Request: A Perfect Oasis (JackRabbit)(Arabian AU)

Jack panted as he took another sip from his water bottle. He swished the contents inside as he removed it from his lips, discovering that the bottle was almost empty. He looked in all directions around him, finding nothing other than miles of sand, footprints, and the camel that he had with him. He knew he would need to find water soon or he would be in a lot of trouble, but after three days of aimlessly walking he was starting to give up hope. He was barely keeping panic at bay.

Jack didn’t even know how he had gotten to this desert. He had been awoken by his camel friend but he had no memories of anything before that. The only thing he knew was that his name was Jack, and he had learned over the past few days that he hated the heat with a passion. Perhaps after this ordeal was over he’d move to Siberia. Or Canada.

The sweat dripped down his brow and Jack had to force himself not to take another sip of water. He knew he needed to ration it, to only drink enough to survive until he could find more. He had already wasted a little bit back at the mirage he had seen near the beginning of his trek. He wiped it with his sleeve and kept walking.

Jack could feel his legs getting sorer and sorer with every step. The sun was still high in the sky, indicating it was only afternoon, but after several days of non-stop walking it got tiring. He finally decided that he needed to stop, so he rested in the small shaded area behind a sand dune.

Looking out into the horizon, Jack saw nothing. He wasn’t expecting to see anything, but it would’ve been an amazing lift to his spirit. He looked to his right and was about to look back, but something in the sand caught his eye. His camel had lay down at this point, so he wasn’t followed when he got up to inspect.

As Jack got closer, he got more and more excited. He had a suspicion and the closer he got the more and more it was confirmed, but he didn’t want to celebrate anything until he was sure it wasn’t just another mirage. Sure enough when he got to the section of sand he had been eyeing and touched it, a massive smile broke across his face. They were footprints, and they weren’t his.

Jack jumped up and down a few times before thinking better of it. He stopped to conserve his energy, examining the footprints in the sand once more. Jack knew that these very impressions in the ground may be his saving grace given the harsh climate. The footprints were small, indicating that they belonged to someone of a young age. They came out to the point where he was standing before stopping and turning around, headed back in the same direction. Jack figured that some kid must’ve gotten adventurous and gone exploring, turning back at this point. But if that was the case, that meant that there was most likely a town or city nearby, and Jack could get more water there.

Jack pulled the reins on his camel, causing his companion to lift to his feet and follow. Jack forgot all about his sore feet and marched on, the adrenaline pushing him further and faster. He still took all of this with a grain of salt, knowing that he could be wrong about the whole situation, but it was still better than anything he had discovered in days.

Sadly, that feeling came crashing down around nightfall. He still hadn’t reached the town, but at least he could still follow the footsteps. He could only wonder just how far out of the town the explorer had gone, clearly not as little as Jack had originally supposed, but he knew that he had to call it a day eventually. He took his sleeping bag, another item he was grateful to have had when he woke up, and laid it on the sand. He opened his water bottle once more and took another sip before a wave of panic set in; he had just taken the last sip of water he had. Jack lay down in his makeshift bed and went to sleep, praying that the town wasn’t too far away when he woke up.

...

When Jack awoke in the morning he practically sucked every last drop of water out of his canteen. He placed it in the bag his camel was carrying and continued following the footsteps, but he still subconsciously raised his hand to his mouth occasionally.

The walk continued for several hours, and Jack was starting to go crazy. He had a headache and with the temperatures he was sure that he was starting to dehydrate. He glanced at the sand dune that rested in front of him and gave it a malicious glare, knowing that over would be far faster and would allow him to continue following the footprints, but it would take far more energy than going around. He decided to go over, and when he got to the top he nearly fell to his knees. He had arrived.

Stretched out in front of him was an impressively sized city, and he could hear the sounds even from his distance. It was surrounded by a wall, but he could see an entrance through it. He practically ran, tiredness and dehydration thrown to the wind.

As he moved he looked right and stopped dead in his tracks. There, a few hundred metres over from the entrance, was a large body of water. He was concerned it was a mirage, but he saw people swimming in it and he could hear one of them laugh and scream happily. He decided that even if the water was a mirage the city most definitely was not. He was close enough that having to backtrack would be no big deal.

Jack took off in a sprint, sore legs and parched mouth be damned. He wanted to get to that water and he wanted to get there immediately. He was only a couple dozen metres away when he was suddenly jerked to a stop, the people frolicking in the water still not having seen Jack approaching. The guards, on the other hand, had.

