Archive of Our Own

One of Tommy’s earliest memories was of a beautiful woman he couldn’t name.

He doesn’t remember a lot from that time in his life. He was young, much younger than he was now, toddling around on two stubby legs that looked like they could barely hold his weight. He was only just beginning to learn his letters and numbers and how to write his name, but he wished to play with his toys and beg for stories instead.

Despite not knowing much at that time, and being unable to recall most of his memories from his early life, he did remember a few things. He remembered being able to run around his room, dragging toys behind him, able to play pretend without always being scolded for it. It was back when he used to play freely and not be forced to sit through lessons that lasted all day.

He was small then, and when he tripped and fell the maids would pick him up. They would hold him and help tend to his bumps and bruises, wiping away his tears. It was before they started telling him that he was too old to cry.

He remembered being old enough to hold conversation with the maids around him. But sometimes they talked on and on and he wasn’t able to keep up. Sometimes it was hard to listen to them. Sometimes it was hard to understand. Even as he grew up, it sometimes was hard to listen and understand. The maids called him slow and dumb for that.

He remembered how the maids used to praise him when he was that little. He was always told how good he was when he wrote his name, tied his own shoes, did up his own buttons. They told him how handsome he was and how smart he was. How he would grow up to be a good boy. Someone of some worth to his name.

But he also remembered the way the maids would mutter and complain as he cried. He remembered the way they called him stupid when he tripped over his own two feet. He remembered the way they turned their backs on him to talk to the others, even when he wanted to show them his pictures, his toys, his worksheets.

The maids cared for him, but they did not love him.

Maybe this is why he so clearly remembered parts of the day where the beautiful woman came to visit him.

He wasn’t allowed visitors. He remembered seeing some people come and go from the Summer Palace, but he wasn’t allowed to be seen or heard during those times. When the woman visited he remembered how he was being prepared to see her—sitting quietly as best he could—and he couldn’t help but wonder why these rules had changed.

That day the woman visited was a busy one. He remembered the way he was all but dragged out of his bed that morning, immediately sent to a bath and forced to wake up before he usually did.

The maids and other servants had rushed to dress and feed him that morning. He remembered this clearly because they were harsher than usual. They forced him into clothes that were stuffy and tight, itching his sensitive skin and making him squirm with discomfort. He remembered how they had tugged and pulled at his hair, making him whine as they ran a brush through his unruly curls in an attempt to tame them. He remembered feeling relief when they were done, but confused, as he sat on the rug in his room watching the servants rush around them.

He didn't know what was going on. He remembered being confused, but delighted as he got time to play. More often than not he played all by himself, but it was something that he was used to. Like today, while he might have had toys spread around him, he never liked playing by himself. 

He didn’t think hard about the shouting and harsh whispers that passed between the servants around him. He didn't think about the way that the guards footsteps passed up and down the hall much more than usual. He didn’t think about the way that the servants fidgeted, more nervous than he had ever seen them act before.

He didn’t really remember those parts. He was too focused on sitting still, quietly playing with his toys, ignoring the world around him.

He was pretty good at ignoring everyone and everything around him. He had a lot of practice in his time. No matter how little he was, no matter how few years had passed, it was already normal for him to feel alone.

But from his memories of that day, Tommy clearly remembered the pretty woman. He remembered how as soon as the doors to his room opened, a hush fell over the room. It was like she was a force to be reckoned with, a woman no one dared to step in the way of.

She entered the room dressed in a gown that was more expensive and beautiful than Tommy had ever seen. Draped in expensive colors of purple and chains of gold, her skirts and jewelry made barely a noise as she crossed the room. A decorative golden circlet rested atop her head, keeping her dark hair out of her eyes. A smile came easily to her face when she looked at Tommy, warm brown eyes meeting his own light, gemstone blue ones.

Tommy found himself awestruck. He remembered the way he stared at the woman with an open mouth, unable to say a word as she approached him. 

Unlike the maids and the few guards he interacted with, the woman came right up to him and crouched down to his height to greet him.

“You must be Theseus,” she had said to him, smiling brightly. And while Tommy can’t remember much about their conversation, he did remember the way he cheerfully replied how he liked the name Tommy better.

He can’t remember the conversation they had. That had been lost to time over the years that he had grown, memories lost in the deep recess of his mind. But he did remember the way that the woman listened to him with a rapt attention, eyes shining brightly as she hung onto his every word.

It felt like he had gotten more caring affection that single day than compared to the rest of his life. The beautiful woman had listened as he told her stories about his days in the Summer Palace. She awed and marveled at the pictures he had drawn and kept neatly stacked on his desk. She smiled as he showed her each of his toys, even getting her to play with him too.

And no one else did that! But she did! And Tommy couldn’t have been more delighted.

It was nice to have attention that didn’t feel forced, or out of obligation. The woman listened and played with him because she wanted to. Not because Tommy made her feel compelled to.

Maybe that’s why, after a long day of having the woman’s attention all to himself, he was devastated to see her leave.

He knew that it would happen. It always did. Visitors came and went, they never stayed for long. The beautiful woman was no different.

The servants had gathered on the steps of the Summer Palace, watching the woman be guided back to her carriage. Tommy was being held in the arms of one of the servants, one older woman who had been caring for him since his birth. She bounced him gently in her arms as he leaned into her chest, sleepily watching the woman’s departure.

He remembered how he was nudged and told to say goodbye. He remembered giving a tired wave to the woman as she looked back up the steps to the palace. He remembered the kind smile on her face as she waved back.

All too soon she was helped into her carriage as the servants that came with her prepared to drive the carriage away. With the setting sun in the distance the woman had stuck her head out of the carriage window as it began to roll down the gravel drive, waving and giving Tommy one last smile as she left him behind.

Tommy couldn’t help but wish that she could have stayed longer, wishing that they could have spent days together, because unlike everyone else she actually listened to him. She was nice, kind, and thoughtful. She seemed like she wanted to stay.

But just like everyone else, she had to leave.

As soon as the carriage was out of his eyesight he was brought back inside. It was past his bedtime, he knew. But even then, he couldn’t sleep. Not when he was being jostled around in the arms of the maid holding him, listening to the sounds of the servants and guards talk around them.

He didn’t understand what they were talking about. He didn’t remember their conversation either. But if he did, maybe he would have grown up and noticed more easily how he was being treated.

Anything he did overhear, like his other memories, faded away.

(“Why does the Queen care so much for a bastard like him?”

The echo of footsteps filled the empty halls, the murmuring of the dissatisfied frustrations of the servants being the only other sound present. They had spent all day tending to the young bastard’s needs and being the perfect servants for the Queen. They had slaved away all day to keep the place clean, make the most splendid meals, and entertain her majesty. But she had barely spared them a glance, too focused on spending time with a bastard that she shouldn’t have even known about.

No one was supposed to know about the boy but the King. He was the one who made them swear to keep the bastard child secret. But it’s not like they could expose the Queen, or else she would have their heads.

Royalty was cruel when it came to secrets.

“It’s not like it’ll be worth it, raising the boy in the end.”

“The King said he was to be raised to become a scholar, correct? We have to watch him for another ten years until he is of age to attend the Academy?”

More disgruntled murmuring passed between the servants. None of them wanted to care for the boy. It’s not like they would benefit from raising him. There was no gratification in raising someone with tainted royal blood. He would be hidden away for the rest of his life, and so would the servants that had to care for him.

“It’s not like they actually care for him, abandoning him as they have done.”

“And the Queen expects us to entertain her own staff for that long as well? They’ve done nothing but criticize the way we run things.”

“Perhaps they are jealous of the way we line our own pockets, and they are too stuck up to do the same.”

A laugh echoed down the hall, joined by a snort and giggles from others. It was no secret that for years the staff of the Summer Palace had been taking from the royal family without them noticing. They hadn’t used the palace in nearly a decade, before the bastard child’s birth. There wasn’t anything wrong in taking something that wouldn’t be remembered, especially when they profited off of it. The royal family had more money than the servants would ever see in their life, so why not slip away a jewel, antique décor, and some extra coin?

“It’s a waste of money, feeding and caring for a boy that’s a disgrace to the royal family. He should have died alongside his stupid bitch of a mother.”

A murmur of agreement spread throughout the small crowd. There were a few nods, and a single hush from the older servant that was carrying the half-awake child. All he did was roll his head and close his eyes, finally falling asleep.

“We give the boy his basic needs for now. Might as well stay comfortable in the palace, letting the royal family continue to pay us.”

“Especially when they don’t check to see what we are doing.”

“Afterall, no one will notice a few things going missing.”

“And no one will care how we raise the child.”

The servants separated at the junction of the hall, groups of servants and guards going their separate ways. Many of them still continued to vent their frustrations and murmur curses about the bastard under their breaths.

The servant that carried the boy headed back to his room, splitting from the group she had walked with. She was an older woman named Anna who had served the royal family for years, and knew the Summer Palace like the back of her hand. In no time she was entering the child’s room. She crossed over the rugs on the floor and walked past the toys that no one had picked up. She carefully laid the bastard child in his bed and tucked him in. She couldn’t help but frown as she stared down at the boy smiling in his sleep.

He was so much more trouble than he was worth. She couldn’t help but wonder why the King hadn’t decided to kill off the bastard like his predecessors had done to all the bastards born in their time of rule. Sparing the boy had brought the King no benefits, it only brought more work for the servants tasked with the effort of raising him.

For all of the servants sake, she hoped the boy died before he reached his thirteenth birthday, or was taken away.

It’s not like his family would ever love him anyway, not when he took his mother’s life and brought disgrace to the royal family name. He would be nothing but a bastard, who would live in isolation and fear his whole life, a name forgotten to time.

Theseus was nothing, and would always remain nothing.)

⋅⋅⋅ ⭑ ☀ ⭑ ⋅⋅⋅

For the first few years of his life, Tommy assumed that he didn’t have a family.

The servants had families. He watched lovers exchange kisses in the halls, mothers pick up their children, siblings chat in the doorways. Unlike them, Tommy was alone.

He remembered he called one of his maids ‘mother’ once. He had been young and confused, assuming that he was supposed to call the one who took care of him his mother. He was sorely mistaken when the older woman snapped at him and told him that he had no mother. He was the reason she was gone.

So with no one to call mother, no one to call father, and no one to call siblings Tommy was sure he had no family. There was only him.

That was until another maid decided to tell him the truth.

Tommy was just a little older than he was when the dark-haired woman with the gentle smile came to visit. Not even a full year had gone by. He had grown a little more comfortable on his own two feet and used them to run down the halls of the palace whenever he could. He could more easily hold a pencil in his hand and write his name, but still was restless as the maids introduced more tutors to him. He was a little taller, a little more adventurous, but still very much needed his servants to care for him.

He still could remember his favorite maid. She had only been in his life for a short while, but still, Tommy couldn’t forget her.

Her name was Clementine. And as Tommy grew older, he couldn’t help but wonder if through all these years, if she was the only one who cared.

She was one of the few that listened to Tommy. She would stop brushing his hair if she pulled too hard. She would swap out Tommy’s shirts when he complained about how one itched and he didn't want to wear it. She would smile when Tommy showed her his pictures and clap when Tommy showed her his handwriting. She gave him the praise and care that Tommy craved.

In some ways she reminded Tommy of the dark-haired woman that came to visit. But oftentimes Clementine was too busy to play or listen. Some days Tommy wouldn’t see her at all.

But Tommy thought that he must have loved her, that she must have loved him, considering how many memories of his that she’s in. There were quite a few in that short timespan that she was here, the months or year that she was in his life. Maybe it was the comfort she brought, the smiles she gave, the kindness she showed. Maybe it was something else. Tommy would never know.

One of the last things Tommy has to remember Clementine is the gift she gave him. It was a small stuffed cow, one that—at the time—was big in his tiny hands. The stuffed toy was handmade, simple yet strong stitching holding the little brown cow together. It had black buttons for eyes and a lopsided smile stitched into its face. Tommy had named it Henry, and it was one of the few belongings of his that the maids left alone.

They probably didn’t want to deal with the fit he would throw if something happened to it. But they did mock him for keeping it. A lot of times Tommy would find it moved to a shelf where he couldn’t reach it, and when he cried, a maid would have to explain how he was too old for such toys. That he should be focusing on his letters and numbers instead. Clementine was the only one who thought they were wrong and would give back the toy to Tommy.

She was always nice like that.

Clementine used to tuck him into bed every night. To help him fall asleep she would often take him for a walk around the palace, giving the boy the chance to explore freely without running into anyone else in the halls. It would help tire him out as well, making him all sleepy for bed time.

One night they had taken a longer walk than usual. Tommy’s legs had tired and his eyes were droopy, and he asked for Clementine to carry him back to bed. She did so with a smile, wrapping him up in her arms and cradling him to her chest.

They had taken a different way back to his room than usual, cutting through hallways and rooms Tommy either hadn’t explored or wasn’t allowed into. Clementine could easily open the doors without being stopped, but she did duck through some of the hallways as if someone was watching, soft steps hurrying past moonlit windows and passing through shadows. 

It was when they entered a hall lined with portraits and other paintings that Clementine’s footsteps slowed. They echoed through the empty hall and Tommy lifted his head up from where he had tucked it into Clementine’s shoulder. They slowed down to a stop in front of a painting and Tommy looked at the portrait in confusion.

The portrait had been cast in candlelight and soft moonlight that was coming from the other hall. Even in the dim light Tommy could still make out the features of a young woman. She was dressed in delicate shades of blue—the kingdom’s colors Tommy knew—but the peach-colored flower in her hair looked like a much better color on her. At least Tommy thought it was prettier.

She had golden-blonde hair, which was very similar to the color of his own. Tommy couldn’t help but notice the similar pattern of freckles on their cheeks as well. But it was the color of her eyes that really stood out to him. The woman had piercing storm grey eyes that seemed like they were staring right through him.

The woman was not smiling in the portrait. Her stormy eyes stared straight ahead while a permanent scowl was painted on her lips. She was scowling in the same way that Tommy did when the maids would ignore him or be mean to him. In a strange way, the woman felt familiar.

“Do you know who this is?” Clementine asked. Tommy shook his head in response. He didn’t know who the woman was. Clementine only adjusted her hold on Tommy as the boy inspected the portrait more closely.

“This, Tommy, is your mother.” Tommy stared into the storm grey eyes of the woman. “We visited her once, at the graveyard. Don’t you remember?”

Tommy did remember. In fact, he wished he could forget.

The trip to the graveyard had taken all day. He had been stuck in the carriage with two maids he didn’t like, an older woman who oversaw how he was raised and another maid who had tugged at his hair all that morning.

Clementine was the only one that he was grateful was there for the ride, but she wasn’t allowed to talk to him or play games with him to help pass the time. Tommy was getting too old to be babied, he was supposed to be a big boy. The older maid scolded Clementine for her soft treatment of Tommy and she had to stay silent the rest of the ride.

The whole day was awful. He had spent that morning being forced into tight black clothing that was too stuffy for the hot weather that day. The carriage ride itself had been insufferable. It was too hot and the drawn curtains only trapped in the heat more than they blocked it out. The cushions were stiff and old, the whole carriage rattled and shook down the path, and Tommy would involuntarily jump out of his seat every time they went over a bump. Each bump made him go up into the air a bit and land back down harshly. They hadn’t even reached the graveyard at that point and Tommy had already felt the way his bottom began to bruise.

And of course the maids hissed at him to stay still, to be quiet, to keep his hands in his lap. But he always struggled with sitting still for so long, especially when he wasn’t allowed to fiddle with his fingers, bounce his leg, or rub at the hems of his clothes. It was improper and impolite and he was misbehaving when he didn’t listen.

When they had finally reached their destination the maids—and the guard who had come along with them and sat outside beside the driver—had led him through the graveyard. The older maid had forced a bouquet of flowers into his hands, one that Clementine had held onto during the ride. He had followed behind the maids the best he could, holding the large bouquet in his hands and walking as quickly as his little legs allowed him too, trying to keep up with the longer and faster strides of the servants in front of him. Still, it was hard to keep up, especially when they hissed at him and told him to hurry along.

It was no wonder that Tommy had tripped and fallen down on one of the paths in his haste to keep up with the servants. He still remembered the way his foot caught in a dip in the pathway, tipping his body forward. No one was there to keep him from falling. He had crushed the flowers that he had been holding onto and got dirt smeared across his pants and shirt. He might have even torn a hole in one of his pant legs, but he can’t remember that memory with perfect clarity.

He, however, did remember the way the other two maids had shouted at him. How they had harshly picked him up from the ground with a rough yank to his wrist, calling him names and telling him that he was a disgrace to his family’s name.

He didn’t even know who his family was. All he knew was that his mother was gone, and that it was his fault. He remembered the way tears had come to his eyes and the way he had to fight back sobs.

The rest of that day had been a blur of visiting the gravesite of the mother he would never know.

Tommy stared into the grey eyes of his mother’s portrait and wondered if she would have called him a disgrace if she wasn’t buried in the graveyard.

Looking away Tommy tucked his head back into Clementine’s shoulder. The maid rubbed a comforting hand up and down his back, cooing softly as she moved down the hall a little ways. It wasn’t long before her steps reached a stop again, once again coming short in front of a portrait.

Just down the hall from his mother’s portrait was a painting of four figures, a man, a woman, and two children. Each had a golden crown sitting atop their heads, flecks of gold shimmering in the candlelight and moonlight that made its way into the hall. Only one of the figures was familiar, the dark-haired woman who had visited him months ago, who was painted with the same small smile that Tommy remembered.

“This is your family,” Clementine said. He could hear the smile in her words even though he couldn’t see her expression. “It’s an older portrait now, but you might as well know what your family looks like.”

Tommy sat up, lifting his head up so he could inspect this new portrait. Each of the four figures shared some resemblance to each other, looking much like the family they were claimed to be.

At the side of the dark-haired woman was a man with similar features to his mother’s portrait, with hair only slightly darker and eyes that looked similar to his own. He had a stubble growing on his jaw and hair that almost fell to his shoulders, the crown on his head neatly keeping some strands out of his face. He was dressed in the kingdom’s blue colors and wearing a proud smile on his face.

“That’s King Philza,” Clementine said. “His sister was your mother, making him your uncle. You have the same blue eyes as him.”

She shifted her hold on Tommy so she could lift a hand to gesture to the woman at the King’s side, the familiar woman that visited some time ago.

“That’s his wife, our lovely Queen Kristin, and your aunt. Surely you remember her?”

Tommy nodded. The Queen looked very lovely in her portrait, dressed in a more elaborate gown than the one she had worn when she visited him. Her arms were protectively wrapped around one of the boys that were sitting in her lap, and Tommy couldn’t help but wish he could be wrapped up in her arms. He loved the hugs Clementine gave him, but he longs for something more, something as nice as the hug in the painting.

“The boys are your cousins, the twin Princes Wilbur and Techno.” Clementine pointed to the boy sitting on the Queen’s lap. “That’s Prince Techno. His brother is sitting with the King. Both of them are a few years older than you are, but you look the same age in this portrait.”

The boys looked similar to each other, sharing some twin features. They both looked like their mother, with dark hair and dark eyes. But Wilbur’s hair was much shorter than his brother’s, curling around his ears and falling into his eyes. Techno’s hair was longer, shoulder length like his father and less curly. Wilbur was dressed in dark shades of blue, matching his mother, while Techno was dressed in lighter shades like his father. While they shared a similar face and height, Tommy thought it was fairly easy to tell the two twins apart.

All four of them looked like a very close family. The artist captured the love between the family easily with just some oil paints and canvas. They captured the way the King and Queen leaned into each other. The way they both had their arms wrapped protectively around their children. Both of the twins leaned towards one another as well. And even though Tommy knew portraits took a long time to paint, they all had a smile painting their lips, brightening the whole portrait.

For the longest time, Tommy thought he had no family. The only memory he had of his mother was from the time he visited her grave. There was no talk of a father or siblings, only the family name that he was a disgrace to.

Yet here was proof that his family did exist. He had an uncle, an aunt. Two cousins. Four family members with names and faces. Four family members that he didn't know he had.

Tommy couldn’t help but wonder if they would come take him away to their palace, like the families in his storybooks. Maybe they were the happy ending he was waiting for.

“Will I get to have a portrait with them?” Tommy asked, turning his head to look up into Clementine’s eyes. The maid looked back down at him, her eyes staring back into his. “Because we are family?”

The maid was silent for a long moment. She looked away, staring back up at the portrait in front of him. Tommy followed her gaze, staring hopefully up at the portrait of a family he wanted to know so badly. The family that would surely come one day to sweep him away into a life of glory, comfort, and love. Tommy smiled brightly, not even registering the way that Clementine almost seemed mournful as she stared up at the painting as well.

“One day, I hope your family will give you so much more than a portrait.”

⋅⋅⋅ ⭑ ☀ ⭑ ⋅⋅⋅

There were visitors coming to stay at the Summer Palace.

Visitors have visited Tommy’s palace before. It’s not exactly his palace anyway. He’s no prince, like the ones from his childhood stories. He’s just a boy who shares the same name with the royal family. Despite the name and the blood between them, this does not make him a prince, or a part of the royal family.

Clementine once explained to him that he resided in what many called the royal family’s vacation palace, before she disappeared. The palace was often loaned to traveling noble guests so they had a place to stay for a few nights. It was a resting point for their travels, especially when nobles from the countryside came to visit the capitol where the royal family’s home palace was.

Tommy only knew the palace from its nickname of the Summer Palace. It was what most of the servants and nobles referred to it as anyway. He supposed there was a reason why it was nicknamed the Summer Palace. The sun always shone brightly in the summer and most guests passed through during those months. He despised the guests for this, because he wasn’t allowed to be seen when visitors came by. He was confined to his rooms, taking meals and lessons in them, or sitting alone all day. No going outside, no exploring, and no being seen.

Tommy always hated being alone.

Once, he had tried playing with the few children that lived at the palace. Their parents were servants that lived in the palace, and the children often helped with the chores. But come afternoon most of them would be finished with their work and play in the courtyards and gardens around the palace.

One afternoon, Tommy had snuck away from his lessons to join them. It was a sunny day with cooler temperatures, and with spring in full swing the gardens had begun to sprout bright flowers. It was the perfect day to go outside and play, and Tommy knew that he would suffer through his lessons if he didn’t give himself a break.

So while the tutor was out of his room—gone to fetch a book they left in the library—Tommy had snuck out without notice.

