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“My first decree, as the President of L'manburg, the EMPEROR, of this GREAT COUNTRY!”
Eret found his anxiety rising with each word Schlatt spoke. He watched as the hybrid gripped the podium, head shaking and tag glinting in the light with every word. There was a feral grin on the man’s face that Eret didn’t like.
“IS TO REVOKE!!”
Ice filled Eret’s chest.
“THE CITIZENSHIP!!”
No.
“OF WILBUR SOOT!!”
Eret turned to face the other man, shock evident on Wilbur’s face. The man had been closed off since reading out the results, guiding Tommy off the stage and putting them in the crowd. This was the first time since then that Wilbur had shown any emotion.
“AND TOMMYINNIT!”
The next words were the nail in the coffin, they were what solidified the slowly developing plans in Eret’s head.
“GET ‘EM OUTTA HERE!!!”
Wilbur and Tommy were being shunned from the nation they created, one they gave everything to protect. Guilt pooled in Eret’s stomach as they bolted, arrows being shot after them. A bunch of the crowd cheered, firing arrows and giving chase. Eret took a long look around and an arrow zips by him, a little too close for comfort. He makes eye contact with Niki before his communicator buzzes. It’s Dream and the message was not what he wanted to see.
Dream whispered to you: Leave. You’re not allowed to die.
He looked back at Niki before he turned on his heel and carried himself from L’Manberg and towards his castle. With each step, his crown grew heavier. With each step, his shoulders dipped under his cloak. All he could hear was the screaming behind him, the sounds drowning out the click of his heels on the wood. He curls his hands into fists, swearing, and kicking the wood panels. As another expletive left his lips, two people stumbled onto the path in front of him. His heart stuttered to a stop.
Wilbur had an arrow embedded in the back of his shoulder, Tommy was paler than Eret had ever seen him. Both of their previously neat uniforms were now messy from running through part of the woods. His heart pounded in his chest as they stared at each other. Tommy’s glare cut into his soul and he found words leaving his lips before he could think about them. “Gentlemen I believe I can offer you assistance.” He murmurs.
Tommy snarled at him and he took a step back instinctually. As expected, the teenager began to holler and both adults promptly shushed him. Eret turned around to make sure nobody heard them. He stared hard at Wilbur. “If they catch either of you, you’ll be killed.” Wilbur nodded at his statement. As much as Schlatt said that he was exiling Tommy and Wilbur, they all knew that’s not what the new president actually wanted. Schlatt was very clear when he sent soldiers with weapons after the two of them.
Eret steadied his gaze, taking in every bit and detail of Wilbur. Curled brown hair, a tall figure, hardened brown eyes. He tilted his head slightly before swallowing. “Wilbur, let me… Let me help the two of you. I can make it so Schlatt won’t be hunting both of you down.” He watched as Wilbur’s eyes flicked slightly to the side at Tommy. He gave a small nod, one that couldn’t be noticed unless someone was looking for it. Wilbur’s shoulders relaxed and he wet his lips.
“Eret… I.. will trust you not to backstab us again,” Wilbur murmured. He kept glancing at Tommy through the corner of his eyes and Eret took a steadying breath. This was his chance, one he didn’t think he’d ever get again. He promptly continued past them, in the direction of his castle. He ducked and weaved between the various buildings on the SMP, making it hard to track their movements in case someone- Dream, Schlatt- was watching. If they were watching, the plan forming in his head wouldn’t work. The gates of Pride Palace slammed behind them and the doors were locked as soon as they were inside.
Eret stood tall, tilting his chin up as he led the two into his study. He ripped open a drawer and tossed a first aid kit to Tommy. As Tommy began to methodically patch Wilbur up, Eret pulled out a book. He was quick to fill up a few pages, his handwriting looping and neat. It was an official document, one that passed off kingship to Wilbur and formally presented Tommy as second in line should something happen to Wilbur. He stared at the ink on the pages and swallowed once he realized what he had truly written out.
His will.