Jack put up a fight, but in his weakened state he knew that it was useless. The guards were much bigger and stronger, and considering Jack was already extremely skinny that wasn’t very hard to do in the first place. His struggle did, however, manage to catch the attention of those in the water.

There were three people in the water. The first was a large man with impressive muscles and grey hair, but Jack could tell it was not due to advanced age. He had tattoos on his left arm from what Jack could see. The second man had a similar physique, except he had no tattoos and his hair was much longer and jet black. He was holding the third male, a boy with medium length brown hair. He was nearly as tall and had lean muscles of his own, however he was smaller than the man he appeared to be half hugging half holding.

“Your majesty?” One of the guards questioned simply, and all eyes turned to the male with grey hair. He paused for a moment, an undiscernible expression on his face, before he finally spoke.

“Put him in a cell until I am ready. Give him water and food. His camel too.” It was said in an accent that Jack had never heard before, or at least not that he had remembered.

Jack had no time to respond before he was being dragged away. He realized that his camel had caught up to him, and one of the guards grabbed the reins to lead him along with them. They were dragged through the city for a few moments, many citizens stopping to stare. A few whispered just loud enough for Jack to hear, yet none of them had the same accent as the grey haired man. That made Jack wonder, but not for long. He was too busy being preoccupied with concern as to where they would take him. He was hoping that the orders given would be followed, seeing as that would mean he would at least be alive for another few hours and he would finally get some more water.

When his mind switched to water, Jack realized that the city miraculously had an abundance of it. There were countless fountains and wells, the people frolicking around them. He supposed that was why the city had formed there in the first place.

A few moments later and they entered the palace. On the outside it was nothing much, a plain beige building albeit a little larger than the rest, but the inside was magnificent. It was decorated with intricate mosaics made of stone, the floors were marble, and the ceilings were extremely detailed stonework. His camel was led another direction by one of the guards while the other turned a corner with Jack and brought him down a long flight of stairs. At the bottom was a row of cells, of which Jack was thrown into the first. Jack was about to run up to the guard and demand to know what was going on, but before he could the guard pushed a button and some water flowed into the basin into the corner. Jack decided that his thirst was a little more important at the moment.

...

True to the king’s word Jack was brought food soon after he was left in the cell. He was also granted a little more water, which made Jack extremely happy. He didn’t need to drink it nearly as fast in the cool environment, but he was glad to have it after so long on ration.

It had maybe been three hours when there was more activity, but this time it was not the guard as Jack had been expecting. It wasn’t even an advisor; it was the king himself. Jack wasn’t sure what he was expected to do or what the custom was in this kingdom, but he did stand from his seated position in the corner. Both parties were silent for a moment or so, Jack not wanting to say anything and risk punishment while the king appeared to be in thought. Jack felt extremely scrutinized under his gaze, but it didn’t seem malicious. Regardless, it did cause him to subconsciously curl in on himself.

“I am Aster,” the man introduced finally, and Jack noted the lack of prefix attached to the name.

“Jack,” he introduced.

“What is your business here, Jack?”

“I woke up in the desert with no memories and my camel. I’ve been wandering for days; this was the first settlement I came across.”

“You have no idea who you are or where you’re from?”

“The only thing I know is that my name is Jack and you have me imprisoned,” Jack said, and he immediately regretted that last part. The king raised an eyebrow at the toxic tone at the end of Jack’s statement, but he brushed it off. It was understandable given the entirety of his present situation.

“You are here because it is an offense to go near the king’s pond without explicit permission.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know that. I was just very tired and thirsty after my journey. If you would be kind enough to give me some water and point me to the next town I will gladly be on my way.”

“Water is precious in these parts,” the king said, yet he did press the button to give Jack a little more water. “We cannot part with it so easily. If we did, we might have too many people come looking for it.”

Jack was not granted the opportunity to say anything further as the man walked away as soon as he was done speaking.

...

“So, what did he say?” Toothless asked as Aster came up from the dungeons and into the throne room. He sat a pile of cushions just to the left, with him his ‘servant’ Hiccup. The title was only there to allow Hiccup to go wherever Toothless went without question. Aster knew that Toothless loved Hiccup and the boy had been nothing but faithful; the empty title had just been the easiest way to grant Hiccup the same courtesies he had granted Toothless. Toothless had been a childhood friend of Aster’s, even though he had always run out of the palace secretly to see him and never told him he was in line for the throne. They had remained faithful friends for years, and when Toothless found out Aster was the heir he wasn’t upset he was never told. It was for that loyalty to the friendship that Aster had kept Toothless close to him. He knew for sure that if he could trust anyone, it was Toothless.

