Hey everyone. Sorry about the bit of a wait on this chapter, got caught up in some things, but it's here now, so hurray. Well, I don't have much to say today, so let's get on with the chapter.
Chapter 12 - Of Reunions and Hideaways
After an undetermined amount of time Keane woke up from his fitful sleep and stared at the hidden exit in the wall. He shouldn't put it off any longer, he'd have to leave eventually. Looking down at his hands and feet, he couldn't go out like this. He could be attacked, or caught and put into work as a slave. He'd hid his ears, but that didn't mean people couldn't see the claws.
Taking off his jacket, he slowly started tearing it into shreds. It was what had the most blood on it anyway, and it'd be best if people didn't see all that. After a while he'd managed to wrap the fabric around his hands and feet. It looked a bit strange, but they'd have to do.
Looking down he noticed the small wooden bird that Straton had gave him before all of this had started. Freedom huh? He almost started crying again, but somehow managed to hold it in enough to pick up the figure and place it in his pocket. He didn't have anything else left after all, he wasn't about to leave that too.
Slowly the redhead started to push the barrier out of the way, until he could crawl through and out into what seemed to be an alleyway behind the castle. Quickly putting the barrier back in place, he managed to stand on wobbly legs. It was so strange, he'd never been outside the castle, and frankly wished it had stayed that way, but there wasn't anything he could do about that now.
Pulling the sash around his head farther down, he started to walk away from the only home he'd ever known. It was dark out, he must of slept the whole day, but he was thankful for that. There was less people out during this night.
After what felt like a few hours he was quiet a distance away from the palace, but he had no idea where that was, or where he was trying to go. Away, but to where? It didn't seem safe anywhere.
Keane nearly jumped at the sound of a few voices, and quickly hid behind a closed stand, peaking over to watch two men stroll by. They were far enough away that Keane didn't think he would have been able to hear them, but could. He was quick to remind himself that he didn't have normal ears now, as he listened in on their conversation.
"-got what was comin' to him, although I do feel kind of bad for some of those kids, y'know?" a taller man said to the other, who shrugged.
"It did get a little carried away, but we can't let one of um grow up with the idea of becoming king again. Besides, it was the king who said all those little kids with animas should be slaves, so now it'll be his kids who'll be doing the work around here. That's what I call justice," the second man said, and Keane hid himself even father down under the stand. They were talking about the princes and princesses. They hadn't all been killed.
"You got that right. Hey, the next guard'll be here in ten minutes, how 'bout we take off early for a little ceremonial drink," the taller one said, and the other quickly agreed, both walking off down the street until Keane could no longer hear them.
Without thinking the redhead ran over to where the two had come from. They were guarding the people they captured. The next one wouldn't be here for ten minutes. He could do something.
Turning the corner he reached what looked like a caravan of sorts, and slowly sneaked around the individual carts. They must be keeping them here. All of a sudden a thought struck his head. If they let everyone free, they'd just get caught again, and killed this time. Trying to calm his breath, he tried to convince himself that he should just leave before someone saw him, or he saw someone.
"Keane?" too late. Slowly he turned towards the cart to his right. "You're alive? Get out of here! Hurry before the guards come back!" the blonde yelled at him, trapped inside a small, locked cage. Keane wouldn't of been able to see him if he still had human eyes, it seemed so dark. He didn't need to let everyone free, but he couldn't just run off when cruel luck let him see his only friend again.
"W-wait! I can get you out, I think," the red head said, quickly climbing into the back of the cart to get better access to the cage and lock. Straton just stared at him like he was crazy, which he probably was at his point, but he didn't care.
"What are you doing? Leave! You'll just get caught too," Straton hissed at him through the bars, not daring to actually yell again like he had the first time. Keane just ignored him though, quickly taking the strips of fabric off of one of his hands and concentrating on the claw picking around in the lock. He had absolutely no idea where he was doing or if it would work, but it was worth a try. All the while, Straton just kept objecting to his being there.
"I can't… leave you, so just be quiet. Please," the redhead whispered, his voice still sounding horse. Straton didn't say anything after that, until finally the lock clicked open like some sort of miracle.
"C'mon!" Keane said, quickly grabbing the other boy's arm and dragging his out of the cart and away from the caravan. The other guards hadn't come, and he didn't see anybody else. As ashamed as he was to admit it, he was glad that he hadn't been tempted to save any other people, become he didn't know if he would have.
"Are you okay?" Keane asked once they were stopped in an alleyway, completely amazed at what just happened. He wasn't alone anymore. He was still terrified and traumatized, but not alone.
"Y-yeah, but…" the blonde boy said, although it sounded like he was forcing it a bit, like he was actually hurt.
"What's wrong?" Keane asked, hoping that Straton wasn't injured like Lady Marein was. The red head didn't see how she could have survived much longer after he was sealed away, but tried to ignore the flashbacks and focus on Straton.
"Could you… let go? You're really hurting me…" the younger boy managed to get out, and Keane almost immediately released his arm, looking at his still clawed hands, now tipped with blood.
