Flower In The Desert ✼

[Kotorichan]

Aun glared at Raziel "don't get so angry, I was just asking" he sat back down and gestured at the leftover food "help yourself if you're hungry" he rolled his eyes why do you act like you hate me so much? Everyone else loves me. You're so weird..." he watched the boy with a frown. "I don't understand you"

[ChibiMonkey]

Raziel glared a bit as the other mentioned the leftover food for him. He then questioned why he hated him. It angered Raziel a bit. How could he not hate him "I only 'act' like i hate you because I do hate you" he said as he glanced over to the food. He wanted to refuse it, but knew he should eat, so he went over to the food and took some, eating as he glanced back to the other. With the way the other spoke, questioning how he could hate him when everyone else didn't. And how he didn't understand him, Raziel almost wanted to laugh, and he couldn't help but snicker a bit in amusement. How pitiful, the other couldn't even comprehend why someone would hate him. He almost pitied the male. Almost.

[Kotorichan]

Aun watched him with a smile "do you like it?" he asked "I'm sure you're just confused, don't worry. Your parents must have done a horrible job raising you. I won't blame you for their mistakes." he yawned and laid back on the couch, stretching out and relaxing. "I'm sure you'll come to understand how perfect I really am"

[ChibiMonkey]

Raziel frowned as he glanced to the other when he asked if he liked it. Sure, it was very delicious. Far better than the simple, ordinary cheap meals he had back home for the poor, like rice, grain and such. He just remained silent, not saying anything to the other as he ate in his silence. But when the other spoke about his parents, his eyes grew ablaze, and he abruptly stood up, walking over to the other, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt he yanked the other up from his leaning position and slapped him across the face - hard. And it was considerably hard, considering Raziel had a good amount of muscle and strength behind his arm.

"Don't you dare say a word about my family" he hissed, his calm, cold demeanor leaving "My father raised me far better than you clearly wore, you spoiled, ignorant and blind brat, who doesn't give a single damn about his country. So don't you dare go talking about how I was raised" he said, dropping the male to fall to the floor when he let go of his collar after hitting him.

[Kotorichan]

Aun sat in shock, his eyes were wide as he lightly touched his cheek. "You...?" he stared up at Raziel, for a moment his usual arrogance was stripped away to reveal the utter confusion and uncertainty that he felt deep down. The prince couldn't bring himself to think of any response and only looked away. He couldn't deny that Raziel had probably been raised better than he had, Aun barely ever saw either of his parents. They had always been too busy with more important things. One of the guards hurried over and grabbed Raziel's arm roughly. "How dare you lay a hand on his highness?" the man growled.

[ChibiMonkey]

Raziel just stared down coldly at the male, clear anger written on his face as he yelled at him. Before hurried footsteps came over and he was grabbed by the arm, pulled back to be restrained in case he tried to hit the prince again. Raziel winced at the tight grip on his arm, and just scoffed "tch, Always babied. What do you know?" he muttered as a final comment to Aun, before he simple glanced away from the male, staring angrily at the wall. He knew he was sure to be punished for this. He hit the prince. Probably enough that the male would have a bruise on his cheek later. But Raziel didn't care. He wouldn't let anyone, rich or poor, disgrace and mock his family.

[Kotorichan]

Aun slowly stood up, he didn't know what to say to Raziel. He just kept his gaze on the floor. "Take him to the dungeon" he said, his voice surprisingly quiet. The prince didn't feel like dealing with the strange boy, he felt too confused to try to reason with him or think of some kind of witty response. "I'll deal with him later" He told the guard before turning away.

[ChibiMonkey]

The guard held Raziel firmly, waiting for orders from Aun for what to do with the male. When given his orders, he nodded his head "Of course, your highness" he said, before pulling Raziel out of the room. He lead the male through the luxurious palace before they made it down to the dungeons, where Raziel was pushed inside and locked up in one of the cells. Raziel just sighed a bit, sitting down on the floor. He didn't lean back though, since, it would surely hurt his back, putting pressure on it and all.

[Kotorichan]

Aun went about his normal life for almost two days. He pushed the thoughts of Raziel's words out of his mind completely. The guards had been ordered to keep the boy fed but otherwise the prince hadn't even thought about the poor boy in the dungeon. Finally he remembered him as he was laying in bed late at night. He couldn't get to sleep and so decided to go visit him, not caring that Raziel might be asleep.

[ChibiMonkey]

Raziel honestly didn't mind being in the dungeon. Sure, he would much rather be home. But it was nice to be alone in the dungeon, think to himself, and not have to be around and deal with that prince. If anything, it was better than a punishment he could receive for hitting the male. He'd rather be here than with the other. But he'd also rather not be kept at the palace at all, than in there. But he figured to think of the best of the situation, and just managed. When Aun had come to visit, it was the middle of the night, and Raziel was fast asleep on the cold sandy ground of the dungeon, against the cold cement wall.

[Kotorichan]

Aun sat down on the ground in front of Raziel's cell, he had told the guard not to follow him in. He watched the boy sleep for a few minutes, he still found the other somewhat fascinating. He was so different than anyone in the capital. After a couple minutes he picked up a small pebble and threw it through the bars of the cell. It bounced lightly off Raziel's arm. "Hey, desert boy, wake up" Aun called in a hushed voice.

[ChibiMonkey]

Raziel shifted a bit as something hit his arm, and he easily woke up. Being in a place he hated, and was also new, unsure of what was going to happen to him, he was easily on guard. He shifted a bit, opening his eyes as he glanced over to the male "Hm?" he mumbled tiredly, not half awake yet even, so didn't realize it was the prince, and didn't deliver a cold hateful glare or look to him yet "Oh" he mumbled when he realized who it was, remembering his surroundings "What do you want?" he sighed.

