Heavy is the Head that Wears the Solemn Crown

Fifty-Five - The Slow Corruption of the Soil and Sun

Tommy

Although it is as silent as the rest of the palace, the courier's private room is more decorated. There is a lively plant growing beneath the large window, reaching beyond the limits of its ceramic pot. The shelves meant for letters and packages are mostly occupied by knick knacks and personal memorabilia. There is a scenic painting hung on the wall to bring a pop of color to the otherwise dreary walls, and the carpet is a lighter shade of red that borders on orange when the day melts into night. The decor is not much, but it truly feels like it doesn't belong with the rest of the palace. Where the other officials accept a life in depressing solitude and darkness, the courier decided to brighten up his workspace. It was for good reason since the courier rarely leaves his office. Letters and packages are not sent or received often. As far as Tommy can tell, another person handles Schlatt's personal mail, so the last time the palace courier had to do actual work was when Tubbo and Tommy had been exchanging letters to one another.

The courier has been given work again in the form of Tommy sending letters. He is not dumb enough to send anything to Pogtopia. Not only because of Schlatt's watchful eyes, but also because no courier would ever be able to get through death's forest. Instead, all of Tommy's letters were delivered to a man in the Badlands. Tommy had no way of knowing if Techno was getting any of them since he had not been sent a letter back, but he was pretending that Techno was keeping them in a safe place, silently congratulating Tommy for his progress and wishing for his success. Tommy wrote out every detail of his day-to-day life, never explicitly explaining anything but seeding out enough that Techno will know. Tommy knows that if Techno would just read the letter, he would understand.

Tommy places his most recent letter in the shelving unit that the courier uses for outgoing mail. Tommy nestles it between a stack of ribbons and a singular bookend with no books. Tommy does not know the story behind such objects, nor does he care to know. He hardly knows the courier even though he frequents this room daily. The courier is always out when Tommy arrives, or perhaps he is hiding from the infamous mercenary guarding the young lord. Tommy wouldn't be surprised if the latter was the case. He's heard what the maids whisper about him. Nearly everyone is terrified of him, and while Tommy doesn't exactly understand why, he knows that the scales are becoming harder to hide. Even Tubbo has noticed them, the only one brave enough to mention them to Tommy's face. Tommy dismissed Tubbo's concerns until the duke's son dropped the matter. It won't be long until such lies won't work.

The door squeals as it opens. Tommy lets his hand drop away from his letter, turning his head to look over his shoulder. Instead of the courier, Jack Manifold is wincing as he closes the shrieking door. When Jack turns away from the door, his eyes pin onto Tommy. The blonde raises an eyebrow, taking in Jack's appearance. He is wearing his armor underneath a blue surcoat hastily put on. His face is slightly red with hints of sweat beneath his brow, but his eyes do not convey any hint of exhaustion. Instead, Jack looks conflicted. Tommy smiles at Jack, twirling around to face the name with grandiose movements. "Good day to you, sir. If you wish to send a letter, you can put it in here. If you want to receive one... well, let's say no maidens have tried reaching you."

Jack remains silent. Tommy leans against the shelf, wrapping his wings around him to keep them out of the way. He gets comfortable, crossing his arms and distributing his weight for maximum efficiency. He can see it in Jack's eyes- the emotions and the unsaid words- and Tommy knows that he might be here for a while. In the past, Tommy would bemoan spending hours with a silent man, but Tommy now knows the value of such silences. They can cripple a person. They can seep into the cracks of the mind, expanding until the whole thing shatters. It is the silence that drives people crazy, that forces them to imagine noises for their own sanity. Tommy weaponizes the silence, using it to break down Jack's many defenses. Tommy has learned to live with the silence that would consume Jack if he did not break it himself.