King and Lionheart [Dreamnotfound AU]

Chapter 9: Bloody Fool

Dream woke up slowly, bolting up when he realised he wasn't in his room. Pain rushed back before his fingers grazed his face, the mask was still there, but why was that hand slow? Oh, someone was holding it.

That someone being George, who stood up and leaned over him. "Breathe, you're breathing too fast."

Dream was breathing fast. His cloak was gone. He felt the mask running back over his ears on both sides and relaxed slightly. It should've been obvious. If they'd seen his ears he'd be dead. Only the Duresh pierced their ears and wore that kind of jewellery, in Cathens it was a sure sign of a spy.

Dream was shirtless, covered by a thin blanket and under that, bandages wrapping around the lower half of his torso. He was in a small room with a few beds, and he glimpsed shelves of the court physician's books and ingredients through the only doorway.

George let go of his hand and Dream looked at him. "You worried me," George said sadly. "Are you alright?"

Dream carefully nodded. He hadn't been hurt this badly before, but it didn't feel like it should. Maye George's kingdom had more advanced healing medicine and magic, that would explain a lot.

"You saved my life, and I thank you. My heart is full of gratitude." George knelt next to the bed and held Dream's hand in both of his, touching it to his forehead gently.

Dream was shocked by the old custom, made all the more disconcerting by the crown nestled in George's dark hair. The King, kneeling to him, and no one else was there to see it. Dream wasn't sure if he was hallucinating.

A second later it was gone, George stood and paced. "But you weren't supposed to be there, bloody fool." He rubbed his face tiredly. "We were setting a trap for the sniper. I tried to get you to leave, but you're too bloody stubborn! I was confident that my shields would be enough..." He sighed. "But they weren't, the only thing that stopped that arrowhead from getting to me was you."

The blanket was brown and soft and had a bit of fuzz on one part. Dream picked it off, it was easier than looking at George. He had too much vulnerability on his face, Dream didn't feel worthy of witnessing it.

He braced himself and asked, "Did you take off my mask?"

George's brow furrowed. "No, I respect your choice to wear it and wouldn't remove it without your consent."

A question came to Dream, and he signed, "Did you get him?"

"The archer?" George shook his head and sat down with a heavy sigh. "Only blood. The beginning of the trail was sloppy, but they cleaned up or staunched it enough to disappear again. They were spotted, but dark hair and a black cloak was all the guards could make out."

Dream fell back on the pillow. George's life was still in danger. The archer had just been lying in wait these past few weeks. Now that they were injured would they give up, wait to recover, or launch a closer attack?

"Your magic," Dream stated.

"Yes." George took off his crown and ran a hand through his hair before turning the gold circlet round and round in his hands. "I'm a pr-King. Magic runs in most noble blood, but it's the strongest in royal families, where it's been pooling the longest. It is not as powerful as most peasants believe, and my shields are rarely useful tools. When they are though, they're irreplaceable. It is not the only magic ability I possess, but the fewer people know the specifics, the better."

"May I see it again?"

"I shouldn't, but..." George lifted an open palm and an arc of light appeared a few feet in front of it, light blue and shimmering, but solid. He stopped it a second later.