Royal Reputation

Chapter 9

The first week of training had gone well. Everyone was improving, and they were progressing in time to be ready for the fight later in the month. Which meant they were ready to move onto the more personalized learning groups.

Both Dream and Sapnap gathered everyone in the main room after everyone had eaten, and Sapnap explained the grouping further.

"Let me just start by saying, we are so proud of all of you, and how fast all of you have been learning. Genuinely, me and Dream have been talking and we are so impressed by how fast everyone is progressing."

A few people started applauding and cheering, slowly everyone joined in.

"Yes, yes, give yourself a round of applause! Because of you all, we are now ready to move into our next phase. I have posted around the room copies of everyone's new training groups. It's organized in alphabetical order of last name, with where your meeting and who of the generals are teaching you. This will be your squadron for the battle, so don't be making any enemies within your ranks."

Everyone started moving towards the list when Sapnap stopped them.

"Hold on, I'm not done. Twenty of you will not be on that list. Because you will be in here with me and Dream, taking a more serious training session. This is for the few of you who are naturally skilled with blades, and are qualified for more leadership roles. Everyone is dismissed, do your very best to be the army that will take down Pikoro from their reign of terror!"

The crowd broke into applause again, and everyone split up to look at the different lists.

Sapnap nodded at the scene in front of him, and turned to look at Dream. "I'm going to get our materials, you coming with?"

Dream hesitated, and sneakily glanced at the room George was in. He wanted to make sure he was okay before he started their training for the day. "I will, I just want to check on George."

Sapnap gave Dream a little smirk, but didn't say anything. Dream gave him a confused glance, and headed over to Sapnap's office.

Dream slowly creaked the door open, not wanting to disturb George's work. But to Dream's surprise, George wasn't actually working. In fact, he looked really distraught and worried.

He was staring at a stain on the desk he was sitting at, clearly oblivious to Dream. Dream closed the door, and cleared his throat. George looked up at him in surprise.

"Hey George, you okay?" Dream said, going over and standing next to him.

George looked at him, his surprise being replaced with his previous worried state. He tried to hide his worry by looking away again.

Dream could immediately tell though, so he made George face him again. "You don't have to hide anything from me."

George remade eye contact with him, and sighed. "I know I'm supposed to be hopeful, and feeling positive, but I just can't help it. I'm so worried about this!"

George momentarily paused to wipe his now watery eyes. Which caused Dream to look closer at them, and made him notice the bags that he always sees under his eyes had darkened over the week.

"I-I've been sleeping worse and worse as the week continued, and I just..." George trailed off, fixating his eyes back on the stain. He looked so completely out of it.

Dream was heartbroken. He never wants to see George look so upset. But he felt like there was nothing he could do to make him feel better, which tore him up inside.

George looked back up at him. Dream was even more saddened by what he saw. He looked so distraught... so anxiously preoccupied, like his mind was running ten thoughts a second. But somehow, all that made him look so lost. He wished George would tell him how he's feeling, before letting it simmer for ages then letting it all come crashing down around him. He bent down to see him eye to eye.

"Here, you want a hug? I hate seeing you upset." Dream said softly.

George nodded, and got up without a word. Dream pulled him in, wrapping his arms around his chest. George returns the gesture, putting his arms over Dream's shoulders. As Dream held George, he could feel George trying to hold back tears.

He started stroking his back in a comforting manner. "George, I thought I said you don't have to hide anything. If you need to cry, then go ahead."

George rested his head on Dream's shoulder, as he felt tears escaping his eyes. Dream continued to comfort him, stroke his back while holding him tight. George started quietly whimpering, before he just gave up and cried fully into Dream's shoulder. Dream whispered words of encouragement throughout, telling him how well everything was going. How they were going to get through this, and how strong he was being given the circumstances.

Slowly George stopped crying. But he didn't back away. He wanted to stay, right here, in the comfort of his guard's arms. He... he couldn't really explain why. Maybe it was because he missed the feeling of being comforted, something he lacked since the death of his parents. Maybe it was because he was just in general a little touch starved, and he liked the physical affection. Whatever it was, he just wanted to stay with Dream forever.

Dream eventually let's go, afraid George was uncomfortable and just not saying anything so as to not hurt his feelings. He gave his shoulder a little squeeze. "I have to go back now, try not to worry too much okay? I'll come check on you a little later tonight."

George smiled softly, his eyes still shimmering with the remnants of his worries, and nodded.

Dream nodded in return, and went back to continue training everyone with Sapnap.

A few hours later, the last dinner schedule bell rang, meaning that Dream and Sapnap's training group had a thirty minute break. The regular guards that watched over the castle had three different groups for eating, so that there was always lots of protection throughout the day. And while the citizens were here training, they split all of them into those groups.

Dream and Sapnap cleaned up a little, so the room was in a better condition for their last two hours of training after dinner. While they tidied up, Sapnap noticed that Dream kept looking towards his office.

"You okay Dream? You keep glancing at my office." Sapnap asked, a little concerned.

Dream looked at the guard. "Ya, I'm just a little worried about George. He's going through so much right now, and he doesn't have almost anyone that he can crash on."

Sapnap nodded. He'd never been good with emotions, so he always struggles to help George out with all the stress he faces. Dream seems to know how to calm him down, and they were almost done for the day anyway. He could handle the last two hours by himself. "Go to him, you're way better at words then I'll ever be. I'll handle everything here."

Dream looked at him for confirmation, to which Sapnap gave a nod in reply. Dream smiled, and went back to the office. Again, he slowly opened the door, checking on how he was doing before George noticed he arrived.

George did look slightly better, just more tired. But, unlike this morning, he was actively working on something. Dream hesitated. Maybe it was better if he didn't interrupt him. After all, he seemed pretty distracted, and he was worried that his presence would remind him of everything. But as he was about to leave, George noticed him.

"Dream, why did you come in just to leave?" George asked, putting his quill down.

Dream closed the door and walked up to him. "Well, I said I'd come back, but you seemed nicely distracted by your work."

George smiled. He was so caring... He always puts others' emotions over his own.

"I was starting to get tired of my work, so I could use some company." George said, sitting down on the couch in the room. Dream followed, sitting on the other side of the couch.

They spent the rest of the night right there. Talking about random things, cracking a few jokes, just really getting to spend some quality time together. It was really pleasant, Dream doing his best to take George's mind off of the approaching threat.

Eventually though, Dream called time, knowing George needed his rest. They said their goodnights to Sapnap, headed off to their hallway, and separated into their own rooms, both happy after the quality time spent with each other.