Servants rush around the palace. They gather specific items, bringing them to the ballroom for the final touches of the event. The servants who are not fetching decorations are huddled down in the kitchens, slaving over the stoves to prepare vast amounts of food to compliment the imported drinks. Others are found making absolutely certain that the adjacent rooms to the ballroom meant for freshening up were glowing with their cleanliness. Despite their hard work, each one wears a smile on their face as they glide through the halls. There is an irreplaceably happiness that hangs in the air of the palace like the scent of flowers lingers in the air of a small room.

Tommy knows exactly why. It is the morning of his second birthday. He has been in the world of the Ender Prince for two whole years. He hasn't done much of anything, but most babies do not. He has become very adept at walking. He's even getting pretty good at actually running. He isn't fast by any means, but he can already tell that his body is going to reach some impressive speeds if he continues to practice. He can speak, as well, though he avoids saying actual sentences. He uses Tubbo as a benchmark for what he should be doing, after all, and while Tubbo can say a few words that are coherent, he does not use any proper grammar. Tommy follows behind him, highlighting Tubbo's intelligence while not looking stupid to anyone who sees the young prince.

If this was Tommy's twenty-first birthday, what it would be in the world he originally came from, he would be charmed by how much effort is going into this celebration. As it stands, Tommy doesn't understand. He may be a prince, but he's only turning two years old. As far as he's aware, the author of the Ender Prince wrote a modified medieval story where personal hygiene was achievable, rationalized by the presence of magic and elementals. Surviving two years of life isn't a huge milestone, especially not for a baby that is heavily protected.

Tommy also thinks it's unnecessary. He never had a birthday party in his former life. His birthday wasn't much more than getting one year closer to independence. No one cared enough to tell him happy birthday, not even his parents. He might have envied the other kids when he was a child, but he stopped caring about having a party at some point. Even if he did have one, no one would show up, and wouldn't that be sad? It was better that everyone in his class think that Tommy was just a ghost trailing alongside them instead of another child like them that was obviously born on a specific date so many years ago.

It was also more than a little obnoxious. Although the empire wasn't known for having poor living conditions, there were real people out there that could use the money that was going into a party for a child that didn't know to appreciate things yet. Of course, Tommy did know how to appreciate what was given to him, but the common people did not know that. Would they see his birthday as something worth celebrating with this much fanfare? The book never gave a hint of a commoner rebellion, but Tommy could never be too sure.

"Look who's already awake. You must know how important today is, little one," Kristin whispers as she peers over his crib. Philza leans over her shoulder to look down at Tommy as well, his wings pressed firmly to his back to give Kristin some space. Tommy stares up at them. They came to his room last year for his birthday, so he should have expected they would come this year, too. It was just that last year, Tommy didn't have a party. He was too young for that sort of thing, so he celebrated with his family. He thought that if there would be a party today, the imperial family would be managing that instead of coming to find him.

"Are you ready, Theseus? Today is going to be a big day for you!" Philza explains, reaching his hands down into the crib. Instead of cutting Tommy up with his ashy claws, he holds Tommy up. He smiles at Tommy, leaning forward to press his nose into Tommy's stomach. He blows a breath out of his mouth, and Tommy giggles at the ticklish feeling. When Philza pulls away, Tommy levels him with a heavy glare. Philza laughs, transitioning Tommy to sit on his hip. He looks at Kristin. "It seems Theseus didn't like that."

"Oh, I don't know, dear. I am quite sure I heard laughter," The tsaritsa proclaims. She reaches her fingers for Tommy, tickling his sides. He sputters another uncontrollable giggle. He tries to get away from her hands. Philza chuckles as he moves Tommy in front of him, aiming to get a better hold of the squirming toddler.

"No," Tommy tells them both in the harshest voice he can manage. It isn't much coming from him, especially when 'no' is one of the few words he's allotted for himself. When he first started talking, he made a list of words he was allowed to say. 'No' and 'yes' were two of the firsts to be added. Tubbo was able to say 'Papa', but Tommy did not call his family anything familiar. He refuses to get attached to them any more than he already is. That means strictly thinking of them as Tsar Philza and Tsaritsa Kristin of the Antarctic Empire, book characters that are somehow alive.

"As the birthday boy commands," Kristin says, lifting her hands up to show him that she's going to stop. Tommy huffs, wondering how much he can get away with under the pretense of being the birthday boy. He wonders if they would cancel the entire party if he asked them to. He definitely would try his luck if he wasn't hoping to gather more intel on the nobles at this party. He's already picked out the nobles he wants to use for his escape plan, so he needs to learn more about them. He also needs to identify which nobles belong to which group.

