Captured. (Dream X Reader). Completed

Chapter 12

Y/n POV
"This place is amazing!" I shout excitedly, running from stall to stall, staring at all of the valuables which are for sale. Banners hang from string over my head, and the sound of people bartering their wears. Smells of exotic spices drift past me, the source coming from a collection of different jars proudly displayed on a woman's market stall. "Why haven't I been here before?" I wonder, because such a place like this would surely be the perfect place for everyone in lmanburg to go to for the day and relax.
"Lmanburgians aren't allowed here y/n." Dream's voice is stiff, and I know he will not meet my eyes though I'm not even looking at him.
"Oh."
"I was thinking we could just spend the day here, buy some things, grab some food." He offers me a small, considerate smile whilst pointing to certain stall that sell different things.
"Sounds like fun." I'm glad I brought my satchel, and the bunch of coins and emeralds held protectively in a brown leather purse, wells me with promise. "Can we go there first."
"Sure, whatever you want darling."

The day goes on like that, me rushing around and buying anything my heart desires, though the prices of some things feel a little like a punch in the face. Dream follows quietly, always looking around to see if anything is a miss in the market. He says it's just a habit of his now, alert and calm at the same time. My purchases vary madly, from a sweet berry cake (not nearly as fabulous as the ones Nikki makes), to a little ring, a map of the area, aged and forgotten and a book I can't identify. It's old, that's for sure, and the spine is very worn down, but the calligraphy is hand written, and the illustrations remind me of home, lmanburg. Dream suggest we should start heading back, as we don't want to be walking in the dark, which is only when I realise the sun is beginning to set. The traders and merchants are all packing their valuables away, in crates and carts drawn by strong, working horses. We make our way past the last stall, a weaponry smith, when something glints in the corner of my eye.

The smither is holding what I can only explain as the ocean and tides bound into a dagger. It's sheath is encrusted with jade and silver, sapphire stones reflecting the last of today's light. The hilt bears no leather, instead finely crafted metal painted with flecks of deep green, refreshing blue and gold. It's enough to take my breath away, and I must have it. "Excuse me sir, I was just wondering how much that dagger and stealth are please?" I ask, my hands already reaching into my satchel.
"Sorry, miss, but I've closed shop for today? I can be selling anything more at market prices." He says, though the saddened tone in his voice seems forced. Despite that, I push further. I need it.
"Well how much do you want for it?" I grab a handful of my emeralds and silver coins.
"Twenty diamonds."
"Oh" no. No. I don't even have any diamonds, that's the equivalent of 50 emeralds, far above my budget or anything I have.
"Are you sure you couldn't lower the price sir, please?"
"No can do, this is the most expensive weapon I have here, not even including the fact that you're asking to buy after market hours." He shrugs casually, not really caring, and resumes to putting the precious dagger I have become so attached to.
"I'll get it. Twenty diamonds, here." Dream passes over the precious gems, grabbing the dagger from the frozen man, and handing it over to me. "Here you go darling, please don't stab me with that." I stand there, the dagger that costs a fortune resting between my fingertips, unable to move from either shock or whoever the fuck else I'm feeling right now. "Let's get out of here." He laces a hand around me waist and gently pulls me away from the stand.

We walk home in silence. Dream doing the majority of walking, while I stumble along, still muted from shock, gingerly holding the dagger in hand. Dream's voice it's through the silence. "If you stare at the dagger much longer, it might just disintegrate into thin air you know?" His arm is still around my waist, something I am now acutely aware of.
"Why... Why did you do it?" I ask, looking up at him. He meet my gaze almost instantly.
"Do what darling?"
"Buying this dagger, you didn't need to." I life it up to my face, the blade reflecting my face like a mirror. "It's too much... It cost too much."
"Don't be silly, it's only twenty diamonds, it's no big deal."
"It is for me." I try to explain, "I come from lmanburg, where having even a couple diamonds in your chest is a rarity. I know things are different here in the DreamSMP, especially the castle, but I'm from a place that sent quite as fortunate. Things like this, even though it's not a big deal for you, it's a big deal for me, and I think you need to understand that." I look away from him now, because I sound so ungrateful. "But of course I'm still so thankful for this, you know that."

"Y/n, I know what lmanburg is like, and I understand that here is very different to there. But here, you are my queen, and I treat you like one, as should everyone else. I saw how much you adore and wanted this dagger, so I thought this would be the ideal present." His voice is more calming than ever before, and he squeezes me closer to him, placing a small, tender kiss to my temple. "You are my world y/n, my north and south, my good and bad, everything."

At his last word, the castle, not so intimidating but welcoming in the dusk light. I strap my stealth to my side, slipping the dagger into the sheath, becoming familiar to the weight of the weapon hung at my hip. It feels as though it's been there since the beginning.
"You look beautiful tonight y/n."
"I love you Dream, more than you will ever know."