•when the world was big• [prince au, discontinued]

chapter eight.

—
The night passed quickly. Techno didn't know what time Phil came back to the inn, but he was there when the ex-prince awoke.
He had woken up before the others, so he had some quiet time for himself, but he didn't have much to do though.
Techno laid back on his bed after getting dressed, letting his thoughts wander. That wasn't a common thing, he preferred not to think too much about morals and things of the matter. He'd just think himself into a panicked loop. But he let himself, just this once.
Was running away a good idea? Yeah, Techno thought, it was a good idea. He never wants to set foot in the Antarctic Empire ever again, let alone be King of the place. It's morals were.. less than ideal, and it's reputation is worse.
He didn't want that reputation weighing him down. He wasn't like that. He wasn't like his father- he wasn't that murderous bru—
It didn't take long before the rustling of the others waking snapped him out of his thoughts. They were starting to get into the rhythm of travelling together, so they were able to get ready almost wordlessly.
—
They said goodbye to the boy they'd met the day earlier—Tubbo— as they left the town. Tommy had a creeping suspicion that it wasn't the last time he'd see Tubbo, but quickly brushed it off as just another stupid thought. There was quiet conversations as they walked, mainly complaining about how much they needed horses. But even if they put their money together they probably wouldn't have enough for all of them. Stealing was a good option, but they couldn't risk getting caught up with authorities.
The forest had become a place Phil had gotten used to, due to his past travels. Despite leading the group he only had a vague idea of the forest he was navigating. He'd been here before, but it's been a while.
He knew there was another Kingdom nearby, so leading them towards it would probably be a bad idea-
"Stop right there!"
Fuck.
All three of them turned to the new voice. There were two men, dressed in knights attire and bulky dark purple armour. neither of them had helmets, so you could see their faces.
One had black hair with a bandana tied under it, doing nothing to pull back his hair.
The other had longer dirty blonde hair, but his face was obscured with a white circular mask with a haunting smile drawn on it.
They were far closer to the Kingdom than Phil thought.
The black-haired knight walked right up to the group, drawing his sword.
"What are you three doing around here?"
"we're travellers. where are we, exactly?"
Wilbur asked. The knight scoffed.
"don't fool me, Soot. I know who you are. this is the Kingdom of Dream."
Wilbur gulped. Before he could speak, the knight had Technoblade's iron sword to his throat, shining with an ancient magic.
"hey hey! don't threaten him!" Tommy interjected, but Techno didn't falter. The other Knight drew his sword.
"listen here. don't tell a soul, and you'll go back to your Kingdom alive. Got it?" Techno's voice was low and threatening. The knight only smirked.
"woooooow, how intimidating. The Prince of the Antarctic Empire..... I'd have you dead before you could even think about killing him."
The man behind the black-haired knight spoke up, and although you couldn't see his eyes, there was murder written all over them.

Techno shrunk a little under the name, the reputation, but quickly steeled himself.
"I think you underestimate me."
"now now-" Phil interjected, pushing Technoblade's sword down as slowly as possible, "we'll get out of your hair and you won't tell a soul. okay, mate?"
Phil spoke to the Knights, a friendly tone but a hurt them and face the consequences look written all over his features.
"fine. it isn't worth getting into trouble, Sapnap."
The masked Knight spoke up, causing his friend—sapnap—to sigh and sheathe his sword.

And that's when it happened.
Sapnap was turned as if to walk away before pivoting on his heels, and it one quick movement he was charging at Wilbur.
Techno was quick to dive into battle, blacking his friend, seeing as he was the only one with a weapon— or so he thought.
It was a neck-to-neck duel with Sapnap, both of them were equally skilled in combat, but the Knight had armour and Technoblade very much did not.
Tommy and Wilbur ran deeper into the forest, and as much as it was a good idea in the moment, they'd regret it later.
Technoblade stopped focusing on anything other than the Knight, going tunnel vision on their swords and the sharp clangs of blades colliding.
What he hadn't taken into account is that Philza was still with him, and the other Knight was charging him.
But Phil's got a few tricks up his sleeve, and those tricks come in the form of—you guessed it—
a sword.
Technoblade looked over to see Phil whip out a katana-looking blade from underneath his jacket, managing to block the masked knights attack just in time so it didn't cut him.
That's when Technoblade realised maybe Phil was a little more than some random dude who helped them escape.