The political landscape of the empire can be divided into four major factions. The first group is the imperial faction. They are the nobles who support the imperial family. They have some grand belief about the divine right to rule, and they believe hybrids, specifically avians, are a higher species. The opposing group were the nobility faction. Although they were loyal to the imperial family, they held the interest of the nobility at heart. They were certain that the imperial family were only allowed to rule if they were taking care of the ones who assisted the imperial family. The third faction was mostly commonly called the military faction. They were partly made of religious fanatics who devoted their lives to the Blood God and Goddess of Death, but they were also more inclined to follow the lead of the General, a title meant for the supreme leader of the empire's military force, than the imperial family. The neutral faction were the nobles who took no side, or were acquainted with every side. Most commonly, nobles who deal with business are neutral because they do not discriminate against who purchases their goods or services.

Tommy must be on good terms with the imperial faction. He cannot be swayed by the nobility faction. He wants no relation with the military faction. He was going to gain allies from the neutral faction. That was his plan, so he needed to find out who belonged to what group to make sure he treated them accordingly.

"Let us change your clothing today, Theseus," Kristin explains as she picks Tommy up from his armpits. She sets him on the ground, allowing him to get more practice in walking. She leans down to hold his hand, and Philza follows her lead on the other side. Together, they escort Tommy to the other side of the room where he normally gets changed by his minder. Chivone is nowhere to be seen, so it becomes abundantly clear that Kristin was not lying. The leaders of the great empire were actually going to perform the jobs of a nanny to change his clothes. Tommy doesn't know how he feels about this. He's never liked having servants doing things for him, but he doesn't like the idea of Kristin and Philza taking their position. This is setting a precedent that Tommy would rather not have set.

"Oh, look how adorable this is, Kristin," Philza says as Kristin is putting Tommy on the cushioned table that he gets changed on. Philza is holding up the outfit that Tommy is meant to wear for the party. It looks like a suit similar to what the average nobleman wears. It is less decorated and complex, of course, but the bright blue and white colors of the empire are blatantly seen. Tommy is going to look like part of his family tonight in front of every noble.

"Come on. Theseus must be cold." Kristin picks up the pants from Tommy's daytime clothing after changing Tommy's loins, something Tommy really despised. She starts to slide them on Tommy's legs. Once she's pushed the ends above his ankles, she takes his hands. Tommy stands on his feet, putting his hands on Kristin's shoulders. She pulls his pants over his fresh loins. She smiles at him when their eyes meet. She situates his pants on his waist, speaking softly to him. "Look at you, Theseus. You're going to look wonderful today, and we are going to have so much fun together. Are you excited for today?"

"Yes," Tommy responds. Even if Tommy allowed himself to use more words, that was the best answer he was going to be able to put forth into the world. He wasn't excited in the least bit, not for the party or this outing with his family. He was looking forward to seeing Tubbo, but he could see Tubbo whenever he wanted. The party was merely an excuse for this night. It was good to do research, but Tommy wasn't going to call his anticipation 'excitement'. He wouldn't be able to explain any of that to these two, though, not without explaining a lot of unbelievable truths.

"Let me do the shirt," Philza says, nudging Kristin out of the way. She rolls her eyes affectionately at him as Philza stands in front of Tommy. Philza opens the shirt like a jacket, guiding Tommy's arms through the sleeves. When Tommy is in the shirt, Philza turns him back around to button up the shirt. Tommy watches Philza's face morph into one of concentration. Tommy knows that no one has ever paid that much attention to his clothing in his last life. Even Chivone doesn't seem to pay this much attention to his clothing. She simply changes him, and he suddenly looks presentable.

"Look at this, Philza. It is the comb we got for Theseus when he was first growing hair," Kristin finds a comb in Tommy's jewelry box. There are some other jewels and accessories in there, gifts from either his family or other nobles. Tommy doesn't wear any of it. He might when he gets older, though he knows it will take some time for him to grow comfortable enough with gemstones to actually wear them.

"It is. Do you like using it, Theseus?" Philza asks, taking the comb from Kristin's fingers. She uses it to smooth out the thin strands of blonde hair starting to grow from Tommy's scalp.

"Yes," Tommy responds again. He allows Philza to finish combing his hair. He quite likes the feeling of someone messing with his hair, but he doesn't dare tell Philza that. Hopefully, he will find someone who enjoys playing with his hair that is not directly involved in his ultimate demise. He hopes that he'll find some friends when he starts traveling. He could join a traveling troupe. That would be a fun idea.

