Chapter Text
By now, we had passed the halfway mark. The path grew steeper, less worn. Wild branches clawed at the edges, and the soft moss turned to jagged stone.
“Why did you want to marry me, Technoblade?” I asked. The question came from boredom, yes, but also real curiosity.
“It felt like a challenge. Directed at me.”
“Challenge?” I repeated. He sounded like the boys who boasted in the training yards, always trying to prove something by swinging swords and puffing their chests.
“Your father,” he said. “I think he made this quest for me.”
“You must be joking, sir. My father did this because he is overprotective. Because his love is too great. He would rather see me alone than risk me being with a stranger and never returning home.”
Technoblade chuckled, the sound low under the mask. “I have no home to return to. I imagine your father expects me to live in the castle if I succeed.”
“You speak as if you know him.”
“We’ve met. Briefly. On the battlefield.” His voice had a quiet weight to it. “He earned my respect. Unlike the unfortunate kings who sit on their thrones and do nothing.”
“He never mentioned you.”
“He spoke a great deal about you. His treasured daughter.”
Technoblade’s tone was warm now. Almost fond.
“Repeat what he said,” I demanded.
He was silent for a moment. Then, “That you’re as light as a cloud.”
I snorted. Many would disagree, especially the ones who had dropped me within the first hour.
“He also said you’re as warm as the sun, and far more beautiful than any other princess.”
I felt myself blush. Stupidly.
“My father is known to exaggerate,” I mumbled, suddenly embarrassed. He could see me, surely. Knew I wasn’t the kind of princess those stories spoke about.
“Not at all,” he said.
My face must have been burning red. I could feel the heat rising all the way to my ears. He must have thought my squirming meant I wanted to adjust his hold.
“Um… may I suggest a position?” I asked, hesitant, my fingers fidgeting in my lap.
“Whatever makes you comfortable, Princess.”
I swallowed hard. “Well… I could, um, wrap my arms around your neck. And my legs around your torso?”
He was quiet. Not tense. Just silent.
Then: “Whatever makes you comfortable.”
So we shifted. Carefully. My arms settled around his neck, my legs holding tight around his waist. It was more intimate than I had expected, my body pressed to his, my head just beneath his jaw. I could feel the warmth of his skin through the armor. It should have been embarrassing.
But it wasn’t. Not fully. Not with him.
It felt… nice. To hold something. To hold someone. And with the way things were going, with how easily he carried me, how steady his pace remained even now-
“May I…” I hesitated, fingers brushing his collar. “May I see your face?”
“If it pleases you,” he said softly.
He reached up and, without breaking stride, lifted the helmet from his head.
And there he was.
Technoblade was… handsome.
Striking, in a way that was almost unfair. His red eyes were sharp and narrowed, but there was a glow to them, like rubies held in firelight. His hair was long, tied back into a loose bun, and the color reminded me of the soft pink flowers that had bloomed along the path in spring.
A scar ran across the bridge of his nose, cutting through one eye. Proof of violence. But even that felt like it belonged, not a flaw, but a mark of survival. A mark of a story. Proof you lived couldn’t have been more beautiful.
I swallowed again. My breath caught. He was, somehow, exactly my type.
And then I panicked.
I buried my face against his chest, hiding in the scent of armor and warmth and the faint trace of sweat. My cheeks were burning all over again.
Technoblade paused.
My heart skipped. Was he tired? Was he about to give up? Did I say something wrong—
“Not your type of knight, Princess?” he asked quietly.
I jerked my head back, eyes wide. “No! You’re—” I blushed deeper, fumbling. “You’re—”
I couldn’t find the words. My tongue twisted over itself.
“I—I want you to make it up the mountain,” I managed finally. “I’m… rooting for you.”
His lips curled into a faint smile.
It felt like a retreat, like I had stepped away from the truth. I hadn’t told him how handsome he was. How much I liked his voice. How my heart had started doing strange, unwelcome things inside my chest.
And worse, I was sure he could see it. Like reading me was easy. Like I was an open book, one my father had already left notes in. My type in men was apparently no mystery. That thought alone made me want to hide all over again.
But Technoblade said nothing. He just kept walking steady, determined and that gave me hope.
I hoped he would make it.
I wished I wasn’t so heavy for him. I stayed still, carefully still, trying not to add even the slightest burden. Every so often, he glanced down at me. And when our eyes met, I’d cover my face with my hand, peeking through my fingers.
He’d give me the smallest smile in return.
And I would scream inside.
“Why… um… why didn’t you come sooner?” I asked, trying to distract myself from the flutter in my chest. “Surely you’d heard of the challenge by now.”
“I had,” he said. “But I figured you might have a lover.”
I blinked.
“Wanted to give the guy a chance to train,” he added, almost teasing. “I’m not cruel.”
“Oh. No. I have no lover,” I said quickly, too quickly.
