Chapter Text
The three children make their way towards the throne room silently, awaiting what might happen next.
As they walk down the grand halls of the castle, they pass many ecstatic faces. The noble people wish him luck during his coronation with smiles and saccharine voices.
Tommy doesn’t believe a single word that comes out of their mouths. He knows their kind words truly mean nothing to them. All they sought was to take control of the royal chair from behind the scenes.
They sought a take over. To end his reign before it even started. But Tommy wouldn’t let that happen. Not this time. He wouldn’t allow it.
As he walks down the hall, Tommy makes sure to present a confident demeanor. He did not want the nobles to think of him as weak or not fit for the throne. Despite them already doing so. They did not think a child was a good candidate. But Tommy was determined to prove them all wrong.
“Damn big man, what caused this sudden change of character?” Tubbo asked. “You’ve never acted like this before.”
Tommy pauses, turning to look at Tubbo. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
“I believe most of what you say. I can tell when people are lying. How about you tell us after your big moment?” Tubbo said.
Tommy sighs and nods, continuing towards the throne room, his friends following close behind him.
As the three approach the throne room they hear a cacophony of voices. They were loud and angry.
The guards stationed at the doorway opened the massive, ornate entrance to the magnificent throne room. The voices immediately hushed, and a sea of faces turned to look at their soon to be emperor and his accomplices.
As the boys walked into the room, the bodies spread apart to allow a path for the royal and his friends. Hundreds of voices could still be heard outside of the castle walls. They belonged to Tommy’s people. His subjects. The people he must protect and care for as emperor of The Antarctic Empire.
Tommy steps up to the podium to address the nobles, Tubbo and Ranboo standing beside him. As Tommy looked upon the faces he noticed fake smiles. False covers to hide their true feelings and intentions.
Tommy cleared his throat to catch the attention of a few whispering nobles before beginning a small speech.
“Hello all. I am sure you know why you are gathered here today.” Tommy began, “I want to thank you for your attendance on this momentous occasion. As you all know, today is my coronation, the day I become crowned emperor of this vast and wondrous empire. I promise you all that I will try to rule the same as my parents had before me. I tell you now that I will rule kindly, and fairly, but do not fret. I will not have others take advantage of me, I will rule with a loving, yet iron fist. I will rule with a tolerance policy that will punish those who go against what this empire stands for. Equality, passion, safety, love, and so much more.”
A roar of clapping and cheers erupted from the crowd of selfish nobles. He could spot some of the nobles' glares and untrustworthy expressions. Tommy knew their true feelings. They didn’t believe he could successfully rule this empire. They believe he would easily be taken advantage of. They would try to manipulate him as they had done before.
“Now, I am sure you all are ready to see me crowned, so let us begin.” Tommy told the nobles as he nodded to the Archbishop of Whitespire. The Archbishop was a senior clergy member of the Church of Prime, who had crowned his father and several rulers from other kingdoms.
The Archbishop is handed an ornately decorated pillow, with a crown upon its top. He walks toward Tommy, and begins to speak in Latin.
"Tu, Theseus, pignus fidelitatis ad coronam de antarcticus Imperii? Votum salutis praebere bello pacem et servitium tempore necessitatis? Tu promittere nostra defendat adversus aliquem ut ad magnam Imperii nocere ei verbum factum, et vis?" The Archbishop asks.
“Et ego operor. Ex hac die, ut diu ut concedit corona mea, ego tenetur ad esse fidelis, honestas, et tenens super omnia humanitatis modum. Votum pro populo meo, dum focusing in praesidio et cura ut bene sint mei Imperii.” Tommy replies, bowing to the Archbishop and the nobles.
Upon those words, the Archbishop gently places the crown on Tommy’s head, officially making him the Emperor of the Antarctic Empire. The nobles cheer for him, despite their manipulative thoughts and intentions.
The Duke Arthur of Claywater steps through the crowd to address Tommy. He was a shorter man, stocky too. The main perpetrator who caused Tommy’s failure to maintain his own Empire.
“Theseus! I congratulate you! I am sure you must be ecstatic! Come with me I can show you the ropes to this new job of yours!” The Duke said with a sly smile.
“No. I want to address my people.” Tommy said sternly.
The Duke looks at Tommy in shock. “Th-Theseus! It is not a necessity to address the Empire… You… You should come with me! Your work is very important, little Theseus.” He says nervously, not used to Tommy standing up for himself.
“I said no. Now if you will excuse me, I must address my subjects. They must know who their Emperor is and what I will do for them.” Tommy said blankly, walking towards the grand balcony that will allow him to have a view over his people.
The Duke watched in shock and awe as Tommy, Tubbo, and Ranboo made their way to the balcony. He became angered and stormed off, leaving snickering nobles behind him.
