Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Cold, 

and alone. 

Cold and alone — yet somehow, this was the happiest Tommy had ever been. He finally escaped exile, escaped the man that called himself his friend even after torturing him for days on end, erasing his entire progress day after day. That wasn't a friend in any universe. A friend would never do those kinds of things. But he finally escaped from him, but that also meant leaving his friends. Leaving behind Tubbo, Niki, Jack, Fundy, and everyone else. Maybe it was time to see them again, to see his family, time to see Phil and Techno again. Looking around, he saw the snow cascading gently from the sky, covering everything—including himself. It reminded him of the snow back home, reminding him of the snow in the gardens around the castle. It reminded him of his brothers running after him around the gardens after he threw snowballs at them. It reminded him of how his parents used to cover him completely in warm clothing with at least 2 capes on him as well — Wilburs and Technos capes to be exact. 

Maybe it was time to head home. He didn't have anywhere else to go anyway. From what he heard, the Antarctic Empire did miss their youngest prince. His people missed their youngest prince, they missed Theseus, his family missed him. Maybe it was time to let Tommy go the same way he let Theseus go when he decided to join his brother and run away from the empire. Maybe it was time to move on from Tommy Innit — the founder, the vice president of L’manburg, the brother of Wilbur Soot. It was time for Theseus to come back — the crown prince of the Antarctic Empire, youngest son of Emperor Philza and Empress Kristin, the younger brother of General Technoblade, and younger brother of the best strategist and advisor, Wilbur.

Crown prince Theseus was loved and respected unlike Tommy — well, it's not like Tommy wasn't loved, he always had his friends and Wilbur there, he even had Phil and Techno for a bit before they had to go back to the Empire since Kristen couldn't do all the work for them. The work of an Empress and Emperor was already too much, and with the 4 of them gone she had to do the crown prince's work as well. Techno's work was passed on to his second-in-command, and Wilbur’s role wasn’t needed yet, so no one filled his spot. It was decided. Theseus is letting Tommy Innit die go, the same way he once left Theseus to join his brother in the war, but this time Theseus stays permanently.

With that decision in mind, he started making his way towards Phil’s and Techno’s old base. He needed supplies and better clothes before he even started to plan his journey home. Phil told him once that Techno hid some supplies for him and Wilbur if they ever needed it when they left, he just hoped that it was still there. Tommy Theseus knew he had clothes suitable for his journey home, so clothes wouldn't be that big of a problem, but food on the other hand would be. He doesn't remember how long it's been since Phil and Techno left, so he wasn't sure there would be much food in their old base. 

After an hour or two of walking he reached Phil and Techno’s old base. The two small connected wooden houses were covered in snow and devoid of light except for some small lanterns up on the front of the houses. There was no smoke coming from the chimney, nor was there any light visible inside the houses. He expected this but he didn't like the way he felt. The houses just felt cold and empty, unlike how they used to feel before everything happened. As much as he hated it, it didn't bother him as much as he thought it would, since this was just a temporary base after all. He was here only to get the supplies he needed, and sleep for one night since he was planning to start his journey as early as he could. The thought slipped away as a noise snapped him back to reality. 

“Who’s there?” He calls out, the sound rough, his throat feels raw and dry after an entire day of not speaking. After he waits in silence for a few minutes until he hears another sound coming from... an animal? A horse to be specific. 

“A horse...?” That was weird. Techno and Phil should've either brought the horse with them or sold it off to someone he knew would take care of them. So why was... This was his horse! His Clementine! The horse that Techno gave to him when they first arrived here. 

“Hey girl, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with Phil or Techno? Or even with your new owner?” This was weird because Techno and Phil —especially Techno, both treated every animal they owned very carefully. Even when they had to sell the animal, they always spent hours trying to find the perfect owner for it to make sure it would never be mistreated. So, this was very unusual. 

“How've you been girl? Did you miss me?” He cooed softly at her as he caressed her mane then moved on to pat her back. The teen started to look her up and down, checking for any visible injuries until he saw it. A letter rolled up and tied to her ankle with a pale blue string. The same exact color his usual prince atires were, one of the colors that symbolized the Antarctic royal family. The color that symbolized him.  

It hadn't been even a day since he escaped exile, so there was no way Dream already told anyone he escaped! He wasn't even supposed to visit this week! He snapped out of his thoughts, attention dragged back to the letter tied to the horse. With shaking hands, he reached for the letter, opened it and began reading it. 

