Characters

Dyani - Native America

Galloping away from the forest as fast as he could on his pony, the young prince came upon the square that was littered with people. Each head turned at the sound of hooves; each eye glittering with interest. Alfred's cheeks burned a deep crimson as embarrassment set in from the stares. He slid out of his saddle, leading the pony by its bridle, then tying it with the other horses.

Murmurs echoed through the crowd as Alfred hesitantly stepped up to his father's side. The King glanced towards him with a disapproving glare before returning his gaze to the mass. Raising his hands to silence his people, the elderly man stepped forward on the platform.

"Greetings, my citizens!" His voice boomed. "We are gathered here today in search of the marked child. As you know, my son is coming of age. As I grow older, my son readies himself to step into my place."

Many of the citizens turned to their neighbor, whispering to one another as the king paused. The gossip was mostly about the Queen's fading health or if she was even alive at all.

Alfred winced at those remarks.

It was true; the Queen mother wasn't well. Stricken with an incurable illness, not even the land's greatest mage could find the way to heal her. There was nothing they could do until the Father of Time took her last breath. Honestly, Alfred would have rather stayed with her than his stuffy, boring father.

He had always looked up to his mother. Queen Dyani was the picture perfect queen. Kind and giving, Alfred's mother would almost always spend a few days every month giving flowers out to the elderly women in the closet town. If there was someone in need, Dyani would give out a helping hand. This was all until her health started fading.

A slight sigh escaped the boy as these thoughts circled his mind. Oh how he wished he was more like his mother; how he wished he could be with her now. No, no. he had to come to this though. It was his "duty" as prince. He pictured himself doing air quotes around duty, which made him chuckle quietly to himself.

Alfred received another sharp side-eyed glare from his father and a light cuff on the ear by the Jack who silently scooted next to him. Alfred ducked his head down in shame and tried his best to listen to his father.

However, throughout the boring speech, Alfred's mind wandered to the forest boy named Arthur. Intriguing and as mysterious as the night, he remembered finding the boy crouching in the leaves. The other boy looked scared and ashamed, as if he had done something wrong.

Alfred remembered scaring him when he said hello, which made the prince to want to laugh once more. Looking towards his father then towards the Jack, Alfred decided that it was best not to break out into a fit of giggles - it would definitely save him from a harsher punishment later. He had no doubt that he wasn't going to be punished for disappearing before one of the biggest events of his childhood.

Shaking his head, Alfred pushed those thoughts out of his mind and returned them to the brilliant emerald eyes of the forest boy. The boy was hiding from something. Wait, didn't he say that he had a fear of crowds?

Well, that would make sense due to the size of the crowd here, but wasn't it mandatory for all children to be checked? The selection hadn't even started yet, so the boy definitely wasn't searched for the mark.

The prince paused in thought. Maybe he should alert the guards. Tell them that he saw someone his age run off into the woods before the search. But what would he tell them? That he ran off into the forest in search of the boy, made friends with him, then let him run off into the night with no clue of his whereabouts? Maybe leave that out? Yeah. Good idea. Wait… which way did he go?

Alfred felt a little angry at himself for being as observant as a toddler. His father was right - his attention span was really short. The boy shook his head mentally, trying to get away from the thoughts.

Ugh! It was useless. Alfred hoped that the other boy would fulfill his promise to meet up again soon. Then again, how in the world would the two meet? This was starting to get confusing and Alfred just wish he could lay his head down and sleep -

"Alfred?"

The prince snapped out of his daze as his father spoke to him. His blue eyes scanned the crowd that was starting to disappear into the darkness. Did he really just daydream throughout the entire event? Where's the marked one?

It seemed liked the King could read what thoughts were playing on Alfred's face because he responded with, "the marked child isn't here, son. It's time to go." Was it just Alfred, or did the King have a tinge of worry in his voice?

Alfred didn't question his father's behavior. Instead, he followed closely behind to where the horses were tied. Untying his pony, Alfred gave a pat on the horse's nose which gave him a response of a sweet whiny and playful nip at his hands. A giggle escaped the boy as he rounded the pony and climbed into the saddle.