“I figured,” he replied. “Anyone who couldn’t handle this much isn’t worthy to be your husband. Your father knew this much.”
I blushed, arms tightening slightly around his neck.
I didn’t notice the cold. Or the sharpness in the air. Or even the narrowing of the trail.
All I felt was him.
The strength in his arms. The steady rhythm of his breathing. The quiet heat of his body against mine. The world faded, until everything — the wind, the trees, the climb — filled with only Technoblade.
I could hear the crunch of leaves beneath his boots, but even that was drowned out by the sound of my own heartbeat, loud and fluttering in my ears. Meanwhile, he stayed calm. His breath never faltered. His steps didn’t shake.
And then his voice, low and quiet, broke through the trance.
“Take a look at the view, Princess. I’m sure your father wanted you to see this.”
I blinked and turned my head.
And gasped.
The world opened before me, the castle below, small and distant, wrapped in ribbons of mist. The trees stretched out like a sea of green and silver, and the sun was setting just above the horizon, painting the sky in strokes of violet, rose, and amber.
Every shade I had seen in Technoblade’s eyes… they were all there, burning in the sky.
We had reached it.
The top of the summit.
“It’s lovely…” I whispered.
This was what my father had wanted me to see. The view. The summit. The unreachable place. I was sure he thought I’d never make it here on my own. And maybe he was right.
Technoblade was still holding me. I glanced down. My shoes were hardly appropriate for the descent. Would he have to carry me all the way down too?
He surveyed the area, scanning the space like a soldier on patrol. My eyes followed his, and landed on a tent.
Wait. A tent?
“Where did that come from?” I asked, startled.
“Phil,” Technoblade answered simply. “He likely set it up.”
“What? Why?”
“It’s too dark to climb down now,” he said, careful, calm. “And also to…” He trailed off. His voice shifted. More cautious now. “To consummate the marriage,” he said quietly.
My hands flew to my cheeks. Surely I heard him wrong. Or— did I want to hear him right?
Technoblade seemed to notice my silence. His tone gentled.
“I’m a piglin. I’m sure you noticed the hair.”
I hadn’t. Not really. I’d been too infatuated to even question it. His hair was just… beautiful. A lovely, wild shade of pink, like spring blossoms and dusk and something alive. I hadn’t thought twice.
“Your people won’t be pleased having a mixed king,” he continued. “But if we consummate the marriage tonight, they won’t be able to protest.”
I blinked, then looked up at him, really looked. “Is that why you wore the helmet?”
He hesitated. “Yes, Princess,” he said at last. Quiet. Almost ashamed. As if he thought I would be disgusted.
But I wasn’t. Not even a little.
I held no ill will toward him. Or toward hybrids. They lived alongside us in the capital. My father had been working to make the kingdom more inclusive, more fair. He would support this. He’d planned for this. It would be considered a diplomatic match.
I told myself that. Over and over again.
Completely unselfish. If I fell in love with him, I was all the more lucky.
Technoblade knelt before me, lowering onto one knee with steady hands.
“It’s not under ideal circumstances, Y/n,” he said, voice low. “But will you marry me?”
I reached for his hand without thinking. My fingers trembled slightly as they touched his gauntlet. I felt nervous. Unsure. So many feelings tangled at once — fear, hope, wonder.
But my father trusted this man.
And he had been nothing but kind to me.
And... he was Technoblade.
I nodded. I couldn’t even speak, my voice caught somewhere in my throat. I was too overwhelmed to find the words. Technoblade may have mistaken my silence for hesitation. But he only nodded once, gently lifting me back into his arms.
Wasn’t he tired of holding me?
Still, he carried me like I weighed nothing at all.
“I promised to always care for you, Princess,” he said softly. “Though this is less than ideal for you, I will care for you. For your kingdom. And I will place you ahead of it all.”
I looked down, straight into his eyes. There was no lie there. No hesitation.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
He gave a small nod and carried me to the tent. Inside, a bed had been laid out, with thick blankets, flickering candles, and a soft rug beneath it. My father… had clearly prepared all of this.
Technoblade knelt again to let me down, gently setting me onto the bed.
I curled in on myself. My arms around my knees. My heart raced with embarrassment. What if he didn’t like what he saw? What if I wasn’t enough?
He stepped closer. And then paused.
He pulled back.
I sucked in a sharp breath.
“Do I disgust you that much?” he asked.
“No!” I shouted, the word leaving my lips before I could stop it.
I realized then — he wasn’t pulling away because of me, but because of himself. Because he thought he might not be enough.
“No, sir. Never,” I said, my voice softer now, trembling. “I just… I worry that you won’t find me appealing.”
He stayed still, listening.
“You’re so strong,” I continued, trying not to trip over my own words. “You carried me up the mountain. You adjusted your hold just to make me more comfortable, even though it probably made it harder for you. And… and my father approves of you. That’s not something easily earned.”
I looked down, breath catching.