Dear Theseus, 

I hope you're safe. I don't know when you will find this letter but if you're reading this, it means you found Clementine which also means that you're trying to head back home. As you know, Techno has supplies hidden for you if you ever wanted to leave. He moved the supplies into your room under the left dresser in the corner. You'll find a chest full of food for you and Clementine. That'll last you both a good two months even though the journey from there is only 7 days on horseback. In your closet you'll find your old attire from the castle as well as clothes for the journey.

When you cross the border into the Empire, there will be a guard post waiting for you, as well as a carriage to bring you back home safely. When you return, you'll be able to reclaim your title as the crown prince of the Empire, but your duties can wait until you're ready to take them on again. No one will force the duties on you, nor will I allow you to do them immediately. There is much I wish to say, but I'll save that for when you're home safe. We wish you a safe journey home.

I hope you return to us soon, but more importantly return safely. I wish you luck, my son. We love you and we miss you Theseus. 

With love, 

Emperor Philza 

Prince Technoblade 

Prince Wilbur 

Wilbur’s alive...? His brother is alive? How was that possible, he thought he died when he blew up L’manburg. It was Wilbur’s handwriting and his signature. It even had the weird swirly W he always made when signing his name, but maybe it was some cruel joke that Phil and Techno were playing on him. But whatever it is, it isn't funny. With a sigh, he crumbled the letter up and put it in his pocket and turned to give Clementine one last pet before leading her into the warmer stable and then going into Techno’s house for the first time in months. He expected the house to be cold but not this cold.  

“Fuck, it’s cold...” He mumbled to himself while walking over to the corner where Techno usually kept the logs to for the fire, he picks up two logs and tosses them into the fireplace and sparks it to life with a match. The heat immediately warms up the room and the crown prince as well. Theseus started lighting up the lanterns in the corner of the room for more light, and that was when he finally saw how long it's been since Techno or Phil were here. There were cobwebs in every corner of the room, dust on every surface in the room, but it didn’t bother him. He survived exile in a tent with an incredibly uncomfortable bed — if you could even call it that, he survived days without food and sleep. A few cobwebs and a bit of dust wouldn't bother him after what he went through. But it was true that he did miss how clean and huge his room was back in the empire.

Since he was the crown prince, he had the second largest bedroom, the first of course being the shared bedroom of the Emperor and Empress. The sudden thought of his bedroom made him realize he had to go check on the supplies that Techno hid in his room, so with that in mind he rushed upstairs and opened the door to his room and made his way towards the left dresser in the corner. He moved the dresser to the side with ease and opened the chest that was under it, he knew Phil told him that Techno put in two months' worth of food in the chest but actually seeing the amount was truly exciting. He dug deeper into the chest and found armor, a sword, 2 capes which he instantly recognized as Techno’s and Wilbur’s. The chest contained some apples and other food for Clementine as well as some horse armor, blankets, torches, lots of money, and at the bottom was another letter. He took the letter and sat down on the floor and slowly began reading it

My dearest Tommy Theseus, 

I don’t know when you’ll find this letter but when you do I hope you’ll forgive me for everything. I’m sorry for dragging you into my mess. L’manburg was supposed to be an escape and not another thing to keep you chained or caged. I know you came with me because you wanted to help, but I should have never let you step foot outside the border with me. Techno and dad were right to be mad at me when they found out. Mom was right to be furious at me. Hell, even you have the right to be mad at me because of everything I've done and everything I haven't done correctly. I’m sorry you had to go through Pogtopia like that. I'm sorry that you, at 15 years old, had to deal with me slowly giving into the madness that made me team up with Dream and blow up L’manburg.

I wish I could have been a better brother to you when we stayed there. I should’ve let Techno and dad take you back to the empire even if you would have hated me for making you leave. Even you must admit that you would have been happier if Techno and dad took you back home. But they didn’t because I let you make that choice, and you chose to stay with me, your older brother who was slowly seeping into madness. You never deserved that. I'm deeply sorry for everything.

And as I write this, Techno’s looking over my shoulder making sure that I don't have to ever be alone again, but it's still not the same without your unfunny jokes, your loudness. The castle feels weird without your presence, it has never felt quieter without you and I'm not sure how Techno, mom and dad never went crazy with the silence. But maybe they got used to it, but I refuse to actually believe that they got used to the silence that appeared after we left. Mom and dad say they miss you dearly and hope you return safely. Techno says he’ll teach you everything and anything you wish to learn when you return. And I promise to be the big brother you need and deserve. So please return to us soon, Theseus.  

With love,  

Wilbur. 

Chapter Text

Theseus crumpled the letter and threw it at the wall. It bounced off and landed beside his bed, which sat just under the windowsill. He stared at the wrinkled piece of paper before rubbing his eyes furiously, trying to stop the tears that threatened to fall.

