"Don't lay your grimy human finger on my shoulder, foreigner." His voice was rough and the being growled, almost like an animal.
The girl recoiled her fingers with a frown, her chains rattling along with her. "You don't have to play nasty. We just want to know what's going on."
The man looked taken aback as he looked over the four humans. They dressed in nice clothes, though it was worn from travel, and their looks were innocent. "Have you never seen a jail before? Or are you dimwitted as the tales?" The snark of man angered the girl who spoke before and she pushed up her glasses.
"Excuse me-"
"You're excused." The man smeared and a blonde human snickered.
"Jadelyn, it's no use. We better off asking a guard." The blonde boy spoke calmly.
"Yes, I do agree. It's obvious that we were not welcomed here, maybe our warnings proved to be heresy." Another blonde spoke elegantly. The man eyed them.
"Who are you?" He asked.
"Who are we?" The blonde boy repeated. "We are from Earth. I, Daveth Strider the Bard, you may know me from my many books and songs I have sung, Jadelyn Harley the Huntress, Rosalie Lalonde the Alchemist, and Jonathon Eg-" He cut himself short to glance at the next male in glasses which returned with a nod. "Harley. Jonathon Harley the Noble."
The man stared at them oddly, but still kept to the corner he sat. The humans inspected him, he was in ragged robes and was barefoot. Thief possibly? On top of his head were small horns which all the people in the large kingdom seemed to also have, though they were pretty small compared. Everyone seemed to wear a color on a sleeve or clothing item, some buoyantly, some not. However this being seemed to have none.
They were placed in a jail cell for unknown reasons. Earth, the place they once called home, was torched to the ground by a war between the heated Dersites and Prospitians. They were the survivors. Once they found out they were moving towards this direction, the four friends went on a dangerous journey to warn Alternia, which ultimately placed them in jail. This would be humorous if it wasn't them in the situation.
"May we ask who you are, sir Troll?" Jonathon asked innocently.
The man scoffed and rolled his eyes, "Don't patronize me, Noble." He paused for a moment before answering. "Karkat Vantas the Scrounge, or so I'm called. I've received many names however. That one's my personal favorite." He spoke again, "What is with your outfits. You really wore that to here. Or do you not know foreigners are prohibited in our kingdom. You stick out like a swollen thumb, fucking idiots."
The kids looked at each other and they're outfits. Daveth wore a red bard outfit with a small shall, his eyes covered by a tattoo distracting his red eyes. Rosalie wore a purple dress, the fabric most likely made of silk. Jadelyn had a dress almost scandalous, reaching her heels, and a hood that connected to nothing. Jonathon wore regular wealthy clothes. Definitely made of silk. Karkat questioned if he was truly a nobleman.
"I don't understand what is wrong with our clothing." John said.
Karkat groaned, irritated. "Forget it. Leave me alone. We are just going to die, stop wasting my thoughts with you."
The kids froze and Rosalie quickly spoke up. "What."
"Perish, kick the bucket, eat the dust. What ever you choose to call it. It all is the same." The troll said simply. "It really wasn't worth the five coins I picked."
The human's eyes widened and Jadelyn gasped, Jonathon looked sick. Karkat blinked before chuckling.
"You really were slow on it then! I thought you were liars! We are to be hanged. By sunset, no doubt. The queen always does get impatient." He glanced at the window, which made the kids do the same.
"Th-That can't be right. We were just trying to help you! We traveled all this way! We're innocent!" Jonathon said, and Jadelyn gripped Daveth. Even the blonde girl looked horrified.
"You're foreigners. Penalty of stepping in here is death. I sympathize with you, well, more of empathize, but I'm done caring. Talk among yourselves. My voice grows hoarse." He shifted to get more comfortable and it was obvious he was awaiting this moment. The humans frowned, and Jadelyn busted into tears.
"Rosalie, Daveth, Jonathon! We can't parish! We need to save them! They're going to die, why won't they listen!" Jadelyn cried out and sobbed into Daveth's clothes.
Rosalie clenched her fists and released a shaky sigh then looked at Jonathon. "I'd hate to admit, but this troll seems to be correct. We shouldn't dwell. Lets enjoy eachother."
"And then in death, we will become ghouls and haunt this queen for ages." Daveth chuckled, keeping an even tone, and managed to get a couple of half smiles from the friends.
Karkat gave a snort and shifted in his corner, but he was on the brink on crying himself. He's readied himself for this all his life, but it still terrified him. He felt ashamed on how easily he fucked up.
