Journey to a Better End (An Add x Ara Story)

Chapter 16

So I've been almost fighting my word limit these past few chapters so what would you guys say if I increase it just a bit more?
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        The first thing Add noticed was that all of the guards were gone and the second thing he noticed was that General Astrin was heading towards Chung who had his back turned to him. Chung was sitting on the middle of the floor with his knees pulled up to his chest and face hidden in his arms. Soft crying could be heard coming from the boy which was another reason Chung probably didn't notice Astrin sneaking up on him. The general stopped in his tracks when Add appeared and Chung looked up to meet Add's eyes.

        In that instant, Astrin disappeared in a slight shimmer of light, likely one of his abilities as a mage. "What do you want? Did my father send you to try and become my friend and make me come back to dinner?" Chung asked with a bit of hostility in his voice, completely oblivious to Astrin's former presence. "No, actually. I came here on my own because I wanted to help you...unless you want me to leave you alone here. Where are the guards anyway? Shouldn't they be out here?" Add said as he looked around to make sure Astrin didn't come back.

        He didn't know what the general wanted with Chung but it couldn't have been anything good. "I told them all to leave. The king gives me and my father certain levels of authority that I sometimes abuse," Chung muttered as he stood up. "Hey, where are you going? I'm not done talking to you," Add said in annoyance as Chung walked away. "Whatever it is you have to say, I don't want to hear it. I don't want your pity. You're supposedly a criminal anyway so you would care less than all of the other people who already don't care," Chung said as he continued to walk away.

        "Then I guess you've proven me right. You're a useless, sickly, pathetic little brat that doesn't deserve the king's attention and will never come close to living up to your father's legacy," Add said. Chung immediately turned around to face him, a look of shock and heartbreak on his face. He even seemed to be about to cry upon hearing those words. "Well, that's what you wanted me to say right? That's what everyone else pretty much says isn't it? I'm sure you're pitied and looked down on all of the time aren't you. Listen, I'm not here to do that. I think I understand whatever it is that your feeling in a way. Why don't we head somewhere and talk," Add said with the intent to actually help Chung but to also have an excuse to be away from the king.

        "But why? Why do you care when everyone else doesn't? You don't even know me," Chung said, more tears forming at the edges of his eyes. "I guess you could say that I care but I happen to hate dysfunctional family relationships. Your father is doing what he think is the best for you and it isn't really working for you, now is it? I could tell you that I get what your going through but that wouldn't exactly be the truth. You're going to need to tell someone your thoughts or else they'll consume you from the inside out," Add said as he stepped onto his dynamos and floated toward Chung.

        The boy blinked a couple of times before beginning to speak. "We don't have to go anywhere. I don't want my father to trouble you if I take you too far plus the guards are all gone. I sort of yelled at them a bit," Chung said as he sat back down on the floor. "Well then. There's a start. You have anger problems but you respect your father so much that you prefer to keep it bottled up inside you. Go ahead. Elaborate a bit. I want to know everything you think about everyone," Add said as he sat on his dynamos just above the floor. He didn't want any dust or dirt to touch his newly washed clothes.

        "Well...you already know that I'm sick and all. You apparently also know that everyone treats me so differently because of it. All of those looks of pity, they really bother me. And they're always thinking, 'that poor child is never going to get any better. He'll always be left in his father's shadow'...either that or they tell me how useless I am. I never tell my father because I don't want him to worry but it's not like they're wrong. I really do suck. I wish I could be better, stronger, healthier even but no matter what they do to help me, it never works. Even Hamel's Fountain of Healing could do nothing for me," Chung started off.