He had seen the children play in the gardens all the time. He had always wanted to join them, getting to know the children and play the games they busied themselves with. Usually he was busy with lessons or the maids told him no when he asked if he could go play. But that day there had been no one to stop him.

Tommy still remembered the way the children seemed shocked when he had joined them. But they didn’t stop him from playing with them, instead they invited him to join their games and were kind as they taught him how to play. They smiled and laughed alongside each other, running through the trimmed grass and playing with chalk on the stone courtyard. Tommy had gotten to learn all sorts of games, including his favorite, which the servant children had called ‘hopscotch.’ They used colorful chalk to create a pattern of shapes they had to jump to. And when they got bored of that they used their chalk to draw other pictures and make up other games.

That was the most fun Tommy thought he had ever had. He remembered the way he washed chalk off of his hands and clothes, trying to hide the evidence from the servants. He had gone to bed with a smile on his face, already thinking about the fun games he could join in on tomorrow, and the new friends he would be able to play with.

But when he went to play the next day, the children turned him away, saying he wasn’t allowed to play with them anymore. They pushed him away and shooed him away from their chalk games, refusing to let Tommy join them as they kicked a ball across the lawn. No matter how he begged and started to cry, they turned him away. It was only after one of the maids had found him outside and dragged him back to his room that Tommy had stopped his crying.

Instead of afternoons spent playing outside, exploring the palace, or doing other things Tommy was assigned more lessons with tutors that would slap his hands with their pointer for their maps and instruction boards. His lessons went late into the night, up until the time that he ate dinner. And his tutors always said he wasn’t paying attention during those times, calling Tommy out whenever he looked away. Even when the boy said he swore he was paying attention they just assumed he was lying and used it as an excuse to punish him further. No one believed him when he said it was hard to sit still for so long when the other children got to play.

Tommy wished they believed him, both his servants and his tutors. Because some days he got so many hits to his hands they would become raw and he would have to rest them in a bowl of ice until the bruises lessened. He always had to bite back tears when this happened unless he wanted the servants to call him out for his babyish behavior.

It was unfair.

Tommy hated being a bastard sometimes. He still remembered the day when he was told that despite being a royal in name and blood, he would never truly be one. It didn’t matter that his mother was a princess, that his direct family ruled the throne. His father’s peasant blood would always taint his own, bring dishonor and disgrace to the royal family’s name.

He would be nothing more than a bastard child, a living reminder of his mother’s mistakes. Still, even though the only title of his was “bastard”, Tommy thought that it was unfair to be treated this way. None of his servants could decide if he should be treated like he belonged to the royal family, or if he should be treated like a dog kicked to the streets. One day they were praising his name, the next they were delivering him a punishment so he could pay for his mother’s sins.

He hated thinking about it too, it was too big of thoughts for a six year old boy.

So when one of his maids told him that they were going to have visitors at the palace all summer long, Tommy was furious. Again, another summer of his would be spent trapped inside. Hidden away from the world so no one could see the bastard that brought disgrace to the royal family’s name. Forgotten and neglected as a noble took the spotlight, forcing him to remain isolated for weeks on end.

But he didn’t dare express his thoughts. It would only get him in more trouble. And Tommy didn’t want to deal with the punishments that might follow his poor behavior if he spoke out now.

Instead he decided quietly to himself that he wouldn’t let anyone ruin his summer. He wouldn’t stay confined to his room day, the four lonely walls of a room-turned-prison locking him in isolation, slowly driving him insane. He would explore and sneak away, not daring to let his summer go to waste. He could sneak around, run from his lessons, and maybe even watch the visitors if he was feeling daring.

As long as the servants didn’t find out, Tommy could do whatever he wanted. It wouldn’t be the first time he had snuck away, disappearing for hours on end where the servants couldn’t find him. It wouldn’t be the first time that he snuck out without anyone noticing either.

If he could get away with stealing sweets, sneaking through the empty halls, and exploring the gardens, then surely he could get away with something like this?

⋅⋅⋅ ⭑ ☀ ⭑ ⋅⋅⋅

Techno didn’t want to be at the Summer Palace all season long. He liked staying at home, with the familiar library and servants, where his parents were close by and his friends were only a quick carriage ride away.

But his parents encouraged him and his older twin brother to spend the summer by themselves before he and Wilbur had to attend the Academy next fall. His mother insisted that an adventure like this would encourage them to face new challenges before they went to the Academy to study with new tutors and their noble peers.

Techno thought staying at home would be better. He understood his parents' reasoning, as it did encourage them to be independent as they grew into their roles as the Crown Princes, preparing to become their kingdom’s rulers. But he would much rather spend his time with his family before he and Wilbur traveled across the country to attend the Academy, no matter how many times their parents promised they would visit during their little vacation.

At least his parents said they only had to spend one year at the Academy, as was required of a noble when they turned thirteen. He and Wilbur were twelve, but they would have their thirteenth birthday during their time spent at the Academy, come the autumn months. They would spend their required year being educated by new tutors from around the country—and the continent—as well as get to know their noble peers better. Opportunities and allies awaited them at the Academy, and it was only a few months from now that they would be leaving to spend their year away at the institute. Techno wasn’t sure what to think about it.

Wilbur was excited though, for both the Academy and their summer vacation. Maybe the few minutes he had on Techno gave him the ability to be more optimistic and outgoing. Or maybe he was excited because they hadn’t visited the Summer Palace since they were babies.

It was a nice change of scenery, Techno had to admit. Upon reaching the palace’s grounds, Techno couldn’t help but admire the sprawling fields of gardens, the beautifully designed courtyards, and the architecture of the palace itself. The capitol palace was grand, and even though the Summer Palace was similar in size, it felt more inviting, in some sense. It was less imposing and grand, and instead was something more relaxed.

The twins arrived late in the evening, so after a short supper the boys had gone to bed rather quickly so they could be well rested in the morning. They took what would be the King’s suite, the four room suite with two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a sitting room. Their bedrooms were side by side and a door was between them, allowing easy access to the other room. Wilbur smirked when he first walked through the door, quirking his eyebrows as he slipped through the door dressed in his nightclothes. Techno just rolled his eyes.

Wilbur fell asleep in Techno’s room that night. They had always been close, but they hadn’t slept in the same bed for years. But of course an unfamiliar place and a different bed would bring the brothers back together.

As always, Techno welcomed his brother with open arms.

Their next morning was spent meeting the staff that would be tending to them. They brought some of their own servants, of course, but they couldn’t exactly bring them all. And it was a good thing too, after seeing how small the team of staff was at the Summer Palace. It was probably because it rarely had visitors, and no one but the servants were here to stay year-round.

But Techno was glad that Sam and Puffy were here. He trusted them both to attend to himself and his brother accordingly. And he could continue his sword lessons during the summer too.

The staff wasn’t exceptional—they hadn’t been replaced in years—but they would do. Wilbur didn’t seem very interested in them, and neither was Techno. They didn’t plan on getting attached, especially when the attitude of a lot of the staff ticked him off.

Having staff that both put you on a pedestal while belittling you wasn’t exactly what Techno considered great staff. The morning sun had only been in the sky for a few hours as the staff had greeted him kindly before making passive aggressive comments on his hair. He could hear them whispering about how it was odd and too feminine for a prince. Long pink hair was something unheard of for royalty, and the servants made their opinions known. Already he was thinking of ways to avoid the servants whenever he could. He trusted his own servants from the capitol palace much more anyway. 

So after their few duties were tended to the brothers slipped off to explore the gardens. Sam and Puffy let them wander off, wanting a guard to escort them around, but the twins had long since learned how to ditch their required company. And this guard was especially incompetent—he was obviously a Summer Palace guard—so it wasn’t hard to lose sight of him and have the freedom to explore on their own.

“How many ponds do you bet this palace has?” Wilbur asked as they wandered through fruit trees. They had decided to explore the orchard nearby, feeling enticed by the fruit growing on the trees. “Ours has twenty-three, only twelve of which had fish.”

“I’ll raise you a better question,” Techno said, plucking a ripe peach off of a tree. “How many bush figurines do you think we could find?”

Wilbur smirked. “Dare we break all the stupid ones?”

Techno only snorted as he shrugged at his brother, taking a bite out of his peach. It was sweet, the perfect ripeness. He wondered how much fruit went to waste in these gardens.

His question went unanswered, so did the words resting on the tip of his tongue, when a blond haired boy came tumbling through the trees.

The young boy had twigs in his hair, dirt brushed across his cheek, and held an apple in his hands that had a bite taken out of it. It was obvious that he had just run through the trees, but Techno couldn’t help but wonder who he was running from. The servants, or his mother perhaps? While they did meet the staff this morning, they didn’t meet the staff’s children. The boy could easily be the child of one of the servants.

But while he wasn’t dressed in the finest clothes and was covered in dirt, the boy wasn’t exactly dressed like a servant either. His clothes were just a little too neat and tailored to belong to a servant.

Techno didn’t get the chance to start asking questions, Wilbur beat him to it as he let out a shriek when the boy came to a stumbling stop before him.

“Who are you?” Wilbur asked, letting out a gasp when the boy grabbed him by his wrist and began tugging him along.

“Quiet!” The boy glared at Wilbur. “I don’t want them to find me!”

“Who?” Techno asked, following after the strange boy and his brother, dropping the pit of his peach behind him.

“The stupid servants,” the boy said. “I’m not exactly supposed to be outside right now.”

“Why not?” Wilbur asked as he let himself be tugged along, grumbling as he had to duck underneath a branch that the child simply passed right underneath. “Are you sick?”

“No.” The boy ducked under another branch, Wilbur nearly walking face first into it. He swore and Techno couldn’t help but smile as he ducked underneath, still following behind.

“If you aren’t sick, why aren’t you supposed to be outside?” Techno asked. “Running from your chores?”

The boy paused and turned around to make a face at him. “No, worse. History lessons.”

“I didn’t know the servant children studied with tutors here,” Wilbur said. “I would assume they’d learn from their parents, especially at your age.”

“Well I’m not a servant.” The boy continued onwards, clueless to the expressions of confusion Wilbur and Techno exchanged.

“I didn't know there was another noble family staying at this palace,” Techno said. “I would assume that someone would have thought to tell us that when we arrived, or perhaps even before then.”

“No, it’s just you guys at the moment,” the boy said. “I live here, this is my palace.”

Wilbur stopped, breaking out of the boy’s grip. Techno feet came to a stop as well as he stood beside his brother. The boy turned around, his mouth open as if he was about to ask a question, but he closed it when he saw the confused expressions on the brothers’ faces.

“What’s the matter?” He tilted his head, small hands beginning to shake at his side.

“This isn’t your palace.” Wilbur took Techno’s hand in his own. “It’s our palace, the royal family’s palace. It can’t be yours.”

Techno looked the boy up and down, analyzing his just-to-fine clothes, his high quality shoes, and soft hands. He was too neat to be a servant. He didn’t claim to be a noble, but yet he dressed and looked like one. Golden hair curled perfectly and bright blue eyes stared at Techno, hands clenching at the boy’s side as the twins stared him down.

“Who are you?” Techno asked. The boy straightened.

Instead of answering, he shot a question back. “Who are you?” The boy put his hands on his hips, trying to make himself look bigger. It wasn’t working. Not when Techno could see him trembling as hear the way his voice nearly faltered.

“Crown Princes Wilbur and Techno, heirs to the throne,” Wilbur answered. Techno watched as the boy’s facade fell, a confused and sad expression falling over his face as the words settled in. “And I think we deserve to know who’s claiming our palace as their own.”

“You– you’re, no– what?” The boy stumbled back a step, bringing his hands up to his chest to cradle them close. “Did they not tell you about me?” the boy asked, blue eyes glimmering in the light, crystalline tears beginning to gather around his lashes. “I’m Theseus.”

“I don’t know who you are supposed to be, but don’t go around claiming what is not yours,” Wilbur said. Techno could recognize the authoritative tone that Wilbur had coined his ‘Prince voice’ that he usually only used when he was speaking to rude or misbehaving servants.

Clearly the boy, Theseus, did not take too kindly to hearing the voice. Because his expression only grew more devastated, and he let out a sob before turning on his heel as he disappeared into the orchard trees. The twins watched him go, neither knowing what to say as the leaves swallowed up the small frame of the boy, the wind carrying away the sound of his sobs.

Techno couldn’t help but wonder just who Theseus was.

⋅⋅⋅ ⭑ ☀ ⭑ ⋅⋅⋅

Theseus was nowhere to be found. A few minutes after he had run off Techno and Wilbur went to search for him. It’s not like they wanted a crying child to be all alone in the gardens. Especially when he looked so young and was so quick to tears after speaking to the twins. He was just a little kid after all.

But after searching the entire orchard for the better part of an hour, neither of the twins could find him. He had truly disappeared between the leaves of fruit trees, not leaving a trace of his presence behind.

So instead they decided to explore the gardens. Wilbur began counting the ponds he found and Techno pulled a few branches out of the decorative bush statues they found just for the fun of it (and to mess with the gardeners). But neither of the boys' hearts were really in it. They were still tired from their long trip and the encounter with Theseus left them feeling confused and drained.

They went back to the palace after finding a servant to guide them back. They had strayed so far off the original path that neither of the twins had an idea of where they were, but the servant was willing enough to take them back. Even if they did seem to be in the middle of doing something else and appeared to be a little annoyed after being disturbed by the princes, they still guided them back without a complaint.

Techno wondered what that servant had been searching for before the twins had stumbled across them.

At dinner the twins sat down at the table with the two guards that had traveled with them. Puffy, an experienced soldier who served in the navy in her younger years, and Sam, a young man that spent his whole life training for the royal guard who rightfully earned the trust of the twin’s parents.

Both of the guards seemed pleased to see the twins already exploring the palace. When their parents had first discussed the trip with the twins they had expressed their fears and concerns wondering if the boys would continue to spend their days indoors. But despite being at the Summer Palace for less than a day the boys had already gone outside. Maybe it was the warmer weather, the clear skies, or the sprawling gardens that had gotten the twins’ attention, or maybe it was something else, but they were already looking forward to tomorrow.

Despite this, dinner was a quiet affair.

“How was your boys’ afternoon?” Puffy asked, cutting up the meal on her plate. Techno knew that she was trying to act disinterested, but he had spent enough meals with the woman now to recall her conversation tactics. Still, he stayed silent as he brought his fork to his mouth. At his side Wilbur sighed.

“It was certainly eventful,” Wilbur said. He reached for another bread roll, and Techno slid the butter dish closer to his brother. He knew that Wilbur was avoiding the question, and Techno couldn’t help but stay silent for a moment too. He was still trying to collect his thoughts and decide what to say.

“Oh?” Puffy leaned forward in her seat, giving Wilbur a smile, inviting him to continue. Sam was silent at her side, but was obviously paying close attention to the conversation. “What was so eventful?”

Wilbur furrowed his brow and shoved the rest of his bread roll in his mouth. He stared down at his plate and pushed some of his roasted vegetables around before stabbing them with his fork. Techno hadn’t seen Wilbur this lost for words in a while. Usually he was the twin that didn't know quite what to say, not Wilbur.

Techno found himself sighing as he rested his utensils beside his plate. He leaned back in his chair and looked up from his plate.

“We met a strange boy in the orchard.” Out of the corner of his eye, he saw one of the maids stiffen. He paid her no attention, figuring it was nothing more than a coincidence. “He was probably just a servant playing games with us, claiming the palace was his.”

“Well, he has probably been here longer than you two,” Sam said, joining the conversation. Puffy nodded at his side, smiling softly.

“I wouldn’t think too hard about it. He’s just a kid looking to have some fun.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right,” Wilbur said. He was still stabbing at the vegetables on his plate. Techno grabbed his fork and stabbed a forkful of his brother’s green beans and quickly shoved them into his mouth. Wilbur glared at him while Techno grinned as he chewed his food.

Techno tried not to think too much about Theseus. It was likely that they would never see the boy again, even if Techno was curious and wanted to know more about him. More likely than not he was a servant boy just looking to play tricks on them. Even if wasn’t playing tricks, the boy claiming the palace was his wasn’t the wildest claim, it was probably a game he had made up with his friends.

Whatever the boy had said wasn’t that important. At least it probably wasn’t.

Still, he had acted a little too genuine for Techno to ignore. His shocked expression and tears were too real to be an overdramatic reaction to the twin’s not understanding his prank. He reacted too much when Techno and Wilbur introduced themselves, and seemed devastated when the twin’s admitted that they had no idea who he was. Techno couldn’t help but wonder why.

He tried not to think about it as he left the dinner table with Wilbur. It wasn’t something he wanted to spend his summer thinking about. Not when he promised his parents that he would have fun making the most of this summer before they had to go to the Academy.

Still, still didn’t stop Techno from laying awake at night, the memory of Theseus burning in his mind.

On the opposite end of the palace, soft footsteps echoed through empty halls. They were cautious and slow, coming to a stop around every corner before skipping a few steps as they settled back into their cautious rhythm. They turned another corner and carefully stepped down a hall. The footsteps only came to a stop when they reached a familiar portrait in a familiar hall.

Candlelight from the other hall bled into the room, casting flickering shadows. Moonlight that peaked through tall windows shone through the archway, dimly illuminating the room. Light settled on the portrait that small feet had come to a stop in front of, brightening the faces of four figures sitting together in a portrait.

A family of four sat immortalized in an oil painting. Careful hands had painted this portrait before he had even been born, capturing the family of four from a little moment in time. Their eyes stared ahead, but they all leaned into one another, connected in some way. Holding hands, wrapped up in protective arms, touching knees. They were close, just like a family should be.

Yet they didn’t remember him.

He was supposed to be their family. He was supposed to be a nephew, a cousin. A part of the picture.

Instead, he was alone.

Tears ran down his cheeks and tiny fists clenched at his sides. He tried to will his tears away, his anger away, but it never worked. Instead he bit his lip as he tried to hold back a loud sob, not wanting the noise to escape and someone to find him. He wasn’t supposed to be out of his room this late, especially with visitors in the palace. He trembled in front of the portrait hanging on the wall above him, feeling taunted and dismissed by the four faces.

Once they had been faces of hope. Of promise. Now they were just as empty as the portrait of his mother.

He used to look up at his portrait and wish that his family would take him home.

Now he knew that wish wasn’t worth anything. No matter how many prays he uttered, petals he plucked, dandelions he blew on, it would never come true.

Instead of feeling devastated, he just felt bitter.

And alone.

Always alone.

⋅⋅⋅ ⭑ ☀ ⭑ ⋅⋅⋅

The twins find the boy, Theseus, in the gardens again. They tried to hide their surprise as they watched him for a moment, not knowing how to approach the boy that they had left in tears yesterday.

Theseus was sitting beside one of the ponds (Wilbur had counted nine so far) and running his hands through the top of the water. He created gentle ripples that touched the edge of the pond, disturbing the clear water. Techno could see fish coming up to the surface to nip at his fingers, but Theseus pulled his fingers away before they could get him.

“Hello,” Wilbur greeted the boy. Theseus jolted, standing quickly and wiping his wet hands on his pants. Techno can’t help but notice how his palms looked raw and bruised. He wondered what happened.

“What are you doing?” Wilbur continued, coming to stand beside the boy. Theseus stepped back a few paces, keeping his eyes on the ground, looking afraid to speak up. Wilbur didn’t seem to notice as he looked down into the pond and smiled as he turned back to Techno. “Pond number ten Techno!” He turned back to watch the fish swim lazily. “And that makes six with fish!”

“Are you counting the ponds?” Theseus asked. He was quiet, fiddling absentmindedly with his fingers. His eyes were still focused on the ground but they glanced up to look at Wilbur, hesitantly meeting his eyes. Wilbur continued to smile as he gave the boy a nod in return.

“Yes! I wanted to compare it to the number there are at home.”

“How many do you have at home?”

“Twenty-three,” Wilbur answered. “But only twelve with fish. I don’t think they thrive as well back home, the weather is a little cooler at the capitol year-round.”

Theseus nodded, looking vaguely intrigued. “I’ve never looked for all the ponds here before. I never thought to count them.”

“Wilbur thinks it’s entertaining,” Techno said, joining in the conversation as he came to stand beside his brother. Wilbur was wiggling his hands just above the surface of the water, giggling as the fish swam underneath his fingers. “Stop taunting the fish Wilbur.”

“But it’s fun!”

“Not when I push you into the pond and they try to eat you.”

Theseus snorted, giggling to himself. He looked more relaxed, less nervous. He was standing up straighter and smiling to himself. Techno couldn’t stop himself from smiling as he turned slightly to address the boy.

“You should come search for the ponds with us, surely you know the palace well enough if you are claiming it as your own.”

Theseus turned his eyes away, staring at the ground. “I don’t know,” Theseus said. He kicked the toe of his shoe in the gravel that surrounded the pond. “I don’t get outside much, and I’m not allowed far.”

“Well your parents aren’t here so I don’t see what the problem is,” Wilbur said as he stood, already scanning the gardens as he looked for a new path to explore. They hadn’t gone very far yet. Theseus frowned, and Techno thought he might have had something to say, but instead the younger boy stayed silent.

“Let’s go this way,” Techno said, picking a random direction and heading down a path. Wilbur quickly joined him at his side and behind them Theseus ran to catch up, walking on Techno’s left.

“What’s in this direction you suppose?” Wilbur asked, tucking his hands into the pockets of his pants as he took in the scenery. Techno shrugged. He wasn’t familiar with the gardens, it’s not like he had the time to explore them all when they arrived just over a day ago.

“I think the old greenhouse is this way,” Theseus said quietly. The twins paused and exchanged a look. Wilbur had a mischievous grin on his face and Techno’s sure his own grin mirrored his twin’s.

“Well lead the way Theseus!” Wilbur waited a moment to let the boy walk in front of them. The younger hesitated for a moment, looking nervously back at the twins, before continuing.

“It’s Tommy.”

Tommy. Techno smiled. The name suited the boy much better than Theseus.

The old greenhouse looked exactly like its official title suggested. Old. Abandoned. Forgotten.

It was overrun with vines and fauna, untrimmed grass growing tall around its frame. Glass panels were broken, some completely missing from their frames. A tree broke from the top of the glass roof, arching branches and full leaves casting a shadow over nearly the entire building.

The building itself—even if it was restored to its former glory—was nowhere near the size of the greenhouse at the capitol palace. That greenhouse stretched out long, with multiple courtyards built inside for gathering in. His mother had held dozens of tea parties inside that building. Techno’s not sure the size of this one could even fit all the guests that his mother usually invited to her parties.

