[IC] The gladiator and the princess

[Xion Demente]

The sun was just rising, as a long wagon was making its way to another town. It was on one of the old trails to the town instead of the main road, so they would hit a few rocks here and there making the wagon jerk. Inside of the wagon there were several figures in chains, from wrist and ankle to make sure they couldn't run. One figure though they didn't know had wings, bit he didn't need that secret out he needed to keep that under the radar.

He had black hair and ice blue eyes, and from the other men he was in the wagon with he was younger than them too. He had felt the wagon come to a halt, he let out a sigh. He knew he would get sold off to someone else for there entertainment, since these guys didn't want get caught holding people against there will. He had felt a gruff hand on his arm and pulling him out of the wagon and onto the stage in front of other nobles, "now who wants this little bugger Robert Williams." The man that had his hand on Robert said, Robert let out a sigh he could just take off and they could do nothing about it. Still he didn't need his whole secret revealed he needed to stay under radar.

[tsubasa]

Lauralye sat in the highest tower of the castle, looking out the window. She had seen her father's wagon leave not to long ago, leaving her alone in the palace. Of course, she was not actually alone. The castle was filled with servants and guards, it was quite impossible for her to ever truly be left alone. There was a knock on the door and she sighed, "Come in..."

The guard, who was assigned to watching her for the day came in through the door, "Your breakfast is ready, Your Highness."

Lauralye nodded and stepped away from the window, wandering down the large flight of stairs into a giant dining room, where she would sit and eat alone. She sat as the food was brought to her. She gave the servant a mere nod as she look out the large windows that looked out to the garden. She could not see the sun rising, for it was hidden by the rock walls that separated her from the rest of the world. She could see the sky begin to change colour though. She smiled softly and slowly began to eat.
~
A small bidding war began for Robert Williams, men calling out prices rising higher and higher. Until a man with a small white beard stepped forward, calling out a price far lower than the others had been calling out. Everyone silenced. This was a man from the palace, an adviser to the King. To deny the purchase of the slave or to bid any higher against the King, who sat in a carriage not to far away surrounded by guards, could be a dangerous task. None of the bidders saw Robert Williams as something to die for. The adviser walked to the stage and two of the guards broke away from the carriage and followed him. The white haired man took the change out of a royal blue bag and held it out to the caller, "We'll be taking him now."

[Xion Demente]

Robert only looked to the man, he looked to the other men. He nodded them luck, they had grown to respect the boy and think of him as a son now he was the kings property. They nodded back to him, Roberts chains jingled as he got into a more comfortable position in standing. He would stay quiet unless called to speak, he let a small sigh escape him.

He looked over the crowd, noticing old friends in the crowd. He knew he wouldn't be sold off anywhere else now that he was stuck under the kings rule. He looked to the white haired man, he knew he had ihis chance to escape just unfolds h his wings and he could take off and get away, still he knew if he was captured again that his wings would be cut off.

[tsubasa]

The white haired man gave the other man the money and turned away as the two guards stepped forward and took hold of the slave. He then turned away and head back to the ring of guards. The two men holding Robert brought him to the window of the carriage. A hand pushed a curtain aside, revealing the King. He nodded, "Very good. We can return to the castle."

Then he dropped the curtain to cover the window once more. The two guards brought Robert to another carriage and shoved him inside, one climbing in with him as the other closed the door and climbed onto the front. The adviser joined the King in his carriage and soon the caravan left the Slave Market and headed to the palace.

Upon their arrival, Lauralye jumped up from her seat, gathered her blue skirts as best she could and ran to the front door. As she neared them the two guards quickly opened them for her allowing to not even stop. She saw her father climbing out of the carriage and grinned, "Papa!" She called running over to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. The King laughed and spun his daughter around. Lauralye looked up at him, "Where did you go, Papa?"

She would always ask this upon his return, curious of the outside world. The King smiled, "To the Slave Markets," He gestured to Robert as he was being pulled out of his carriage. Her smiled fell slightly at the sight of him bound by his hands and ankles. She looked back to her father as he continued, "Got a new one of the kitchens... Although, he may be good for the personal guard as well... We'll see where his loyalties lie."

[Xion Demente]

Royce at the castle he was roughly pushed out of his carriage. Anyone else who had not been in the pits would've collapsed on the floor, his legs prevented that with the years of going into the pits. He looked to the king, his jaw clenched. He half excepted to be thrown into the pits by now, he looked at the guards behind him in disgust.

