King Magnus and his Bumble Bee (Karlnap)

~Chapter 35~

Karl

I live...here you are

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"uh...for niki, my darling daughter on her 20th birthday- love you!!!!" he saved, signaling to the orchestra to start (song is the same). Karl and niki turned to face eachother. As she studied karl more, she became worried. He was pale, and was barely able to hold his head up- he couldn't even look straight. 

"Are you feeling ok?"

"Yes....I'm fine" karl said weakly, getting more exhausted as he moved around niki

"Are you sure? You look like you might pass out" niki said as she danced around karl

"No no...I'm strong. I can do it....just a little...tired" karl said breathlessly

"Karl, what-" it was then she noticed the fine shape of the corset, and she went right into action "Karl can you breath?"

"I'm soory, Ss-s-s-sapnap" karl eyes shut and he started to sway. Niki quickly grabbed him and walked him off the floor and to the art room attached to the main ballroom.

She shut the door and quickly sat him down on a bench; karl was barely able to sit up. "Hang on" she said, attacking the tightly tied ribbon of the corset, but it wasn't coming off fast enough. She looked around the room and spotted a fire poker by the fire place and ran over to get it. She wedged the poker under the bottom rung of ribbon, and with one quick motion, she sliced the entire corset all the way up at once. Karl suddenly gasped for air, breathing as if he was held underwater for minutes. Niki dropped the poker and leaned over his shoulder in relief.

"Karl! oh my god" she said, terrified, "You have to be carful when lacing up- Why didn't you tell me earlier, I could have helped you" she exclaimed with fleeting worry. Karl put his head in his hands, crying softly. "The important thing is you're ok"

"No, I'm not-I can't do it anymore" karl cried out softly

"That's ok, I can teach you. The lacing is actually-"

"NO, I can't...pretend anymore. I so sick and tired of trying to be something I'm not- I don't want to do it anymore" karl gasped

"What?" niki said softly, "Did something happen between you and sapnap, are you in trouble?", she sat down leaning in to her friend, "please tell me, I want to help"

"I wasn't not born royal, sapnap and I both are commoners. When the war came, I went from a 7 year old kid without a care in the world to a prince with duties and responsibilities the size of mountains by the time I was 9. I hated it: I was never smart enough, or tall enough, or good-" karl chocked back tears, "I felt like there was something wrong with me. I tried, I tried for years- I really did..." karl looked up at the ceiling , "Did you know when sapnap came back, it was the first time I felt really happy in a long time? I realized how miserably trapped I'd been for years. I was never enough for this role, cause it was never meant for me, but he...made me feel that I was enough"

"I didn't know he meant that much to you" niki said apologetic

"He means everything to me. I just wish...things were different", he paused. "I thought when he came back things would go back to the way they were, at least a little, but my mom thinks I'm a disappointment as it is. She sees me having fun with him or 'ducking' my responsibilities to see him and I get in trouble. She says 'royals and commoners don't mix' as if we weren't commoners before all this!?" Karl said angry, "I don't want to disappoint her, but sometimes I think about what life would be like if we ran away. We'd go far past the tree line and never have to go back...I'd finally be free"

"Karl..."Niki contemplated on what she could possibly say in that moment. The door to the art room opened, and someone stepped in.

"Hey there you are! Been looking everywhere for you" he said smiling as he closed the door and rushed over to her. "woah, am I-?"

"No" she smiled as the site of him, and then: she got it

"Karl, I know how you feel" she shook him lightly and he looked up at her, she took a deep breath"2 years ago there was a break in, and men were storming up and down our halls for valuables. I was in my room when someone burst in, dressed in black. I thought he was going to hurt me, or worse-kidnap me...but he didn't. He hid me from the others so they wouldn't take me" karl listened to her surprised and confused. The man rested a hand on her shoulder, and she grabbed it "And when a search was put out to find the men, one person came forward and confessed to the crime and ratted out everyone involved. They brought him before my dad and I for verdict, but I recognized him: he was the one who saved me that night"

"When my dad asked why he turned himself in, he said it was because of me: he said I was the most beautiful person in the whole world, and he had a change of heart when he met me that night, and decided to turn in everyone- he gave it all up to apologize to me." she paused, "I begged for my dad to give him a second chance, and he did. After that, he would visit me or come to my window at night to see me. Before I knew it well...we fell in love, and everything changed- everything I ever anticipated in my life or once wanted was gone- and I wanted to be with him for the rest of my life" she said emphatically

"Oh niki, that's amazing. I'm so happy for you." karl said, wanting to hear more

"Thank you, but..."She got really quiet for a minute. The man sat down behind her and started rubbing her back lightly as her eyes became glossy, "Thing is: I am next in line for my dads crown, and he told me that 'as much as he loved me, a commoner simply cannot be king', and that if I wanted the crown, I..." she broke into tears, and leaned into the man behind her, crying quietly.

"She has to break it off, permanently" he finished

Karls heart broke for his friend. "I'm so sorry niki" karl placed his hand on her knee in comfort. After she gathered herself, she sat up "Yeah me too, but *sniff*..the reason I'm telling you this is because....there is a way to solve both of our problems"

"What-how?" karl asked surprised. 

"My title is what ties me to my duties, my royal title. So if I renounce my title, I will have to leave the royal line" she paused, "...I'd be considered an outcast, but I'd be free, we'd be free"

"Outcast? But...your dad the king can't possibly-" karl worried

"He loves me more than anything, and if I know him: he'd want me to be happy" niki grimaced, "He doesn't want me to do it, but..." niki shook her head, "I hope it doesn't come to that, but until a decision has to be made: I'm making the most of our time together, for better or for worst" niki looked at karl. "Because he is my everything" she smiled and winked at karl, but his mind was hung up on a single, sad thought.

I wonder what it's like to have a parent who cares so much about your happiness

I wonder if she would even care if I ran away, disappeared. All I am is a problem, a disappointment...she wouldn't care

But he would

"So, for tonight, lets just enjoy our time, together" she said to both of them.

"Sounds like a good idea" karl smiled at her, and he suddenly remember how he'd been treating sapnap this whole time. "Y'know what- I'll meet you out there, there something  I have to do first" Karl stood up and slowly walked to the door, but before he left "Thank you niki, and it was nice meeting you..."

"Jack, Jack Manifold" the man answered

Karl smiled, and turned to leave.

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ok PSA/reminder: Niki made it clear that she doesn't like being shipped with her friends. So to be clear, I do not ACTUALLY ship jack and niki, (lowkey I don't even their personas really- I just needed someone for niki and I love the chemistry they have together, so I just made it fit.)

Also it just occurred to be this has been a year in the making, so for those here from the beginning and or those who just came and stuck around- thank you! :)))