Chapter Text
Dream
The Prince felt exhilarated. He soaked in the cool breeze of the midnight atmosphere, crouching on the bowsprit of the ship, eyes closed, hands trustingly holding onto the fine dark oak. This. This is what he needed. What he craved.
A moment alone under the moon.
No one. No father, no overbearing advisors, no princesses he needed to impress, no citizens to look after. Just him, and the ocean.
“Hey Dream!” A voice called from behind him, “It’s almost midnight.” Dream opened his eyes slowly and cocked his head back to see his most trusted knight, and childhood friend, Sapnap, standing on the foredeck, two drinks in his tanned hands. Dream smiled and stood from his crouch, his movements agile and smooth as he easily made his way from the front of the bowsprit to the deck, dropping down beside Sapnap, taking one of the drinks from his friends’ hands. Sapnap chucked and threw a lazy arm around Dream’s shoulders, waltzing the both of them back to the main deck.
“Only you’d be one to leave your own birthday celebration to stare at the ocean,” another one of his knights, Karl, commented, as Dream came back, taking a large swig of his drink.
“Hey, give me a break Karl, you know this is my only time away from the castle that I can truly enjoy…”
Karl paused for a moment, then a smile began spreading across his face. “You’re right, you’re right. I’ll drink to that!” And Karl began downing his drink, chugging the whole thing in moments as the other Knights, including the Prince, started cheering loudly. Karl let out a cry into the night as he slammed the glass onto a nearby barrel and threw his fist into the air.
“Let’s go, Karl!” Sapnap whooped, downing his own drink, and beginning to giggle.
Off to the side stood the other two Knights that Dream had brought along, Bad and Skeppy. Bad simply shook his head at the trio, but still had a smile on his face.
“Aye, we’ve got ten seconds before Dream’s special day!” Sapnap hollered, scrambling to stand up on a large cargo crate. “Everyone raise a drink! Bad, go get the fireworks.”
“Fireworks?” Dream mused, swirling the liquid in his glass. “You guys-“ He was cut off by his friends counting down the seconds, Karl and Skeppy wrapping their arms around Dream’s shoulders from opposite sides as they began jumping up and down, excited for their Prince.
“3!”
Dream’s stomach did backflips, adrenaline and the alcohol beginning to course through his veins.
“2!” He threw his head back to stare at the sky, ready for the fireworks display.
“1!”
Bad happily set off the fireworks and the purple night sky exploded into flashes of vibrant colours, setting off a new glitter with every bang.
“Happy birthday, Dream!” His knights began ruffling his blonde hair, shaking his body back and forth and giving him pats on the arms, shoulders, everywhere, excited. They let out cheers of excitement, and Dream couldn’t help but laugh as an already drunk Sapnap threw his arms around his closest friend, squeezing happily.
Their party continued long into the night, filled with more drinking, tales from around the castle, mentioning that they should visit their village friends before returning to the castle tonight, saying that they were lucky enough that Dream’s father had let them spend Dream’s eighteenth birthday on the waters.
Bad eventually went through the hatch and under to below the deck, saying that he was tired and wanted to nap. It was fair enough. Bad was one of the most resilient Knights, he often trained the lower ranks of knights and was who Dream’s father trusted the most. He was always working hard. He didn’t even drink that night since they needed someone to navigate the ship back to land.
Dream felt warm and fuzzy as Karl and Sapnap told Skeppy about the time that they had gone to the village and saved Dream from an assault. They over-exaggerated their heroic behaviour, and skimmed over the part of Dream actually saving himself, but considering they were drunk, it made it all the more humorous.
Dream was thankful for his friends, for not only protecting him but being there for him. He was always taught growing up by his father that a Knight’s job was just to protect and serve, not to be there as a friend - Dream had no time for friends, as the King and Queen would say. But Sapnap didn’t care much for formalities and even gave the Prince his infamous nickname, Dream. Eventually, he got all the knights around him to drop the facades once he saw how miserable Dream was.
Dream always longed for freedom, and he always longed for the day that he’d turn eighteen, in hopes that he’d be able to break away, but Gods, he was completely wrong. Dream was set to be king soon, the advisors always reassured that it would be soon, that his father’s death could be arriving any time soon. It made Dream sick to his stomach - if his father was replaceable, wouldn’t he be too? He’d also be set to marry soon, he’d have a whole other list of responsibilities and he wouldn’t be able to spend any time with his friends.
Of course, he would promote them, but surely, the formalities would just increase. And he’d only feel more trapped. More alone. Less happy.
