Take To The Crown

Flowers Laced In Thorn

"Do you think it'll be a long trip?" Puffy asked, adjusting her hair in his mirror and slinging a book bag over her shoulders, filled with tunics, weapons, liquor.
"It will only take two days, we will have to stop to sleep and eat." Niki informed.

They were leaving for a kingdom, having planned for weeks.

Ant kept to himself, packing his jewels and extra clothes, bottles of ink, quills, books.

He was thinking of nothing, mesmerized by the quickness of his own hands, of the talking of the duo, of the click of heels as they moved.

"Ready, Ant?" Niki asked, placing a gloved hand over his shoulder, frilling fabric.
"I suppose, can i say goodbye to him?"

Niki frowned slightly, he did not notice. "He will be there when we sail." She drew a breath in. "Ant, please do be careful with him, you trust so quickly."

"He will not hurt me, i know this."

It did not reassure her.
__

Townsfolk huddled around the wood connecting the boat to the sand, a shore.
They split the crowd, of course they were the reason for it.
Leather crunched sand, sticking to them.

Ant and Puffy stood on the ship while Niki made her speech, bidding her own a farewell.
"Am i too late?" A voice severed the crowd.

A man appeared infront of their gaze.

Ant smiled widely, quickly moving from behind Niki and landing back on sand. "Velvet!"

Velvet extended his arms toward him, wrapping them around him, as if he would hold him like he did a night prior, as if they could.
"Come back to me, that is all i wish." He whispered against his ear, cupping his hand over his lips.

"I always will." He promised.
Velvet kissed his cheek gently, his hand shielding from public view.

They pulled apart, and Velvet pressed  a cold gold necklace against his palm.
"Keep it." He advised, then walked away.
_

Afternoon hung around them, the two women kept themselves occupied, punching wood as a melody to their voices, singing of old tales, lyrics come from ashen history books. Songs of love stories between ladies and mermaids, or of war and hope.

Ant sat back and stared, summer heat brutal against his paleness. The two sat beside him on wood, leaning against the rail.

Puffy popped open a bottle, the liquid swirling, it smelt of alcohol. The three drank together, reminiscing of childhood stories and of their adventure.

"What are you going to do while we're there?" Puffy asked, gulping alcohol and passing it down to Ant, who followed. "I will spend my time with King George, he is why we're going." Niki informed, swiping the bottle from his hands and hitting the bottom of it on his shoulder. He smiled.

"He'll love me, they always do." Puffy said, leaning back against the old wood and gripping her hat.
Her confidence came sudden, always forced. Niki questioned when she was like this, but shut her lips instead.

Ant ate from his lap, grapes brushed gently against his legs, laying ontop of cloth.
"King George seems to be one of the quieter ones, i did not know of his kingdom before he wrote to me."  She said.

"Kinoko Kingdom, is it?" Ant chimed in, grapes in hand.
"Yes, how did you know?" She asked, turning to him. "Velvet told me about him, he met him at the ball."

Puffy raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms gently. "And i didn't? I was there all night! It was my job to know!"

"Velvet said he did not know he was there until he pulled him over, he seems to be in the shadows."