He looked forward again, seeing a girl in the kings arms. He put the pieces together, 'she must be his daughter with how he's holding her.' He looked around without turning his head, it wasn't really that different from the other places he had been. He was pushed forward, the chins restraining him from taking the big step from being pushed forward. He crashed to the floor, before picking himself back up again.

He heard the guards laughing behind him, "he's not much if you ask memes worthless." Roberts jaw clenched he's had enough, he might not be able to take the big step he needs. He launched himself at the guard, punching the guard on the floor his fist connecting with the guards nose hearing a satisfying crunch. The other guard tried to grab him, he only elbowed him in the gut before jumping and kicking him back with both feet.

He landed on his hands, he launched himself back onto his feet. "Idiots they deserved it," it was the first time he spoke since he had gotten there. "I am sorry for that they just got on my nerves even with these chains they don't really do much to restrain me from attacking," his voice was gravely yet smooth at the same time.

[tsubasa]

Lauralye looked back over to the men when she heard a thump, seeing the slave on the ground. She was about to say something to the guards when the man launched into an attack. Lauralye let out a small scream at the sound of cracking bones. In a swift motion, her father pulled her into him and the guards surrounded both the Slave as well as the Princess and King. Her face was buried into her father's chest, not wanting to see the blood that was pouring out of the guards nose. Beyond seeing the knights practice, Lauralye was a stranger to fighting, seeing this was quite terrifying. The King's voice rumbled in his chest as he spoke, "Throw him in the dungeon for now, until he learns his lesson," The group of guards grabbed him and guided him into the class. The King continued, "You are a slave, boy. Do that again and I'll have your head."

Lauralye shook as her father guided her inside. She clasped her hands tightly together as her father looked at her, "Are you alright, Lauralye? I have to go do some work.... Will you be okay?"

Lauralye smiled and nodded her head before the King left her to head to his offices. She rushed to her rooms and grabbed a shawl before sneaking into the kitchen and grabbing a bowl of rice and a fork. She hide herself under the shawl as she walked into the dungeons. She stuck close to the wall and as far away from the prisoners as possible. When she spotted the boy's cell, she quickly placed the rice inside before taking a step back and pressing against the wall.

[Xion Demente]

The guards threw Robert into the cell, he closed his eyes. Hearing the door to the cell slam shut, they hadn't even bothered to take off his restraints. A small sigh escaped him, as he pushed himself into the shadows. Letting the shadows take him into there embrace, a few minutes passed before he saw a woman in front of him. Getting the food passed by the bars, his stomach growled at the sight.

He slowly got to his feet, walking over before sitting down in front of the food. He was taking his time with the food, their was no reason to rush eating since this is the only good food he had tasted in years. "Thanks," he mumbled as he ate. He noticed how she pushed herself back to the wall, he let out a sigh "no reason to be afraid my temper got a hold of me."

He went back to his food, hearing the shouting of the other prisoners. How was he supposed to get any sleep down here? He only shook his head, before he set down the bowl and pushed himself back into the back of the cells wall wrapping his arms around his knees. He just wished, he was free not under any rule of another person.

[tsubasa]

Lauralye watched as the prisoner walked over to the food and sat down in front of it, eating it slowly. She looked at him as he told her there was no reason to be afraid. She shook her head, "There is plenty of reasons... People aren't meant to be kept as pets.... They will grow anger and they will fight their chains... They will cast their anger upon those who trap them and for that... I'm afraid."

A man in the cell next to the slave's laughed loudly, causing Lauralye to flinch. She rarely came down here. She came here to be kind to those she saw as innocent, hoping it might lighten their anger toward the crown. However, there were plenty of people who deserved to be down here. The man came to the front of the cell and reached to her with a dirty hand, "Why is it you bring food for the others, Princess. But none for me?"

Lauralye shied away from the hand, "I do not give food to men... who deserve their fate," She relaxed ever so slightly and the man managed to move his arm further, grabbing hold of her wrist and pulling her to the bars of his cage. She yelped and stared at him terrified, "You think I deserve this, Princess? To starve, to wait out the days till I die."

Lauralye's hand shook, "Y-you chose this fate... When you killed those... p-people."

The man tossed her backwards, causing her to hit the ground, "If I had a knife, I'd gut you like a fish, Princess."

She moved herself as far from him as she could without endangering herself with another prisoner. She looked at slave, "Plenty.... to be afraid of...." She took a deep breath, not wanting the murderer to get the best of her, "What is your name?"