"We shall get you something even better tonight, my love," Kristin promises, lifting Tommy into her arms. Tommy shakes his head, resting his forehead on her shoulder. Getting a gift at all is a big deal for him. He doesn't need them trying to outdo the previous year's gift. Even if they didn't give him anything today, they gave him plenty every other day: a warm place to sleep, comfortable clothing, delicious food, and many servants to assist him in his endeavors to mature his body. They gave him the opportunity to befriend Tubbo. Wilbur read him stories every night, and on the days when he could not come, Techno had some equally good tales, too. It was more than enough.

"We shall fill this entire room with gifts!" Philza continues, though Tommy knows that is an exaggeration. He smiles despite himself.

Kristin carries Tommy all the way to the dining hall. Although he can walk, he is very slow on account of his short legs and limited energy. He practices when he can, but when he actually needs to be somewhere, other people carry him. Tommy doesn't like being helpless, but he makes an exception for Kristin. She's gentle and extremely warm. She doesn't have to say a word to put Tommy at ease. Tommy wishes he could keep someone like this in his pocket at all times.

The servants open the dining hall doors for Kristin, Philza, and Tommy. The prince picks his head up to stare into the room. Recently, he has been coming to more family dinners now that he can eat regular food like the rest of them. He has never eaten breakfast with them, however, and it is extremely rare for all five of them to be together.

"Theseus!" Wilbur chirps from his seat, brightening up once he notices his brother in his mother's arms. If it wasn't for how close he was pushed into the table, Wilbur would have jumped up to take Tommy from Kristin.

"Theseus," Techno speaks. There isn't any inflection in his tone other than a subtle hint of happiness. Tommy made it a priority to learn how Techno's emotions worked. If Techno was angry at him, Tommy needs to know immediately. Other emotions were simply a byproduct of looking for symptoms of anger.

Kristin sets Tommy on the ground. He takes a moment to catch his balance. When he's standing upright, he hurries to follow after Kristin and Philza. Kristin takes her place on the right of the head of the table, across from Techno. Philza slows down to put Tommy into the seat right beside her, across from Wilbur. Obviously, Philza sits at the head of the table.

Servants enter the room from their hidden entrances. They carry silver platters of food. They set the food down with speed, efficiency, and silence. Before Tommy can catch a glimpse of their faces, they are gone into the hollow, winding halls that make the servant's corridors. Tommy frowns. He wonders if learning the secret passages would be worth the time. If the servants can learn them, Tommy knows that he could. It would be great for getting around while avoiding prying eyes and accidentally bumping into his family. Tommy decides to revisit that idea when he's old enough to spend time alone without the entire palace panicking.

"Theseus," Kristin calls, drawing his attention away from a random painting on the high walls of the dining hall. He looks at her instead. She holds a spoon up to his mouth with her hand underneath it to catch anything that spills. Tommy frowns. He can eat by himself. He's a little messy, but that is a habit he will grow out of with a little more motor control. Other than that, he can use the utensils by himself. "Theseus?"

Tommy doesn't utter a word as he opens his mouth. He lets Kristin place the spoon in his mouth, and he starts chewing whatever food was in the bowl. He doesn't know what the food is. This could be because he didn't eat a variety of foods in his previous life, or because this was an entire different world from that, or because he was now a member of an imperial family. There were many reasons why Tommy would be unfamiliar with the dishes served, but he is content with the porridge-like food being placed carefully into his mouth.

"It is quite alarming to find that Theseus is already turning two years old," Wilbur pipes up while eating his own porridge. "It will continue to grow older."

"That is the nature of aging," Techno confirms sagely, nodding.

Wilbur frowns at his twin. "That is not what I meant, Techno."

"I understand what you mean, Wilbur," Philza interrupts before the twins can start arguing. He smiles fondly at his boys before glancing at Tommy. "I remember the days when the two of you were this young as if it were merely hours ago. It is remarkable how quickly time passes in such large bounds, and yet the smaller measures seem to stretch forever into a second."

"Let time continue his dance. You three will always be my babies regardless of how many years have passed since you were officially one," Kristin declares, reaching for a napkin to wipe Tommy's mouth.

Tommy remains silent. It is easy for Kristin to say that. It is easy for all of them to say that. Tommy does not like this concept of time. He despises being in a young body that cannot fend for itself, and yet he fears what will happen when he is held accountable for his actions. They do not know the secrets that lurk in the future, so they may fear it like everyone else in the world. Tommy is forced to grapple with his fate every moment, making time seem like an elusive opponent rather than an abstract companion.

