“I-… I..”, Markus pressed his face against Oliver, trying to take deep breaths through his mouth, though they were shaky. It was hard to not cry or even sob.
“I don’t… I don’t want to be king..”, Markus admitted quietly, voice breaking as tears escaped him. Why shouldn’t he just tell him? It wasn’t like Oliver would judge him or anything, he was pretty sure.

Being a child, he had grown up with the belief he was able to do whatever he wanted. Free to love whoever he wanted, to leave the kingdom if he’d like. His parents had never expected him to marry some other royal for benefit.
But then they were murdered, and his older brother left the kingdom out of selfish reasons, and Markus was forced to become king.

googleoliver:

emptynarration:

“If- if you’d… l-like..”, Markus wouldn’t mind if Oliver held onto him. He would feel a lot better knowing someone else was here, close to him, and keep him safe. He didn’t see a reason why Oliver would care about him in the slightest, but who was he to complain? 

He wanted to be home, to be safe. He didn’t even care if he was a king or not, he just wanted to go home. Not that the castle felt like a real home to him anyways.

Oliver moved a little closer, placing his hand over Markus’s to let him know that he was next to him before wrapping his arms around him. He didn’t seem overly affectionate, despite how close they were. If they were to spend a lot of time together, he assumed that they should get used to each other’s company.

“…once you get to your castle, I’ll go. I don’t know where… somewhere. But you’ll be safe.”, he murmured, holding onto him.

Markus nodded lightly, leaning against Oliver and holding onto him lightly. Ever since being forced into the role of king, he had to be strong. He forced himself to be, hiding his insecurities and worries, everything. He never even got to grief the death of his parents properly. He never let himself be weak around anyone, because a king needed to be strong for his kingdom.

But he was far away, and Oliver didn’t care about who he was. He could be scared of the ocean, and he could be sick, and Oliver didn’t care. It made him wish he didn’t have to go back to the castle.
His grip tightened on Oliver’s shirt, some tears in his eyes. 

“If- if you’d… l-like..”, Markus wouldn’t mind if Oliver held onto him. He would feel a lot better knowing someone else was here, close to him, and keep him safe. He didn’t see a reason why Oliver would care about him in the slightest, but who was he to complain? 

He wanted to be home, to be safe. He didn’t even care if he was a king or not, he just wanted to go home. Not that the castle felt like a real home to him anyways.

googleoliver:

emptynarration:

Markus was curled up tightly, feeling sick. Both like he could throw up, but also just unwell in his stomach, twisting and turning. He could feel the waves beneath them, and he couldn’t stop thinking about all the terrible things that could happen to them.

He still couldn’t really see, as it was still pretty dark inside, so he didn’t notice if Oliver was here or not.

“…Markus?”, Oliver asked quietly from across the room, noticing that he was in distress. He wanted him to sleep. The two of them would likely be travelling for a while once Markus went to the doctor. He knew that resting would help.

He sat down on the edge of Markus’s bed, hoping that Markus didn’t mind it. Markus was a king, but at the moment he was only a companion. To him, he wasn’t a king until he reached Elysium.

“I’m scared-”, Markus managed, everything being too much for him. Being sick was already making everything hard, breathing and resting, but also being scared of the ocean beneath them was making his life pretty hard.

“of- of the.. ocean..”, he added quietly, trying to breathe. He was used to panic attacks, so he knew how to calm down by himself, but breathing was very hard in general right now. He knew he should lay straight, on his back, and not curled up. But he couldn’t bring himself to.

Markus was curled up tightly, feeling sick. Both like he could throw up, but also just unwell in his stomach, twisting and turning. He could feel the waves beneath them, and he couldn’t stop thinking about all the terrible things that could happen to them.

He still couldn’t really see, as it was still pretty dark inside, so he didn’t notice if Oliver was here or not.

googleoliver:

emptynarration:

“N-no… thank you…”, Markus voice was quiet, barely audible. But he was really glad Oliver was really here with him, and kept watch over them. It was comforting to know he was here.

