Chapter Text
Becoming a King wasn't an option for anyone. It didn't matter if you lived in the kingdom or if you were even associated with the Royal Family. What mattered were the stupid papers, agreements and bloodlines that mattered little to Dream. He didn't care about his biological family, he didn't care about his association with king Eret. From all he remembered he was a terrible person who cared only about himself and his name. Dream shivered at the awful memories and looked down at the ground. It was good 3 meters below him, but the idea of jumping down didn't scare him. He has done it thousands of times before.
Right as he was about to get off the tree, he heard someone running around the royal garden. He quickly hid in the leaves of the apple tree and looked at who it was. His face immedietly turned into a grin behind the white porcelain mask, as a teeneager ran straight into the line of his vision. He knew the teen very well, and was quick to decide that the best way of greeting him will be scaring him a bit.
Tubbo was the one and only prince of Manburg, and the son of JSchlatt who was Manburg's current king. Like everyone in his family bloodline, Tubbo was a ram hybrid with amazing skills that only he, as the future king of this kingdom, knew ins and outs of. His genes graced him with shiny blonde hair and pure baby blue eyes that were accompanied by long lashes. He was wearing his royal attire which Dream never understood as he thought the royal attire was uncomfortable and ugly. Tubbo was, surprisingly, a really nice teeneager that always followed the royal etiquette and even the stupidest rules his father have made for him. What made Dream curious about Tubbo was the fact that he still made his own decisions and held his perspectives, holding them proudly and stating them very clearly under any possible circumstances.
Tubbo has became Dream's younger brother not long after Eret decided to give Dream away for his friend to take care of. Dream never understood why his father would do such a thing, or why JSchlatt would ever agree for it, but he was glad he didn't have to spend his whole childhood all by himself in the horrible small room he was always locked in...
He quickly got back to reality and felt himself giggle quietly as the boy was clearly looking for him. It didn't take Dream long to form a plan for his mischievious little act, and luckily, he didn't have to wait long for his brother to get close to his current hiding place. Just as Tubbo was under the tree, shouting for Dream and looking around, the older waited a few seconds before jumping down and pinning the other to the marble path. Tubbo's reaction was immediate as he screamed and covered his face, as if waiting for Dream to actually attack him. It took him a short while to realize that he was in no danger and he was quick to get all red on the face from embarrassment. Dream started laughing loudly at the reaction, quite proud with the fact that he got to scare the teen once more before he had to leave to go back to the SMP kingdom.
Dream got off of Tubbo and helped him up, his mask not able to reflect just how happy Dream was with his small antic. Tubbo let out a huff and started dusiting off his clothes as if they have gotten dirty from the fall on the well-polished and cleaned marble. Dream kept watching in amusment, ready to start arguing how his little brother kept trying to be sqeaky clean for no real reason, after all no one would say something wrong to the son of a king. But before he was able to start the conversation, Tubbo stopped him as he had his own idea of a well-fitted argument.
"You know, you have to stop being this mean if you want to be a good king. No one will want to listen to a rude prick" Tubbo said mostly jokingly, smiling softly to let Dream know that he held no real grudge against him. Dream just let out another giggle and fixed his mask, making sure his face stayed covered.
"Oh come on Tubbo, we both know you are gonna miss me doing this" He said and watched as the teen also giggled, shortly after letting out a sigh and getting closer to Dream. What he didn't expect was to suddenly get trapped in a hug that was way too tight for it to be comfortable, yet he didn't want to pull away to not accidentaly upset Tubbo. He gently rubbed his back and bit his lip as just moments later he could hear small sniffles and sobs leaving the younger's body.
"I don't want you to leave..." Tubbo said and gripped Dream's green hoodie tightly, knowing that this was their last 'normal' day together. Even if Dream lived with Tubbo and Schlatt for a very long time, everything had to come to an end eventually. He still remembers opening the letter that was addressed to him, in which he was told that his father died and he as his only son had to go and take his place as the king of the SMP. The information didn't make him too happy, it actually angered and saddened him. But it wasn't because his father died, no, Dream couldn't care less. What did give him all of those negative feelings was the fact that he had to leave the Manburg kingdom to become a king for the kingdom that was greatly hated by pretty much everyone.
"It's gonna be fine Tubbo, I promise I will visit you so we can still have some fun" He said and gently rubbed the younger's hair, allowing him to let all his emotions out into the green hoodie that he probably saw for the last time for a very long time. Once Dream was sure that Tubbo felt better, he decided to give him a piggyback ride back inside the castle as they were supposed to be eating one of their last meals together. Dream tried his best to not think about it as the two of them cleaned their hands and sat down at the long table, their food being served almost immedietly, still being clearly steaming hot.
Before Dream started eating, he could see Tubbo moving around in his chair, looking at the door on both sides of the room, as if he was waiting for something, or rather someone, to walk through. Ah yes, Schlatt. For Dream it was quite obvious that the old man wouldn't join them, he rarely did so why would today be a special occasion? Yes Dream might be leaving the kingdom to become a king himself but he didn't see anything special in it and he wished that no one else saw it as something good or special so Schlatt acting the way he acted every other day was quite a relief. He sighed as he saw that Tubbo clearly wanted his father to spend the last moments of Dream in their kingdom by his side.
"Tubbo, he won't come. Now eat your food before it gets cold" Dream insisted in a cold tone, not wanting his brother to worry his young impressionable mind with Schlatt. Schlatt wasn't a good father, just like Eret he was a corrupted piece of trash that no one should ever respect. Tubbo let out a sigh and nodded at Dream's comment, quickly eating his food.
Dream tried his best to not think of tomorrow as it would be the worst day of his life. He couldn't imagine anything worse than the day where he will have to leave the place he calls home to become the ruler of the SMP kingdom that was corrupted for the past centuries. He didn't want to go back to the place that he has nightmares about, he didn't want to go there because of all the bad memories he had assosiated with the kingdom. But he couldn't do anything about it, he had to fulfill his duty as the 'son' of Eret. After eating barely half of his food he pushed the plate away and got up to leave. He ignored Tubbo's worried stare as he quickly walked to the door, and later outside the castle. He decided that the best thing he can do to let some steam off and to possibly relax, was to take a long walk around the kingdom. He decided that he wouldn't think of tomorrow, that he wouldn't think of Eret or Schlatt, that he would just think of the time he spent in Manburg with Tubbo, just being kids.
He didn't know that this was his very last moment of relaxation. That soon, demons of his past would be unleashed to destroy the little happiness he has in his short life. For all he did know, and for all that was currently being burried by the nice memories, tomorrow he would leave to become the king of the kingdom he knows almost nothing about. And maybe its good that no one ever told him about the future that was held for him, maybe it's good that he didn't have to go to sleep every night knowing the kind of monster he will become.