Azrem to Ruuk no Hanashi
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Warnings: Yaoi/Shounen Ai/Slash/MalexMale
Author: Sakura Kaiba
Disclaimer: I did not create Yuugiou, Yu-Gi-Oh!, or any of the characters from the series. I did, however, think of a couple names for towns, cities, countries, and currency. With that said, please don't sue, and let us continue.
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A young man walks delicately along the large marketplace of a small town in Azrem, a quiet country. This country lives mostly in peace among their world, it had never been in war, never seen anything of a bloody day. Never been glazed by plagues, and was a great land. This country of Azrem was about the size of modern day China, vast lands most unoccupied by the humble people of the country and its small villages and towns.
A royal family was that that kept the peace in the great and calm country of Azrem, this family's name that of Otogi. Their family had kept this land growing, and flourishing amongst all of their plains and forests, lakes and rivers. This town, was the large town of Ruuk. This town held the royal palace. It was known for that, and its vast marketplace, the sweet smell of fruits and bread permeating all throughout the warm summer air, laughing of young children could be heard, and idle chat between those villagers.
Ruuk flourished off of its markets, dealers selling and trading and buying with the masses each day. There you could find fresh meat, fresh foods, jewelry, pottery, fabrics. . . anything that you desired. Many traveled to Ruuk to taste the great foods and wines, to buy the expensive fabrics, and to meet new and other people.
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This particular day, this particular boy, was wrapped in fine brown cloaks and a hood to shield his pale face. If one were to look upon him for more than a minute, they would know. This boy was the Otogi prince, Ryuuji. Many a time the prince took leisurely breaks from his work to go out into the streets and see the markets of Ruuk, never once letting a person set eyes on him for too long. His emerald eyes and beautifully straight ebony-black hair would give him away in an instant. Thus, he must be careful.
Soon the young prince, looking to be around the age of 20, found himself looking over a large display of silver and golden jewelry in a small shop located in the heart of Ruuk. A burly man owned the shop, and he was sitting out on a chair, observing Ryuuji from under a hat that was keeping the sun from out of sapphire eyes. This storekeeper seemed to be around the age of 50, light and dirty clothing covering his body.
"May I help you, sir?" Came a raspy voice, as he stretched to stand out of his chair, making his way over to where Ryuuji stood. The prince looked up, standing on the opposite side of the display from the man, a little tent behind the storekeeper. The prince assumed that this is where the man slept.
"I am only looking for something special, to give my sister as a gift for her 12th birthday." Came the boy's careful voice. His hidden eyes fell back to the glittering objects on the table, in search of the perfect item as the man let out a small grunt, grinning.
"Well. . ." He began quietly, motioning to a few bracelets. "There are some real beauties here, ay?" His moustache twitched with his grin. "Those there rubies came from Yeurn. Beautiful city, that one. High up in the mountains."
Ryuuji nodded to show the man that he was listening. "Yes, I have visited that city thrice in my lifetime. Wonderful place to visit." Lifting his head, the young prince was able to see a small boy stepping out from behind the man and the curtains to their assumed sleeping quarters. He smiled to the small boy, making the boy's equally beautiful eyes widen and he scurried to hide behind his father.
'Could it be that he recognizes me. . .?' Ryuuji frowned, but didn't question as he straightened up from the position he had taken to view the precious gems and rings. The boy moved his head just a bit as the prince stood, some sort of curious fear in his sapphire eyes.
The boy had short hair, with lighter aquamarine bangs to match the darker aqua of the rest. He was in seemingly the same garb as the large man, and was not hiding as much anymore.
"Excuse me," Ryuuji smiled up to the large man. "But how much would you like for your slave boy?"
At the mention of a slave boy, the burly old man blinked twice, before looking down at the aquamarine haired smaller. "Him?" He asked, turning to Ryuuji once more. "You're mistaken, this is not my slave, he is my son. His name is Noa."