The band of the royals and the multitude of guards rode in silence. Alfred and the King were in front with the Jack following closely behind and the band of guards flanking. Although it was a relatively short ride back to the castle, Alfred just couldn't leave himself alone with his thoughts.

"Father?" He piped up, receiving a grunt in reply. "Um..why didn't we find the Marked? Didn't the High Council predict that they were in that village?"

"They were wrong."

The Prince's shoulders slumped with the harsh response as he kept his eyes straight ahead of him. He decided that it would be best not to press his father more on the matter. Instead, his thoughts drifted to the mysterious, green-eyed forest boy.

It wasn't long until the group was back on the castle grounds. The moon was high in the sky at this point and Alfred couldn't help but yawn. It was definitely past the young boy's bedtime.

Splitting off in two directions, the guards went towards their quarters while the royals trotted off towards the main entryway to the castle. Two of the stable boys ran up to meet them while the three demounted off of their steeds.

Alfred made eye contact with one of them, a young boy around the same age that looked strangely similar to himself. They shared many of the same facial features except eye color and hair color.

The other boy's name was Matthew Williams. He was a quiet boy who was put into servitude as a stable boy at a young age. Alfred always enjoyed going down to the stables and playing with him as they rode the horses. Matthew was the closest thing Alfred had to a brother.

Well, the rumor was that the King had an affair with one of the kitchen maidens when the Queen conceived Alfred. The two were born around the same time, looking almost like twins to two different women. One became the prince and the other became a stable boy.

The Queen said that she was alright with this, but Alfred knew that this wasn't true. His mother and father didn't ever share a chamber after his birth and the two always seemed cold towards each other. Every time his mother saw Matthew, the prince could see the pain on her face. Alfred hated it.

Alfred shook the thoughts away as he handed the reins to Matthew and the two shared a little smile. Matthew was Alfred's best friend and he hoped to keep it that way.

As the stable boys walked away with the three horses, the prince followed his father and the Jack through the large main doors. Maids and servants met them by the door with bows and curtsies and bright voices that chirped, "welcome home!" While the King tried his best to smile at them, Alfred pushed past him and flew up the grand staircase.

"Alfred!" the King yelled after him, but the boy ignored it, running up to the third floor where his mother's chamber was. Slowing his pace down, Alfred shuffled down the dark hallway that was lit with the burning of candelabres, giving the corridor a creepy glow.

At the end of the hallway was a door. Alfred could hear the hoarse coughing of a woman, the Queen Mother Dyani. Pushing open the door slightly, Alfred peered inside.

"Mama?" He called, refusing to use the formalities of 'mother' which his father requested him use. "Are you still awake?"

He saw the bed covers shift slightly as his beautiful mother pulled herself into a sitting position.

"Yes, my child. I am awake." Dyani paused to cough into the crook of her arm before laying her beautiful hazel eyes on her son. "How did the ceremony go? Did they find-"

Alfred ran up to her bedside, hugging her waist tightly as he buried his face in her night gown. Dyani only smiled, laying her palm on the top of his head whilst massaging his scalp.

"What is it baby? You can tell me what is wrong."

"They didn't find the marked child. The High Council was wrong." Alfred's voice cracked in during fragments of the sentence, yet it was out of exhaustion instead of sadness.

Dyani perked her head of slightly in surprise. How could the High Council be wrong? They were never wrong before, especially when they predicted that she was the queen. "Did anything else happen, my child?"

Alfred peered upwards at his mother, his eyes drooping slightly, yet they still shimmered as bright as sapphires.

"Uh huh." He replied, "I met someone."

"Oh?" Surprise filled Dyani's expression. Alfred was too young to find someone who caught his eye..

Alfred's lips curled into a lazy smile as he laid his head on her lap. "I saw him run off into the forest before the selection. His name is Arthur. I want to go see him again. Have him become my friend!" His voice perked up with enthusiasm.

