| 1 x 1 | A Prince And His Rebel

[Dunyazade]

Protector | Leader | a*****e

Stupid kid was fast. Like lightning, even though being recently paralyzed and running around in the forest without shoes should have slowed him down. Sigma poured on the speed and was able to keep pace, but only just, and cursed himself for trying to be nice about the ropes. Maybe next time he'd just dig a hole and bury the stupid kid up to his neck.

It didn't take long for them to reach the river. Sigma was surprised to see Dariian just dive right in. Was he crazy? The river was calm now, but it was almost infamous for its surprise currents. In any case, he stopped right at the edge of the water and watched Dariian swim across.

Sigma let out a noise of exasperation and reached into his holster. When Dariian spun around, rock in hand, Sigma responded by leveling the gun at him.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Sigma said, in a tone almost like a scolding parent. "Gun beats rock. Put it down and come out of there, you stupid kid."















This is the world I live in
Thus it is worth fighting for

[Caffeinated Nova]

Money cannot buy happiness?

And of course, it had to be the murderer. Dariian's eyes narrowed in hatred. Out of all of the rebels he'd seen it that camp, why was it this guy following him? If there were any gods watching then they must have had a cruel sense of humour. His hand shook slightly but he didn't move except to shift when the ground beneath him moved with the current. His feet were getting slowly sucked into the muddy riverbed and he had to keep pulling them out. The water was incredibly cold. He thought through where he could go from here, how he could get free, and all the while just glared at the murderer. Finally, he knew where to go.

"You won't shoot me." He said confidently, his gaze locked with the other man's. "If you were going to you would have done it already. You don't want to kill me yet, you want to execute me in front of your men to create the best boost in moral, correct?" He shifted on the floor again, taking a step forwards into deeper water. If he had to he would let go, let the river take him with the current, and he was ready. He took a deep breath and raised an eyebrow challengingly. "You want me out? Come and make me."

I take that as a challenge.

[Dunyazade]

Protector | Leader | a*****e

The stupid kid was really convinced Sigma wanted him dead. Which...made sense, unfortunately. Sigma was starting to lose his patience, though, and didn't bother to correct him. He instead cursed his luck for being bluffed.

He could shoot him in the shoulder. Make it a flesh wound, scare him a little, enough to perhaps get the idea through that Sigma wasn't bluffing. But--he sighed--he actually didn't want to hurt Dariian. So he was going to make a decision that he would probably regret forever and ever.

"You're not as smart as you think. Drowning is no fun. You won't feel quite as brave when the current bashes your head against every available hard surface on the way down," Sigma stated, wishing this wasn't happening. But of course again the stupid kid decided not to listen.

With a brisk shake of his head, Sigma loosened his grip on his gun so it swung under, dangling off his finger, then dropped it to the ground. Then he unbuckled the belt holding his sheath and dropped that as well. "Throw the rock if you want," he went on as he pulled his feet out of his boots and removed his jacket. "See how great your aim is neck-deep in pissed-off water."

With that, he stepped back a few steps, then dashed forward and took a running leap. He landed with a spectacular splash about halfway across, which submerged him up to his chest. He could feel the pull of the water, and it was pretty powerful, enough that he would have to be careful.















This is the world I live in
Thus it is worth fighting for

[Caffeinated Nova]

Money cannot buy happiness?

"I grew up in these woods." Dariian said confidently, "I've swam in this river dozens of times. I won't drown. I know what I'm doing."

He dropped his gaze to the gun in the murderer's hand and watched him let go of the gun. The prince couldn't help but smirk. He'd been correct, the murderer needed him alive at least for now, until he could execute him in front of others. He watched as he removed his belt, then his boots, and his jacket, and Dariian got ready to make his move.

As soon as the splash from the jump sounded, he stepped forwards even closer. They were only a few feet apart. He glanced to the side and dug his feet deep into the mud beneath him. He raised his arm, throwing the rock, but with his sleeve weighted down with water the rock missed the intended target of his head and instead headed towards his shoulder. Dariian bit his lip and lunged at him suddenly, wrapping his arms around the man's neck to choke him, and kicking at his ankles and shins. If he could just get him off the ground he knew the current would take them, and then surely the murderer would be done for.

I take that as a challenge.

[Dunyazade]

Protector | Leader | a*****e

Just like an idiot, Dariian tried to throw the rock. And just as predicted, the rock missed its intended target entirely. Sigma barely had to swat it out of the way.