[Xion Demente]

Robert looked up, as the prisoner next to him grabbed her. He shrugged at her, "Robert. Also it's not really the crown that I should be angered with it's me I allowed my guard down and this is where it got me." He got to his feet, his restraints clicking together as he moved. "I'm just telling you now I'll be more much of use as a trainer or a personal guard never really cooked."

He ran his hand through his black hair, he held his hands up. "Plus as long as I'm not thrown in here and the guards leave me alone theirs really no use to the restraints. As long as I'm not thrown back down here also, I could say my loyalty lies to the crown since I have no where else to go."

He sat back down on the floor, putting his hands on his lap. He looked at the floor, "plus I don't look as myself as a slave as long as I'm not whipped when whipped I know I'm a slave not whipped I'm just someone under another's rule besides that I didn't get your name princess."

[tsubasa]

Lauralye looked at him and nodded, "I will speak with my father..." She glanced at the other prisoner who was moving to the back of his cell, watching them. She turned attention back to the slave and sighed, "I cannot say... that.... whippings will not happen... My father... can be a cruel man when he wishes to be," She bit her lip, "You are the kind that scares my father. The kind that say their loyalties could lie with the crown... They are the same people whose loyalties could lie against the crown..."

She shook her head a little before looking at him in shock. It was very rare that someone entered the castle walls not knowing her name. Everyone seemed to know her name and what she looked like despite not having left the castle in twelve years. She blinked at him a few times before answering quietly, "Princess Lauralye Calder..." She clasped her hands in front of her, "However, I would not suggest that you use my name... It could get you in great trouble... Robert."

[Xion Demente]

Robert nodded to that, he shrugs. "Your father has nothing to fear from me my mother was killed three years ago I have no place to call home and nothing to escape to so I guess I'll call this home once it feels like home to me right now not so much." He scratched the back of his head, "I guess I could say I have secrets of my own a very big one that is."

He leaned his back against the wall, "plus why does your father fear the ones that could go with there loyalties I have no where else to run to I was just roaming the country and got captured ever since I've been getting sold off to other people." He rubbed his face, why was he even telling her what his life had been like when he barely knew this woman?

He shook his head to that question in his head, listening at the shouting of the other prisoners down here. Some deserve to be down here while others don't even deserve there fate down here. He didn't he just acted on instinct when someone insulted that he was a useless person.

[tsubasa]

Lauralye looked at him as he asked about her father, "If you can so easily say that you could go with our crown for no reason other than it is convenient. You could just as easily do the same for a different crown if it proves more convenient."

When he mentioned his secret, Lauralye made no attempts to find out what it was. People deserved their secrets, they were theirs to keep and choose to tell. She stood when he finished talking and adjusted her shawl, "I should go before someone finds me down here... I will try and convince my father to release to... I cannot make any promises though."

She stood and brushed off any dirt that had clung to her when she fell. She nodded to Robert, "I hope to see you out of her soon."

With that she snuck back along the wall and out of the dungeon, to speak with her father.

[Xion Demente]

Robert nodded to that, he was itching to get back into the sky. He sighed to himself 'not yet Robert choose when the time is right to show them what you are' he swallowed at the. He got back up, he went back to the corner allowing the shadows to take him into their embrace, he just looked to where the princess was standing before he shook his head.

He was at least trying to doze off, but the shouting of the of the other prisoners kept him from just doing just that. He didn't really deserve to be down here, but this is what he got when he let his guard down. He looked around his cell, there was nothing to sleep on. Well there was nothing in the cell at all, he guessed the king was paranoid about prisoners using what was around to help the escape.

He knew it was noon with how the sunlight came into his cell, he sighed how long had he been in here? How long was it when he came here? He didn't know the answers to that really, he wrapped his arms around his knees and waited.

[tsubasa]

"But Father!" Lauralye yelled as her father again ignored her notion to set Robert free, "That dungeon is dank and dirty and is meant for the cruelest of men. Not a slave who was merely protecting himself!"

"Protecting himself from what, Lauralye?" The King asked in an exasperated tone. She looked at him, "The guards. You saw how they treated him, pushing him to the ground when he had no hands to catch himself. They were being cruel, he was protecting himself. Please Papa, take him out of the dungeon. For what does it say to our people when we lock up the innocent with the guilty?"

The King sighed, clearly done with the conversation, "Fine!" He looked to a pair of guards, "Release the slave. Take him to a room and tell him to be prepared to protect the Princess tomorrow."