The generosities of all the trolls that helped him gone to waste. The royal sea-dweller who would give him some scraps from outside his window for love advice. The indigo-blood bard who waved to him when he was in the shadows. The blue-blood who let him escape from being captured by the guards because of his ties with his best friend a middle-blood huntress. A pirate who'd slip him a free drink or two no matter how much she told him she hated him. A beautiful teal-blood who would always catch him just for fun, but in the end taught him how to increase his skills of stealth and pickpocket. A jade-blood tailor who would give him some shelter at times and feed him. The huntress olive-blood who taught him how to hunt, even with his reluctance. The yellow low blood who gave him company. The brown low-blood who stuck around with the pirate, well, he never actually benefited from him, but a friend all the same. And the maroon-blood barmaid who risked her life to give him a job at the bar.
He wasted all of their help for five gold coins. If only someone didn't bump into him he would've made it. A normal blood would've gotten just a week of jail time, however he was no normal blood. He would be culled the first moment he wore his red, mutant blood color. At least wearing grey gave him a fighting chance. Just it came with a lot of catches. Like no hospitality or you and the host would be hanged. No jobs or you and your employer will be also hanged. And any breaking of the law is a death sentence, no matter how small. Even the swipe of five measly coins.
All this was meant to keep people like Karkat on the streets and fighting to live. Most trolls choosing to wear grey won't last adolescence.
Karkat's thoughts was shaken by the giggling of the kids.
"Heehee, remember when you had those tattoos matching your brother's?" Jonathon snickered at the memory and the rest of the kids laughed with him.
"Hey, to be even, Brother never gave me a choice with that. Had my tattoos since I was small." Daveth defended. The four kids sat on the floor exchanging stories.
"Yes, your brother sure was odd." Jadelyn added.
"I did enjoy his puppet shows. It was highly entertaining, I must say." Rosalie said. The kids laughed at that and shook their heads.
"Lalonde, come on." Daveth snickered and she shrugged. "Your mother was intense too, wasn't she?"
"Pfft. Intense is a small word to put her. I swear she was mad. Though it may have been the alcohol. Or it definitely was the alcohol." She chuckled and the rest along with her.
"Not as mad as my father. For a king he spent all his time in the kitchen! What a backwards man, I say! He could have hired a million bakers, but instead he ordered flower and sugar. I swear it was to torture me." Jonathon rolled his eyes.
"Oh, he was just extravagant, he must've gotten bored sitting at a thrown." Jadelyn said, "Try having a crazy grandfather! He would NOT leave me alone!" She giggled then frowned. "I can't believe those monsters stole becqiriel! Ugh. Poor puppy. I miss him dearly."
Rosalie rubbed her shoulder. "They're keeping him alive though. That, in it's own, is a blessing." This comforted Jadelyn some and she smiled.
"Thank you, Rosalie." She sighed and they looked at each other in silence then looked out the small opening that they dared to call a window. It was almost sunset and they gave each other another glance of comfort.
Daveth spoke first. "Rosalie, remember that time you spilled that bottle on that womans skirt and it caught fire?" He ended it with a chuckle and both Jadelyn and Jonathon perked up.
"Yes! I do believe I had to save you from a fine!" Jonathon laughed and Rosalie chuckled.
"I remember it well, Daveth. Thank you. I had to keep her in my company for a week repair her burns. And if I recall, it was because someone bumped into me, Daveth." She gave him a condescending look and he shrugged innocently.
A voice interrupted their reminiscing. "Prisoners. Pray to your gods one last time. It's almost time." The guard turned and left but not without an insult.
The kids looked to Karkat, but he kept his gaze at the wall.
"We have to be strong. And I know we will. We have tried our best, correct? We've survived a burning kingdom, monsters a plenty, a perilous journey! No one can say we haven't tried!" He gave a determined grin and raised a fist. The rest of them nodded. "Daveth, I'm sure you would have become a great knight. Rosalie, a great alchemist. Jadelyn, a welcomed witch. In death we can still pursue our dreams. No one can tell us otherwise."
They smiled, even Daveth. "You would've been a great King, Jonathon." Rosalie said. The rest nodded.
King? Witch? Karkat raised an eyebrow, it explained the girl's chained hands. He promised himself he wouldn't get involved. And it sickened Karkat how cheery they were. He's never known anybody smiling before they were to be hung unless they were mad.
"Times up, filth." The guard said abruptly and opened the door to the cell. "Grey thief. You first. No playin' anything."
Karkat got up and spat at the guards feet. "I'm not one for games." The guard growled and smacked Karkat in the back of the head which caught a groan from the troll. Immediately he was cuffed.
