Fundy lied on the ground, a pool of blood staining the undergrowth below him.

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     Dream stared at his body, watching at Fundy coughed out blood. His knife had struck him in the chest- right below his throat. He was about to die.

Fundy was going to die.

"Dream!" George yelled. Dream heard scuffling behind him before George ran up beside him, a hand over his mouth. "Holy fuck..."

Dream watched Fundy, a cold look in his eye. "He was following me earlier. I warned him this might happen if he continued."

Fundy stirred, another weak cough shaking his body before he went still. His last breath escaped his lips, his eyes closed.

George fell on his knees, crawling up beside his body. "You know him? You- you killed him..."

"It wasn't on purpose," Dream replied. Plus, he had done worse. Fundy's death had been quick.

George seemed frozen. "I've never seen someone die," he said.

Dream found himself leaning down, putting his hand on his shoulder. "It's alright," he said. "You will probably need to get used to it- you're going to be king in the future. You'll have to kill often."

George shook, a shaky breath coming through his lips. He leaned against Dream, needing comfort. Dream realized that may not have been the best thing to say.

"Did you know him personally?" George asked. Dream shook his head- he had only known Fundy a little bit.

He fixed his mask, realizing his lips were still in the open.

"What do we do with him- with the body?" George asked.

"I don't know. Hide it?"

George looked at him with wide eyes.

"What? I'm a pr- a guard! I can't go around killing my fellow people!"

George shrugged. "I thought you would have more of an emotional reaction to murder," he mumbled. Was he mad? Holy fuck, please don't let him be mad.

"Listen," Dream said, "I'll bring his body back and make up a story, okay?" He lied. He was not going to do that.

George nodded. "Okay, fine," he said.

Dream found a smirk climbing his face. "He really did ruin the moment, though, didn't he?"

George's face reddened and he looked away. "Stop, Dream. That is so inappropriate after what just happened."

Dream watched him, guilt suddenly coming over him again. If this was what George was like after one death from the opposing Kingdom, what would he think about tonight?

Dream opened his mouth, hesitating. "George," he said.

"What?" George asked.

"Be ready for tonight, okay?"

"Tonight? What happens tonight?"

Dream stood up, not answering him. "See you tomorrow?" He asked. George muttered something.

Dream went over to Fundy and grabbed his body by the arms, hauling him up. He was careful not to get any blood on himself, though he was sure he had a few stains.

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     Dream watched the army leave through his window, midnight spilling through his balcony. They all thought he was asleep. They were wrong.

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     The whole castle was in a good mood the next day- it was clear the battle had gone well. Dream left toward the forest, trying to ignore the nerves that ran though his body.

He had dragged Fundy far away then had just left his body in the open. Dream wasn't going to become a murder suspect, okay?

He approached the spot he normally met George, surprised to see the Prince just standing there. Why wasn't he trying to scare Dream?

"George?" Dream asked as he approached. "Are you okay?"

George glanced up at him, his eyes dark. "You knew," he said. "You knew an attack would happen."

Dream watched him, biting the inside of his lip. He didn't reply, nervous that the smaller guy was angry at him.

The silence seemed to confirm George's thoughts. "Why didn't you do something? One thousand people died last night!"

One thousand? Wow. It really had been a good attack.

"I- I wasn't supposed to know, really," Dream hesitated. He didn't want George to be mad at him. George was the only person who actually cared about him. Well, besides his sister.

"Wasn't supposed to know? Then how did you figure out?" George accused. "Were you there last night? Did you murder more people?"

Dream shook his head. "No- no! It wasn't anything like that," he protested. "I overheard- ah, two guards talking about it. No one wanted me to know."

"Why are you so important? Why did they want to keep it away from you? I thought you were all great. Wouldn't they want you there?"

Dream opened his mouth and closed it, caught between his heart and loyalty.

George stepped forward, taking advantage of Dream's hesitation. "You're a liar. I thought you cared."

"I-I do care, George! Gosh, why are you so angry? We're at war! What do you expect is going to happen- everything is going to be alright? We're all going to have a party together and eat cake? Pretend nothing happened? I have duties, George!"

"I thought you were on a break. I thought you didn't have duties. I thought that was why you weren't there last night," George looked at him, eyes wide.

Dream realized his mistake. He had drifted from his story. "I- got them back yesterday-" he began.

"You're lying," George cut him off. His face was red with frustration and anger. His hair was a bit of a mess. He looked like he had been crying.

Dream took another step back, feeling as if he failed the Prince.

"Who are you, Dream?" He asked.

Dream felt his breath catch in his throat. He could feel anger bubbling beneath his skin. He remembered how he used to be- snapping at everyone and fighting everything with violence. He didn't want to return to that. He needed George.

Fuck. He made a mistake. Dream needed George more than George needed him.

Dream reached up to his mask, feeling the hard surface. He paused before grabbing it and throwing it off onto the ground. "Happy?" He asked, somehow managing to turn the situation around on George.

