googleoliver:

emptynarration:

“I can’t tell you what to do.”, Markus said softly, watching Oliver. He didn’t need to know. Oliver could just as well also have something bad in mind, and Markus was powerless to stop him from doing whatever he planned on doing. 

“I’m glad you saved me… and if you really want to travel with me some, instead of… just bringing me back… it would make me really happy too.”. He had told Oliver how he felt. He didn’t like being king. Traveling was something he had always worried about, been afraid of even. He was afraid something would happen to his kingdom while he was away, that he’d be blamed even. But now he was missing, and not out of his own will leaving. He still worried, of course, but who could blame him for not being there?

If Oliver had wanted to kill him, or even just harm him in some way, he would have left him on the ship that he had been trapped in. But there was no reason to kill him; Markus didn’t appear to be the kind of ruler that one of his brothers had dreamed of assassinating. The idea of killing a king to replace a royal family with themselves had been appealing, but ultimately it was only a fantasy held by children.

“You… want to stay with me…? Why?”, he questioned, finding the idea completely absurd. They had only known each other for a single day, if that, and they hadn’t even begun travelling. It wasn’t as if Markus had nothing to go back to. He had a kingdom, and other people that loved him, most likely. “If you still want to by the time we get to the Elysium border, sure. I just… don’t want you to come with me and then regret your decision.”

“You can’t imagine how terrible it is to be crowned when you’re fifteen.”, Markus mumbled. He closed his eyes, tired, but still wanting to talk.
“Before my parents were murdered… I was free. Free to do whatever I liked… it was all taken from me…. I want to travel, and see the world a little… without having to worry about a kingdom blaming me for its fall..”.
Of course he’d feel terrible if something bad happened to his kingdom now. While he was gone, having left willingly or not. And as much as he’d blame himself, he knew it wouldn’t have been his fault. Not really at least.

“If we just get close to Elysium.. people will recognize me. I’ll be forced to go home…. back to being a play-pretend king…”. He knew he’d break one day, if he kept going like he had. Pretending to be strong, to not worry, not have insecurities and anxieties.
“It’s alright if you.. just want to bring me back. Get whatever it is you seek from it…. I wouldn’t blame you..”.

“I can’t tell you what to do.”, Markus said softly, watching Oliver. He didn’t need to know. Oliver could just as well also have something bad in mind, and Markus was powerless to stop him from doing whatever he planned on doing. 

“I’m glad you saved me… and if you really want to travel with me some, instead of… just bringing me back… it would make me really happy too.”. He had told Oliver how he felt. He didn’t like being king. Traveling was something he had always worried about, been afraid of even. He was afraid something would happen to his kingdom while he was away, that he’d be blamed even. But now he was missing, and not out of his own will leaving. He still worried, of course, but who could blame him for not being there?

googleoliver:

emptynarration:

“I’m used to being treated as not a person.”, Markus mumbled, keeping his focus on Oliver as best as he could. He did like to try and guess what someone looked like with what he could see.

“I don’t… I don’t want to bother you so much.”, he muttered and sighed softly. “No one knows who I am… I wouldn’t be any more in danger than… anyone..”. Not that he knew a lot about being a citizen and danger, especially in another kingdom, but still. He was nothing more but a moneyless person.

“Is there a reason you’re helping me?..”, he asked then, curious. He could imagine there’d be a reward for finding him, but who would’ve helped someone trapped in a water barrel on a ship, obviously being transported somewhere secretly? He would imagine most would’ve been scared to even attempt helping him.

“…and? You’re still sick. You need to be safe and definitely not alone.”, Oliver insisted. It was something that was ingrained into him. If anyone was sick, they needed to be protected by anyone who was able to. It didn’t matter of they were in peaceful territory. To him, ’ peaceful territory ’ only existed before he’d entered it’s borders. His younger brother used to get sick often when he was too young to stray from their camp. “I don’t care what you’re used to.”

He went silent at his question. The truth wasn’t likely something that Markus would want to hear. “I thought you would need it. And you’re here now, so… I’m not just going to leave you.”

Markus decided not to argue with Oliver. Nor think too much about it, since that was just tiring. There was a lot he had to think about in his daily life, so he’d rather stop worrying about trivial things like this.

“I don’t really believe you’re just… helping me out of the good of your heart..”, Markus mumbled. People were bad, he was always told. He was too kind, too forgiving, too naive. But he liked being nice, and he wanted everyone to live well. But he knew not everyone trusted he didn’t have anything evil either. Markus had never met anyone who was kind just for the sake of kindness either.

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want..”, he shifted a little. If Oliver didn’t want to tell him, then he wouldn’t force him to.

“I’m used to being treated as not a person.”, Markus mumbled, keeping his focus on Oliver as best as he could. He did like to try and guess what someone looked like with what he could see.

“I don’t… I don’t want to bother you so much.”, he muttered and sighed softly. “No one knows who I am… I wouldn’t be any more in danger than… anyone..”. Not that he knew a lot about being a citizen and danger, especially in another kingdom, but still. He was nothing more but a moneyless person.

