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A lone crown sat upon a head of messy of dirty blond hair. The base of the crown was pure netherite, a dark black material with a purple-like hue that was carefully harvested from deep in the depths of the Nether. Diamonds were adorned underneath at the base of the crown's spikes. Tommy’s nails were digging into his skin as he clenched his fingers tight into fists, his nails kissing his palms. Tommy’s hands itched to curl his fingers around his head and toss the damn thing as far as he could. He couldn’t though, and it wouldn’t matter if he did anyways. It was a claim, a collar, a shackle. Even if he were able to get heavy thing off, what it represented was all the same. He was now a prince to a kingdom that had abandoned him. Bastardized him. Robbed him of a simple life. A peaceful life. A childhood full of wonder as he could have gradually learned how to grow up and be taught about the harsh way of the world little by little.
The crown sat innocently on his head, mocking him. Daring him to speak out. He could feel the power from the enchanted headpiece lapping at his skin, like the tides of the sea. They were reminders. He could feel them. All of them. Their possessive touches every so often checking how he was, giving him a look over. The aura from the enchanted crown curled around him like the coils of a snake.
He was theirs now. Their prince, their brother, their son. Their blood. Like it, they are his family now, and he is their prince. Whether he had a say in it or not. The young prince shivered.
Tommy was left alone, sitting upon a stool staring into a silver mirror. He had done his best to mess up his hair as best as he could. His original clothing, a white and red shirt and jeans he had found earlier lying on top of his bed freshly washed and wrinkle free. Although the aged reminders were still there. There were little holes and tears that lingered, littered across his clothing and some stains weren’t able to be scrubbed out. He wore it anyway, no matter if he looked like he just mugged someone. This was who he was, he didn’t need to where some stupid frilly clothing like those bitches do.
Tommy’s eyes drifted across his reflection, truly taking in his appearance. Everything looked the same. He had the same dark eyebags and beaten-up sneakers too. Everything besides the seemingly innocent object on his head it felt like he was on a different planet. His room was adorned with decorations, silky fabrics draped across his bed with the softest pillows Tommy ever could have imagined. Everything was pristine, fit for royalty. Tommy’s mouth curled upwards as he let out a humorless chuckle.
“Fit as a prince.”
The boy jumped. By the grand doors of his bedroom, Philza stood as regal as ever. Philza walked over until he practically hovered over him, he had a fond smile on his face as Tommy tried his best to compose himself. In front of him was the king, in all of his glory wearing his green royal robes and black cloak split in half into tails. His crown was of the same material as Tommy’s, but was larger and had emeralds instead of Tommy’s diamonds on his crown. The very Angel of Death that had stolen his life away, like so many others, leaned over him and began to ruffle Tommy’s hair. “Hiya mate.” Philza gazed fondly at his youngest.
“Fuck you, go to hell and die old bitch.” Tommy retorted, face scrunched up in a scowl, glaring at the king as he tried to bat away his hands. Philza only laughed fondly, moving his hands away from the onslaught.
“Are you ready to go mate? We have to meet your brothers before your big day.” Tommy blew out a puff of air, annoyed. Of course, Philza wouldn’t give a shit of the small defiance he made wearing his outfit from his real home. At least he can piss off Wilbur, he hoped.
Tommy ignored the king's question, choosing to walk ahead of him as they exited the room and began their trek through the castle’s hallway. Footsteps trailed behind him until Philza and Tommy eventually walked together side by side. The prince tried to find anything else than the wandering eyes watching him. It was all pointless, sure, he could feel the enchantment brush over his skin, much like a cat begging for attention. Tommy pretended anyways that the many old, boring paintings were much more fascinating if it meant he didn’t have to look at Phil and his cold gaze.
By the time they made it to the living room, the one other prince was already there waiting for them. Wilbur was wearing a dark fancy blue coat with silver buttons.
When Wilbur saw Tommy approaching, he did a double take, eyebrows scrunched in disbelief. “You're letting him go to the ceremony like that?” Wilbur looked incredulously at his father. “As long as he has his crown on I couldn’t care less what he wears”'. The king spoke, awfully relaxed while Wilbur couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
The slithery tendrils of the enchantment went over the holes and stains of his clothes. Frantically, going over how bad his appearance must look to a stuck-up prick like Wilbur.
“Here.” A gruff voice interrupted them. Techno approached from behind them, entering from the hall. Techno ‘s hair was in a neat braid wearing his signature white blouse and red cape, except oddly he had taken off his cape and held it in his hand. He gestured towards Tommy, holding it. “Wear it until we’re done with your ceremony.”
Tommy scoffed at his request, turning his head away snobbishly and crossing his arms. “Phil already said I can wear what I want, I don’t need to wear your dumb as hell cape. What do you take me for, a bitch? ”
Techno rolled his eyes at Tommy, his right ear flicked at the minor inconvenience. The piglin-hybrid dug down into his pocket, until a shiny golden apple appeared.
“Do it and you can have one of my gapples”. He lazily drawled, shaking it at the boy like he was an owner offering a dog a bone.
“Are you fucking bribing me?” Tommy gawked at the audacity of the warrior prince.
“Uh…” Techno’s eyes shifted away, probably thinking of what would be the most socially acceptable thing to say, the bitch. “Yes?”
“It’s working.” Tommy made little grabby hands, reaching out for the gapple, Techno ignored him choosing instead to clip the chain together around Tommy’s neck first. The cape was long on Tommy, to the point it dragged on the floor. It was kind of heavy too, Tommy realized. Wilbur cooed at Tommy, who was drowning in Techno's cape.
He scoffed, grumbling a low, “Bitch” in Wilbur’s direction as he chowed down noisily on a gapple. He could feel the energy rejuvenating his system from each bite. This was the good shit. He used to have his own stash but Techno’s hybrid instincts can’t take having others have large amounts of gold around him that wasn’t his stash. Tommy’s wandering eyes glanced at Techno's crown. It was a beautiful golden crown with emeralds glistening, shining under the light of the chandelier that hung above their heads.
By the time Tommy was done, his crown produced a light pressure, reminding him of the others presence. Philza merely smiled at his youngest, offering his hand to the door. “Are you ready?” He drew the attention of all their waiting eyes. All of them with hungry, stifling gazes. The weight of the cape was nothing compared to the dark possessiveness his crown exuberated.
No, he wasn’t ready. He was never ready for this. Any of this. He had fought tooth and nail to get out of their grip, and the hold they had on him made it impossible to escape. They made him their prince literally forcing the crown on his head. His fate was sealed. There was no escape from the rulers who had quite literally conquered the world once for shits and giggles, and then gave it back willingly afterwards solely to prove their point.
He will be damned if he wouldn’t try. Tommy’s eyebrows scrunched downwards, a wide determined smile combating the dark possessive gaze the crown and king radiated. “I’m ready to take anything on.”
Phil only laughed joyfully, taking Tommy’s hand and leading him down the corridor with his family. Wilbur and Techno followed closely behind. “I plan on it mate.” As they reached the final exit to the balcony, hushed eager voices could be heard from the outside, awaiting the royal family.
The crown gave a final soothing sensation, Tommy tried his best to shrug it off. There was no going back now.
Wilbur and Techno pushed to the front greeting the audience outside, before Philza walked in with Tommy, hand in hand announcing loudly to Tommy’s new subjects. “The royal family of the Antarctic empire is here to officially announce my newest son and your new prince, prince Theseus!”