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“Tommy, if you don’t learn to keep your guard up you’re never going to make it as a knight.”
The training grounds were filled with sound. Knights battling and sparring. Squires being trained by the knights they apprenticed under. Dream had three of them standing before him. Swords in hand for all of them but the only one of them in full armor was Dream. He had to be. His station as the Prince’s personal knight and the head of the royal guard made sure he looked the part regardless of what he was doing.
His squires were wearing simple leather armor. Tommy was training the most of the three of them. He was filled to the brim with energy and the willingness to learn. Although if anyone asked he would say that he hated Dream and was only training so that he could take his place in the guard. Tubbo and Ranboo, his two friends and also part of the trio of Dream’s favorite squires, laughed at the critique. He could see Tommy scowl and huff as he shifted his feet again and decided to step in.
“Tubbo, your stance is wrong. If you got into an actual fight right now you’d be dead in less than ten seconds.” The short brunette stopped laughing immediately. Taking in the instructions and trying to figure out how to pose himself while Dream’s mask turned towards the last of the three. “And you, Ranboo, your grip on your sword is weak. Even Bad could have it out of your hands before you could blink.”
Using the older knight as an example like that hurt a little part of his heart but it was all in good fun. Bad didn’t mind it. He thought it was fun more often than not. People thought he was a good target. And the younger squires or new knights would try to pull pranks on him and find out exactly how he was one of the knights that trained a squiring Dream.
Tommy huffed a light laugh at the comments towards them but the smile face turned back towards him and he stopped. Dream grinned under the mask. He always enjoyed the reactions he’d get from his mask. He wore it nearly everywhere. A very few amount of people had actually seen his face. Sapnap, Bad, Sam, Punz. His fellow knights that he was the closest to. They’d either trained with him or trained him. Sapnap, Punz and him had made life a living hell for Bad and Sam when they were squires. Other than them the King and Queen. And of course, George had seen his face. His prince that he had sworn his life to.
George tended to use him as an attack dog when he had meetings he didn’t want to attend. He’d even come to watch Dream train with the other knights. He said he liked watching him fight but both of them knew it was because he wanted to spend time with him.
“Try again. All three of you.”
The trio nodded at him and got into position. Dream called out the errors he saw and beamed at them in hidden privacy as they fixed the moves and continued on. They were doing well. There was a reason they were his favorites. All three of them were determined and would make great knights one day. For different reasons, but they would. Ranboo was kind. He would protect anyone who needed it and he would fight with his all for everything. Tubbo was loyal almost to a fault. He followed orders well but he would still tell you his opinion on them. He was a perfect balance between not enough and too much. And Tommy, Tommy was a lot like he’d been. Stubborn and trying. Wanting and determined. If he was given the right training he was going to be great. He used his heart more than his brain but Dream could teach him. Even if he couldn’t he had Ranboo and Tubbo by his side, he’d be fine.
He was about to call for them to restart a spar when he heard metal armor shifting. It was too close to be from the other spars. Turning around he found Sapnap and Punz watching him train the boys.
“Hi?”
Punz shook his head at him. Laughing quietly before Sapnap looked towards the squires and called out to them.
“You three want to take a rest and watch me beat up your teacher?”
Immediate cheers and agreements came from his squires. Dream took it all back. He hated all three of them. Heaving a deep sigh Dream leveled a hidden look at his best friend.
“I have to keep teaching them. They need to perfect their stances by the end of the week to make it to the next test. I want them to succeed.”
He said it quietly. He didn’t want to let the boys know that they were his favorites. He didn’t want them to get complacent for having his favor.
“Dream, come on. What teaches them better than if they get to see you in action?”
Punz leaned forward.
“I can make sure they watch too. Not that they wouldn’t. You two are intense.”
Begrudgingly he accepted the duel. Whoops of joy escaping his squires as he switched out his sword for his axe. It was his favored weapon and all of them knew it. The battle axe he kept strapped to his back while on duty protecting the royal family was a symbol to anyone who came to visit the castle.
Sapnap readied himself with his sword while Dream lowered down into his favorite fighting position. He pretended that he didn’t know Tommy came out into the fields at night to practice this same move.