The Queen Mother let out a soft chuckle before breaking out into a coughing fit. The young prince lifted his head off of his mother's lap. "You need to go to sleep, mama. I'll come back in the morning and tell you more.

"Okay, okay, my beautiful child. Go to your room and have wonderful dreams."

Alfred tightened his grasp around his mother's waist, giving her the gentlest hug he could muster before kissing her cheek and tiptoeing out of the room. He heard her breath deeply as she settled back into bed, going into another coughing fit. The boy pulled the door closed, then quietly stepped through the hallway to his room, which was only a few doors down.

It was a large room, much too large for a 13 year-old boy. It was still filled with toys from his early childhood such as the toy soldier and his beloved rocking horse. Alfred pursed his lips in a pout. He wasn't that childish anymore. He would have to tell a maid to clean it up and give it to the children of the village. That's what his mother would do anyways.

Brushing off the thought until the morrow, Alfred shed his daily wear, leaving it on the floor as he pulled on a white cotton shirt that hung to his knees. It was starting to get a bit tattered from everyday use. Oh boy. Another thing to tell the maids. Hopefully they wouldn't get mad at his constant comments about his things.

Alfred climbed into his large four-poster bed, curling up under the feather down duvet. The boy peered at his windows, which were covered by the large navy curtains, yet he could still see the nightscape through a narrow crack. It was beautiful.

Stretching his legs out, Alfred opened his mouth, letting out a loud yawn. His thoughts swirled with the activities of the day. However, it wasn't long until the boy was asleep, his dreams being haunted by a pair of mysterious eyes.

The next few days were absolutely boring; Alfred was mainly either locked in his room after a pretty bad grounding for being what his father called a nuisance or stuck in a classroom with his horribly strict teacher.

However, one day his father was called away on a very important meeting with the King and Queen of Diamonds. From what Alfred heard, it was something about and allli.. Alien…Alliance? Oh who knows.

The King was going to bring his son in order to see the politics of his job, but it was so urgent that he decided that Alfred was just going to have to wait at the castle. That only meant one thing to Alfred… Free Day! Maybe he could go into the village and meet the Forest Boy again.

The young prince was giddy with the thought. Getting dressed in his worst trousers and a white cotton shirt, Alfred finished off his look with a heavy cape that concealed most of his features. Wouldn't want anybody noticing that the Prince was walking around in a village.

Leaving his room, Alfred cautiously hid away from the maids and servants, making sure that he wasn't seen. Who knows what would happen if he was caught sneaking out of the castle. Maybe he could just make the excuse of going down to the stables, which wasn't exactly a lie.

The boy pushed out of the castle and ran towards the stables. Enthusiastic as a dog about to be given a bone, Alfred pushed through the stable gates and found his precious pony, whom he named Pinto, and looked around for one of the stable boys. It seemed absolutely deserted. Maybe this was a good-

"Hey Alfie." A voice sounded from behind him causing the boy to jump about a foot into the air.

"Geez Matthew! Don't sneak up on me like that!"

"Oh sorry." The owner of the voice said as Alfred turned on his heel to confront the other boy. It was only Matthew and he wouldn't hurt a fly, but boy did he know how to sneak up behind people. It was almost like he was a ghost or a really good ninja.

Brushing away the other boy, Alfred turned to the saddle rack where his saddle was placed on one of the highest racks. This had to be his father's doing. "Hey Mattie? Can you help me put the saddle on Pinto?"

"Of course. You know, this is my job." Matthew replied with a slight giggle as he stepped towards the saddle rack. He stood on the very top of his toes, grabbing onto the saddle and pulling it down. The weight of the leather caused him to wobble a bit, but he regained his balance and shifted back towards Pinto.

"Yeah, I know. I just want to know how to tack up my horse so I can make your job easier!" The Prince had a large grin on his face as he said this, following Matthew back to Pinto.

Pinto nudged his owner in the face with a playful whiny, which Alfred responded with a giggle and a pat to the pony's soft nose.

It only took Mattie a few minutes to hoist the saddle onto the pony's back, tightening up the straps so the other boy wouldn't fall off. "Do you need help with the bridle?"

