Y/N walked down the corridors. Looking at a clock hung on the wall, it ticking as the hands turned to different numbers. She heard the sound of footsteps, reassuring herself they are just hers. No one else's. There isn't any need for panic.
Yet.
She just needed the walk, not going in any direction wandering and thinking. The voices kept her company. They always did.
And they got particularly excited when she passed that one door. That one door she had that month when she first got here. When so many Princess' came to try and get Dream for themselves, his hand for marriage and alliance.
So she stopped for them, turning to face the wood and golden handle. A numbered plaque was once on the door, saying 502. It is a beautiful door, the carving of the wood the same as any other in the palace but still beautiful.
Y/N checked if it was open, and the handle slid down as the door cracked slightly. Showing the inside of the room. The voices applauded, egging her on to go inside.
She opened it a little more, stepping on the wood floors and looking around slightly. Shutting it behind her, the key on the other side.
Y/N took the key, keeping it in the palm of her hand. Walking towards the window to look outside. Checking, of course, if someone was there. No one was.
Then the wardrobe, and yet again, no one was sitting inside. A sigh of relief.
But panic started a couple of minutes later. Looking at the walls and the floor and the carpet, the desk and the bed and everything that happened. Panic rose.
Y/N checked the window. No one is out there still. And then the wardrobe. The same. No one is there. Why is she checking?
So she stepped back for a second. Focusing on calming down. On leaving and maybe getting some fresh air. That normally helps.
She checks the window and the wardrobe once more to get the same result.
And now she started breathing fast. Why is this happening?
She needs to leave. Need fresh air. Needs to be outside. Away from everything.
But her mind stays within the room she had that month. The room Tyler watched her in, the room she cried so many times out of frustration.
Nearly everything looked the same. The bed was the same distance from the wall, the bedside cabinets still had a funky pattern of wood on them. The closet with the mirror still stood opposite the bed.
Everything instead of her things occupying the shelves and cabinets. Her suitcases were in a pile near the corner of the room. The desk filled with pages and art supplies; her fathers book placed carefully on top with charred sides and pages.
Before Y/N left with her panicking brain, she locked the windows and closed the curtains.
Y/N closed the door slowly. Like she was never in there in the first place.
She took a breath, moving to stand straight. Maybe she should check out the window again, just in case. Maybe she should've double-checked the closet once over, just to put her mind at ease.
"Princess?" Someone's voice asked from down the corridor. She didn't recognize it, somewhere in the travel to her mind they mixed with Tyler's voice.
She looked at him alarmed. Relaxing slightly when realising isn't wasn't him. But it was someone she didn't recognize. Would they hurt her?
"Are you okay?" They asked, voicing their concern. You could see it in their eyes. You could see everything in their blue eyes.
"Uh- Yeah! Yeah, I'm okay." Y/N stuttered. Moving away from the door. She isn't going to check, because no one is there. Y/N checked 3 times already. No one is there. "I need to go-"
She needs to get out of the room. Y/N feels the walls closing in on her.
"Where are you going?" Someone else asked concern still there. But accompanied by confusion. Y/N looked once more and the King was in front of the person.
This happened before. All this happened before. Those words were said in these same spaces when she ran away. He stood the same distance away. And she stood the same place on the wooden floor.
Why did she leave? She should stay. She can't leave. No one can leave. Why did she leave in the first place? Leaving only brought her harm. Y/N should never leave. Never go outside. Anyone could be outside.
Maybe she should check the windows for the fourth time.
Y/N seemed to forget the other person. Who talked to Dream with some sort of urgency, looking over to her with even more concern than normal.
"I don't know- she just-" The person she didn't know talked. Dream went over to her.
"Y/N? Hey- are you sure you okay?" His words came slow. Everything was slow. The moving of her hand to the door, pushing it down to see that she locked it. Of course, she locked it. She needs to go inside. Needs to check the window.
The footsteps were slow to her as she rattled the door. She needs to get in. Why is it locked? This door is never locked. She needs safety.
She needs to breathe.
She needs to check the god damn window.
"Hey- hey! You are going to hurt yourself-" He tried to gain her attention. Carefully taking her hands away from the door, restricting them. She can't move her hands. Why can't she move her hands? They are stuck. Why can't she-
"Look at me," One hand held her hands away from the door, the other-directed her head to him. Still trying to get her attention. Why can't she go into the room? Was he hiding someone? Why can't she move? Someone is behind her.
