Saconia

"Which one, Zozo?" Young Khani peeked around the corner of a building, staring into the passing crowds of people through the market place.

"The fat one looking at the fabrics." Zoka looked over her shoulder, gesturing lightly with his head. It didn't take long for Khani's eyes to pick out the victim.

"I see why," she smiled, speaking of the pouch hanging loosely off his belt. This was too easy for these two, who's daily entertainment depended on men like that. She looked over to Zoka, who wrapped a piece of black cloth around the lower half of his face so that no one would recognize him. And, given the chill of the weather, no one would think twice of his look.

She skipped forward with a light-hearted look. It was easy, her being a thin girl, light skinned, light haired, and light eyed. She was the stereotype in beautiful young women. He followed closely behind, a great contrast. He had black hair, slightly tanned skin, and reddish brown eyes, obviously a much darker figure.

"Oh, these are so beautiful!" Khani stepped up next to the large man, observing the same fabrics as him. The man smiled, nodding in agreement as she went on, having no trouble keeping his attention. Zoka stepped up as well, appearing as one briefly glancing over the stall, and then stepped away. Just a few moments later, to avoid even the slightest suspicion, Khani flawlessly excused herself with a polite semi-curtsy and skipped away. Just that quickly, the man had no clue what just occurred.

Back in their secluded alley, they opened the pouch to see what the two of them gained- or rather, to see what Zoka was giving the girl. Not that either of them truly needed the spoils.

"Thirty leaves, and eight coins. Not bad." He smiled, pulling the black cloth off his face. She was happier than he. With a gain like this, they could relax for a week, not that they would.

"I wonder how long it will take for this one to notice." She held up one of the light green leaves, flicking it lightly.

"However long it's been since you stole it until I return the pouch." And just like that, the fun was over.

Both of them were startled to look up and find a stern man staring at them, hand held out. Zoka groaned at the man, who simply raised an eyebrow in return.

"I will not repeat myself."

Reluctantly, the young man handed the pouch over and the young lady gave up the leaf she held. "Now, show me the victim." Khani did that, directing their unwanted guest to the still clueless man they'd stolen from. Zoka grumbled as their guest tactfully returned the property, saying simply that it had fallen off the man's belt.

"How did he find us?" Khani whispered so that no one could possibly overhear. Zoka just shook his head. That man appeared and disappeared in a way that was frustratingly hard to figure out, even for the talented duo.

"I am getting very tired of this, prince," the man glared at Zoka as he returned.

"Then you don't have to follow me around, Hemo," the prince replied simply.

"But I do." Hemo's slate blue eyes narrowed. "The King would have my head if anything happened to you." He turned to Khani. "Shoo before I finally decide to let your father know what you busy yourself with during the days." Hemo's tone was never kind when he was dealing with these two on the streets. Immediately the girl nodded, looking to Zoka before running off.

Hemo Jareyh was specifically assigned by Zoka's older brother, King Bradon, to keep a close eye on the prince. He was a guard, but Hemo saw himself as a babysitter. And he hated it. His opinions were clearly voiced to a high circle of knights and the Royal family, as they all were rather close, but his opinion would never change anything. Bradon was ensuring that Zoka wouldn't become another Neehey, since he was a perfect mix of his older brothers.

Neehey was the second boy of the four Saconian heirs, twin to the princess, who loathed his lot in life. Eventually he disappeared without a trace. After a long and tiresome search, all of Saconia believed he was dead, a tragedy to the kingdom, but the King knew better. He knew Neehey had run away from his life as a prince to God knows where.

Zoka had taken up the street-rat hobbies that Neehey had become known for, but Zoka made sure no one would recognize him. Anyone who lived in the Royal City knew that the young prince was anti-social, as he preferred them to believe.

"Come," Hemo snorted after Khani disappeared down the road, leading him through the alleys and small streets the both of them knew all too well. He'd never admit it to the seventeen year old, but he was notorious on the same streets when he was his age and younger, for the same reasons. Due to that fact, he didn't hate his assignment as much as he lead on, as he felt slightly nostalgic, but the diminishment of discontent wasn't enough to count. His lot in life was for Saconia, not for keeping the prince away from a life of thievery.

"I know you hate this position," Zoka spoke, staring at the back of Hemo's head, childish disappointment laced the young man's voice. Hemo didn't respond to him. "And you and I both know you need not follow me around the city. No one has recognized me to date."

