L'appel Du Vide {Dream x Georgenotfound}

III

Dream, Sapnap, and Karl slip into the woods shortly after midnight. They decided against a horse after nearly ten minutes of heavy arguing and debating, finally coming to the conclusion that a large animal would be much too difficult to lead through the forest; as well as being loud. The three of them also carry a large bag of their most important belongings. Dream has clothing, and layered in some of the folds are riches that will be important if they visit a village and need to make purchases. Karl had made sure to "borrow" a good amount of food as well. Yet, there's still the pressing thought of being caught in any of the villages they visit. Dream has no doubt that his parents will stop at nothing to get him back.

"By the time my mother realizes I'm gone, I'm sure we'll be miles away." Dream states, twigs and leaves crunching beneath the trio's boots. They've only been walking for a little over an hour, and have made a decent distance from the castle. Dream tries not to let the darkness of the forest intimidate him. He fails.

"We aren't walking all night, are we?" Karl asks, and glances at Sapnap beside him. "I just figured we wouldn't do too much walking tonight. Nick didn't really... fill me in, too much. Just told me we needed to go, by your command." As Dream turns to look at the boy to his left, he smiles. Karl is fidgeting with his hands, staring everywhere but at Dream.

Dream supposes he can't blame Karl. It's taken this far into their walk for him to drop the honorifics and actually call him by Dream. Dream had felt bad for a bit- not knowing his guards (besides Sapnap) well enough for them to use his preferred name. He wondered if they even knew the nickname.

Clearing his throat, Dream shakes his head. "No, just long enough that we can rest undisturbed. My parent's royal guards know nothing of my forest. They'll be lost in minutes without a map or trail to follow. We just need to get a little farther, Karl." Dream picks up his walking pace in the slightest, avoiding stray rances and low-hanging leaves with practiced ease.

"Oh, alright, then. Sorry, sir. I mean, your- man." Karl splutters. Sapnap lets out an echoing giggle.

"Your royal man, sir Dream. I like that, Karl. You gave him a new title." Sapnap smiles, elbowing Karl gently. Dream half-chuckles.

"That's a good one, I guess. But if we're going to be greeting people who might recognize who I am, we need to be losing the honorifics. I appreciate the humor, though."

Sapnap sighs loudly beside him. "You have such a big stick shoved up your ass that it may as well be a log. Are you tasting bark yet, your majesty?" Sapnap's tone drips with dry sarcasm. The royal hates the way he can feel his face warm and flush red with upset embarrassment.

"So sorry, Nicholas," Dream shoots back. "How about you go look in the forest for someone who gives a shit?"

Karl drops his gaze to the floor of the forest as the two bicker beside him.

Dream is quick to continue. "Maybe there you'll find my parents, who will either torture or kill you for helping in my escape. That way, you'll have a chance to taste some fucking bark, too. Don't ever speak to me like that again. I may not appreciate my title as a royal, but I am still your superior regardless of friendship."

"Whatever," Sapnap replies dryly. "We're in the forest. Nothing you say to me applies outside of palace walls. Great to hear that I'm just another pawn in your command, though. Guess friendship doesn't matter as much as you preach to your mother about how things matter."

Dream stays silent. He regrets lashing out at Sapnap, but it was needed. Without the constant reminder that they are stuck within the palace, he knows his guards can stray. He doesn't want to lose something that can help keep him alive. Picking up his pace, he lets the other two fall behind.