Gilded Wings: A Homestuck AU

Chapter Four: Comfort in the Darkness

413 hadn't earned a name yet. He acclimated, albeit not without quite a bit of disapline. However, tonight he had finally earned the right to retire with them. The bed was certainly large enough, and 413 had barely objected. The moons were in the position known to many "absolute midnight" and everyone was asleep, aside from a mildly agitated prince playing app games on his smartphone to soothe his nerves. For whatever reason, the internet was off. He made a note to check on it in the morning. The brightness was turned off, as to not wake his companions. Aoki was sleeping like an angel, if angels snored, drooled, and hogged half the bed. 413 was quiet, until this point. Sollux could hear him whining and whimpering in his sleep. He sighed, paused and exited his game, set the phone on the nightstand charger, then assessed the situation. The smaller troll was, unbeknownst to him, prone to nightmares. 413 was sleeping, albeit fitfully, on his side, curled up. If Aoki had been awake, he would have tried to help him, no doubt. Unfortunately, the human was sleeping so deeply if their home had any disasters it likely wouldn't wake him. Sollux gently nudged the mutant blood awake.
"Are you... okay?" He asked, trying to sound concerned. 413's look of shock quickly changed to brooding.
"No, but why do you care?" He muttered. He had no reason to, after all. Sollux frowned. Something didn't add up.
"Why did they send you to me?" He inquired. A scoff, then,
"Interrogation. Are you really THAT sheltered?" 413 growled. Sollux blushed bright yellow. He had assumed 413 was a harem boy delivery, especially after receiving Aoki. It was true that the young troll prince was expected to be involved in the royal military, but not until he came of age! Which... apparently...had happened. Whoops. In hindsight, it explained a lot, except...
"On what charges were you imprisoned?"
"I tried...to start a small rebellion."
"Tried? What do you mean?"
"I was too open. I got ratted out."
At this point Sol's mind and hemopusher were racing.
"Rebellion? why?"
"Not everyone is happy with the new emperor's policies."
'New emperor?' he mentally questioned.
"I was under the impression that Emperor Psionic wasn't stepping down yet. What changed?"
413 looked at him like he had sprouted a second head.
"Emperor Psionic is dead."
"Dead?! Then who...?"
"Your brother assumed the throne."
Sol facepalned. "What did he do?"
413 sighed, "he's enforcing something called a hemogradiant class system. The lighter the blood color, the more privileged you are."
Sollux was in shock. Had his brother snapped?! Different members of the hemospectrum had previously gotten along fine! There was no need for this.
"... what's your real name?"
"Karkat Vantas."
"Well, Kk, it seems you need help with this...rebellion."
An amused snort. "Why would I want your help?"
Sollux grinned. "Because if anyone can help you, strategically, it's me."
Karkat balked. "And what makes you so fucking qualified?"
Sollux's grin became a cocky smirk.
"Because I'm your only hope of making it out alive."
Aoki rolled on to his side murmuring something in his sleep. For the first time, both trolls noticed a strange blue tattoo on the base of his skull. Neither said anything about it but agreed to strategize in the morning.