“He has amnesia. He woke up the in the middle of the desert knowing only his name and only with his camel companion. He has been wandering for days, and this is the first city he came across.”

“And you believed him?”

“Well at the rate he has been drinking water I am. He is rather thirsty and it doesn’t look like he’s had much to eat.”

“Regardless, why haven’t you sent him off like the rest who come looking for water? They’ve all been denied, why is he any different?”

“Perhaps because Aster has other feelings for the boy?” Hiccup contributed. This caused Toothless to laugh slightly.

“You believe so?” he asked, and when he saw a light shade of pink receding from Aster’s face he knew Hiccup was correct. “Oh Aster, fallen for a wayward traveller?”

“Oh Toothless, fallen for a beggar boy?” Aster retorted, and the pair laughed. While it was true that Hiccup had been an orphaned beggar before Toothless had fallen for him, Hiccup had no problem admitting that that was his past. He knew he was beyond it now and fortunately it had become a source of entertainment rather than a source of woe.

“Regardless, what are you going to do?”

Aster took just a moment to think before he said, “I know exactly what I am going to do.” Hiccup and Toothless just looked at each other as Aster returned to the stairs down.

Aster took a deep breath before he turned the corner and faced Jack once more. This time the white haired male remained sitting, but Aster chose not to comment on what would normally be considered disrespect. Perhaps he was more smitten with the travelling stranger than he had thought.

“So, back to spout more mysterious riddles?” Jack remarked before Aster even had a chance to speak. Again he managed to hold his tongue.

“Tell me, if we were to release you, where would you go? You are a lost traveller with no destination. You had a hard journey here, are you just going to repeat the process again?”

“What choice do I have? Obviously I’m not welcome here; perhaps the next city will welcome me.”

“What gives you the impression that you’re not welcome here?” Aster regretted it as soon as he’d said it, and the look Jack gave him only made him feel all the stupider.

“I don’t know, perhaps the fact that your guards took me away, locked me in a cell, and you’ve been nothing but cryptic?”

“Fair enough I suppose. I’m here to make you an offer.” Aster waited for a response but when none was forthcoming, he continued. “I am giving you two options. The first is that I will refill your water bottle and return your camel before sending you on your way. I will gladly point you in the direction of the nearest settlement. Option two is that I allow you to stay. You’ll be welcomed into my kingdom; however I will require you to take a job here in the palace so that I can keep an eye on you. I’ll give you some time to think…”

“I’ll take the job,” Jack interrupted, jumping up almost instantly. Aster smiled.

“Excellent. I’ll have the guards come and let you out of this cell. They’ll get you some clothes and prepare you for dinner tonight. They’ll also show you your new quarters.  As a new subject from a foreign place you’ll be joining my closest associates and me for dinner tonight.”

Aster left before Jack could say anything further, and as he returned up the stairs he heard the shuffling of feet. He spoke to the guard at the top before returning to the throne room, finding Toothless and Hiccup almost exactly where he had left them. Almost.

“I know you two were listening in,” he said cooly as he walked back to his throne. The boys looked at each other but he decided to just explain. “I heard your feet shuffling and I know you two have an insatiable appetite for things like this.”

“Like what?” Toothless asked, clearly still trying to play innocent. The look on Hiccup’s face clearly indicated that he knew better.

“Like anything or anyone I become interested in. Come on Toothless I’ve known you how long? I can read you like a book.”

Toothless finally conceded, saying, “Well I guess we’d better start preparing for dinner then.”

...

As soon as Aster left Jack bolted for the water fountain in his cell. While Aster had seemed genuine he couldn’t be 100% sure, and he wanted to make sure he took in as much water as he could while he could. He lifted his head from the bowl when he heard the guard draw close, regaining his composure right as the guard rounded the corner.

True to Aster’s word he was led to the seamstress where new clothes were prepared for him, after which he was led to his new home in the palace. Jack would be lying if he said he hadn’t thought that this was too good to be true, or that perhaps he had made the wrong choice. He hadn’t given it much thought and he had answered extremely quickly. But then his mind would remind him that it was either this or wandering the desert once more.

