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Tommy hadn’t meant to get taken hostage.
The day had started like any other, Tommy wandering the empty halls, trying to garner any attention from anyone.
The guards, of course, were busy guarding the palace, and they didn’t have any time to be entertaining Tommy. Tommy understood, and he had moved on to Wilbur’s bedroom.
Tommy had stood in front of the door to Wilbur’s bedroom for longer than he would like to admit, holding his breath and wondering if it was even worth it. Wilbur was probably busy, and Tommy didn’t need to interrupt that time. Tommy could entertain himself, or find Technoblade, or something.
But the aching loneliness in Tommy’s chest seemed to grow and grow, and the idea of sitting alone in his own bedroom made Tommy want to throw up.
Tommy balled his hand into a fist and lightly knocked on the door. The thumping sound already felt like a hammer against his own coffin, but it was too late to turn back now.
“Wilbur?” Tommy asked. “Can I come in?”
Tommy stood stock still, waiting for Wilbur’s aggravated reply.
None came.
Confusion washed over Tommy. Wilbur was almost always in his room at this time, but maybe something came up?
Experimentally, Tommy knocked on the door again. “Wilbur? Can you hear me?”
Still no reply.
Tommy’s breathing loosened slightly. Well, at least Wilbur wasn’t getting annoyed by his constant entreaties. Tommy should just leave now before—
A shuffling sound came from inside the bedroom.
Tommy froze.
Was Wilbur actually in there? It wasn’t the correct time of day for the servants to be cleaning the rooms, and even if it were, they’d at least inform him that Wilbur wasn’t around.
Tommy brought his fist against the door more frantically.
“Wilbur, I know you’re in there,” his voice cracked. “Is something wrong? I can help, if you’d just let me.”
Silence was Tommy’s answer, and an icy feeling was beginning to curl up inside Tommy’s gut. Why wasn’t Wilbur listening to him? Why wasn’t he answering?
This time, Tommy didn’t even bother with knocking.
“Wilbur?” His voice was weak and thin, but Tommy couldn’t even bring himself to care. “Could you… could you answer me? Please?”
Tommy heard footsteps approach the door, and he held his breath hopefully. Even a stern look would be good enough for Tommy. Anything to show that Wilbur knew he existed.
Then there was a clicking sound on the lock, and Tommy’s heart left his chest entirely.
Clearly, Wilbur did not want to speak to Tommy today.
Swallowing back the tears that were threatening to force themselves to the front, Tommy turned around and continued to walk down the halls. He should’ve expeted this, really. Wilbur had become more and more distant as the years had gone on, but Tommy had hoped that Wilbur would at least speak to him.
Even angry remarks would’ve been better than complete silence.
Still, if there was one person Tommy could rely on to interact with him, it was Technoblade.
Tommy found Technoblade in the training yard, and he sat down on the grass as he watched him fight one of his soldiers. At least here, Tommy could pretend that he was a part of the scene. He could pretend that people were talking to him, spending time with him, treating him like he existed.
As soon as the match was over, Technoblade put away his sword and started walking in the opposite direction as Tommy.
Tommy hurriedly pushed himself to his feet, dashing over to Technoblade.
“Tech!” Tommy called out. His voice didn’t show the vulnerability he had shown with Wilbur, much to Tommy’s relief. “Tech! That was a good match.”
Technoblade only grunted, and Tommy felt warmth fill his chest.
“Do you think I could spar with you?” Tommy asked, buoyed by even the littlest interaction. “I’ve been training with Sam, I think I could—”
“Not right now, Tommy.”
Technoblade’s words were harsh and grating, but Tommy couldn’t even bring himself to care. Technoblade was speaking to him.
“We don’t have to do it right now.” The words came out in a rush, as though Tommy were afraid he wasn’t going to have the time to say them. “Hell, we can even wait until next week, I just—”
“Hasn’t anyone taught you how to shut up?”
Tommy flinched at the words, but he wasn’t going to let himself be deterred. This was probably the most Technoblade had spoken to him in a month.
“I don’t have to talk.” Tommy paused, and Technoblade didn’t say anything in reply. “You can talk to me, and I can listen, I promise I can be a good listener, just—”
“I’m busy.” Technoblade’s words were short and clipped. “Go bother Wilbur for a change.”
“I tried, but he won’t—”
Technoblade roughly shoved Tommy to the side. “I said to get out of here.” His voice was threatening. “Now leave before I get the guards to make you.”
Tommy debated staying just to get those last few moments of Technoblade’s time, but he decided that it probably wasn’t worth it to be painfully manhandled by the guards.
If Sam were here, he’d help, but Sam was away visiting sick family. He hadn’t said how long he’d be gone, but even after a week, Tommy was painfully missing his presence.
Dejected, Tommy turned around and left the courtyard, entering the lonely passages of the palace once again. His footsteps sounded too loud and too distant, his heart felt like it was trying to slow down and pick up pace at the same time, and Tommy…
Tommy just wanted someone to talk to him.
He didn’t even try to go to Phil’s office. Phil was too busy, and Tommy didn’t want to distract him from anything important, even if he desperately wanted to only see his father’s face.
And that was how Tommy found himself standing on a balcony, staring out at his kingdom and wondering if anyone else out there was experiencing the same loneliness that he was.
