I Had Been Lost To You, Sunlight (And Flew Like A Moth To You)

With the Dark Royal SBI thing, it reminded me of the practice of Noble Hostages. Like, as part of a peace treaty, a member of the losing side's royal family has to stay at the Winning side's Court. Not necessarily as family, but the hostages are treated well as long as their home doesn't start shit. I think this might just be a fantasy fiction/webcomic trope, but oh well, still fun.

So, imagine. Emperor Phil soundly defeats some dinky little country and negotiates their surrender. They have to send one of the Princes/Princesses as a hostage.

Well, they aren't going to send the Crown Prince, that's a given. Too important, that's the future of the country (which they stubbornly believe will someday escape Emperor Phil's grasp). And the younger princes/princess are too young.

So Techno gets sent. Technically second in line for the Dinky Country's throne, but no one really paid much attention to him politically. He's quiet, doing his own thing without bothering others. His older brother is always busy with learning all the crown prince things. His younger siblings are cute, but they are small. So so small. His parents are busy running a country, a country that just lost a WAR. He's not interested in politics or power, so the nobility ignore him. No interest in the throne, just wants to read, and ride horses, and study swordplay.

Maybe he's a little lonely, but he isn't completely alone at home.

He had friends at his home: his teachers, the librarian, the sous-chef who made the best potato dishes. At Emperor Phil's Court, he has no one. And while he is NOT a people person, it's still very nervewracking to be completely alone.

Especially scary because everyone at Emperor Phil's court is trying to get the guy's favor. Dude has destroyed a lot of countries. And a lot of countries want a little more power under his rule.

Technically speaking, Technoblade should be trying to do that. That's what his parents encouraged. But it's just-he can't. He's just a little guy who likes books, horses, and swords. He doesn't DO politics and making alliances. And he feels guilty about not doing more, but he is well aware that he can make things SO MUCH WORSE for his people if he fucks it up. And the pressure is too much so he just- does what he normally does.

He reads, he practices swordplay, he visits the stables.

Or he tries to.

The moment he sets foot in the palace, Prince Wilbur latches on and seemingly never lets go. When Technoblade is in the library, suddenly Wilbur is there. When he is sparring, Wilbur is on the sidelines glaring when his partner gets a little too rough. And Wilbur tells Technoblade all the horses very odd names.

He thinks that Wilbur looks sort of familiar? Like a kid he had played with at a foreign event before the war? That had been fun. It was a very nice memory. But that kid had been FURIOUS when Technoblade's parents had called him back. That kid had been WRATHFUL when Technoblade's parents had looked down on the kid. And Technoblade can't imagine Wilbur, always smiling looking like he had been given a gift Wilbur, ever having such a furious expression. Can't be the same kid.

Because Techno is always dragged beside Wilbur, he inevitably sees a lot of Phil and Tommy. Phil is kind, which is shocking because of his reputation. And Tommy is a menace, which is unshocking because he's, like, 5.

And like, Techno starts to just always be around them. They go out of their way to include him. And the first time he accidentally fell asleep on Wilbur's bed, Wilbur never lets him sleep anywhere else.

And it all goes to shit when Technoblade's dad dies.

He gets the news and he is upset, obviously. Wilbur seems pretty unbothered by it, but Technoblade assumes that that is normal. Its not like it was Wilbur's Dad that died. Whatsmore, Technoblade wants to go to the funeral. His family is begging him to come home for the funeral, if not also the coronation.

Wilbur is coldly against it, and won't listen to Technoblade’s begging. When Technoblade threatens to run away if he has to, Wilbur is furious and rushes off to grab Phil.

Phil enters and sees an incredibly upset Technoblade and an angry Wilbur and reaches a compromise.

It wouldn't be odd for the whole imperial family to go to the funeral. And while the invitation had really only been meant for Technoblade, Phil was sure they wouldn't be stupid enough to refuse.

Technoblade is so very grateful. And all of them go to the funeral. And Technoblade arrives back home to a... colder welcome than he had anticipated.

Like, no one would really look him in the eye. They didn't seem MAD, more guilty than anything. Sad, but not really about the dead kind. Which is confusing. When his Mother sees him, she grabs him into a hug and sobs, no thoughts on decorum. Technoblade has no clue what is happening. His older brother seems even more guilty, sneaking glances at the Emperor.

The funeral is a sad, and very confusing event.

A week after the funeral, Technoblade's home country declares war.

Which, as a political hostage, Technoblade's life is forfeit. He should be executed for his family's treason.

He's locked into his room for a day, a week, a month. Food is brought to him but not seeing a single person.

Well, besides the imperial family. They reassure him that they are doing everything they can, tons of really boring paperwork, Wilbur practically constricting him with how tight he holds.

And then something changes. Wilbur rushes in the door, early in the morning when Technoblade was still asleep and urges Techno to get dressed. Techno does, and Wilbur tows him along, a massive amount of guards around them that no one will explain, and then they get to the courtyard and Technoblade stops breathing at seeing an executioner on a scaffold.

But Wilbur isn't pulling Technoblade that way, he pulls him to where Tommy and Phil are seated comfortably. A raised box with a cloth overhang. Wilbur pushes Technoblade into his seat and Phil pats Technoblade's head fondly. Technoblade's confusion turns quickly to horror.

He sees his mother. His older brother. And a large group of nobility led through the courtyard in chains and burlap. Technoblade pleads with Phil to stop, begs for their lives. But Phil ignores him.

When his pleas turn to threats, Phil holds him too close, too tightly, and claims that Technoblade belonged to them now. That it was official. According to Imperial Law, Technoblade was now a part of the Imperial Family.

And as Technoblade watches his family die, his new family grips him all the tighter.

I was going to make some joke about wanting to read this full fic ASAP but honestly the ask is so detailed and good it feels like I already read a whole fic (wouldn't complain about more though)

The party begin.

#1 with Technoblade mayhaps

this was a VERY long overdue homage :]

"Old friends, like old swords, still are trusted best. "

I really like phil's and techno's relationship on smps :)

Kaladin is not a horsegirl :’)

A new winter coat!!

A fighter

I still miss Technoblade.

I MISS THIS