He shook his head to remove his thoughts. This was a celebration, no time for morbid thoughts. It was his birthday after all, and he looked up to see Karl and Sapnap drunkedly dancing, as Sapnap dipped Karl, and then brought him back up to swirl him around, laughing. Dream wheezed as Karl attempted to dip Sapnap, but only dropping him onto the polished deck.
But as Karl held out a hand for Sapnap to take, the cool breeze turned to a harsh wind. The weather changed drastically, the calm, starry night plagued by thunder, then lightning, and heavy rain. The crew of the ship immediately swore, Dream threw his heavy brown coat over his head to shield from the rain. “We better head back now, I reckon!” He shouted over the loud rain, the boat beginning to sway a bit as the waters rocked back and forth, the once still water now choppy and dangerous-looking.
“I’ll get Bad!” Skeppy hollered back, turning against the wind to get to the hatch, but before he could get there, a crack of lightning sounded, and miraculously, the lightning hit the deck, and Dream stared in horror as the sails of the ship set on roaring, blazing fire. He yelled as the ship rocked violently, a wave of water rushing through the deck, and he felt the water bleed into his shoes.
The Knights, still hazy, set into motion, grabbing ropes and the rescue boat, a tiny boat that they’d take to row back. Dream and Sapnap hurriedly lifted the heavy thing, as Karl and Skeppy tied ropes to the front and the back, ready to haul it down from an overhead pulley. With no need of communication, they began lowering the boat into the choppy waters.
“Sapnap! Go wake up Bad!” Dream shouted again. It was a miracle to think that the knight was sleeping through all this. Sapnap shouted an agreement back, but then another wave hit the boat, hitting all of the men violently, and Sapnap tumbled back and fell off the ship.
“Sapnap!” Karl cried, letting go of the rope as he surged forwards, looking down to the water worriedly. The boat tumbled down to the ocean, along with the paddles. “Shit!”
The rain continued to mercilessly beat down on them and Dream immensely became stressed. They would need to jump, he thought, looking back at the sails that had not been put out by the fire.
He put a hand on Skeppy’s shoulder, clamping down. As Skeppy’s head turned, his face flushed with panic, he instructed, “You and Karl need to jump, try to find Sapnap. I will get Bad.”
Skeppy squeezed Dream’s hand on his shoulder. “Be careful. Get him back safe.”
“I will,” Dream promised, before running to the hatch. He was careful not to slip, but he threw it back and hopped down, yelling out for his knight. “Bad! Wake up!”
He found the man sleeping in a hammock, that was rocking back and forth rhythmically. No wonder he was lulled asleep. Dream grabbed Bad’s shoulders and furiously shook him. Bad cried out, shooting upwards but Dream hauled him out of the hammock. “We have to go! Go now! Go to the starboard side and just jump, trust me.” Bad began to stammer but Dream shook his head and gave the man a shove.
“Let’s go, Bad! I’ll follow.”
Bad immediately sprang to his feet and began running to the hatch, and dream spared a glance behind him, and his eyes widened at the gunpowder that was stored. Shit. This was the end. He stumbled forwards, hands scraping the floor that he’d probably never touch again and he clambered up the ladder, head popping out of the hatch.
No one else was on the ship, just him.
He raced to the starboard side, bracing his hands on the railings, ready to jump over. His friends were in the boat, Karl holding a wet, dripping Sapnap to his chest. “Dream, jump! Come on!” They yelled.
And he was about to, but he heard the creaking of the mast and made his mistake as he looked back in shock, the mast tilting forward and breaking the floor beneath Dream, causing him to fall to below the deck. He let out a scream, his back hitting the ground with a resounding thud. He rolled over, ready to run before he heard a crackle and a loud bang that blasted his eardrums.
He keeled over, pressing his hands to his ears, the cotton of his fingerless gloves (lol) caressing his cheek in his final moments, as the gunpowder exploded, and the floor beneath him exploded away. He fell some more, his head hitting the water, surging into the depths of the ocean, the cold, icy water rushing over him immediately, and as he began to drown, he looked up as he saw his beloved ship blow to absolute nothing. He willed his limbs to move, to scull, and he managed to break the surface.
Dream gasped, splashing the water around him, in hopes to get his friends’ attention. Vision blurred, he scanned the driftwood, the cargo boxes, the barrels, the debris, everything, but he couldn’t see the boat. Another wave slammed into Dream and he went under again, and water poured and forced its way down his throat. He stopped thrashing around, letting himself sink.
Dream’s mind became distant as he slowly began to find peace, panic subsiding from his body. At least he’d die in the ocean.
This was the end, he repeated.
