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.
“Elysium.”, Markus replied quietly. The kingdom of Elysium was surrounded by mountains, but had access to the sea as well. There were a few passageways in the mountains for trading and traveling, which were well protected. It wasn’t hard to travel on foot though.
He coughed slightly, his chest hurting from it. He was just glad he wasn’t able to see or feel the ocean very much where he was, since he was terrified of it.
“…yours? So you’re– you must be the king, a-aren’t you?”, Oliver looked over him, more curious about him now. His speech faltered, trying to formalise his language but finding it difficult.
After a moment, he hopped off of the barrel that he sat on. “Do you want me to pick you up? Then I could untie you and we could leave. If I pay them enough.”, he shrugged.
“I am…”, Markus mumbled. He felt ready to pass out, if he was honest. He had troubles staying awake and talk with Oliver, but he was forcing himself to.
“If you’d…. like… to..”, he murmured, voice quiet and weak. These people clearly didn’t care for Markus’ wealth. They were just delivering him to the kingdom they were currently sailing towards, getting their reward there.
“Elysium.”, Markus replied quietly. The kingdom of Elysium was surrounded by mountains, but had access to the sea as well. There were a few passageways in the mountains for trading and traveling, which were well protected. It wasn’t hard to travel on foot though.
He coughed slightly, his chest hurting from it. He was just glad he wasn’t able to see or feel the ocean very much where he was, since he was terrified of it.
Oliver wasn’t sure if he had heard him correctly. Elysium was where his first ship had left, where he had been staying. He had hoped that he would be able to leave and never come back, but he supposed not.
“Elysium?”, he repeated, reaching into a pocket in his jacket for the bag of gold. The bag had the royal emblem of the kingdom on it. “I’m not sure what this is, does this mean anything to you?”
Markus looked up again, to try and see what Oliver was showing him. He couldn’t tell, it was too dark to even make out what he was holding. He knew Oliver wouldn’t know he couldn’t see well though.
“I can’t see..”, he mumbled, lowering his gaze again. “My sight’s… really bad..”, he mumbled. Since an accident when he had been a child, he could barely see colours and shapes. When it was darker, he could barely see anything. At night he was as good as blind, with no lights.
“Should I describe it to you? It’s some kind of symbol, it looks like some kind of bird? It looks like the symbols that nobles have for their families. It’s printed on a bag of gold, if that helps.”, he explained as best he could, hoping that Markus understood what he had meant better than he did.
Oliver wasn’t native to Elysium. In some ways, he had forgotten which kingdom he came from. But that didn’t particularly matter to him.
“It’s… my family crest…”, Markus murmured. It sounded like it was at the very least. He wondered why Oliver had a bag with it on it, though didn’t care to question it either.
He could tell Oliver wasn’t from Elysium though. Or didn’t care about the royal family much. The kingdom, and the surrounding ones mostly, knew the crest, and could recognize the royal family by their pigment disorder, causing white patches of skin.
“Elysium.”, Markus replied quietly. The kingdom of Elysium was surrounded by mountains, but had access to the sea as well. There were a few passageways in the mountains for trading and traveling, which were well protected. It wasn’t hard to travel on foot though.
He coughed slightly, his chest hurting from it. He was just glad he wasn’t able to see or feel the ocean very much where he was, since he was terrified of it.
Oliver wasn’t sure if he had heard him correctly. Elysium was where his first ship had left, where he had been staying. He had hoped that he would be able to leave and never come back, but he supposed not.
“Elysium?”, he repeated, reaching into a pocket in his jacket for the bag of gold. The bag had the royal emblem of the kingdom on it. “I’m not sure what this is, does this mean anything to you?”
Markus looked up again, to try and see what Oliver was showing him. He couldn’t tell, it was too dark to even make out what he was holding. He knew Oliver wouldn’t know he couldn’t see well though.
“I can’t see..”, he mumbled, lowering his gaze again. “My sight’s… really bad..”, he mumbled. Since an accident when he had been a child, he could barely see colours and shapes. When it was darker, he could barely see anything. At night he was as good as blind, with no lights.
“Elysium.”, Markus replied quietly. The kingdom of Elysium was surrounded by mountains, but had access to the sea as well. There were a few passageways in the mountains for trading and traveling, which were well protected. It wasn’t hard to travel on foot though.
He coughed slightly, his chest hurting from it. He was just glad he wasn’t able to see or feel the ocean very much where he was, since he was terrified of it.
Markus was really glad Oliver loosened the rope, even if he didn’t take it off. He had no reason to do either after all.
“Markus.”, he replied, voice a little better than before. He was still breathing heavily, lips parted. He could barely see in the darkness -even though it wasn’t that dark. He just couldn’t see very well in general.“It’s a… please.. Oliver..”, he mumbled. He was so tired, but he couldn’t get any rest. Either his fever kept him up, or something else.
“Nice to meet you too. Look, I’m afraid you won’t know me for long. I’m leaving whenever we pass another ship. I mean, if you are free to leave then you could come with me. It’d be better than the barrel, I hope.”, he explained.