"This cannot be, Mother. I do not wish to be treated like a child," Wilbur explains, completely unaware of the thoughts lingering in his brother's mind.

"You are a child," Techno reminds him.

"If I am a child, then so are you!" Wilbur retorts.

Techno raises his eyebrow. "I never claimed not to be."

"Boys," Philza begins, eyeing them with a stare that means to silence their squabbling. The two boys begin to settle, returning their attention to their porridge. Philza smiles. "Today is going to be a glorious day for it marks the beginning of many happy birthdays for my youngest son. I can only fear he grows up to be as lively as the two of you."

"Father!" Wilbur exclaims with a furrow brow.

"I do not think the world will be able to handle another Wilbur," Techno concedes. Tommy stifles a giggle. If it was the Wilbur from the book, of course the world wouldn't be able to handle two of them. Wilbur right now, however, is a good person. He might have a flair for the dramatics, but he possesses a golden heart. Tommy would not mind more Wilburs if he could guarantee that they never turn into manipulative, silver-tongued wolves pretending to be sheep like the one in the Ender Prince. For that matter, as long as these extra Technos don't kill him, he would purchase a few of them, too. He would get an entire army of Kristins, have them rotate holding him every day. There can only be one Philza, though. Philza is the type of person so unique that there will never be anyone else ever able to achieve his inherent greatness.

"What has given you a fit of giggles?" Kristin asks Tommy with a curious smile on her face. She wipes his face again, but Tommy is too busy laughing at his own joke about having multiple copies of his current family to even think about pushing her hands away. When she finishes, she sets his spoon back in his bowl. "Keep that wonderful smile, little one."

Kristin stands up. She picks Tommy up with her, putting her right against her chest. Tommy relaxes against her with a soft smile on his face. Kristin runs her fingers through his hair. If Tommy were a cat, he would be purring right now. Alas, Theseus was an avian hybrid waiting to grow wings, so Tommy will never be able to purr. He will never make avian noises if he can help it, either. This is a poor analogy. Tommy should make a better one, but his mind is goop in Kristin's comforting hold.

"Are you boys coming?" Kristin asks, shifting to look at the twins as Philza joins her standing up. Tommy peeks an eye open to see Wilbur's face light up. He rushes out of his chair to slam into Philza's legs, hugging them tightly. Techno is a lot more dignified as he picks himself up, but Tommy can see the enthusiasm radiating from him.

The five of them leave the dining hall. Tommy peeks over Kristin's shoulder to watch the terrain change. He catches sight of Wilbur looking up at him. Out of nowhere, Wilbur makes a surprisingly funny face. It catches Tommy off-guard, so he starts giggling. Wilbur takes the positive reaction in stride. He changes his face, but it is no less funny. Tommy attempts to stop laughing, but once he starts, he finds himself unable to stop. He laughs even harder when Techno elbows Wilbur's side, whispering something about princely behavior. Wilbur pouts, and that is honestly the most hilarious face he makes. Tommy closes his eyes as the giggling shakes his body. Kristin releases a breathy laugh as she feels him moving against her.

Tommy's laughter pitters out just as the air around him changes. He feels a cool warmth blossom across his body. He looks up to find that he's been taking outside. He's been outside before, but his eyes widen as he realizes that he is in the imperial garden. He's usually taken elsewhere when he wants to play outside. Kristin sets Tommy down on the ground. She takes his hand, but Tommy hardly notices as he gazes across the large hedges that blossom with unfamiliar flowers. The book describes the garden a few times since Ranboo would take refuge there. Even after presenting as an avian, Theseus did not like the gardens. He much preferred the interior of the palace or the top of the highest tower where he felt the closest to the sky. Tommy wanted to visit the gardens eventually because of how beautifully the author explained it to be. His experience cannot even be dampened by the knowledge that his family is there with him.

"Whoa," Tommy breathes out as he reaches out for the flowers. He doesn't dare touch them, but he allows his fingers to hover. Once his eyes have taken in the sight of those flowers, he starts to rush down the stone path. He unintentionally drags Kristin with him. Her laugh eases Tommy's apprehension, so he keeps pulling her along as he aims to see every inch of the garden. He stops frequently to smell the flowers, staring intently at their interior. Eventually, he comes to a section where the hedges are sheared into elaborate designs. Tommy stares at them for a moment before he realizes what they are.

"Tiberius," Tommy slowly exhales. The hedges are telling the fairytale. The first is a group of people with a distinctly shaped boy. The boy is then alone, crying into his knees. A bird appears before him, and the story continues from there. Tommy whirls around to point at the hedges, his eyes meeting Wilbur's eyes. He can't believe the gardeners would go this far, and he needs Wilbur to see that the fairytale was made into something.

