.Ruby Columbine. • Butterfly Reign AU •

Bulrush

Bulrush - Indiscretion, Docility.

Theseus was allowed to continue his life as normal, now that he'd remembered enough to work. Of course, he wasn't allowed to work more than a few hours because too much stress could cause him to go over the edge. Since the surgery, he's been more prone to his "psychotic breaks" and they've found a way to keep him safe... Sort of...

"₥₳₭Ɇ ł₮ ₴₮Ø₱! ₥₳₭Ɇ ł₮ ₴₮Ø₱! ł₮ ⱧɄⱤ₮₴! ₴₮Ø₱ ł₮!" He screamed, trying to yank his limbs back, although he was bonded tightly to trained guards who kept him still. He was held by his wrists by two guards, both having one hand on his wrists and the other on his elbows. He was constricted in a hug from behind, however, their job was to keep him from hurting his head or kicking anyone and if he somehow broke free of the other guards they were there to protect him from hurting anything or anyone. 

 He screamed loudly in the west hall, sending servants and guests into an uncomfortable silence. "ɎØɄ ĐØ₦'₮ Ʉ₦ĐɆⱤ₴₮₳₦Đ! ₮ⱧɆ ₱Ⱡ₳₦! ₮ⱧɆ ₱Ⱡ₳₦! ł₮ ₩łⱠⱠ-" Duke Sam ran right up to Theseus and placed hands in front of Theseus's ears, then pushed his forehead against his (almost) son's, calming Theseus almost instantly. "Everything's going to be okay, I'm here," Sam said, Prince Dream quickly followed and carefully combed through Theseus's golden curls. The guards, sensing Theseus's return, dropped the crown-princes limbs and stepped back, allowing the guests to work their magic. 

 Theseus soon returned to his senses and backed up calmly. "I deeply apologize for my outburst, I hope my actions haven't tarnished the emperor's or the palace's image." He'd given this same apology several times, though it never quite helped too much. He bowed politely and excused himself, once they'd allowed him to he ran to his chambers and locked himself in. Something he'd done several times. 

 He'd had so many "psychotic breaks" that when he did have one they didn't refer to him as "Theseus" but as "Bay Leaf" which is a plant that's meaning is "I change but in death," which, honestly, is quite rude.

 He threw himself onto his bed and pushed his head under the pillows, screaming into the mattress. Although he's had to explain what happens before his psychotic breaks, he failed to mention the pain that follows. Pain so suffocating that even screaming won't help, the tears won't measure, and the pain is almost too much to bear. This is the most dangerous time for Theseus. Not when he's trying to rip his head off in a craze, not when he's trying to throw himself off a balcony in a trance, but when he's in the right mindset. When he's not crazed, psychotic, demented, or deficient. But rather when he's perfectly fine, able to make conscious decisions, able to talk and engage in conversation. That's when it's too much. That's when it's dangerous. 

 He sat up and stared at his shaking hands, thoughts rushing and pouring through his head like a waterfall, imagining how he could end his story... End the embarrassment... End the pain... 

---

(Techno POV)
I ran down the hall in a blur, barely letting my feet hit the floor. I'm almost there when I dodge out of the way of Duke Sam, Dream, and Wisp, all heading the same way. 

"THESEUS! THESEUS! THESEUS! THESEUS!" The voices chanted, reminding me of what I'm doing. Dream stared at me as he asked; "Are you alright?" I passed him a glance but didn't pay any attention to what he said. I caught sight of Wisp and quickly ran up to him, not caring about the others. "Where is Theseus?" I asked, grabbing the collar of his shirt. He seemed shocked but that didn't matter. 

"THESEUS! THESEUS! THESEUS! THESEUS! THESEUS! THESEUS! THESEUS!" The voices screamed, even louder than before. "I'm not sure you want to see him, Bay Leaf just finished-"

 "I don't care!" I yelled, pulling him closer. "They demand Theseus. I need Theseus. I don't want to hurt you, Wisp. But if not Theseus, they demand blood. You must understand." 

 Wisp gulped and stared hard into my eyes. "Of course, your highness. Right, this way." I dropped him and he rushed me down the hall, forgetting about the others. I ran after Wisp, letting the voices get louder and louder. Every chance I got I picked a nearby flower and let it dissolve in my hand, hoping to calm them down enough that they don't start controlling me again. 

 We turn around the corner and I see Theseus's door first. Pushing past Wisp, I burst through the doors and run up to Theseus who's got a dagger to his throat. My hand grips Theseus's wrist and I twist it until the blade falls to the ground. Once it clattered to the floor with a Clang! I turned Theseus to face me and inspected his neck and wrists for any damage. 

 Although he was clear of wounds on his neck and arms the voices demanded there was more. Something I wasn't seeing. That's when I noticed the blood on the balcony and the blood-soaked stomach of the shirt he wore. He smiled at me wearily and wiped a tear from his face, smearing thick dark liquid over his cheek. 

 "Tech-" He spat the same dark liquid onto my shirt, now we both matched. I picked him up and laid him on his bed, putting my gloved hands over the wound, trying to stop the bleeding. "Get the doctor! Quickly!" I yelled, examining the wound on my brother. 

 Once I found it was clean and nothing had gotten inside I pushed on the bloodied shirt, not watching my brother's face contort in pain as I applied pressure to the wound. I raised and rested his legs on his bedpost and made sure to keep him warm as we waited. His skin was cold and clammy, not too unusual with his terrible habit of being incredibly cold, but the blueness of his lips was incredibly odd. He tossed his head around lightly as if he was dizzy and was trying to stop it. His breathing was too slow, even for Theseus who'd I once teased about him being "dead from lack of oxygen" although he never quite appreciated it as much as I did. He yawned and closed his eyes, "No, no, no, you keep those damn eyes open!" I yelled, making him wake. He smiled lightly at me again before yawning once more and limply throwing his head back, losing consciousness. "What the fuck, I just told you not to do that!" I huffed, wrapping him in a blanket while keeping my hands under it to apply pressure. 

 I knew he'd fallen into shock the moment his skin looked greyish. What was I supposed to do? The doctor was taking forever to get here and I didn't have time! Besides, it hurt me just as much as it hurt him. 

 The doctor finally burst into the room and all five of us rushed Theseus to his office. As we passed onlookers they all gasped lightly or backed away, some started to cry and others were visibly upset. But that didn't matter. The only thing that mattered at this moment was Theseus. 

Because it was my fault he almost died...