George's eyes widened in disbelief. "You're Prince Clay," he said.

George took in Dream. Dream watched as his gaze flicked along his face, his shock slowly turning into almost admiration.

"Why did you keep your identity a secret?"

Dream turned around on his question, walking away from him and into the woods.

"Wait- Drea- well, Clay- agh, you forgot your mask! Please don't leave." George ran after him, touching his shoulder.

"Don't call me Clay," Dream said, ignoring his touch as he continued on.

"Wait- are you going to come back tomorrow?"

"No."

"W-what?" George's voice broke and Dream's heart shattered.

Dream turned around. "Don't you realize what this means?" He asked him harshly. "We're both princes. A male and male relationship itself is looked down upon. We are of two fighting kingdoms. We could never get together anyway. Your kingdom killed my mother. I loved her. It's not going to work, George." He hated his own words.

"Well, none of that seemed to bother you before!" George said. He was now looking into Dream's eyes pleadingly, desperately. "What changed? The fact I know you're the Prince? I still- I still want you!"

Dream was taken aback. Maybe he and George needed each other the same amount. "What do you suppose we do about it?" He asked.

"I think we should- I think we should run away. There is another heir to your kingdom, right?"

"I can't ask you to do that, George. You have connections at your castle. You have three brothers." George, unlike Dream, actually made friends.

He had things to lose.

"I don't care, Dream. I will make new friends. We can be travelers- have you ever been to the ocean? What if we were sailors?"

The idea sounded good. Too good for Dream's liking. "We can't just run away, George. Imagine how bad our parents would beat us if we got captured."

George inclined his head to the left. "Beat us? My dad wouldn't beat me. Phil loves me- he would try to understand."

Dream felt a lump in his throat. Oh.

"Dream? Does your dad- does he beat you?"

"It's nothing bad," Dream shrugged.

"Let me see. Where does he beat you?" Concern flooded into his voice. Dream found his heart pounding through his body.

"It's fine," Dream said. "End of story."

George looked into his eyes, blinking. "Are your eyes green?" He asked.

Dream raised a brow. "What? Yeah?" He laughed. "What kind of question is that?"

George broke into laughter as well. "I'm color blind," he said, smiling.

"Really?" Dream asked.

George nodded. "Your eyes look really cool. They are almost a bright yellow, like the sun when it's coming up on the horizon."

He could feel his heart flutter but this time he didn't swallow it down, letting it thump through his chest. "Your eyes are pretty, too," he said with a smile. "Everytime I look at you it's like I get trapped. I try to convince myself I don't like you, but..."

They were slowly leaning toward each other, almost unintentionally.

Dream tilted his head to the side. He could feel George's breath on his mouth- his lips brushed gently against his.

He could hear the sound of a bow and arrow being drawn back.

Dream tackled George right as an arrow flew over their heads, directed where George's heart had been. Dream heard George take in a breath of shock and Dream grabbed his hand, pulling him up.

George stumbled up. Dream began to run, almost dragging George behind him before he got his footing and was beside Dream.

Their feet drummed on the undergrowth. Arrows were flung over their heads. George still had Dream's mask in one hand and he clutched onto it tight.

"Go, go," Dream told him. "Run back to your kingdom. Don't stop."

"Wait- I don't want to leave you!" George turned his head toward Dream as they ran.

"These are my men! Those arrows are gold-tipped. They are aiming at you, not me," Dream explained desperately, "I need you to leave. We- meet me here tomorrow. Bring everything you need. We're going to leave, okay? Get there before the sun rises."

Dream stopped. George hesitated for a moment, nodding before racing off without him.

He heard his men catch up. He turned around, stone-faced with blazing eyes.

His heart was beating loudly in his chest, echoing through his body. He could still see George in front of him, the way all his anger toward him had dissipated within a moment.

"Step out," Dream ordered, watching as five men came into sight.

The tallest, and probably the stupidest, walked forward. "You traitor!" He yelled. The men around him followed suit. Dream raised his hand, silently telling them to shut the fuck up.

They quickly became quiet. Dream spoke, his voice hard. "Did any of you ever consider that perhaps I was tricking him?" He asked. "As a way for information? It was working, too. The King is aware of what I am doing and he approves."

The soldiers shared glances between each other, seemingly dumbfounded. The brave one spoke out. "But you were about to- to kiss him, Prince Clay," had said.

"A kiss means nothing. Have none of you ever kissed a lady only for the pleasure or the idea of it and not because you fancied her?"

The solders shuffled.

"You all ruined it. I doubt the Prince will be willing to come back. Thankfully I was able to get him away so he could still be an asset to us. May I ask all of you- why did you follow me in the first place?"

None of them replied, looking at the floor embarrassed. Cold anger still ran through Dream like a freezing river. They ruined it. George had been so close.

So, so close.

Clearly no one in the castle trusted him anyway. Maybe it wouldn't make a difference when he ran away.

Dream thought of the idea- running away with George.

He ordered the solders back, following them a few minutes after they padded away.

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