"What?" Lauralye said in shock. The King looked at his daughter, "Well, dear, if you are so certain of his innocence. Surely you have no problem with him watching over you."

Lauralye kept her mouth shut. This was the cruel side of her father, the side even she got to see. She nodded her head, knowing well that if she denied the protection of the slave that her father would insist that he sleep in dungeon. He turned his attention back to the guards, "And tell him that if he allows anything to happen to her, a sound lashing with be in order."

Lauralye grimaced at the thought of it as the King addressed her, "Now run along, Lauralye, I have things to do."

[Xion Demente]

Robert heard boots thudding against the floor, he saw the guards stop in front of him these were different guards than the ones he had encountered. They had opened the door, "your supposed to get ready to protect her majesty and if you allow anything to hurt her your getting a sound lashing." Robert only nodded to that, they undid the restraints on him.

The guards led him to his room, Robert went in, he grabbed whatever clothes he was fine with. He took the bath that was needed before putting on the black shirt with black pants and his boots before putting on the fingerless gloves. He was glad to be out of the slave rags, he attached the sword he had found to his back.

He was ready, he took a deep breath. It wouldn't be that hard for him to protect the princess, at least in his view. Still he was ready for whatever came at him, and whatever dangers came toward the princess. It wasn't that complicated of a job at the very least.

[tsubasa]

Lauralye left her father and walked into the library. This place was comforting and held many memories that she liked to hide away in when her father was less than kind. She ran her hand along the spines of the books just barely looking them over. She remembered coming in here with her mother, sitting in a chair in the corner on her lap as she read to her. Lauralye remembered loving her mother's voice, now, she could hardly remember it. She dropped her hand from the books and walked to the corner where a single dusty chair sat. She stared at it. She hadn't sat in it since her mother's death... No one, to Lauralye's knowledge, had. Some days she wanted to sit in it, wondering if the chair would feel like her mother's lap. If the cushions would engulf her like her mother's arms. She knew well that it would not but she liked to imagine that the chair was her mother, waiting to read her a story.

She pulled her gaze away when she heard a noise. She saw Robert standing not to far from her. She blushed feeling as though she had been caught in a intimate moment. She smiled at Robert, "Good to see you are no longer in the dungeon."

[Xion Demente]

Robert had come from his room, to the library a few minutes before. When he had heard the doors opening he let the shadows wrap around him, once he saw it was lauralye he came out of the shadows. He was a clad of black with what he was wearing, and now that the dust and grime was washed off he looked his age for once.

"It's good to be up and about without the restraints," he jumped over the railing landing lightly on his feet his boots only make a soft thud on the floor. He looked around the library turning his gaze every now and again, "hey thanks for getting me out of there princess I don't think I would've gotten any sleep down there."

[tsubasa]

Lauralye stepped away from the chair, leaving it in the corner to its dust. She smiled at him and nodded her head, "You need not thank me... You did not belong down there and certainly not where you were...."

She thought about the man who had grabbed her and shivered a little before turning her attention back to Robert. She looked him over, he was clean now, which made him seem younger than he was with all of the dirt on him. He seemed to be around her age.... She wasn't sure though, looks could often be deceiving. She glanced around the library, she decided that she did not like being in here with anyone. She found reminiscing under foreign eyes to be strange. Especially in front of a man whom she never met before. She hugged herself and slowly started to leave the library, sure that he would follow. She stepped into the hall and looked up at him, "I suppose I should show you around..."

[Xion Demente]

Robert nodded to that, "with me guarding you and all that yah I need to know the place I kinda found the barracks on my own. I'm gonna ask you this now can I trust you with a secret of mine I don't need you to be surprised if I do it around you for a quick escape for the both of us." He was being honest at that, he didn't need her struggling in his hold while flying.

He sighed, and ran his hand through his hair. It was an old habit his mother always said he'd do it when he was nervous or something of the rather. He needed to know if he could trust her or not, if he could then he would show her. If he couldn't well she would find out the hard way.

[Xion Demente]

Robert nodded to that, "with me guarding you and all that yah I need to know the place I kinda found the barracks on my own. I'm gonna ask you this now can I trust you with a secret of mine I don't need you to be surprised if I do it around you for a quick escape for the both of us." He was being honest at that, he didn't need her struggling in his hold while flying.

He sighed, and ran his hand through his hair. It was an old habit his mother always said he'd do it when he was nervous or something of the rather. He needed to know if he could trust her or not, if he could then he would show her. If he couldn't well she would find out the hard way.