TACENDA // Technoblade X Reader

8

You were woken up by a soft brush of fingertips across your forehead. You fluttered your eyes open slowly, wincing as your head started to pound from the light streaming in your window. 

"Good morning, your Highness." 

You sat up, rubbing the sleep out of your eyes to see Deirdre, perched on the edge of your bed. A corked vial caught the light between her fingers as she rolled it over her knuckles, creating the illusion that it appeared and disappeared in thin air. 

"Good morning Deirdre." You said, glancing out the window. The sky was light, and faint streaks of sunlight filtered through the glass, but the world was still gray around the edges - fog resting on the tips of the trees and dew glittering in the grass. "What time is it?"

"An hour past sunrise." Deirdre said. "I'm sorry to wake you so early, but you did say you wanted to sit in on the negotiations."

You flopped back onto your bed with a groan. "Why does the first day of negotiations have to be directly after a night of dancing and drinking?"

Deirdre hummed playfully, tossing you the small vial she had carried. You caught it, looking at it curiously. The pink liquid shimmered in the glass. "What's this?"

"Should make you feel up to a meeting." Deirdre said, getting up from the edge of your bed patting you on the arm. "It starts in half an hour." She said, disappearing and leaving only purple wisps behind. 

You took the cork out of the vial and poured the liquid down your throat. Almost instantly, you felt better - your headache subsiding and all the soreness from dancing the night away fading to nothing. Pulling yourself out of bed, you slipped your nightshirt off and changed into something more suitable for a formal meeting of this kind, and ran a hand through your bedhead. 

Going to the mirror, you sighed at your hair. You could try to shape it into something more suitable... but you also wanted to grab a bite to eat before sitting down in that meeting. You knew that discussions of this sort could last for hours, and sitting through them on an empty stomach would do no good. Your hair would just have to stay then. 

You left your room then, stopping by the kitchens to grab an apple on your way to the throne room. You were sure the meeting would be held there - though seats would have to be brought in for the embassy. 

You slipped into the throne room just as your father was taking his place at the front of the room. You hurried in, sitting down in your seat beside him, and ignoring the pointed look Colin was giving you. You smiled at Deirdre and Tarquin, in the usual places behind your father, and whispered a quick thank you to Deirdre - that potion had been a life saver. 

"Now that we're all here..." Your father began, nodding to the scribe, who sat on the side of the room. "Let us begin the session."

Your attention was drawn then to the gathered members of the court and the embassy. The chancellor was present, as were most of your father's trusted military advisors. Across the room from you, however, was Technoblade, dressed in all his finery, with his mask still covering his face. 

You smiled at him, and were mildly surprised when he nodded back.

You didn't have time to think about it much though, because Ilbertus began to speak, pulling out a large scroll and unfurling it. 

"Two and a half months prior, your son and your crown heir, Malcolinus, entered our realm unannounced and slaughtered twenty six people, taking their gold as well. These were unarmed, untrained men and women." Ilbertus said. "We only ask for the loot your son took to be returned, and for punishment to be given out."

Your eyes darted to Colin, but he looked unfazed, like he completely accepted what he had done. He picked idly at his nails, not even bothering to meet Ilbertus' gaze.

Your father sighed. "And what say you, Malcolinus?"

"I say Ilbertus is a fool for thinking me so weak as to fall on the first set of demands. I stand by the actions of my men and myself." Malcolinus said, his eyes finally darting up to meet Ilbertus' in an icy stare. 

You pinned a glare at your brother. "Colin-" You hissed. 

"There's no need to make this more difficult than it has to be." Technoblade's monotone rumble cut across the room. 

"Then you'd do well to let dead pigs rest and go back through that portal to your homeland." Colin said, turning to pin his icy stare at Technoblade. 

There was a moment of tense silence in the room and you expected your father to say something, but he didn't, content to sit idly on his throne and watch the court begin to whisper at the standstill. The chancellor wrung his hands and the general traded glances, but neither Technoblade or Malcolinus backed down. 

You glanced to your father again, unsure if you should say something, but his eyes were focused on the embassy. You fiddled with the hem of your shirt - if you said something, would Colin turn on you? Was it even your place to say something? What would you even say, that would disarm both your brother and Technoblade?

You ended up not having to say anything, because Ilbertus cleared his throat, breaking the silence by rolling his scroll up. "We've set our terms. Whether or not you agree to them is another matter."

"And that's what we're here to discuss." Technoblade added on. "Civilly."

The last word was directed at Colin, but it spread over the whole room like a force, reminding everyone within the walls that the whole point of these meetings would be to get things sorted without violence. You could see some of the generals visibly stiffen at the words, and you sat back in your seat, your gaze turning to Technoblade. 

Perhaps he was more than just the awkward man you had swept up onto the dancefloor last night.