It was dilapidated and old, but quaint. He’s sure it was likely more of a storage-house used to raise baby plants before the gardeners planted them in the ground, rather than it being used for beauty and hosting parties.

But it had its charm, as run down and old as it looked.

The three boys headed inside, Tommy easily slipping in through the busted doorframe while the twins had to duck their heads to avoid the plants that were growing overhead.

From the roof dropped wisteria flowers, spinning gently in the breeze that came through the missing or broken glass frames. The purple flowers smelled sweet, like his mother’s perfume.

The ground of the greenhouse was covered in gravel and dirt, different from the paved pathways and neat garden beds of the capitol palace greenhouse back home. Plants sprouted from the ground, some looking like seedlings from the tree that grew from the middle of the greenhouse and up through its roof, others looking like plants that had made the greenhouse their home. Flowers and other fauna grew all around, some blooming, some still sprouting, some already sleeping until they bloomed again.

Techno plucked a dandelion out of the ground. The little yellow flower looked so dainty in his hand, and didn’t quite belong. The wildflower was a stark contrast to his pristine clothes that dozens of people had hand-stitched and tailored specially for him. It would look better in the hands of a boy like Tommy, who didn’t dress like a servant but wasn’t dressed as finely as a noble. Someone who was dainty like a flower and could appreciate its beauty, even though it was just a wildflower, and not one of the hundreds of flowers carefully cared for by gardeners and servants. It fit his youthful personality much better than Techno.

“Here,” Techno said, handing the flower to the boy, who had been walking around the base of the tree. Maybe he was looking for a way to climb up it, but he paused when Techno came up to him. Tommy took the flower from his hands, looking confused, but tucked it behind his ear carefully. He gave Techno a small smile before running off to explore another part of the greenhouse.

Techno watched him go with a curious eye. He could feel Wilbur watching him, but his twin turned away to study an abandoned, overgrown garden bed when Techno turned to face him.

“Do you know the history of this greenhouse?” Wilbur called out to Tommy as the boy came back over, a bouquet of wildflowers and twigs in his hands. The younger boy shrugged, taking a look around the place before coming to stand closer to the twins.

“I think it was used to grow plants that were too small to be planted in the gardens right away,” Tommy answered. “I dunno. I think the late princess used to tend to the gardens during the months she stayed at the Summer Palace, but that’s just rumors I’ve heard.”

Techno hadn’t heard of that rumor before. To be fair, he can’t remember much about his late aunt. She died when they were young, around six year of age. He knows they met a few times, but during the beginning of his childhood she spent most of her time at the Summer Palace.

They were never close to their aunt. His father wasn’t that close to his sister, because of the age difference between them and the way they were all but raised separately. They were taught differently, his father raised to be the king while their aunt was raised to be married. But he knew his father wished they were closer, because he was devastated to hear the news of his sister’s death. It was so sudden, and she was gone so quick.

Techno can’t remember how his aunt died. He’s not sure if anyone ever told him.

“The late princess?” Wilbur asked, mostly talking to himself, Techno knew his twin’s habits well. His brother hummed as he looked around the greenhouse. “I didn’t know our aunt liked to garden.”

“It’s just a rumor,” Tommy muttered as he shrugged his shoulders. “I dunno.” He kicked his shoe into the dirt, eyes cast down to the floor.

“Rumor or not, that’s something interesting that we didn’t know,” Techno said. “I’ll have to ask our father if he knew anything about that.”

“Oh yes!” Wilbur smiled brightly. “I wonder if Dad has any new stories for us about our aunt.”

“Stories?” Tommy questioned. The boy looked hesitant to ask about it, but Wilbur brightened as he addressed the boy.

“Yes, since we didn’t know our aunt very well, sometimes our Dad will tell us stories from when they were young. We’ll have to share some with you.”

“I would love to hear them.” Tommy smiled at the brothers, and Techno swore that it was brighter than the summer sun that shone overhead.

⋅⋅⋅ ⭑ ☀ ⭑ ⋅⋅⋅

Tommy laid awake in bed that night, thinking about his recent adventures with the twins. His cousins.

It was strange, getting to spend the afternoons with them. That first time they had met he didn’t even recognize the twins. He had gotten too familiar with the childish faces of the boys in the portrait, a portrait that was years old. Now they were older, taller, growing into teenagerhood. Wilbur’s hair was longer and he stood taller than his twin. Techno was tall and broad, already an intimidating figure at his young age, even with the shockingly long, pink hair.

Still, when he met their stone-face expressions, and listened to the words demanding who he was, Tommy hadn’t been able to stop himself from crying. He just wanted the twins to remember him, to recognize him as family.

That did not happen.

He didn’t expect to run into them again. And he didn’t expect for them to be nice to him either. He expected for them to yell and tell him to go away, to “fuck off” as some of the servants would say. But that next day the twins were more friendly, seemingly apologetic and willing to invite him on their adventures. They had treated him with nothing but kindness, not pushing for answers about himself or asking why he claimed the palace as his own. They were so different from everyone else.

They had been here for a week now, and each afternoon Tommy would sneak out of his room after his lessons with his tutor to meet the boys. He was surprised the maids hadn’t caught him again, but most of them were too busy running around keeping the Summer Palace in order. There was a lot to be done when the princes were around.

It wasn’t often they had guests staying over this long, and from what he’s heard from the servants muttering in the hallways, he knew they were upset about the fact that the prince would be staying for the whole summer. Suddenly they had twice the work to do and no time to watch Tommy.

Even with the handful of extra servants that had come with the princes the Summer Palace was much too short staffed to entertain the princes’ wants and needs all season long. It was no wonder that Tommy was left alone most afternoons, even his tutors were being called on to help with extra tasks. The servants really did think that they scared him off with that punishment the first day the princes arrived. But Tommy had survived enough nights without supper and enough swats to the palms of his hands with the tutor’s wooden rulers that it wouldn’t deter him from his latest adventures.

Especially since this was the first time that he truly got to interact and get to know his family. The princes didn’t hesitate to tell him stories about their lives when he asked. He got to know more about his aunt and uncle, and even what the princes knew about his late mother. It was the closest thing he got to knowing more about his family, something that Tommy was beginning to think would never happen as the years went by and no family came to visit.

Deep down, Tommy knew the King had every right to throw him onto the streets, into an orphanage, or even kill him since he was born a bastard child. It wouldn’t be the first time that a royal’s bastard had been erased for the sake of the royal family’s reputation. Tommy was a living disgrace to the royal family’s name.

So as much as it hurt, it wasn’t all too surprising to find that his cousins had no idea he existed. He knew that his life was already kept secret, so of course the royal majesties hid his existence from their sons. He was already grateful that the Kind let him live and housed him in the Summer Palace, with servants and tutors here to raise him.

But he did wish that he could truly belong to the royal family—getting to be a part of the twins' stories instead of just learning about them—without being a disgrace. He wished he could be a royal child, without being a bastard royal child. But Tommy learned long ago that he could not get everything he wanted.

So he made do with knowing that while the princes were here, they would allow him to tag along with their adventures. And that would have to be enough.

And maybe, just maybe, it would be enough for them to visit next summer.

Tommy rolled over in his bed, looking at the old, stuffed cow resting on the pillow beside his head. Henry, the cow that Clementine made before she disappeared. Tommy didn’t remember when he got Henry, not the exact date, but he had to be around three years old now. Tommy was six after all, almost halfway to seven, and Clementine had been gone for a few years now.

He missed her sometimes. In the few months they were close to each other, she was the closest thing to a mother that Tommy ever had.

The woman in the portrait, tucked away into the hall in the depths of the Summer Palace, was little more than a name and a face to Tommy. Even with the new stories he heard, it was hard to accept them as stories of her.

And if Tommy was being honest, he couldn’t even remember her name most of the time. He never really bothered to remember it. The servants would reprimand and punish him if they knew that. They would tell him that he should remember his mother’s name and be grateful that she brought him into this world. It was her death that gave birth to his life.

But Tommy would much rather have Clementine for a mother over the woman in the portrait. Or the Queen who visited him once, the one he can barely remember. Anyone else would do.

Because his mother was nothing more than a forgotten portrait and gravestone in a graveyard that went unvisited by all but him.

⋅⋅⋅ ⭑ ☀ ⭑ ⋅⋅⋅

Tommy was sneaking out again. He hadn’t done well in his lessons today, too distracted by thoughts of finding the twins and getting to go exploring again this afternoon. His tutor had caught him daydreaming and staring at the window. When he was unable to answer a question on what his tutor just spoke to him about, Tommy knew he was in for trouble. His begging only made it worse. That got him five swats to each palm with that dreaded ruler.

The palms of his hands still burned when he thought about it.

But he had been stuck in his room since the tutor left. His school books still laid out in front of him, he was instructed to continue studying until dinner, but Tommy wasn’t going to do that. He was a kid and he needed time to play!

There weren’t any guards posted outside his door. There hadn’t been for the week that the princes had been here so far, and even then it wasn’t often that Tommy saw a guard outside his door. If he thought about it he hadn’t seen a guard continuously posted outside his door for over a year. But it certainly made it easier to slip out into the hallway and make his way to another part of the palace without notice.

He didn’t eat much for lunch that day. His tutor withheld his food because he wasn’t paying attention, and he only got to enjoy about half of it before a maid was called to take it away. So snacks were the first priority, followed by escaping outside for the rest of the day to find the twins.

Tommy slipped around a corner, glancing to see if any servants were coming before he ran to another hallway, making his way to the kitchens. To his surprise, when he came around the corner he nearly bumped into the twins themselves, who looked like they had been heading in the direction of his room.

Which was odd considering that they weren’t supposed to be in that part of the palace. Tommy’s rooms were off limits to visitors when they came by, because Tommy wasn’t supposed to be known. He was surprised the princes got this close, even with the staff stretched so thin. The servants would throw a fit if they found out.

“Tommy?” Wilbur questioned as Tommy came to a halt before them. “What are you doing?”

“Going to the kitchens,” Tommy said. “I’m hungry.”

“Sneaking around?” Techno asked, and Tommy gave him a reluctant nod. To his surprise the prince only grinned, exchanging a look with his twin. “Me and Wilbur are good at that, count us in.”

“But wouldn’t we be caught more easily?” Tommy asked. He wasn’t really concerned about what would happen if they were caught. He bet the servants would let the princes do whatever they wanted. No, Tommy was more concerned about what would happen if he was caught. Especially if he was side by side with the princes, sneaking around with them.

The stinging pain in his palms comes back at the thought.

If the princes hadn’t known he existed before, and the servants insisted that Tommy stayed in his room without telling him about exactly who was staying for the summer, then Tommy knew that he was not meant to meet them. Just like everyone else, they were not supposed to know he existed. He was a boy that was meant to be forgotten because of the disgrace to the royal name he would bring if everyone found out who he really was. His name and a face that would always go unknown because of the awful title attached to his name. The bastard royal.

Tommy could only imagine what the servants would do if he told the princes the truth. The trouble he would be in, the punishment that would follow, and what the royal majesties would say. He couldn't only imagine how the princes would react if they found out who he really was.

But they were smiling together as they discussed plans for breaking into the kitchens, who would grab what, and who would keep watch, and where they would run if they were caught. They were even including Tommy, and Tommy had never got to experience that sort of inclusion before.

So when they asked Tommy to lead the way to the kitchens, Tommy put a smile on his face and happily led the princes through the halls.

Because he knew when to enjoy something while it lasted.

They didn’t get caught, but Wilbur did almost reveal them by heading out the wrong door. Techno had to grab him by the back of his shirt and lead him to the other doorway so they could slip back into the hallways and run to one of the courtyard entryways. Tommy learned that if they went through the kitchen backdoors they were more likely to be caught by a servant coming back with firewood or fresh deliveries that had just been dropped off.

Running straight into a servant would not go well for their plans of sneaking out.

Like the days before, they went out into the gardens, pastries and cold meat pies held carefully in their hands. When they found a place to settle away from the eyes of the gardeners or the guards, Tommy realized they forgot to bring silverware, but the princes didn’t seem to mind getting their hands dirtied. They dug right into their prizes with their bare hands.

Good to know that Tommy wasn’t the only one that did that.

Though if his maids saw him and the mess all over his hands, face, and clothes, they would probably have a heart attack.

“These are good,” Techno said, licking the jam from one of the pastries from his fingers. “Not as good as the ones back home though.”

“I don’t know,” Wilbur cut in. “I think the cookie tarts taste better than the tarts we have at home.”

Tommy just watched as the twins argued over which foods tasted better than others, taking a bite out of one of the cookies he snatched. It was still a little warm on the inside, and chocolate bits melted onto his hands, the summer sun making them sticky and gooey. He licked his lips after shoving the last of the cookie in his mouth, and didn’t hesitate to lick chocolate off his fingers so he didn’t have to wipe it on his shirt.

“What do you think Tommy? Do you prefer the sugar cookies or chocolate cookies more?” Techno asked. Tommy looked up quickly, meeting the eyes of the twins that were staring at him. He felt a heat rise to his cheeks and quickly wiped his slobbered fingers onto his pants. He didn't even realize their conversation had come to a pause as they turned to include him.

“I dunno?” Tommy said. He picked at some of the grass underneath him, pulling it out of the ground, trying to distract himself. “I don’t eat sweets much, it’s hard to pick a favorite.”

“Well that’s unfair,” Wilbur said, crossing his arms. “I think everyone should have sweets often. At least a couple of times after dinner during the week.”

Tommy didn’t have the heart to tell him that he was lucky to get sweets even once during the month. Most of the time the servants split them amongst themselves. They said sweets were a reward for good behavior, which Tommy didn’t display most of the time. He wasn’t given sweets because bad, misbehaving kids didn’t deserve them. And according to the servants, Tommy was always misbehaving.

“If you could have any sweet in the world, which one would you pick right now?” Techno asked.

Tommy thought for a long second. He hadn’t tried a lot of sweets, not that he remembered anyway. He remembers the cakes they had for the holidays, the fruit cakes, spice cakes, and sweet cakes. He wasn’t the biggest fan of those however, and he had never gotten to enjoy more than a few bites.

There was a surplus of cookies he could think of. Cookies with tart bitter jam in the middle. Cookies with sugar toppings, chocolate chunks, and frosting. Those were easy to steal from the kitchens, but still, he didn’t have them often.

But most of all he thinks of the sweet iced cream he got to try last summer. The way vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry cream melted on his tongue. It was thick and smooth and had a wonderful texture. He remembers eating it outside on one of the garden patios, having taken his lunch and lessons outside that day. It had been a reward for paying extra attention in his lessons and for being a good boy that week. It was the last time he could remember truly getting to enjoy a sweet without a maid taking it away or having to steal it himself.

And underneath the summer sun, with just the shade of the bushes and trees nearby to keep them cool, Tommy thinks that he would like some iced cream in this moment.

“Iced cream! The vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ones!” He smiled brightly at the twins, bouncing a little from where he sat. The twins smiled back.

“Oh I love chocolate ice cream,” Wilbur said. “I haven’t had any this summer.”

“Vanilla is better,” Techno argued, and as the twins began to bicker again Tommy couldn’t help but think that this must happen often. But he didn't mind, and he smiled and laughed along with the twins as they playfully argued.

He thinks that he could get used to this.

He would love to get used to this.

⋅⋅⋅ ⭑ ☀ ⭑ ⋅⋅⋅

Wilbur found himself wandering the Summer Palace alone one morning. He was bored of attending archery lessons with Puffy. Most of the time he tired before Techno did and sat around watching the rest of his practice with nothing to do. Muscle pains kept him from doing much those mornings, always leaving Wilbur regretting continuing his lessons.

He didn’t get much entertainment out of watching Techno practice either. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to watch Techno train with Sam, it’s just that it got rather repetitive and boring. They went through the same parry and thrust motions for hours, talking about balance and the way Techno held himself. No matter how Techno tried to explain it to Wilbur, he could never listen attentively or understand what his twin was trying to explain. Wilbur doesn’t understand why Techno enjoys his swordplay lessons so much, but Techno says the same about Wilbur’s music, so he supposed that they were even.

So this morning, Wilbur had forgoed attending his archery lessons or watching Techno and decided to explore instead. The Summer Palace was grand, and while it may not be as large as the capitol palace back home, he still hadn’t explored most of it. He enjoyed being out in the gardens every day, enjoying the sun, counting the ponds and other strange things they found, but it was fun to explore inside too.

Especially when Wilbur got to poke his head in every room and snoop for secrets. There were countless rooms for him to explore and secrets he could try to uncover.

The Summer Palace didn’t seem to have any secret tunnels like the capitol palace. No matter how many walls Wilbur knocked on, how many paintings or bookshelves he investigated, or anything else that Wilbur thought might have led to something secret, he couldn’t find anything. Which he guessed was fair, the Summer Palace was more isolated than the capitol palace. It took a day's carriage ride to reach the closest city. And he doubted any sort of attack would take place at the Summer Palace, not when the royal family spent so little time there. So unless they wanted to attack a palace full of servants or wait for a week where the royal family visited, there wasn't much for enemies to attack. It was just too difficult to plan around. That’s how Wilbur saw it, especially after reading so many history textbooks about age-old wars, and listening to Techno rant about them.

But Wilbur sort of liked the differences between the palaces. He grew up in a city his entire life, so it was refreshing to get to enjoy the countryside. Maybe he and Techno could go horseback riding soon. It’d been a while since he put his lessons to use. He had seen the stables when they came in the carriage, surely a few of the horses had to be good to ride.

It would be fun to take Tommy with them too. He wondered if the boy could ride. He seemed sort of small and young to have started lessons, but Wilbur didn't think he was much older than Tommy when he started his own horseback riding lessons. Even if he couldn’t ride it wouldn’t be a problem to have him sit and ride with either him or Techno.

Actually, if they were to bring Tommy along he would most definitely ride with Techno. He had much better control over his horse, no matter which one it was. His balance was better as well, Wilbur always looked on trot off from falling off his horse. Years of riding and he still hadn’t quite gotten the hang of it yet.

No matter to Wilbur, he just wants to have fun with his brother and their new friend. It didn’t matter who Tommy sat with as long as he had fun.

Wilbur ducked into another room, losing his train of thought when his eyes landed on a piano sitting alone in the corner. The room was empty otherwise, and the piano sat in half-sunlight, light leaking through a window where a curtain hadn’t been properly shut.

Quickly crossing the room Wilbur rested his hands atop of the piano gently, grimacing when his fingers came back laced with dust. The room obviously hadn’t been visited in a while, Wilbur knew that as soon as he took a deep breath in the room and inhaled dust. It smelled stale in the room, like the air was old and the windows hadn’t been opened in a while. Wilbur had always been a little ashmatic, so it didn’t help any, but he was determined to investigate this piano. He wiped his dust-covered fingers on his pants and rounded the piano to have a better look at it.

The piano was worn down, that was for sure. When Wilbur pressed a key the note played back off, clearly out of tune. Disappointing, but not surprising, judging by the layers of dust in the room. It had probably been left here alone for a long time. No one had taken care of this piano for a while.

What was more disappointing was when Wilbur tried to run a scale, only to find that some of the keys didn’t press down or make any noise at all.

“Bastards,” Wilbur grumbled. “The servants can’t even properly take care of a piano.”

He frowned and left the room, making a note of where it was so he could bring Techno back to it sometime. Maybe they could have someone fix the instrument. Or maybe they could see what songs they could play even though the piano was out of tune and broken. It would be a good pastime if the weather took a turn.

If only Wilbur hadn’t forgotten to bring his guitar with him. He’d love to run his hands over the neck of his guitar, pressing down on strings and strumming little tunes. Alas, he left the instrument at home, not realizing how much he’d miss it being away during the summer.

Continuing on his little adventure, Wilbur poked his head in and out of rooms, making stops in those that were more interesting than others. In one he found a room full of all kinds of art. He took a look at some of the paintings and sculptures, but after laying eyes on an intimate work, he quickly left the room behind as heat rose to his face. Art was art but Wilbur would rather not look longer than he had to. Kissing was gross.

In another room he found a wardrobe filled with old coats. He tried a few on but all were too big for him, or too heavy for the summer weather to want to wear for more than a moment. They were old and out of fashion and some had old patches and army medals on them that had been forgotten. Wilbur wondered who they had belonged to, if it was an ancestor of his or someone else.

Eventually Wilbur came down a hallway and into a new part of the palace that he didn’t recognize. It was different from the rest of the palace he had just explored, more clean and taken care of than he expected.

It reminded him of the other day when he and Techno spent the afternoon wandering together and got lost. They had walked through old and dusted hallways until they eventually reached a part of the palace that looked like it had been visited recently. That’s where they saw Tommy, who they then went on an adventure with to raid the kitchens.

Except instead of running into Tommy, this time Wilbur ran into a guard.

The tall guard stepped away from his position in the hall, trying to block Wilbur’s path. When the prince did not stop, he held his arm out and stared down at him.

“You’re not supposed to be down here,” the guard said as Wilbur went to walk by him. He fully stepped out in front of Wilbur to block his path, and Wilbur glared up at the guardsman with fire in his eyes.

“Why not?” he asked. “What’s down the hallway that I can’t continue?”

“It’s prohibited to anyone outside of staff,” the guardsman said. “King’s orders.”

“And why would my father care about one part of a palace that he doesn’t even care to visit?” Wilbur crossed his arms, tapping his foot on the ground. He continued to hold his glare with the guard, standing up straight and sticking his chin out, making himself look bigger. His prince posture and attitude certainly came in handy sometimes. Especially when he could see the discomfort radiating from the guard as he shifted from foot to foot and avoided meeting Wilbur in the eye.

It was at this moment that a maid rounded the corner, a stack of books tucked underneath her arm. She was an older woman, with greying hair and wrinkles forming on her face. She scowled when she first saw Wilbur before softening, a smile tugging at her lips as she came up to them. Wilbur watched her approach with a raised eyebrow, keeping his arms crossed.

“What seems to be the matter here?” she asked, addressing the guard rather than Wilbur. He scowled at her. He didn’t like being ignored.

“I’m just telling his highness that he’s not allowed in this part of the palace,” the guard explained. The maid nodded and turned to look down at Wilbur. He silently cursed the few inches the woman had on him.

“I’m sorry your highness,” she said, giving him a sickly sweet smile. “But this part of the palace is only accessible to the staff.”