He wasn't quite expecting Dariian to leap at him, though. First instinct was to shove him off, especially when one of Sigma's feet slipped free of the firm stance he'd planted. He had moments to decide what to do before his second foot slipped--so he went with his next option and grabbed the kid, holding him tightly around the middle so they took up as little space as possible.

The next few seconds were almost a blur. Once he lost his footing, they both went soaring down the river, surfacing and submerging at ridiculous speeds. Sigma barely had time to grab a breath, and the cold of the water was almost enough to shock him into letting it out.

He kicked out, trying to keep his eyes open. The water was dark all around, and he couldn't see. They briefly submerged again, and Sigma saw the nearest bank to his left. He struck out with an arm, grabbing for the tree roots that poked out of the dirt that stood in tiny cliffs on the bank. They scratched and gouged his hand, but he kept trying until he finally found one that was sturdy enough to hold both their weights.

The sudden jerk to a stop caused him to lose his grip on Dariian, and Sigma felt a jolt of surprise as the boy spun out of his arms. Acting quickly, he snapped out his other hand and caught Dariian's sleeve. Now both his arms were straining to their limits, and the stupid kid was one torn sleeve away from being carried off down the river.

Sigma spit some water out of his mouth. "You...are stupid," he hissed in exasperation.












This is the world I live in
Thus it is worth fighting for

[Caffeinated Nova]

Money cannot buy happiness?

This was not going as planned. The moment he felt the murderer's feet slip and his arms wrap firmly around Dariian's waist, he felt the current drag them down the river. That, he could have dealt with, but he had made a mistake. The current was much, much more powerful the further down the river they traveled, until they were pulled under the water so many times that Dariian barely had time to breathe. Uncertain and, though he would never admit it, scared, he wrapped his own arms around the rebel's waist in an attempt to keep them together. He coughed and spluttered under the water, trying desperately just to keep breathing when he could. They were barely getting enough breath, what if the man was dead? How the hell would they get out of this?

He felt a sudden jerk as the rebel moved, and then they stopped - so suddenly that Dariian was jerked completely out of his grasp. His eyes widened in terror for a second as he was flung backwards, and he reached out his hand to grab him again, choking on water as he tried to call out. Somehow the man managed to catch his sleeve, holding him there while the river water battered him from all sides, trying to pull him down. He felt something tear in his sleeve, and he dropped a few inches away.

"Don't let-" He tried to yell at him, to plead with him not to let go, but the water kept dragging him under. With difficultly he managed to lift his other arm, and clamped a hand around the murderer's in a vice-like grip. He pulled himself closer, then managed to hook one ankle behind his, hanging onto him desperately.

I take that as a challenge.

[Dunyazade]

Protector | Leader | a*****e

For a moment, it looked bad. His grip on the tree's root wouldn't last forever, and that sleeve was already starting to tear. To Sigma's surprise, however, Dariian reacted with a burst of strength, gripping Sigma's wrist with his other hand and hooking an ankle around his.

Now with this new security, Sigma could risk releasing the sleeve to quickly grab Dariian around the waist, pulling him closer and reducing the arm strain. Now they were in a slightly better position, and one Sigma could work with. He used his free foot to dig deep into the river's floor, finding a brief anchor and foothold there.

His hand, still gripping the root for dear life, was starting to cramp, and being wet didn't help much either. Bracing his half-buried foot, Sigma shoved up with his hooked ankle and knee, using the arm around Dariian's waist to push him up and forward. The result was him half-shoving, half-tossing Dariian onto dry land.

Now without the extra weight, the current seemed to grow stronger, yanking his foot out of the muck. Sigma found a purchase on the root with both hands and, gritting his teeth, hauled himself up and out of the water using only his arms. He crawled up the bank on hands and knees until he was clear, then collapsed in a wet, exhausted heap, rolling onto his back and breathing heavily.

That had been close. Too close. That stupid kid had almost gotten them killed. But...

Sigma waited until he had mostly caught his breath to prop himself up on his elbows and looked over at Dariian. "You alive?" he asked.










This is the world I live in
Thus it is worth fighting for

[Caffeinated Nova]

Money cannot buy happiness?

The moment the murderer shoved Dariian up onto dry land, he ended up on his hands and knees, crawling away from the edge of the water before collapsing down onto his front. He folded his arms beneath his cheek, breathing hard and shivering slightly.