He looked up at the two in his study, watching as Tommy slowly wrapped up Wilbur’s injured shoulder. Wilbur was… He looked at the bloodied uniform, a memory from months ago stark in his mind. One of Eret stumbling back to the walls hurt from battling mobs and being caught out in the rain. Wilbur had rushed out to him, his kind face concerned and his voice soothing. Wilbur had patched him up, given him a golden apple and a healing potion, and stayed by him as his body rapidly healed. A painful endeavor and it was never pleasant to watch but Wilbur stayed by his side and spoke for hours.
The next morning, he discovered his clothes were nearly ruined and Wilbur had laughed, passing his own uniform over just so Eret could get back to his home. If he remembers correctly, it had barely been bigger than his own, fitting comfortably. They had similar builds and really the only difference was that Eret had slightly broader shoulders while Wilbur was just a bit taller. Back when they were friends, after this discovery, they had taken great enjoyment out of switching wardrobes and places. They looked similar too if Eret changed his eyes so they were brown and raised the pitch of his voice. He swallowed, blinking behind his glasses.
He signed off on his will and set the book down, taking another piece of paper to sign Dream’s name on it. He then turned to the two and smiled softly. “Bedrooms are a hallway over. I can grab something more comfortable for you guys and,” He motioned down at the shirt and jacket draped over one of his chairs, “get those cleaned up.” He offered, watching as Wilbur’s eyes narrowed. Finally though, the exhaustion and stress must have caught up to them both because Wilbur nodded. He pushed Tommy out the door and shut it behind the teenager, locking it. Eret tensed.
Wilbur’s voice was soft, barely audible over Tommy’s yells of panic and pounding on the door. “Eret, I know what you’re thinking.” He murmured and Eret nodded, straightening his posture and turning to face his friend. “You said it yourself that Schlatt wants me dead. You going to him as me is a suicide mission.” Eret nodded numbly at the other, their gaze on one another holding steady. “Dream would hate me as king of the SMP.” Wilbur voiced as a last-ditch effort to convince him to not go through with his plans.
Eret laughed out loud at that. “Dream doesn’t care who’s king. Just like he doesn’t actually care about who’s president. All he wants is destruction and chaos.” He explained with a soft frown. His look softened. “Wilbur, I know who you were before you came here. Same with Tommy. I know who raised you. Perhaps, it’s time you took your rightful place as king. It’s not of your father’s empire-” Wilbur drew in a tight breath, “- but it’s something.” Eret reached up to pull the crown off of his head, the smile crooked on his face. “Besides, I wasn’t made for this stuff. You were. You were raised to be a king. Not a president, not a dictator. A king.”
Not many people knew about Wilbur and Tommy’s royal background, only a few people. The only reason Eret knew was because he noticed how Wilbur walked, talked, and acted like the royals his own family used to work for. Tommy too, though it was much less evident. To everyone else, it was just character quirks, but Eret was all too familiar with those quirks. He had grown up in a castle, though as a servant. Being around royals for most of his life made him able to recognize even the sloppiest of ones.
Wilbur was still staring hard at the crown and he huffed out a laugh. Taking a few steps forward, he came toe to toe with Wilbur, their heights evened out with Eret’s heels. “Wilbur, I don’t think you were made to be a president or a traveler. I think you were meant to be a king and meant to inherit the throne that you gave up to your younger brother.” Wilbur’s eyes widened as he said that and he grinned in return. Being a servant meant he heard royal gossip; Wilbur’s passing of the Antarctic crown to his younger brother, Technoblade, in order to travel free of responsibility had been all his home could talk about for weeks.
There was a moment of silence and Wilbur wetted his lips, eyes shining. Eret watched as his waterline turned pink and his face flushed and he realized that Wilbur was close to shedding tears. “And in return what do you get? Death? A painful execution?” He demanded, jerking his head back to keep the crown from being placed on his curls. Eret tutted and drew the crown he had so desperately longed for back to his chest. He had wanted it so badly, badly enough to hurt the man in front of him. He doesn’t think he could hurt Wilbur again.
