All hail

Rings

Puffy turned to face her, immediately breaking into a smile "Nikki!" The woman squealed jumping to her feet and running to the other woman
"Puffy!" Nikki whispered as Puffy wiped one of her tears away and pulled her into a close hug, holding her and never wanting to let her go again.
"Nikki! How nice of you to finally join us, there is a spare seat next to me as well as your engagement ring." Dream smiled maniacally causing Puffy too hold Nikki tighter and whisper sweet and calming words as Puffy felt her jacket soak up more of her fiancé's tears.
After a moment two or the hug Nikki pulled away and took in a few shakey breaths before nodding and began walking across the room. Halfway through Puffy held one of Nikki's chained hands and lead her too her seat opposite her own and in between Dream and Karl. A bowl of hot soup sat in front of Nikki with the glowing effect of a potion mixed in, next to the bowl and in between her and Dream lay her engagement ring. Instinctively she reached out to grab the ring but Dream took it immediately, holding it up at the light seeming to be inspecting it as everyone else sat and watched him in silence. Nikki reached to grab it again but this time Dream harshly pushed her away and back into her seat with a loud thump.
"You can have your ring back after you've eaten." Dream replied nonchalantly as he placed the ring in front of him almost daring Nikki to try and grab it.
"Can't you at least take the cuffs off her Dream?" Puffy sighed frustrated as Dream glared at the sheep hybrid
"Puffy have you already forgotten the conversation we had less than an hour ago?" Dream replied as he tried to sound disappointed but couldn't help the smirk across his face
"No!" Puffy replied quickly as she seems to tense up staring at Nikki "I mean I haven't, no."

"Sooooo, how long have you two been together?" Purpled starts to make awakened conversation in the room full of both people and silence as Nikki stared down into the soup
"We met when Nikki paid me to take her to L'manberg, the voyage was lon-" Puffy started telling the story using it as a welcomed distraction but Dream leaned over towards Nikki and began their own quiet conversation.
"Nikki I'm gonna need you too have at least some of the soup." He sighed
"What's in it?" Nikki asked hinting at the fact she knew there was a potion in it
"Rabbit and carrots, home grown by George and made by Bad. So if it tastes disgusting complain to them and not me." Dream joked as though they were old friends
"What's the potion in with it?" Nikki asked more clearly but still in her soft voice
"There's no potion it's just a trick if the light." Dream explained simply
"I'm not hungry." Nikki replied stubbornly, crossing her arms and leaning back in the chair
"This is your last warning too eat the fucking soup." Dream said sternly no longer whispering as the table began to quieten down
"I'm not hungry." Nikki replied nonchalantly.
"Stupid bitch!" Dream shouted banging his fist against the table before pushing the chair back and standing up grabbing the distressed baker by her hair and dragging them out of the room kicking and screaming.

Everyone sat in silence before most excused themselves leaving just Sam, Bad and Puffy. The two males moved down the table now sitting either side of their friend who was staring down at the table and watching the ring she played with in her hands as stray tears rolled down her face.
"I didn't mean to love the enemy." Puffy explained as her voice cracked and broke
"We know." Bad replied softly as Sam rubbed her shoulder
"The only reason he hasn't killed me yet is because of Nikki and I just sat here as he took her away most likely to beat her." Puffy continued
"Hey, hey! It's not your fault." Bad kept trying to comfort her
"It is!" Puffy wailed as she struggled to take in her breaths for a second "if I had just convinced her to go to the Esémpi the day she arrived in stead of L'manberg we would've been fine to date and probably be married by now!"
"I'm going to go speak with Sapnap, Sam you got this?" Bad asked as he gave Puffy a quick hug and then looked to Sam for conformation and receiving a nod before walking out of the large eating hall.
"Puffy do you want to head back to your quarters and I'll take your guard shift whilst you rest?" Sam asked arm still wrapped tightly around the sheep hybrid and began helping the shaking woman walk to her area of the castle.

Badboyhalo spent a few minutes wandering around the castle before stumbling upon Karl and Sapnap.
"-know it he'll be back to normal in a few days it's just all this stress with Nikki and stuff." Sapnap explained as Bad caught the end of the conversation and decided to listen in in the rest of it
"What do you think of all this Nikki stuff?" Karl asked taking a seat next to Sap on the bench in the courtyard
"Poor woman honestly, feel sorry for her. Not her fault she's close to Wilbur." Sap shrugged
"I feel sorry for Puffy as well, I mean do you remember when Dream heard that we'd traded some bread for some wood with Quackity?" Karl laughed
"Yeah" Sapnap joined in with the laughter "could you imagine what he's say if he found out what we do with him now?"
The chorus of laughter increased and as it began to slow down Sapnap spoke up again "what was with the soup thingy? He was desperate for her too have some?"
"When we where eating before Nikki arrived, I swear I saw him pour something in hers and then she kept saying there was a potion in her soup. Think that's why she wouldn't eat it." Karl tried to explain
There was a few moments of silence as Both boys think and Bad decided to take this as his opportunity to enter into the small round courtyard.
"Hey guys! Can I just talk to Sap for a bit?" He asked waving
"Yeah that's fine I need to go talk to Ant about the upcoming peace treaty anyway!" Karl nodded, beaming as he walked off checking one of his many watches and his smile faltered for a second before quickly picking up the pace muttering about a masquerade ball or something, he'd been doing things like that a lot recently.

"Hey Bad, what do ya wanna talk about?" Sapnap asked shaking his head at Karl's antics
"Why did you do it? Why'd you take Nikki?" Bad sighed cutting to the chase
"I-I..I uhm wow straight to the point, I see." Sapnap stumbled for an excuse "Dream told us too"
"You do everything Dream says now?" Bad laughed sitting down
"No, but he's the leader. And don't tell him this, but I kinda respect him like that so I follow his choices.... most of the time."