The Prince

Handing Over Fate

Reid felt his heart drop to his stomach. The streets weren't safe at night? If it was already midnight and he couldn't travel at night, then he was in trouble. He was sure that the king knew that he was gone by now. By the time morning came, he was sure that the guards would be searching the streets and houses for him. It scared him to think what would happen to Ashiya if the guards were to find him there. He was sure the king wouldn't be happy that someone had hidden Reid from him. Ashiya would likely either be killed or tortured, and Reid didn't want that to happen. Ashiya had been nice to him, one of only two people so far.

Even more so, the thought that he would need some sort of weapon in order to travel made things worse. He could barely manage to walk on those stupid feet, let alone carry a weapon and use it. It would be more likely that someone would easily gain the upper hand over him. It was a wonder that Ashiya had found him first rather than someone else with worse intentions. As far as clothes went though, he didn't have any. He felt his weight go out from under him as he sat back down on the bed and his head dropped into his hands. He had no way of leaving. He couldn't defend himself. He knew nothing about the creatures and people roaming the streets. He was sure that the king knew by now that he was gone, and that meant that by the time morning came, there would likely be guards searching the streets for him if there weren't already.

Ashiya's thinking wasn't wrong. He had been a slave. Ashiya just didn't know to whom he had been enslaved. Would it change things if he did? He lifted his head to look at his wrists. The ropes and shackles that he had been bound with were heavy and rough. They had been heavy and just as uncomfortable as Ashiya imagined them. He knew that he would be forever reminded of his time on land. He had been bound so long and so tightly that the ropes and shackles had cut into his wrists. They were sore and raw and it seemed like there were bruises upon bruises, but if he could stay away from the king, then they would eventually heal. And maybe the rest of him would heal too. His entire body was sore from the treatment he had received from the king, but he didn't want to let on just how much he was struggling.

He instinctively shifted away when Ashiya stood and stepped toward him. He expected the worst as he always did.. and then the male stepped past him and he felt his chest loosen a bit. He had no way of knowing that even if he did manage to get out and somehow escape the creepers of the night, that he would only get as far as the gate before he was caught. It was incredible that he had even made it this far, and impossible if not for Ashiya. He found himself wanting to wash up, to somehow scrub away all of the things that had been done to him since he had been stolen from the ocean, but that wasn't likely. He could try to wash himself all he wanted, but he would never be able to scrub clean his mind of the things the king had done to him.

He knew nothing about the tunnels and waterways that could lead him to freedom either. And despite Ashiya's good intentions, anyone could hand him a map or a book or anything, but he wouldn't understand it. He was from the ocean. They did not have paper there. He could not read the words written on them. He wasn't a silver badge holder. He would be lucky to get anywhere. He had no papers or travel passes. He was sure the guards knew his description by now. Hell, the king had had his portrait painted several times so they might even have his picture to reference. He looked up at Ashiya as the male spoke and he was silent for a long moment. He slowly came to the decision that Ashiya deserved to know the truth about what he was getting into before he did anything. If the male decided to throw him out rather than help him after he knew then so be it, but the male deserved to know exactly what he was getting into.

"Thank you for helping me, but I think you should know what you are getting yourself into before you help me anymore, and if you want me to leave after, then I understand."

He glanced at Ashiya, his heart beating rapidly in his chest. This would be the first time that he would speak of where he was from. He had been gifted to the king but he had never told the king where he was from. He hadn't told anyone where he was from or why he was there until now.

"I'm not from here, but I am trying to get home. I.. I was taken from a grand underwater kingdom, but I was taken from my home. Those people used magic to turn me into a human and bring me here where they gifted me as a pleasure slave to the k-king."

It was hard to keep his voice steady and he couldn't bring himself to look at Ashiya. What if the male decided he wanted a turn? He was sure that the king would offer a generous reward to get his slave back, and maybe Ashiya would rather have that than help him. Either way, Ashiya deserved the truth.

"I have been kept chained, as I'm sure you noticed, and I am still not used to walking. Feet are strange to me still. I cannot read, I do not know much about this place or how to get back home. I do not even know how I got this far. I do not know if my father will allow me to come back if I can get home. Once one of us leaves to join the land dwellers, they are not welcome back because they chose to walk among the humans. I did not chose to leave, but that does not mean that I will be allowed back, but I must try. I must try to let my father know that I did not abandon him or my people. If you decide to help me, I will be forever grateful, but if you decide to turn me in for the reward that the king will offer, I will understand that too. It is my understanding that harboring a slave brings with it a harsh punishment, but I cannot imagine what it will be for harboring a slave of the king. I do not wish to bring you any harm, but helping me may do just that. I do not want you to get hurt because of me. You are one of two beings that has been nice to me in any way since I was stolen from the sea. I will let you decide what it is you want to do with me, and whatever you decide, I will respect and do so without arguing or being difficult."

He finally fell silent. If Ashiya wanted to still help him, he would be surprised. If the male decided to turn him in instead, just as he said, he would go quietly and without a fuss. The man had helped him, it was senseless to give him trouble. The reward for turning him in was sure to be rather nice, not to mention what might happen to him if anyone found out that he was helping him. He knew that the king would kill Ashiya, but he was sure that he would first torture him. Reid didn't want that to happen just because Ashiya decided to help him. It occurred to him that even if Ashiya did help him, he would stand out and they might get caught easily anyway. He was very strange and he stood out among the other beings. Not just in the way that he struggled to walk, but in appearance and physique as well, not to mention the obvious signs that he was in fact an escaped slave. If anyone saw even a glimpse of his wrists or ankles, it would be easy to figure out.

The thought occurred to him that it would be much easier to travel somewhere if Ashiya posed as his owner, should the male decide to help him. He would easily pass as Ashiya's slave. All Ashiya would need was some rope and it would be easy to pass him off as such. He already had the bruises and marks of a slave, and he wouldn't need the travel papers or documents if he was traveling with a master rather than by himself. Of course, that was all under the impression that Ashiya would help him rather than turn him in. He picked nervously at his fingers as he waited for Ashiya to think about what he had said and decide on what he wanted to do. He had told Ashiya everything. He was straightforward about it all and he had offered the male every option even though some of them were not good for him. They may benefit Ashiya though, and he had been raised to be fair. That meant telling the entire truth and not just the things that worked in his favor.