Beneath Us! (BL)

Chapter 17

       RT came for him the next morning, shaking Tian from his sleep. 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, but you have to be prepared"

       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. This place was built to be good. A safe haven for all. But corruption is like a disease, it moves fast."

       "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 i***t 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. 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 Maria 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 a winter. 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 couldn't. 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 f*****g dreaming."

       The prince sighed once more, shaking his head. "I hate curse words, you know. 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 Maria 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."

       "Could you free my people? If I help you on whatever crusade you're on about, would you free my people?" Tian asked as he shrugged the Prince's hands from his shoulders.

       The Prince sighed, straightening back up. He looked over at the door briefly before crossing to the other side of the table. He pressed his hands down onto the surface of the smooth oaken table before sighing once more. "We could negotiate on that in time. Right now, I don't have the power to authorize something like that."

       "So you want me to help you without the assurance that my people will be free for what I do?" Tian tilted his head with a devilish smirk. "I come from a village, but I'm not that stupid."

       "Here's the problem," The Prince offered, tapping the table with his knuckles. He sat down. "I am an illegitimate son to my father. And you, you're Kukouk spawn. When you get cut, you bleed purple and the lines on your body glows. We're a band of freaks in this Capital."

       Tian leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm Kukouk, but I'm no freak. When did people become so shallow? Skin color seems important to you? Why?"

       The Prince sneered, shaking his head. "Nevertheless, I don't have much power, being sick and useless in my father's eyes."

       "You want me to help you gain your father's favor? Oh, working with a Kukouk 'spawn' sure will do it."

       "Just so you know Tian, the world doesn't hate the Kukouk as much as they used to," the Prince snapped. "The world you probably knew doesn't exist anymore."

       "I'm sure," Tian answered with a haughty tone. He held up his arm that still had very obvious, dark bruises still forming. "Because, the way I see it, you're still as hateful as you were when my father was alive."

       The Prince groaned leaning back. "What I mean is, we can change. If you help me get the throne and heal me from this sickness through the use of your blood cells and DNA, I can make life better for you and your people."

       Tian nodded his head. "I'm sure you can. But you're the King's son, regardless of your actual parentage. You're probably lined up for the throne already. You don't need my help. I refuse to be a bodyguard to someone like you."

       The Prince leaned forward, putting his elbow on the table. He laced his fingers together arrogantly. "That's where you're wrong, The Capital doesn't work that way. It isn't lineage that rules over the Capital anymore. It's something else. An entity blessed upon by the gods. It decides the next king."

       Tian raised an eyebrow. "Really? That sounds like a bullshit story."

       "I'm serious. Come here."

       The Prince led him out of the room and down the same hall that RT ushered him through before. The large man was waiting beside the door, his hands crossed over his chest. He followed behind them with an expressionless look on his face. He was quiet as they descended further down the hall, going down a set of stairs. They turned towards the left and went near two large doors. RT stepped in front of them and pushed the doors open. Two thrones sat furthest from them, one made of shiny iron and the other encrusted with jewels and soft fabrics. They look old, ancient even. Sitting in the middle of both of them was a giant sheath and sword. Tian looked up at the pillars, towards the huge red banners that hung low encrusted with the emblem of the same sword that sat in the middle of the room. The Prince stepped forward and reached a hand out towards the sword and grasped the diamond hilt. He pulled his arm back, but the sword didn't give. He pulled it once more before sighing and releasing it from his grasp.

        "You can't unsheathe it," Tian commented and the Prince looked over at him with a glare.

        "I never could."

Tian stepped forward and rested his hand on the blade's sheath. He felt a hand on his shoulder. "Don't." RT commented before pulling the boy away.

       Tian sighed before looking over at the Prince. "What would you have me do?"

        "Well, the blood of the Kukouk have amazing healing processes. Even some of the worst incurable diseases. Like mine. vCJD or Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease. I take medicine to slow it down but it will take its course regardless if I want it to or not."

       "I'm sorry," Tian stated, because he was honest. He really was being honest.

       "Yeah, I'm sure. But there was a cure before the Kukouk people died. There was a cure. And taking the throne? I can do that someday when my father dies and I become stronger and strike down the Ceremonial Sword. But, I have to live long enough to get there."

       Tian looked down at his feet with a shake of his head. "If I help you, we'll negotiate my people's freedom and our return to home. When you gain power, of course."

       "It isn't assured... but yes, we can. I'll do everything I can."

       "How long do you have left?"

       "Three years, if I"m lucky. My personality changes so quickly anymore, it'd hard to tell who I am," The Prince sighed with a shake of his head. "That's why I have to find a cure before the little pieces of me that I love falls apart."