"And even if they completely saw you, they wouldn't recognize you," the guard finished the prince's thought. "However, you and I both know that is not why your brother gave me this prestigious job."

"Bradon has no faith in me. I'm not like Neehey in the slightest - well, aside from our hobbies..." Zoka sped to Hemo's side. "Even still. Kzaean can keep eye on me. He'd be glad to."

Hemo raised an eyebrow, and even smirked. "Kzaean would leave you be, and possibly even pick out a victim once or twice for you."

A shadow covered them for the moment, a silhouette flying above them under the midday sun who had been listening to them and had never been far from Zoka. The shadow of his wings were much to long to be seen in the alley, but his long neck and tail (along with his body of course) were perfectly outlined as he passed then barreled around to return. There was a high hiss in the exact same moment, both Hemo and Zoka looking up.

"Is that not right, Dragon?" Hemo called up the large creature, amused by the sounds the dragon was making. He hovered above them for a second or two before placing his feet on the building to the right of them to walk alongside the two. He hissed again. "What did he say?" Hemo looked at Zoka, who chuckled.

"You're too old to understand the fun of my chosen skills." The prince smiled a bit, glad that Kzaean was on his side, though that was no surprise. It would have been a surprise if the dragon did not agree with him.

"You're older than me!" Hemo looked back up. Kzaean made a rumble as a reply to him, a high sound like the hiss tightly woven into the noise, while speaking to Zoka.

"And, at the same time, younger than me," Zoka interpreted.

"Just the same," Hemo rolled his eyes, "it's not proper for anyone, prince and street rat alike. Much less is it in Saconia's Royal City. I thought Alderan Dragons had a higher sense of standards for us? I thought that's why you chose Saconia. Because we are the least depraved of all the kingdoms?"

Kzaean made a noise and a movement that even Hemo could understand, the equivalent of a dragon's 'meh' and shrug. The Alderan Dragons only made themselves known to the people of Saconia and only properly spoke to a select few humans, all of whom were the Royal Family. Nine generations before, they'd started with the king of Saconia then, and a tradition grew through the years. That was that a dragon would attach itself to new members of the Royal Family. Kzaean decided he liked Zoka about a year or so after the prince was born, and so was the same with every member of the family.

Kzaean was a fiery color, burnt orange and yellow, with brown at his darkest points. The ridges above his eyes, and the ridge line that ran along his back and the beginning of his tail were his darkest points. In shadow, he looked simply dark orange. Only in the sunlight was the yellow visible, a glistening pearl sheen. He incidentally was the most open with humans outside the Saconian Heirs. He did not converse with them, but he played and let them know his mood, whereas nearly every other wouldn't given man, woman, or child much more than a cold shoulder or a snort. He was a fine dragon for the common folk.

Zzyvinan was the dragon that attached herself to King Bradon. She was very dark, a green so deep it was almost black. She was a beautiful site in sunlight, as was any dragon, with a bright green shine that would be visible when the sun made a glare off her scales. Zzyvinan, who Bradon calls Zyva, disapproves of the queen, Silmarien, and becomes very aloof and grumbly whenever the woman is mentioned. It amuses Bradon. He reasons with her that in time she'll grow to like her. After all, it took years for Zyva to decide that she wanted to be his friend. He was nearly a boy of ten!

Hzlor is the oddest dragon in Saconia. She was only as tall as the average man, was purple with dark blue lines zig-zagging across her body, and had green eyes that glowed at any hint of light. She chose Neelar, the son of Bradon. She had the personality of a young child, and was proud of how she stood out from other dragons. Due to her size, she was the only one ever known to live inside the castle. She never left young Neelar's side.

Dzaeran was the emerald green dragon of princess Hikani. As soon as she developed a personality, he chose her. He chose her because he foresaw the potential disputes that would arise between them, they both being very stubborn creatures at heart. He wasn't one to see satisfied with the typical peace he observed between dragons and their human friends. He found it boring and uninteresting. And they did, indeed, often get into heated arguments over many things, even minuscule subjects. Sometimes they would choose opposite sides just for the sake of an argument, though those were never serious and many times ended in jokes and laughs.

'He does have a point,' Kzaean looked at Zoka, hopping from one building to another. Zoka's jaw dropped.

"Turncoat!" He nearly shouted.

Hemo grinned. "I knew I always liked you, dragon."