

     "You can leave," The man dismissed before turning to Tian. "It's truly a pleasure to meet you. I'm the crowned prince, Prince John the lV."

     "Tian Hansen," The boy replied quickly.

      "We both know that's not your real name. Son of Tiantok Ashturokma. He was the last surviving son of the surface chiefs of your people. You are the last born of the great Kukouk chief. Tian Ashturokma, once again, it's a pleasure to meet you."

     The prince gestured towards an empty seat. Tian sat down slowly, keeping his eyes trained on the crowned prince. He had a natural friendly exterior, but Tian didn't trust those eyes. He felt like a bug being peered at under a microscope, and he really, really didn't like the feeling.

     "I heard that there was trouble when your village was captured. Some wolves attacked our men. The ones who fund those trips weren't happy, it took everything in my power to stop them from demanding your pretty head."

      "Must be tragic, wolves are aggressive. Did you not know that? My village wasn't captured, either,  you asshat. They were murdered. My family is dead, my people," Tian spat, digging his nails into the sides of the tables. "You can take your murderers and shove them up your ass where they belong."  

     The prince sighed, leaning back in his own chair. "Asshat? No one has ever had the guts to call me that before. I've heard those other words, though. Interesting as they are."

      "I don't care if your feelings get hurt."

      The prince's eyebrows rose. He coughed into his fist and slicked back his greasy hair with his same hand. Tian's stomach rolled, how disgusting could this man be?

      "Well, unfortunately, I need your help even if you don't like me," the man shrugged.

      "Help? After what you did to my people? You're fucking dreaming."

      The prince sighed, shaking his head. "I hate curse words, you know. Your similar to that Axel boy I've heard about. But how about this? If I give you something you want in return for helping me?"

     Tian looked at him in confusion. "What?"

      "Sure… sure. I can have all the men who killed and stole your people executed. It'd have to be staged as an accident, but I can have that done."

      "Everyone? Even the one who made Marie fall?"

      The prince paused. "You want RT dead? Not the one who actually killed her?"

      Tian nodded vigorously.

      Eventually, the Prince sighed before rising from his chair. He put his hands behind his back and stalked over behind Tian's chair. He set his hands on the boy's shoulder with a smile.

      "RT is… he's too valuable to have killed. I could gut the rest of the mercenaries though, all the Warriors who turned face at you."

     "Will my people be free?"

     "That's the one thing I can't risk right now. If the Capital's people find out that I'm working with a halfling, or even if my father finds out… shit will hit the fan. My father would have both our heads, and if RT's still alive, his child would die without my protection. If he's still alive, there'd be no safe place in heaven for me to run. However, if we're successful, I can give you your people back. We have to play our cards right, though, and in all due time."

      Tian stared down at the table in shock. "RT has a child?"

      "A special one, in fact. A very sick one, with the same blood as yours."

      "Another one like me?" Tian exclaimed, perking up in his seat with interest.

      "Yes, unfortunately. RT's protective of the child. Enough to keep me far away from it no matter what I do or say. We've been friends since I was a child, and yet, I've never seen the child. It's currently hidden somewhere in the city. The only way I ever found out was when he came begging to me for medical supplies he couldn't afford. I put two and two together and well, I'm very good at uncovering secrets. If you work with me, we both can take RT and the child for ourselves."

      "What would you have me do?"

      The prince straightened his back and swept his fingers across the table. He sighed loudly. "That, is complicated. See, I'm a sick man. Was born sick, and am not forecasted to live a long life. However, there's a cure… but I need Kukouk blood for the cure. And the second thing I need you to do is… you need to kill the King."  

     "You want me to overthrow the king? Do you realize what I am? I don't think I'll be getting into your court anytime soon, much less, close enough to the king to deal a killing blow. The blood is easy, but not getting close enough to kill a king."

      "Yes, I've already thought ahead for that issue. You won't be the one killing him. RT will. It'll be your job to make sure RT stays alive throughout the process, I need him here. He must stay alive no matter what. Even if it kills you, RT must return back to this castle."

      "You like him," Tian whispered in horror, the realization coming out of the blue.

      The prince spluttered, turning red in the face. "What? NO, no, no… I would never fall for someone like that.. Someone who only has fighting on his brain? Hell no. Plus he's a man and I'm not homosexual."

     "You do, though. And you can't bear to lose him."

      "When did I get on your couch?" The prince spat before getting to his feet. "RT, take him to his room. I don't want to talk to him anymore."

      "Wait, I'll take your deal then. I don't trust the capital, but if you'll free my people, then I'll do it."

      A grin cracked across his face, and his eyes narrowed in. He waved RT off quickly before turning back to Tian. "Good, good. You've made a good decision. If you manage to eliminate my father, then I'll sign every release form for every member of your village."

      The prince turned to RT. "Take him to one of the guest suites on my side of the castle. Get him cleaned up and give him new clothes. He reeks."