Instead, he shrugged. “You could see it that way. I see it as doing something good for once. I fucked everyone over, ruined all of my friendships, for… for what? A crown? A title? Land? I was greedy and selfish. I used to think it was survival of the fittest but I…” He trailed off. There were countless thoughts whizzing around in his head, thoughts pounded against his skull. He sighs. “I’ve learned a lot. Let me do one right thing, Wilbur. Even if it ends in my own demise.”
They stood in silence and Eret watched as the glassy tears in Wilbur’s eyes slowly began to slide down his face. Despite that, the man smiled, face pink. “In the time we’ve known each other, I know that I can’t exactly stop you from getting what you want. Eret, I…. If given the chance, I swear on my life to rule as you would. These are your lands, I will treat them with respect and rule in your stead. Dream will have to pry this kingship from my cold dead hands.” He promised in a whisper.
Eret nodded. “Good. Now, go. I need to get changed.” He shooed Wilbur from the room, clicking the lock back in place behind the man. As he pulled apart the clasp that held his cloak to his shoulders, he heard Tommy’s loud, brassy voice outside the room. Judging by how the teen went quiet, Wilbur was explaining the plan. He swore he could hear a quiet, “No…” from the boy, but that had to be his ears playing tricks on him. Tommy didn’t care that much about him, he was still upset about the Final Control Room.
Eret snorted and removed his glasses next. He crossed the room to pull his old L’Manberg uniform off its place on the wall. He quietly changed into the pants and belt, then removed his cloak and shirt. He wrapped the same shoulder Wilbur had in bandages. If someone touched him, they would think he had been wounded. Next, the bloody shirt went on and was promptly buttoned up. He put the cravat on next, tight against his throat, and followed it with the jacket. The final touch was the cross shoulder belt that held a rapier, his old boots, and the pointed black hat, though the hat was only added after he ruffled his hair and styled it to look close enough. Their hair colors were off by a few shades, but he doubted few people would look close enough to realize.
He picked up the crown and cloak before pushing open the doors. Wilbur and Tommy were waiting outside and he watched as the teenager gaped. “You’re actually going through with this?” Tommy demanded and he nodded.
“I am.”
“You crazy bastard...” Tommy paused before his face pinched in an odd expression. He turned to Wilbur. “This means we have to listen to Dream again. Eret is the king, but Dream runs the Dream SMP.”
Wilbur just nodded. “You can leave Tommy, but I gave my word. It wouldn’t be proper of me to run from the throne this time. Not when it’s Eret’s wish. He made his choice and I doubt I can convince him otherwise," Wilbur shot a glance at him and he tilted his head up in response, "He made his decision, I will uphold the promise I made him.”
Eret didn’t comment and instead turned to Wilbur. Wilbur’s own face looked thoughtful and it took Eret a moment before he hummed and rapidly blinked. There was a burning sensation in his eyes and a sharp behind in his head for a few long moments and then it was over and Tommy’s jaw had dropped. A glance in a nearby mirror showed him that, sure enough, he had gotten Wilbur’s eye color down pat. He extended the crown and cloak. “I believe these now belong to you.” He stated and Wilbur stared at him before kneeling on one knee.
Their eyes met again and Wilbur nodded. Properly, he seemed to say and Eret’s throat went dry. His head lowered and Eret took a steadying breath. His hands trembled as he slowly lowered the crown to Wilbur’s head. Tommy let out an audible gasp and a smile just as shaky as his hands built on Eret’s lips. “I, King Eret, hereby crown you, Wilbur Soot, as king of the Dream SMP. May you lead with grace and dignity.” He recited lightly and Wilbur looked up at him. He grinned a little sharper. “Don’t fuck this up.”
That broke the tension and Wilbur stood, taking the cloak offered to him and wrapping it around his bare shoulders. They laughed for a bit before Wilbur yanked him into a hug. “You don’t have to do this…” He whispered and Eret shook his head, feeling at peace with his decision even if he was terrified that he was walking to his death.
