Crown and claw

Dead prince walking

Technoblade reclined in his chair, a scoff escaping his lips. "Theseus, you've truly landed yourself in hot water with Father, haven't you?" he remarked, his tone laced with a mix of amusement and disdain. Tommy's expression tightened imperceptibly as Technoblade pressed on. "It's as if you're deliberately tuning out his counsel. Frankly, little brother, it's becoming rather tiresome."

Tommy's jaw clenched as Technoblade's words cut through the air like a sharpened blade. "Father's approval is not my sole concern, Blood God," he replied, his voice tinged with defiance. "I have our kingdom's best interests at heart."

Technoblade scoffed, his expression tinged with disdain. "Your defiance will only bring us more trouble, Theseus. Father's guidance is not to be taken lightly."

A flicker of frustration flashed across Tommy's features, his grip on the armrests tightening. "I am not blind to Father's wisdom, but I refuse to blindly follow a path of war and conquest."

Technoblade's eyes narrowed, his tone dripping with contempt. "Your naivety will be our downfall, little brother. Mark my words."

With a tense silence settling between them, Tommy met his brother's gaze with unwavering resolve, silently vowing to stay true to his convictions despite the looming shadow of familial disapproval.

Tommy's jaw clenched tighter at Technoblade's dismissive tone, but he held his ground. "And your single-minded pursuit of conflict will lead us down a path of destruction," he retorted, his voice edged with frustration.

Technoblade's gaze hardened, his crimson eyes flashing with irritation. "War is inevitable, Theseus. It is our duty to prepare for it, whether you choose to acknowledge it or not."

Tommy shook his head, refusing to back down. "There are other paths to strength and security, ones that don't require sacrificing our principles and endangering our people."

Their disagreement hung heavy in the air, tension crackling between them like static electricity... whatever that was. Tommy could feel the weight of their opposing ideologies pressing down on him, but he remained steadfast in his convictions, unwilling to bend to his brother's will.

Technoblade waved his hand dismissively. "Leave. Father is seeking you out. It would be wise to seize this opportunity to reconcile with him," he stated firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Tommy's frustration simmered beneath the surface as he stormed out of Technoblade's office, the heavy wooden door slamming shut behind him with a resounding thud. With determined strides, he navigated the winding corridors of the castle, his mind consumed by thoughts of his impending encounter with his father.

The echoes of his footsteps reverberated off the stone walls, a stark contrast to the quiet tension that hung in the air. His jaw clenched with every step, a silent testament to the inner turmoil churning within him.

As he made his way through the labyrinthine passages, Tommy's gaze remained fixed ahead, his determination driving him forward. He had to find his father, to confront him, to seek understanding and resolution amidst the tumultuous currents of their strained relationship.

With each passing moment, the weight of his emotions bore down on him, but Tommy pressed on, fueled by a fierce resolve to bridge the divide that had grown between them.

"Tommy?" The voice pulled Tommy from his thoughts, and he flinched instinctively as he turned to face his father, King Philza Minecraft of the Arctic Empire.

"Father?" Tommy's voice wavered, the weight of his father's presence suddenly sapping his courage and leaving him feeling vulnerable and exposed.

"Come here into my office, we need to talk," King Philza commanded, and Tommy shivered involuntarily. He despised his father's office; it always seemed colder than anywhere else in the empire. "Yes, father," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper, as he stepped into the room.

The office was unchanged since he was seven years old, the portraits of family members adorning the walls, and a solitary portrait of his mother resting on his father's desk. Tommy's stomach churned with unease as he awaited his father's words. "Have I done something wrong?" he asked tentatively, the fear evident in his voice.

Tommy flinched at the force of his father's hand slamming against the desk, the sound echoing through the room. "What do you think?" King Philza spat, his voice dripping with anger and disappointment. "Close that door and sit."

With trembling hands, Tommy hurried to comply, shutting the door tightly behind him before sinking into the chair opposite his father. The atmosphere in the room was charged with tension, every word hanging heavy in the air.

"Picking fights with your brother while the entire castle could hear you? Are you brain dead?" King Philza's voice thundered, the intensity of his fury causing Tommy to recoil slightly. As his father settled back into his chair, the resemblance to a throne was unmistakable, emphasizing the weight of his authority and the gravity of the situation.

"No, father I—" Tommy's attempt to explain himself was swiftly silenced by his father's stern interruption. "Enough," the king ordered, his tone final and commanding. Tommy obediently shut his jaw, a knot of anxiety tightening in his stomach.

"I know the answer to that," King Philza continued, his words heavy with disappointment. "Now, what should I do to ensure you will never do this again?"

As his father began to pace around the room, Tommy's fear intensified, his mind racing with the implications of his father's question. The weight of his father's disapproval bore down on him, leaving him trembling with uncertainty and dread.

"I didn't want to do this, Tommy, but you leave me no choice," the king stated, his voice heavy with regret. "Starting tomorrow, you will spend every day in the dragon's den. You will not be allowed to fight them, but if they can reach you, they can eat you."

Tommy's face fell, his heart sinking at his father's decree. "Father, this— Are you trying to—" His words caught in his throat as tears welled up in his eyes, his voice choked with emotion.

The weight of his father's punishment bore down on him, the reality of his situation sinking in with crushing force. Fear and despair gripped Tommy's heart as he grappled with the implications of his father's decision, his tears a silent testament to the depth of his anguish.

Tommy's voice cracked with sorrow as he spoke, tears streaming down his cheeks. "You hate me so much that you plan to get rid of me using one mistake and a dragon?" His words trembled with disbelief and heartache, the pain of betrayal evident in his every syllable.

The weight of his father's judgment bore down on him, crushing him beneath its unforgiving weight. In that moment, Tommy felt utterly alone, abandoned by the one person he had looked up to for guidance and support.

As he openly wept, the magnitude of his father's decision weighed heavily on his young shoulders, leaving him feeling helpless and broken. In the depths of his despair, Tommy struggled to comprehend how his father could be so willing to cast him aside over a single transgression.

King Philza's expression softened as he saw the depth of Tommy's pain. "Tommy, listen to me," he began, his voice gentler now, tinged with remorse. "I don't hate you. I'm trying to teach you a lesson, to protect you."

But Tommy recoiled from his father's touch, his heart heavy with betrayal. "No!" he cried out, his voice thick with anguish. "You don't understand! You're supposed to be my father, not my executioner!"

Tears blurred Tommy's vision as he turned away, refusing his father's attempts at comfort. With a desperate sob, he fled from the room, the weight of his father's judgment heavy upon him.

Alone in his chambers, Tommy collapsed onto his bed, the sobs wracking his body as he grappled with the pain of his father's rejection. In the darkness of his room, he felt utterly lost, the warmth of his tears offering little solace in the face of such profound betrayal.