Once the trio make it to the balcony, the crowd silences. The hundreds of people stared at them, waiting for what they would say. Most had a shocked expression upon their faces. They did not expect a child to be their new Emperor. Some of them were outraged, believing that a child is not fit for the throne. Tomm knew this, but he still addressed his people anyway.
Tommy clears his throat and begins speaking to the crowd.
“Good morning everyone. As you know, today was the coronation. The crowning of Emperor Theseus, who is myself. I am here on this fine morning, to thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to come and see me. I have come to promise the same things my parents before me had promised. To rule kindly and fairly, while also ruling with a tolerance policy that will keep everyone safe, protected, and happy. I promise you that I will be like my parents. Kind and caring, but also a little strict and focused. Feel free to ask any questions you’d like. I will answer them in due time. But please mail them through the postal service. I love you all dearly, and wish you the best. Goodbye.”
The crowd was silent for a few seconds, which worried Tommy, but the people soon erupted into cheers. They whooped and yelled. They whistled and screamed. Some even cried tears of joy, for their new Emperor. Some cried tears of pity, for they thought that their new ruler was much too young to have taken over for his parents. But overall, they were happy.
The boys return to the throne room to see that most of the nobles have left and dispersed. There was only a small group left and they were laughing and giggling like children. Tommy walks up to them and speaks.
“What is so funny? May I be in on your ‘joke’?” He says blankly.
The laughing immediately stops as the nobles realize they’ve been caught. Their faces become serious as they turn towards him.
“Now, now sweetheart. This is an adult conversation. You don’t need to be in it.” Said one of the female nobles.
Tommy looked at her like she was stupid. “You do realize that I may be in on any conversation I damn well please do you not? You cannot tell me what conversations I will or will not be a part of. I am your Emperor, you cannot hide anything from me. So what was this conversation about ladies and gentlemen?”
The nobles gasped at Tommy’s words. They did not expect him to ever say such a thing. They are curious as to why he is acting this way as he has never behaved like this before. He had always listened to them, thinking they were wise and knew what was best because they were older. Oh how he was wrong. He had only realized this once it was too late for him to fix things. He had failed his people then, but he wasn’t going to this time. He was going to make things right.
“Y-your Highness… I… I did not mean it that way… It is just that this was a p-private conversation…” A noble said.
Tommy glares at them. “What did I just say? Tell me, were you speaking about me? Or was it something else?”
“It was something else.” A nobleman said blankly, with no hint of deceit.
“He’s lying.” Tubbo spoke up. “I can tell by the way he’s breathing. It sped up when he said that. I could hear it.”
The noble looks at him shocked, then turns to Tommy nervously. “Y-your highness… I swear to you that I meant no deceit in my words. We just didn’t want you to think that we were talking cruel things. Unsatisfactory things.”
“You’re sweating like a dog. Tell me now what you have been discussing or I shall send for someone who can give to me the information I desire.” Tommy says sternly with an ice cold stare.
The nobles frantically begin speaking over each other, struggling to admit to their Emperor what they were talking about. All Tommy did was stand there, patiently waiting for their response. When the nobles finally stopped speaking over each other and decided to let one of them speak at a time, it had been about three minutes.
“We… we were uhm…. talking about you, your highness.” One of the female nobles finally stated, sweat dripping from her brow. “Nothing bad! At least, nothing too bad…”
Tommy raises his eyebrow. “Too bad? Let me hear your comments about myself. If I think they are acceptable, I will use them to improve myself and the way I will rule.”
The noble looks surprised. “I… uh… Nevellon? I think you should tell our greatness here what we were saying about him.”
Nevallon sputters. “O-oh. Uh, we were just discussing how we uhm… we don’t think you are fit to rule. Because of how young you are, how little you know about Imperial affairs. We do not mean to be rude, we were just discussing what we believe is the truth.”
Tommy just stares at them, processing the information he just received from the nobles. He had already known they were going to say something along the likes of that before he asked.
“I will not punish you for this, but I suggest having these conversations in the privacy of your own homes. You never know who may be listening. Take today and use it to your advantage.” Tommy told the nobles, in such a manner that the nobles became surprised, bowed, and left.
As he walks away his friends follow, rambling about how well Tommy had handled the nobles.
“Toms! That was awesome!” Tubbo exclaimed, bouncing up and down as they walked.
“Yeah!” Ranboo said, fidgeting, looking from Tommy to anywhere else then back to Tommy.
“It was honestly nothing,” Tommy began. “I simply told them what I thought they deserved to hear.”
The other two boys stop in their tracks, staring at him in disbelief.
“SIMPLE!?” Tubbo and Ranboo said in unison.
“Toms, that is not simple at all. You’ve never been able to stand up to the nobles like that before. For fear you would get in trouble. What changed?” Tubbo said.
Tommy pauses, not sure if he should share his situation with his friends. “I… I can’t tell you here. I won’t discuss this in an area so full of people. Let us grab food and head to my quarters”