His room was small, housing a simple bed and a table. He discovered he had a private bathroom, a luxury that he very much appreciated. He only had a short time in his room before he was summoned, not realizing just how late it actually was.

As Jack was led down the corridors of the palace, he noticed a stark difference between himself and the person leading him. Jack’s clothes were much more colourful, more decorated, and just plain nicer. This wasn’t just because they were new, but they were clearly made from a better material.

Jack was delivered to the dining room and his jaw nearly dropped. The table was long and made of solid wood, surrounded by four ornate chairs. There was one at the head, one on one side, and two on the other side. The ceiling had an amazingly detailed sky painted on it, and the large windows displayed both the surrounding city and the vast expanse of desert. Even the king’s pond was partially visible.

Jack was still staring out the window when he heard the doors open once more. He turned to find Aster and the two that were in the pond standing in the entry, all looking at him. The other two moved to the table, taking the seats that were side by side. The larger one sat closer to the head of the table, and Aster sat at the head. Jack took the last remaining seat before Aster spoke up.

“Jack, this is my closest advisor Toothless and his assistant Hiccup.” The pair gave a respectful nod which Jack returned. Pleasant conversation was made as dinner was served, topics ranging from the palace to the operation of the kingdom to the desert. Over time Jack observed not only Aster but Toothless and Hiccup, and he made the deduction that Hiccup was far more than an assistant. The body language for that kind of relationship was all wrong. Eventually Jack moved on from that and needed to ask the burning question he had been holding in for what felt like forever.

“So, what exactly am I going to be doing at the palace?” Jack inquired.

“I’ve been in need of a personal assistant for quite some time,” Aster said, and Jack decided to keep his comment to himself.

“And what will that involve?”

“Simple favours, running errands, stuff like that,” Aster explained, interrupted when the next course was being served. Dinner continued but there was no further discussion of the job. When they finished everyone except Jack stood, and Aster had to remember to clarify.

“After dinner we always all head out to the pond again. It’s become kind of like a tradition of ours. You are welcome to join this time, and from now on. There should be appropriate clothing in your chambers. We’ll meet you there soon.”

Jack followed the others out, fortunately remembering the way back to his room when he left the others. Granted there were several people he could have asked along the way, but he would’ve felt odd doing so since he didn’t know anyone yet. When he returned to his room he did indeed find swimming attire on his bed as well as all of his possessions on his table. He supposed someone had delivered them from his camel. He decided that he should hurry to the pond rather than go through them all, not wanting to keep Aster waiting. Plus he really wanted that swim. The palace may have been cooler than the outside, but he really needed to cool off.

When he arrived at the pond the others were already there and in the water. Aster greeted him with a smile, and Jack immediately felt self-conscious about his body. Last time he had been there they had all been in deeper water, but now he could see all of their torsos. Aster and Toothless each had a good amount of muscle on them, and even Hiccup had more muscle than Jack. Jack had muscle but it was lean and small in comparison. He got into the water quickly but he could still feel Aster’s lingering gaze on him even as they all went into the deeper water. He looked over at Hiccup and Toothless a couple dozen metres away, and he was definitely sure that Hiccup was more than an assistant. Assistants didn’t normally hug or look into each other’s eyes or share a chaste kiss, or at least that was not the kind of behaviour that Jack would expect. As he looked away he found Aster swimming up behind him.

“I didn’t get to ask you at dinner, are your quarters suitable?”

“They are,” Jack agreed, letting his feet lift off the sand and laying on his back. He kept his ears above water in order to be able to hear what Aster had to say should he continue.

“And you think that you are up for the job of being my assistant?”

“Now that depends,” Jack said, returning his feet to the sandy bottom so that he stood upright once more. He was approximately two metres away from Aster at that point. “Is this the normal kind of assistant as you described to me,” Jack started, cutting the distance between them in half. “Or is it that kind?” he asked as he motioned over to Hiccup and Toothless, Toothless currently swinging Hiccup around in his arms.

“That depends,” Aster said, nearly closing the distance between them. “Which would you prefer?” Jack had to admit, he had been playing this off as a joke in case it hadn’t worked. In fact, he had expected it not to. But Aster looked like he was far from joking.

“I think I like the latter,” Jack said with a coy smile.

“Well then,” Aster said as he wrapped an arm around Jack under the water and pulled him in the rest of the way to his own body. “You’re hired.”