[Kotorichan]

"How are you doing? Have you decided not to hit me anymore?" Aun smiled at him. He looked very different from how he usually looked, his pajamas looked fairly simple and his hair was unbrushed. "If you're good I'll let you come out of there, it looks really cold and depressing." he said cheerfully.

[ChibiMonkey]

Raziel frowned a bit as he looked back over at the other as he spoke, seemingly cheerfully. It just disgusted Raziel that much more "It depends. If I feel so inclined to hit you, I will" he said as he glanced to the others face where he had hit him, there was a clear bruise "I don't mind, It's always cold in the desert at night when not everyone can afford luxuries rooms and bedding like yourself" he said as he leaned back, being careful of his back which was still sore "I quite enjoy it in here, away from your annoying presence."

[Kotorichan]

Aun frowned and hugged his knees to his chest. "Why do you hate me so much?" he asked, somewhat afraid of what the answer would be. "I mean, you seemed to hate me before you even talked to me... I had never done anything to you, so why?" He bit his lip and rubbed at the bruise on his cheek. It was all very confusing to him.

[ChibiMonkey]

Raziel looked up at the other, a bit confused, looking at him curiously and with slight disbelief. The other almost seemed like an innocent child, who was being bullied for now reason. He sighed heavily, and rolled his eyes. He wasn't going to take any pity on the other "I thought it would be clear by now" he spoke as he crossed his arms across his chest glaring at Aun through the bars of the door "Do you really not get it?" he glared, the others ignorance just made him even more angry "You and your disgusting family are killing this land, the desert and its people. The people you are supposed to rule over. Ruling shouldn't mean wealth, it should mean actually caring for the people you are ruling over. Taking notice of what is happening to them because of your greedy arrogance" he huffed.

[Kotorichan]

Aun's eyes widened at the other's words. "What are you talking about? I've seen the city, everyone seems happy and the land isn't being killed or anything..." he shook his head in complete confusion. "We're wealthy because we care about our people, my family has always done what's best... People are happy..." he trailed off uncertainly, watching Raziel for some kind of assurance.

[ChibiMonkey]

Raziel glared more "You're so ignorant! Of course you've seen the city, but do think that is all your palace rules over? You father is a fraud. He invests in the city because all the wealthy citizens live in the city of this desert, and that in turn benefits him. But the desert doesn't stop just with the city. Your family rules over this whole country, the entire stretch of the desert. It isn't just my family or my village, there are countless others spread across throughout the desert, unable to afford a single decent meal. My village may be small, yet still no one can afford more than two meals of rice and stew a day, and that is all we eat, all we can eat." Raziel wasn't trying to get pity votes. He was just telling the facts, opening up the princes eyes to the world beyond the view of his palace.

[Kotorichan]

"What? but, that can't be true... My father wouldn't..." Aun trailed off again. He couldn't bring himself to defend his father, he only saw him on special occasions and they had never actually had a full conversation. "is... is it really like that out there?" he finally asked. He couldn't bring himself to look Raziel in the eyes, he was honestly scared of what the boy was telling him.

[ChibiMonkey]

Raziel frowned when the other still seemed to try and be in denial, and not believe what the other was saying "I'm not one to lie, like your father. It's a disgusting trait" he spoke as he watched the others reaction "Believe me or not, but it's happening. And because of the stupid law that you were to get a present from everyone in the village, or else they be punished, I was taken from my family, infront of my whole village. It may be small and poor, but I love my village and would do anything for them, more than your father says he cares about this country. He only really cares about his power and wealth"

[Kotorichan]

"Law?" Aun looked up with a frown. "But... What?" He stood up and shook his head. "no, that... that can't be true" he took a step back, it was all too much for him. He turned away and ran out of the dungeon and back to his room. He threw himself down on his bed and stared up at the ceiling, trying to process what Raziel had told him.

[ChibiMonkey]

Raziel just stared at the other with a serious look, watching the way he acted. He watched the male run out of the dungeons and he just sighed, laying back down. Did the other really not know anything about how this country was being ruled? He was the prince, after all. He just shook his head to himself as he closed his eyes, and slowly let himself fall back asleep, not giving much of a second thought about the prince.

[Kotorichan]

Aun lay awake the rest of the night, unable to sleep because of what Raziel told him. When morning came he left his room to talk to some people in the palace, he wanted to learn the truth about the country. It took him a couple hours to even get someone to start opening up to him. That evening he went back into the dungeon to see Raziel. He wanted to talk about what he had found out. He had the guard wait outside again and walked up to the boy's cell without a word.

[ChibiMonkey]

Raziel was boredly playing with the pebble the other had tossed at him the other night. He had nothing else to do. So he just tossed the small stone in the air, catching it, tossing it back up again, and so on. Hearing light footsteps approaching, he glanced over to the cell door, not surprised to see Aun there "What now?" he sighed softly, turning his attention back to the stone and watching it as it flew up and down in the air by the small flick of his wrist.

[Kotorichan]

Aun stayed silent, staring at the ground. He felt like his whole world had fallen apart. Everything he had ever known was wrong. He took a deep breath before speaking. "you were right, and I'm sorry" he brushed his hair out of his face. "I'll let you go... But I wanted to know if you'd... Well, if you'd help me. You seem to know more about this country than I do..." he trailed off, finally looking at Raziel.