“It’s me who might be unworthy of you.”
He didn’t say anything.
He kissed me instead.
Soft. Brief. It ended far too soon.
He pulled away, but I reached out, fingers gripping the front of his shirt.
“Please,” I whispered, not even sure what I was asking for. Just that I didn’t want the moment to end. Didn’t want to be left wondering.
Technoblade cupped my cheek.
“Shh…” he said gently. “I will be very gentle with you, Princess.”
He pressed another kiss, this one to my cheek, soft and lingering.
And I leaned back onto the bed, breath steadying, hope blooming quietly in my chest.
This wouldn’t just be duty. Maybe it could be something good.
For both of us.
His lips brushed against my cheek again — slower this time, warmer. His hand lingered along my jaw, and I leaned into the touch, eyes fluttering shut.
My heart was thudding, but I didn’t feel fear.
Only the strange quiet of hope.
Technoblade moved with care, settling beside me on the bed. He removed his armor piece by piece, each motion deliberate. When he reached to remove his gloves, I caught his wrist.
He looked at me.
“May I?” I asked.
He nodded.
I slipped the leather from his fingers, revealing scarred knuckles, rough palms hands shaped by battle. And yet, when they cupped my cheek again, they were nothing but gentle.
He kissed me once more, and this time I kissed him back. My hands found his shoulders, and I felt the strength in him not just the kind that carried me, but the kind that had chosen me.
“Are you alright?” he murmured, voice barely above a whisper.
“Yes,” I breathed. “I’m with you.”
His forehead touched mine.
And the world faded.
The cold air outside the tent, the sound of wind curling around the mountain, it all disappeared. There was only the warmth between us, the flicker of candlelight, the rustle of blankets, and the way his touch never once rushed or demanded.
And when he finally held me, truly held me, it was like the mountain had never existed. As if we were already home.
When I woke, my face was already warm.
Red with memory. Red with the sinful memories of the night before.
Technoblade, how was it possible for someone so big to be that gentle? The way he held me down, the way he kissed me, the way he filled me… I had wished it would never end.
But morning had come. And there was still the climb back down the mountain.
My arms were wrapped around his neck again. My face tucked into the curve between his neck and shoulder, hiding the blush that wouldn’t leave me. Technoblade was carrying me —again… All the way back down. He had even let me sleep.
I had lost both of my shoes somewhere along the descent. My dress was in disarray. My hair a complete mess. I must have looked ruined — and not in the royal sense. Wrapped in Technoblade’s cape, with my hands hiding my face as he carried me into town… There was no mistaking what had happened atop the summit.
And of course, the village noticed.
We passed through like a parade, and I could hear the whispers swirl around us like petals in the wind. Curious glances. Knowing smirks. Gossip, thick and blooming.
Technoblade kept walking.
He never flinched.
Inside the castle, we approached the throne room. My father the King sat comfortably, fingers drumming against the golden armrest in a steady rhythm. He smirked the moment he saw us, his brows raised in a kind of smug approval.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
His fingers matched the beat of Here Comes the Bride.
“So,” Philza began, that amused glint in his eyes unmistakable, “did you and Technoblade make it to the summit together?”
I couldn’t speak. My whole body felt like fire. I kept my face buried.
Technoblade said nothing but calmly threaded his fingers through my messy hair, as if to reassure me. Or claim me. Or maybe both.
Phil leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand. “Y/n,” he said with mock sternness, “you better not have convinced Technoblade to give up halfway. Or I swear I’ll make him carry you both back up there until you reach the end.”
I made a noise, half squeak, half horror. Still couldn’t get a word out.
A frog in my throat. A husband at my side. And a kingdom that already knew.
Phil was beaming. Grinning like he’d won a bet.
“Oh no,” he said, mock-gasping. “Maybe you just don’t like him. That’s alright. Sorry, Technoblade. Seems my daughter doesn’t feel the same. You can go. Sorry for the waste of time—”
I threw my arms around Technoblade’s waist before he could take a step.
“No! Stop!” I blurted, already red in the face. “I love him! Are you happy now?! We consummated our marriage already! You can’t send him away!”
Phil’s smug little smile grew into a full-on smirk.
“I knew he was your type,” he said triumphantly. “Alright, let’s get the wedding prep started. I’ll summon the choir, we’ll need rose petals, maybe a new dress—”
I buried my face against Technoblade’s throat, gripping the front of his shirt.
“Please don’t go,” I whispered, still reeling from the embarrassment.
Technoblade didn’t hesitate. He leaned down and kissed me , right there in front of the king, the guards, and probably half the kingdom.
When he pulled back, he said with quiet certainty, “Piglins mate for life.”
Technoblade only laughed low and pleased, and wrapped his arms tighter around me, like I was the prize he’d earned at the end of a long, impossible journey.
He held me close, steady and warm, like he’d never let go.
And maybe he never would.
After all…
He climbed a mountain just to love me.