       "You seem oddly bothered by that," Tian stated as he glanced over at RT. The man was quiet where he stood, arms crossed over his chest. His long black hair was pulled up into it's neat ponytail and braided down his back. He was turned just the right way for the light that streamed in through the multiple colored glass windows to cast an eerie glow against his pake, porcelein skin. If Tian looked at RT just right, he didn't look like the fierce man Tian came to know. He looked older, and smaller with shoulders less wide than what they were. He looked almost human and it made Tian uneasy. It churned his stomach and sent cold chills up his spine, because RT was not human. There was no possible way the 6'8 man could be anything close to human. He was an abomination, just as much as Tian was and it upset Tian. For some reason, it upset him.

        "Tian?" The Prince asked, waving his hand in front of the smaller boy's face. Tian blinked a few times and realized that he had been staring straight at RT and the otehr man had stared right back with an intensity in his gaze. An intensity that made Tian squirm in his own skin. RT raised an eyebrow at him in question and Tian finally was able to look aay.

       "Tian, will you help me or not. I can give you freedom, I can give you a good place to live if you decide to. I can help you as much as you can help me," The Prince begged, putting his hand on Tian's shoulder. "I could make you my right hand man. I could make it where the Kukouk will no longer be free. The sword will recognize me as the true leader if i'm no longer sick."

       "The Kukouk are gone. Maniar? Me? We're just remnants of a time that's long passed. It wouldn't matter if the Kukouk were revered as heroes now. To those that it would have mattered to, well, they're long gone now. Thanks to you guys, the ever so glorious and perfect human race."

       "You act like you knew them," the Prince replied. "But you didn't. Not really. Like it or not you were preserved in time like a weird science experiment. You never even met your father."

       "I don't have to know the Kukouk to recognize when something is wrong. And the racism in some of you people. The selfishness? I want no part in that," Tian answered simply. He met the Prince's eyes. "I'll help you because my people are in need. But anything beyond that, I won't."

       The Prince glanced over to RT briefly. "I can give you something better."

        He stepped close to RT and patted the massive man's shoulder. "You want to connect with the people you've lost?"

        He pulled a capsule out of his pocket, long and white. It's tube was thin but a liquid was contained deep within. He uncapped the capsule and it revealed a thin needle. He jammed it into the flesh of the man's neck.

       "What the f**k are you doing?" Tian snapped, surging forward. The Prince held out his hand to stop the boy as he turned RT's head.

       Golden eyes peered back at Tian, just for a second before the man collapsed where he stood. Tian fell to his knees beside the man before pressing his fingers against the pulse point on the man's neck. He heaved a sigh of relief when he felt a strong heartbeat. He glared up at the Prince.

       "What the actual f**k?"

       The Prince shrugged as he stepped over the man. "He'll wake up in fifteen minutes. No biggie. The important thing is, you saw his eyes, right?"

       "The gold?" Tian asked, standing back up. "Kukouk don't need some chemical to turn their eyes gold. Regardless if they're a halfling or full."

       "Yes, he's human as far as we know. But there's not a lot we know about RT. Ragnar Taurin. What we do know is that he has knowledge," The Prince stated, pressing a finger against his temple. "He has amazing strength. Parallel to the Kukouk and he has knowledge. Training in the way of the Kukouk. And he's old. He's very old, like you. He's your ticket to the information you so desperately seek. I can give him to you. For training. For studying. Whatever you want, he could be."

       "So he'd be my slave?" Tian asked with a snort. He stepped away from the pair, rubbing his head between his small hands. The Prince was right on something. He wanted to know more about his people. He wanted to know about why his strength seemed to lack at the most important of times. He wanted to know about the people in general. Their customs, their culture because he wanted to be a part of it. Very few remember the Kukouk truthfully. Not the version the mass believed.

       "Slave for information," the Prince chuckled. "Just imagine. Get inside his brain, dissect it. Get everything you could ever want. Break his walls down. I'm talking about a once in a lifetime event Tian. His knowledge could be yours as a mediation of helping me."

       Tian looked down at the unconscious man. He could feel the immense power pulsing out from his chest. He could feel the man's heartbeat against his own. He felt the curiosity creeping up his back. He tilted his head as he looked down at the man, chewing on the flesh inside his mouth.

       "You have a deal," Tian replied, looking back up at the Prince. "Just don't do that to him again. Please."

       "I thought you didn't care."

        "I don't... just don't..."

       "Regardless, when RT wakes up, I'll let him show you your new room."