"You remember the story?" Wilbur questions with disbelief and awe radiating in his voice. Tommy's face falls. Wilbur told him that story a half-year ago. Tommy does not know how well a child's memory is, but he suspects that it shouldn't be this good if Wilbur is acting like this. Wilbur smiles brightly, twirling around to face his twin brother. "I told you that reading Theseus bedtime stories was a good idea!"

"Excuse me, reading Theseus bedtime stories?" Kristin asks, raising an eyebrow.

Wilbur's face falls into a sheepish expression. "I'm sorry, Mother. I did not mean any harm by it. I merely wanted to share poetry and stories with Theseus in the hopes that it would help his development. Theseus seemed to enjoy the stories."

"It's true. On the nights Wilbur couldn't be there, he would send me. Theseus would be awake no matter how long it took me to get there," Techno defends Wilbur even though he's implicating himself.

This selfless display between brothers moves Tommy to rush forward, getting between his parents and his brothers. "Stories! I like stories!"

His parents startle. Tommy does, too. He should not have done that. Wilbur and Techno can take care of themselves. Even if they can't, Tommy should have waited for Kristin or Philza to ask him if he agreed so he could use his approved word 'yes'. Instead, he used three words he hadn't considered using. Even worse, he said an actual sentence. He hopes they won't look into that. He hopes even more that they don't tell Wilbur and Techno to stop. Tommy really does love the stories. They are usually engaging, and they always carry good information with them.

What Tommy doesn't want to admit is that he likes spending time with his brothers. He knows he cannot get too comfortable, but all three of them are still young. Tommy won't grow complacent, but he does think he can allow himself these simple comforts while they are still available to him.

"As long as it does not interfere with anyone's sleeping habits too much, you can continue to tell your brother appropriate stories and poems," Philza finally concedes after staring at his children for a long moment. Kristin sighs, but she does not seem disappointed in the outcome.

"Yes!" Wilbur cheers. Before Tommy knows it, there is a pair of arms around his shoulders pulling him close. Wilbur is hugging him. Wilbur has never done this before. He's held Tommy, yes, but he's never gotten on Tommy's level to hug him. And Tommy has never hugged him back, but he finds himself wrapping his arms around Wilbur's shoulders now that they are down to his height. He looks up at Techno to find the child smiling at Tommy and Wilbur. It isn't a large smile by normal standards, but for Techno, it is as good as ear-to-ear.

Tommy hopes he can hug Wilbur more and see Techno smile more often.

—

Ranboo shuffles from foot to foot. He has never been afraid of heights. In the End, the cities are mostly stacked on top of one another. The islands are literally floating in the void. A fear of heights is not naturally formed in an Enderian. No, Rambo's nervousness comes more from the fact that he is standing in a high location with someone who will likely push him to his demise. Ranboo does not fear the height so much as he fears the fall, the pain of it.

"I quite enjoy being here," Theseus states. He sits on the windowsill, one of his wings- gray as smoke and ash with bloody red undertones- hangs outside of the window. Some of the feathers sway in the wind. Ranboo keeps his hands folded behind his back. He knows from spending time with Philza that Theseus' wings need preening. The problem is that Theseus will not let anyone get close enough to him to preen his wings. If a servant touches his wings, they are instantly imprisoned. Theseus is merely paranoid that someone will ruin his wings, taking away his claim to the throne. Theseus must not understand that the lack of proper care will ruin his wings just as much as an assassin would.

"Even if the company is lackluster," Theseus mutters, turning his sharp purple gaze to Ranboo. The Enderian holds back a squeak. He cannot stand it when Theseus looks directly into his eyes. He wishes that Theseus never commanded him to raise his head. He would much rather stare at the floor than have those eyes meet his.

"I mainly come up here to practice," Theseus explains, gesturing to the interior of the room. The uppermost room of the tower is not as spacious as most rooms in the palace, but it does carry a heavier weight to it. There are large wooden bookshelves forming three walls around what appears to be a glowing book hovering over a red cloth covering an obsidian block embedded with lapis lazuli. The book spews off runes of a different language, one lost to time. It is similar to Ender, the language, but it is distinct enough that Ranboo cannot decipher it. He only knows that it is an enchanting table, a very powerful and rare magical artifact that was created by the Ancient Builders thousands of years ago. This room is made for enchantments, designed only for those of the imperial family. Theseus spends a lot of his time here, and Ranboo is only allowed up here because Theseus is perceptive. He knows that most of the imperial line considers Ranboo as family. He is turning that connection into something he can manipulate by allowing Ranboo to stand in this room.