But for some reason, part of him - well, a lot of him - wanted to turn around and help the rebel back onto dry land. He was the enemy, damn it! The whole point of that was to get him killed or at least hurt so that Dariian could escape. And yet, no matter how he looked at it, the rebel had just saved his life. Only so he could kill him at a later date, but still...

Dariian made a decision, even though he knew with his whole being that it was a bad one, and turned over onto his back, blinking water droplets from his eyelashes. He sat up and then crawled forwards, reaching out a hand to grab the rebel's wrist, but he was already moving, hauling himself with just the strength of his arms up onto dry land. Dariian yanked his arm back as if burnt, then flopped back onto his back, staring up at the little streaks of moonlight filtering through the leaves above their heads.

He tensed when he heard the rebel speak, not even looking in his direction. He shivered slightly, too exhausted and freezing to even get up and run. This had been a stupid, stupid idea.

"For now." He answered, "Right?"

He closed his eyes and ran a hand through his wet hair, letting his hand drop above his head. "I think I should at least know your name, since I apparently now owe you my life, murderer."

I take that as a challenge.

[Dunyazade]

Protector | Leader | a*****e

Sigma blinked, causing drops of water to crease down his face like he was crying. He hadn't exactly expected to hear that. Sitting up fully, he crossed his legs, then reached behind himself and grabbed his hair in both hands. The loose ponytail it had been in had long since come undone, and he now leaned to his right and twisted, wringing water from his waist-length hair.

"Sigma," he finally said to Dariian. "Sigma Bartholomew." He didn't mention that his late father was Atlus Bartholomew, once a famed member of the royal guard. Sometimes people made the connection on their own, sometimes not; either way he didn't care.

Without turning to face Dariian, and continuing to wring out his hair, Sigma went on. "I'm not interested in taking your life. That would be a waste considering the substantial effort I've taken to keep you breathing, firstly. Unlike many of my men, and indeed many of the people, I don't necessarily associate you with your parents' crimes. Whether or not you receive a fair trial has yet to be seen, but...I'd prefer it if you were found innocent."

And that was enough on that. Sigma went on wringing the life out of his hair, mouth in a grim line.















This is the world I live in
Thus it is worth fighting for

[Caffeinated Nova]

Money cannot buy happiness?

Sigma Bartholomew. Dariian stared at him for a long moment, trying to work out where he recognised that name from. Someone in the palace, perhaps? Maybe a servant? He shook his head, spraying water droplets everywhere. His mother and father went through servants on a daily basis, but even so, he was sure he had never seen Sigma before. He watched Sigma wring out his hair, moving a hand to his own hair and sliding his fingers through it. He grimaced, finding the hard lump of a twig, and yanked it out, shuddering. He needed a really, really long bath. But despite that, despite everything... That had been exhilarating, and now that they were out of the water he was finding it hard not to grin. That had been fun.

As soon as Sigma started speaking, Dariian tensed and sat up, and the tentative not-entirely-hate vanished into full blown rage and hatred once again. "You want me to be found innocent, but yet you're going to let those people judge me? They'll never see me as innocent! I'm not stupid, I saw the looks on their faces, t-they want blood." Dariian clenched his jaw to stop himself from stammering again. "I've never done anything to them!" He continued finally, "N-Never! I-I've barely even been out of the palace!"

He swore in a very un-princely manner and turned his back to Sigma, clenched his eyes shut quickly and sank his fingers into the long, wet grass underneath him, trying to get control of himself. There was a very faint blue glow around the edge of his skin, flickering a little like flames. "If you take me back there, everyone will die." Dariian said quietly. He didn't elaborate, instead crossing his arms over his chest in a haughty manner and glaring into the trees.

I take that as a challenge.

[Dunyazade]

Protector | Leader | a*****e

Sigma let the kid rant, still trying to get every last drop out of his hair. He only really started paying attention to the last part, and twisted around. The blue glow around Dariian's form startled him. It was no secret that many of the royal children had abilities, unlike their parents, but this one was manifesting itself in a way that was unfamiliar to him. Dariian's quiet tone made it seem much more dangerous, and that gave Sigma pause.

He knew the plan. He'd made the plan. Well, helped it along, with an advisor or two butting in. Raid, assassinate, capture, try, judge. But circumstances were rapidly changing.

"And so what would you have me do?" Sigma asked, in an equally quiet tone. "Let you go? Anyone who encounters you will more than likely kill you on sight. Being who you are is dangerous."