And that was when he was taken.
All things considered, it as a pretty clean kidnapping. Someone shoved a bag over Tommy’s head and put a knife to his neck, and that was all it really took for Tommy to decide that he might very well die.
Oh well. Maybe his mother would be willing to talk to him in death.
But the kidnappers didn’t immediately kill him. Instead, they marched him down the halls, and Tommy’s heart began to pound as he wondered what they were going to do to him.
Were they going to torture him? Were they going to lock him up and force him to live in even more isolation than he already was?
The kidnappers were flailing Tommy around, telling guards that they would kill him if they took a step near the kidnappers. Clearly, Tommy was being used as a hostage at the moment, but he wasn’t sure how—
Tommy gasped as he was suddenly shoved to the ground, his knees hitting the stone floors with a painful thump.
“What is the meaning of this?”
Tommy sucked in a breath when he heard his father’s voice. Someone else made a choking sound, but Tommy couldn’t make out who it was.
“We need money, your majesty,” the kidnapper’s voice was oily and mocking, and a shiver ran down Tommy’s spine. “And you’re going to give it to us, unless you want your precious youngest to be killed.”
Something sharp pressed against Tommy’s neck, and Tommy bit back a whimper. He was fine. Everything was going to be fine. Phil would find a way to save him.
“No,” Phil said. “If you really think threatening Prince Thomas will work, you were solely mistaken.”
Tommy choked.
He was bluffing. He was just bluffing. Phil cared about Tommy. He cared.
The sword dug deeper into Tommy’s neck, and this time, Tommy couldn’t stop the pained cry that escaped his lips.
“Kill them,” Phil’s cold voice echoed.
Despair wrapped tight strings around Tommy’s neck, and Tommy let out a choked sob.
“But, your majesty—”
“I gave you a direct order, Sam. Or has your time away taught you disrespect?”
Tommy felt warmth in his chest rise. Sam was back! He must’ve gotten back while Tommy was harassing Technoblade.
“I will not risk the prince,” Sam said coldly.
The sword was digging deeper and deeper into Tommy’s neck, and Tommy felt warm blood rush from his new injury.
He wished he could see Sam. He wished he could have someone look him in the eyes before he died.
“Kill them,” Phil repeated.
The other guards were moving, and Tommy could hear swords clashing together. The kidnappers clearly hadn’t planned on killing Tommy at all, because Tommy felt the sword leave his neck as more fighting ensued around him.
Tommy weakly reached for the bag over his head and yanked it off, searching the room for Sam.
His heart dropped when he saw Phil holding a sword to Sam’s neck.
Tommy brought a hand to his own injury, trying to stop the blood flow as he ducked around the guards, who were finishing off the kidnappers.
“No!” Tommy grabbed a hold of Phil’s arm, trying to force his sword away from Sam’s neck.
Phil looked away from Sam to give Tommy a cold look. “Prince Thomas, what do you think you’re doing?”
“You can’t kill him,” Tommy gasped. “You can’t—”
“He disobeyed my orders,” Phil said harshly. “You’ll find that I can.”
“No, no, please, you can’t.” Tears were rushing down Tommy’s eyes now, but he couldn’t bring himself to stop.
Phil sighed, and he sheathed his sword.
Sam instantly rushed over to Tommy. When he spoke, his voice was frantic and harried. “Are you okay, oh my god, your neck—”
“Thomas.”
Tommy looked up at Phil, terror suddenly filling his chest. Phil’s eyes were cold and unforgiving.
“Your behavior was disgraceful.” Phil turned away from Tommy, not even looking him in the eyes. “You’re no longer my son.”
Tommy felt as though every part of him had frozen solid. “W-what?”
“I already have two sons,” Phil said harshly. ”I have no need of a weak third such as yourself.”
“Your majesty—” Sam’s voice was aghast.
“Get him out of here, or I will kill you.”
To be honest, Tommy didn’t remember much of the rest of that day, Phil’s words pounding in his ears.
“You’re no longer my son.” “I have no need of a weak third.” “No longer my son.”
Tommy knew Sam had quickly gotten him some bandages for his neck. He knew that Sam had gone to his room and gathered all of Tommy’s favorite things, pressing Tommy’s favorite cow plushy in his hands. Tommy remembered Sam taking him out of the palace and leading him down the busy streets of the city.
He was still crying.
Sam wrapped his arms tightly around Tommy’s shoulders. “You’re okay,” he whispered. “I’ve got you. It’s going to be okay.”
A gasping sob escaped Tommy’s chest. “But I… where will I… I don’t…”
Tommy wasn’t even sure what he was trying to say.
“It’s alright.” Sam gave Tommy a strained smile. “You can live with me. I have a nice place out in the country. There are even some boys your age.”
Tommy stared at Sam, disbelief filling his veins. “I can… I’m staying with you?”
Sam nodded, gently brushing some of the tears off of Tommy’s face. “I wouldn’t abandon you,” he said. His voice was filled with so much sincerity that it almost made Tommy’s knees buckle. “I’ll make sure you’re safe and taken care of.”
Tommy wasn’t sure if he believed it. Tommy wasn’t sure if he believed anything that was going on at the moment.
But he hugged Sam anyway.
Sam hugged him back.
And at least, at least to Sam, Tommy was someone worth keeping.