“Which I don’t understand,” Wilbur said, biting back the urge to spit out his words. “Because I am not getting a clear answer. You aren’t telling me why I’m not allowed in this area, only that I can’t be here.”

“My apologies,” the maid said with a little bow of her head. “But the King requested that his part of the palace remain off limits. These were the late princess’ quarters, and because of her passing in the palace, we are leaving the rooms undisturbed as a sign of respect.”

Wilbur paused, blinking slowly. The likelihood of his father leaving the rooms unbothered seemed plausible, even if it was a little strange. While he knew how much his father loved his sister—as he could remember how devastated he was to hear of her passing—it seemed unlike his father to want a wish like that. His father wasn’t the type to want to preserve all memories behind a wall of glass, and more along the lines of wanting to enjoy the memories they had and make new ones in honor of the dead.

But he didn’t know for sure. For all he knew his father was respecting his late aunt’s wishes to have her spaces left unbothered after her death. It’s not like Wilbur was privy to such private information, especially since he was a young child at the time of his aunt’s death.

But he couldn’t help but be a little suspicious. The guard was still radiating nervous energy and the older maid was giving him that same sickly-sweet, patronizing, smile. The whole situation felt off.

“I guess I will just have to get permission from my father when he comes to visit,” Wilbur said, giving both the guard and the maid one last fiery glare before turning on his heel. He walked briskly back down the hallway, already thinking of the other places he could explore.

But as he walked through sunlight filled halls and glanced out the window he knew that Techno must be done with his lessons right now. And as much as he would like to explore and investigate into the reason why the servants were being so shifty, Wilbur was hungry.

Adventures and investigations could wait until lunch came first.

⋅⋅⋅ ⭑ ☀ ⭑ ⋅⋅⋅

They were sitting in the gardens again, underneath the shade of the tree that grew out of the abandoned greenhouse. Techno was showing Tommy some of his practice drills, which the boy excitedly tried to follow when Techno gave him his practice sword. It was funny getting to watch the kid swing it around and try and whack Techno with it while Techno was just trying to teach him some basic stances and moves. Wilbur found all of it highly amusing.

He sat on grass, nibbling on more sweets they had stolen from the kitchens before their adventures today. Techno came to sit beside him and let out a groan when Tommy gave him a whack on the shoulder. The boy giggled when he glared at him before rushing off to swing it around some more.

“He looks like he’s having fun,” Wilbur said, speaking with his mouth full of a pastry. It was something fruity, coated in powdered sugar. Techno gave him a disgusted look before leaning on the cool glass pane of the greenhouse behind him. Wilbur couldn’t stop himself from smiling as he licked the sugar of his fingers.

“If fun involves me getting beat up then sure ,” Techno said. “I think I’m going to have more bruises and aches from him rather than a normal practice.”

Wilbur snorted and Techno glared at him before angrily stuffing a cookie in his mouth.

“Wilbur, Wil, Wilby, look!” Tommy shouted. He was out of the tree shade now, standing in the sun and waving at Wilbur like he wasn’t just a dozen or so paces away. Still, Wilbur waved back with a smile and watched as the boy started to swing in a circle with the sword in his hands.

“I swear if he launches it into-” Techno began before Tommy cut him off with a shout as he fell to the ground, the sword swinging out of his hands and landing in a nearby bush.

The twins were silent for a moment before Wilbur burst out laughing. Tommy let out a few giggles as he picked himself up and Techno just gave Wilbur a pained look.

“Bruh, my sword,” he said, before standing up to go help Tommy retrieve it from the bush. It landed a little higher up than the boy could reach, his little legs and arms stretched out as he leaned in the bush for the sword.

Wilbur watched as Techno went over and picked up the boy so he could reach it, both of them turning around to smile at Wilbur. Tommy’s smile was so bright—as bright as the sun—as he waved the sword around with his arm triumphantly. And no matter how Techno tried to appear bothered and grumpy about Tommy using his sword, Wilbur caught the way he was smiling at the kid. He couldn’t hide his smile if he tried.

And Wilbur couldn’t stop himself from smiling fondly at the boy as he watched Tommy run around. He was giggling to himself as he played games that he made up and didn’t hesitate to run up to the twins everytime he wanted to show them something he found. It was adorable. It was just like having a little brother—that was actually a few years younger than you—looking up to you with adoration. And if Wilbur was being honest, it was hard to not see Tommy as a little brother sometimes, not when he acted the way he did. He was just too easy to adore and love.

He wondered what a kid like him was doing here all alone. He wondered if he was the abandoned son of a servant, or a traveler who didn’t want to bring a child along with them. He wondered if the kid had parents around or if he even had any at all.

But he looked so happy here in this moment, swinging around Techno’s sword and eating pastries with them, looking so pleased to just be with them.

Wilbur was glad that they could provide the kid some of that comfort and happiness.

Eventually Tommy grew tired of swinging the sword around. He abandoned it in the grass and came to sit back in the shade with them, breathing heavily, sweat beading on his forehead. Wilbur wished they had a water jug with them, but all they had were sweets. Techno handed him one, which the kid took gratefully. He shoved it into his mouth, eyes lighting up the same way they always did when he took his first bite.

It was amusing and endearing to watch every time.

“Did you have fun with my sword?” Techno asked. Tommy nodded his head up and down quickly, swallowing down his cookie and wiping away crumbs from his mouth with the back of his hand. He grinned at Techno brightly.

“I did! I’ve never gotten to play with a sword before!”

“That’s criminal,” Techno said with all the seriousness he could muster. He wasn’t doing very well, judging by the smile that was tugging at his lips. “I can’t believe you’ve been mistreated like this.”

“I’ll have to report this to our father,” Wilbur added, crossing his arms and nodding. “No child should grow up without a sword.”

Tommy giggled and swatted Wilbur lightly on the arm, making the older huff out a laugh.

“No Wilby, it's fine!” Tommy said. “I’ll just steal Techno’s sword from now on!”

“Bruh no I like that sword,” Techno said. Wilbur snorted.

“It’s not even the same one you practice with at home. I say we let Tommy keep it.”

Techno went to protest but Tommy looked at Techno with wide, bright blue eyes and bit his bottom lip. They stared at each other for a long moment before Techno let out a sigh.

“Fine, you can have it.”

Tommy let out a whoop and threw his arms into the air. He grinned impossibly wide, rocking back and forth in the place where he was sitting, pleased with Techno’s answer. Techno only smiled fondly and ruffled the younger’s hair, making him squeal and both of the twins giggle.

They sat there in the shade for a while longer, watching sun shadows grow and change, making their way around the greenhouse. The sweets were long gone by the time a chill began to settle in the air, and the three of them eventually laid down in half-sun half-shade, talking about everything and nothing as they watched clouds pass by overhead.

As the time went on, they got quieter. Wilbur rolled his head over at one point to look at Tommy, only to find the boy looking near asleep in the grass. He was blinking sleepily, worn out from the ‘sword fighting’ he had done a couple of hours before.

The servants had probably prepared dinner by now. Wilbur was admittedly a little hungry, the sweets from earlier no longer satisfying his hunger. Even though he was enjoying laying in the grass with his brothers, he wanted to head inside soon, before the servants came looking for them. The three of them needed to eat before bed, his mum would say. He could almost hear his mum’s voice saying “growing boys needed three full meals a day!”

“You should come to dinner with us tonight Tommy,” Wilbur said, breaking the silence that had fallen between them. “It would be fun, you could meet Sam and Puffy too. They’re the guards that came with us and Sam’s the one that teaches Techno how to swordfight. I’m sure they’d love to meet you.”

Tommy was silent, and when Wilbur turned his head to look at the boy he watched him pick himself up from the grass to sit, shaking his head all the while. Wilbur could feel the small smile on his face drop.

“Why not?”

“‘M not allowed to,” Tommy said, rubbing one of his eyes. Wilbur sat up and beside him Techno sat up as well, both of them looking at Tommy.

“Why can’t you, it’s just dinner?” Techno asked gently. Tommy only let out a sleepy whine and shook his head, staring down at the ground and not looking up to meet the gazes from the twins.

“If you’re nervous about meeting Sam or Puffy it’s okay, they don’t have to sit with us tonight,” Wilbur said, only to get another head shake from Tommy.

“I’m not supposed to talk to guests, I’m supposed to stay away,” Tommy said. Wilbur frowned and he was certain that his twin’s expression mirrored his own as they gave Tommy confused—and worried—expressions.

“It’s okay Tommy, we want you there, I’m sure–,” Techno began, only for Tommy to turn and glare at him, cutting him off.

“It’s not, I’ll get in trouble!” the boy said, tears beginning to build in his eyes. He began to rub at his eyes again as he sniffled. “I don’t want to be in trouble.”

“No Tommy I swear you won’t be, I promise,” Wilbur said but Tommy rose to his feet, fists clenched tightly and shaking his head.

“You don’t understand!” he shouted, surprising the twins. He had never acted out this way before, not even on the day where they first met and Tommy ran off in tears. Shocked, they watched him unclenched his fists to tightly grip the fabric of his pants. He shook slightly and tears began to roll down his cheeks.

Techno stood up and took a step closer to Tommy only for the boy to flinch away.

“Tommy, are you okay?” Techno asked. Instead of answering, the boy turned around and ran.

Wilbur and Techno watched him go with distraught expressions.

Wilbur didn’t know what was wrong. He didn’t know what to do. Instead he just watched Tommy go and didn’t think to chase after him.

⋅⋅⋅ ⭑ ☀ ⭑ ⋅⋅⋅

Dearest Father and Mother,

Me and Wilbur are enjoying our time at the Summer Palace. The sun has not stopped shining since we have arrived, and we spend our afternoons roaming the gardens to our hearts delight. Even if the weather were to take a turn I doubt that we would stay inside, the gardens are much more vast here. It feels like we find something new everyday.

I still continue my sword lessons in the morning. Sam and Puffy are glad to continue with my training, and I am pleased that Wilbur has picked back up his archery lessons with Puffy, at least some days. It seems that the lack of lessons in the morning gives him nothing to do. There is no music room in this palace, not that we could find. All we discovered was an out-of-tune piano with broken keys. Wilbur was the one to find it and was very disappointed.

Please bring Wilbur’s guitar when you come to visit us in the next couple of weeks. I fear that he will go mad without being able to practice.

But it's his own fault for forgetting to bring his guitar.

Don’t tell him I said that. TOO LATE I SAW YOU ARE A BITCH

While I have the time, I wanted to ask a question about our aunt. We found an old greenhouse in the middle of the gardens and learned that our aunt used to enjoy gardening when she visited the Summer Palace. The boy we learned this from said it was just a rumor, but rumors can still be built upon truth.

Is it true? Did she enjoy gardening?

And another question. Do you know a boy by the name Theseus? He claims to not be a servant but yet doesn’t claim to be a noble. He doesn’t quite dress or talk like either, and is unlike anyone I’ve ever met.

He is a very peculiar child, but also very endearing. Wilbur and I enjoy getting to spend our afternoons in the gardens with him. But we know nothing about him and he is not comfortable saying anything to us. All he repeats is how he’ll get in trouble for talking about it. And me and Wilbur don’t want that.

Who is he? Do you know of him?

That’s all I have to say at this time, but I’m sure I’ll have more stories for another letter. Me and Wilbur are excited for you to come and visit and spend a week with us. We have a lot of places in the garden we want to show you. Wilbur says it’s important for you to know that there are nineteen ponds he’s discovered, fourteen with fish. He wants to show them all to you.

But that is all I have time for now. We are about to go on another adventure.

Much love,

Techno B. Farrow

P.S. Wilbur here. Techno writes like a stuck up. He calls you Mum and Dad to your faces but not on paper or in front of others. Boring. And he’s also wrong, there are FIFTEEN ponds with fish. And yes, this is important. Me and Tommy (that’s Theseus) are naming all the fish in them, so you must know the correct number. We are on our way to find a new pond and name more. Lots of love!

⋅⋅⋅ ⭑ ☀ ⭑ ⋅⋅⋅

Phil stood beside the lit fireplace in his office. Summer nights were always cooler in the capitol, the temperatures dropping overnight as everyone prepared for bed. When Phil realized it would be another late night for himself, he didn't hesitate to call a servant to light the fire.

Now he stood, leaning against the sturdy warm bricks of the elaborate fireplace, clutching his sons’ letter in his hands. He was doing everything in his power to not throw the thing into the fire. To erase the name of a boy that he had all but forgotten about.

His sister wasn’t supposed to run off and have a fling with a peasant after her engagement was announced. She definitely wasn’t supposed to get pregnant and she wasn’t supposed to get sick in the last months of her pregnancy. She wasn’t supposed to die in the walls of the Summer Palace, leaving a child behind.

Theseus wasn’t supposed to exist.

If Phil was being honest with himself, he forgot about the bastard child’s existence. It wasn’t something he was proud of, casting the boy aside, but the few nobles and advisors that were privy to the knowledge of the boy’s existence encouraged this.

“It’s a blessing to spare his life,” they had said to Phil. “ You are already rewarding him so much just by keeping him alive.”

Alive, but confined to live in the Summer Palace alone for the rest of his life. Which wasn’t the life a child should be living, not when they needed to be around their peers. They needed to live in an environment that was’t suffocating and have their proper needs taken care of, not spend their whole life confined to just one place.

Phil had no idea how Theseus’ life was being supervised. His plan was to visit the boy when he was thirteen to have him enroll in the noble Academy for the rest of his childhood. It wouldn’t be difficult to make up a story about how he was an orphan that he wished to give a better chance at life, letting him work alongside his peers to become a scholar. It wouldn’t be the first time that a noble took a ward in, and not the first time the King did it either.

But that was a plan for years down the line, and this was now. The present where his sons had learned about Theseus when they weren’t supposed to. Phil hated keeping secrets from his sons, but he knew it must be done, for the sake of the royal name and the boy’s own life.

Even Kristin didn’t know. And she never would. While his sister probably would have wished for her friend to know she had a child, Phil wasn’t allowed to share such secrets. Not when he had half of his noble council and advisors breathing down his neck when the child was born. They said it was just too much of a risk for so many people to know, even if Phil disagreed.

He never did like keeping secrets. Unfortunately, as King, he had to keep many.

Carefully, Phil dipped the edge of his sons’ letter into the fire. The flame caught quickly, already beginning to eat at Techno’s excellent penmanship. Phil dipped the letter deeper into the flame, the fire nipping at his fingertips.

Then the door to his office creaked open, and Phil froze. The letter slipped into the flames, but it was too late. Phil knew whoever came in unannounced had seen what he was doing.

But he didn’t expect to turn around and find his wife standing in the doorway of his office with her arms crossed over her chest and a scowl on her face.

“Hello love,” Phil greeted with a strained smile, standing up straighter. Kristin narrowed her eyes at him, and Phil knew he was in trouble.

He watched as his wife pushed shut the door behind her, closing the two of them inside his office. She crossed the room quickly, the skirts of her gown gliding over the floor, not making a noise. With her arms still crossed, she glared up into his eyes, almost level with him. Phil felt his smile slip from his face.

“Care to explain what you were just doing?” she asked, sweeping an arm out to the fireplace. Ashes from the letter that escaped the fire were resting on the stones around the floor of the fireplace, keeping his hardwood floors from being stained by ash and fire sparks. Phil fought the urge to shift his foot and rub the ashes into the stone, as if he could further hide the evidence.

“It was just a letter from another nobleman, nothing of concern,” Phil lied. Kristin only raised a brow.

“The truth Philza.”

Oh no. Kristin only called him Philza when she was truly upset. Swallowing down his guilt, Phil took a deep breath before letting out a long sigh.

“It was a letter from the twins,” he said. “It contained… sensitive information. Something I don’t wish for nobles and servants to go snooping for.”

“Sensitive information?” Kristin continued to glare up at Phil. “You mean an innocent question from our boys about the cousin they don’t know they had?”

“You read the letter? You know of Theseus?” Phil gaped at his wife. The seal on the letter wasn’t broken when he received it, in fact, it was perfectly sealed. He didn’t know Kristin knew forgery that well. But he watched as Kristin laughed, as if she was offended by the question.

“Of course I do!” she said. “Your sister and I may not have been close friends, but I knew of the child, probably before you did. I even visited him once, when he was just a couple of years old. So yes Phil, I knew of Theseus. But why didn’t you tell me of him first?”

Phil looked away from his wife, eyes glancing down to the floor. He felt ashamed for hiding things from his wife, but more importantly, he felt ashamed for making her feel like she should have to hide things from him too. They had been hiding this secret from each other for so long.

He crossed the room to stand at his desk, looking at the mess of papers he had laid out in front of him. He could feel Kristin’s eyes on his back, watching him.

“Are you going to finally tell the boys the truth, or are you going to hide this from them too?” Kristin asked. “This can’t stay secret forever Phil.”

“I know,” Phil sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “But we can’t tell this secret to anyone. No one was supposed to know.”

“If I hadn’t found out, would you have ever told me?”

Phil turned his head to the side and kept his gaze locked with the floor.

Light footsteps crossed the room, and stopped beside him. A soft hand reached out and cupped his cheek, guiding his face to the side. Phil met the eyes of his wife and let out another tired sigh, closing his eyes and leaning into her palm.

“I shouldn’t have to reseal a letter from our boys for you to finally be open about a secret. You should have been honest with me from the beginning,” Kristin said, tapping Phil’s face gently to make him open his eyes. “I shouldn’t feel like I have to hide things from you.”

“I know,” Phil said, meeting his wife’s gaze before glancing away and closing his eyes again to hide his shame.

“No child should grow up isolated and alone,” Kristin said softly. “Every child should have a family to call their own. Theseus doesn’t have any of that.”

“I know,” Phil whispered.

“He’s been raised by servants for almost six years, Phil.”

“I know.”

“The only life Theseus has known is a life inside that palace, alone, with no one to take him anywhere else and show him the world.”

“I know.”

“We don’t even know if he has friends, or someone that cares for him as if he were their own child. What if he has no one that truly loves him Phil? No one at all?”

Phil opened his eyes and met the teary eyed gaze of his wife. Her dark brown eyes shimmered in the light, tears like crystals gathering as she continued to stare at him. He reached for her, gently wiping the tears from underneath her eyelids away.

“I just want him to be happy, as happy as our boys are,” Kristin whispered.

“I know,” Phil said softly before bringing his wife into a hug.

Phil knew why Kristin was upset and why she must feel devastated for Theseus. He knew because she had looked at him the same way the night they first met—when they were two little kids with titles too big and responsibilities too heavy—in a ballroom full of people they didn’t know.

He remembers how he took her by the hand, guiding her through dancing skirts and around tall noblemen, slipping past the guards posted around the room. He remembers how they snuck out food and drinks to a silent part of the hallway where they sat in the moonlight coming through one of the palace windows. He remembers scrunching his nose at the taste of watered down wine and the way Kristin gagged before she set her own glass aside.

They had sat under the moonlight eating stale pasties that had sat out for too long, getting sugar and crumbs all over clothes they would only wear once. They had exchanged stories and jokes, telling each other about the similarities and the differences in each other's lives. Kristin complained about the corsets she had to wear and all the lessons she had to take about learning how to walk with perfect posture. Phil complained about all the lessons he had to take to perfect his language and diction and how the boots he wore were so uncomfortable he knew he’d have blisters on his feet the next morning.

It was there in the moonlight—dancing to a song that drifted from the ballroom and down the hall—that Phil admitted Kristin was his first friend.

And it was in that same moonlight where Kristin’s eyes teared up in the same way they would tear up years from now, and said that he was her first friend too.

Now Phil hugged Kristin—his wife, his best friend —a little tighter, and swore that he would make things right.

⋅⋅⋅ ⭑ ☀ ⭑ ⋅⋅⋅

To my dearest sons,

In a week’s time we will be joining you at the Summer Palace. Your father had some meetings and other duties to wrap up, and I had my own duties to tend to. Someone has to make sure that the capitol palace will be in order during our stay at the Summer Palace.

I am very excited to join you boys for the week. It’s been years since I visited the Summer Palace, let alone since we got to stay there as a family. The last time we were there altogether you boys were still toddlers who tried to eat the grass and dirt. You Wilbur, I believe, managed to have a few handfuls of sand that the gardeners were filling a pond with. I still remember the horror on your father’s face when he found out, and the way I laughed.

It will be a delight to spend time under the summer sun with you both, exploring the gardens and visiting your ponds. While the weather is clear up here, it isn’t as warm as the Summer Palace surely is. It will be refreshing to just enjoy the sun without having to worry about anything else for a few days.

And do not fret Wilbur, I will make sure that your guitar is delivered safely to your arms. How disappointing that there are no instruments for you to play! We must change that.

To answer your question, yes Techno, your aunt did like to garden. When she and I first became friends I believe one of the first things she showed me was her garden in the capitol. There is still a portion of her garden that is cared for today.

And the elaborate gardens you explore every day? She helped design those when she was still in her teenage years. I remember helping her pick out the flowers and other plants she wanted to plant while being marveled by her designs of courtyards and sprawling fields of flowers. She was a brilliant woman. I wish you got to know her better before she passed.

As for Theseus, those questions might be better answered in person. I can’t say that your father or I know much about the boy. But we are excited to meet your new friend.

The Summer Palace awaits us. I can’t wait to stay with you both for a week, and maybe if we are lucky, your father and I can extend our stay.

We will see you in a week's time.

Love,

Mum

P.S. Your father is sending you love as well. He can’t wait to see you boys again.

⋅⋅⋅ ⭑ ☀ ⭑ ⋅⋅⋅

When Tommy was told that he wouldn’t be having any lessons today, he knew that he was in trouble.

One of the older maids, a woman with greying hair and wrinkles gathering under her eyes, sat across from him in his room. She was one of the maids that had been caring for him since he was a baby, a servant who had served the royal family for her entire life. Anna was her name, and Tommy was terrified of her.

There were many reasons why he was afraid of her. But it was the hunger in his belly and the bruises on his skin that were the most obvious reasons why.

He fought the urge to wiggle in his seat. He never liked staying still—he wasn’t good at it either and never had been—but Anna hated it when he moved around. She always pointed out how it was a sign that he wasn’t paying attention or had too much energy. She called him an unruly, disobedient child who couldn’t listen.

Every reprimand from her always dared to bring tears to his eyes. But Tommy couldn’t cry, not when she would call him out for that too.

Anna sat silently in her chair, eyes focused on her stitching. Tommy wasn’t allowed to talk when she was busy. She said it was rude to interrupt her task when she was busy, and if he had something to say then he could wait.