She feels a breath on the back of her neck. Y/N needs to check. But she can't, he has her head focused on him. Y/N isn't safe- she is never safe.
Y/N needs to go outside.
"What's wrong? You aren't okay- Y/N. Come on, breathe with me, okay?" Dream still tried, breathing a deep breath and trying to make her copy.
How long was she breathing this fast? She needs to go outside- Tyler. Tyler is outside. She can't go outside. Tyler is watching her. Tyler is always watching her.
Her hands were still restricted, unable to move. Tyler held her like this- Tyler held her hands this tight. Tyler talked to her like this. Tyler is in front of her- she needs to get away. Y/N isn't safe,
"Woah!" He repeated as she struggled. "Y/N- darling are you okay?" He asked again, alarmed by her attempt to get away. "Hey" Was the new word he continued to say.
Everything still stayed slow. Tyler is there. Tyler is outside. Tyler is behind her. She needs to leave. Needs to get away from Tyler. Tyler is going to hurt her. Tyler is not safe. Tyler. Tyler. Tyler-
Dream is trying. He really is. But Y/N stays in her own head.
The person she hadn't met before stood, confused on how she could help the situation.
He lets her hands free, but she still can't move them. They are like bricks. And once she can move her head, Y/N does. Quickly looking behind her. No one is there.
How long has she been crying? How long has she been shaking? "Is it the voices again?" He tried, voice less quick and confused. More soft and careful. "Do you want me to get Techno? Phil? Wilbur? I'll get anyone."
Her eyes focused on the corridor behind her, she swore someone was there. Felt the breath on her neck even, why is there no one there?
"Can you look at me please?" Dream is trying a different approach. Not holding her, since he realised that made her more panicked.
Y/N blinked a couple of times, turning over to him.
She was okay.
But Y/N needs to check the window.
"Okay," He had his hands facing her like he was apologizing or something. But his voice was relived that she was listening. "Do you need me to get your remote-thingy?" Was the next question carefully placed together to avoid saying the wrong things.
She shook her head. Y/N needs to be calm, needs to check every corner.
"Alright- uh." Dream reasurred, moving his hands even further away. "What was-"
"Can you open the door?" She asked. Her voice was slow. But desperation somewhere within it.
He looked at the door beside them, before looking back and slowly nodding. "Can I have the key?" Dream asked.
Where did she put the key? Y/N had it a second ago, where was it? With out the key she can't check the window. Y/N must check the window.
But Dream slowly went to hold her hand, slightly prying apart the death grip and revealing- there's the key. She had it in her hand the whole time. Y/N can check the window.
Dream didn't speak, taking it out her palm and unlocking the door. "There you go,"
Y/N didn't even thank him, opening the door. The wood swung open, probably chipping the paint, she walked inside. Dream trailing behind, standing near the doorframe, the person behind him. Watching. Why is he just watching her? Someone is outside. Someone is there-
She opened the curtains in an haste, checking out the window with glares everywhere. In the bushes, near the trees. Near the flowers down in planters in the garden.
No one there to hurt her, just a couple guards patrolling and some specs of rain dotting on the concrete path below. Y/N breathed a sigh of pure relief.
There are so many guards. Dream ordered more guards to patrol around the outside perimeters, even outside the hedge on the otherside. Just to keep her happy.
Y/N felt bad.
Next in her mandatory check, she opened the closet. And yet nothing. Not even a speck of dust or dirt.
Dream watched, keeping thoughts to himself. Y/N closed the wardrobe door, turning back towards him.
"Are you sure your okay, sweetheart?" His voice was still very careful. Like if he raised it any higher then she will start to be panicky and act scared.
Y/N didn't respond. And the silence answered.
On the next of her mission board was go straight to him. And he still relented of any touch of the hand, any hugs or anything. Trying to keep her calm and happy. And not make her struggle away from him yet again, it probably hurt him inside.
But she asked for one. And he reciprocated in that want, whispering little comfort words to calm her down a step more. Arms hugging her torso and little kisses pressed into her scalp.
It was comforting, really. She felt comforted. Aplogizing slightly for the way she acted, the way she backed away. He brushed it off, saying it was okay. Because it was for him, he always says everything is okay. Yet she felt guilty anyway.