“Take care of Tommy. Remember who your family is.” He simply responded in return. He pulled back and looked over at the teenager next. He didn’t say anything, simply ruffled Tommy’s hair. “This should give you a bit of time to... Get ready. I can’t imagine Schlatt or Dream will react very well when they discover that it was faked and you’re now king. Dream may accept it since it's written in my will and he lives off of chaos, but still. Be prepared.” He warned in a low tone. Both Wilbur and Tommy nodded solemnly. He turned to leave but a hand grabbed his elbow. Tommy gripped his jacket and swallowed visibly.
They stood in a brief silence before Tommy looked up at him. He had a stern, but determined look on his face. “Eret, I won’t ever forget what you had done before…” He started and glared at his older brother when Wilbur tried to cut in. “And I certainly won’t forget what you’re doing now.” Eret nodded numbly and Tommy let him go. He started towards the doors and both followed until he left the palace. He could feel their stares on his back until he was almost out of the Palace walls. He turned back one final time, looking at his castle, his home. Wilbur and Tommy were in the windows.
Both had their hands up to their heads in a salute. He saluted back and left the safety that the gates offered him.
The next few hours were a blur: Punz caught who he thought was Wilbur and Eret played into the act as easily as he did when it used to be a practical joke. He was shackled and brought to a cell. They attempted to interrogate him about Tommy’s whereabouts, but he didn’t say a word. He simply grits his teeth and lets them berate him. Or, he lets them berate Wilbur. They don’t actually say anything about him. An execution date is set quickly.
He gets a visit from Tubbo who storms in upset before almost immediately figuring out what is actually going on. In low tones, Eret explains and tells Tubbo not to worry. He doesn’t expect Tubbo to break down into tears but he does expect the guards that pull the sobbing Tubbo from him. They’re too nervous that he’ll give away state secrets, despite Eret being their prisoner. For a bit, he expects them to find out and for Wilbur and Tommy to be thrown in next to him.
Nobody figures it out and he’s being led onto stage weeks or even months after he’s captured. He’s shoved into a glass box with a lever next to it and there’s a faint pop of lava. Schlatt screams and rants about Wilbur and how his influence will forever ruin Manberg. Eret feels his lip curling at the name and stares down into the crowd, flicking between cheerful and horrified faces. He sees Tubbo, eyes big and watery, tears slipping over cheeks still full with baby fat. Then he sees Fundy, who looks equally as distraught with his ears pressed to his head. There’s an understanding in his eyes, one that isn’t shocking. Fundy is Wilbur’s son, of course he would be able to tell that he wasn’t Wilbur. Both Tubbo and Fundy had their arms up in a salute.
Niki was the next person to figure out what was happening and it was too late by then. Her mouth opened in a scream right as the lever was pulled. Redstone clicked and the floor fell out beneath him, plunging him straight into the lava chamber under the stage. He shrieked and screamed and his visual magic wore off; the brown eyes he had been forced to upkeep faded into their normal glowing white. When he opened his eyes in his blind thrashing, the entire crowd could see what went wrong. All due to the lava chamber having a glass front.
When Eret’s screams subsided, the crowd started to demand answers. They were equally as confused and stunned as everyone else, unsure as to why who they thought was Wilbur looked and sounded like King Eret. They yelled questions and screamed at Schlatt. Schlatt, of course, was confused but both George and Quackity were rushing for crowd control. It seemed the newly inaugurated president began to piece things together as George and Quackity answered as many questions as possible.
“No, this wasn’t an act of war.”
“No, we didn’t know it was the king.”
“No, President Schlatt would never assassinate the Dream SMP king on purpose.”
Everyone was lost and confused. Everyone except two teenagers standing in the crowd, a teenager standing in Pride Palace, the tyrant of the server, and a newly officiated king who had his heart set on revenge. Wilbur exchanged a grin with Dream as the man stood in what was now Wilbur’s office. “You plan on taking down Manberg and taking their land now? And how will you do that?” Wilbur slid a letter across the desk, two signatures at the bottom. His legs were crossed at the new, new boots fitted up to his knees and pants fresh from the tailor. He truly was growing into being a king, the crown on his head settled neatly into the brown curls.
“I was hoping you wouldn’t be averse to whitelisting Technoblade and Philza.” Dream’s feral smile said it all.