"You may not know this, but this room is perfect for magic. There is a strong concentration of EXP here. The wind acts as a good conduit. The enchanting table certainly increases the potential of the caster," Theseus explains. Ranboo does not know what most of those words mean, at least not in the order Theseus said. Ranboo knows very little about Overworld magic. It is very different from the innate power of the Enderian races.

"It would do you well to spend more time up here instead of that forsaken garden down there," Theseus mutters. "You have so much potential with that void magic of yours. If only you would cultivate it. You might make something of yourself. You would no longer be my servant. You could study at the academy. You could join the Mage's Tower."

Ranboo shuffles. Although the idea of leaving does appeal to him, he knows this is a trap. Theseus will never willingly let him go, not when Theseus continues to harbor resentment and ill will towards Ranboo. He may not understand much about Theseus, but he can tell that Theseus has a reason for hating Ranboo. It is not a good one, barely a justifiable one, but it does exist. Ranboo wishes he could do something about it.

"Instead, you spend all your time in that garden. It will do nothing for you. It has some value aesthetically, but that dissipates after a few visits. You should be done with the garden for now. Yet you linger," Theseus says as if he truly cannot understand. "What was your favorite flower again? Allium. Beautiful flowers. They carry quite a positive meaning. Most of the flowers down there do not. It was the tsar's orders after my Mother's death. The garden was meant to reflect his moods, as inconstant as they are. The alliums were allowed to stay because of you, because you dared to ask the tsar for something."

Ranboo frowns. He asked for nothing. He merely mentioned to the tsar that alliums were his favorite flowers. Philza acted of his own accord.

Theseus glances at Ranboo for a moment. He looks back at the garden below them. He smiles, lifting up his hand. A ball of energy sparks to life, flickering and burning with a temper that can barely be contained. The energy sparkles with a blue-colored effect that burns around the edges. Theseus throws his hand down in a second. The energy ball falls to the earth. It lands among the garden. It spreads out in an explosion like an expanding ball of misty blue. Once it has overtaken the alliums- and only them- it snaps back to a singular point. The alliums are gone, leaving nothing but scorched earth. Theseus smiles in satisfaction at the blatant display of powerful, concise magic. Ranboo's mouth gapes open, tears rising to his eyes even though they burn his skin.

"I suggest you stop wasting your time down there and start learning to control your own magic," Theseus explains, stepping back into the room. He leaves without uttering another word. Ranboo rushes to the window, getting a better look at the horrible image of the burned garden.

—
"Are you sure about this?" She asks softly. She turns her attention to him, a frown on her face. A faint glow shimmers beneath her skin. A caustic light pattern washes over her skin. Her dark clothing soaks up all the light that falls upon it, making the green color look black. This is contrasted with the white cloak she seems to wear around her shoulders. It looks light and feathery, and it shuffles slightly as she moves closer to the pedestal in the center of the room. She places her hands around it, and the lightning bursting from the pedestal strikes her bare hands. It does not burn, however. It merely dances across her skin.

"We have to do this," He responds. He reaches forward, taking her hand. He squeezes it slightly. She grimaces. He is wearing a pair of black gloves with a gemstone embedded in the back of the fabric. His sleeves fall over the ends of his gloves. They are in a bright red color with a softer orange pattern around the edges.

He reaches his other hand out, and someone takes it. The other man in the room looks towards the ground with a hard expression, but he takes the hand reaching for him anyway. The other man stares at the pedestal with glistening purple eyes. His ebony skin almost blends seamlessly into the dark purple outfit he wears.

"We're going to succeed. I believe in us," He tells them both, making a solemn vow. They both look unconvinced, but they have already sworn to follow him to the ends of the earth. Why wouldn't they follow him to the next plane, too?

As the other two link hands, the carefully crafted spell activates. Light engulfs all three of them until no one is left.

—

Tommy jerks back to awareness. The dream lingers on the edges of his mind. There was something familiar about the scene, but Tommy has never experienced it before. While he couldn't make out many of the details, he could tell that this was a place that he hasn't seen in a long time. It must have come from his previous life, but he didn't know the other two people... people? Were they people? The man might have been. He certainly had the appearance of one. It was the woman that astounded Tommy. There was something off about her. She was a little more blurry than the rest of the memory. Her words were fainter, too, like whispers beneath the waves.

