Take To The Crown

War

He had not seen him in months.
His bed was painfully empty, he reached, but he was not with him.
The letter has been released to the public.

'King George, war has started.'

Townsfolk gathered their children away from the kingdom borders, though the kingdoms were not that far, they could not risk having to bury their own children.
It became dusk and ashen, you could only hear your own footsteps and breath.

Velvet pushed the feeling that gathered in his chest, once he was able to feel it, alone with him, but he is gone now.

Ant had heard of her death the day after, hearing of why she died, feeling betrayal for the first time.
He went home to his grieving Aunt, not saying a single word toward her.

Dream told Velvet how she had died, him being made aware that he knew of their love.

Tubbo was left alone, watching as the world burnt around him, letting the ones closest to him turn to ash. He began to cry more often, alone, in the dark.
Others are burning, i am only aching. I do not need to complain.

Dream's eyes became shadowy and lined, wiping his lips and forcing a smile when somebody would pass by. He watched everybody be torn apart many times, it was tiring. 

He would stay by Velvet's side every moment, flinching as he would seemingly reach for sharpness, nearly grabbing him and pulling him away each time, but he did not do it.

He would watch each day as the Kings head would twitch as he heard air against the window, scared they are footsteps of soldiers. He would fidget with the edge of the drafting letters as he would write them, and his breath would shake even when he slept.

They spent time in his office, his desk scraped and stained with ink, curtains blocking light more often than not. Velvet curled his hand, Dream snapping his head toward him.

He watched as his hand curved slowly to a position, he paused it for a bit. "Sometimes," he began.
Dream had not heard his voice in days. "i will act as if he is here, i will reach over to emptiness and cold sheets, and imagine as if he could stay."

He could feel his face shift.
"I watched my parents leave for this? To watch as my love is forced away from me?" He began to sob, Dream standing quickly. "Let them kill me. In war, do not protect me." His throat was raw.

"Let my brother be free, let my lover live as if he never met me.
Let yourself go home."

He placed a hand on his back, smoothing fabric to soothe him.
"I cannot love him." He choked, tears falling quick, hot against his cheeks. "The gods have cursed me, any world where he is not with me is punishment."

"He still loves you." He said, stopping his hand on his shoulder.
"He isn't supposed to, neither am i."

Velvet looked to him, eyes watery and pinkend, the tip of his nose faded red. He embraced him, feeling the shake in his arms, how thin he had gotten.

He whispered into his ear, of how he'd be okay, how he's overcome such a thing before, perhaps all things he needed to hear himself.

Days passed, not a trace of joy was felt on anybody. Maps laid against surfaces, circles where soldiers could attack, archers could peek over, children could hide.

They lived in tents now, though they were only ten minutes away from eachother, they could not risk  an invasion.

Tubbo would often find himself drifting, watching as soldiers huddled around fire, smelling sulfur and ash, all he could do was think about it. The flowers he loved dearly were now burnt and stepped over, covered with dirt and grime. He promised himself he'd get them replanted after war, whenever that will be.

The sound of chants or arrows flashing the air would frequent, he would watch as his older brother would cup his own ears with his hands. He wondered why they would let someone as fragile as he was lead them, he remembered that he was forced.

Tubbo wrote down every soldiers name, copying it from drafting letters. He promised each one of them that if they were to die, he would burn incense atop their graves, and grant their loved ones with wealth. Luckily, no deaths had accured.

He sat on the forest floor, not concerned of the dirt and bugs he would acquire on his clothes, it was quite normal now.
He heard morning birds chirping, soldiers awakening and wiping sleep from their eyes.

"Morning." Dream had said from outside of the tent, the forest was only seconds away from their shared cots. Velvet only hummed in response, smoothing the clothes he slept in.

He listened carefully, they did not allow him to hear of war that often, he would be awkwardly dismissed so often he felt unwanted in normal conversation.

"I hear they will strike today, these men are prepared, i promise you. They have put all of their lives into protecting your kingdom."

Where Tubbo could not see, he nodded. "I will fight with them." He stepped forward, Dream holding an arm to stop him.

"You will not. You are unstable and weak, no way I'm letting you face war." He said sternly, gripping his spear ever so slightly tighter.
"Then what must i do, weep myself to death? I will not let my people die."

And with that, they were done speaking.

Tubbo could do nothing but stare at his hands, curving them into weak fists. "I can fight for him." The younger said, standing and showing himself. Velvet flinched, throwing his arms infront of himself. Dream placed his hand on his shoulder, forcing him back to earth.

"You will not fight, we have decided that long ago." He reasoned, slipping his hand from his shoulder. Tubbo crossed his arms. "Without me, i had no say in it, just like every fucking other thing you do."

He simply sighed, ushering Velvet to silence, as if he'd break if battle was raised.

Ignoring me as always, all you did was prove my point. The boy thought, fixing his air against the stale dampness of the morning.

Armour was lifted onto shoulders and torsos, spears cut and sharpened to pierce hearts. They were not sure who would come, or even what they were looking to gain, but they wrote letters in shakey writing to their families, and raised a farewell to those who stayed behind, surrounding the Prince meanwhile for their entertainment.

_

Ant gazed up, eyes locked on moving clouds obscuring the burning sun, face lined and dark, an expression you would find on a royal man. The cape that hung around his shoulders never felt heavier, weapons strapped to his hips in nothing but decoration, he did not know how to harm anybody.

A cold hand was placed to his back, he did not acknowledge it.
"We shall crush them today, Prince. This war shall be over quickly, we will have years to celebrate." George said, his familiar deep voice ringing in his ears.

"I do not wish to crush them, all i wish is that it is over."

The king frowned, fixing his posture and standing infront of his gaze. "How do you suppose this ends? Do you think there will be no death? That we will simply kiss and be merry?"

He was silent.

"Do you believe the gods love us? That is foolish. They have burnt us all, laughing in their thrones. They have made sure we will all be forgotten, so why not defy them? We shall kill their favourites."

George could see his face flick with pain.

"You have screamed to them, they have not heard you."

Ant could hear soldiers feet stamp the ground behind him, their clothes stirring in the wind.
"Prepare, Prince. For today, the king shall fall, and the gods shall surely curse us both."

His fingers slipped from his shoulder, he watched him leave.
He dug his fingernails deep into his flesh, scars torn into his palm.
Gods, kill me before you force me to kill him, that is all i ask.

A selfish request, but the gods were made of selfishness.