Wilbur walked into the palace around sunrise—later than he normally does. He would've come home earlier, but he and Schlatt got caught up in...things...and lost track of time.

He frowned when he saw Techno sitting in a chair, reading one of his books. He didn't spare his older brother a glance.

"Toms had a big fight with Tubbo, just so you know," Techno said as Wilbur sat down beside him, wincing slightly.

"That's...surprising. What was it about?" Wilbur asked.

Techno shrugged. "Dunno. I just heard yelling through the walls and then Tubbo and Ranboo talkin', so I just decided to train outside. I at least have some respect for the children."

Wilbur scoffed. "You have respect for his friends. Tommy is lucky if you do so much as look at him."

Techno rolled his eyes. "So, what were you doin' out so late?"

"What would it matter if I told you?" Wilbur said defensively. "You can't butt in on my life. I'm a grown adult."

"Yeah, a grown adult that just so happens to be heir to a throne, and his parents won't be around forever." Techno scolded.

Wilbur rolled his eyes as he stood back up. "I'm going to my room. If Father asks, tell him I just went to get a glass of water. Gods know that he won't question why you're up so early."

Techno huffed as he heard Wilbur's door close. "He needs to wake up and realize that he can't keep runnin' around like this..."

~<•>~

That afternoon, Father had called his three sons down to the throne room. When it came to the throne room, Father had a strict dress code when it came to the royal family, and they couldn't wear their comfortable or their "peasant" clothes, to keep them looking like the princes they were.

Father was lenient this time and allowed them to not wear their capes due to the warmth that spring came with, but everything else was required. Including the heavy crowns atop their heads (well, Father had to wear a large crown because he was the king, but the princes still had to wear a golden circlet around their heads, and it wasn't exactly light).

Despite how large the throne room was, it was very empty. There was a red carpet leading to Father's throne, which had a gold frame and a red seat and back. There was a large ornate chandelier in the middle--like the one in the dining hall--and three large windows behind the throne, and that was about it.

"Father, what exactly is going on?" Wilbur asked as Techno kept irritatingly fixing Tommy's circlet, who immediately messed it up again to annoy said brother.

Father ignored him and scolded his brothers. "Tommy! Techno! I expect you two to be on your best behaviors when our guests arrive!"

The two nodded.

Speak of the devil...

The door opened to see two women. One was older—probably around Father's age—with her greying hair tied up in a tight bun, and her wicked green eyes scanning the room and the people who existed in it. She wore a boxy forest green dress with a black belt, white gloves that went to her elbows, way too much jewelry and makeup, and heels that were an ugly shade of green that didn't even remotely match. She had large wings with various shades of brown.

The other was a lot younger and looked to be just barely younger than Wilbur. Her hair was long and wavy and was an odd shade of pink that reminded Wilbur of salmon—unlike Technos's bright hibiscus-colored hair. Her eyes were emerald green, and he could spot slight freckles dotting across her cheeks and nose. She wore a light blue dress that fanned out at the bottom, with the same white gloves as the older woman, and with white heels. She had large wings that were the same color as her heels.

Wilbur had to admit, she was very pretty.

"Duchess Sai'mon, it's a pleasure to finally meet you." Father greeted with a polite smile. "How was your trip?"

The Duchess scoffed. "Cut the casualties, Your Majesty." She said with an annoyed tone. "Which one of your...brats...is William?"

Father frowned. "Duchess, I really don't mean to be rude, but if our children are going to marry each other, we might as well as provide some civility—"

"Oh, fuck off." The Duchess scoffed. "You're not the boss of me!"

"Actually, I am..."

Wilbur zoned out as the woman—most likely the Duchess' daughter—moved towards the brothers. She stopped in front of them and smiled.

"Hi." She said, her gloved hands behind her.

Wilbur smiled politely. "Hello."
Techno waved awkwardly. "Hullo!"
Tommy just gaped at the woman in front of him. "You're pretty."