"Hello, sweetie," A voice calls, snapping Tommy out of his reverie. He looks up to see his mother sitting beside his crib in a rocking chair. Kristin wears an elaborate icy blue dress with purple flowers draped around her shoulders like a shawl. Her crown gleamed in the afternoon sunlight, sparkling with many gemstones and refined metals. Her gloved hands held the side of the crib, rocking it back and forth. She stopped moving when she noticed him looking at her. Kristin stands up from her chair to pick him up. She transitions him to her side without worrying about what a baby's slobber could do to her magnificent gown. "Did you have a nice nap?"

Tommy averts his eyes. He felt well-rested, sure, but the dream continued to linger in his mind. All of his thoughts caught on it, winding around so thickly that he wasn't sure if he could think about anything else. It confused him because while the dream didn't make any sense, it was perfectly logical. There were constants and consistencies. It made his head hurt to think about.

"I have a very important question for you," Kristin begins, setting him down on the changing station. She places her hands on his cheeks. She holds his face in her palms, making their size difference very distinct. She leans down to look into his eyes, treating him with some respect as she asks, "Would you do me the honor of accompanying me to your birthday party, Prince Theseus?"

Tommy blinks. He forgot all about his birthday party. After the eventful morning where he defended Wilbur and Techno from their parents, Tommy was put into his crib to take a nap. Kristin stayed with him as he fell asleep. She must have gone to change at some point, but she came back in time for him to wake up naturally. Tommy hardly understood the question that was being asked of him. He couldn't do anything in this situation, so why bother phrasing it like a choice? It was either Kristin or his nanny. Tommy wasn't getting out of this party.

"Yes," Tommy answers slowly. Kristin smiles widely. Tommy's expression is effectively hidden as she starts changing him out of his playtime clothes to a formal outfit. It is the same way Philza was gushing over earlier that morning. Tommy feels something slowly churning his gut. At this point, he should be calling his parents 'mama' and 'papa'. He should be calling Wilbur and Techno by some crude version of their name. Tommy cannot admit that he doesn't want to or that he's maliciously refusing. He just cannot get himself to say it. He doesn't want to forge any connections. He had no way of knowing if the story would twist back into its proper course. Tommy doesn't know what inciting incident caused the downfall of Theseus. Was it simply his crummy personality, or is there something more to it?

Kristin doesn't take too long to change his outfit. There are more buttons than Tommy knows what to do with, but Kristin's fingers are agile and nimble. She fits the outfit against his body with a precision Tommy thought was reserved for tailors. When she's finished, she picks up, setting him back on her waist. She carries him to the doors of his room. She frowns as the guards open the door, humming to herself. "Should we get you a new room as a birthday present? You cannot remain in the nursery forever, after all."

Tommy doesn't know what to say to that. He would like to be moved, but he's certain he will be moved to the wing where the entire imperial family lives. Although there is ample space in the wing, Tommy would prefer to be on the entire opposite wing. It would do him better to be far away from anyone that could potentially ruin him.

"Your imperial majesty," Servants and guards would say as they passed Kristin and Tommy in the hallway. They bowed before hurrying off to finish whatever task they were assigned. On any other night, they would have to wait for Kristin to dismiss them or leave the hall they were in, but tonight was a grand party. Such formalities were done away with in the sake of efficiency. Kristin does not pay them any attention. She lets their acknowledgement wash over her with her head held high. Tommy looks up at her. This wasn't his first time seeing her put on a regal air, but it still astounds him. How can this tsaritsa, the proclaimed goddess of death, be the same kind woman who calls him sweet pet names?

"I do hope you enjoy your party, Theseus. It is your day for celebration," Kristin explains to him. She sets him down beside her as they come to the final hallway that leads directly into the main ballroom. Every gathering Tommy has been to was in this ballroom. He knew the way to it after a few trips. He wasn't allowed to attend too many events right now, but that would not be the case forever. Not only would he have to uphold the responsibilities of a prince, the spare of a spare, but he wants to forge connections of his own. These parties will be a good way to make a first impression. Planning will come right after, and escape will become inevitable.

Kristin stops at the doors. The servant standing outside the doors whispers to a blue bird with long white tail feathers perched on his shoulder. The blue bird flaps their wings, rising into the air. They turn towards the door that leads into the ballroom. Instead of hitting the carved wood, they slide through the door. Tommy's eyes widen. He has been in the world of Ender Prince for two years now, and this was his first time seeing an elemental. It must be an air element since it took the appearance of a bird and could phase through walls. The Ender Prince explained that the imperial palace employed a great many of weak air elementals as messengers. It was mainly because Tsar Philza was contracted with the Air Elemental King.

