Okay, I've had this done for over a week and was too lazy to upload it. ^^;
Anyway, so, my little 'contest' thingy is over. There was a winner, since only two people guessed I guess I think I'll write them both something if they wish ^^ (Yanelle is my first place winner and BlueXBeanie is my second place winner.) So, you guys (if you wish me to write you something) send me a PM or something telling me what you would like me to write you.
The answer to who is my favorite character... well, you'll just have to read to find out ^^
The last three days had been actually pretty good. They had made good progress and were only about a day or two outside of Italia it a large section of forest owned simply by bandits. Luckily they have yet to run into any.
Alfred groaned, "I'm hungry~"
"Well, we don't have any bloody food, so why are you complaining to me?" Arthur glared at him.
"Because you're the only one here." Alfred said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Arthur simply crossed his arms and shook his head.
Just then three men on horses came out of the forest. The two knew they had to be bandits and kept their distance as they surrounded tried his best to shield Arthur, knowing in the state he was in he couldn't fight back. Arthur would normally object, but bandits were high on his list of things to fear now, considering what they did to him before.
One man spoke up to the others with a thick, "Hey, doesn't that guy look like the one the boss is looking for?"
"Yeah, he does match the description the pretty boy gave." Another answered.
Pretty boy? And which one of us? Alfred thought. If they were looking for him... could it be... "You mean me?"
The first one laughed, "Yes, you. You look like the prince the little pretty boy told the boss he was traveling with."
"Wait, wait... prince?" Arthur all but shouted the last word, then looked at Alfred. "Please tell me they have you mixed up with someone else..." He asked, searching the other's eyes for answers.
Alfred rubbed the back of his head, "he-he... well... maybe I lied a little..."
"... YOU ASSHAT! WHY WOULD YOU KEEP SOMETHING THAT BLOODY IMPORTANT A SECRET?" Arthur fumed.
"It's not that important..."
Arthur tried to glare into his eyes, but he kept averting them, "OF COURSE IT'S IMPORTANT YOU WANKER! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME!"
"BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT IT TO AFFECT THINGS BETWEEN US!" Alfred yelled back this time, a hurt look on his face.
Arthur blinked, "Huh?"
"It's just... everyone treats me differently when they find out... well, not Roddy, but still. I... I just enjoy our arguments and our carrying on... I just figured..." The newly found out prince trailed off, staring down at the ground.
Sighing, Arthur stepped closer to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, "Don't be so foolish."
"Foolish?" The taller man asked, staring at him with a stupefied look.
"Yeah. I wouldn't have treated you any differently, and I still won't."
The three men on horses were feeling really awkward right about now. One of them cleared his throat, not looking at the two, to catch their attention again.
"So... does this mean you have Roddy?" Alfred asked.
"Well, you'll just have to come with us and see." One of the men said.
"And what if we don't?" Arthur asked, no longer fearing them. Mostly due to the awkward looks on their faces after being caught in the other two's 'moment'. It was almost as funny as some of the looks Alfred gave him when he was confused, but those still topped on that list.
The one doing the talking shrugged, "I guess then we'll have to force you to come."
Alfred pressed his lips into a fine line. Then he shrugged, quickly loosing the serious look that found its way onto his face, "Well, guess we don't have much of a choice, do we?"
.
.
.
They lost another day traveling with the bandits through the forest. They no longer had any idea where they were and would get lost immediately if they tried to run, so that was no longer an option. If it ever was one to begin with. Now it was the dead of night and they all stopped to make camp. Strangely, the bandits had given them their space, making another fire a little ways off from theirs. Alfred was happy to finally have stuffed his face. He amazed everyone with just how much he shoveled in. Now, however, the bandits were asleep over at their fire. Alfred was also long asleep.
Arthur, however, couldn't sleep. He was just too uneasy.
Sighing, he poked at the fire. Was it really wise to continue to follow Alfred? He was a prince... of Lunctus Civitas as well. The king there had been the one to suggest the method that was used to band a magic user to show to the world what they were. Thinking about it made Arthur shiver.
