Work Text:
Tommy was born a Prince.
From the day he came into the world he had every person’s dream of owning gold and riches that could be given on a golden platter. He had the dream of being given a golden spoon that was always full of rich meals where he never went hungry. Tommy was also gifted fine, curly hair that shined like gold, and a sparkly crown that could blend in with his hair if it weren’t for the gems that decorated it.
However, that was not what Tommy wanted.
Having gold meant nothing, had no value when you’re at war. People dying and experiencing loss, land becoming unhabitable as towns are destroyed. It meant nothing when children were forced to be adults, to only save themselves in order to survive.
Tommy was born with what everyone dreamed to have, but to him it meant nothing. Because he didn’t want gold or riches. Tommy wanted a family. A family who would for once notice him, to acknowledge he exists. He wanted his family to at least give him a crumb of attention, just one kind word.
However, that is not a dream that could come true, for Tommy was born in the middle of a war. Tommy had been born and grew up with the knowledge that his family doesn’t love him.
Tommy has gold but it means nothing when compared to wanting a family.
------
He puts his name up to join the military, to help battle in the war. His family is aware of this however, no one confronts him.
The decision to join the army was one Tommy made alone. In terms of who was next to the throne, Tommy was last in line as the youngest. Unlike his brothers he didn’t have to spend hours learning how to be the crown Prince, he had a lot of time on his hands. So, what better way than joining the war? At least then he could say that he had done something.
He admits that the choice was also a last-ditch attempt in possibly winning his family’s love. Fighting had never been something Tommy was good at, but maybe if he helped, he could at least be of some use.
He was at first given the role of a common soldier. Indeed while he has the title of Prince, it meant nothing in the battle grounds.
For days he would train, trying to get better in areas he lacked. The feeling of eyes on him was soon something he became use to as well as the different quality in food. Tommy knew that things would be different, he was no longer in the castle walls. So, he kept his silence, even when he missed warm meals and hated the days where his body felt sore.
And when he finally went to battle it was just as bad as he imagined, but much worse. The air was humid, thick with mud and the metallic smell of blood. Tommy continued to fight, until eventually the other side retreated, and he walked back to the base with fresh scars.
------
As months went by, Tommy continued to fight. Despite the nights where he would stay up remembering the faces of those he’s killed, despite the scars that begin to litter his body like an art piece, he kept moving forward.
His family hasn’t said anything. No word, not even a letter.
Recently he was given the title from soldier to general, a decision that had been made from the previous one. He was gravely injured during battle and Tommy had helped him get back to the base where he laid with the wounded.
“I wish to give to you my title as general” the man states, his cold hands clasping Tommy’s. As a reply Tommy only shakes his head, “You won’t die, the doctor will heal you and you’ll be healthy in no time.”. The general lets out a breathy laugh and Tommy soon leaves to help the other wounded.
In the morning he will discover that the general had passed in his sleep and officially given the title of general to Tommy.
He doesn’t’ know what the general saw in him, maybe Tommy will never know.
------
It had turned out that not everyone was alright with the new change, a few days later someone attempted to poison him.
This is discovered while Tommy eats his soup, unaware of the difference in colour. He only has one spoonful before one of the men sitting next to him slaps both the spoon and bowl away. “IT’S BEEN SPIKED!” he shouts, and Tommy finds its true when his stomach starts rolling. With a hand over his mouth, Tommy is taken to the medical tent.
“You’re lucky that you only had one spoonful.” the doctor says, looking down at him with an expression that Tommy thinks spells pity. He could only blink weakly at him, having been puking his guts up before; a side effect from the poison. The man lightly pats his shoulder and it’s almost soothing, “Get well soon.” he says with a sad smile.
The next few days are spent with Tommy laying in bed. His room had been kept closely guarded; soldiers taking turns to guard the entrance 24/7. Some would come to check on him, asking if he's alright or needs anything. Tommy wouldn’t judge them for checking on him, he had been useless and too weak to fight back if someone had tried a second attempt at his life. He would have been to powerless to fight back.
Perhaps this was a warning from his family? After all he knows that they were notified of the previous general’s death, maybe they believed it was his fault. Tommy wouldn’t blame them if that was the case, the man had been a great general and had led them to many victories. Perhaps the poisoning was also a test, so see if he was fit for the role.
In the end, Tommy can only guess.
------
Some day’s they won, and in others they lost.
In each loss the dead would be replaced with more men. A part of Tommy believes he’s failing them, failing everyone and that he shouldn’t have been given the role in the first place.
Sometimes Tommy would confront the soldiers and offer the title to them. Instead, they all decline, “I think you’re the best general we’ve had so far!” one states with a grin. Tommy thinks they must pity him, he can’t blame them with how much responsibility a general has.
He can only hope that he’s good enough.
------
Tommy looks up into the eyes of his opponent. In front of him is not a soldier, but the king whose kingdom chose to go to war with Tommy’s. The catalyst behind his people’s deaths.
He believes luck is what brought him here. Fighting was never Tommy’s strength and yet here he is, the young Prince Tommy battling the enemy’s king. It would have to had been luck, he is not a strong person.
The sound of metal-on-metal echoes in the air, as their swords clash. His opponent is a king for a reason, “Ready to die young Prince?” he taunts. Tommy merely grunts as he blocks a blow. They dance around the battlefield, switching from attacking to defending. As time moves on Tommy finds himself growing tried. His limps burn, begging to rest.
He ends up losing his focus and realizes his mistake as his stomach begins to burn. The king must have been using an enchanted sword as he finds a long line drawn across his metal chest plate.