She giggled. "My, aren't you a charmer?" She said as she ruffled Tommy's hair, who just puffed his cheeks out.

Techno chuckled since Tommy hasn't done that since he was a toddler. It was his way of pouting when he was little since he couldn't figure out how to cross his arms and give his brothers a death glare as he does now.

She then curtseyed politely. "Well, I am Sallimona Sai'mon, daughter of Duke and Duchess Sai'mon."

"Your name is salmonella?" Tommy asked. "That's a stupid name."

"Tommy!" Wilbur scolded.

Tommy sighed as she giggled. "Are they always like this?" She asked.

"Yep," Tommy said, popping the p. "Does everyone really call you Salmonella?"

She giggled. "Sallimona, and no. Almost everyone calls me Sally."

"Well, that's a lot easier to remember than...what the fuck your name is," Tommy replied.

"Tommy!"

~<•>~

It was quiet at the dinner table. Duchess Sai'mon had left earlier, claiming that she had very important business to attend to (honestly, Wilbur believed that she was full of shit and just wanted to leave because she was butthurt for being called out), but Sally had stayed.

Sally got to know the three brothers a bit before dinner. Not much, just some things. She learned how loud Tommy was, how musically gifted Wilbur was, and how introverted Techno was. All three of them had their individual quirks, which honestly made the household quite chaotic, but in a fun and oddly endearing way.

"So, Sallimona—" Father started.

"Oh, just Sally is fine, Your Majesty." Sally interrupted with a smile.

"Oh, thank you, Sally." Father smiled warmly. "So, how are you liking the Antarctic Empire so far?"

Sally hummed. "It's really interesting! I don't think I've ever seen so much blue and white in one place if I'm honest!"

Father chuckled. "Yes, well, the color scheme was primarily my wife's doing. She figured the colors should match with the surroundings, so that's why there are so many cool colors everywhere. I suppose that she's the reason why Wil is the way he is."

Wilbur nearly spat out his wine. "Wha— what is that supposed to mean!?"

Father laughed. "Nothing, Wil."

"Sally, where did you come from?" Techno asked the first thing he's said to her other than hello earlier. "I noticed that you have swan wings, and your mother is a storm petrel, so I assume that you're from the coast?"

Sally smiled. "My, you're observant."

"—way too observant, in my opinion," Wilbur commented as he took a sip of his wine.

Sally rolled her eyes playfully. "Yes, Technoblade, the Duchy that I came from is on the coast of the Ocean of the Damned."

"You mean the ocean that's infested with the souls of those lost to sea?" Wilbur asked, earning a nod. "Why would a Duchy be on that coast? That's asking to be killed."

Sally shrugged. "Ask my ancestors."

"Father, why is Sally even here?" Tommy asked suddenly. "I don't recall you having any relations to the Sai'mon family."

Techno snickered at his brother but didn't say anything.

Father smiled as he cut his steak. "Duke Sai'mon noticed that my two eldest sons have yet to be betrothed, and his daughter—that being Sally, here—still needs to be married, so we made an arrangement."

Wilbur and Techno paused. "And what would that be, exactly...?" Wilbur asked.

Father swallowed the bite of steak he was chewing. "Well, if I agreed to let his daughter marry one of my sons—Tommy, I see you raising your hand, and I know that you know that I'm talking about your brothers—then he'll willingly—and happily—provide trade with our kingdom. Gods know how hard it is to get fish and prismarine here with how deep inland we are."

"So...you sold one of your older sons to get fish!?" Techno gawked.

"I wouldn't phrase it like that, but—"

"What would Mother think!?"

The table was silent with the mention of Mother. Tommy can't remember the last time he saw her. He knows it was most likely just a couple of weeks, but it feels so much longer...

"You're keeping something from us." Wilbur pointed out. "Which one of us did you give up?"

Father was silent for a moment before he spoke.

"Wilbur, I think you already know..."