One second they were standing there in silence. The echoes of the other sparring matches and training sessions fading into the background and merging with the wind. The grips of their weapons pressing into the palms of their hands and the weight of their armor weighing their limbs. The next second they were clashing together. If it wasn’t known beforehand that the two were only sparring it would have looked like they were trying to kill each other. Sapnap and Dream never held back. Punz either. None of them held back against each other in their spars. They were dangerous and powerful and they all three knew it. Even from them there was a difference for Dream’s ability. He’d spent almost every waking hour training himself to be better. There was a reason he was in the position he was now. A reason he was the favorite knight of the kingdom.
Their blades danced around each other. Footwork flurrying in movement and breaths lining up in tandem. And then a flutter of bright colored fabric off to the side broke it. The squires all shot to their feet from their places where they lounged while they watched when George stepped out onto the field. His bright colored tunic marked him apart from the knights in their dull training armor. Punz stayed where he was leaning against the wall. Giving a deep nod to his prince. He smiled at all of them and gestured for the squires to sit down again.
“I’m just here to watch.”
Sapnap’s yelp brought the attention back to the fight. All of them turning to watch as a line of blood leaked from his arm just under the cuff of his armor. It was superficial. A flesh wound that wouldn’t require much treatment. The demonic grin on Sapnap’s face let all of them know he was alright. He lunged forward with Dream dodging the hits until they saw the mask turn. All of them could see that he was watching George. That the knight was struck with the sudden knowledge that he was being watched by his favorite person. Sapnap didn’t seem to register that Dream had stopped moving. His fist cut up and landed square in the center of his face. A crack ringing through the small area of the grounds as Dream doubled over with his hands to his face. His axe falling to the ground like a forgotten tool. George and Punz both gasped. Sapnap gaping for a second before his sword was quickly discarded and he was helping Dream. Punz ran up to them with George right on his heels.
“Dream? Holy shit. I’m so sorry. Are you okay? Did I hurt you? Are you alright?”
“Shut up. I’m fine. The mask isn’t.”
George bent down and pulled Dream’s hood up and over his head. Hiding his face in the shadows as he held the broken pieces of his mask up.
“Are you hurt?”
Both Sapnap and Punz had to stop themselves from sighing with the way Dream practically melted at the words. Shaking his head lightly. Punz took a step back towards the fretting squires.
“Go. Take care of yourself. Sap and I will train the boys.”
George rolled his eyes. He was well familiar with how the knights acted with each other. All of them were close in age, they’d all practically grown up together. It was probably why they got away without formalities so often. Careful so he made sure Dream was ready, George helped him right himself and strap his axe back to his armor. Guiding him to his tent on the training grounds and tying the front of it shut so they wouldn’t be disturbed.
When he turned he found Dream laying the mask shards on a table and rubbing at his face.
“I forget how hard he hits sometimes.”
He turned back to George to offer him a smile only to find a frown pulling on his prince’s lips.
“George?”
“You’re bleeding. You said you weren’t hurt.”
Dream blinked at him confusedly before George was reaching up and wiping lightly at his cheek. Only then did the small sting of pain really register. A shard from the mask must have cut him. He hadn’t even noticed.
“I’m fine-”
“You’re bleeding.”
“Not badly?”
“Sit down. Let me treat it.”
He huffed lightly but he relented. Sitting down at the edge of the cot and watching George dip the tip of a cloth into a bucket of water. He watched his prince walk back to him and let him manhandle his head as he wiped the blood away and swiped over the cut until it stopped.
“See?” He spoke softly. “I didn’t even need a bandage.”
George’s hands remained on his face. Slender fingers running over his features and keeping him looking up at him. Dream didn’t mind. He enjoyed the view.
“You should be more careful. If I distract you like that I might have to get a new knight.”
His words were laced with teasing fondness that made Dream’s heart swell. He leaned forward. Hands running over narrow hips and clasping behind George’s back to pull him closer.
“How can I look anywhere but my world?”
George snorted a sharp laugh at the words. Eyes filled with love and care before he leaned in closer, their lips less than an inch apart.
“That was one of the dumbest things you’ve ever said. I think Sapnap might be a better knight for me.”
Dream hummed. Shortening the gap between them and watching George’s eyes slip shut in preparation for what was coming.
“A better knight but never a better lover.”
The gap closed between them. Both of them holding onto each other and relaxing as if they were one.
Outside the tent Punz and Sapnap kept their hands firmly clamped over the three squire’s mouths. All of them wanted to laugh desperately but it wasn’t an option. How Dream could go from dangerous knight to love sick idiot just by the sight of George none of them knew. But maybe, maybe one day they would. One day they’d find their own.
Dream could teach them.