Grey

Royal Realm (3)

Inside a small, slightly cramped building, Michael Haggi takes a few deep breaths and awaits death and/or being found.
Life sucks. Is all Michael Haggi can think as he takes another deep breath and holds it.
"I swear he came this way!" He hears a Guardsman say as they dash past his hiding place. At this exact moment Michael Haggi is hiding in a building in the village of the Bread-Bearers wishing he were anywhere else.
The Bread-Bearers village isn't widely known of, most people don't see it, it's very small and only three miles west of the Milk-Makers village.You know, where he actually needs to be.
Now why is he hiding here? Because his father sent guards after him, because he might die, and because he needed to rest after running a few hundred miles.
This kid has stamina.
At the moment his black hair is falling into his face in the least attractive way, his cyan eyes are watering because sand is blowing into his face, his red lips are chapped and his mocha skin is slightly moist and cool to the touch.
After a while he gasps having held his breath for two and a half minutes, and peaks outside to make sure the guards are gone, in which case they are. But knowing his father they are either patrolling or they've gone to the Milk-Maker village. So he shakes his head and falls asleep in the darkest corner of the building and waits for morning.
When morning comes he is already tearing it though the sand to the Milk-Makers village. Once he arrives, he sees a girl sliding down the slope into the village, a golden paged book in hand.
"Keith!" Michael Haggi calls, licking his lips so they become less chapped, it is easier to yell that way. "Keeeeith!"
Keith perks up and wiggles from Riley Fitzworths grasp and rolls through the village and up the hill.
"You little... really man?" Riley Fitzworth asks, walking back up the slope.
Once to the top of the slope, Michael Haggi and Riley Fitzworth lock eyes... and then they start screaming. For no reason other than Micheal Haggi was surprised and his scream scared Riley Fitzworth.
Loki! Keith screams. Keep it down! Y'all are loud! The Bread-Bearers can probably hear you! And take it from me when I say lion creatures have horrible hearing.
"Now is not the time." Michael Haggi speed talks, picking Keith up and dusting off his warning.
Thank you. Now, are you ready to give Riley the word Michael?
"Yes, but we'll need to do it quickly." Michael Haggi says, continuing to speed talk. "Listen, my father's men are after me, I'll probably die, just saying, and if he catches me he'll kill me and Yvette and burn you and hang the girl and-" he takes a long deep breath then finishes saying, "-please come here girl."
"My name's Riley Fitzworth." She says bowing and rolling her eyes. Then she starts to walk over to Michael Haggi. He then whispers the word into her ear, she nods and hugs Michael Haggi. But then, something hits her. Like not a brick or anything, but an idea instead. "What if you came with us? For a little bit."
Michael Haggi nods happily but if Keith had a face he'd be frowning, feeling utterly betrayed.

•••

"Are you sure I can do this?" Riley Fitzworth asks Keith, setting him delicately in her lap. "I mean I'm no warrior or anything."
Then I'll have to make you one. Keith smiles sadly.
"Okay then." Riley Fitzworth then lets out a shaky breath and whispers the word to Keith.
He opens in a burst of light, right now it's night time, by now many stars are out, the moon is waning, they have a small fire going and Michael Haggi is out somewhere in the woods that were on the edge of the desert gathering wood.
From the pages of the book blue light starts to morph into a boy about Riley's age. He sits criss-cross applesauce on the book, which is now floating mid-air.
The blue boy smiles and puts out a hand, allowing his fringe to fall into his left eye. The name is Keith.