"Oh, I apologize." Ryuuji shook his head. "It did not even occur to me." His attention was once again on the boy, Noa, as he was still hiding behind his father. "How old is he?"
"Why, 16, I could guess. Never really did count." The man lifted a hand to his small beard, scratching in thought with the numbering, before his attention was also directed to Noa. "Wouldn't you say that's about right?"
Noa nodded weakly, his eyes shifting between Ryuuji and his own father. Would his own father really sell him away? He didn't think—it wouldn't be right. His father had more morals than that. He was family. His only son. Both men were smiling at him. That only made him uneasier.
"Is he healthy? Virgin?"
"Why yes, I believe so." Noa took a step back at his and his father's words, frowning. His father really would do it, wouldn't he? Sell him as a pleasure slave to a prince?
"Father. . ." Noa whispered, scared. The large man hushed him.
"I will let him visit you frequently. I will not do anything to him that he dislikes." Ryuuji promised carefully. "He looks like a wonderful boy. Not strong, but attractive. I like his colour. I will give you 30,000 Nei for him."
This made the man's eyes widen, and he had to take a step back. 30,000 Nei? At most for your own son you could get 450 Nei, but never that much! That was. . . unbelievable! Shifting his weight, the man looked back down to Noa with a frown. "Now. . . Noa, we need the money. . ."
Noa's eyes widened at that. "Wha—what?" He couldn't believe that. His father was going to sell him. Looking down to the dirty ground, Noa shook his head. His father glanced from him back up at Ryuuji.
"You'll treat 'em good, right?" He swallowed, eyes concerned for his boy. Ryuuji's eyes fell on the shaking boy, who was now in tears on the ground, and he frowned, but nodded sincerely to the boy's father.
"Yes, I will." He whispered.
The large man looked down at the smaller, frowning as Ryuuji went to place the money on the table, and adding in just a bit more to take a bracelet that he'd found suitable for his younger sister. He gladly took the money, pocketing it with his other dangling bags at his waist. He shifted, kneeling down to Noa with a bit of difficulty.
"Noa. . . you're going home with him, alright?" The aqua haired boy glanced up to see the prince giving him quite the apathetic look, and waiting for the other to accept the hand he held out. Noa finally brought himself up from the dust, patting it off of his bottom and moving to take the prince's hand carefully.
Ryuuji bowed his respect to Noa's father, pulling the other boy closer to him as they began the long walk back to the palace in the heat. He was quite glad that the small boy didn't fight him on their way, though with the littler one's size, he didn't think that he had thoughts of attempting in the first place.
"Am I to be your pleasure slave?" Asked the small boy. This time, Ryuuji had a good chance to hear Noa's voice. It was quite feminine for a boy's voice, though the boy himself was small, and it seemed to fit him perfectly.
To answer his question, Ryuuji just shook his head. "No, you are not. You are to be my companion, my friend. Not just a slave." He smiled down at the other, squeezing his hand a little. This made the other blush, and he seemed quite glad to hear otherwise.
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When the two of them seemed to be out of earshot of most of the masses, and on a small forest road up to where most knew the palace was located, Noa shifted. Tilting his head, his attention fell on the slightly taller man. "You are the prince, aren't you? Prince Ryuuji?"
Instead of showing shock, Ryuuji only smiled, nodding. He didn't look down to meet the other's eyes, but a playful smirk danced over his lips. "Yes, I am." He answered. "You could tell from when I looked at you that first time, hmm?"
"Yes,"
"Just as I thought. I was supposed to be in disguise, I mustn't have been doing too good of a job, huh?" He chuckled to his own small joke, and Noa joined in on the laughter. He was about to question Noa further, until the palace gates came into view. "Aha—here we are." He declared, and in a rush began to run, pulling along the other by his hand.
Noa blinked, but let out a small laugh as he let himself be dragged, over a small bridge, and all the way up to the palace gates, where he would be living.