Chapter Text
As night fell I realized that at this moment, I had made a terrible mistake. The forest was so incredibly dark. All the tales of the monsters lurking in its bushes flooded back to me with every little noise that the forest magnified my way. My regrets seemed to multiply with every step I took. I jumped at the slightest of sounds, some of them my own doing. This was no place for a prince, none at all.
Why did I decide, out of all the things I could have done today, that I just had to do this? I have nothing to prove! I was having a wonder feast mere hours ago, everyone praising me and laughing at every joke I made. Then that crummy messenger had to interrupt the good tidings with a message from a nearby kingdom. They needed someone to help and save their prince who had been mysteriously taken in the night. They had a general knowledge where he might be but were unsure if he could come back on his own. It was an odd request as this sort of thing happened to princesses normally, and if it happened to a prince then it would be brushed off.
They must really be worried about him.
The messenger continued that the king and queen wanted to emphasize how desperate and worried they were. Everyone knew the prince could handle himself but he wouldn’t have mysteriously disappeared in the night without a note. The prince did mysteriously leave in the night sometimes but never without a note. It was also noted that his room looked broken into from the balcony and the prince fought back but ultimately lost.
I have known the prince in question for a very long time, we used to play whenever either of our fathers would meet for various negotiations. He was incredibly competitive and would always demand to play games he knew he would win. He would then proceed to tell me how to win against the servants and other various people around the palace, but not how to win against himself. Typical Dream, tells you how to outsmart everyone but himself.
The thought of Dream being captured sounded like something that would happen to him, he didn't really lay low nor did he hide. He was always out in a fight, and pinning people with that goofy smile he gets when he knows that they have nowhere else to run to. He also strutted around the kingdom basking in the glory and praises of his people. I am more surprised it took this long for it to actually happen. He probably angered someone with just enough power to outnumber him and take him by surprise rather than just out smart. I bet whatever Dream got himself into, he is already calculating how he is going to get out of it.
The messenger added, “They specifically asked for your help, my prince, but they would be satisfied if your king and queen preferred the knights do the job instead.”
“The task would be easy, your royal highness,” one of the court ladies whispered to me.
“I will go!” I exclaimed, rising from my chair in a flourish. All I would need to do is find where he is at, then let him loose. He would tell me what he needs me to do and we can all continue on with our lives like it never happened. “In fact, I shall go now!” I exclaimed. “Who knows what horrors he is facing at this moment!”
I'm facing some horrors of my own. My sword is out and I’m ready to strike at any moment as I creep through the dense forest. The night drew closer and closer. The sooner I get out of this forest, the better.. I heard a twig crack as if someone stepped on it. I swiveled with my sword pointed at the target.
“Who-” my voice cracked. I swallowed to gain my courage, or something that resembled it. “Who are you?” There was no response. “Who is out there!” I demanded. “I know someone is there! Show yourself!” Still no response “I AM NOT SCARED OF YOU!” That was a complete and utter lie but whatever it was didn’t need to know that.
I waited… and waited… but nothing was there. Nothing came out… nothing tried to kill me. It took me a little to calm down but I eventually gained the courage to continue on my way as the night got darker and darker.
This was a complete and utter mistake. I should have never gone alone so unprepared. I heard something besides the already spooky noises of the forest that broke me out of my thoughts.
“Prince George...” a voice sung from the forest.
I cleared my throat. “Who are you?” I responded.
“What, you don’t know already?” the voice responded. “You were always such a scary cat.”
“Show yourself!” I demanded, ready to strike at whoever the owner of the voice was.
“Come on,” the voice started and walked out of the bushes, “You really don't remember me? I know it's been a while but you seriously don't remember me?”
I saw the owner of the voice and immediately I let down my weapon. “Sapnap, what the hell are you doing man?” I said. “You scared me half to death.”
“What am I doing, what are you doing?” he replied. “You're miles from your kingdom, what are you planning on doing?”
“Well,” I started, fixing my clothes a bit, “I am on a rescue mission.” I continued, matter of factly.
“Why are you alone?” Sapnap pried. “I know your kingdom isn’t poor unless something happened.”