The needle poked in and out of the fabric. It caught the light, glinting, and Tommy couldn’t help but wonder how bad it would hurt if it pierced his skin the same way it pierced through the fabric. Sometimes Anna looked up at him with a calm face, with this horrible fire in her eyes, as she threaded her needle through fabric. She looked at him like she wanted to pierce through his skin, slipping a needle through his body stitching up all the flaws she hadn’t managed to break out of him.

“Theseus,” she started, tying off her thread as she finished her stitching. Tommy didn’t dare to meet her eyes, hanging his head as he stared at the floor. “Do you care to tell me why you have been spending time with our guests when you are meant to stay in your room?”

Tommy stayed silent. He listened to the snipping of scissors as Anna cut off loose threads. He didn’t dare look up from the floor.

“You are meant to be focusing on your studies. Not meandering with our esteemed guests.”

“I’m sorry ma’am,” Tommy mumbled. Anna snapped her scissors shut and Tommy couldn’t stop himself from flinching.

“Stop mumbling, it’s improper.” Her words were just as harsh as the sound of her snapping scissors. Tommy blinked back tears that were starting to come to his eyes. “You know you are forbidden from interacting with guests, yet alone being seen by them, but what have you been doing the past couple of weeks?”

“Interacting with the guests,” Tommy whispered. 

“Speak up Theseus.”

“I’ve been interacting with the guests ma’am,” Tommy said more loudly. He sniffled and wiped his nose with the back of his hand. 

“You are disrespecting the King’s direct orders to keep you secret and safe. We do our part by keeping guests away from your quarters, yet you run straight to our guests, his majesty's own children. Do you know how much trouble the rest of the staff will be in for your foolish decisions?”

Tommy didn’t know, and he didn’t know if he wanted to either. He just wanted Anna to leave so he could lay down in bed and cry the rest of the day away. He wouldn’t have Wilbur or Techno there to comfort him, but at least he would Henry. That stuffed cow brought him joy and comfort for years, and it was the first friend he really had.

That’s if Anna didn’t take the stuffed toy away too. 

“Do you remember Clementine?” Anna asked, interrupting Tommy’s thoughts. He stiffened, memories of his favorite old maid appearing in his mind. “She adored you, and did so much for you. But your foolish mistakes cost Clementine her job.”

“What did I—what did I do?”

Anna clicked her tongue, and Tommy looked up to meet her cold eyes. 

“You snuck away from your lessons to watch some guests we had years before now. You dared to expose yourself and almost gave away the royal family’s secret,” Anna said. “Clementine was supposed to watch you, and she paid the price for your stupid decisions.”

Tommy opened his mouth, then closed it, then bit down on his lip to hold back a whimper. Tears began to stream down his face as he choked on hiccups, unable to hold them back any longer. He trembled in his place on his seat, hands shaking in his lap as they clenched and unclenched around the fabric of his plants. He dug his fingers into his pants, feeling his fingernails pierce into his skin through the fabric. He bit down harder on his lip to hide his sobs yet watched his tears drop into his lap.

Clementine leaving was his fault.

All these years he had wondered what happened. Why had she left, why had she disappeared without saying a word? Why did she have to be everything he wanted in a mother, but fade away just like his biological one?

Why did she leave him?

And all of this time, all of these years, grasping onto fading memories of a woman he loved like his mother, it was his fault for her disappearance. He drove her away with his mistakes. It was all his fault.

Soft steps padded across the room, and calloused fingers tucked themselves under his chin. Lightly they lifted his head up, forcing Tommy to look into Anna’s eyes. The older maid looked at him with pity and ran a hand through his hair, cooing at him.

“C’mere Theseus, all will be alright.” Anna wrapped him up in a hug and without thinking, Tommy returned it. He let himself be pulled closer and let his sobs out. Anna hugged and ran a hand through his hair the whole time, encouraging him to let his tears out. “We will fix this and make sure another mistake doesn’t happen.”

Tommy nodded, already swearing to himself that he wouldn’t make more mistakes. He wouldn’t be stupid and he would listen to his elders when he was told to. He would be the perfect little follower, listening intently and diving into his studies.

He would be everything that the servants trained him to be since he was born.

The perfect little forgotten bastard, who’s name would go unremembered.

(He hoped that Wilbur and Techno would remember him.

And, foolishly, he hoped that they would accept him as family and bring him home. That they would free him from the place he called ‘home.’

He’s alone. He’s so, so alone.)

⋅⋅⋅ ⭑ ☀ ⭑ ⋅⋅⋅

Techno hadn’t seen Tommy in days.

All those afternoons spent in the garden, chasing after one another, making wishes as they blew on dandelion tufts, and plucking petals off of flowers, came to a sudden stop. There was no word, no prior warning. There was only silence, followed by disappointment, as two princes stood in the fading sunlight for a friend that would not be coming.

No matter how long they waited in the shade of the greenhouse, waiting for Tommy to run into the gardens with a smile on his face, he never came.

At first they thought it was a fluke. Tommy had just forgotten or got caught up with his studies. There was no way he could tell the twins that he wouldn’t be able to come, not when he had to sneak around as he did. It was alright, or it would have been, if Tommy had shown up the next day.

Again, the twins had spent that afternoon in the garden watching the sun travel across the sky and the shadows stretch, realizing yet again that Tommy would not be joining them that day. Techno remembered the worried look on Wilbur’s face when he glanced at the path that Tommy usually skipped down, waiting for the boy that would not come.

Techno remembered going to bed that same night, wondering if Tommy was okay. He was just a little kid and this was so out of the blue. What could have gone wrong?

Wilbur joined him that night, voicing his own worries. He wouldn’t shut up, spiraling into all sorts of theories about what could have happened to Tommy, until Techno pulled him into his arms and didn’t let go.

When the third day came around and Tommy didn’t show up within the first hour that he usually did, the twins went looking for him. Their first thought was to check the palace, clearly Tommy wasn’t outside, or else he would be with them. Right?

But as they made their way back to the palace Techno couldn’t help but take notice of a group of children playing in the courtyard. He knew Wilbur’s interest was piqued when the twins’ matching steps faltered. Pausing, they exchanged a look, reading each other’s expressions. A silent agreement was made between them, proven by the way they nodded at each other and made their way to approach the children.

The kids were playing some game that Techno didn’t recognize. Which made sense, most of the games he played when he was their age or younger were games he made up with Wilbur. His older brother was the only playmate he had for a long time until their parents started introducing them to more kids their age. He and Wilbur’s games included all kinds of games of pretend, some games with colorful chalk or skipping ropes, and even wooden swords that they would fight each other with. Mostly just for the sake of hitting each other, if Techno was being honest.

The children were playing some sort of game with a ball, kicking it between each other as other children tried to take it. Not all the children participated, some sat on the sidelines to watch, while another few were drawing on the courtyard tiles with chalk. The drawings would eventually have to be washed away, it was sad how temporarily they were. A fleeting moment of expression and passion that would be erased. At least the chalk drawings brought the children joy in the moment.

One of the children drawing noticed the twins first. The young girl’s eyes widened, and she nudged the boy laying at her side. The boy’s eyes also widened and he said something to another child, and soon enough the games came to a stop and the children stared at the twin princes.

Techno felt his nerves rising and he looked away from the curious stares of the servant children, hands shaking at his side. He went to tuck them behind his back, but Wilbur took his hand in his own hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

“Hello,” Wilbur said, greeting the children kindly. “Sorry for interrupting your games. We were just wondering if you know a boy named Tommy, or if you’ve seen him recently?”

One of the older children turned to look at their friend, who whispered something to them. Their eyes widened in recognition and they nodded before turning to address the twins.

“You mean Theseus?” they asked. Wilbur nodded. “We don’t know, I’m sorry.”

Wilbur’s face fell, and Techno saw some of his hope diminish.

“You don’t have any idea where he might be?” Techno found himself asking. The older child shook their head.

“No, I’m sorry. We’re not allowed to speak to Theseus,” they explained. “Sorry we couldn’t be of any help to your highnesses.”

“It’s alright,” Wilbur said, voice flat. “Thank you.”

Then Wilbur squeezed his hand again and pulled them in a different direction. Techno turned his head to look over his shoulder to take one last look at the servant children. They were whispering to each other, their games abandoned. The older one they spoke to found him staring, and Techno couldn’t help but hold their gaze until he was dragged inside.

Looking around the palace was their next order of business. They had gotten to know it well over the few weeks they had been staying. Wilbur could count all the rooms filled with forgotten artwork and Techno could find his way to all the rooms with antique weaponry.

So while the palace was vast, Techno and Wilbur knew their way around.

They pulled the doors open to each room they could, calling Tommy’s name and looking in every hiding spot the boy possibly could have squeezed himself into. Techno even picked locked doors while Wilbur kept watch, and they snuck into rooms they had never been in before.

But no matter how many dust filled rooms they searched through, no matter how many doors they pulled open, secret crannies they looked in, or hallways they paraded through, there was no sign of Tommy.

It was like the boy had never existed, nothing in the palace gave any insight to where Tommy might be.

At that point Techno just wanted to give up, to ask Puffy or Sam for help, or ask a servant. But he knew better, thinking of the fear on Tommy’s face every time they mentioned the staff.

No matter how he wanted to see the boy again, he would never risk harming Tommy. Never.

It’s Wilbur who came up with the idea of exploring the part of the place they’re forbidden from. 

“It’s the one place we can’t look and the only place left where Tommy might be,” Wilbur said as they walked through the halls. He led Techno by his hand, directing him where to go. Ever since Wilbur was turned away from this area of the palace they’ve avoided it since. But Techno remembered when they saw Tommy coming from this way, and he’s sure Wilbur remembered as well. It’s their last guess and it’s as good as any. 

And it might be one of their last chances as well, because in just a few days their parents would be here. Both of them wanted to spend time with their parents, and if their father truly did seal off this part of the palace, then neither of the twins wanted to be in trouble. 

Especially if their parents decided to take them home as a sort of punishment. Then they wouldn’t be able to say goodbye to Tommy. 

But Techno wasn’t going to allow that to happen. Wilbur wouldn’t let it happen either. 

Going back to that hallway that led to the quarters they were forbidden from wasn’t difficult. It wasn’t like they hadn’t considered exploring it before. But each time they made their way down to their late aunt’s old quarters they either turned around and avoided it, or they ducked their heads around the corner to find a guard posted at the entrance.

And again, when they came and crouched at the corner to peer around, there was another guard. Just like there always was. Techno found it interesting that they felt the need to keep it guarded off all the time. What was so important about abandoned rooms that they always needed a guard posted?

“What do we do?” Wilbur asked, leaning over to whisper in Techno’s ear. Techno only shrugged. Neither of them had exactly thought this through.

“It’s not like we can get around them,” Techno replied. “What about a distraction?”

Wilbur frowned. “They’ll just come to find us at the corner. This hallway doesn’t lead anywhere else.”

Yeah, they really hadn’t thought this through.

In the end there was nothing else they could do but approach the guard and demand to be let through. They rolled back their shoulders and straightened their posture, nodding to each other. It was like when they prepared to see their citizens, dressed up with their crowns and royal garbs, the perfect princes they had been raised to be. Only this time they were only wearing play-clothes and no crowns adorned their heads. Nonetheless they walked into the hallway as confident as they could be.

But the guard only stared down at them with a smirk on his face and refused to let them through. Wilbur’s face twisted into a scowl at the blatant disrespect and Techno just let his anger bubble in his stomach.

Techno watched as Wilbur argued with the guard, trying to use his silver tongue to get what he wanted. But the dumb guard wasn’t budging, continuing to stand in the middle of the hall and refusing to let them any further. He dared to smile and snort to himself when Wilbur pointed a finger at his chest and said he would get their father involved. The guard had no respect for the princes, his future leaders.

It frustrated Techno to no end. The staff at this palace had shown them so little respect and undermined their words. While they put their princes on a pedestal, Techno didn’t appreciate being treated like a child who didn’t know what he was doing. Sam and Puffy had gotten more respect than he and his brother had since they stepped foot into the palace.

Just because he was a child didn’t mean he couldn’t speak to an adult. He could hold a conversation and speak in a serious manner. But the Summer Palace staff didn’t seem to understand that.

It was pointless. The guard would not listen to them no matter what they said. He wasn’t listening to Wilbur, and the more he continued to talk, the more pointless his arguments became. Techno knew, and he was sure his brother was figuring this out too.

Matters only got worse when a maid turned the corner and paused as she found them standing there. She was an older woman with greying hair and crow’s feet around her eyes. They weren’t the kind of crow’s eyes that his father had, the one that pinched his eyes when he smiled brightly, the smile he gave the twins when he told them how proud he was. No, this woman frowned and her expression darkened as she stared down the princes.

Her eyes shifted to Wilbur, who was still trying to reason with the guard, and her frown turned into a scowl.

“What’s going on?” she asked, briskly walking down the hall to stand beside the guard, crossing her arms as she stared down the twins. She met Wilbur’s eyes and Techno couldn’t help but wonder why Wilbur scowled so darkly at her. “Haven’t you already been told that you are not permitted in these quarters?”

“Ma’am,” Techno said, speaking up before Wilbur could spit words in the woman’s face like he had done to the guard. “In all due respect we were just looking for our friend and was wondering if he was down this hall.”

“Tommy, we’re looking for a boy named Tommy,” Wilbur added.

“There is nobody named Tommy here,” the woman said. “I suggest you leave.”

“Theseus?” Wilbur supplied, and the expression on the woman’s face only grew darker. Techno wanted to slap his brother for mentioning his name. Hadn’t he figured it out by now that Tommy was not to be mentioned to the staff?

Techno didn’t need a reminder about Tommy’s panic-stricken expression when they had mentioned talking about him to the staff before. He remembered the way the boy had run from them just at the mention of the three of them being found side by side. Tommy wouldn’t be caught dead by the princes’ side, at the risk of some punishment too horrible for the boy to mention.

“Leave, or I’ll be reporting this to your father,” the woman said, and Techno knew that no matter what they said, they would not be continuing down the hall.

Wilbur’s eyebrows crossed and he opened his mouth to say something else, but Techno grabbed onto his wrist and began tugging his brother back down the hall.

“Techno!” Wilbur hissed but Techno shushed him as he pulled them around the corner.

“It’s not worth it Wilbur,” Techno said. “If we can’t find Tommy, then Tommy doesn’t want to be found.”

Even as the words rolled off of Techno’s tongue, he hoped they weren’t true.

⋅⋅⋅ ⭑ ☀ ⭑ ⋅⋅⋅

The arrival of the King and Queen—the twins' parents—was a grand one. Wilbur hadn’t seen the palace staff so busy since they arrived, and even still, there was not as much preparation done when the twins arrived.

The halls were lined with vases of freshly cut flowers. The floor shined and sparkled in the sunlight and the courtyards were wiped clean of chalk and dirt. The rugs have been cleaned and new curtains hung in freshly cleaned windows.

Days before the King and Queen were supposed to arrive the staff had been running around frantically to clean the palace up. It didn’t look too bad, in Wilbur’s opinion, but he also thought that the staff wouldn’t have been so rushed if they kept the palace in better shape all the time.

But it didn't matter now, because Wilbur was standing at the top of the Summer Palace’s steps with Techno at his side, watching his parents’ carriage roll up the gravel pathway.

It was a simple carriage, one that was meant to go unnoticed when the royal family traveled. Something too elegant would be subject to a lot of assassination attempts. They have history books to back up this fact. Still, it’s a very nice carriage, and the servants even step down to roll out a carpet so the monarchs wouldn’t have to step on the gravel.

Which is dumb, Wilbur has seen both of his parents track mud into the palace at the capitol, straight into the rooms of their home. But then again, it wasn’t like the Summer Palace servants knew this.

Their father, Phil, stepped out of the carriage first. He was dressed in his traveling clothes, ones that were designed to be comfortable for long journeys, but still presented his status wherever he arrived. Wilbur watched as his dad held his hand up to block the sun, a smile spreading across his face when he caught the eye of his sons. He gave a little wave and Wilbur smiled, waving back. 

Phil turned and held out a hand. Cautiously, their mother took a step out of the carriage, easily placing her hand into Phil’s so he could help her out. She also looked up at the boys as soon as her feet hit the ground, a grin easily lighting up her face.

Together their parents quickly made their way up the stairs, and even though there weren’t many, Wilbur had to fight back the urge to meet them halfway. The twins never split from their parents for long. Older servants from home had always joked with the twins—and the royal family as a whole—about how close knit they were. They also said how precious it was to see a pair of royal siblings so close to each other and their parents, especially compared to their ancestors.

It was a fact that Wilbur always took pride in. Their love was so strong that they didn’t want to split apart.

Those moments spent running in the gardens with Techno’s hand in his own, nights spent sitting in his father’s study when he couldn’t sleep, and helping his mother plan out her tea parties, were times that Wilbur held close to his heart. It was living proof of how much his family loved each other. He would never let those moments go.

But more recently, as he thought of his family, he thought of a boy with golden hair and eyes so blue they mirrored the sky. He looked back at memories of a boy that smiled when they ran down the hall with stolen treats and a boy that shouted his name when he wanted to point out something cool. He thought of a boy who could make him smile with just a thought.

Wilbur thought of Tommy, his little brother in all but name and blood.

Tommy, who he hadn’t seen or heard from in days.

So even as he embraced his parents as they joined them at the top of the steps, he couldn't help but wish that Tommy was here to stand beside him and Techno, another piece of their family.

“I hope you two have been good,” Kristin said, ruffling Wilbur’s hair after she finished embracing him. Wilbur scowled when he heard Techno snort, crossing his arms as he looked up into his mother’s eyes.

“Of course we’ve been good!”

Kristin laughed, linking Wilbur’s arm in her own so they could walk side by side into the palace. In front of them Techno talked excitedly to Phil about his sword training he had continued practicing. Admittedly, in the past couple of days he’s skipped his lessons to lie in bed with Wilbur until the sun was high in the sky and leaking through their windows. But Techno’s always been a good swordsman, and a few days break from his lessons wouldn’t affect him too much.

Wilbur’s archery, however, would be greatly affected. He’s always had more of a way with words than with a weapon anyway. His parents could recognize this too, and encouraged his music and poetry lessons.

After all, just because Wilbur and Techno were twins, that didn’t mean they had to have the same skills and interests.

“How has your friend been?” Kristin asked Wilbur as he guided her down the hallway. Wilbur’s steps almost faltered but he managed to catch himself and keep his pace. But his mother took notice, her eyes glancing down to watch Wilbur’s expression before she looked back up.

Ahead of them, Techno seemed to falter for a second too. He overheard of course, but Techno always seemed to be the more put together of the two. Wilbur was surprised to see him stumble for a second before he continued his conversation with their father.

Maybe it was telling how much the twins had come to adore Tommy.

“We, um, haven’t seen Tommy in a few days,” Wilbur said. “But I’m sure he’s alright, probably busy with chores or studying or something.”

Kristin frowned.

“I thought you said that you spent all your afternoons together?”

“Yes, but Tommy sneaks around a lot,” Wilbur admitted. “Maybe he’s not supposed to, and we got him in trouble.” Wilbur looked up into his mother’s eyes, trying to control the sad desperation in his voice. “I don’t want Tommy to be in trouble when it’s I and Techno’s fault for always encouraging him to come with us.”

“Don’t worry,” Kristin said, smiling softly. “I’m sure he’s alright.”

Wilbur hoped so. He didn’t know what he would do if he found out Tommy wasn't okay. Especially when it was he and Techno’s fault for always bringing Tommy along on their adventures, even when the boy protested and told them it wasn’t a good idea.

Wilbur would hate for Tommy to be in trouble because of something he had done.

He just wanted Tommy to be happy. Was that too little to ask for?

⋅⋅⋅ ⭑ ☀ ⭑ ⋅⋅⋅

Tommy’s hands hurt.

His palms were bruised and split in some places. The servants had to bandage them every day, rubbing different salves and healing creams into his palms to help the bruises and cuts heal. Tommy cried the first time, but he’s since gotten used to it.

Anna told him that getting his hands beat was a simple punishment, one that he shouldn’t have cried about. She told him that the punishment could have been worse, that she could have done something that would really make him cry.

For once in his life, Tommy had snapped at her and told Anna that maybe she shouldn’t be physically punishing him at all.

She had slapped him for that.

It had been the first time Tommy had been hit, truly hit. There was a difference between getting slapped with a wooden stick on your hands and getting backhanded across the face by a woman that had all but raised you.

Surprisingly, even though the hit had stung, Tommy hadn’t cried. He remembered the shock, the way he had fallen silent with his head tilted to the side, frozen with disbelief. He knew that Anna had lectured him afterwards, but all he can remember was the way the sting lingered on his cheek and the bruise that formed later.

Clementine had once sworn to him that no matter how bad he had been, he didn’t deserve to be hit. Whether it was with a wooden ruler to his palms, or a slap to his face.

Tommy wondered if she had lied.

He tried not to think about the bruise on his face even though there was not much to do when he’s been stuck in his room for days. He wasn’t allowed to leave, and now a servant or one of his tutors had to sit and watch him all day. Anna used to sit with him and watch him cry as he tried to hold a pencil with his bruised hands while a tutor taught him, but she’s been busy with the preparations and arrival of the King and Queen.

It’s something Tommy’s been grateful for. While Anna can be kind to him—she will wrap his hands up and kiss the bruise on his cheek, giving him hugs after a punishment and promising she won’t do it again if he’s good—she’s also the one to tell his tutors to hit him harder with their rulers.

It doesn’t mean that Tommy enjoyed staying in his room all day. While it was a big room, one with plenty of space for his studies and space to run around, most of the time he sat at his desk taking notes. His tutors always criticized his handwriting and reading skills, but sometimes they move too fast through the lessons that he can’t understand the subjects. And while he had the space, most of his toys had been taken away and he wasn’t allowed to play in his room anymore. Or at all really.

He remembers the one day he got to hang out with the servant children, a year or two ago. He remembered asking what subjects they were studying and what books they had read. He remembered the shock and confusion on their faces when they said that most children didn’t start their schooling until they were five or six, and depending on what help their parents needed, sometimes it was even later.

Tommy’s been studying since he learned to walk. And maybe that’s a stretch of the truth, but he remembers being little and having the maids read to him, helping him write his name as soon as he could hold a pencil in his hands. They praised him and pushed him harder to read and write at a young age, encouraging him to work harder and harder.

