Chapter Text
Shaking limbs drug heavily through the heavily coated snowy ground in a frantic attempt to place some distance between him as the creature but to no avail. It was simply far too big, easily bigger than an elephant at least. Uncertain breaths were ripped from the prince’s lungs, dissipating into the wind with a cloud of smoke from his lips.
The beast's appendages shook the very ground at the slightest movement. Sharp slits danced around surveying the surroundings of the pond whilst it kept itself situated above the prince until something in the distance caught its attention and, with a bellow, it shifted the black mass that made its body in that direction.
Briefly through the appendages shifting Bill could see two new figures, human in nature as far as he was aware. With this brief moment where the creature’s attention was not fixated on him he rushed to his feet and back towards the treeline where he felt the briefest bit safe as opposed to, well, right under the creature.
Voices echoed around him but his own heart beating in his ears due to the adrenaline made him unable to discern what he was hearing. He could gather letters here and there but none of it composed a sentence but he continued to watch intently nonetheless. What even was this thing?
His vision shook and blurred as the creature leapt at whatever stood on the other side of the pond, wisps and auras becoming apparent as the weight in his body seemed to begin to fade, and as his sight dissipated into darkness the last he heard was a thud.
Fire danced and crackled on a bed of wood at the corner of a dark room, the smell of herbs intoxicating the air but only just lulling the prince back into wakefulness in these strange surroundings. What happened? Where was he? With a gasp Bill rose sharply to a sitting position only for a sharp sting to surge through his torso winding him further. Not a great move. No matter, he needed to leav-
“He’s awake! Whoa there spark, settle down. Here, lean back.”
A large hand landed on his shoulder gently, guiding him back down to lean against a pillow that had been adjusted behind him. A gruff and burly man sat beside the sofa where he was laid down.
Feet tapped against the wood hurriedly over to the man’s side, a figure with long brown locks and another with short.
“How are ya feeling?” The man asked, voice raspy from age. One of the figures handed him a mug which he then led towards Bill’s face. “Here drink this, it’ll warm you up. Come on.”
Bill grasped the mug, gingerly taking a sip from the contaminants to find warm tea, a distinct taste of apple and cinnamon filled his mouth as he swallowed it down. The prince closed his eyes as he gently pulled the mug away from his lips to let out a sigh.
“Is he ok?”
“We shall see but for now he seems fine. Who’d you say he was again?”
“A uh…”
Another voice chimed in hurriedly to cover for the other. “The tailor’s son. Just some villager.”
“Hmmm.” The man seemed to hum unconvinced however accepting the excuse for the time being. “Dipper, go fetch him another pillow so he can sit up proper. Mabel, what in hell were you two doing out there? A snow storm is beginning and you drag yourself and your brother out into the middle of it?”
“Everything is fine, grunkle Stan, see? We are fine. I would never put us in trouble, you know that.”
A sigh slipped out of the man as he shook his head, heading out of the room into another room.
The figure with long hair, drew closer. She settled herself where the man once sat. Bill opened his eyes glancing over to the new figure. Mabel? That Mabel? So that meant…
“What’s up Cipher, you look like you’ve seen a ghost? Hmmm...what do you remember?” Mabel tilted her head, her hair cascading to the side with the motion. An uneasy smile rested on her lips.
“I, uh.” The prince took a second to think, shutting his eyes but his head drew a blank. Snow? “I was in the forest and there was something?” He furrowed his brows with precision as he tried to recollect his memories but nothing. With a huff he glanced back towards Mabel. “I...don’t really know. Uh, where am I Mabel?”
The twin seemed relieved for a brief moment before reaching a hand to scratch the back of her neck. “Ah, we are at our Grunkle’s place. Don’t worry it’s not too far from the castle. Oh and we found your horse!”
Blizzard! “Oh! Is she ok?”
Mabel laughed softly. “She is fine, a little spooked but she is fine. You went quite a ways away from her but Dipper assumed you would not have gone out into the forest without her.”
Steps emerged from the corner of the room, Dipper coming in with two pillows in his arms making a comment as he caught the end of what his twin had said. “Well you hardly expect royalty to just walk into the forest without bringing a way in or out.” He said plainly before offering the two pillows to Bill.
The blonde took one of them to place it behind him with a free hand as he kept the mug in his other. “Thank you.” He couldn’t help but smile. He got to see Dipper again. He took another sip of his tea allowing the aroma wash over him as he drank.
Seeing as the prince didn’t take the other pillow Dipper placed it by his feet, at the other end of the sofa before turning to Mabel. “Well?” A frown worried into his face but lasted no longer than a few minutes as his sister looked to him and shook her head. “Ok, good. Where has Grunkle Stan gone by the way? I need to go over the thing with him.”
The other twin’s eyes widened and she moved to whisper to her brother, too quiet for Bill to hear what was being said.
“No! I’m not that stupid, gods Mable give me some credit.” He shook his head. “Just tell me where he went.”
“He headed off towards the kitchen.” She nodded in the direction the old man had walked off in.
With a nod Dipper went off, leaving once again just Mabel and Bill in the room. It’s like he barely even acknowledged him there. The prince looked down at his tea with a downtrodden face.
“You should be ok to leave and head back to the castle soon. We found you face deep in the snow completely out so we had to give you a check.”
Oh right, Mabel and Dipper were physician apprentices. But then why had they brought him here than straight to town? Though to be fair, had they done so and had townspeople seen him in such a shape it was sure to get back to the palace in no time. This way at least most that would come out of it would be to be reprimanded for staying out alone. However didn’t he leave the castle with a guard?
“Hello? Earth to Cipher?” Bill shook his head, leaving his thoughts behind.
“Ah, yes. Thank you, that was very kind of you.”
Mable scoffed. “What else were we to do? Leave you outside to die of hypothermia?”
He did suppose it was a little silly but it was nonetheless kind of them to help. He was sure most would have simply taken the advantage to rob his body of his clothes and leave him to freeze. Bill couldn’t really say that isn’t what he would do were he faced with the same scenario. Not everyone was, well, as kind.
The moon hung heavy in the sky by the time Bill left what he would call a shack. He had spent most of the time speaking with Mabel as Dipper seemed much too busy with whatever else to entertain him. Not that it was his job truly, they’d already done him a favour by saving his life. It would be inopportune to ask for more than that.
Blizzard had been outside by a patch of grass and had near trampled Bill when she saw him, whining and snorting as she pressed her muzzle into his face. Despite everything however Bill still remained no closer to remembering what happened in the forest although he could feel he was missing something, like a cloud hanging over his head. One that spelled the end of times.
Bill shook the feeling away, riding Blizzard back towards the castle. He had other things to worry about...Mainly the reaction of his mother when he arrived so late during the hours of the night. Now that was far more concerning than any other end day prophecy.