“I can do this alone!” I can’t do this alone. I was so cocky that I didn't even bring a horse. A HORSE! I have been walking for hours and my feet are getting tired. I don't even have proper armour on. This is just casual, almost ceremonial amour. I left right after I proclaimed I would go get him. I should have had at least one knight come with me. I have no idea what I am doing. Did I even tell them where I was going? Where am I going?
“Bro, are you okay?” Sapnap asked, cutting through my thoughts.
I shook my head to clear the thought of my head, “Yeah, just a bit tired.” I replied, “I have been walking for quite some time.”
“Thank god I’m here.” he commented “let me get a camp set up for you.”
Sapnap started a fire and we both sat around it. I took this time to drink a bit of water from my cantina. Thank the world I have enough brain cells to bring that with me “What are you doing out here anyways?” I asked again, hoping he would answer. “Last time I saw you was…”
“At my birthday celebration some time ago” he finished.
“Some time? It's been at least a year.” I replied “where have you been?”
“Well, as you know with my kingdom, at a certain age the prince has to show he can survive even in the harshest of elements.” Sapnap said while looking at his hands. He might have been actually looking at something but I was unsure. “We have to stay out in the dense forest for…” his voice trailed off. “My dad said in a couple of years to come back. I’ve lost track of time and now I'm worried if I come back it might be too soon.”
“Sap-”
“But if I had come back, then I wouldn't be able to help you out!” He seemed chipper while his eyes told a different story.
I have known Sapnap for a long time, not as long as I had known Dream but still long. In fact, it was Dream who introduced us. At one of Dream’s birthday celebrations, Sapnap was there and was standing in a corner all alone. He didn't talk to anyone and was sipping whatever drink was being served. Dream had met him before but only once. I think that he mentioned it was at some meeting between their parents. Dream, I think quite literally, dragged me to him and immediately introduced us. Who knew that was gonna be the last time Sapnap would be quiet. Sapnap has never visited my kingdom so the only time I got to know him was when it was something both of our kingdoms had to be at.
I actually have been jealous of him. Dream would tell me about the adventures the two of them would go on. We never went on those types of adventures, if that's what you could call staying on castle grounds adventures. He never really suggested those types of things to do whenever we visited each other's kingdoms. They would battle creatures off in the forests or go explore some really interesting location that had amazing views and Dream told me all of it, every little detail down to the weird flowers they encountered.
“Yeah, thank the land you were here,” I replied.
“So,” Sapnap said, changing the subject. “You said you were on a rescue mission. What on earth would make you do it all alone?”
“Dream seems to have been taken.” I stated.
“Wait!” Sapnap said, jumping up “What did he do?”
“No clue but you know him,” I brushed off “he tends to get into trouble. Seems this time he got into something he REALLY shouldn’t have.”
Sapnap sat down right next to me and said, “Do you even know where he is?”
“I know he is in some tower.”
“Some tower? There are countless towers in these woods.”
He was right, there are so many that sometimes we find another one we hadn’t known existed. What was I thinking?
“Well, I wish you luck” Sapnap said, breaking the silence as he got up.
“What? Don't you want to come with me?”
“I can’t. You know I can't.”
“Why?” I asked a bit offended “Why can’t you? We have no idea what is going on with Dream! He could be dead for all we know!”
“Hey, calm down I'm sorry, I just-”
“You just what? He is your best friend, and you don't really care?”
“I do, I promise it's just” Sapnap was obviously uncomfortable with the situation, “going and helping you is a bit” he seemed to be fishing for the right words “against the whole `proving myself’ thing.”
“Helping someone is proving yourself.”
“I am supposed to have no contact with the outside world the whole time.” Sapnap said, some distress coming from his voice. “I can’t break that.” I saw it in his eyes that it pained him to say no. He always seemed closer to Dream than I could ever get.
“I understand.” I replied. “Expectations are high in your kingdom, aren’t they?”
“Yeah.” he chuckled. “They,” he smiled, “they kind of are.” Silence fell between us two. “I should get going. I have already bent the rules a bit.” Sapnap said, getting up. “I wish you luck. I know the moment you find Dream, he will know what to do and you can relax.”
“Yeah, that's the hope.” I replied.
Sapnap nodded and disappeared into the forest.
After a while the fire started to slow and so did I. So, against my better judgment I eventually fell asleep but dreams were not an escape from fear.