Not Your Typical Insurrection 👑 TnT Duo !!!

elude

"I think you're boring him, Wil."

Wilbur glances at Techno, and then he turns slightly to face Quackity. "Hes free to entertain himself. I'm here to keep him alive, that's my job. And he doesn't look bored to me." He swallows, eyes returning to the crowd.

The last thing Quackity wants is to be alone in a sea of politicians.

"I can take up your post." Techno shrugs. "Should be easy enough. I figure staring judgmentally at a crowd really isn't as difficult as one might make it out to be." Techno moves to the opposite side of the throne. He crosses his arms behind his back, elbows bent, and Quackity suddenly feels very small.

"I am not staring judgmentally, I'm assessing. And you don't know half of it. You choose not to, remember? Bringing him out there when the people are.. still warming up to him, that could cause disaster."

Techno raises a brow. "Funny, I never said anything about bringing him out there. What exactly are you implying, Wil?"

Quackity is starting to get annoyed by the constant talking about him like he's not here. He is the king, and the conversation does concern him. Alas, he is curious as to what Wilbur meant. Surely not dancing.

"Um, dancing? What else? I'm not trying to court him, so there's no point. That will only start rumors."

Quackity is stung by the reminder. The reminder that Wilbur fancies the redhead girl, not Quackity, though Quackity plays both roles. But Quackity couldn't reveal himself, not now and not ever. How would Wilbur take it? Surely he would be furious, and that would ruin any chance with him at all. He would hate being lied to, maybe he'd feel like he'd been outdone. And yet.

"You are going to be spending a lot of the foreseeable future with him as his advisor, Wilbur. Why not warm up to him a little?" Techno looks at him, but Wilbur remains looking at the crowd, eyes darting this way and that.

"I am warm to him. Scalding."

"You're that way with everyone, Wil."

Wilbur is quiet. Quackity thinks. If Wilbur was that way with everyone, then it was possible Quackity stood a chance. Maybe his love for the redhead girl wasn't that intense, and Quackity was over thinking it... but.. Wilbur wasn't just nice to Sally, he trusted Sally. And Quackity is the King. Wilbur's only purpose in this situation was to manipulate Quackity, and make sure everything went according to some plan. He couldn't ever trust Quackity, not really. He would be hoping to take advantage of him, any show of vulnerability would be leverage.

They all lapse into silence for a while.

"I want the best for my family, that is all." Wilbur says, solemnly.

Quackity is reminded again of the things he's done for his family, how he'd worked to grant them immunity, the risks he'd taken. If family was his sole motivator, Quackity would at most be a piece in his strategic game of chess, a pawn. That also brings up the topic of the yearly executions, which nobody was fond of. Quackity ponders it.

Techno is about to say something when Charlie begins to approach the throne. He takes a step forward, but Wilbur intercepts him. "The King's acquaintance."

"Hes not an acquaintance. He's my friend." Quackity frowns, smiling when he makes eye contact with Charlie.

"Quackity! How are you?" Charlie smiles at Quackity, glancing at Wilbur and Techno. Wilbur is looking past him, but Techno stares directly into his eyes, bone mask gleaming in the candle light. "Er, your highness, I mean."

"Dont bother with the formalities, please, Charlie. And I am quite well." He smiles, sitting up.

"Hoping to maintain the image, I see." He smiles curtly, glancing at Techno. He remains several feet from Quackity.

"Not maintaining it. Creating it, manipulating it. People do not look highly upon Quackity, you know. I want to change that." Wilbur glances at Charlie, it's the second time he's looked at him since Charlie had entered the room. "I think it would be best for you to leave."

"What?" Charlie blinks. "Why?"

Wilbur doesn't respond. Quackity hesitates. Was Wilbur waiting for him to tell Charlie off? Quackity can't do that, Charlie is his best friend, has always been his best friend. He is reminded then, of the first time they ever snuck out, him and Charlie. Puffy had disregarded Quackity because he was royal blood, and Charlie had done nothing, just frowned and nodded. It wasn't right, and it had made Quackity feel terrible.

He didn't want Charlie to feel like that, it wasn't right, and Charlie was his friend. "No, I think he should stay."

Wilbur frowns. "Your Highness, respectfully... we need to create an impression, a strong one. The people think you are weak, inexperienced, a pushover, and even if that's true, we need to allude otherwise. Promoting your friendship with this servant boy will do quite the opposite." The band has begun to play another song, a boisterous tune.

"Its not true." Quackity says this immediately, blinking. Wilbur thought those things of him? It's understandable for the public to be suspicious, and though it hurts, hearing it from Wilbur's mouth makes his stomach sink. "And I'm not promoting it."

"Everything you do, everything you say, will leave an irreversible mark on your reputation. The people will make assumptions, or take what they're seeing at face value." Wilbur turns slightly, head turning enough for him to look at Quackity. "They will think your friendship a sign of weakness. Do you not understand?"

"I don't care about my reputation. How does keeping a former friendship show I'm weak?" Quackity sits up, looking at him

"He is a servant, you are the King. It is not normal for you two to be seen together in such a way. Rumors will start, bad rumors." Wilbur's eyes sharpen. "Quackity, maintaining your reputation is something every King has to do."

"Im afraid he is still just a boy, Wilbur." Techno sounds, and Quackity turns to look at him. Charlie looks, too. "Seems you're gonna have to find other ways to nurture the people's opinions."

"Yes," Wilbur sighs, "I suppose. He does not want to be King."

"No, it's alright." Charlie speaks immediately, eyes widening a fraction. "I'll leave. It's safer this way." He had seen what Wilbur and his subordinates did to the last King they thought unfit to rule. He couldn't let that happen to Quackity, wouldn't risk it. Not with Wilbur stuck to Quackity constantly. He'd have to find a way around it. Charlie steps back with slight resignation. Either way, he didn't exactly want to leave Quackity. Quackity was his friend.

"It is the wiser option." Wilbur commends him, looking back out at the crowd as Charlie begins to walk away. Quackity deflates in his seat, which earns a look from Wilbur. Still, he says nothing.

"Why did you do that?" Quackity asks after Charlie is long gone, frowning. "He was my friend."

"It's better this way, Quackity. For the both of you. People might take interest in using that relationship against you. Like bargaining chips. I.. understand you two were close once, but that has to change, Quackity. He could just as easily turn on you, it's quite the common occurrence."

"Really? I have to let him go?" Quackity frowns. If he could deflate further, he would. "I don't think he would do such things."

"Yes, if you want to succeed. You must think of the opportunities ahead, do not dwell on the things of the past. From what I understand, you were doing quite terribly. Now that you finally have it good, he is trying to stand in the way of that. You must not let him. If he was a good friend, he would let you have this."

"Yes, I suppose so." Quackity sighs.

He spends the next hour in a state of mourning, looking miserable and desolate, until Techno offers to get them drinks. He brings them an interesting wine, deep blue in color. Wilbur refuses his glass, making Techno keep it. Remarks are made about Wilbur's wary manner, denoting that he must look suspicious. Wilbur pays him no mind, and Quackity takes both cups for himself.