The kids watched reluctantly as the troll was towed away by another guard.
"The noble." He pointed at Jonathon and Daveth protested but Rosalie caught his shoulder. Jonathon was cuffed and pushed along with Karkat. "The bard." Daveth stood up and now Rosalie had to hold Jadelyn who busted into tears. The guard roughly chained Daveth, but he didn't fight it and was pushed after Jonathon. "Now the alchemist." He pointed to Rosalie and she stepped up without a fuss and willingly held out her hands as she was cuffed and wasn't needed to be pushed to follow the boys. "Now.. the huntress." He beckoned her and she dragged her heavy chains to only have more added to her. "I would've rathered you burned." He pushed her and she squeaked between her tears and followed.
They were forced over to the ropes that held their doom. Karkat took an uneasy breath but swallowed his nervousness. The kids held their dignity, Jadelyn even dried her tears. There was a whole crowd coming to see the hanging, all excited. Karkat wanted to throw up. He knew it was sickening before this, but now the feeling was tripled. He even felt the queen's eyes on him.
They were situated on the plates, and blue-bloods forced bags over their heads. Instantly tears started streaming down Karkat's face. It was okay since no one could see him, right? He kept his sobs quiet as the executioners spoke the required, stupid speech.
"And their sins will not be forgiven upon their religion, for they have committed crimes against us, against our queen, and our kingdom," The crowd cheered the speaker on. They loved it. "As a servant of the queen, the Condescension, I get the privilege to rid these scum from our cities. You will witness it with me, what dangling, soulless men appear to struggle for breath if their necks not snapped before hand." The kids shut their eyes tight as some guards pulled the nooses over their necks. "Even with these bags upon their head, we know that their eyes will grow dim under them as death captures another. Now..please pull the-"
"STOP!" A voice cried out. Karkat's wet eyes shot open.
The crowd mumbled in confusion and the man almost proceeded until it rang again. "STOP I SAY!" Hearing it again, it was a female voice. The crowd was silent except for a blubbering male trying to persuade the girl to stop.
Eridan? Was that man's voice.. Eridan?
The girl stomped up to the gallows. "I am Feferi Peixes, Heir of the throne and I demand you to stop this foolfishness!" Her voice was angry yet somehow she fit in a pun. Amazing. And it's funny how that's something to concentrate on when she's trying to save these kid's lives.
The executioner stammered as she held out her necklace to show her ethnicity. "Princess, I-I yes, of course. As-As you wish." He backed away from the lever. She placed her hands on her hips and pointed to the bags over their heads and immediately the guards removed the sacks. The kids blinked their eyes open in confusion. They then looked to Karkat who was visibly shaking, even more surprised. Karkat kept his head down.
Feferi walked in front of the kids and ordered their chains to be released and yet they hesitated with the trolls. The princess pondered and bit as she studied the troll. "What is your crime, sir?"
Karkat didn't speak at first, a little ticked that she would even regard him politely. A guard nudged him to answer. "I'm a pickpocket. Five copper coins." He gave an eye roll and she continued to think.
"Let him free as well."
The audience gasped at her action and mumbled questions.
"I want to knight him." Feferi's voice was stern and it quieted the audience, as it did the grey troll. She strolled to the blonde boy. "You too. You look strong enough." Daveth blinked, and the friends looked at him brightly. "Gills, nobleman. I want to hire you also. To serve me. Whale, if you fish. Do you?"
The kids nodded. "It would be an honor, your highness."
"Excellent!" Feferi grinned then became serious again as she turned to the audience. "Excuse me, my people. You may think I'm mad as I release these prisoners, and I may. But I find that these people will kelp us to a great extent. Now, I've never lied to any of you, nor do I plan to. And you may doubt me, but trust me." The crowd started to talk again and fret.
"Princess! Kill the scum! Kill him! He's no help t' you!" A troll screamed in the back. Karkat winced.
"Yes, yes. He might be disgusting and horrible, and even maybe dangerous, but, look at him. Look at him closer. He is no child. He is a survivor, even without a home, or a job, or any money. He's a scrounge. My knights don't know what that eels like and that's a weakness. He will make a fin knight. As for these foreigners. They have traveled from a long way to give us a warning. We shall heed if they are correct. If we don't that makes us the fools." She crossed her wrists as the crowd mumbled in agreement. They felt conflicted and she knew it, but she needed to save these kids.
Feferi beckoned the guards to let them all go and the strong men undid their remaining chains and undid the noose.
"Thank you, your highness." Whispered Jadelyn quietly as she was unchained. Feferi didn't respond but it gave her a good energy boost.