DISCLAIMER: THIS WHOLE PROJECT IS DYSTOPIAN-esc IN NATURE AND THERE WILL BE TALKS OF VIOLENCE
Arthur and I sneak out of the palace often. We usually just need a little break, him from life as a statue that's good for photos, and me from living with the nobles. The fourth ring is the outermost portion of our society, which is designed like a pyramid. The higher up you go the more powerful the people. The 4th ring is made up of wealthy merchants, the 3rd of knights, the 2nd of nobles, and the 1st holds the Imperial Palace. I’ve always liked walking the Merchant Square, you never know what you’ll see.
“Isn’t this so much better than that stuffy palace? I hate it when people just watch me all the time. I just wanna be free. Also, the steam buns in this place are amazing. The palace chefs should really take notes.”
“Thinking with your stomach is the only thing you know how to do, isn't it Arthur ?”
Arthur laughs, “I’m just trying to enjoy myself. Loosen up a bit Arthur. You wanted to come here in the first place, so what do you want to do?”
“I...I don’t really know. I could buy a present for Charlotte, she is becoming emperor so it could be nice. But what would I buy the girl who literally has everything?”
“Nothing. You don’t buy her anything because you buy me something instead.”
“And why on earth would I do that?” I tease.
“Simple. Because I am your best friend and you love me and that brooch is my color.”
He’s really trying to charm me. I mean, it is working, but I wouldn’t tell him that.
“You’re rich, buy it yourself.”
“But it would mean so much more coming from you.” Arthur says pleadingly.
*Sigh*, “Fine.”
“YAY! That ring looks nice too.”
“Don't push it”
I look at him and he has the biggest smile on his face. If only I knew that that wouldn’t last.
After I buy the brooch we leave the store and we see a man, a man who looks like me, with chocolate brown skin and dark hair and green eyes. He’s lacking what I lack, that fundamental quality that most nobles possess. He’s not translucent enough.
“We should go Arthur '' I reach to grab his arm but doesn’t move. “Arthur...Arthur let's go.”
“No.”
“Why not? You know what's going to happen. This is nothing new. Arthur please can we go? Please?”
“No. We can’t. I may not be heir to the throne but I am still the prince of this kingdom. I need to be aware of what happens beyond the palace walls. I might be able to make some sort of difference. I know my sister doesn’t know.” He says sternly.
He’s not wrong. As heir to the throne, Charlotte has never left the palace. She has spent her entire life learning battle strategy and magic. She is a machine, never having any friends, any fun, but an Emperor doesn't need those. An emperor only needs to be perfect, and she was perfect. The most perfect machine.
Soon a group of knights approaches the man. They push him around at first. It looks like they’re talking to him, but I can’t hear what they're saying. I think my ears shut off in anticipation of what’s going to happen. It starts with the pushing, then the punching, then the cutting. Shallow cuts with their swords. Just shallow enough to cause pain and make him bleed, but not deep enough to grant a quick death. Then they laugh, it looks like. Of course, they’d laugh, after all, he was just a commoner. No one cares about him. He’s lesser than the pale people in the dome. He’s supposed to stay outside where he belongs. The only difference between him and me is that I’m next to the prince. As long as I’m in Arthur’s good graces no one will hurt me, not the prince’s friend.
The black man is just lying there now, screaming. No one cares. No one bats an eye, they just keep moving along. Why would they stop, after all, they wouldn’t want to touch someone like that. They’re used to it by now.
I can hear again. The man has stopped screaming and the knights are bored because their source of entertainment has died. The people are disgusted because a filthy man from the slums had the audacity to die here in the fourth circle, and around nobles no less.
The audacity of some people.
“Arthur, can we go now?” I say forcefully.
He has a blank look on his face. I can’t tell if he’s numb to these things too, or if they make him uncomfortable.
“Arthur?” I jolted him back to reality.
“Yes. We should head back anyway, the coronation will begin soon.
The walk back to the palace is an uncomfortable one. We walk the entire way in silence. Enter the palace in silence. Go to our rooms in complete silence. I wonder what he’s thinking about, not that he really has time to think. Tonight he has to be present enough to be the perfect child during Charlotte’s coronation.
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