Markus seemed as if he needed help and Oliver wasn’t heartless. He was alone, or he would be when he was on land again. Some company would be appreciated.
He leant in a little, leaning his arms against a barrel. “…even if you’re not free, maybe I could still take you with me for a while. Until we can find a doctor or something.”, he murmured.
Markus smiled weakly. He wondered if he looked free to leave, tied up, having been found gagged, in a barrel. He would love to leave, and get back home. Or anywhere safe, really.
“I’d… I’d love to leave..”, he replied, coughing again. Speaking was hard, but he managed. Even though his voice was hoarse and quiet.
“I was kidnapped… just.. just want to go home..”, he mumbled. It was all he wanted, though he didn’t even know where he was. He should probably get healthy first before even trying to get home.
Markus was really glad Oliver loosened the rope, even if he didn’t take it off. He had no reason to do either after all.
“Markus.”, he replied, voice a little better than before. He was still breathing heavily, lips parted. He could barely see in the darkness -even though it wasn’t that dark. He just couldn’t see very well in general.
“It’s a… please.. Oliver..”, he mumbled. He was so tired, but he couldn’t get any rest. Either his fever kept him up, or something else.
Markus’ jaw hurt. But he was so glad to be rid of the gag, be able to close his mouth properly. Swallowing properly, easily, not getting dried out. Red marks were left on his cheeks from how tightly the cloth had been tied.
He shifted a little, carefully raising his arms, bound hands carefully taking the slice of bread from Oliver. He could care less about his hands being tied, if he got something to eat. He could almost feel his voice hurting without trying to speak, so he wouldn’t attempt ask for water or alike.
He nibbled on the piece of bread, leaning his head against the barrel again. He was tired, and he felt weak, and sick. He was sick after all.
“Is that better? If you can’t talk, just nod or something. I took care of a mute kid once, I’m used to it.”, he said with a shrug.
His brothers had taken in any orphans they found, or any that they had unintentionally made. Most of them were able to find another family member to take care of them after a while, but some stayed with them.
“…have a sip.”, he offered, filling up his cup again and waiting for the young man to finish the slice of bread.
Markus nodded weakly. His stomach had been hurting from the hunger, and he was glad he got something to nibble on slowly. He laid the slice down when Oliver offered him the cup, very carefully taking it from him, almost dropping it from the weight.
He sipped from it, the water doing wonders for his throat. He felt so much better already, except his fever. He had been a little dehydrated. He didn’t force himself to drink too much though, instead giving the cup bag and taking his slice of bread again.
“Thank y…”, Markus mumbled, voice quiet and hoarse, half of it getting to quiet to be heard. He coughed, his chest hurting from it.
Markus’ jaw hurt. But he was so glad to be rid of the gag, be able to close his mouth properly. Swallowing properly, easily, not getting dried out. Red marks were left on his cheeks from how tightly the cloth had been tied.
He shifted a little, carefully raising his arms, bound hands carefully taking the slice of bread from Oliver. He could care less about his hands being tied, if he got something to eat. He could almost feel his voice hurting without trying to speak, so he wouldn’t attempt ask for water or alike.
He nibbled on the piece of bread, leaning his head against the barrel again. He was tired, and he felt weak, and sick. He was sick after all.
Markus’ breathing was shallow, he was pale and shivering. He felt cold, even though he was burning up. His mouth and jaw hurt from being gagged for so long, and he hadn’t had any water or food since they had set sail. Someone had made sure he had drank something and had a bit of bread before, so he wouldn’t die most likely.
He felt like he was dying, though he was pretty sure he wasn’t supposed to. So he was probably being kept alive, even though he was sick.
Markus didn’t notice Oliver, he was barely conscious. And in the bad lighting inside the ship here with the supplies, and his paleness, the white patches on his skin caused by his pigment disorder were easy to be overlooked.Oliver hesitantly moved a little closer to the odd barrel, noticing that it was shaking. They couldn’t have put a living person in there… why would they? Then again, why would they place a corpse among their food stores for the next month or so?
“…are you alive?”, he asked. The question sounded rather silly when it was said out loud. Even if the answer was ’ yes ’, the person inside the barrel would have made some kind of sound if they could. If not, he would look like an odd foreigner talking to a corpse. It could potentially be worse.
He took a fresh piece of bread from the food storage and held it out. “Do you want this? Y’know, if you’re alive and I’m not speaking to a dead body right now.”
Markus heard Oliver. He needed a moment before he realized someone was talking to him, and wanted something from him. He hadn’t expected anyone who didn’t know about him to find him, yet alone speak to him.
He blinked his eyes open blearily, leaning his head back to look up at Oliver. The cloth tied around him and efficiently gagging him was bound visibly tightly, just like the ropes around his wrists and ankles -which were badly bruised by now.
He couldn’t answer Oliver even if he wanted to. He didn’t even think he could get his voice to work after days, or weeks?, of not being able to use it.
emptynarration 