"Ah! Sorry! Are you okay? Is it bad?" Keane bombarded his with questions, and Straton just nodded, rubbing his arm a bit and trying to squint to see it in the darkness.
"I'll be fine… can I see your hand though?" Straton said after a moment, and reluctantly Keane held out the clawed appendage. He knew Straton would have found out sooner or later, well once he saw that Straton was alive, but he didn't want it to be this soon, and he'd hurt him too. The blonde had said he wanted to be an anima, but his view might have changed after what had happened back at the palace.
"Whoa… what kind are you?" he asked, flipping his hand over a few times in the dark.
"A mouse, I think," the redhead mumbled, feeling awkward about this whole situation. Straton let go of his hand and Keane quickly stuffed it into his pocket. "Are you sure it's okay, you'll still bleeding," he asked, trying to keep himself from freaking out at the sight. Straton just nodded, before looking around himself feebly.
"Yeah, but I could use something to wrap it in… I only have these clothes they gave me though, and there isn't much to rip," Straton said, and Keane nodded as he looked him over really for the first time. He was wearing a tan brown sleeveless shirt that was much too big for him, and a pair of similar colored shorts. He didn't have shoes on either, and their wasn't any signs of anything detachable.
Sighing slightly, Keane started unwinding the fabric around his other hand. It was his fault he was hurt anyway.
"Oh, thanks. Are you sure it's okay?" Straton said, slowly taking the strips from him and wrapping them around his cut arm. Keane just nodded. He'd already lost the one back at the caravan, he'd just have to figure out how to get the claws to leave. He seen other animas do things like that, there had to be some way.
After Straton tied the cloth tightly around his arm, the two boys stared at each other, at a complete loss for what to do. "Thanks…" the blonde mumbled after a moment, staring at the ground. Keane just looked at him, confusion emanate on his face.
"For what? I didn't do anything," he said, wondering if he meant giving him the fabric, which really was nothing. It was covered in dirt and blood anyway, Keane was afraid it would just end up giving him an infection, but Straton shook his head.
"For getting me out of there… I thought I was going to spend the rest of my life in slavery," he said quietly, and Keane couldn't help but say oh. That's what he meant. After a moment the older boy just shook his head.
"It's nothing…" he mumbled, before almost shooting up in the air at the sound of footsteps a bit of a ways down the street. Straton just looked around them in fear and confusion, not having been able to hear anything. "I hear footsteps," Keane whispered, and Straton nodded quickly, not about to question him on how.
"We should find someplace to hide," the blond said, and Keane almost immediately started following him away down the alley. After a few hours of walking aimlessly and hiding whenever Keane heard something twitch, the two ended up on a dock.
"We could hide under the docks during the day, and move at night," Straton said, starting to pull Keane along towards the wooden pier. The redhead nodded, and soon the two were huddled up on cold rocks as the high tide nipped at their feet. After a few moments the problem Keane was having earlier came back, and he turned towards his companion.
"Hey Strat? Where are we suppose to go now?… home isn't really an option…" he asked, watching as Straton casually tossed pebbled in the water, a far away look in his eyes, the rest of his body coated in dirt and dried blood. Keane could only wonder what he looked like in his tattered and blood stained clothes. Maybe they could clean off a bit in the water later. After a moment the blonde turned towards him, the ghost of a smile on his face.
"Asteria, of course. Animas are free there, and we need to make sure you're safe," Straton said, and Keane just nodded, not about to try an argue when he didn't have any other option for them. At least there no one would probably recognize them, so there wouldn't be any chances of them getting arrested on sight, and Straton was right about the whole anima thing.
"I still can't believe…" he mumbled, and Straton nodded slightly. He was trying not to think about it, but it was hard when it was just so… terrible. He was just glad that he wasn't alone anymore. He never would have been able to think straight enough to think of a plan as quickly as Straton had, even if it was a pretty simple one. It was still much, much better then nothing.
"The suns starting to come up, we should get some sleep," Straton said after a moment, pointing out towards the east, and sun just barely visible over the water and between the dock planks. Keane nodded, leaning his back up against the nearly vertical wall of rocks and sand that was behind them. They'd crawled as far back as they could when they first came in, so that no one would find them. Of course they had to make there way through a bit of water due to the high tide, but it was better then being found, that was for sure.
"Okay," Keane said quietly, trying to close his eyes. Maybe when he woke up he'd be able to figure out a way to hide his anima. At any rate at least he wouldn't wake up all alone, the bazaar stroke of luck keeping him from losing absolutely everything he'd ever had.
Hurray! Straton is alive! It's all your fault he is, you know. Haha, really though, the evolution of Straton in this story is funny. Originally, he was actually gonna die along with everyone else in the palace, but then I had gotten a bit too attached to do that, so I was just gonna put him on a bus. The original scene was gonna have Keane find him, but then leave when Straton kept telling him to go, and giving him the idea to go to Asteria. Then when I mentioned that Straton wasn't originally a main character, and everyone said how much they loved him, and everyone's reactions for the past few chapters, I just couldn't do it.
Call me soft, but I'm glad it turned out this way. I just wanted everyone to know how far this side character has come, and I hope you all like it.