He always liked flying. He liked the feeling of the wind in his hair, whistling in his ears, and just the overall sense of freedom he had while flying.

Not many avians had wings that differed from their parents, but he and his brothers did. Their father was a crow, and their mother was a raven, so naturally, many thought that their three sons would be like them, or in the same bird family at the very least.

They were wrong.

The oldest, Wilbur, was a nightingale, a bird known for its song, and thus, Wilbur followed suit. His wings were a light brown (or a dark tan, if you really wanted to ruffle Wilbur's feathers), and were smaller than his parents' wings, despite his age. They were big enough to hold his weight in order for him to fly, yes, but they weren't big enough to engulf his brothers, unlike his father's wings, or comfortably shield himself or others from the rain, unlike his mother.

Many people were fond of the musician. In fact, many girls in the kingdom practically threw themselves at him (which Tommy grew jealous of once he started hitting puberty and realized that girls existed). He had curly brown hair that was long in the front and swooped to one side of his face (which he always made look like something akin to a bird's nest, and yet it almost always looked intentional) and brown eyes, traits he inherited from their mother.

The middle child, Technoblade, was a scarlet ibis. His wings were large and an unnatural color of red, therefore standing out from his brothers in the vibrancy of his plumage. With the way the wings laid, it almost looked like he was wearing a giant red cape all the time. He also stood out further because of his natural hibiscus pink hair and amber-colored eyes, which looked odd considering the rest of his family has brown and blond hair, as well as brown and blue eyes. Nobody knew where the odd colors came from.

When they were children, Wilbur would joke that Mother had cheated on Father, which was why Techno stuck out like a sore thumb. However, Father quickly put a stop to those jokes, since they were upsetting both Mother and Techno.

And then, there was the youngest, Tommy. He was a Bluebird, and his wings were just a shade darker than his eyes, which were a vibrant blue. Much like his older brother, Tommy's wings weren't massive, just big enough to hold his weight, but it was okay. He was only fourteen, after all. His wings would surely grow as he did.

He technically wasn't supposed to be flying right now. He snuck out of the palace a couple of nights ago to hang out with his friend, Tubbo, and had nearly gotten both of them killed by some guy that recognized the prince. He initially just wanted money, but Tommy, as Tommy does, ran his big mouth and found a dagger at his throat. Luckily, Techno was walking in the village that night and found them and quickly made work of the guy, but needless to say, Tommy was grounded for a while after making sure that he was okay.

But, when did rules ever stop the oh-so-great Tommyinnit?

So, here he was, flying around the outskirts of the kingdom. He knows that Father probably knows what he's doing, and he'll most likely get a stern talking to and a slap on the wrist for disobeying him, but that was a problem for future Tommy. Present Tommy was currently having the time of his life.

~<•>~

"Are you out of your fucking mind!?"

He was right, Father did know that he disobeyed, and now he's going to pay the consequences.

At first glance, Father wasn't all that threatening. He had golden blond hair—a trait that Tommy inherited—that was tied back in a small ponytail, icy blue eyes—another trait the teen inherited—and usually wore their royal outfit, which was an icy blue top with white accents, white trousers, a scarlet belt with gold accents, black boots with gold trim at the top and gold soles, and a navy blue hood. On his lapel was a golden pin that looked akin to a heart with wings within it. Tommy never knew what the pin signified, but he also never really bothered to ask either.

He seemingly always had a warm smile plastered on his face and had a heart as golden as his hair, yet, like any father, he can be terrifying when he wants to be. When his voice gets firm, his eyes ice-cold, and his smile long gone, then you know that you're in deep shit. At this point, it doesn't matter if you're related to him or not, because you just angered King Philza of the Antarctic Empire, and he will punish you for your actions, the severity of your punishment depending on the severity of your crime.

They were currently in Father's office, which was simple yet ornate. In the center of the room was a desk, with various piles of paperwork, an ink pot, and a candle on it. Behind the desk was Father's chair, which had a golden frame with a red back and a red seat. In front of the desk were two small accent chairs, each with a light blue cushion and white back and arms. Above the desk was an iron chandelier, which was an iron ring with candles attached to it. It didn't provide a lot of light on its own, but enough for Father to see what he was doing. Along the back wall were bookshelves that were filled with books. On the left wall were two large arch windows, where you could see the palace courtyard down below. During the day, the room was completely lit up, but unfortunately, the sun had almost finished setting, giving the office a terrifying aura.

"You sneak out to visit Tubbo and nearly get killed in the process, then you stay in your room for a night like you're supposed to, and then you sneak out again to fly!? You could've been killed!" Father scolded.

Tommy winced under his harsh words. "Yeah, but I'm an Avian. Avians are born to fly, that's why we have wings."

"Of course, I know that Tommy, but you also know that your grounding was to protect you. Remember your title, son, and how many will literally kill to take that title away from you." Father said, worry laced within his harsh words. "You can't assume that you're safe just because your family will trade their life for yours. Remember, you're only fourteen."

Tommy nodded solemnly. He hated what Father said, but he also knew that he was right. Tommy wasn't as big and strong as Techno. He wasn't as well-liked as Wilbur. He wasn't a ruler like Father. He wasn't as kind as Mother.

He was Tommy, the youngest prince of the Antarctic Empire. Nothing more, nothing less.

Father frowned, seeing his youngest son's usual mischievous grin long gone. "Tell you what, how about Tubbo comes over and spends the night? You two can fly around the courtyard, but only around the courtyard."

He smiled when he saw Tommy's usual grin return on his lips. "Does this mean I'm not grounded anymore?" He asked.

Father laughed, shaking his head. "Oh, heavens no. You're still being grounded for two weeks."

Tommy pouted but decided not to push his luck, so he complied.