He had thought it was normal to spend every day, all day long, studying instead of getting time to play. Apparently, he was wrong.

One of the children had asked him if he was some sort of genius at his age. Tommy didn’t think he was, but he did think that all the servants and his tutors wanted him to be. Maybe that’s why they punished him when he couldn’t pay attention.

But today his studies have been interrupted by Anna and a few other maids barging into his room.

“Miss?” his tutor asked, looking up from where he had been hanging over Tommy’s shoulder, telling him what lines he needed to rewrite. The ache in his hands made it very difficult to write neat letters and straight lines. “Is everything alright?”

“The Queen has requested to see Theseus,” Anna said. She almost sounded bitter and upset about this fact, but Tommy assumed it was because there was no prior warning about her majesty’s request. From what he knows, the royal majesties have only been here for a day. “He is to join her for afternoon tea.”

Tommy glanced up to find his tutor frowning. “It’s already noon.”

“I know!” Anna snapped. “Theseus come here, we have to get you ready.”

They hadn’t even begun to start preparing him for his audience with the Queen, but Tommy was already dreading it. Especially when Anna looked at him with a horrible scowl on her face, barking at the other maids to grab him new clothes and cosmetics.

The next hour of Tommy’s life was spent preparing for him to meet the Queen. There was no time for Tommy to have lunch or even ask any questions about why he was meeting the Queen. There was only a flurry of rough hands brushing his hair, cosmetics being applied to his face to hide the bruise on his cheek and brighten his eyes, and formal clothes that Tommy had never seen before but was forced into. They were a beautiful shade of blue and gold—the kingdom’s colors—and fit him near perfectly. They also itched. Tommy hated them.

As a final touch Anna had slipped clean, white gloves over his hands. Even though they fit nicely with the rest of his outfit, Tommy knew that they were to cover the bruises and cuts on his palms. He couldn’t exactly have the Queen knowing he was getting punished for making stupid decisions. He was supposed to have a much better impression than that.

Tommy didn’t know why the Queen had requested to see him. He tried to ask, but the maids had told him to shut up and stay still so they could finish rubbing cosmetic sparkles on his cheeks. There seemed to be no reason for the Queen to request to see him anyway, it’s not like the royal family had tried to create any ties with him.

The last time he had seen the Queen was when he was two. Probably. It’s not a very clear memory anymore.

He thought that visit was a fluke, as he grew up it became easy to believe that the Queen had only visited him to make sure he was in good hands with the servants. After too many nights spent staring up at a portrait of a family— his family—that hadn’t come to wrap him up in their arms and take him somewhere else, he assumed that they didn’t want him. They had abandoned him in this palace to be forgotten, or else they would have come for him, surely? 

But sometimes Tommy thinks about how the twins had arrived, not knowing who he was or why he was there, and wondered what the truth was.

Tommy just wished that he could be wanted by the family he always hoped he could have.

But now here he was, being guided through the palace hallways, going to meet the Queen for the second time in his life.

He was led to one of the outdoor terraces, a wide room with glass walls and plants and vines crawling all over the place. The tile floors glittered as the sunlight shone through the windows. Neat pots and vases of flowers surrounded the room, a couple of trees and other bushes sitting around too.

In the center of the room was a table and pair of chairs, neatly set for two, with a tea pot and little dishes of pastries sitting atop it.

But what really caught Tommy’s attention was the way the Queen smiled when he entered the room. It was the same smile he could remember from all those years ago, that one that tugged at her eyes and seemed to lit up her whole face.

She stood from her chair and even as the maids paused to curtsey and Tommy bowed, walking over to them. The skirts of her lavender dress glided across the floor, and dark hair fell over her shoulders when she leaned forward slightly, offering Tommy a hand after he stood up straight again.

“Tommy,” she said, and Tommy tried to hide his surprise and glee. No one called him by that name, it was always Theseus. The only ones who did were Wilbur and Techno, because that’s how Tommy had introduced himself to them. Faintly, he can recall telling the Queen how he preferred that name over his birth name, but he didn’t expect her to remember that after all these years had passed.

“Your Majesty,” Tommy breathed out, taking the Queen’s hand, not knowing what else to say. The Queen only smiled at him before looking back at the maids that had escorted Tommy here. Anna was staring at the Queen, her expression unreadable.

“You may leave us,” the Queen said, waving her hand.

“But it is our duty too–” Anna began before the Queen cut her off.

“I appreciate your willingness to help, but I believe I know how to pour my own tea,” the Queen said. “I’d like to spend some time with Tommy. Surely there are more important duties for you to attend to.”

Anna didn’t say anything else, but her brows did furrow in a way Tommy could recognize as annoyance. She turned sharply around and headed out of the room with the other maids following behind at her heels. The Queen was quiet until the doors had closed behind them and the sound of their footsteps had faded.

“Let’s have some tea.” The Queen looked down at Tommy with a smile, guiding him to the table. Tommy let her take him along.

He sat in his chair, quiet, as he watched the Queen pour the two of them tea. All of her movements were fluid and graceful, the kind of poise that the servants wished Tommy had. But he was always a more stumbly child and found easy tasks like pouring tea a lot more difficult when there was pressure for him to be so graceful. His dancing lessons were a great example of this, he couldn’t dance to save his life.

“Cream or sugar?” The Queen looked Tommy in his eyes, startling him out of his thoughts. He only shrugged, watching as the Queen added both cream and sugar to each of the cups.

“Phil loves to tease me about how sweet I like my tea, but I think it tastes the best like this,” the Queen said, sliding one of the cups over to him. “I think you’ll like it too.”

“Thank you,” Tommy said, taking the cup. He took a sip, eyes widening a little bit. This was much better than all the tea he’s had before. It wasn’t bitter or gross like the tea the servants would give him before bed or whenever he was sick. It was much, much sweeter and tasted better than he thought.

The Queen must have noticed how he enjoyed it because she giggled as she took a sip of her own cup.

They sat together in silence for a few minutes, just drinking tea. Despite how hungry he was, Tommy didn’t dare reach for the pastries laid out on the table, not wanting to be called out for being greedy or get reprimanded for getting sugar all over his gloves. The Queen didn’t make a move to take them either, she seemed content to hum to herself as her eyes wandered around the room.

“This terrace is beautiful, but I think I do prefer the greenhouses we have at home,” the Queen said, breaking the silence. “Surely my sons have told you all about them?”

Tommy froze, sharply taking in a breath. “They told you about me?”

“Of course!” The Queen smiled at him as she set down her cup of tea. “You are friends, so of course they’ve been happy to share something about you. I’ve heard all about your afternoon adventures even though I just arrived a day ago.”

“And you—you aren’t mad?” Tommy dared to look up into the Queen’s eyes. She looked confused for a second before shaking her head slightly.

“Of course not, I’m glad to see my sons making more friends.”

“Oh.”

Tommy lapsed into silence, watching silently as the Queen began to cut up pastries on a dainty little dish. She sliced them neatly, picking them up with one of the tiniest forks he had ever seen. He remembered having a silverware lesson once, but he had never put it to use, and thus had never bothered to remember anything from it.

It was awkward, just a little bit, sitting with the Queen. This was his aunt, right in front of him, eating little cakes and serving herself tea as they sat together. He didn’t know a thing about her, nor did she know a thing about him. Yet she still gave him a smile when their eyes met and Tommy didn’t know how to feel about it.

“Your Majesty?” Tommy asked hesitantly.

“Please, call me Kristin,” she said. Tommy’s stomach flipped but he nodded, twisting his hands in his lap.

“Um, why—why did you ask to meet me?” He stared down at his hands, picking at the fabric of his gloves. Underneath the bandages on his hands began to itch.

“I wanted to spend time with you,” the Queen, Kristin, said. “I didn’t have the capability to set aside the time to be a part of your life. I would like to change that now.”

Tommy nodded, not daring to look up.

“I know I haven’t done much for you, but I would like to change that,” Kristin continued. “As much as you probably appreciated the gifts I sent you over the years, that’s not as important or special as actually having your aunt coming to visit.”

“Gifts?” Tommy looked up from his lap to meet Kristin’s eyes. “What gifts?”

Kristin frowned. “The gifts I sent you. For your birthday and the winter holidays?”

“I didn’t—I don’t—” Tommy cut himself off, trying to think of a time where he was presented with a gift. The last gift he can remember receiving was Henry, the stuffed cow Clementine gave him. Other than that, there were no memories that he could recall.

Over the years the servants told him that his life was a gift enough. He had some of the finest tutors in the land and a whole staff of servants and guards that would wait on his needs. He had food, clothes, toys, and a roof over his head. Sure, he got the occasional bite of a treat on his birthday and during the holidays, but they weren’t excessive or grand treats accompanied by a pile of gifts. Not like the stories and rumors of what the servants had bought for themselves or their children.

He was taught that wanting gifts was selfish. He should be grateful for what he had. He didn’t need anything more. He had taken too much in his life, so why should he be rewarded with anything?

So whatever the gifts the Queen had gotten him had either never arrived, or never made it to Tommy.

Maybe the servants had thrown them away. Maybe it had been a punishment he had forgotten. He could believe that.

“Did you not receive them?” Kristin asked. Slowly, Tommy shook his head. Kristin’s expression turned from one of shock into one of confusion. She frowned to herself, leaning back in her chair, looking thoughtful. Tommy just continued to fiddle with his gloves in his lap.

“Well, I suppose I have much more to make up for,” Kristin said under her breath. Tommy couldn’t help but overhear it, he had gotten awfully good at paying attention to all the things that servants said under their breath about him. “Would you like a pastry Tommy? More tea?”

Tommy shrugged. Kristin smiled at him but it didn’t reach her eyes like the last smile she had given him. She reached across the tiny table for the pastry plate, but as she lifted it up she knocked the edge of the plate into the teapot. It tipped over, spilling hot tea across the table and onto Tommy’s lap.

With a yelp Tommy sent his chair back as he kicked away from the table, hot tea stinging against his hands and legs. His pants began to soak up the hot liquid and his white gloves had been ruined by the dark tea blend. It wasn’t the worst pain he had felt, as the tea had been sitting out for a while, but it was still hot and uncomfortable.

“Shit!” Kristin stood quickly, grabbing a bundle of cloth napkins from the table and rushing to Tommy’s side. “I’m so sorry, I wasn’t paying attention, oh let’s get you cleaned up.”

“I’m fine,” Tommy said, trying to take the napkins from the Queen’s hands even as tears began to swell in his eyes. “I’m a big man.”

“Yes, the biggest,” Kristin said as she laid a napkin in his lap to soak up some of the tea. “Oh your gloves have been ruined, let’s get these off you.”

Before Tommy could say a word of protest, Kristin was tugging the gloves off of his hands. She pulled at the fingertips before tugging the whole glove off, pulling away ruined cloth to expose his ruined hand underneath. His bandages were exposed and soaked with tea, and Kristin’s worried expression seemed to get worse when she noticed.

Pushing himself out of his seat to distance himself from Kristin, Tommy all but crashed to the floor before running a few paces away. He was breathing heavily as he turned back around to find Kristin staring at him in horror.

Tommy pulled his hand to his chest—cradling it with his other, gloved hand—and wished she hadn’t seen it. An embarrassed heat rose to his cheeks as he turned his gaze to the floor, avoiding looking up at the Queen. How embarrassing was it for her to find out that he had been punished recently. It felt like a dirty secret of his had been revealed as the Queen had laid eyes on the bandages and bruises on his hand.

He closed his eyes and waited for the questions to come, the lecture he would get and the harsh words asking what he had done to warrant such a punishment.

Instead, Kristin’s voice was soft and horrified as she spoke.

“Tommy, what hurt you?”

“I’m fine,” Tommy said quickly, trying to control the way his body began to shake. His hands burned and he held them tighter to his chest. “I just made a mistake.”

“That doesn’t look like a mistake, it looks like it hurts,” Kristin said. She slowly began to cross the room, each of her steps cautious and quiet, until she was only a pace away from Tommy. She crouched down to his height, extending her hand. “May I see?”

Hesitantly, Tommy extended his exposed, injured hand. The bandages had begun to peel—they had stuck to the soaked fabric of the glove and had almost slipped off with it. Bruises and half-healed cuts were poking out from underneath, and as Krsitin began to slowly unwrap the bandages, she only revealed more.

Tommy trembled under the Queen’s concerned, dark gaze. She traced a finger softly around one of the bruises and another around a half-healed cut. Tommy had to bite back a whimper then, the cuts hurt a bit more than the bruises did. Plus the maids hadn’t changed the bandages since this morning, and the gloves had been irritating him for a while now.

But Tommy couldn’t cry, not in front of Kristin. He wasn’t a baby anymore, he was a big man. And big men like himself didn’t cry.

“How did this happen?” Kristin asked, reaching for his other hand. Tommy let her take it, and she pulled off the gloves and bandages to expose more bruises and cuts across his palms and knuckles.

“I made a mistake, and I was punished for it,” Tommy said, wishing he could pull his hands out of Kristin’s. He shifted on his feet nervously, looking away. He didn’t want her to inspect them anymore, he wanted to pull them back to his chest to hide them. He was ashamed of the way he had been punished recently, a testament to the mistakes and foolish decisions he had made. He should have just accepted that he would have to spend all summer in his room. He should have never snuck out.

But if he didn’t, then he would have never met his cousins.

Kristin breathed in a sharp intake of air, and exhaled deeply. She looked angry, horribly angry. It did nothing to control Tommy’s trembles.

“Nothing that you might have done should warrant a punishment like this,” Kristin said. “Do you hear me Tommy? This shouldn’t have happened.”

But it did. It did and Tommy’s hands were proof of this.

“Do you know who did this?” Kristin stared deeply into his eyes, desperation and sadness flicking across her face. Tommy nodded, but stayed silent.

“Could you tell me? Please, I promise you’re not in trouble,” Kristin said, rubbing softly at the unbruised skin of his hands.

“But last time I got someone else in trouble,” Tommy said, his bottom lip trembling as he tried to hold in his tears. He sniffled, blinking rapidly. “And then she had to leave me and it was all my fault.”

“Oh no Tommy no,” Kristin said, a hand coming up to wipe his tears. “I promise you won’t be in trouble and I won’t make anyone leave you if they are kind to you.”

Tommy brought one of his now free hands up to his face as he hiccuped. He wiped at the tears that had begun to trail down his cheeks, cosmetics and tears beginning to stain his hands. He winced as he rubbed a little too harshly against his bruised cheek and Kristin’s eyes widened as she stared at his face.

“Tommy,” she breathed out, looking horrified. Tommy froze. “Did they hit you?”

“Only once,” Tommy tried to argue, but Kristin wasn’t having any of it.

“Please Tommy, I just need a name, one single name.”

He had never seen anyone look so desperate. He doesn’t even think that Clementine looked at him with the same sadness and horror in her eyes before. The Queen looked like she had been harmed just as much as Tommy, and tears began to swell up in her eyes.

Tommy didn’t want her to cry. And he didn’t want to be punished anymore either.

So Tommy only hesitated a moment longer before hanging his head and staring at the floor.

“Anna. Her name is Anna. And she’s not the only one…”

⋅⋅⋅ ⭑ ☀ ⭑ ⋅⋅⋅

When his mother opened the door to reveal Tommy crying silently and clutching onto her skirts, Techno was frozen with shock. The boy had tears and cosmetics stained across his face. His clothes were stained by something, the most noticeable being his pant legs and sleeves. He sniffled and leaned closely into Kristin, who guided him into the room, a hand running through the boy’s curls gently.

Beside Techno, Wilbur was frozen in shock as well. He managed to break out of his stupor by the time they reached the twins' side, getting up and out of his seat to wrap Tommy in a hug. The boy seemed to hesitate for a second before he tightly squeezed Wilbur back, trembling.

“Tommy’s going to spend the afternoon with you boys,” Kristin said. “I have to discuss something with your father, so can you two keep an eye on him?”

“Of course!” Wilbur said as Techno nodded. Their mother let out a sigh, smiling gratefully at her sons.

“Thank you,” she said. “I’ll be next door with your father if you need anything.”

And with that her skirts swept around her as she turned and left the room.

Techno stumbled out of his seat to join Wilbur. His older brother was fretting over Tommy, trying to rub off stubborn cosmetics from his cheeks. But Techno couldn’t help but notice the bruises and cuts on Tommy’s hands, even as the boy kept them clutched around the fabric of his pant legs.

“Let’s get you cleaned up,” Techno said, holding out a hand for the boy to take. With teary eyes Tommy looked up at him and nodded, slowly placing his hand in Techno’s own.

The twins guided him to the bathroom, Techno helping to lift Tommy onto the counter while Wilbur riffled through drawers and cabinets to take out a washcloth and bandages. He must have noticed the state of Tommy’s hands as well.

Together the twins cleaned up Tommy to the best of their abilities. Wilbur washed the cosmetics off of Tommy’s cheeks, uncovering a bruise on his face. Both of the twins grimaced but didn’t say anything as they watched Tommy continue to hiccup and cry, sniffling and wiping at his eyes. They thought it was better not to ask the boy about it.

Techno applied a healing salve to Tommy’s hands before wrapping them neatly in bandages. He had a lot of experience anyway, his training swords and other equipment were off the finest you could get in the kingdom, but he still got cuts, bruises, and slivers on occasion.

Wilbur asked a maid to fetch Tommy new clothes, something less formal than what he was wearing at the moment. Techno couldn’t help but wonder why he was wearing such clothes in the first place, but he had been brought to their room by their mother. Maybe that was why.

Either way Tommy looked a lot better dressed in play clothes with a clean face and neatly bandaged hands. His eyes were still puffy and he still trembled a little, but overall he was much better than before.

“Do you want to stay inside Tommy?” Wilbur asked. “Me and Techno weren’t doing much this afternoon, so we’ll be happy to do anything you would like.”

Tommy only shrugged, eyes trained on the floor.

“How about we go to the greenhouse, just to get some sun,” Techno said. Tommy shook his head and mumbled something that Techno didn’t hear. “Do you mind repeating that?”

“I don’t wanna get in trouble,” Tommy said again, biting his bottom lip. Wilbur frowned and Techno felt his heart ache.

“It’s okay, you won’t get in trouble!” Wilbur promised. “We’ll even tell someone so if Mum comes looking for us she’ll know where we are. How about that?”

Tommy seemed to ponder Wilbur’s response for a moment before he nodded hesitantly. Wilbur smiled and Techno felt a small smile tugging at his own lips.

For Tommy’s peace of mind they told one of their mother’s attendants where they would be going before heading outside.

Just as they had days ago, the three of them stepped into the afternoon sun, ready to make their way to the greenhouse. Instead this time they had no snacks to carry with them, no swords to drag in the grass along the way, and no conversation to laugh over as they walked. The three of them were silent.

But the twins did get to walk hand in hand with Tommy as the three of them wandered across the grass together. The small gesture of trust from Tommy made the silence less heavy.

They sat in their usual place underneath the shade of the greenhouse and the tree that grew out from inside it. Wilbur hummed softly and Techno stared up at the clouds, watching them drift by. Tommy tugged some wildflowers out of the ground, plucking off individual flower petals, letting each little petal pinch between his fingers before he let it go.

“Is everything alright Tommy?” Wilbur asked, breaking the silence between them. Techno watched with a careful eye as Tommy stopped what he was doing, staring at the flower with half plucked petals in his hand.

“I don’t know,” he said softly. He was still for a moment before he continued to pluck off the petals again.

“You know you can tell us anything, right?” Techno said. “We swear that we wouldn’t tell anyone else if you don't want us too.”

Tommy was silent as he stared off into the distance, not saying a word. Techno was almost afraid that the boy was going to cry again, but he only sniffled and wiped his nose with the back of his hand.

The twins watched silently as Tommy continued to pick the petals off of the wildflowers. At this rate there would be nothing left around the greenhouse. When he ran out of wildflowers in his general area, he wandered into the sun, plucking dandelion tufts out of the ground.

Tommy inhaled deeply before blowing at the flower, its seeds being dragged into the wind. They danced in the air, carried upwards and away, spiraling through the air. Techno watched the seeds flow through the air in silence, wondering just how high they would fly before they would fall.

“Have you ever wished for something, something that you’ve wanted your entire life?” Tommy asked. His eyes were still trained up at the sky, watching the dandelion seeds dance as he held onto the empty stem. “And maybe you get close to having that thing, but are afraid it will get taken away again?”

“I’m not sure,” Wilbur said, and Techno hummed his agreement. Tommy didn’t look their way.

“I think there’s only one thing I wanted in my whole life,” he said. “And I don’t know if I’ll ever get to have it.”

As the wind died down, dandelion seeds began to fall from the sky.

Techno couldn’t help but wonder what Tommy had wished for.

⋅⋅⋅ ⭑ ☀ ⭑ ⋅⋅⋅

Phil’s head was in his hands. His wife stood beside him, silent.

When Kristin had all but burst through the door Phil expected his wife to greet him with a smile, excitedly telling him about what adventure the twins wanted to take them on. Instead he was greeted with an expression of dread and horror, and a story to explain why she had come to him as distressed as she was.

Tommy was being hurt. Tommy was hurt. Phil can only imagine the bruise on his cheek and the state of his ruined hands.

He was just a boy, not even in the double digits yet. Phil can’t imagine giving any sort of punishment like that to his children, let alone any other child. He can’t imagine Wilbur with bandages around his hands, unable to play his instruments or write his songs. He can’t imagine Techno with a bruise on his face, not wishing to name who dared to hit him like that.

He can’t imagine Tommy, who was only a babe the last time he had seen him, mistreated and shy and quiet. He had been such a loud baby, with a fierceness that reminded Phil of the boy’s late mother, his spitfire of a young sister who’s spirit couldn’t be tamed. He can't imagine how that spirit had been beaten out of Tommy, and who would dare do such a thing.

But it was obvious to Phil that things had changed over the years.

Phil had his suspicions about the state of the Summer Palace as soon as he had stepped into the grand building. It looked nothing like the palace he remembered spending his childhood summers at, running through the halls and chasing after dust that danced through sunbeams. Too much had changed since then.

Old antiques that used to line the halls had gone missing. Delicate housewares had jewels and gold lining scrapped from then. The floors didn’t shine the way they used to, and the carpets and curtains didn’t look as fine as they used to.

Paintings had gone missing from the walls. Furniture had gone missing from the rooms. Old heirlooms had been broken—jewels stolen and metal bent—and some were gone entirely.

