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Once upon a time, in kingdom of K’ranburry, there lived a king named Dream. He didn’t really care for his position as the highest ruler in the kingdom, let alone the country. Dream’s friend, Sapnap, was the knight in his castle that protected him and his other workers in the castle. Of course, because he was more superior than the others, he didn’t really like any of the servants in his kingdom, except maybe Karl, the cook. He’s the only person other than his knight that he had gained at least a good relationship with. The one person in the castle that he absolutely despised was George, the librarian. He was short, and he always was in the infirmary because he had fallen from the bookcase, bruising and scraping his elbows on the floors.
Dream was sat down on his throne, talking to Sapnap as he was standing next to him.
“Y’know, George got hurt again. Karl had to take him to the infirmary. He fell from a ladder and bruised his arm,” Sapnap said, picking the skin on his fingers.
Dream scoffs.
“Why can’t he just man up, and hold on tight and not fall down? If he is the librarian, then he can just easily put the books that he can put up on the shelves, and then let someone else put the taller books on the higher shelves.”
Sapnap sighs.
“Dream, why can’t you just be nice to him. Karl’s friends with him, and he isn’t that bad. He’s really kind. And I know you spend a lot of time th-”
Dream cuts him off, annoyed.
“Even if I spend a lot of time in the library, doesn’t mean that I should become friends with him. He’s a servant, and I’m the king.”
“That never stopped you from becoming friends with me.” Sapnap said, looking at Dream, pouting.
“Yeah, but you were a family friend and he’s just someone my father hired before he died. He’s insignificant.”
Sapnap rolled his eyes, leaving the throne room.
~
On the other side of the castle, Karl is sitting in the infirmary with George. Sapnap walks in, and hugs Karl before going to George.
“How are you feeling, mushroom man?”
(George got the nickname from his love for fungi and mushrooms.
“God, I just love how all the mushrooms look different and how cool they look in the forest next to the castle.”)
“I mean, falling from a ladder onto the ground kinda hurts. I’ll be fine, but I have a good amount of bruises,” George said, eyeing the plaster wrapped on his arm.
Sapnap looked at Karl before looking back at George, with sadness in his eyes.
“George, this is the third time this month you’ve fallen. You need to be more careful. I can talk to Dream about getting a new person in the libr-”
“No! I’ve told you this before. I don’t like working with someone else. I know that entire library like the back of my hand. I don’t want to teach someone how everything works. How I’ve organized the library for the years I’ve worked in there,” George shouted, distressed.
“Maybe they can get a nice, hot, attractive gi-” Karl started, looking at George.
“Karl, how many times do I have to tell you. I have no plans to be with anyone romantically. I just want to do my job and get paid with better food. Dream is already a jerk. I don’t want to deal with another jerk who cares about themselves more than others. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be going back to sleep, so I can get better.”
George did, in fact, sleep for several hours before getting released from the infirmary and going back to the library. While everyone was sleeping, a storm brews outside. Lightning flashes and thunder sounds outside the castle. Suddenly, lightning strikes near the castle, shaking the castle, and knocking shelves of books down in the library. When George wakes up, he groans as he picks the books up.
Dream walks around the castle, inspecting the damage, soon finding himself at the library door.
Dream walks in on the mess in the library. His eyes move to George who was picking up the books, putting them back on the shelf. He huffs.
“Did you seriously mess up my entire library?” Dream sneered at George.
“No sir, one of the shelves fell in the storm last night, so I am cleaning it up,” George reasoned with Dream.
Dream scoffed at George, crossing his arms.
“If these books aren’t replaced by the end of the day, then some sort of punishment will ensure.”
Dream kicked the pile of books, walking to his desk in the library. George worked hard placing the books back into their respective places. He glanced over to Dream, who seemed concentrated on whatever he was doing.
“So, what are you doing?” George asks Dream, looking over at him.
“I’m…. why do you care?” Dream looked over at George, who was staring at Dream, his eyes glistening with wonder.
“Well, you looked concentrated, so I was wondering what you were doing.” Dream sighs, and carefully picks up the book that he was working in.
“I like to come in here and draw whatever my mind creates. It’s been really stressful with ruling the nation, so I’ve been in here more frequently.” George stared at Dream as he spoke, watching his thoughts spill from his mouth.
“I never see you in here. I thought you never came in here and left me,” Dream laughed softly, as he stood up to sit next to the sitting librarian.
“I come in here a lot. I usually come whenever you eat lunch or dinner. Sometimes I would sneak in whenever you were working and I would take a book and read it.”
George smiles, looking over at Dream, slowly grasping his hand. “So that’s why I always had a book or two missing.”
“Yeah. You do have some really nice books in here,” Dream says quietly, staring at one of the shelves of books.
“I really like the books on mythology and the older times.” George whispered to Dream, keeping hold of his hand.
“What’s your favorite kind of myth?” Dream asked George, shifting how he was sitting.
“I really like Greek mythology. Like the ideologies they have on nature.” George says, smiling softly.
“Yeah, Greek mythology is one of my favorite types of mythology, but I really like Cinderella.” Dream speaks softly, looking at George.
“Oh, why do you like Cinderella?” George asks, keeping his soft tone.
“Because I believe that everyone can have a happy ending, from the richest person to someone who lives in the town below,” Dream says, glancing at the stones on the wall.
“I’ve never looked at it like that before. You’re pretty smart for a king,” George jokes.
“Heh, you got me there,” Dream laughs softly.
“Yeah, I guess I did,” George says, closing his eyes softly.
~
Dream slowly stands up, placing George back on the floor, grabbing him a blanket to wrap him up in. He carefully covers him in the blanket, grabbing a book to support his head. He kisses his cheek softly, before walking out of the library to his office.
