dreamland (bill skarsgard one shots)

23. mercy

WARNINGS: violence, character death, injury

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He'd always been a dreamer.

Ever since he was a boy, he'd dreamed of what his life would be when he became a man. He would fall in love with a maiden and marry her soon after. They would have children together, a handful blonde headed little ones (that all looked like their mother, of course). The boys would be leaders, like their father, and the girls would be strong and fearless, just like their mother. He'd always teased that he would one day best his father by having more children than he. It was a running joke in their family, one they always laughed about together.

He dreamed of becoming king one day, of bringing home the spoils of war, of providing for his wife and family, of being able to take care of his parents, of being able to protect his babies and leaving a good legacy for them to follow. And for a time, it seemed as if all his dreams were going to come true.

He met a beautiful maiden, married her in the middle of September, when the leaves were vibrant with their hues of gold, orange, and brown. She was the light of his life, he loved her above all others, and she in turn loved him. He'd never been so overjoyed, so full of hope and happiness.

Until those dreams of his turned into nightmares.

His wife found out she was expecting not long after their marriage, and they were ecstatic. In celebration, a feast was held, honoring the couple and their unborn child. Everyone was merry, excited for what the future would bring, and the little baby that would come with it. Bill saw the pride in his father's eyes, and it made his heart sing, because all he'd ever wanted was to make his father, the king, proud.

King Stellan never got to meet his grandchild. The winter that came was harsh and unforgiving. It came like a thief in the night, and along with it came the cold hand of death, resting upon the his brow and taking him away as he slept. It was his wife who found him the next morning, and it was she who gave the news to her eldest son, Alexander, who stood before the entire village and relayed the fateful news - the king was dead.

People all through the land mourned his death. But even so, life went on. The ice melted, and flowers bloomed, the birds began to sing, and along with the springtime came the promise of new life. A certain hope hung in the air, anticipation of what was to come.

He and his wife argued, playfully of course, over what they should name the child. She'd suggest a name, and he'd disagree, instead suggesting one of his own ideas, which she'd in turn disagree on, and so it went. Each of his brothers firmly believed the child was a boy, while his sister insisted it was a girl. Bill, however, didn't care. All he wanted was for his child to be born strong and healthy. Which, judging by how the child leapt and kicked in its mother's womb, was bound to happen.

Bill wanted to be there every step of the way, but unfortunately, he could not. He had other duties to attend to, important decisions to make for the good of his people. He and his brothers worked diligently to lead the people, doing everything in their power to carry on the king's legacy. Amongst the five brothers, they each had their strengths. Alexander was the warrior, strong and nearly always undefeated in combat. When he fought for a cause, he did so with all his heart. Gustaf was the wise one, always the voice of reason, the one people came to for counsel. He was the one his brothers usually looked to for battle plans. Sam had the gift of reading people. He could spend only a few minutes with someone, and gauge what kind of person they were right from the start. His skill had helped them discover who their enemies were many a time.