“Is there a reason you’re helping me?..”, he asked then, curious. He could imagine there’d be a reward for finding him, but who would’ve helped someone trapped in a water barrel on a ship, obviously being transported somewhere secretly? He would imagine most would’ve been scared to even attempt helping him.

googleoliver:

emptynarration:

Markus blinked his eyes open when he heard Oliver’s voice. He had a cool wet cloth on his forehead, and a glass of water next to him. The doctor’s had noticed his malnourishment, giving him broth to drink. They couldn’t let Markus stay here for too long though, seeing how they had more patients that needed them.

“Oliver..”, he mumbled, feeling a bit better than before.

“You feeling a little better? I managed to find a place to stay, for a few days, so even if you’re here for a while I won’t have to go.”, he asked. It was odd; he wanted to make sure that Markus was alright, but he had to keep him at an arm’s length when he could. His own voice sounded distant, somehow.

“Mhh..”, Markus hummed lightly. “I can’t stay here for too long… they do need the room.”, he told Oliver, mumbling slightly. He understood that, and he knew there were others coming from the sea who’d rather need this space than him. He never liked to be selfish after all. His problem was though, that he had no means to stay anywhere else.

“It’s alright though… I’ll… probably manage.”, he didn’t want to burden Oliver more. He understood that Oliver most likely wouldn’t want to be stuck taking care of him -he was still just a stranger after all, wasn’t he? He’d take care of himself, somehow. 
“Don’t worry about me.”, he smiled softly at Oliver.

Markus blinked his eyes open when he heard Oliver’s voice. He had a cool wet cloth on his forehead, and a glass of water next to him. The doctor’s had noticed his malnourishment, giving him broth to drink. They couldn’t let Markus stay here for too long though, seeing how they had more patients that needed them.

“Oliver..”, he mumbled, feeling a bit better than before.

googleoliver:

emptynarration:

Markus almost fell as Oliver brought him out of the crowds, glad the other held onto him. He needed the support badly, sweat making his clothes cling to his skin.

He slowly stumbled along with Oliver, gaze on the ground. Breathing heavily, feeling weak in his very being. He could barely hold onto Oliver’s hand.
“Oli…”. Markus collapsed.

The young man managed to catch him, holding him close to him as he picked him up. He didn’t know exactly what was wrong with him. He wasn’t a doctor. But he knew that he had to find them.

Oliver carried him to the clinic that he had seen, waiting for someone to see them. He didn’t let him go until he had to. “I’ll see you when it’s over, okay?”, he murmured, uncertain if Markus could hear him.

Markus was half-conscious when Oliver let go of him to instead lay on a bed or something alike. He couldn’t get himself to answer, or really look at him. Everything was really hard to do.

He was running a high fever, and there wasn’t a whole lot the doctors could do. They had a bit of medicine they could give him in hopes it would help, but other than that, resting, drinking a lot, and trying to cool him down was the only thing they could do. Traveling was out of the question for at least a few days, until Markus’ fever was going down.

Markus almost fell as Oliver brought him out of the crowds, glad the other held onto him. He needed the support badly, sweat making his clothes cling to his skin.

He slowly stumbled along with Oliver, gaze on the ground. Breathing heavily, feeling weak in his very being. He could barely hold onto Oliver’s hand.
“Oli…”. Markus collapsed.

googleoliver:

emptynarration:

Markus was more than happy to be on land again. He hated being on ships, it scared him immensely. Being on land made him feel a lot safer already, and he was glad he was able to hold onto Oliver’s hand.

“Let’s..”, he agreed and nodded lightly. A doctor would hopefully be able to help him, and make sure he’d be healthy again sooner rather than later. He didn’t feel too well walking around, but he tried his best. He just needed a little more time, walking slowly. He’d tell Oliver if he felt like he couldn’t go on.

The harbour was unfamiliar to him, larger than the one that he had left from. A market sat in front of them. He hoped that he could buy a map there, as well as some kind of food to last them a few days at least. He wasn’t quite sure when the next market or other chance to get food would be.

“I’m not quite sure where we are… but once we get further into the town, there should be a doctors.”, he admitted, holding onto Markus while he led him through the small crowds towards the market.

Markus hummed lightly, nodding. He held tightly onto Oliver’s hand as they were surrounded by people, not liking it. Too many colours and shapes, he couldn’t make out a lot in this chaos. For him, this was as good as being blind, he wouldn’t be able to get around by himself here.

“Oliver?..”, Markus spoke up after a while of walking through the market. He felt woozy, and breathing was hard, and it was pretty obvious to anyone looking at him he was sick.
“I.. I don’t.. feel too good..”, he mumbled. He felt ready to collapse if he was honest, but he could still keep himself up. But he was mostly stumbling along than walking.

Markus was more than happy to be on land again. He hated being on ships, it scared him immensely. Being on land made him feel a lot safer already, and he was glad he was able to hold onto Oliver’s hand.

“Let’s..”, he agreed and nodded lightly. A doctor would hopefully be able to help him, and make sure he’d be healthy again sooner rather than later. He didn’t feel too well walking around, but he tried his best. He just needed a little more time, walking slowly. He’d tell Oliver if he felt like he couldn’t go on.