He was slowly taking deep breaths, calming from his nightmares. He doubted he could sleep more, though he couldn’t be sure either. Maybe he’d pass out again, maybe he’d be awake. He didn’t much care, both awake and asleep was terrible.

Oliver nodded. He glanced over at his new companion, observing him curiously. If he went back to Elysium and returned their king to them, what would happen? Would he leave, or would the man that had given him his funds keep his word?

He curled up on his own bed, keeping himself from sleeping. Keeping watch wasn’t unusual for him but he didn’t mind it.

Markus fell asleep again after an hour or two, waking up again and again. He couldn’t sleep well, not getting any rest. He was glad when he noticed the sun rising and they were going to arrive soon.

He could feel the ocean they were upon, making him curl up tighter. He was terrified of the ocean, but being sick overrode that fear mostly.

“N-no… thank you…”, Markus voice was quiet, barely audible. But he was really glad Oliver was really here with him, and kept watch over them. It was comforting to know he was here.

He was slowly taking deep breaths, calming from his nightmares. He doubted he could sleep more, though he couldn’t be sure either. Maybe he’d pass out again, maybe he’d be awake. He didn’t much care, both awake and asleep was terrible.

googleoliver:

emptynarration:

Markus was pretty much limp in Oliver’s arms, leaning his head against him. He was breathing heavily through his parted lips, cold and sweaty skin, but feeling like he was burning up. The cold wind was making his shivers even stronger, and he weakly held onto Oliver’s chest.

It didn’t take much longer and he did pass out against Oliver’s chest, hands falling back onto himself.

When the ship drew closer, he signalled it to stop alongside them. Someone from the crew greeted them. “We need to get to the mainland, to find a doctor. I’ll pay for the trip if I have to.”, Oliver informed them straightforwardly, pressing some coins into his hand.

Oliver was helped onto the ship. Someone offered to carry Markus for him, but he declined. The crew provided them with a small room, with beds for both of them. He eventually put Markus down, testing his head against a pillow.

Markus didn’t move when laid down, other than gripping onto the sheets below him. He wasn’t sleeping well at all, nightmares plaguing him. He woke up after an hour or two, gasping for breath. He could barely breathe, and neither could he see anything in the dark.

He could feel he was laying in a bed though, and he trusted Oliver would be nearby. At least he had dried some, and wasn’t dripping wet anymore. He was still feeling cold, and hot.

Markus was pretty much limp in Oliver’s arms, leaning his head against him. He was breathing heavily through his parted lips, cold and sweaty skin, but feeling like he was burning up. The cold wind was making his shivers even stronger, and he weakly held onto Oliver’s chest.

It didn’t take much longer and he did pass out against Oliver’s chest, hands falling back onto himself.

googleoliver:

emptynarration:

Markus was shaking quite badly when Oliver picked him out of the barrel, dripping wet and cold. It was no wonder he was so sick, and that mixed with malnutrition, and his normal underweight being, that it had gotten so bad.

He could barely keep himself upright when he was set down, sagging slightly forward. “No..”, he mumbled quietly as reply. He couldn’t keep his eyes open. He was so tired.

“Should I carry you?”, he asked, merely out of politeness. Considering that Markus couldn’t walk, it was his only option if they intended to leave the ship during the night. He would carry him if he had to, king or not, whether he liked it or not. “That is to say I’d have to.”

Oliver noticed that Markus looked exhausted in the small amount of light that shone through the cracks in the wooden boards above them. “Once we’re off this ship, we can rest. We’re near a busy harbour – there’s usually other ships nearby.”

Markus nodded weakly at the question. Not that either of them had a choice if they wanted to get Markus away from here. He didn’t really care about his status at the moment, he didn’t look like a king either after all. He was, technically, still a year or two too young to be king, but he had been forced to be king as child.

“Might… pass out..”, he was pretty certain he’d pass out while Oliver carried him. He was fighting to stay awake right now after all.