listen to your heart // dnf // DISCONTINUED

two

Present – AUGUST 19, 2856:

Today the skies are dark and gloomy. Not that King Dream would have noticed. For him, even if the skies are sun-lit a bright baby blue, he would only see shades of grey. The skies somehow seemed to have sensed what day today was, bringing forth their sunken clouds and scattered rain showers. Even the ocean knew, the harsh winds prompting the stormy seas to perfectly match with the sadness and anger within Dream's heart.

Dream was sitting on the bow of the wooden ship, careful to not get his black silk clothing with embroidered emeralds, soaked by the Haetta Sea's waves. He watched as each rolling white cap sprayed freezing droplets of saltwater mere inches away from him.

He heard a few distant hollers behind him, the crashing waves mostly masking their voices. He felt a pressure on his right shoulder. He glanced over to see a small hand resting there, belonging to his friend that kneeled beside him.

She smiled lightly, "We make port in five minutes. You should get ready, my dear."

Dream met her dark black eyes that matched the beautiful leather pirate hat resting on top of her head. He rolled his eyes, looking away and back to the sea, "Right, because my people can't see me like this."

"Because you are strong, my King. You are their strength in these trying times." she said, moving her hand around to his other shoulder to pull him closer.

He rested his head upon her shoulder, "How am I meant to be strong, when I get more weak everyday Puffy?"

"You may be weak but you must not let them see. Time will heal all wounds. You will be strong again one day. And until then, for the sake of your people, you must show them you are not broken." Cpt. Puffy whispered into his ear.

Dream took a long, deep breath before following her down the ship's deck and into the living quarters. He returned to his room, grabbing his emerald green cloak and fastened it underneath the collar of his shirt. Then he turned towards his desk, picking up and placing the silver, emerald and diamond encrusted crown upon his dirty blonde locks. He walked back onto the deck of the ship just as Cpt. Puffy yelled out from the ship's gigantic wooden wheel, "Prepare the lines!"

Dream watched from the side as her pirate crew lowered the sails, grabbing what seemed like hundreds of ropes, and jumped off the ship onto the dock, securing the ship. He continued to watch as the crew unloaded various crates and other members of his Kingdom exited the ship. He knew he needed to disembark himself, but he remained motionless, staring out at the figures shrinking in the distance.

The harsh, abrupt boom of Cpt. Puffy's steel-toed boots jolted him out of his daze. He glanced down at her, knowing she had just jumped off the upper level to startle him into walking off the ship.

Upon reaching the dock, his four guards created a square around him, one in each corner to prevent an attack from any position. They walked in synchronized steps down the dock and onto a large cobblestoned path leading to the Castle of Vindeniht. His guards lead him towards the garden just right of the Castle's gates.

The garden was vast and plentiful with flowers of every shape, size, and color, but Dream paid no attention to it. I can't fall apart.

At the center of the gardens was a small platform used to make small speeches where those of any status could join and was easily accessible for the commoners and the poor. Dream made his way up to the podium, his gaze catching the sight of hundreds of thousands of people gathering around him. Royals were seated in the front, wealthy seated behind, the middle class behind them with some seating, and future back were the commoners, the poor, and the servants.