The Antarctic Empire

3. Classes

Tommy slowly walked down the hall of the palace, tracing the design of the wall with his fingers. He really didn't want to go to his lessons today. They were always boring, about something to do with how to act in public, how to be royal.

How to be normal.

He sighed and pushed the doors to the library opened, his instructor standing already inside. The kind man smiled at him as he went to sit in the singular desk in the middle of the room.

"Good morning, Prince Tommy. How are you today?" He asked.

"I'm well, Mr.Sam."

"Please, Prince Tommy, just Sam." The tall man smiled widely.

"Only if you call me just Tommy."

"Deal." He turned around to shuffle with some papers. Tommy sighed and leaned back in his seat, glancing around the huge library.

"So, what are we doing today, Sam?" He asked.

"Dinner etiquette." Sam turned with plates and silverware in his hands.

Tommy groaned.

~•~

After hours and hours of going over what each piece of silverware did, when to use it, what it was called, and blah blah blah.

"Alright, Tommy, stand up." Sam said after a while, taking his coat off. "We're going outside." He started walking, expecting Tommy to follow.

The younger boy eventually did, stretching as they walked and running a bit to catch up.

"Where are we going?" Tommy asked, heading outside into the sunshine.

"You need some fresh air. And a new perspective." Sam explained, rolling his sleeves up. "We're going horseback riding to wake you up." He pushed the door open to a horse stable, the smell instantly hitting Tommy's nose. He made a face but followed Sam nonetheless. It wasn't like it was his first time, in fact, he had been fiercely trained on how to ride properly, but never out of the little track they had outside of the palace.

Sam grabbed his horse as Tommy grabbed his own, a pure black steed. He smiled at the animal, petting his nose and slowly leading them out of the stable.

Tommy began to head to the track, but Sam stopped him.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"To the track?"

"No, we're going riding for real." Sam said, mounting his horse. Tommy looked shocked, then excited, then worried, then excited again. A familiar head of brown hair stuck out of the stable, as Tubbo followed them out with another horse.

"Can I come?" He asked. Sam turned to the boy, and at Tommy's wide smile, he nodded.

"Of course, Toby. Just be careful."

The three mounted their horses and set off at a slow pace, though they all slowly sped up as the ride went on.

Tommy cheered as they rode through the nearby forest, happy to have the wind whipping around him. They rode until they got to the nearby village, then turned and rode back. Tubbo smiled at his friend, he was sure Tommy was happy to get out of that stuffy castle.

Weird to call a castle stuffy, but you know, when you're trapped inside, it can feel that way.

As they neared the stables, a portion of the royal family was standing outside of it, arms crossed. Tommy sighed as his two older brothers came into view, knowing he would surely get in trouble for this all.

"Thomas." Uh oh, full name. He really was in trouble.

"Prince Technoblade, Prince William, how can I help you today?" Sam asked, riding up next to Tommy.

"Mr.Sam, if you could please give us a moment." Wilbur said, arms crossed as he stared at Tommy.

"Prince William, I must insist. Tommy is under my guard for now, and whatever you must talk to him about, you can say to me." Wilbur raised his eyebrows. He wasn't used to being refused.

"Sam, just go." Tommy said, before his favorite teacher could get in trouble. "It's fine." Sam smiled at him and nodded, taking both his horse and Tommy's back into the stable.

Techno watched as both Sam and Tubbo retreated away, then turned to his younger brother.

"Do you realize what you have just done?" Techno crossed his arms. "You left castle grounds, went out into the public. Do you understand how dangerous that is? You could have been hurt. You could have been killed, or worse."

"I had two people with me, Tech." Tommy defended himself. "And besides, we barely even left. We didn't even make it all the way to the village."

"It doesn't matter, Tommy. You could have been in real danger. You may think it's just because we hate you, but we are keeping you safe. You'll understand when you're older."

"Will I?" Tommy asked, matching his brothers stance now. "Because I don't think so, Techno." He clenched his jaw. "When you were crowned, you went to a different country that same day. With dad to sign some treaty, you remember? Into a country that we were at war with at the time." He spoke slowly, gaining confidence as he did so. "And Wilbur. You left on your own when you were crowned. Just up and left, like a year after, to be an ambassador for like three years. On your own. And you returned with Sally." He ran a hand through his hand. "You know what I think? I think you two are scared of me. I think you two are scared that if I have too much freedom, I'll finally outshine you both. That I'll achieve too much, and you need to me just be your inferior brother."

"You know that's not true." Wilbur said.

"Do I?" Tommy stared, anger flaring up in his stomach. "Do I, Wilbur? Because it seems that you two only exist to make me look like a disappointment. Technoblade, he who never dies, the Blade, the Blood God. William, strong willed warrior, the sweetheart of the people, the one who can charm anyone." He forced tears back. Angry tears, he assured himself. "Thomas, twin, disappointment to the family. Cant fight, can't sing, can't even talk to people. The stupid brother, the weak brother, the baby."

"Tom-"

"I'm not done!" He yelled, balling his hands into fists. "I'm not done." He muttered, taking a shaky breath. "You guys don't like me. I get it. I'm the one who ruined the perfect family. But just because you hate me doesn't mean you can keep me locked up here for the rest of my life." He wiped a tear that had fallen away. "I'm a person too."

"You are not to leave the castle grounds again." Wilbur said finally, breaking the silence.

"Wilbur," Techno started. Wilbur held his hand up, stopping his brother.

"No, Techno." He glanced to him. "Tommy, you are not to leave again. You will go to your lessons, have free time within the castle, go to meals, and then to sleep. If you want to leave the castle you must have a guard with you."

"Wilbur," Techno tried again, "relax, okay?"

"No, Techno. He's a kid and he needs to learn that this world is not safe." Wilbur said.

"Screw you." Tommy glared at his brother, marching into the castle, Tubbo following from out of the stables.

"You didn't have to go that far." Techno muttered, following the two.