August sighed as he settled back down into the lumpy blanket he had stolen. The room smelled musty and damp, and the walls were coated in a thick layer of dust. He did not feel any more at ease hidden away here than he did out on the streets - with a stash as big as what he had stolen, he would be found sooner or later. He had to move. Fast.
He sighed and buried his face in his hands. No matter how much he stole, it never seemed to add up to much after travelling. He would never be able to buy a ship at this rate.
He had chosen a quiet seaside town to hide in this time. He had hidden himself away in one of the small abandoned houses in the slums of the town, hoping that nobody would bother him. He had nothing but a sack full of gold and jewels and a meagre selection of clothes to shuffle through in case he got recognised. He had learned much from days on the run. He avoided staying anywhere for too long, always avoiding conversations in case someone remembered him. What he did with the two old men was far too risky.
He changed his cloak from the old blue one to a much newer red one. He combed his fingers through his hair in an attempt to tame it, and used the bucket of rainwater he had collected from the day before to clean his face. He wanted to look the part of a spoiled son with too much money in order to pull this off. He adorned himself with some of the jewels from the bag - a gold chain studded with blue gemstones, and several rings set with pearls and quartz.
August had to find a way off the island that he was on, and then he could find a way to get back to his kingdom. And that meant buying a ship of some sort, or buying his way on to one. He knew that it was somewhat commonplace for the middle and higher class of Xandon to own ships, even for people in quieter areas like the one he was in. It was the main mode of transport here, since it was an island nation made up of hundreds of small islands. August's aim was to find a ship that was powered by the sun, so that he would not have to make stops to refuel it.
It was dangerous, but he had to try. For the past months, since he had left, the guilt ate him alive whenever he tried to sleep. He had left something important behind. It was time to go get it back. August wondered if she would ever forgive him for leaving. He shook his head as if to shake the thought from his mind. He couldn't afford to let his worries weigh him down. Not at a time like this.
He gathered his money into a bag, hiding it beneath his cloak. He kept a smaller amount of gold in a separate bag - a high-quality linen one that he had stolen from a wealthy lady. He added what he thought would be enough for a ship, and then some more just for good measure. August collected everything else he couldn't carry with him into a small pile and set it on fire, just to make sure he left no evidence behind. If his father was still seeking him out after all these weeks, August had to make sure there was no chance he could find him. There was nothing he dreaded more than being stuck with his father again. Something told him that his father hadn't given up on looking for him despite all the time that had passed. But of course, he had been so sheltered away and hidden from the rest of the world that his father couldn't make the search for August public. They were locked in a strange dance, running and searching, both in secrecy.
When August finally left the old building, the sun had almost fully set. August found it strange that the air in this country stayed humid and warm despite the fact that it was night time. He was used to the comfortable coolness seeping into his skin as the night went on, the heat from his body being slowly drawn out. He felt far from home, but it was no longer his home. It was his birthplace, but it had never really been his home.
He walked through the neighbourhood of abandoned buildings - old, rotting, wooden buildings where the orphaned children ran around, attempting scavenge whatever food they could find. As he passed by, they looked at him with weary eyes and he felt an unlikely kinship with them. He knew he had more in common with these lost children than he did with the wealthy people of this country. He occasionally stopped to hand them a few gold coins, pitying their emaciated bodies.
He made his way down to the harbour, where the bazaar was just beginning to get busy. He saw vendors setting up their stalls of exotic fruits, rare trinkets, weapons, and much more - but he wasn't interested in any of those. He just wanted to find a way out. August was, by habit, very aware of everyone around him. He looked for exits and escape routes in case of any trouble, sizing up whoever passed by. He looked out for any guards as well, both royal and personal ones. It seemed relatively safe, but he knew better than to get too comfortable. He had learned the hard way.
He slowly walked by a man sitting by the water, with a few ships tied to the post near him. August did his best to look unimpressed and uninterested as he walked by. He was wearing a loosely-fitted robe and turban. He watched August carefully as he passed by.
"Young man!" The man at the dock called out to him. August could have leaped for joy - he clearly appeared an easy, rich target. He stayed quiet, and slowly turned. August looked at the man, hiding his emotions with ease.
"Would you be interested in purchasing - "
"No," Someone else cut in. Someone who had somehow snuck up behind August without him realising, August turned as fast as he could, hand reaching to where he had hidden his knife. He faltered when he saw that the person was a girl that was probably no older than he was. She wore a well-made white robe and hood which hid most of her features. Although this sort of attire was not uncommon here, the paleness of her skin gave her away. She was not a local. He hesitated, wondering what she might want from him. His blood ran cold as the possibilities ran through his mind. An assassin - sent by his father? Impossible, there was no way his father knew he was here. Perhaps the daughter of a rich man he had stolen from? Much more likely, but it still did not explain anything. Perhaps it was just a random girl trying to rile him up -
He froze as the girl stepped closer and put an arm around his shoulder. "Relax. I'm not here to kill you." She whispered.
It took August all the patience that he had not to shove the stranger in the water.
"August, right? I've been looking for you." She said.
August's heart almost beat out of his chest as he planned a way to get out of the situation. No-one should know his name - he had been careful enough not to let that slip since he started his journey. The only one that could have possibly sent this person must be his father.
August's eyes darted around. The man selling ships looked at them with curiosity at first but quickly moved on to the next customers. The bazaar was slowly getting more and more crowded now. If August had to fight the girl here, it would attract far too much attention. He had to find a way to run without looking like he was being chased, perhaps ducking behind a stall or into one of the alleys -
"Would you please stop trying to think of ways to run away? I already said I'm not here to kill you." She spoke again, her voice smooth and calm.
"Who are you?" August finally asked.
The girl looked annoyed. "I was going to get to that. But I need you to come with me first."
"Like hell I would." August said, stepping away. "I don't have time for this."
The girl sighed. "I was hoping it wouldn't come to this point."
"What?" August did not have time to process what she had just said. He felt a sharp, stinging pain in the side of his neck, and his vision began fading away. "wait," he started saying.
It was no use. He couldn't do anything as his consciousness slipped away and his body went limp.