The music of the ball flooded the halls, faintly audible in the corridor Dream and George ran through right now.

Dream had packed a bag with gold and clothes, food for their way.

One of the servants had set up a carriage for them, would come along to the next portal to the Nether Kingdom. He too leaving for love.

The only thing that still needed to happen was getting there without being seen.

Dream held Georges hand pulled him along.

He had his sword sheathed on his left hip and he was ready to protect his love and their life together.

George admired him, when he looked this determined and seemed so in love that nothing would stop him.

The further they got, the quieter the music got and finally they reached the corridor that went out to where their carriage was waiting. They waited behind a corner before the caretaker of the horses was out of sight and then they ran.

They ran as if their life depended on it.

If they were honest, it probably did.

And then they reached the carriage, saw Karl already sitting in the front with the reins in his hands. They jumped in, hid under a blanket as the carriage was pulled past the main entrance and then out and into the woods. They had done it. They were free.

When Karl gave them the green light they came out of their hiding place.

Dream stayed on the floor of the carriage, pulled George close and kissed his head.

"I'm so happy that you and I can be together now", he whispered and George smiled, kissed his cheek. "Do you think to royals like us can survive in the world?"

"Surely, we will learn", Dream said softly, "For you I would learn all the things in the world"

"My knight in shining armour", George giggled and Dream smiled fondly.

At the next Nether Portal they stopped, said goodbye to Karl, who would now search for his love and Dream took the reins instead, while George slept in the carriage.

Both had changed into less prestigious clothes by now, only thin linen shirts and cotton pants. They had also made great fun of smearing dirty into each other's faces to pass as peasants, maybe the sons of a baker and a miller.

Dream had taken a map and a compass with them, had picked out a calm forest at the foot of a mountain range for them to build a home. And as George woke up they had reached it.

Beautiful oak trees reaching for the sky, soft green tinted light falling down onto them as wonder engulfed Georges mind.

"This is beautiful", he said in awe and Dream smiled. "It just compliments your beautiful, my love", he replied and George blushed.

"We will set up a place to sleep and then I will start getting everything together we need for our cottage", Dream said and jumped off the carriage, taking the horses off the harnesses and tying them to low hanging tree branches.

Then he walked up to George, visibly tired, but determined to give him a wonderful life.

"I love you", he whispered and George smiled, gently caressed Dreams cheeks with his hands and kissed him.

"I love you too"