Netherless

Chapter 26

I sat there with my head on Techno's shoulder in the library, nose deep in a book when Atticus came in a smile resting on his face. It only widened when he seen us basically on top of one another reading from the same book.

"What are you two doing?" He asked setting on the desk in front of us. I sat a small piece of parchment on the page and closed the book.

"Soakin' up the rest of our time together." Techno said and Atticus's eyes traveled to the book.

"By reading a book?" He asked and I let out a chuckle.

"It's actually a book on Bastion Remnant. I was going to rebuild the one my grandfather destroyed." I wave of shock passed his face as he looked at me. For a moment I felt like I said something I shouldn't have. His face was almost unreadable and I looked from him to Techno, who was about to start laughing.

"You're probably one of the sweetest people I know." Atticus mumbled with a smile overtaking his face. I felt Techno's arm go around me pulling me into him and Atticus takes notice with a smirk on his face.

"Well I've leave you two to your 'time soaking' Techno remember we leave in the morning." I sighed as he said that and so did Techno.

"You know I can't believe I have to leave tomorrow only to come back in a week just to watch your coronation." He said nuzzling his head into the crook of my neck, my hair muffling his voice. I was confused at some points. I know people didn't really just go, 'hey you're my girlfriend' it was more of they asked for your hand in marriage, at least in Royalty, so I definitely didn't want to push anything with Techno but a part of me craved a label. Part of me wanted him to say something to at least let me know he was serious because if he wasn't I'm sure my father would be pulling in suitors left and right.

"Yeah, I still can't believe it myself." I say thinking of the many days and nights that were going to be spent advising the land and trying to fix the Bastion Remnant in Nether. I was ready but I was still nervous, I still felt like a little kid most of the time walking around the castle but I knew I wasn't anymore.

"Come on we better get you back to your room to pack." I sigh picking the book up and sliding it back in the spot it come from on the shelf.

....

I stood with my father at the Portal as Atticus and Techno were on the horses they had first came in on. I stood there shifting my weight and holding my horses reins in my hand. As much as I tried not to look nervous or sad it was hard not too. I had gotten so used to them being here and my nights would not longer be filled with sitting in the Garden with Techno or even him playing with Ranboo. There would be not Atticus roaming the halls teasing me about his adopted son and I. It was all going to go back to normal for two weeks, until the coronation.

"It was great here, despite the few times I almost died." Atticus said teasingly looking at my father. The both of them had turned into two jokers that gave one another hard times. It was nice considering the fact we had our history out of the way and now we could go on about our lives and continue to rebuild.

"It was great having you guys here." My father said nodding towards them. My eyes wandered over Techno who had his normal white shirt and red tie around his waist. He looked calm and almost happy as he sat there but as it was it was hard to tell with the mask on. As he felt my eyes burning a hole through him and turned to me with a smile drifting on his face.

"We look forward to coming back for the coronation." Techno said looking towards my father who only had smug look on his face, in fact all of them had a smug look on their face. I waved it off not thinking to much about it, at least I tried to anyways.

I watched at Atticus said his final goodbyes stepping through the portal and disappearing in a purple haze. My father had already started his journey back to the castle on his horse. The sun was starting to set and I knew I would have to be leaving soon too. I watched Techno swung his leg off the horse and hit the ground with a thud. He reached out pulling me into a hug. His hand rested on my lower back and the other one on the top of my back.

"You know." He started pulling back lifting his mask up and keeping his right hand on my lower back. "I never really thought I'd be in a position like this." He said almost amused at the situation. If I wasn't so confused, hell I might be amused myself.

He planted a small sweet kiss on my forehead taking my hands in his. His hair was down and I knew what he was doing when he lifted my hands to this head. He smiled with a red bashful tent spreading across his cheeks.

"Sit down." I said grinning and he pulled me to a small stump from a cut down tree. I ran my fingers through his pink hair smiling as I pulled it back and began to braid it. I knew this calmed him and it would make him feel better about going home. Once it was done I tied one of my black ribbons around it and stepped back.

He ran his hand over it standing up and smiling as he looked at me. He lifted my hand up and placed a kiss on the back of it.

"Goodbye Princess." He said stepping back and swinging his leg over the horse and grabbing the reins. I could feel the rippling effect in my stomach causing it to turn at the simple words. He gave me one last smile as he stepped through the portal.

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one or two more chapters left, its wrapping up