A sound from Alfred made Arthur look over at him.
He was almost distracted by the beautiful shadows cast on the other's face. 'Almost' being the key words here. However the twisted look on Alfred's face kept him from doing so. He must be having a night terror again... Arthur told himself. He felt bad as he watched the other toss and turn.
Not knowing what else to do he moved to sit next to him and stroked his hair, trying to calm him. It was softer than he expected, but it could use a combing out. Then again, his was more than likely just as bad, if not worse. The thought made him reach up and try to run his fingers through his hair, only to get them caught in tangles. Groaning in frustration he pulled his hand out and let it fall to his side. He tried to tell himself not to care, but it didn't really work. Unlike Alfred, Arthur had admitted to himself long ago that he preferred the company of other men of the company of woman. And he couldn't deny that he found Alfred attractive. But that would just be a whole new bucket of crazy dumped on him. He had enough to worry about as it was, he didn't need to start feeling for the king of Lunctus Civitas' son. That would just be suicide.
Everyone knew how that man felt about those who possessed magic.
Alfred's whimpering brought him back from his thoughts. Feeling bad, Arthur wished he had his magic back, if only long enough to sooth the other of his night terrors.
What to do now? Arthur asked himself. He couldn't let Alfred suffer like this. Sighing he racked his brain, then just settled for trying to wake the other up.
"Alfred..?" He whispered, leaning in to whisper it into his ear, shaking him lightly by his shoulder. When he didn't wake up he tried harder, "Alfred?"
The other squeezed his eyes closed tighter and rolled over, "Five more minutes..."
Arthur shook his head before lying down next to Alfred. He would move over when he went to sleep, but right now he wanted to get a close look at the other. A really close look at him. As he watched Alfred's now peaceful face he could feel his breath on his face. It was warm and it made him shiver. Being this close to another person giving him so many wonderful tingles all over his body.
Well, at least being this close to Alfred.
He couldn't explain it either. Maybe it was because he treated him differently than everyone else. Most people treated him as if he was a monster or something, but not Alfred. No, Alfred treated him like he would treat anyone else. Some might find him childish and rude. Hell, he found him childish and rude. But he was grateful to him. For treating him so normally.
And for saving his life. He couldn't forget that. Whether he liked it or not, he wouldn't have gotten away from that drake without Alfred. He wouldn't have jumped. He would have been fried.
Looking up at his face again he lifted a hand, brushing the sandy blonde locks out of the other's face. No, he wouldn't hold the whole keeping the fact that he was actually the prince of Lunctus Civitas against him. He owed him that much.
Hell, at this rate, he was going to owe him his live.
Arthur didn't even notice his eyelids growing heavy. Before long, he fell asleep, his arms falling around the other's neck.
To anyone around them they looked kinda cute.
And both of them slept more peacefully then they had in long, long time.
.
.
.
When Alfred woke up feeling warm. Not a bad warm either. A cozy, comfy, first-when-you-wake-up-in-the-morning-in-your-comfy-bed kinda feeling. He never wanted to get up or leave the warmth. Instead he moved closer to it. His nose found its way into something soft and messy. Despite the strong scents from the woods around them it smelled like dried herbs. Mainly one he couldn't quite name.
It was only when he felt movement against him that he opened his eyes and pulled back a bit. He found the warmth belonged to none other than Arthur.
Alfred felt his face become hot. Without having to see it he knew he was blushing. But strangely he didn't move away. He just lay there, the other with his arm around him, and his face very close to his (though he was down farther, so maybe it was closer to his neck). Arthur had fallen asleep on his shoulder before, but that was different.
This was more personal, more intimate.
Shaking his head he decided to move before the wizard woke up. Slowly he maneuvered out of the other's grasp without waking him and sat up. He looked over to see the bandits already awake, but the seemed to be paying no mind to them. Guess they knew they had nowhere to run to.
He heard Arthur sturr next to him and he looked over.
"Hey... since when do you wake up before me..?" the blonde wizard asked, rubbing his eyes.