As hues of red flashed, he squinted. He saw something. A flash. Something was coming for him. Someone, maybe? It didn’t matter, Dream was far gone. He was already floating, his eyes rolling back into his head. He was gone.
Dream passed out.
George
George found himself feeling frustrated and he felt himself needing to get out. Now. And so he did. Not being the oldest of the family meant he didn’t need to stick around often, no matter how much his father, King Philza would disagree. His elder brother, Wilbur, would, unfortunately, have to take on the brunt of responsibility. George was thankful, but he still sometimes silently resented Phil for all the pressure he would put on his children.
He knew his other brothers, Eret, Tubbo and Tommy felt it too. They felt it ever since Phil had…
George shook his head, flicking his royal blue tail faster, getting further and further away from the underwater kingdom. He wouldn’t think about him. He hadn’t and didn’t want to for the past two years. It was easier to think that Techno was dead in a ravine somewhere.
The merprince exhaled loudly as he swam some more, not really having a direction of where he was going. The past night flashed in his mind as he dodged through some overgrown kelp, internally groaning at what entertainment he’d have to bring tomorrow.
It was an important night, that night, it was in fact, Tubbo’s seventeenth birthday and the King had called for celebrations from across the Kingdom. It would be just fine if Wilbur and Eret didn’t tease George the whole time about the visiting Princess, Minx. She was staying over as well, and both his brothers reckoned that she fancied him.
He did not fancy her.
Sure, Minx was pretty, was beautiful, would be anything that George could possibly want in a princess, a future bride perhaps, but he just didn’t find himself interested. He’d prefer spending his time investigating the human world, rather than cozying up to a princess.
He cringed as he remembered being shoved forwards, forced to dance with her. Once they had finished, his father told him that he’d have to upkeep entertaining the princess as she stayed for the week. George shook his head again as he thought about it, wasn’t Wilbur the one who’d have to marry? He was older after all, first in line… after Techno. George cried out in frustration again and swam up to the surface, breaking the water and shook the droplets from his brown hair.
Stupid thoughts, he thought. Too loud. He looked around - it was a calming night, nothing important to be seen, except for… a ship?
George’s eyes widened in excitement and his mouth parted as he focused on the large, obscure thing in the distance. It was still, and large, and beautiful. George dove into the water as he began to venture towards it. It fascinated him, and well, he had nothing better to do. He just had to not be seen. He wouldn’t know what Phil would do if he found out that he’d been spotted by humans.
As George neared the ship, he dipped his head up, peering up to see if he could hear or see anything. The ship bore massive white sails and was made of dark oak. He then heard shouts and jeers, the sound of a countdown beginning.
Before he could back up to see what was happening, the last number was cried out, and cheers were deafened by loud pops, and George watched in amazement as the sky filled with colours. He watched curiously, a sense of unknowing washing over him. He heard giggles and laughs, and he just could not help himself anymore.
George felt a shiver as he hoisted himself out of the water, slowly beginning to scale the ship. Through the railings, George peered onto the ship, resting himself on an edge of the ship’s exterior. His eyes immediately shot to the male closest, a man dressed in only the finest green, wearing a sheer white shirt and smooth brown pants, tucked into stocky boots. George stared at him in awe, taking in the blonde hair, the faint freckles he could make out, the emerald green eyes and the dashing smile that he wore. He blinked a few times before flicking his eyes about, noticing that there were only about four others, dressed in similar but casual attire to the attractive man.
“Happy Birthday again, Dream,” one of them said, who wore a white bandana around his shaggy black hair, and the bandana man stepped forward and emotionally embraced the man in green. Dream, George thought. What kind of name was Dream?
Either way, Dream hugged the bandana man with as much emotion, digging his forehead into the other’s shoulder. “Thanks, Sap.”
George felt entranced as he watched the rest of the night, silently listening to the stories that the men told while nursing their own drinks. He felt like he was there, listening along with Dream. He found out that Dream was a prince, like him, and that it was Dream’s 18th birthday today. He also learnt that the four others were his friends, but more specifically, his knights.
Yet, George couldn’t help but keep his eyes on Dream, the way he looked as if he was far off, in another world, the way he sat relaxed but still attentive, the way he laughed. George wanted to introduce himself, badly.
He tilted and rested his cheek on his flattened hands, sighing quietly. Dream, Dream, Dream.
Two of the knights began dancing with each other and George sourly thought back to Minx, back to the Kingdom. He’d have to return eventually… but, it wouldn’t hurt to stay for a little longer, right?
Though, George began to feel cold.
