Royal Reputation

Chapter 23

A few days had passed since the party, and people weren't getting any more trusting. Today was no exception.

As George was doing his throne work that morning, a few guards were watching him very closely. Well, watching Dream that is. For whatever reason, him and George decided to cuddle on the throne today, which left all the guards very anxious and also angry.

Two guards in particular wouldn't keep their eyes off them. They whispered amongst each other, both very upset Dream had not been imprisoned or at the very least fired.

After watching them for a while again, the girl on the right spoke up. "I still don't understand how he was ratted out and managed to escape any punishment, especially seeing as how the accusations were proven true." She said disgustingly to the guy she'd been talking to on duty with her.

He responded, but didn't keep his eyes off the couple. "Did you hear about what happened in Pikoro? How he alone was able to trick the king into giving us the exact date of their attack?"

She looked back at him, surprised. "Did he really?! No wonder, if he was able to get any information out of that king, manipulating His Majesty George must be beyond easy for him, seeing how gullible he is."

The other guard nodded, still not taking his eyes off Dream. He wasn't going to take his eyes off once, convinced that when he did Dream would take the opportunity to attack. "Exactly, beside, look at him. He is always sucking up to King George, complimenting him, romantically touching him, it's all emotional manipulation. And he doesn't even have to fake his emotion, cause no one can ever see his face!"

The girl shook her head. "Poor George, he can't seem to catch a break. Hopefully something gives, and he can get a personal guard who isn't out to kill him." She started watching them both again, continuing to gossip about Dream with her fellow guard. All of a sudden, George looked up, and gave a quick glance to Dream. When he didn't get one in return, he looked over to the two guards.

Both of them shut up, and looked away imminently, knowing the king gets upset when people are suspicious of Dream. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw George frown. He stared off in their direction for a second, before turning back to Dream.

Both of the guards looked back at them, now confused. They were both whispering about something. They tried listening in, but no luck, they were too quiet. They heard a few faint laughs, and saw George get a little flustered, so nothing unusual.

But after a few seconds, they stopped. And seemingly out of nowhere, George quickly snatched Dream's mask, taking it off, and held it away from him, grinning. The guards looked at each other in shock. No one had seen Dream without his mask before, and just like that, his face was revealed.

Dream gave George a playful smirk, and in an act of revenge, nabbed his crown and held it high above his head. And as the room was filled with sweet chuckles and playful bickering, they continued playing keep-away, acting as if there weren't plenty of guards watching their every move.

Eventually, both Dream's mask and George's crown ended up in George's hands, Dream practically giving them to him near the end because he liked seeing him happy.

Dream laughed slightly at George's obvious excitement and boasting, and placed a soft kiss on his hair. They snuggled back up, and Dream started playing with the brunette's hair.

Everyone in the room watched in silent shock at the scene that just unfolded. But to most of the room, the thing that was the most shocking was the genuine smile of love and contentment that rested on Dream's lips.

This lowered everyone's guard in the room on Dream, even if it was just a little. Well, almost everyone.

The two guards that were gossiping about them just minutes earlier also stood there stunned, just like everyone else. The guy spoke up.