He stood, slowly, testing his level of exhaustion. It was up there, but he could still function pretty well. That done, he walked around to face Dariian and plopped down directly in front of him, crossing his legs. "What do you intend to do at this point? Your self-preservation skills are more like a stand-up routine. Your best bet is with me."

Having said that, Sigma hesitated. Next step was trial. They'd pushed for the trial. It was fair. But--he couldn't believe he was saying this--Dariian might be right. It might be less of a trial and more of having someone royal to pin the blame on.

"A damned kangaroo court, then?" he sighed aloud, passing his hand over his eyes. "Okay. Calm your dangerous powers and give me a moment to think about this."















This is the world I live in
Thus it is worth fighting for

[Caffeinated Nova]

Money cannot buy happiness?

"I can take care of myself." Dariian argued and sniffed, tilting up his jaw and glaring into the trees instead. He listened to the movements behind him, then blinked as Sigma came around to sit in front of him. Dariian shifted slightly, watching him like prey might watch a hunter. They were sitting very close together, and at this moment he wasn't really sure what to do about it. He bit his lip, gaze locked on the rebel's, and slowly relaxed, the blue glow to his skin fading out fast.

"I owe you a life debt." He offered after a moment. "If you accept it then technically we're bound until I save your life or the life of someone you love, or give you something you really want. They're your men, they wouldn't go against you and kill me if we were bound, right?" He asked the last bit hopefully, chewing his bottom lip. Because honestly, he wasn't feeling too intelligent, and that was the only idea he could come up with. It was still difficult to get his head around the fact that this murd- Sigma, didn't actually want him dead. Not like his parents, anyway.

Dariian shivered at that thought and wrapped his arms around himself. "Well?" He asked impatiently.

I take that as a challenge.

[Dunyazade]

Protector | Leader | a*****e

"Life debt," Sigma sighed, like he'd been told to teach a horse calculus. Those things were trouble. The last time he'd been involved in one--but that was the past, and Toby didn't blame him. This could be used to his advantage, if nothing else, as long as he was careful about it. At least they were at the point of discussing things reasonably, instead of jumping in rivers.

"I like to think my men are reasonable people," he said, "but I also like to think the moon is made of cheese. Yes, they'll obey a direct order, but not without a great ruckus about it.

"So, I'll accept on three conditions." Sigma held up three fingers. "One, no more throwing rocks. Two, stay in my tent if I'm not around. Three, try not to be an insufferable a*****e around my men. Also four: no more escape attempts, and I won't tie you up again. If you agree, I'll accept."




















This is the world I live in
Thus it is worth fighting for

[Caffeinated Nova]

Money cannot buy happiness?

Dariian gaped at him. "I'm a prince, you can't call me that! And I do not act like that, at any rate." He glared at him again, "Fine, I won't throw any more rocks. And I'll stay in the tent. As long as your men don't try to attack me or anything. And you can't expect me to not try to escape if that happens. And what if my brothers and their allies rescue me? I hope you and your men realise that you've started a war, by the way." Dariian rubbed his eyes sleepily, feeling cranky. "And I want a weapon. Just in case."

He hesitated and looked down at himself, then flushed. "And something to wear. You can't expect a prince to go around dressed in night clothes all the time. And I don't even have any shoes! And if you expect me to sleep on the floor in that tent then you have another thing coming." He let out a quick huffy breath, blowing hair out of his face, and stared at Sigma expectantly.

I take that as a challenge.

[Dunyazade]

Protector | Leader | a*****e

Sigma's palm--The Palm, his men sometimes called it--came up, right in Dariian's face, as if to stem the flow of chatter. Behind The Palm, Sigma let out a deep sigh, that indicated he was going to try being patient and would fail in approximately two seconds.

"Okay, one: shut up. This is not prince camp. You get what we give you. Two: yes, you get clothes, no you don't get a weapon. Three: you don't get shoes until you prove you won't try to escape. Four: you sleep wherever the hell I tell you to sleep."

At that, Sigma lowered The Palm and instead leaned forward so his face was only an inch or two away from Dariian. "And yes, we came into this fully aware that a war might begin. Each one of us is willing to die for what we believe in. The question is, do you realize the position you're in?

"I am not a patient man. I am in favor of letting you live--I never specified what state of living, however. Understand?"
















This is the world I live in
Thus it is worth fighting for