Alfred shrugged, "I don't know. I did fall asleep before you."
Arthur sat up with a groan, "I guess..."
One of the bandits came over and brought them some food at that moment. He told them they would be leaving before going back over to his friends.
"How nice... god my feet hurt..." Arthur groaned.
"Only your feet?" Alfred laughed, "what about your face? Or your shoulder?"
Arthur shook his head, "I'm starting to think you don't like my face."
"What? No! Y-your face is fine! I-it's..."
Tilting his head, Arthur asked, "It's what?"
Before Alfred answered the bandits come over, "Hurry up boys! It's almost time to head out~!"
The two ate fast so that they wouldn't anger the men. Though that seemed to be a pretty hard thing to do.
.
.
.
"We're here you two. The boss will be out to 'greet' you soon." The man that seemed to be in control told them as they came up to what was basically a little village in the woods. It was composed of cabin like houses, some on the ground, some built up on trees with platforms connecting them and stairs leading to the ground. Most of them were so small they must only have about three or four rooms. If they had that. The wood that constructed them had long turned grey with age and the chimneys were black with soot. A large stable was visible with horses inside, the floor littered with hay (but it looked kinda pitiful compared to the royal stables back at the palace). The horses inside, however, looked very sturdy and reliable.
Alfred felt like he couldn't stand still when he spotting his and Roderich's horses among the bandits' horses.
All he could wonder was where Roderich was. Was he okay? Did these bandits hurt him? All these questions and more were swimming through his head.
The man in control of the scout team, as they had put it, gestured to the village with his head, "You go on. Me and my boys have work to do."
Alfred and Arthur watched them head to the stables before walking farther into the village. A few people here and there stopped to watch them. Alfred noted how most of them, to him, looked like gypsies. So maybe they weren't bandits. Maybe they were gypsies. Great.
When they reached the center of the little 'village' they stopped and looked around. Everyone looking at them went about their business.
"So... where's this 'boss'?" Alfred asked nobody in particular.
"Well, well. Looks like we have more company!" Came a voice overhead.
Both blondes looked up to see a figure standing on the balcony of the largest building, leaning on the railing with both hands. He was a tall man with white hair and red eyes. Despite the fact that he had white hair was quite young. Older than them, but it couldn't be by a lot. Unlike most to the people they had seen he wore chainmail with a white tunic and white pants, black boots, and a long white cape.
He smirked at them and straightened up, one hand still on the railing, "I was told you were alone, who's he?"
"Who told you about me?" Alfred avoided the question by merely asking another.
The albino man laughed, "So defensive. If you must know, your 'adviser' told me." Before Alfred could demanded to know where Roderich was he gestured to a building to their right. "He's over there, and before you blow a gasket the awesome me did nothing to him."
Trying not to raise an eyebrow at the 'awesome me' thing he nodded and started to head over to the building before stopping. He looked up at the man, "Can you help Arthur? He's injured and I'm afraid it might be infected."
"Well, gee, thanks for that..." Arthur shook his head. Honestly, he was grateful that Alfred thought of him at a time like this, but he didn't really want to be separated from Alfred. Not in a place like this.
The man nodded, the cocky grin still plastered on his face. He turned and headed for a set of stairs and walked down, seeming to be in no hurry. Not that he had any reason to be. He walked over to them, then placed an arm on the wizard's back, making him tense (even though nobody noticed), "You go on ahead and talk to Roddy. I'll take this one to our healer."
Alfred wasn't sure he should trust him, but he nodded and headed over to the building/hut the man had gestured to earlier.
Arthur looked up at the man as he started directing him through the village.
"Why are you treating us kindly?" He couldn't hold back the question any longer.
The man laughed, "All in due time, Arthur. All in due time."
kk, so, for the dumb people (like me! ^^) my fav character is Prussia/ Gilbert 3
Well, with that aside, I would like to once again think everyone for reading/reviewing/ following ma story. I 3 you all. You're all as awesome as Prussia~
'Til the next chaper~!