Alfred shook his head, "No! I got it." His grin never faltered as he pulled the bridle off of the hook that was hanging on the side of the pony's stall. Struggling slightly with the bit, Alfred finally got it into Pinto's mouth. The rest came rather simply.

Once finished, Alfred took a hold of the reins and lead Pinto out of the stables, Matthew following closely behind.

"So where are you going?" Matthew asked as Alfred mounted himself on the horse.

Alfred stared down at Matthew with his pearly grin and shimmering eyes. "I'm going to the forest by the village to meet someone. I want him to be my friend!"

Matthew giggled at his friend's enthusiasm, "Well, if you get in trouble, don't point your finger at me for helping you. I don't want to go back to being a kitchen boy." Matthew shuddered at the thought. "The head cook is a very scary woman."

Oh, Alfred knew how awful she was. He couldn't count on his fingers and toes how much he has gotten yelled at for taking an apple or pastry from the kitchen.

"Don't worry Mattie. I'm not gonna get caught!"

And with a 'hya' from the prince, he was off. It was a short trip on the dirt path towards the village. After about ten minutes going at fast canter, Alfred and Pinto saw the town come into view.

Not many people were out and about on the streets, only a few standing on the corners either talking or keeping to themselves. In order to keep his identity hidden, Alfred decided that it was best to go around the town. This wasn't too difficult; only a little trip through a meadow and a bound over a creek.

Soon, the boy was surrounded by tall trees that hung low enough to touch the top of his head in some places. Now he was in the right place… Maybe? This had to be the right place. The undergrowth was so dense that it was hard to be directional.

Alfred decided to push forward, only to be stopped by Pinto who began to raise her legs in protest. The bushes and vines were beginning to get in the way, causing Pinto to have trouble keeping her balance.

Maybe if he turned around.. Wait, which way did he come from? Only a few streams of light could touch down on the earth due to the dense canopy of leaves above. It was getting darker and darker in the forest as time started to pass by, the sun moving in the sky above.

Oh dear. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to try and come back. Alfred was lost, scared, and starting to lose hope. Sinking into the leather of the saddle, Alfred leaning forward, burying his face in Pinto's mane. Hot tears began to form in his tear ducts and his bottom lip started to quiver.

"Why did I come here..?"

"Hello?" A voice came from above him, causing the boy to look up frantically, only to be met with the exact pair of glowing green eyes he was searching for. "Alfred? Is that you?"

The Prince let out a loud exhale as he wiped at his eyes, causing them to grow red. "I thought I was going to be lost out here forever. Thank goodness, I found you.

Arthur slid out of the tree that he was nestled in, plopping onto the ground with a 'thump'. "What are you doing out here?" He asked, his voice growing confused.

Alfred smiled shyly at the other boy, sniffling slightly, "Truthfully, I was looking for you. I guess I went too far and got lost, but I found you anyways!"

"Yes you did. Do you need help?"

"Oh yes! Please!" Alfred belted, the excitement growing in his chest. He wanted to leap and cheer, but remembered that he was in the woods. It would be best not to disturb what might be lurking in the darkness.

Arthur took the reins of the horse, pulling her with a grunt towards a little path which Alfred didn't see before. The three walked through the forest in absolute silence, besides the birdsongs that played above them.

Alfred shuffled around in the saddle impatiently, holding onto the saddle horn as Arthur lead the way. The quiet was starting to get to him.

"Um.." Alfred started with a slight cough to gain Arthur's attention. "What were you doing in the forest this time?"

He half expected Arthur to stop moving and look up to respond, but the other boy just continued walking forward without moving his eyes from the path.

"Well, I was trying to read in peace and quiet, but I spotted you out of the corner of my eye and decided that you might need help." Arthur finally replied after a few more moments of silence.

Looking down to examine the other boy more closely, Alfred noticed that Arthur was wearing denim overalls with a dirty white shirt underneath. Another detail he noticed was that Arthur wasn't wearing shoes. However, a very nicely kept book was held in his hand and pressed closely to his chest.

