Peasant

Chapter One

Artemis rubbed his eyes as he felt himself begin to wake up, the sun had not risen and he was still in the kitchen by the fire. The male let out a small sigh and shut the book he had been reading the night before. He quickly put it away in his secret place behind a brick in the fire place before he scurried out of the kitchen. Today, was his day off and thanks to the other servants he would be able to enjoy it. The male walked outside on the chill summer morning and began to make his way up the hill towards the wild flower meadow, that was the best place to watch the sunrise... his mother had shown him the place when he was only 5... whenever he got up before the sun did he would rush outside and lay in the field and watch the sun rise...the most beautiful thing in the world.

The male planted himself in a patch of wild daisys and purple flowers. The hillside angled him perfectly so as he was lying back he wouldn't miss a single second of the morning glory. As he spaced out the sound of hooves evaded his ears, the prince a rather devilish male was galloping right towards the male, he was on his morning hunt and he was planning on shooting the stag when his horse Aero reared up on its hind legs. This not only alerted the spaced out Artemis but also the prince who nearly ran over the small male.

Everest gasped and tried to calm his horse as it continued to rear and neigh "Aero!" He shouted to calm the animal down. "My apologies." He said curtly and somewhat sarcastically as he stared at the peasant. Artemis gasped and bowed his head as he got on his knees to bow, while Artemis didn't believe he was less than any other, he knew that if he didn't show respect the male could easily be forced to spend a day in the stalks for his behavior. "N-No sire, forgive me for being a nuisance!" The male said his voice trembling hoarse from the chill morning. Everest looked at the male for a while then hopped off of Aero. "You're the first one to admit how annoying you people are, you know that?" He pulled Artemis' hair, lifting the boy's head. "I'd appreciate it if you were looking at me while you talked to me. Don't listen to anyone else. They don't have power over me, got it?" He sent a punch into the peasant's gut and a small smirk formed on his face. The shock would have clearly been written on the frail boys face but he had never been struck so hard before in that place. Artemis keeled over holding his stomach, it was not uncommon for him to be struck, his step brothers often used him as a punching bag when they were bored, but Artemis expected much more from the prince. He let out a wheeze and the prince only looked away to stare in awe at the sunrise. The bright red turning into a stunning yellow as it slowly appeared from behind the horizon. Everest was speechless by the beauty of the sight. He quickly looked away, not wanting to appear as spaced out as he was. He turned to Artemis who had recovered from the punch he was dealt, the male looked at him with annoyance. Good for nothing peasants. He sneered at the male who on instinct looked away. With a sigh of annoyance the male threw a crown shaped pin at the males feet, a silent warning to tell him to never speak of his actions. The male with a smack on the rear of the horse took off again on his chase of the stag.

Artemis rubbed his stomach and frowned before he picked up the pin, while it was made of pure gold, it held no real value to Artemis, why would it? Artemis sighed and stuck the pin in the bark of a nearby tree. I expected so much more from someone like the prince, people have always said he was kind...but that clearly isn't the case. The male bit his lip and sighed as the pain completly faded. Might as well go into town, maybe I can enjoy my time with a few of the towns people. The male began to hike up the hill...

Soon he came on to the road of the town, the town was filthy in some ways, while beautiful in others. There were nobles dressed to the nines in their silks while their were servants and peasants who were dressed in rags or close to it. Artemis was a friend to many in the town, while he avoided most nobles he was very friendly to the rest. The old woman that caught his eye had been knocked over by the guards, they payed no mind to her as he struggled to get up, without thinking Artemis assisted her. "Ah it's you!" The woman smiled at him kindly. "Oh how I wish more people were as kind as you dear Artemis" she smiled at him sweetly before she and Artemis began to pick up her shopping. "Oh really it's nothing, I'm just doing what's right, but are you ok? That fall must of hurt" he said looking at the elderly woman with concern as he adjusted her shawl for her. "Oh I'm quite alright my dear, takes more than that to hurt me!" The woman flashed him a withered smile and Artemis could only smile softly at her reply. "But dear Artemis your cheek is cut!" She said with a small gasp and the male could only react in surprise. Cut? My cheek? How odd I don't recall it getting cut on anything... lightly the male reached his hand up to sigh softly, it was indeed cut, he probably had scrapped himself against the kitchen floor, how typical.

As Artemis met the woman's eyes again he frowned when he saw the prince enter town with his bregade. They had caught two stags and plenty of rabbits, how cruel and unnecessary... After the incident with Everest the male was now thinking very little of the prince and his actions made Artemis cringe at him. Everest wore a smug look on his face, the spoiled prince didn't need approval from anyone. After all it didn't matter what others thought of him, he was the prince, and he demanded respect. He glanced at Artemis and sneered at him again, he was tempted to punch the male in his feminine face. Peasants were such a pain... no wonder he hated them. Artemis looked away and sighed ever so softly as he ran his fingers through his blondish hair that showed more a strawberry quality when the sun hit it, his hands were dirty and so was pretty much everything else, but he couldn't help the fact he was in turmoil over the prince, and how seemed to be holding a grudge against him. How unfortunate got the little male, he wouldn't appreciate a bully like the prince. The prince packed a mean punch and Artemis would rather not experience that pain again.