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The twins were at your side instantly, two sets of purple eyes finding you in the darkness immediately. Tarquin was about to speak, but you pressed a finger to your lips urgently, warning him to be silent lest you be discovered. 

Now would not be the time to blow what little cover you had. 

You glanced over to the balcony, hoping that Deirdre and Tarquin would get your message. You didn't have to do much signaling though, because Colin began to talk again, still an edge of drunkenness in his voice. 

"Won't it be grand with him out of the way?" Colin said. "We both know my father's a pushover, and with Technoblade dead it'll be easy to get Y/N out of the way, and then I can do whatever I want!"

"You mustn't get too carried away now." Ilbertus said. "There's still the matter of the actual killing - it won't be easy to slay a war lord, even in his bed."

Deirdre's eyes found yours and you could see her putting the pieces together until she wrapped a hand around your arm - steadying.

"Not if we slit his throat before he even wakes up." Colin said, laughing like he hadn't just planned a murder in his half drunken after party state. 

You didn't get to hear what Ilbertus said because the air began to shift around you as you found yourself tugged into teleportation by Deirdre - who still had a grip on your arm. You closed your eyes and fought the nausea as it washed over you until you were on solid ground again - to which you promptly sank to the floor of the twins room, as your legs couldn't bear your weight anymore. 

Deirdre sank to the floor with you, still holding you to her side. 

It was Tarquin who spoke first, and his voice was shaky. "They're not actually going to kill him... are they?"

"I think they are." You said weakly. 

The room was silent for a moment as the severity sank in - one way or another, things were going to change tonight. And to think that it had just been a coincidence that you were walking to that balcony...

"We have to do something." You said, breaking the tension in the room. 

"You're right." Deirdre agreed, sliding away from you and standing up to walk over to the side of the room and pull the thin rapier's the twins fought with off the wall. She tossed one to Tarquin, who caught it with ease. "We have to do several things, actually."

Tarquin knelt down before you and helped you up off the ground. "First, you need to calm down. You're hyperventilating."

You hadn't even noticed. 

You put a hand on your chest and forced yourself to take deep breaths until you didn't feel so dizzy. Things would be alright. The twins were going to help, and you had an opportunity to stop Colin before he even got going.

"One of us needs to go to the captain of the guard." Deirdre said, talking to her brother. "And the other goes straight to Technoblade to warn him." 

"What about fathe- the king?" Tarquin stuttered. "I wouldn't put it past Malcolinus to get heady and try to kill him tonight as well, and if something happens to him... at this point, that would give him kingship early."

"You're right." Deirdre said. "Whoever goes to the captain goes to the king directly after."

"I'll go to the captain then." Tarquin said. He glanced between you and his sister once, smiling, and then he was gone, leaving only those purple wisps behind. 

Deirdre turned to you, her face grim. "Are you alright to walk?" 

You nodded. "What do you want me to do?"

"Go back to your room." Deirdre said. "I would say just to stay here, but we're not that far from the west wing, and I would rather you stay as much out of the danger as possible, your Highness. So as quietly as you can, get back to your rooms and stay there until either Tarquin or I come to get you, and lock the door. Don't let anyone in until we know it's safe."

There was a mix of emotions in her eyes - panic, desperation, determination but also... fondness. An incredible wealth of love and affection focused on you. You knew then that if it came down to it, Deirdre would easily put her life on the line for yours. 

You stepped forward to crush her into a hug, pressing your face into her shoulder. "Thank you."

"Well." Deirdre said, squeezing you to her tightly. "Can't have all of the royalty dying in one night, can we?"

"For more than that." You said. "For everything."

"You'll do well to follow my instructions then." Deirdre said, pulling back. "Go to your quarters, and lock the doors, and don't open them-"

"Until you or Tarquin come to get me." You finished the sentence. 

"You have to stay safe." Deirdre said. 

"So do you." You said. "Please be careful, and make sure Technoblade is okay-"

"You know I will." Deirdre said. "Now, go." She gave you one last smile, and then you were alone in the twins' room, standing in the semi-darkness by yourself. You could see where their bed sheets were thrown aside from getting up in a hurry, and they hadn't bothered with shoes - each pair was still neatly laid at the foot of the bed.

Thank god for that eye though.

If you hadn't have slipped it into your pocket out of habit... you were almost sure you wouldn't have made it back without Colin or Ilbertus picking up on your presence. You probably wouldn't have made it out alive with the murderous mood Colin was in.

You shuddered, and shook off the thought. Better to go back to your rooms then, and wait it out. You trusted the twins to handle things, and you wouldn't want to get caught in the crossfire. 

Waiting was going to kill you though.

You slipped out of the twins room, making sure the door closed behind you as quietly as possible, and started down the hall towards the east side of the palace. You had only made it a few step though before a voice you would never want to hear echoed out across the hall. 

"Your Highness. What are you doing up so late?"

You turned around to see Lord Ilbertus, holding an axe.

TACENDA // Technoblade X ReaderWhere stories live. Discover now