"Can you tell me what happened?" He asked in the same, small careful voice, once she stopped shaking and the tears stopped (seriously when did she start crying?).
"I just panicked, it was nothing." Y/N dismissed it. Giving no further description. She didn't need to. Y/N just keeps things to herself.
"It wasn't nothing." But Dream doesn't let her.
"I just needed to check, okay? I'm fine. I promise" Promises are nothing to Y/N. She always breaks them anyway.
"If you say so," He replied, still very skeptical. "I'm here if there is actually something wrong. You know that right?"
She nodded, smiling at him. He smiled back, pressing another kiss into her hair. "Do you want to go to the gardens with me?" He proposed the idea,
"Yes please."
Finally some fresh air that she needed.
She looked at the vase Dream probably moved on a passing window shelf. Only 3 petals remained.
--
The dinner was tense for Isabella and her family. With Isabella staring daggers at her brother, who smirked and turned away back to his conversation with the King.
She didn't know what he would do. But with how Tyler left her room only a couple hours ago, she knew it would probably be horrible.
"Father." Tyler addressed his parent at the dining table when he was allowed to speak, Isabella's head shot up. The King of Quath looked at his son from the head of the table while Isabella sat at the other end, not bothering talking, but very intrigued on whatever her brother said.
Isabella hasn't said a single word about wanting to apologize to the Princess.
Apologizing isn't even a thing in her family. She would be shunned back to her room in an instant.
"Yes, son?" Their father replied, "Is there anything you need?"
"Have you heard from Princess Y/N yet?" Tyler asked, eating the food on his china plate in front of him on the table before continuing, "Since you said that she would talk to you any day now."
Isabella tensed.
"She hasn't." The King replied bitterly, "How do you love a women like that? Why don't you try to make the alliance with Azula? Princess Minx is available."
"I want her. I want Y/N!" Tyler was such a stubborn man. Isabella kept her mouth shut. "Father, you said she loved me after I confessed."
"You confessed by saying you stalked her for years?" Isabella piped up in an angry rage, Tyler rolled his eyes. "How would she love you then-"
"Isabella Ashley Rose!" The King interuppted with a horrified face, "Do not speak unless you are spoken to. You know the rules."
"I am only speaking truth though Father. Why doesn't anyone in the room understand how terrifying that would be for her?" She continued otherwise. "I wouldn't love anyone who stalked me."
"When have you started to worry how she feels?" The King retaliated in an powerful voice. "You were the one who ordered to have her dead."
"That was because I was stupid and I listened to you." Isabella responded instantly in the same type of tone, everything flooded out of her mouth that she wasn't supposed to say. Tyler had a sly smirk on his face, watching. "I listened to all your lies about how the kingdom would fail without the alliance. But it still thrives as better than ever."
"You can't blame me." The father said with finality. "You can't say you didn't love him."
"I did that all for you." She said, this time hurt. She ignored his words. "I did all that- for shit. I didn't get anything out of it- I-." And it all just flowed out like a cup spilling it's contents. "I loved the thought of being with him- I loved the thought of making you finally happy. And making the kingdom happy from such a young age.. because of you."
"Room. Now." The King said.
"I don't even fucking love men!" She continued to spew, staff looked at her. "But you can't accept that so your force me with them-"
"I said room." The King was stern. Isabella didn't stop.
"I love Princess Axelle and you are just being-"
"Guards." With one click of his finger, the people who serve him practically dragged his daughter out of the room. Tyler looked amused.
--
As Y/N left with Dream. Quackity appeared behind the person she saw first. Clearing his throat to get her attention.
She turned with a smile. "I'm sorry about that. The Princess hasn't been herself after the news. We can introduce her to you after she calmed down?" Quackity spoke, bowing slightly.
The girl shook her head. "It's perfectly fine. Just say that Princess Axelle is ready whenever she is. I need to talk to her, a message from someone else."
"Of course, Princess. She will be sure to know." Quackity smiled. "Let me escort you out."
Axelle nodded. Walking her way back to the exit with the secretary by her side.
--
a/n
full on angst soon btw, just a heads up.
i have a feeling this is going to be longer then the first book lmao
Here is a lovely message from a reader to fuel your needs:
I found this funny so I updated a bit earlier than normal
love you all! get some rest on this lovely sunday
MWAH
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