Work Text:
Some in the kingdom of Tulsa, if you ask them, will say that the Rulers’ relationship with each other is unsightly. They’ll shake their heads and click their tongues and start on a long rant about tradition and propriety and how ‘social divides exist for a reason.’ If you ask anyone sane, however, they’ll simply smile and sit you down and tell you the story of the three revolutionary rulers who rule over the land.
Before the rising of the rulers, Tulsa was a very traditional place, and the only thing it loved more than its traditions was its prince: Johnny Cade. Diplomatic, brave, and polite, but also generous, soft, kind, Johnny was - and still is - the beating heart of the kingdom. From the moment he was old enough to leave the palace without his parents’ supervision, he could always be found somewhere in the capital, roaming around and giving the slip to his assigned guards. Stories would often circulate around the kingdom, telling folks about the prince’s warm brown eyes, and generosity towards the poor, and his near-unmatched ability with a sword. And of course, you could never mention Johnny without mentioning his right hand man and advisor, Ponyboy Curtis.
The Curtis family had served under the Cades for as long as they can remember, but no one took their duty more seriously than Ponyboy Curtis. Even as a toddler, he’d follow the prince around, and they’d never be seen without the other in hand. Servants spoke fondly of the two boys, always sneaking around or reading together in the library. When they got older, Ponyboy would often be seen writing away in a journal, only pausing to whisper in Johnny’s ear. By the age of 14, he had started publishing articles in the papers (under a pseudonym, of course) and attending diplomatic meetings with the royal family, offering his advice. To this day, there is no word more valuable than the word of Ponyboy Curtis. Still, the prince and his advisor didn’t stay a duo for long, no.
Since the moment they met him, Dallas Winston has trailed behind them, serving as their loyal guard. Tow-headed, sharp-tongued, and dangerous, Dallas Winston joined the guards at the age of 14, after being arrested too many times. The hope was that forcing him into the guards would tame him, and many across the kingdom joke that it did, simply not in the way they had expected. For the trouble-making teenager is surely not the same person as the steadfast teen, and later man, who followed the prince and his advisor around with an almost animalistic protectiveness, and eerie calm.
It is unknown how exactly the three gained their unique relationship, or how they were able to convince the former king and queen to allow it. All the citizens of Tulsa know is that when the day came for Johnny Cade to ascend to the throne and become their King, Ponyboy Curtis and Dallas Winston were at his side, and ascended with him. And despite many’s outrage, and the riots that came in their wake, the kingdom soon rose to new heights.
The Soldier, Dallas Winston, helped Tulsa become the most well-protected kingdom on the continent, and the crime-rate has never been so low, with the rehabilitation-rate being sky high. In the single war that has happened since they ascended, Dallas led every attack, and refused to stay in the safety of the castle. In almost every battle, Tulsa was victorious. The Poet, Ponyboy Curtis, ensured peace throughout the kingdom. The war Dallas fought in was ended, not by death, but through Ponyboy’s words, and even after the rulers pass, relations between the kingdoms will be strong and prosperous, until they eventually merge into one kingdom through a loving marriage. Ponyboy showed at nearly all important court decisions, royal meetings, and diplomatic meetings, using his words to get a fruitful outcome for the kingdom. Trade has never been Tulsa’s strength, until Ponyboy Curtis gained a crown. The King, Johnny Cade, is still Tulsa’s heart to this day. If there is a famine, he is at the land with the inspectors making sure things run smoothly. If there is unrest amongst the people, he travels to every town he can manage, soothing their worries and reading stories to the babes and young. During the war, he was not allowed to fight on the front-lines, but he took over military sword training, and the crop of soldiers that he taught was the most skilled group of soldiers of the decade.
While there was no royal wedding, or announcement to tell the people why or how this arrangement came to be, when the rulers passed in their sleep after decades of caring for their beloved kingdom, they were all buried next to each other in the royal cemetery. And when a tapestry was made in their honor, they all stand side-by-side, eyes focused on each other. Stories and books will always mention them as The Three Rulers: The Soldier, The Poet, and The King, never apart even when they were far away.
Here lies Dallas Winston
Partner, ruler, and Soldier
He saw the downtrodden and protected the weak.
Here lies Ponyboy Curtis
Partner, ruler, and Poet
He spoke for what's right and fair.
Here lies Johnny Cade
Partner, ruler, and King
He was not just a ruler, but a King. One beloved by all.