Almost none of the old staff remained. Phil had asked about a few families shortly after they arrived, only to find out that they had resigned or been replaced long ago.

Which seemed strange, considering how many generations these servants had been serving and pledging their loyalty to the crown. Phil isn’t upset about the decision to leave, he can understand it, but it’s strange that the vast majority of the staff at the Summer Palace had only been hired in recent years.

Kristin told him about how she had hand-picked some attendants and maids to help in raising Tommy. None of them remained. It seemed rather odd, and none of the servants seemed to want to talk about it either.

And while Phil paid his staff well and made sure they had roofs over their heads and proper education for their children, some looked a little too well fed and well dressed. They looked and acted more like greedy nobles he knew that lined their pockets with whatever spare change they could find. It just so happened that Phil was awfully familiar with these sorts of people, and he recognized some of their same mannerisms in the servants and guards around him.

He didn’t want to point fingers or even confront someone about it, but Phil also wanted to make sure that his staff did their jobs instead of lazing about.

And by the looks of things, they had gotten a little too comfortable with lazing around the palace and abusing a child.

“What are we going to do Phil?” Kristin asked, breaking his train of thought. Phil lifted his head out of his hands to meet his wife’s concerned gaze. “Tommy told me names of all the staff that mistreated him, but Phil, the list is so long.”

“I don’t know,” Phil answered honestly. “I don’t want this many people to lose their jobs or their homes. But at the same time I have no respect for those that would dare to hit a child.”

Kristin hummed in agreement, sitting on the arm of the chair Phil had been seated in. Phil couldn’t help but notice how her lavender dress had been ruined, the fabric stained by what could only be tea and cosmetics from the way she described how Tommy had clung to her skirts as she led them across the palace.

“I think we have to make a harsh decision,” Phil said. “We don’t, and will never, tolerate this behavior. We’ve let our own staff get away with too much in these past years.”

He clenched a fist into the fabric of his pants. Kristin laid her hand gently atop his, rubbing gently circles into his skin. Phil turned his hand over and took Kristin’s hand in his own, squeezing it tightly.

“Whatever decision we make, I want Tommy to come home with us,” Kristin said. “We can’t leave him alone here anymore. I don’t trust whatever new staff we bring in. This place has proved to be unsuitable for a child to live alone in, no matter who cares for him.”

Phil found himself agreeing. While a part of him knew that he could just wait out the years until he sent Tommy away to school, another part of him wouldn’t dare to abandon his family again. He ignored his title of ‘uncle’ for far too long. Tommy deserved a family that would be there for him and love him unconditionally, without consequence.

“We need to tell the twins too,” Kristin continued. “They deserve to know that Tommy is family. They’re already friends, they would be delighted to hear this news.”

“I agree, they deserve to know.”

Tommy deserved so much more than what had been given to him. While his sister had left no instructions or wishes for how to care for his child, Phil hadn’t put any thought or effort into how Tommy would grow up. He could only imagine the way his sister would scream and demand payment for how her child had been mistreated.

She would have never allowed such a thing. She would have personally seen to Tommy’s studies, making sure he was getting the fair and proper education he deserved. She would have been there to spend summer afternoons with him and teach him how to play the piano, her favorite instrument. She would have surprised him with more gifts and sweets than he could have imagined.

She would have been such a good mother. And the only reason why Phil hadn't been a good uncle was because of the title ‘bastard’ that Tommy had been given at birth.

But every child deserved love. And Tommy hasn’t known that. Not yet.

“We’ll fix this,” Phil said, giving Kristin’s hand one last squeeze. “We’ll give Tommy the love that he deserves.”

⋅⋅⋅ ⭑ ☀ ⭑ ⋅⋅⋅

In the middle of the night, a child found himself standing in front of a familiar portrait.

Blue eyes studied the portrait of a woman he would never know. A mother in blood, but not so much in name. It’s not like she could be there for him.

He stared up into gray eyes, dull and tired much like his own were. He traced the pattern of freckles on the woman’s cheeks with his eyes, lifting a hand to touch his own face. Instead he winced when he pressed too hard on the bruise that covered his cheek. He looked at the neat golden curls that fell past the woman’s shoulders, wishing he had someone to run a soft hand through his own curls. He looked at the flower in the woman’s hair, and wondered if she sat in the gardens like he did, wishing on flower petals and hoping for something more.

He wondered how alike he and his mother were. He wondered what would have been different if she were still alive.

Would she have been there to wrap him up in hugs when the maids left him alone on the floor, telling him that he didn’t have to listen to the maids who told him that he shouldn’t make such silly attachments. Would she have been there to sneak him treats when the servants said he couldn’t have anymore, that he was already too greedy. Would she have jumped in the way of his punishments, telling his tutors that they had no right to hit her child when he was only having trouble paying attention.

He wondered a lot about how his life might have been different if his mother were still alive. But he couldn’t help but wonder if she would have been treated the same way as he was being treated, called out for bringing shame and disgrace to the royal name.

After all, who would have praised his mother for birthing a bastard child? Maybe both of them didn’t deserve the royal name.

He glanced down the hall, at another portrait illuminated by soft lamplight and moonlight that drifted in from another hallway. He made his way to the second familiar portrait, leaving behind the one of the mother he would never know.

The portrait was even more familiar to him than the last. Even as he looked at faces that were years younger—since the people in the portrait had aged while their painted counterparts would stay young forever—he couldn’t help but find the same comfort in them.

The King, sitting up straight and tall, the perfect leader and father of the small family. The Queen, the graceful and motherly queen who gave her children the affection they sought. The prince twins, the perfect pair of brothers that would always love and understand each other better than anyone else would.

How many times had he looked at this portrait and wished that this family could be his?

He always used to imagine himself, sitting in the middle of this family, smiling alongside them. He liked to imagine he was their youngest son rather than their nephew. Their littlest brother rather than their cousin. His name would go down in history books instead of being lost to time. He would be loved by his family and the kingdom, instead of being abandoned and alone.

He could be the perfect little prince.

How many times had he wished for this reality? How many petals had he plucked hoping to get the right number and land on his perfect wish? How many dandelion tufts did he blow seeds into the wind, watching his wish get carried away into the sky, hoping that an angel would cup it in their hands and make it come true?

How long would he have to wait for his wish to come true?

In the back of his mind, he thinks of the twins that he has befriended in the past few weeks. The ones that would chase him through the gardens, laugh at his jokes, and allow him to be himself without any consequence.

And sure, maybe they didn’t know the truth about who he was, but in those moments it didn’t matter anyway. Not when they were happy.

He thinks of the Queen, the one that visited him when he was young and gave him the same smile years later. The one who was the first to stand up for his mistreatment. The one that pulled him into her arms as he cried, promising him that things would be okay.

He thinks of the King, the one that the Queen had promised would make things right. Who would fix everything, who promised that he would help him.

And he hoped. He so desperately hoped that this time when they left, that they would take him with him.

Because there was nothing else in this world that he wanted more than a family.

He just wanted to be loved.

Tommy just wanted to be loved, unconditionally, without consequence.

⋅⋅⋅ ⭑ ☀ ⭑ ⋅⋅⋅

When Tommy met the King the following morning, he felt the need to burst into tears.

It was a rough night. He doesn’t remember having dinner or going to sleep. He just remembers how he wandered from the portrait hallway to the twin’s room. Both of them were asleep in the same bed, despite the fact that there was another room with another bed right next door. And because Tommy didn’t want to be alone he crawled into bed beside them.

Wilbur had rolled over and given him more space unconsciously. Techno had blinked awake for a moment, called him “Tomato” in a really confusing tone, before hugging him and pulling him under the covers.

And Tommy…Tommy had never been held like this before. He never had someone wrap their arms around him and pull them to their chest. He never had someone snuggle close and breathe so close that their breath tickled his neck.

Maybe the twins were a little too close, because Tommy felt like he was melting. But besides that, he really didn’t mind it. It was nice to feel wanted, to feel adored. To feel like you were something special.

So Tommy fell asleep in the arms of his cousins (his brothers, if he dared to wish) and had peaceful dreams.

When he woke up he was alone. The curtains were still drawn and the lights were out. Dimly, sunlight leaked through the cracks in the curtains, but the room was cast in shadows. 

The twins were gone. They had left him. Tommy could only feel cold acceptance. 

It was not the first time he had been abandoned. It was not the first time he opened his eyes, blinked away tears, and wished he could go back to sleep. It was not the first time that he wished he could disappear too.

That was until the twins opened the door, blinking simultaneously in surprise as they found Tommy sitting up in bed, wide awake. 

The twins' hair was wet. Wilbur’s hair looked ruffled and crazed, like he had just shook it out and towel dried it, deciding it was good enough. Techno was his opposite. His hair had been combed and pulled back in two even braids that fell over his shoulders. A few of his pink locks had escaped and began to curl around his ears. Both of the twins wore expressions of surprise, but happiness too.

“You’re up!” Wilbur said excitedly. He ran to the bed, dumping a bundle out of his arms and onto the sheets. Tommy hadn’t noticed he had been carrying it. “We got some clothes for you so you didn’t have to go back to your room on the other side of the palace.”

“I hope you slept well, we tried to let you sleep in this morning,” Techno said. “But our parents want us to gather for breakfast.”

Wilbur grinned brightly and Techno gave him a small smile. Tommy nodded and collected his bundle of clothes. He buried his face in them to hide his teary smile.

The twins helped Tommy get ready for breakfast. They did it with gentle hands and caring smiles. They didn’t scowl when Tommy admitted that he was having trouble with the laces of his shoes or tell him to suck it up when he said they were brushing his hair too hard. They were kind.

Tommy walked hand in hand with the both of them to breakfast. He didn’t even try to hide the skip in his step. And the twins swung him in their arms a little bit, his feet lifting into the air when the twins lifted him into the air high enough. He giggled every time he skipped and the twins swung, feeling like a bird that had just taken flight.

Somehow—skipping down the hallway in the arms of the twins—this moment felt like the happiest one he had in a while.

It’s been a while since Tommy had been in the dining hall. Most of the time he took his meals in his room, or was forced to. There was no reason for him to sit in the dining hall by himself anyway.

Today, however, the table had been set. The curtains that usually covered the windows had been opened, the tablecloth runner had been laid out, and maids were finishing setting down the last dishes of food. Plates of eggs, bread rolls, fruit, meat, and more had been set out. There were pitchers full of tea, coffee, juice, and water, with glasses set nearby.

The King and Queen were already sitting at the table. When the boys entered the room, they stood. The twins separated from Tommy to run into their mother’s open arms, and Tommy paused as he came to a stop before the King. He didn’t dare to look up into the King’s eyes, but that became more difficult when the King crouched down on the floor in front of Tommy.

“My boy,” the King said softly, opening his arms. “I am so sorry.”

He brought Tommy into his arms, giving him a tight hug. And Tommy couldn’t stop himself from tearing up, hugging the King back just as tight, his fingers digging into the fabric of the King’s coat.

He had never been hugged like this before.

He liked it.

Breakfast went without any faults. The twins were happy to fill Tommy’s plate, Wilbur giving Tommy bread roll after bread roll while Techno gave him heaping spoonfuls of roasted potatoes. Even when Tommy protested and said he could fill his own plate they said no, not wanting him to pass around dishes when the twins were more than able. Judging by the way they glanced at his still bandaged hands, Tommy could guess as to why. In the end his plate had been piled with more food than he could possibly eat, and Kristin laughed when she saw the near-distraught look on his face.

She told him he didn’t have to eat it all. Which was good, because he couldn’t even if he tried. He had no idea how Wilbur and Techno could just continue to eat without stopping. Maybe it was because they were older and bigger than him.

After breakfast Tommy was guided to the palace’s front courtyard, walking beside the Queen and King, the twins trailing behind them close by.

In the gravel sat a carriage, the driver already sitting in his seat and a coachman at the carriage’s side. He opened the door as the royal family approached, and they all got inside. Phil and Kristin sat together on one side, while Techno, Tommy, and Wilbur sat on the other.

Tommy heard the crack of a whip followed by a jolt as the carriage began to move. It crunched over the gravel and eventually evened as they reached the dirt path of the road. Tommy watched the Summer Palace get smaller and smaller as they traveled away, ignoring how the twins whispered at his side.

“Where are we going?” he asked. It was Phil who answered.

“The graveyard.”

Tommy could feel his face pale, and the carriage fell silent.

The carriage ride didn’t feel as long as it did when he was younger. It wasn’t as stifling either, not when there weren’t any maids to berate his behavior and tell him to stay quiet and still. This time the twins played games with him during the ride, Wilbur teaching him a game where he twisted strings between his fingers (Tommy didn’t know why Wilbur kept string in his pockets). Techno taught him another game where they guessed different things they saw outside the carriage window by using colors. Techno called it ‘I Spy’ or something similar.

Kristin watched the boys with a soft smile. Phil’s gaze was locked outside the window, eyes watching the scenery pass by.

When the gates of the graveyard rolled into view, Tommy wanted to sink into his seat and disappear. He didn't want to get out of the carriage. He didn’t want to walk up and down those silence rows, stones carved with names of people he didn’t know. He didn’t want to see his mother’s name on one of them.

But when the carriage came to a stop outside the gate and the doors were swung open, Tommy didn’t have much of a choice about whether or not he wanted to stay in the carriage.

Maybe if he asked nicely Kristin would have said yes. But he was too nervous to ask. Instead he clung tightly to her skirts instead, even when the twins asked if he wanted to hold their hands again. He shook his head no and tucked himself closer to Kristin. The Queen only smiled encouragingly at Tommy, giving his head a pat before they slowly walked through the gates and into the graveyard.

Phil led them down the paths. They went the same way that Tommy had years ago. He managed not to trip in the same spot as last time, but this time he walked much more slowly and hesitantly.

Kristin didn’t seem to mind that they were walking so slow. She seemed content to go at the same pace as him, even when her husband and sons walked a few paces ahead of them.

They stopped at a familiar grave. The grave was dirty. It had been worn down by the weather, grass growing too tall around the edges and moss creeping up the sides. There were no flowers laying atop the grass and soil. There were no gifts brought either, none to be laid down in respect for the dead.

Tommy stared at the name on the stone, one that he never bothered to remember. It was the name of a mother he would never know. The name of a woman in a portrait in the hall, with hair as golden as his own and eyes as grey as a storming sky.

The dates on her grave seemed a little too close together. Tommy never thought to ask how old she was when his mother died. He never wanted to know. But now being a few years older, more familiar with his letters and numbers and equations, he only has to glance at the dates to know that his mother died young. Too young.

Maybe that’s why the servants were always upset about him taking her life. Because she had such a long one to live, and he cut it so short.

“Hello sister,” Phil said. He broke the silence that had settled in the air around them. The breath felt like it had been stolen out of Tommy’s chest. The rustling of grass and faint chirping of birds faded away as Phil spoke. “It’s been a while.”

“My dearest friend,” Kristin whispered. She ran a hand through Tommy's hair, gentle as ever, even as she began to tremble. “How I miss you.”

“Hello auntie,” Wilbur said. He was playing with the string from his pocket, nervously twisting it through his fingers.

“Good afternoon aunt,” Techno said. He had tucked his arms behind his back, flapping his hands.

Neither of the twins said much, but they unconsciously reached each other's hands as they stared down at the grave of their aunt. Wilbur’s hand with the string fell to his side and Techno continued flapping the hand that Wilbur wasn’t holding. Both of them stared at the grave with solemn expressions, eyes hollow.

The royal family was silent as they stared at the grave adorned with the name of a loved one that they had lost.

And even though Tommy had never known his mother, he had somehow forgotten how others had lost her too. At least, in this way, watching someone else grieve.

The maids always told him how it was unfair of him to have stolen his mother’s life away. How he ruined the life of his uncle and aunt, who had lost their sister and friend. How he took away the chance for his mother to watch his cousins grow up, and how they would have to live without their aunt. How he sent the kingdom into despair when they lost their beloved princess.

But Tommy had never really realized how the King, Queen, and Princes had grieved. How, in a way, they were still grieving. They had lost someone too.

Tommy hadn’t ever thought of it like that before.

In a selfish sort of way, he had only ever thought about how his mother’s death ruined his own life, not everyone else's. Because he had never had to watch the suffering others had gone through, he only had to survive his own.

“Hello Mumma,” Tommy said softly, hands still gripped tightly in the fabric of Kristin’s dress. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

He hiccupped. He sniffled. He began to sob.

Wilbur and Techno looked surprised. Alarmed and worried expressions were clear on their faces as they watched as tears ran down Tommy’s face, ugly sobs making his whole body shake, and snot dribbling out of his nose. Tommy can’t remember if they knew, if they knew that they were cousins, if they knew that he took their aunt away from them.

“I’m sorry I’m sorry!” Tommy sobbed, rubbing at his eyes with bandaged hands. The salt from his tears only made them ache more. “It’s all my fault!”

Phil stepped over to Tommy’s side, crouching down beside him. He was shaking his head and trying to tell Tommy something, but Tommy wasn’t listening. When Phil reached for him he flinched back, wailing as he fell into Kristin’s skirts.

“I didn’t mean to kill her! I’m sorry I took her away!”

Kristin sat down, the skirts of her dress falling around her. She gently reached for Tommy, turning him to face her. He hiccupped and cried, tears rolling down his cheeks as he shook his head, refusing to look at her. He didn’t want to look at Kristin, to see a sad and horrified expression like the ones Phil and the twins wore.

“I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry,” he continued to wail. He pressed the palms of his hands into his eyes, only for them to gently be tugged away. He blinked away tears and didn’t let his eyes meet Kristin as she stared into his face. Soft hands cupped his face, thumbs brushing away tears. Tommy whimpered.

“Oh honey.” Kristin let out a breath. She looked close to tears herself. “It’s not your fault. It was never your fault.”

“I killed her!”

“No Tommy no,” Kristin said. “No matter what everyone else told you, you didn’t do this. She was sick when she had you, and she was weak, but she loved you. She loved you so much.”

“I don’t deserve it,” Tommy cried. “I don’t deserve it—deserve anything! Not when—not when I killed her! I don’t deserve this.”

“Tommy, you deserve this and so much more. She would want you to live.”

Tommy wailed and Kristin pulled him into her arms. She let him sob, snot and tears staining her dress. She let him dig his fingers into her side and he hugged her back tightly, afraid she would let go.

She rubbed a hang up and down his back, another hand cradling the back of his neck. She hummed as she hugged him back, squeezing him gently. She didn’t shush him as he wailed, she instead told him to let it all out.

And Tommy cried.

When his tears dried and his shaking stopped and the hiccups faded, Tommy let himself be picked up and held in the arms of Kristin. He was probably a little heavy for her, but that didn’t stop her from holding him to her chest as she stood back up, keeping him close.

Phil looked devastated. He had faint tear tracks on his cheeks and a sad look in his eyes. He didn’t stand up straight and instead let himself slouch as he stood by his wife's side.

The twins were silent for a moment, still holding each other's hand.

“Can we—” Wilbur said before he hesitated. “Can we go home now?”

“Please,” Techno added. “I want to go home. To the capitol.”

“Of course.” Phil took the hands of his boys as they reached for him. “We can go home.”

Home.

It felt like a foreign word. Something that Tommy had said before, but the word held no weight, no meaning. It was nothing special, not in the way Wilbur, Techno, and Phil said it. They said it like they meant it, like home was somewhere to rest, somewhere safe, somewhere special.

When Tommy said it, it was hollow, meaningless.

Home was empty hallways. Home was gardens too big to explore on his own. Home was a room that he was trapped in. Home was cruel words and whispers behind his back. Home was hands that tugged too hard and rulers slapping his palms. Home was servants turning at the sight of him. Home was children refusing to play with him. Home was cold all year round no matter how brightly the sun shone. Home was a hallway full of portraits of people he would never meet (or never thought he would).

Home was the Summer Palace. Home was a prison. Home was not someplace he wanted to return to. Not when he would be abandoned—forgotten and alone, a name lost to time—again. He didn’t want to go home.

But as the royal family turned around and made their way back to the carriage, Tommy was left with the too possible reality that he would be left behind at the Summer Palace again.

He whined and Kristin paused for a moment, her footsteps slowing as she shifted her hold on him in her arms.

“Tommy?” she asked. Ahead of them, Phil and the twins paused to look back at them. “Is everything alright?”

Already he could feel tears coming back to his eyes. Just when he thought he had cried enough, he was crying again.

“I don’t want to go home,” he hiccupped. “I don’t want to be left alone again.”

Kristin’s steps came to a complete halt. She shifted Tommy in her arms again, guiding the boy to face her. Tears streamed down his face and he sniffled as he looked into the eyes of the Queen.

“Tommy,” Kristin said softly. “We’re not going to leave you behind again.”

“But you said you’re going home?” Tommy sniffled and wiped his eyes. He didn’t notice the way that Phil and the twins had turned around to look back at them with watchful eyes, not daring to speak up. He only had eyes for the Queen, watching as her warm brown eyes glimmered in the light and looked into his own blue ones, like Kristin was looking straight into his soul.

“Oh darling, your home is with us now. We’re family, our home is your home.”

And with another wail, Tommy fell back into Kristin’s chest, letting her hold him tight as they made their way back home .

⋅⋅⋅ ⭑ ☀ ⭑ ⋅⋅⋅

In Tommy’s dreams about being swept away into the arms of his family—rescuing him from the prison he called home—he never dreamt anything more than riding off into the sunset. In his dreams this family would take him to the palace right away. There was no overseeing the servants, no packing for the trip, no preparing for a long carriage ride across the country. 

Maybe that’s why he’s surprised to be sitting on the floor of his room with Kristin, watching as she digs through his wardrobe and closet to pack his clothes and other things before they depart in a day. 

She picked through every article of clothing, scowling at some and raising an eyebrow at others. Some she folded and set into a trunk that one of the servants set aside for her. It’s full of all the clothes and things that Tommy will be bringing to the capitol palace. The rest she threw into another pile. Tommy watched as the pile of discarded clothes grew bigger than the stack of neatly folded clothes in the trunk. 

It’s probably for the better, considering that most of the clothes that Kristin tossed aside are too small for him or too worn out.

Kristin also seemed to realize this, considering how she’s been muttering to herself about how she’ll need Tommy to see a tailor right away. She talked mindlessly about the outdated style of his formalwear and the way none of his play-clothes fit him right. She grimaced at the sight of dirt stains and holes that were patched haphazardly so they were still wearable. None of which seem to be good enough for Kristin.

