The Misplaced Prince[COMPLETE]

Offerings

His every instinct told him not to trust them or their food, but Joshua saw the truth in her words. He needed to protect her, and three days locked in a cramped cell without food, water or sunlight, he felt very weak, indeed. He quickly shoveled the food in his mouth while Kasey watched him, her face sad. But he had no time for sadness--his mind was already devising ways to get the two of them out of there.

She reached forward, and he flinched despite himself. She stilled, pain flickering in her eyes. He forced himself to relax, and after a painful swallow, she reached forward to trail the faint beard lining his jaw. "We need to groom you."

"Fuck grooming." he said shortly, "I'm going to get you out of here, Kasey."

She smiled, then walked to the door to hand out some instructions. A squire returned with the implements she requested, and she turned to him, shaving blade in her hand. He stiffened.

"We cant present the prospects to king in such a state." she whispered, "Please try to understand, Joshua. Once you're presented to him and discarded, it will be much easier to run away, rather than as a prospective prince with the whole realm going after you."

He looked at her face for a small, tense moment, and then nodded only because she looked like it was so important. With food and water in his belly, his felt some semblance of his formal control returning, and as she sat him back, gently foaming his face before drawing up the blade over his jaw, he felt like himself some more. He focused on her yellow green eyes so determined on the task as if it helped her fight grimmer emotions, and promised himself to take here somewhere she could be pampered and spoiled, like she deserved.

Tony and Dick came in when she was patting his jaw dry, and he immediately scrambled to his feet, shoving her behind him. Tony just looked weary by now, but Dick...the shift in realm had obviously not been as much a good news for him as the rest of them, and it was obvious why his brother was hovering over him. His blue eyes were rimmed with deep shadows, and he probably looked as gaunt as Joshua felt. A mere imitation of the strong man he had been only a few days ago.

He looked at Joshua and let out a humongous sigh of relief, and then startled Joshua by grabbing him into a hug. "Oh, thank God for your emotions."

Joshua tried to push him off.

"Such hateful emotions out there. Such evil people." Dick mumbled, "It will take a few days to get a hold on myself again. So unforgiving, this emotional magic."

He pulled away, smiling weakly at Joshua, and Joshua couldn't bring himself to kick him in the balls like he had been planning.

"His emotions help?" Tony asked, aghast, "I've been keeping away thinking you'd wither in misery from him and you like his emotions, now?"

"They're better than the ones out there." Dick said sulkily, stepping away, "Please, you two stay around me at all times until I'm used to this again."

Tony shook his head in disgust, then reached forward, a set of chains in his hands.

"No, Tony." Kasey hissed from behind him. Joshua felt her stiffen.

"Captain's orders, Kasey." Tony said apologetically, "You know how they all try to run once their feet hit the docks."

"You can't chain him." she snarled, "He's been through enough. And you know--" she lowered her voice, "you know he isn't even a prospect."

"I'm not happy about this decision, either, but--" Tony gave her a meaningful look, "Would you would rather the king knew a human had sneaked into the ship--after his precious ward at that--than just see him as a useless prospect? After what happened with his daughter that got us all into this mess in the first place?"