Immortals and Empires

Chapter 9: Rumours

The Emperor reflects.

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A/N: Basically just Dream angst.

(tw, su!c!dal ideation)

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Swap didn't want to be the one who said it, but Dream seemed exhausted. Granted, Council meetings were always weary to sit through, but even if Swap couldn't, Dream would always pretend to be attentive.

Today, though, the act was gone, and Dream toyed with a pen as the Council debated.

"This is ludicrous! This..Aconite, was it? He published the conscription with the Emperor's seal but not his approval or knowledge! This is a clearcut crime, why are we even debating this?"

"You're thinking in black and white terms. Aconite is the strongest warrior we have, we cannot risk punishing him and losing his loyalty! We've already discussed this. Besides, it'll benefit us anyway, so why revoke it?"

"But—"

"We've already voted, let it go."

The hapless Council member looked at the others, hesitating before they finally conceded defeat. "I—"

"We have nothing more to discuss today," Dream murmured. The discussion quieted as the Emperor rose from his seat. "Council dismissed."

They watched as he left the war room, expressions ranging from surprise to irritation as they filtered out, right behind Dream.

"He's probably just tired," Swap spoke as he got out of his seat.

"Yeah, he's been looking a lot more weary lately."

"Still no excuse to shirk his duties," The disgruntled member from earlier said.

Another member paused. "What do you mean?"

"I heard he's been hanging out with a monster. Been seen hanging out with him a lot. Been getting close. Intimate, almost." They'd lowered to a conspiratorial whisper.

Swap laughed. He couldn't help it. It seemed he wasn't alone as snorts echoed from the remaining members on their way out.

"Has nothing to do with anything. He's allowed his privacy. You're just upset he dismissed us before you could drone on," Another member said dryly.

"It's not just me! A lot of people..." The rest of their muttering left earshot as Swap left the war room.

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Dream was no stranger to resentment. Perhaps, if he'd been someone else, he would've grown numb to it by now. Perhaps if resentment had been a simpler thing, it would have been easier to ignore. Be as it were, resentment had layers, was of a variety. Be as it were, he was himself, and be as it were, emotions were more complex then he wished them to be.

He had grown to dislike the Council meetings. Perhaps this was just temporary, and it would wear off soon, but for now he was not the most fond of them. He exhaled. The Palace too wasn't the best place to be right now. He just wanted to be anywhere but there.

(He didn't want to see Ink.)

He was just on a walk. Nothing more to it.

White noise was all as he continued on his aimless journey. White noise, consisting of leaves rustling, slight wind and...whispers. Quiet whispers, fading whispers.

Dream exhaled.

He didn't want to hear what the others were saying, childish as it would be.

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