Secrets Of The Wisteria (Velvetfrost)

Chapter 26

"Ant. You have five minutes to explain what you were doing out of your room, and why you smell of the ocean."

Ant froze, his heart skipping a beat when he saw his father standing in his room.
"Father! I-" he whimpered, cutting himself off when he wasn't able to find words.

The king came closer, and grabbed his sons shoulder, pulling him forward to inspect him.
"Hmmm," he hummed, "You don't carry the scent of the escapee. Only of the ocean. Why?"

Ant mentally sighed a breath of relief. Thank heavens for all the plants in their territory, Red's scent along with the others must have rubbed off on them while Ant creeped through the forest.
"I-I," Ant swallowed, coming up with a convincing lie, "I was visiting mom."

The last part sent a sharp pang of guilt through him. His mother had died, taking her own life when she was unable to recover from the grief of losing her daughter.
This was wrong, and Ant new it. Still, it was the only believable lie he could come up with in the moment, horrible as it may be.

The kings eyes softened and he pulled his son into a comforting embrace, the boy returning it as he mentally cursed himself.
"I miss her," the king admitted aloud.
"I do too," Ant responded. That part was true.

"Well, I've got work to do," the king smiled, "I'll be going now. Be sure to come see me if you need to speak, alright?"
"Alright," Ant smiled back as he pulled away from the hug.

The king left the room, leaving Ant to call Dream into his room again.
"Dream," he showed him the locket again, "This woman is your mother. These three are your brothers. Only two are alive."

Dream was dumbfounded, confusion clouding in his green eyes and he started to bit his nails.
"P-pardon, your Leigh?"
Ant stood, "This child is you. I spoke to Skeppy and Bad, and they told me who this woman was. Captain Puffy. Your mother."

"M-my...mother?" Dream whimpered, shaking his head as his body began to shake.
"B-but...I-I thought- w-why'd she leave...? Why are only three of my brothers alive...?"

Ant looked to the side, "I don't know. Puffy wants me to bring you and the other two to her, so she will help us. You'll come with me tomorrow. I've informed the other two as well."
"How'd you find them?" Dream asked, his eyes still wide.

"Let's just say...it's my love. The one I told you of before. That's none of your business now," Ant said the last part quickly.
"Do you understand me."
"Yessir," Dream swallowed heavily, leaving the room when he was told to do so.

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"YOU'RE MY BROTHER!?" Purpled shrieked.
Foolish looked down, rubbing his arm with an affirmative nod.
"Yes," he confirmed, "I am. We are brothers."

"But- h-how!? You were in the Velvet Kingdom, and then here, and then-"
Foolish cut the younger off, "Our mother always encouraged me to explore. When I was young, I left to the Velvet Kingdom with Eret. You've heard of him"

"I-I have," Purpled mumbled.
"After I left, something happened. I didn't know something was wrong until I came here. I hardly recognized you."

Purpled felt tears flood his eyes, crossing his arms. Foolish looked guilty.

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A few days later

Ant had lead Dream to the Wisteria, where Red was waiting for him with Foolish and Purpled by his side.
Dream's eyes went wide as he spotted Red, stumbling back and instinctively reaching for his sword.

"DREAM!" Ant snarled, turning his furious eyes on the guard, making the man flinch and freeze.
"You are not to harm him. If you tell the king, rest assured my father will hear of your previous affairs with King George."

Dream flinched at the threat, and hurriedly put his sword back. He turned back to the others.
"My love, are these the other two?"
"Yes."
"This is Dream. Puffy's other son."

Red nodded, approaching to pill Ant into a gentle embrace and kiss him. They seemed obviously to the other three still around them for the brief moment that they were in each other's arms.

"I'll see you later, then?"
"Of course."

Ant lead the three back to the ship where Puffy was residing, finding the woman standing on the dock, her curly hair blowing gently in the salty wind.
"Puffy," Ant called, getting her attention.

Her dark eyes went wide and flooded with tears all over again, her chest heaving with sobs as she saw the three standing before her.
"Oh my," she babbled, "Dream, Foolish, Purpled? My sons."

"It's me mama," Foolish said softly, sympathetically. His molten green eyes were soft with pity.
Puffy sobbed and rushed forward, flinging her arms around the man.

"My son, my baby," she whimpered, sniffling and sobbing into Foolish shoulder.
She lifted her head and saw the other two standing awkwardly, more tears coming into view, if that was even possible.

"Dream, Purpled? Is that you?" She asked, hoping they'd answer yes, and that this wasn't just a cruel trick or a dream.
"Y-yeah, that's us," Dream confirmed.
Puffy sobbed and held Dream in a tight embrace, which the guard could do nothing about but return it.

Puffy turned to Purpled next, and brung him in for a tight hug as well. Purpled mindlessly returned the hug, his eyes blank and staring into the ground.
"You're my mother...?" He mumbled, as if he needed further confirmation.

"Why did you leave? What happened?"
Puffy sobbed, "I didn't leave! I didn't want to let go. The Velvet Kingdom attacked our village when you and Dream were very young. I ran with Dream."

Purpled pulled away and pulled out the locket that had been given back to him, pointing to the boy in white.
"Who's this?"
"Oh...no, my baby, my baby, they killed my baby! He's dead, my Punz is dead. My baby is dead. My son is dead."

Puffy was on the edge of a panic attack, but was comforted as Foolish wrapped his arms around her from behind.
She turned and hugged onto the oldest of her sons tightly, sobbing.

"What...happened...?" Purpled tried, hoping he wasn't overstepping or being insensitive.
"Punz...he was killed during the battle. He left you on the river, and I had to leave Dream on the border of the Frost Kingdom."

Dream was confused by the new information, digging his nails into his dirty-blonde hair.
Puffy backed away, and looked her sons over again.
"So, what have you all done with your lives?"

"Well...I'm a royal guard," Dream admitted.
Puffy's tears were happy now, "I'm so proud of you. My son! A royal Guard."

"I've just been living in Nevadas my entire life. Quackity found me when I was a baby," Purpled said next.
Puffy smiled, "Quackity? So, he's the one that saved you? I'd love to meet him sometime. I need to thank him."

"I used to live in the Velvet Kingdom with my friend, before I learned how terrible the king was of course. I live in the Nevadas Kingdom now. I build a lot."
"Building? I'd love to see what you've made. I'm so proud of all of you."

Ant cleared his throat to help his voice, having been silent for the past while and coming forward.
"I'd hate to break this up, but does this mean you'll help us overthrow the king?"

Puffy's teary eyes filled with a new-found determination.
"Of course. I'm going to slaughter that monster myself for what he did to my family."

Ant's tail flicked, feeling a bit uneasy, as if they were being watched. He brushed it off.
"Great," he grinned, "I'll let you know if we require your help at anytime."

"Come to me for anything," Puffy encouraged, "I lived for so long alone and in misery, thinking all my children were gone. You showed me there was hope."
"Thank you," Ant turned to Dream next, "Dream, come back before nightfall. Make sure you're not spotted. Go through the forest to keep my father from becoming suspicious."

"Yes sir."
Ant returned home afterwards, leaving Puffy to speak with her sons more. All the while, he couldn't shake the feeling of being watched.