The rain came, and George’s mouth popped open, as the clear weather quickly became unforgiving. The humans began panicking and yelling, and rushing around the ship, grabbing supplies or whatever they needed. George frowned before losing his grip on the ship and diving back into the cool ocean. Under the sea was calm, and warm, and George felt reluctant to go back to the surface, but he also wanted to see if Dream would make it home safely.
He broke the surface and let out a small gasp as the white sails had turned to an angry orange, fire eating away at the fabric hungrily. They were in danger. He watched from a distance as they began lowering a boat into the water, and George began to feel a bit more confident in their abilities to get to safety. The waves washed into George relentlessly but he stayed where he was, ignoring the water slapping into his chest and face as he slowly got closer and closer. He heard shouts, but where had Dream gone?
“Shit,” he whispered as someone, bandana man maybe? Had fallen from the boat as another wave mercilessly hit the boat. He considered swimming forward, but another man dived after him, someone watching from above too. He couldn’t be seen, at any cost.
George watched anxiously as four men crowded the boat, and finally, he saw Dream’s face appear, still on the ship. His friends were shouting for him to jump, and even George found himself whispering for him to just take the leap, but he fell frozen as he watched the mast of the ship collapsed in on itself.
Moments after, the ship burst into literal explosions and explosions of colour. George felt his heart sink. Without further thought, he dived deep into the water, desperately searching, snapping his head around and just narrowly dodging the large pieces of wood and broken pieces of the ship that sunk his way. “Dream,” he yelled out, but to no avail. George almost gave up until he saw a flash of green. A spark of hope arose in him.
The Princewas sinking, drowning. George swam forward as fast as his tail would let him, not caring that Dream squinting at him and outstretched his arms, hooking both of them under Dream’s armpits. He grunted as he pulled upwards, flapping his tail furiously. He would not let Dream die. He couldn’t. Not on his eighteenth birthday. He’d do this - for Dream’s friends. For Dream.
He broke the surface, gasping for air and managing to get Dream’s head to rest on his shoulder as he struggled to keep above the water. Dream was incredibly limp. George squinted around. Please, he begged. The boat had to be close, it couldn’t have gone far.
He had no other choice, he had to take the Prince to land. He gathered all the strength he could and dragged Dream through the stormy waters.
Later, beginning to lose his hope, George caught a glimpse of faint, damp yellow in the distance. George let out an exasperated sigh as they got closer and closer to the shore, the rain now having calmed down, falling down in mere patters. George heaved Dream’s body onto the sand and let out a cry at the ache in his muscles, collapsing on top of Dream, resting his head on the man’s chest.
His quiet chest.
As the storm subsided, George listened for a heartbeat. “Oh god,” he whispered. “No.”
Panic seized George as he lifted his head, staring at horror at the still body beneath him. “Dream?” He whispered, grabbing onto Dream’s shirt. He lowered his head back onto Dream’s chest. He failed. His body began to shake with sobs, and tears began to prick his eyes as his fists clenched onto Dream tighter. “Please,” he begged.
As if answering his pleads, Dream spluttered, getting up with a sudden start. George lifted his head quickly and Dream eyes appeared to hazily rest on his own. Shit, George thought.
He immediately retreated to the water, diving into the shallows and speeding behind a nearby rock, his heart pounding in his chest. A smile slowly spread across George’s face. He may have been seen but… Dream was alive. He was-
“-alive!” He heard in the distant. “Dream, you’re alive!”
George peered over the rock in time to watch Dream be smothered in a hug by bandana man, who was followed by the three other men, one who was holding blankets and towels. “I thought I’d killed you, man! Holy shit, I thought-“
Dream uneasily laughed, raising a hand to pat the bandana man on the back, but immediately turned his head to the side, vomiting heaps amount of water onto the beachside.
“Let’s take the prince back to the castle,” a tanner man spoke, worry evident in his tone. “His father has been so worried…”
At that, Dream let out a ragged moan, as two men helped him to his feet. “But, wait-“ They all paused as Drea turned and looked expectantly out to the ocean. George hid behind the rock again. “I thought… Nevermind. Let’s go.”
“Do you want to visit Niki for a hot cup of milk before we go back?” Someone asked as their voices and chitter-chatter became distant.
George back slid against the rock as he sunk further into the ocean, slowly putting a hand over his mouth. Yeah, he’d been seen. His eyes lifted to the sun rising in the distant.
“Shit!” He cried out suddenly, remembering he was supposed to be back hours ago, and that he’d had to entertain Minx today. He dived into the water and began to swim, his body practically screaming at him.
Great… Today would be a long one.