.Ruby Columbine. • Butterfly Reign AU •

Flowering Almond

Flowering Almond - Hope

[Theseus POV]

Soon it became dark outside and Dream stood up, we had been playing a game with some inchworms and he'd won for the third time before he decided to stand. He wiped off some dirt from his clothes and sighed. "Well, it's getting dark Thes. I think it's time to go off to bed," He stretched as he said this, cracking his back a little. I cast Dad a nervous glance, Is it safe? He made his way over to me and put a hand on my shoulder.

"If you don't want to go back I understand. You have me and your guards to protect you, we won't let him hurt you again," He smiled at me, a hint of worry and protection seeped into his voice, making me smile softly in response. I leaned on him and touched my now-swollen cheek.

"I think I'll stay here. He might still be angry and I don't know what he'd do if he found me before you him." Prince Dream suddenly looked very confused and I remembered we never told him why we were there. "I think we should tell Dream and Sapnap now. They seem confused."

Sam nodded and let go of my arm,  letting me sit upright. "Dream, Sapnap, you might wanna sit for this one."

---

[Techno POV]

I ended up not hurting Phil too badly, just enough to scare him a little. He sat on the ground, staring up at me with wide eyes. I backed away, voices still screaming for blood, and turned to Ranboo. He'd been with Wisp since he started panicking and Wisp was currently holding him tightly, making sure he didn't see what happened to Phil.

₩Ɇ ₩₳₦₮ ฿ⱠØØĐ ฿ⱠØØĐ ฿ⱠØØĐ! ₲łVɆ Ʉ₴ ฿ⱠØØĐ! The voices chanted, making me freeze in my tracks. I never could say no to lost souls... But I'm not going to hurt anyone more than I already have. I sighed and turned back to the man on the ground, I wiped some of the blood off of his face and let it dissolve in my hand. Some of the voices calmed and others were still riled up so I let some of the dark red liquid pour onto my hand and waited until my palm was almost full before letting it dissolve. I forgot how much noses bleed, I didn't think it could fill my hand but apparently it can.

Now that the voices were calm, I made my way over to Ranboo and Wisp. I let Wisp know that Theseus was safe and told him to take Ranboo to his chambers. Phil could never hurt an adopted son, especially Ranboo. I watched as the two walked away, Ranboo stumbling a little and Wisp helping him balance. I smiled to myself lightly, then turned to Father.

I couldn't just leave him, even if I hated his guts right now he was still the emperor and he could have me killed for hurting him. So, in order to keep my life and my job, I fixed up the emperor's nose and patched him up, then sent him back into his office as I tried to find Theseus. I walked through the halls, glancing in rooms and corners, searching for a huddled figure or a blonde-haired boy trying to hide. Eventually, I made it to the gardens, the last possible place he could be. It surprised me how well he could hide, well, considering he's got another person with him who can't fit in a tiny space. I paced the gardens, finding trail after trail empty. Where the hell is he?

It's probably a good thing I can't find him, this just proves that the emperor won't be able to find him either. Besides, I need to help out with the celebration anyway.

---

[Theseus POV]

Dream stared at me, looking furious. He stepped towards me, his hand clenched into a tight ball. I backed up a little, fear spreading through my veins.

He stepped towards me, "You're so insufferable Theseus!" He raised his hand and-

"I'm sorry!" I yelled, looking at father with wide eyes. "I'm so sorry! I'll shut up! I'm sorry! Please don't hit me!" I continued to back up as my father stepped forward. I curled into a ball and waited for him to hit me, my eyes were squeezed shut as I sat there shaking and waiting. "Please..." I whispered, curling up tighter. I waited for the pain but it never came.

Instead a pair of comforting arms wrapped around me and pulled me into a hug. My eyes opened and I saw someone wearing green, not blue. I looked at their hair from the side of my eye, blonde not grey, they weren't Phil. Why did I think they were going to hit me? Why did I panic?

The boy looked up at me and put a hand on the non-swollen side of my face. "I'd never hit you, Thes." I felt so guilty, so.... Terrible... "I know, I don't know what got into me," I laughed lightly, my voice not quite matching my expression. I looked up at Dream and smiled before pushing my forehead against his.

"Thank you, Dream." I stood up and walked back over to Sapnap who'd been watching in horror. I picked up his hand and placed something inside, then sat next to Dad.

The butterflies that had jumped off of me when I had... Whatever that was... Soon came fluttering over, bringing their friends too. They settled on my hair and shoulders, one brave on even sat on my nose, causing me to smile. Even if the butterflies weren't on me, they were always there.

---

[DreamPOV] ... >:(
I watch as the butterflies lightly swarmed Theseus, as if reassuring him it was okay. Theseus's hair was pushed down lightly by the crown of blue butterflies and I imagined what he would look like in green. Green like my kingdom. I need him to leave this place, look what it did to him! No one reacts like that to a one-time thing! This must've happened multiple times before or they must've done something terrible to him in the past. Theseus is only—how old?

"How old are you?" I asked out of the blue, the words just spilling over my lips. Theseus thought for a moment, looking up and to the side. "Uhh, 16? No.. I'm 17 I think," He responded, half unsure of himself. I thought he remembered the basics of himself, this is a little worrisome. Seventeen. He's been crown prince for a few years now, so he was...

"You were eleven.." I mumbled a little louder than anticipated. They looked towards me and tilted their heads in confusion. "You were eleven when you were crowned prince," I specified, making everyone turn to Theseus. He sat there confused, then he perked up in realization, making some butterflies startled and flutter away.

"No!" He shouted, staring straight ahead. "I-I'm not... No.. He cares, he tries! That's true... But-. Okay..." he mumbled, talking to himself. Or to "chat". I still can't tell the difference. Shit. This kid makes me wonder about humanity sometimes. Are people really that bad? So bad he forgets everything and they're only focus is him getting paperwork filled? So bad they hit their child when something doesn't go their way? So bad they replace a commoner with a prince? So bad they can't see how much he's hurting?

Now that i think about it.. Yes... People are that bad. And this world doesn't deserve them as rulers. I need to do something, something to put him in charge. He's the only one who deserves it. The only person worthy. Prime, send some luck to me because this plan is a little risky...

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ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀs ɴᴏᴛᴇ! ʜᴇʟʟᴏ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴏɴᴇ! ɪ ᴛᴏᴏᴋ ᴀ ᴛʀɪᴘ ᴛᴏ ғʀᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ғɪɴɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴛʜɪs ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴇᴛʀᴏ, ɪ ʟᴇᴀʀɴᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴ sɪᴄᴋɴᴇss! sᴏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ's ᴀ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴀᴘᴘᴀʀᴇɴᴛʟʏ. ɪ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʟʟ sᴏ sᴏ sᴏ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴀɴᴅ ɪ'ʟʟ ʀᴇᴛᴜʀɴ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴍʏ ᴛʀɪᴘ ɴᴇxᴛ ᴡᴇᴇᴋ! ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʟʟ sᴏ ᴍᴜᴄʜ, ɪ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ, ɪ ʜᴏᴘᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ!!

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