The Prince that Wore a Mask (DNF & Karlnapity)

Part Five - Unwanted Truths

A/N: I'm using Kinoko as the kingdom in this AU as well as L'manburg, but there's no correlation to the two's actual lore.

Karl and George nod at Alex.

"You make an interesting bargain, Dream, but I'm afraid that we'll need an idea of how...detrimental...this mission of yours may be to us," Alex paced around the table, the words falling from his mouth slithered, they were shaded and meant more than they seemed.

Dream falters, there's a shift his stance to some degree, but he doesn't back down, "I'll be real with you, I'm unsure of how serious it could get...but from what we've already found...it's pretty bad..."

Alex slid his finger on the table, tapping each one only slightly as he began to understand. He turned back to Karl and George, looking for facial recognitions.

It was now that George thought back to his career, the book he strived to create. He still needed a story. What better way than this?

"Alex-"

"I know George, and you're right, but are you sure?"

George went silent. Thoughts raced through his mind, why and how he found himself here in the first place. Considering all that has happened—he had nothing to lose. 

George stood up.

He found himself on either side of Sapnap and Dream, "You said it yourself, I need to get out more, and I know you. If you say no now, you'll always be thinking what if."

Alex made no move, Karl spoke, "I've been working day and night, I could use a break I suppose. Why not get into some trouble?"

Karl reached a hand to Alex's shoulder, then also stood next to George.

Karl, noticing Alex's hesitance, tries to give him a little reassurance, "Come on Q, it'll be like old times."

Alex sighed, "you two really know how to get me, ay?"

Malicious chuckling filled the air, "You know what? I've been looking for some trouble."

They cheered.

————————

Dream, Karl, Sapnap, George and Alex surrounded the table they had all been sitting at previously. A couple hours passed as Dream and Sapnap filled them in on the details, and they all began to know each other better...

Karl went ahead and closed shop for the day, getting an early start on his vacation.

"So, as you three have somehow guessed, I am the prince..." Dream began with, the crowd listening to him intently.

Dream sighed, crossing his legs to get comfortable, "A while back, my father finally gave me access to the castle's private library. I went and explored it one day out of boredom—especially since we are at a time of peace and all—and I was rummaged through some really old books, and came across a book that seemed out of place. It was clearly in the wrong section, hidden among other books. I pulled the book from the shelve and began to read it...only to find some...interesting information..."

The air was intense. Mysteries had that effect, especially on George who could find himself wrapped up in a good book, cup of coffee by his side.

"I didn't understand all the words and meanings of the book, most of it was military terms, so I brought Sapnap into the picture to take a look at it," Dream reaches into his side bag, pulling out the supposed book.

The cover was leather, it the pages a bit frayed. Surely, an antique.

Sapnap took the book, opening it to show the group, "You boys, as previously proven, are smart as hell. I'm sure you know the kingdom's history and the stories of past wars, so do you recall the war versus L'manburg?"

"A lot of destruction went down, but like Dream said, we're in a time of peace. L'manburg and Kinoko are allies now," Karl spit the facts.

"...Some of my relatives come from L'manburg, I've heard the stories," George rested his elbows on the table, secretly hoping that they'll disregard this statement, and move on with it...

"All correct," Sapnap began flipping pages, "but if you take a look here, there's a passage in this book on specifics concerning the royal process and the linage of royalty. Quackity, you've read the books, you know the family lines. What have the books you've read tell you?"

Alex speaks, "Just the normal stuff, all the relatives that lead up to Dream and his siblings."

"Right...so—can you explain this to me?

All eyes fall onto the grimy pages of the age old book, the tension of the room slowly rising from an eerie mystery to on that could only be gruesome...

Alex's breath stagers, as he inhaled the knowledge that's laid out in front of him in near disbelief. George and Karl slowly realizing what they were all looking at.

George goes dead silent.

He doesn't move.

He doesn't dare say a word.

"This can't be real..." Alex mutters.

"It is," Dream himself admits, "I've fact checked everything that I possible could..."

On the dirty, smeared-ink pages, was a family tree. A tree which lined out the lineage of the royal family.

The lines swirled around the paper, and ended at a royal family that wasn't Dream's...

Instead of Dream being at the bottom of the family line, the name, Wilbur Soot was.

...

George's brother Wilbur.

But—George's name wasn't on the page, and Wilbur passed away. Tommy and Phil both confirmed it the last time he saw them—how could this be?

George shook his head, it wasn't time to be thinking about these things.

It wasn't time to be recalling such—such hardships of his life that he worked so hard to pass. Things he worked hard to forget.

"George?"

Karl had his hand in George's shoulder, tapping him ever so slightly as to not startle him.

George was unsure of what to say. Unsure of what would happen if he told them.

"George, are you okay? You've been quiet..." Karl says calmly.

Were my and Wilbur's parent's royalty? Is that why they're dead?

"Guys, it may be a coincidence...but Wilbur Soot was George's brother's name," Alex finally broke the trance.

Karl looked at Alex, then quickly switched back to George, "Alex—Does that make George—"

"George is quite possibly Kinoko's true prince..."