Alfred wanted to ask about his appearance, but decided it would be rather rude. Arthur was a poorer citizen after all and probably couldn't afford much else. Pushing away from the thought, Alfred decided to bring something else up.

"So, you know how to read?"

Gosh! What a stupid question. Of course he knows how to read. Why else would he have a book, a rather large book by the way, in his hands if he didn't know how to read. "Oh! I'm sorry if that was rude-"

"It's alright. I know that it isn't customary for a peasant, such as myself, to have the ability to read." Arthur interjected suddenly, as well as stopping. He clenched his fist, making his knuckles turn white.

"I'm sorry.." The prince started to say before Arthur started speaking once again.

"No, no! Don't be sorry, Mr. Prince. It's fine."

Alfred winced at the other's remarks, but kept his mouth shut in order to save himself from any more of the anger. However, Arthur wasn't done yet.

"No! It's just that my mother, who was a rather wealthy woman, married a farmer and had six children. Then my father was drafted into the war. Oh! That's not all. So were my two elder brothers. Guess what? They're all dead!"

Arthur sniffled slightly, using his free arm to wipe away any tears that threatened to fall. Instead of ranting once again, the farm boy continued walking forward through the forest, leading the prince to the meadow where he had entered.

"I'm sorry." Arthur finally murmured under his breath, "It's not your fault most of my family is gone. I didn't mean to blow up on you."

Alfred slid out of his saddle quickly, pulling Arthur into a bone-crushing hug.

"No, Arthur. Don't be sorry. I can't imagine what it must feel like." The prince began to ramble on, tears pooling in his own eyes. "It's unfair that your family was taken away by my father. He is a horrible king!"

Letting go of the now bewildered Arthur, Alfred looked him straight in the eyes and put his hand on his shoulder. "I promise you Arthur. I promise you that I will help you in any way that I can. If you need money, then I can get you some. If you want to go to school, then I can help you with that."

"Alfred. You don't have to do-"

"I want to do this. I want to be a better King than my father. I want you to be where I start making this country better!"

"Alfred." More tears starting filling Arthur's eyes. Curse his overly emotional self. "That's is truly the most kind thing someone has ever done for me. What can I do to repay you?"

The prince's lips spread into a large, yet charming smile. "You don't have to do anything! Just pinky promise me that you'll be my friend."

"Deal." Arthur returned the smile, although it was smaller and slightly more awkward.

Extending their pinkies forward, the two made the promise with giggles coming from both. After they parted from their pinky promise, Alfred began to climb back into the saddle.

"When can I see you again?" He asked.

Arthur tilted his chin upwards, connecting his gaze with the other boy. "A week from today, in this very spot. You think you can make it?"

"Definitely!" Alfred cheered, raising both of his fists in the air as if he was celebrating a victory. "I'll see you in a week!"

With another sharp 'hya', Alfred and Pinto started galloping towards the path that lead to the castle, the two determined to get back before it was too late.

Arthur, his smile never fading, waved after them, still slightly confused at what happened, but overjoyed. Maybe making friends with royalty wasn't going to be so bad after all - well, if most of them were like Alfred that is.

A/N: And Another one! Hellooooo! I am back at it again with another chapter. This is honestly one of the stories that I am most excited about. It was such a big part of my startings as a roleplayer and a writer. I really hope that I can do this story justice by giving it a voice. Also, if anyone has any questions, I'd be happy to answer them. I will definitely be writing the next chapter sooner than I wrote this one... Mainly because I thought I was going to fit more into this chapter, but decided that it was best to stop while I was ahead. I really wasn't planning on writing this much so early on. Anyways, I hope everyone who reads this enjoys.

P.S : I have a rp starter that is based on this, so if anyone sees something about little Farmer Arthur, then it's me ; ).

P.S.S : My boyfriend and I are planning on actually cosplaying this AU. We already have a few pictures of the royal wedding aspect, which can be seen in the Icon.

Thank you, and enjoy!