He asked why she was throwing away so many as he watched the Queen toss one of his favorite shirts into the discard pile. It was his favorite, despite the stains and the way the heams were fraying apart. He liked how soft the fabric was. He wanted Kristin to take it back out and bring it with them.

But Kristin didn’t agree.

“We’ll get you much nicer clothes at the capitol,” Kristin said. “I know you like it but it’s too small.”

And it was true, Tommy couldn’t tuck the shirt in anymore, and when he lifted his arms up it would ride up. He probably should have stopped wearing it a while ago.

“If only you had gotten all the gifts I sent you,” Kristin said as she folded another jacket and set it in the trunk. “Then you would have always had nice clothes. We’ll make sure that changes now.”

She packed up only a few more things before deciding her task was done. His wardrobe was empty, as was his closet. A pile of old clothes and shoes sat in the middle of his room, and the trunk was only half full. Tommy really didn’t have much to bring with him.

“Do you have anything else you’d like to bring with you?” Kristin asked. She took a look around his room, frowning to herself as she studied his half-empty bookshelves. Most of the books were his studying books and the notebooks he used to write. There were a few other books, but not many.

Tommy remembered when he used to have collections of fairy tales. His bookshelves used to be full of stories of dancing princesses, fire-breathing dragons, faeries and forest creatures, and dashing knights. Stories with endings both happy and sad, but mostly happy, because he used to make Clementine make up happy endings for the sad ones.

He remembered how Clementine used to do that every time they read together. He remembered sitting on her lap, looking at the delicate pages of illustrated stories, his attention entranced by the story weaved of words falling from Clementine’s lips. He used to have her make up happy endings for all the princesses that ended up unrescued and the knights that met their end.

Clementine would tuck him into bed, weaving stories of her own. She would tell him stories of knights named Tommy that rescued princesses and befriended faeries, always with a happy ending. She would tell tales of a little boy much like him who would go on adventures and always go home to a happy family in the end.

And Tommy loved them. He loved hearing stories of a life he could never have. He loved imagining what it would be like to live in those stories, dreaming of worlds where he conquered kingdoms and rode unicorns and skipped rocks with princesses. He dreamed of a world where a family would always be there to welcome him home.

But when Clementine disappeared, and as Tommy grew, the fairy tales disappeared too. There were no more nighttime stories. There were no bookshelves of stories, waiting to be read. There were no more daydreams of far away worlds with happy endings.

Because for Tommy, it seemed like he wouldn’t be getting a happy ending.

But as he watched the Queen, his aunt, his family, walk around the room preparing to take him to her home, he couldn’t help but think that maybe that would change.

Tommy looked away from his bookshelf of history books and other texts. There wasn’t much else to look at in his room. He didn’t have any toys around his room, all of the ones he used to have were now gone. The maids had started taking them away a couple of years ago, until only a few remained. They said he was too old for toys, and that if he wanted to be good for his family, he should dedicate his life to his studies. He didn’t have the time for toys.

Henry, the stuffed cow, was one of the last toys that remained. He used to sit at his bedside table, watching over Tommy as he slept, and well within reach in case Tommy needed a hug. But when Anna caught Tommy crying after his punishment the other day, sobbing into the soft fabric of Henry’s fur, she had taken him away. He sat on the top shelf of his bookshelf, where he couldn’t reach. Tommy could only look up at him.

Kristin must have caught the way that he glanced up at Henry, sitting at the top of the bookshelf.

“Is that your toy?” She walked across the room to the bookshelf, reaching up to pluck him off the shelf. “Would you like to bring it with you?”

“I’m too old for toys,” Tommy mumbled, picking at the rug he was sitting atop of.

“Nonsense,” Kristin said. She gently set Henry down inside the trunk, giving the toy a pat on the head as she did. “Wilbur and Techno still have many of their toys. I don’t see why you can’t have yours.”

“But I’m not a baby,” Tommy argued. Kristin gave him a smile. She ruffled his hair and huffed out a laugh when Tommy grumbled about it.

“No, you’re not,” she agreed. “But you are still a child. And you can have your toys.”

Tommy stared into the black, beaded eyes of Henry. For the longest time, the stuffed animal had been his only friend. The only one there to bring him comfort and dry his tears. Tommy couldn’t imagine leaving without him.

So when the servants came to take the trunk away, Tommy let them go without a second thought, somehow feeling a lot better knowing that the one good part of the palace gets to come with him.

The rest of Tommy’s day was full of sunshine. He spent the afternoon leading his family through the gardens. Wilbur had still wanted to show his parents all of the ponds that he had counted, and Techno had wanted to show them the greenhouse that they had spent the past few weeks exploring. And despite the fact that the twins had been spending every day in the gardens, they still had gotten lost as soon as Wilbur had tried to lead them to the first pond. So Tommy guided the way with a smile on his face, hand in hand with Kristin and Phil.

They had shown Kristin and Phil all the fish Wilbur had Tommy had named. Techno had shown them the spot underneath the shade of the greenhouse tree where he taught (or tried to teach) Tommy how to use his sword. And Tommy had shown them all the paths he knew, leading them to all sorts of hidden places that the twins hadn’t even gotten to see yet.

Phil and Kristin had a smile on their face the entire time. Tommy thought back to the way he smiled as well, feeling alive under the summer sun, feeling an explosive happiness erupt in his chest as he spent time with the people he could call family.

Later that night, they had dinner all together. They sat in the dining room that wasn’t quite so empty anymore. Tommy met Sam and Puffy—two knights that had arrived ages ago with the princes—who had been trying to uncover the mystery of Tommy and the Summer Palace’s mistreatment this whole time. Apparently they had their own suspicions about the place since they had arrived, but details had made it to the King and Queen just a little too late. And even though they were new to him, the night was filled with conversation and laughter, the table was full of food, and Tommy wasn’t stopped from having two servings of dessert.

And now Tommy found himself in the twin’s room again. His room had been emptied of all his things, packed away and ready for their departure. He didn't feel like spending his last night in the Summer Palace alone, so he found himself laying in bed with the twins again.

He was snuggled up underneath the blankets, soft pillows under his head and bunched around him. Techno sat next to him, a book in his hands. It wasn’t illustrated and the text was tiny, Tommy had given up on following along with Techno a while ago, instead opting to sleepily watch him flip through the pages.

Wilbur was sitting at the end of the bed, his guitar in his lap. His parents had brought it with them as they arrived at the Summer Palace. They had expected their stay to last much longer, but it had been cut short rather quickly. But that didn't stop Wilbur from taking out his guitar and playing it for his brothers.

He plucked at the strings, carefully tuning them until he got the right note. When he had first pulled the guitar out of its case, Tommy thought it was beautiful, perfection maybe. But Wilbur had laughed and said it couldn’t be perfect until it was tuned. He explained how traveling always knocked the instrument out of tune. Tommy didn’t understand how that worked, but he still watched as Wilbur fiddled with the instrument. And Wilbur must have done something right, because he let out a happy laugh when he strummed the guitar, a soft noise echoing around the room.

“Any requests?” Wilbur asked, bouncing a little at the end of the bed. Tommy said nothing as he stayed snuggled in his blankets. Techno looked up from his book with a shrug not saying anything. Wilbur rolled his eyes. “You guys are so boring. I’ll just play one of my favorites.”

He plucked a few strings, as if to gather his bearings. He tweaked the tune of one of his strings one last time before taking a deep breath. He pressed one of his hands to the neck of the guitar, pressing down on the strings. The other was poised over the strings, ready to strum. And with the release of his breath, Wilbur began to play.

Tommy never really grew up with music. He always wanted to play. For as long as he could remember there had been a piano that sat abandoned in the Summer Palace with no one to play it. Tommy always wished he could.

But the servants told him that he didn’t have time for such things. He was to become a scholar. And scholars didn’t learn to play instruments, not when it wasn’t a skill that they needed.

Still, a part of Tommy had held onto that wish.

Music unlike anything he had heard flowed from Wilbur’s fingers and guitar. It was as beautiful as a bird’s song and as graceful as a butterfly’s flight. It was like the trickling of water in the ponds, the sound of rain, the sound of frogs croaking in the night. It was a sound so new yet so familiar that Tommy couldn’t stop himself from relaxing, feeling weightless as he just listened.

Soft notes filled the room, gentle sounds flowing in the air around them. Techno seemed to recognize the song, and he hummed along as he read his book. Wilbur closed his eyes as he played, whispering words so gently to himself that Tommy couldn’t hear them anymore.

And Tommy listened. He listened to the sounds of gentle music flow through his ears. He listened to the sounds of Techno humming next to him, unconsciously curling up closer to the older boy. He listened to the sound of whispered words falling from Wilbur’s lips, hanging onto every word despite the fact that he could barely hear them. He listened to the sound of comfort flow through the room.

Closing his eyes as he snuggled tighter into his blankets, Tommy fell asleep with a smile on his face, wishing that this moment could last forever.

⋅⋅⋅ ⭑ ☀ ⭑ ⋅⋅⋅

If six year old Tommy had been asked where he could see himself in a year, he wouldn’t have been able to give an answer.

Even he acknowledged that it was sad to admit that he lived every day being unable to imagine his future. He knew that his servants had promised that one day he would leave, moving far away to a prestigious academy for scholars and noble folk, but Tommy had never imagined himself going. It just felt impossible, like it was something out of reach.

Plus, knowing how he had lived his life then, it would have just been another prison. Another set of walls that he would be trapped within. Another set of new staff and tutors that he would have to please. Another set of rules he would have to learn. 

So he didn’t like to think about that future. Instead he focused on what tomorrow would be like.

His days had been too repetitive. He went to his lessons. He ate his meals. He stared out the window at the children his age playing in the courtyards, wishing he could join them. He would sit in the chair in his room, silent and still as his maids worked around him, wishing he could play with toys instead. He went to bed every night wishing that his stuffed toy wasn’t out of reach, and instead in his arms.

There was no ‘a year from now.’ There was only tomorrow. And tomorrow was always the same.

If six year old Tommy had been asked that question and was honest about his answer, he would have said that he imagined himself sitting down for breakfast.

Because every morning, without a doubt, he sat down for breakfast. Even if he wasn’t able to finish or if it was taken away or if he was forced to stare at an empty plate until the servants took him to his lessons; he would always sit down for breakfast. It was the one part in his routine that never failed to repeat.

Wake up. Eat breakfast. Wait for the rest of the day to go by. Sleep. Wake up. Eat breakfast. Repeat.

It was no wonder that Tommy had spent so many years of his young life feeling miserable. There was nothing to distract him from that misery.

Now, if you asked seven year old Tommy where he saw himself in a year from now, he would smile and say with his family.

It had been a year since Tommy had been brought home. The capitol palace, the only place that he truly believed was home. Because home was with his family, and it would never be anyplace else.

A year had gone by since his last summer spent at the Summer Palace. The seasons had changed, the holidays had come and gone, and Tommy had celebrated another year since he had been born. While he didn’t say anything to his family—not wanting them to have another guilty fact weighing on their conscience—it was the first birthday he had celebrated in his entire life.

Back when he was younger, still living at the Summer Palace, he can’t remember ever celebrating his birthday. Instead, Tommy remembered sitting down at the dinner table each time his birthday came around. Every year the servants made a grand three-tiered cake, and it would sit on the table, as if they wanted to taunt him while he ate his dinner. Every year it was a different flavor, with different frosting, and a different decoration of swirls and edible flowers.

And every year he watched as the cake was cut. The knife slid easily through layers of cake, frosting, and sticky dessert. Careful hands plated cake slices onto delicate, fine china.

And every year, an empty plate would be placed in front of him, Anna rubbing his back and telling him that he’ll just have to be a more obedient child next year.

Tommy’s birthdays were not days of celebrations. No one wanted to celebrate the birth of a bastard, who’s name and blood brought disgrace to the royal family. There were no parties held in the ballroom no one used. There were no friends to invite, no children to play games with. There were no gifts given, no cards with nice words, not even a hug to be shared. Tommy never got anything. And for the longest time, he believed it was what he deserved.

Instead of parties and celebrations and time eating cake, he’d spend his birthdays trapped in his room. More often than not he’d be stuck with his tutor’s all day, who slapped his hands as punishment more than once. Each year Tommy would hold back tears as another birthday went by, and another similar year would follow, believing that each birthday would be spent the same way.

So that’s why when his seventh birthday came around, months after he had moved into the capitol palace with his family, Tommy had burst into tears.

It was a day of celebration, the first one that he had ever truly experienced. Wilbur and Techno were both there, despite the fact that they were supposed to be away at school during that time. Instead they made the trip back up to the capitol to spend the week with Tommy before they had to go back. And yes, while they were the royal family and had leeway with professors and deadlines, it still brought tears to Tommy’s eyes to see that they had willinging come up to celebrate with him .

Phil and Kristin had made the day wonderful as well. Tommy didn’t even know that they were planning a celebration all for him. Even if they were being obvious about it, Tommy hadn’t seen the signs. It’s not like he had ever had a birthday celebration before.

He remembered that the day started with Kristin shaking him awake, a smile on her face and eyes glimmering as sunlight poured through the open curtains of his windows. She had ruffled his hair, pressed a kiss to his temple, and told him to wake up. It was the softest and most gentle way Tommy thought that he had ever been woken up before.

So sleepily he had listened to Kristin talk about how it was a special day, nodding along with whatever she had said. Tommy hadn’t even realized that when she talked about the day she had planned for them, that she meant his birthday. He just assumed it was a day where he would be meeting new tutors, or one of the nobles he had to talk to as they discussed how to crown him as a prince, or something else. He hadn’t even really remembered his own birthday, he had just known it was coming soon. But he had never been one to keep track of a day he didn’t even celebrate.

But when Tommy got up to get dressed, Kristin said happy birthday before she slipped out of the room, and it felt like a shock had gone through his system.

She remembered. Despite everything, years spent apart, years not knowing each other, Kristin had remembered.

It was just after Kristin had closed the doors that Tommy had shed the first tears of the day. He had buried his head in a pillow, tears dampening the soft fabric, trying to stop his tears from flowing down his cheeks. He cried, burying his face in a pillow, and smiled.

Many other surprises followed that day. Wilbur and Techno arrived, surprising Tommy at breakfast. He remembered the way he ran into his brothers’ arms, absolutely flabbergasted and delighted to see them. They had both hugged him back tightly, clearly just as excited to see their younger brother.

Wilbur had commented on how Tommy was growing taller. Techno had ruffled Tommy’s hair and said it was getting longer. Both of the twins smiled brightly at him, and the three of them were inseparable for most of the morning.

That afternoon Tommy had a party in one of the grand greenhouses. It was just his family and himself, but it was the first party that he had ever had. They had a little band playing in the corner, snacks and desserts sitting out on a table, and an area cleared for dancing. It was nothing fancy, even though colorful paper streamers hung between large plants, little flowers had been neatly trimmed or collected in vases, and the greenhouse looked as pristine as ever.

Tommy spent most of that afternoon stuffing his face full of sweets he’d never tried before and dancing. Despite the lessons he had taken before, Tommy was very uncoordinated, and spent most of his time spinning in circles with Wilbur and Techno. Phil let him stand atop his feet and he led them through a waltz, and Kristin glided across the floor with him, not really dancing but just swaying to the music.

And at the end of the day, Tommy came into the dining hall to find an elaborate meal, beautiful cake, and pile of presents on the table. He didn’t even make it to his seat before he started crying again. He couldn’t even keep track of how many times he had cried that day.

A part of him had wanted to say that he didn’t deserve it. He didn’t deserve all these presents, a cake, a delicious meal. He didn’t deserve to be loved this much.

But he didn’t dare say this out loud, already knowing his family’s response. The insistence that he did deserve it. That he was loved and they would never stop loving him. They would have smothered him with hugs and wouldn’t let him out of their sight for the rest of the night if he voiced his thoughts. And it wasn’t a bad thing, never a bad thing, but Tommy didn’t want to make this special day sad. It was already such a happy day and became one of his happiest memories.

He was so grateful to have a family that loved him like no one had dared to love him before.

So Tommy ate his dinner, cried as he tasted cake for the first time in years, and sobbed when he opened the dozens of gifts that were given to him.

Most of those gifts could be found throughout his room. The walls were lined with bookshelves, full of stories and journals that Phil had picked out for him. Many of the stories were books that Phil had grown up reading and later read to his own sons. He only thought it was fair that Tommy had copies of these books as well. One could never grow too old for fairytales, despite what Tommy’s old servants used to tell him.

Other sentimental items could be found on the bookshelves as well. There was an entire shelf dedicated to rocks that he collected with the twins, books and glass frames full of pressed flowers that he had picked with Kristin, and a third shelf dedicated to all the stuffed toys that everyone (even some servants) had given to him.

Hung up on the wall were two gifts that Wilbur and Techno had given to him. The first was a bow, a decorative one with fine wood and beautiful carvings etched into it. A decorative arrow hung beside it, carefully set up as if the bow was about to pull it back, getting ready to shoot. The arrow was made of the same fine wood as the bow with a golden arrowhead and feathers. It was a beautiful bow that Wilbur had given to him after Tommy expressed interest in taking archery lessons alongside Wilbur.

The second, hanging near the bow and arrow, was a gleaming sword. It was also decorative, not meant to be used as a weapon, but it was still sharp enough that Techno had shouted when Tommy had swung it at him. The hilt of the sword had different gems embedded into it, and the blade itself shone so brightly Tommy could see his reflection in it. Techno had given it to him when they had realized they left the sword Techno had given him back at the Summer Palace. But Tommy liked this one more, even if he couldn’t play with it.

At least now he had all the toys in the world, the ability to play and chase his brothers around, and the freedom to befriend the children around the palace. No one would stop him, and Kristin and Phil even encouraged him to make friends.

Now Tommy had been living at the capitol palace for nearly a year. His whole family was home again, his parents tired from a busy spring season and the twins who had just finished their school year. It had been a couple of months since his birthday, since Wilbur and Techno had first gone to the Academy, and months since Tommy had last seen the Summer Palace.

It was the first day of summer. Even if the date hadn’t been there to prove it, you could tell just by taking a look outside. The skies were bluer than ever, covering the wide expanse of sky, with spotted fluffy white clouds scattered about. The sun shone brightly, already rising in the sky, making the gardens shine and the ponds glitter in the light. Birds chirped and the sounds of the castle could be heard as everyone began to wake.

The air was warm. It wrapped around you as you opened a window or stepped outside, the warm winds brushing by like a friend coming to say hello. It rustled the bright green leaves and pulled dandelion seeds into the air.

The wind kissed Tommy’s cheeks when he opened the window in the morning, fluttering his opaque curtains around him. Sunlight poured into the room, casting soft sunbeams around the room, illuminating his room. 

An old stuffed toy laid out on rumpled sheets and discarded pillows. Its fur was still soft and its button eyes still shone when they caught the light. For years, it was forced to sit up on a tall shelf where little arms couldn’t reach. Now it was always sitting on a bedside table or under the sheet beside a little boy every day, waiting for a hug.

Books and slips of papers overflowed on a worn desk. Pencils and pens laid abandoned, as did half finished drawings and notes. Scribbles and drawings from a creative child laid out for anyone to see, and a few even hung up proudly on the walls.

Bookshelves full of books and other items could be seen around the room. The light bounced off a glistening golden arrow and a shiny decorative sword.

And finally there was Tommy, standing in the window of a room he was never locked in. A room that he was happy to call his own. A room where he could play and write and be himself without feeling the need to hide.

The sun warmed his cheeks, the wind billowing the curtains around him, making them brush around his ankles. His golden-blond hair shone in the light, curls falling into his eyes no matter how he tried to shake them away. He leaned into the window, smiling as he took in the view of the gardens. Maybe they weren’t as vast as the Summer Palace gardens, but he very much preferred them over the other. There were so many good memories that he had made here, in just the short span of nearly a year.

Like the time during the holidays where he settled into the snow, wrapped up in a coat and scarf and other warm clothes, huddling close to his family. They had stood underneath the night sky, staring up at the stars. But that wasn’t the only thing they marveled at.

It started with a spark. Then a whistle. Then an explosion of color. A cheer, a smile, a hug. A whoop of joy. The sound of laughter. Being pulled closer, tighter, into a hug he didn’t know he needed. Fireworks exploding across the sky, illuminating the night with a myriad of colors. It was one of the most beautiful things that Tommy had ever seen.

There were other memories too. Memories from when he first arrived at the capitol palace and the twins had shown him all around the gardens they had memorized. The ponds with Wilbur’s fish. The trees that Techno climbed. Kristin’s favorite flowers, Phil favorite spot to stand in the sun.

There were the strolls he went on with Phil once a week. The walks he enjoyed with Kristin where they would collect their favorite flowers. The time the three of them would spend together as they gathered for tea on the lawn while the twins were away at the Academy.

Tommy can already begin to recall dozens of memories made in just the time of a year, and couldn’t wait to make more.

He continued to stand in the window, smiling to himself. Wind rushed in around him, and he giggled when it tickled his nose. Dandelions seeds that were carried in by the wind danced around his room before settling on the floor. Tommy paid them no attention, instead turning as he heard the sound of his door opening.

Kristin stood in the doorway of his room, a smile on her face as she met his eyes. She was already dressed in her daily wear, a gown Tommy knew would be swapped out for one more grand and elaborate in just a few hours. No crown adorned her head yet, and Tommy could feel shivers of excitement course through his body as the thought of finally joining her and the royal family at their side after a year of negotiation and planning with noble councilmen and women and Phil’s advisors.

“Tommy, are you ready for your big day?” Kristin asked. The smile didn’t leave her face. Tommy could feel a smile on his own face grow wide as he ran to fall into her waiting arms. He grinned widely as his shining blue eyes met Kristin’s own dark brown ones.

“I can’t wait.”

On Tommy’s desk rested a crown. The sunlight bounced and shone off of the golden metal and gems inlaid into the small crown’s design. Shining emeralds and light-blue diamonds caught the light, reflecting little rainbows in their corner of the room. The gold itself shone, the metal polished to perfection, the pristine ornament more than perfect for the head that was going to be crowned upon.

Beside the crown was a jar of little wildflowers. Dandelion tufts and half plucked flowers rested in the jar. They had been plucked by small, gentle hands not too long ago. A last resort, if all else had failed, born from a little seed of doubt that had been planted deep in the child’s stomach. The flowers were meant for wishes, to be spent hoping for happy endings.

But there was no need to wish on plucked petals and dandelion tufts when Tommy already had everything that he wished for.