Emeralds For Trade // DNF Royalty AU

Chapter 8.2: Love All The Same

Dearest Prince George,

I greatly enjoyed the afternoon with you by the creek. Your words haven't left my mind, and I still ponder whether evil is born or made. I haven't settled on an answer yet.

It's no secret that the stunted crops have affected your kingdom greatly and with winter just around the corner, I express my most sincere concerns for you and your people, and my honest desire to help. My prince, emerald is wealthy, and I am more than willing to send some supplies to tide over the winter. Rather than simply giving you a few wagons of non-perishables, I feel it would be much more beneficial to your people if resources went into helping them grow what they already have instead. To summarise, I wish to send over the Dust of Emerald - enough to sustain your people comfortably without rations.

That being said, entrusting someone with this resource is not something I have ever done. No other nation has sought for it for reasons other than greed and have offered handsome amounts of gold. I don't want what they have to offer. I don't trust them.

But I trust your parents a great deal, George. I've shared more with them than I've shared with most other kingdoms. They are good people, and I know they value transparency and integrity. Yet, I still feel so far from you. I need to know I can trust you with this resource that's been protected so closely for decades. Although you are more valuable and handsome than any sum of money any nation could possibly offer, you are human. Any kind of relationship with you is priceless on its own.

Moreover, I want you to trust me as well. I wish to speak to you in person again. Sometime this week would be best, the seasons are changing fast. I want to know you deeper than at an arm's length away. I want to trust you, and I want you to trust me too. To do so, I'd like to show you our white flowers before they hide for the winter. There's more to Emerald than the castle, and I promise your time will be worth your while.

However, I respect your decision if you would prefer not to have another visit to Emerald. Your comfort comes before anything, and if my presence would not bring that, just say the word. The rations will be delivered regardless.

I hope to hear from you soon, my dear prince.

Yours sincerely,

Dream :)

Emerald

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The oil paints weren't cooperating today. George had tried his best to keep his hands and mind busy, but it seemed as though the universe wanted him to dwell on the faceless man and his words.

He was sitting on the floor of his bedroom, a canvas around the size of his torso propped up against the wall in front of him. Sapnap was laying on his lap, eyes closed. He had just finished a few hours of physical training, and after the warm shower, he was ready to relax. However, the tenseness in his friend's movement and the growing frustration as he painted over different sections repeatedly made that impossible. Each jerk of the brush brought an unwelcomed movement to the thigh that he was using as a pillow.

"Are you gonna tell me what's on your mind or keep painting passive-aggressively and ruining your brushes?" Sapnap asked, rubbing his eye gently. His voice was slightly raspy from the exertion out in the field.

George glanced down at him suddenly acutely aware of his stiff movements. He let out a quiet sigh.

"You're gonna hate me."

"I'm your friend, I'm not gonna hate you," Sapnap assured, peeking an eye open to meet George's.

"You're also my advisor, and I know you're gonna hate me."