“Ooooh, Dream’s face is red. Why is your face so pink?” Sapnap says, jokingly nudging his arm.
Dream rolls his eyes, reading the passages on his desk. His eyes open in shock as he reads letter after letter from the citizens of the town writing about how the king should be overthrown and be replaced.
“Sapnap, have you… seen this?” Dream says, looking over at Sapnap.
He nods his head slowly before sighing.
“They think that its unfair that me and Karl are able to be in a relationship, and how you could fall in love with someone here and not one of the maidens in the town.”
Dream looks at Sapnap, then his hand, where it possesses a silver ring.
“How… public have the two of you been with your relationship? I thought that Karl never leaves the castle, so how did people find out?”
“We’ve only been in the fields around the castle. Nowhere near where someone can see us. Someone must’ve seen us, and spread it around,” Sapnap said, looking down.
Dream nods, before walking out of his office, towards a door that can take him outside. When he opens the door, he sees hundreds of people with torches and pitchforks, running towards the castle. Dream quickly runs back inside, yelling.
“The citizens are coming towards the castle! Guards, prepare and suit up! Lock the castle down! I’ll spread the message!”
The guards around him grunt in agreement before running to their respective areas. Dream stands still for a minute, before running towards the library in panic.
~
George hums to himself as he organizes the books in the library. He hears noises in the hallways, but he doesn’t think anything of it until he hears the door to the library being pushed open.
“George it’s- the citizens are trying to attack the castle! Go hide somewhere so you stay safe!” Dream yells running towards him. Georges eyes open in shock and worry.
“W-what? Why? What happened?” George stuttered looking at Dream.
“The town spread something around about Sapnap and Karl. They’re trying to kill me and Sapnap. They don’t want me to love someone in the castle because they’re lower than me. The citizens want me to marry some girl from the town.” Dream looked at his hands, his body trembling slightly.
George hugs Dream as he starts to cry softly, shaking from all the stress. He hears someone knock on the door and footsteps walking into the room. George looks up to see Sapnap holding a box in his hand. He looks at him and nods softly. He lets go of Dream and walks up to Sapnap.
“Is this the… item?” George questions, looking up at Sapnap before he nods.
“Yep, just put it on, and it’ll do its job,” Sapnap says.
George nodded before letting go of Dream putting the item on his finger. A moment later, a bright flash of light illuminates the library and George disappears into the light. A breeze picks up in the library before a spirit-like creature, that resembles George looks at the two. He lifts his finger slightly before speaking.
“Well, it seems that the castle is under attack, is that right?” The spirit says, looking at Dream, who is nodding quickly.
“Yes, the townsfolk are attacking the castle, trying to kill either me or Sapnap.” Dream says, speaking faster as he continues his sentence.
George sighs, grasping Dreams hand softly. “Don’t worry Mr. King, i’ll keep your castle safe. As for you Sir Sapnap, I suggest you find your partner, and go somewhere in the castle where you know no one will find you.” Sapnap nods before leaving the library. George looks back at Dream, smiling.
“They’ll leave you alone soon. Go into the office and hide behind the bookcase. I’ll go fend for the castle.”
George keeps his promise, defending the castle as each citizen tries to come into the castle. He sets up a barrier around the castle where the townsfolk would walk to it and lose their memory as to why they were walking up to the castle, then left confused. After several days, George dropped the barrier, and walked back into the library taking the ring off. A bright flash of light, once again, illuminates the library as he turns back into his human-self, collapsing onto the ground.
~
Dream hears someone walk into the library and he opens the bookcase he was hiding in. He walks into the library to see George laying on the ground. He carefully picks him and the box next to him up and carries him to his room. He lays George on his bed, covering him up with blankets trying to warm him up. He walks around the castle, eventually finding where Sapnap and Karl were hiding curled up with one another.
“Sap. We’re safe. You two can come out now.”
Sapnap smiles and nods, picking up Karl. They walk to where George is, to see him awake and sitting up on Dream’s bed. Dream smiles softly, as he sees George look at his hands, then around the room. George registers that the three are in his room and his face beams with excitement. He stands up and runs over to Dream, and hugs him, giggling.
“I did it! I saved the castle. Now you can be happy knowing no one will come after your future wife and family.” George’s voice fades off as he finishes speaking, letting go of Dream.
“Aren’t you supposed to find someone to marry like now? You’re at ag-” Dream puts his hand over George’s mouth, shaking his head.
“George, I thought you were just like everyone else in this castle that I wasn’t close with, but you’re not. I know that you’re special and that you deserve a life better than the one you had growing up, so would you, maybe, want to be my partner for life? Like, forever forever?” Dream blurts out, holding Georges hand softly.
George looks at Dream with his eyes wide, tearing up. Sapnap and Karl smile softly, stepping into the hallway. George starts to nod frantically, crying out happily.
“Yes! Y- oh my god.”
~
Their wedding day was a day that was getting celebrated in the town. The couple smiled softly as they walked through the town, shaking hands with the citizens. Sapnap and Karl not too far behind them kept watch. The couple rounds back to the castle, where they run back up the steps, laughing. They get to Dream’s room and smile.
“We did it! We-we’re- god, i’m just happy,” Dream says, rubbing George’s hand.
“I know. I’m glad you gave me a chance. I mean, I did work hard to save your life and the lives of the others,” George says sarcastically as Dream rolls his eyes.
“I’m glad I gave you a chance as well,” Dream says as he brings his hand up to Georges cheek where he caresses it. George and Dream kiss softly and put their foreheads together. They knew they had found their happily ever after.