Immortals and Empires

Chapter 3: Correlation, Coincidence

After their black rose went missing, a group of friends have to get another from the Palace.

Cross and Dream interact again.

As always, Ink and Dream talk a bit more.

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A/N: just a small note, some things won't make sense in this chapter until later chapters, specifically some of Dream's inner monologue. they'll clarify themselves in chapter 5, but for now, they'll seem confusing.

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In the morning, a hummingbird landed on a window sill. It chirped lightly, the picture of serenity.

Past the window was the exact opposite of serenity.

"Where's the flower?!"

Horror was flipping blankets off mattresses, Dust fumbling through bags as Killer and Cross searched in the crooks and corners.

"When did you last see it?" Cross shouted to Horror.

"I don't know! I just brought it upstairs after my shift a few days ago!"

"You didn't check the bag?"

"No, I didn't- ....you don't think I dropped it on the way— do you?" Suddenly Horror realised it was very possible.

Killer gave him the rose some distance away from the butchery, and if he dropped it on the way there, anyone could've picked it up.

"In any case, we've lost it. Blaming anyone changes nothing. It's a key part of the ritual, it won't work without it."

If Cross's back hadn't been turned, he would've noticed Killer stiffening, his shoulders squaring up and tensing. He remained attentive as ever, listening intently to the tense silence, as if someone unseen was whispering instructions to him.

"If the rose is gone, we'll have to find another," he said quietly.

So then where were these roses grown? They couldn't be found just anywhere, they grew in one very specific place.

So later in the day, the four found themselves striding through the Palace courtyard.

"You found the rose here?"

Killer grimaced. "It wasn't the easiest. I didn't even get to where they actually were, just tricked someone else into delivering one of the roses to me."

"But you do know where the roses are?"
"I do." Killer didn't elaborate. As they headed down winding paths and hallways they began to wonder how much of this was actually trespassing.

So long as they didn't get caught.

And that's how they found themselves in the Royal Gardens, hesitant footsteps trailing after steady ones. Lo and behold, behind a massive tree, hidden from anyone's view should they happen to pass by and glance through the Royal Gardens, they found a clustering patch of black roses.

They exhaled and Killer and Dust stepped forward to cut one off.

"Here." Horror passed Killer a pair of shears. The others waited in silence as Killer worked his way through the stem and Dust's gentle grip stopped Killer from jabbing himself with the thorns. From an outsider's view, they wouldn't be able to see the two at all, leaving just Cross and Horror in plain sight.

Cross watched in silence, growing restless as Horror did too.

They made eye contact.

Like syrup, tension pooled and boiled. Horror hadn't mentioned the previous day, but now so close to the Emperor's dwelling it was proving difficult to pretend meeting him hadn't happened.