The doors were swung wide open. Kristin steps into the golden light with no remorse on her face. Tommy follows her. He schools his expression into neutrality as he peers down at the nobility. The servant on the other side of the doors, the one with the bird on his shoulder, raises his hands. The entire ballroom descends into silence. The nobility look up at their tsaritsa and the youngest prince. The servant who silenced the crowd calls out, "Presenting, her imperial majesty, Tsaritsa Kristin, the Everlasting Flame of the Empire. Presenting, his highness, Prince Theseus, Great Star of the Empire and the birthday boy for our party tonight."

The crowd erupts into cheers at the mention of his name. Tommy inhales sharply at the loud noise, but he does not waver. He might be in the body of a child, but he is not one. He knows the importance of remaining calm and collected. Although the nobles are like sharks in the water, Tommy is not the one who needs to bleed tonight. In fact, he does not need to bleed at all. What are sharks to a god of the ocean? He surpasses them in every way. He stands higher than them politically. He knows more about them than any child has the right to. He even has knowledge about the future. He does not need to fear this party in particular, but it would be better to set a precedent from an early age. He is not to be trifled with. This should keep the nobility faction off his back for some time.

Kristin takes Tommy's hand. He startles, stepping out of his musings. He looks up at her. She smiles at him, warm and kind, as she begins to lead him down the stairs. Tommy follows after her as quickly as he can manage with his tiny legs. He manages to reach the bottom steps without falling, but he suspects his face isn't conveying the sense of power he wants. Alas, he will deal with the fallout of this in the future. No one would expect much from a child, anyway.

Kristin and Tommy cross the ballroom. The nobles part for them, falling into reverent bows. As they come to the raised platform, Philza rises from his throne to meet them. Kristin and Tommy bow to the tsar, but when they rise, he places his hand on both of their cheeks. He leans down to Tommy's level. He gives the blonde a wind before picking him up. Tommy bites the inside of his cheek to keep from showing an unsightly expression. Philza presents Tommy to the crowd while Kristin stifles a laugh. Philza declares, "Thank you, everyone, for attending my son's birthday party. Here is to many more years and parties for us all to celebrate."

Philza lowers Tommy, setting him back on the ground. Tommy frowns, whirling around to glare at his father. Instead, his eyes catch on something behind Philza's throne. There is a man standing there. He wears a teal cowl over his face, but his eyes are glowing. They land on Tommy, pulsing in a way that is oddly familiar. It reminds Tommy of the woman in his dream from earlier. After a second passes, the man is gone, carrying the strange familiarity with him.

"T!" A voice calls out. Tommy turns away from the throne to see Duke Schlatt appearing at the steps of the stairs. Tubbo stands at Schlatt's feet with a large smile on his face. Tommy smiles back. No matter how regal he wanted to be, he falls apart when Tubbo gives him that dopey, childish expression.

Schlatt places a hand on Tubbo's head. Tubbo looks up at his father. "Tubbo, we talked about this, remember? You have to greet the tsar and tsaritsa before Prince Theseus."

"Oh!" Tubbo looks up. He stares up at Kristin and Philza. He looks them directly in the eyes. Schlatt hurries to push Tubbo's body down into a bow. Schlatt follows just as low. He grins slightly as he says, "Greetings, Tsar Philza and Tsaritsa Kristin, please forgive my son. He is still learning. I would have left him home, but he insisted on seeing Prince Theseus for his birthday."

"It is quite alright, Duke Schlatt. We are honored that both of you could join us. Prince Theseus, would you like to play with Tubbo?" Philza assures the duke as he looks down at his son. Tommy nods at his father. Tubbo doesn't wait for Philza's acceptance as he starts climbing the stairs. Schlatt reaches for his son, but Tommy meets Tubbo near the bottom steps. Tommy hugs Tubbo, hoping to protect him from punishment from all the adults present.

Kristin laughs, and the duke and tsar look towards her. Her laughter ceases, but her eyes continue to crinkle with a bright smile. "How delightful the youth are. They seem to be quite close. It was truly a good decision to make them playmates. If it would not trouble you, Duke Schlatt, shall we allow the boys to stay together tonight without worrying about formalities?"

"If it makes Tubbo happy and you are okay with it, I am content, your imperial majesty,"  Schlatt answers. Tommy holds Tubbo's hand as he takes a step away. Tubbo begins babbling something, a few of the words making sense to Tommy's ears. Tommy responds with short answers, using actual words from his alloted list. He ignores the glances of his parents, the stares of the nobility, and the glowing eyes that seem to remain on him even when the cowled figure is gone.