Tommy collapses from the pain and his vision turns white. When it comes back, he sees the king has his back turned towards him, raising his arms in the air in victory. He doesn't notice that Tommy is not dead yet. With what strength he has left, he charges at the king, stabbing him in an area that wasn’t covered by armor, a move he’s done many times before.
The king lets out a cry of pain and Tommy finishes the job, killing him.
It isn’t long before the enemy soldiers realize their king is dead. Quickly they begin to retreat, while the rest that stay behind either surrenders or dies trying. When the battle ends Tommy walks back to his men, an arm over the long wound on his stomach. He finds that it starts from his waist and travels up to his chest in a long horizontal line.
Tommy’s knees eventually give out. He expects to collapse into the mud but instead millions of hands seem to catch him. His soldiers faces swarm his vision, yelling, calling out words he can’t understand. Tommy doesn’t try to understand, instead he closes his eyes and drifts.
------
He’s traveling. He doesn’t know how long but he knows that they are heading towards a destination.
When Tommy woke up after the battle, he had found that his stomach had been treated and was surrounded among the wounded. The war was over, he had been told. Tommy killed the king and his family had won. They can all go home.
However, that is all they tell him.
No one addresses the heavy tension in the air, but they don't have to. The king didn't use an ordinary sword. Enchanted swords are rare weapons and can do things others cannot. Tommy's chest plate had been an example of that. He has a feeling that the sword was enchanted with more things than strength and his point is proven as his wound slowly grows worse each day.
Since then, Tommy has spent the majority of the time sleeping. He had been strongly prevented from aiding in packing up the base, then afterwards sat on a horse as they traveled. Thankfully his horse was shared with another, so he didn’t fall off while he slept.
From the mutterings he’s heard from the soldiers when they think Tommy’s asleep, they’re taking him back to the castle. Though he’s heard them whisper other things, “Do you think he will make it?” “I don’t think he will”. Tommy goes back to sleep after that.
He hopes this will be enough to earn his family’s love.
------
When they reach the castle, Tommy is immediately carried by guards and taken to the infirmary. He finds enough strength to wave goodbye to his men who were all kind enough to carry him home.
For the first time in nearly a year, Tommy rests on a proper bed.
For a couple of days, no one besides the doctors and nurses come to visit him. He can feel the familiar tense atmosphere that he felt from the soldiers, and he knows that he doesn’t have much time left. Before he could become more unwell, he asks someone to help write letters to the soldiers and their families who had fought with him.
For hours, a writer sits next to his bed, and they write a message, thanking them for what they have done and for trusting him with the title of general. When Tommy is satisfied, the writer leaves the room with the letter as well as the list of names of each solider.
His next few days were spent sleeping. Sometimes he’ll wake up with the sight of letters littering his bedside table and one of the nurses are kind enough to read them out before Tommy falls asleep again.
Sometimes, he swears he sees his family by his bed.
Sometimes he hears the sound of Wilbur’s guitar, songs that Tommy has only heard from behind a bedroom door late at night.
Sometimes he hears Technoblade, reading out loud like he does in the library when he thinks no one is there.
And sometimes Tommy swears he sees a glimpse of his father looking down at him, accompanied by the feeling of a hand stroking his brow. He can't help but lean into the touch as the hand cools his burning forehead.
------
One day however, Tommy wakes up with the knowledge that he may not survive today.
With a wheezing breath and a croaked voice, he asks if his family could come and see him. Whether or not what he saw was real or some fever dream, he needed to see his family. He needs to know if his efforts were not in vain. If he was finally worth it.
Tommy watches as his family enter, looking just as horrible as he felt. He couldn’t help but smile as their eyes finally look at him, finally look at Tommy. They crowd around him, all with looks that he doesn’t have the energy to identify.
“I want to make a request.” He manages to whisper. His father clasps one of his hands in between his and Tommy tries not to shiver from the unfamiliar touch, “What is it Tom’s?” he asks.
“Can you tell me you love me. Even if it is a lie. I would like it hear it at least once…...”
There is silence, from the room and even from the birds outside. Techno is the one to break it, turning around and muttering an angry curse. Tommy guesses that perhaps it was a request that they didn’t want to do, to stoop as low as to create a happy lie. But then he finds himself confused when he notices the tears in Wilbur and Phil’s eyes.
“Tommy; my son, we do love you. We always had.” Phil says tearfully. He must have noticed the confused look he gives his father as he continues “We have always loved you. And I am so sorry that you thought we didn’t.” a gasping sob, “I’m- we are sorry that you thought you were undeserving of our love. I believed once this war was over, I could go back to being a father. For us to live a peaceful life. I’m sorry my neglect caused you harm.”
“I’m so sorry Toms.” Wilbur adds tearfully, from behind him Techno nods. His back is still facing Tommy, but he can see they way his brother is covering his eyes with an arm, can see the tears that come out.
“Oh.” Tommy whispers, taking all this in. So, his family really did love him. All this time Tommy had thought that to them he was not worthy that he didn’t deserve their love. He feels the corner of his eyes prickle with tears, and he doesn’t hold them back. He cries, hand gripping back Phil’s with as much strength as he can muster.
For the first time in forever Prince Tommy smiles, something true and bright. His family stays with him, holding his hand and talking to one another. Tell Tommy of all the things they will do together as a family.
Tommy closes his eyes and let the words wash over him, his smile never fading.
Later that day it will be announced that Prince Tommy has passed.
He will be honoured as a hero.
And the royal family’s beloved son.