But it was no use. The tears came anyway, slow and silent as they traced down his cheeks.

Big men didn’t cry.

He wasn’t crying.

He just... missed his big brother. Missed his family. Missed being surrounded by people—it always helped. Everyone knew the crown prince hated being alone. Every servant, every guard, even the children in the streets knew that Theseus despised the silence of solitude. He welcomed everyone—family, staff, even random animals if no one else was around. Though that was rare. There was always someone to keep him company.

God, he missed it all. His parents. His brothers. His castle. Even the people.He missed how his mom and dad used to argue over who could make him laugh longer.

He missed how Techno let him braid his long, pink hair, even letting him tuck flowers into the braid afterward.

He missed Wilbur panicking whenever he disappeared to splash in puddles or wander off.

He missed their garden picnics, the warmth, the laughter, the love.

Damnit, he just wanted to go home.

A quiet sob escaped as he scrubbed his face with his palms again, frustration building as the tears kept coming. The more he cried, the stronger the ache grew. He couldn’t take it anymore. He stood abruptly and stormed over to the closet, yanking it open to grab the warmest clothes Techno had left for him, along with one of Techno’s spare red capes he used to wear constantly.

He changed quickly, throwing on the boots set beside the small pile of clothes, then returned to the chest to gather everything he and Clementine would need for the journey.

The bag was soon packed with enough food and water for them both, extra clothes for him, and a soft blanket for Clementine in case the cold got to her. Slinging the bag over his shoulders, Theseus headed downstairs, snuffed out the fire and lanterns, and took one last glance at the home behind him. He blew out the torches by the door and stepped into the night, heading for the stables.

Clementine nickered softly as she spotted his familiar blond hair enter the stable, and he let out a small, fond chuckle.

“Hey, Clem,” he murmured, stroking her mane. “You hungry?”
He offered her an apple he’d found earlier. She took it happily and gave another quiet nicker.

“Alright, let’s get you all saddled up.”
It took longer than he’d like to admit. She wouldn’t stop moving, and he was out of practice. But eventually, she stood still as he tightened the last strap, exhaling through her nose with an air of patient amusement. He chuckled and gave her a final affectionate pat before mounting her from the left side.

With one last look at Techno and Phil’s old base, Theseus turned toward the snowy biome and set off.

The journey would take at least a week—longer if he stopped at inns or villages. So he wouldn’t. He had enough supplies. He could eat on the road, sleep under the stars, or just… not sleep. But Clem still needed rest, even if he didn’t. 

Phil would be furious if he knew, he thought with a bitter smile.
Still, he couldn’t stop the growing excitement. He was finally going home—for the first time in years. He was going to see his family again. The thought filled him with nervous, buzzing energy.

“Let’s go, Clem,” he whispered.
She responded instantly, shifting from a trot to a full gallop, hooves pounding the snow-covered ground beneath them.

Day One was uneventful—just as he’d hoped.

Day Two brought him to the edge of the largest rainforest in the entire SMP.
It spanned for miles, taking nearly four days to cross—but it was the fastest path, and easily the most beautiful Theseus had ever seen. Massive trees towered above them, some with flowers blooming in the high branches. Clementine slowed to a trot, careful on the mossy paths.

He passed still ponds, vibrant fields of wildflowers, caves he mentally noted in case of emergency shelter. He even spotted sleeping sloths in the treetops. It was peaceful.

After four days, they finally emerged from the dense forest into a vast field of wildflowers and tall grass. The moment was brief, though, because beyond it, the icy expanse of the Antarctic Empire stretched out.

Two more days.

Just two more days until he’d see his family again. One day to reach the border guard post. One day in the carriage to reach the castle. He urged Clementine forward again, and she broke into another gallop.

Day Six.

He saw it. The guard post—at last!

He laughed, breathless and giddy, urging Clementine faster. The sound of hooves drew the attention of nearby guards. They froze, then stared.

It was him. The missing prince.

“Your Imperial Highness!” someone shouted. “The crown prince has returned!”
Soldiers rushed forward as one ran to alert the watch commander. Another offered help.

“We’ll prepare a carriage to take you home! A tent is being set up now!”

He was ushered toward a pale blue tent, raised quickly for his arrival. He handed Clementine’s reins to a stablehand, whispering thanks as she was led away for a well-earned rest.

Inside the tent, Theseus changed into his royal attire. It had been packed carefully into a smaller bag—just in case.

The coat was a masterpiece of snowy white and silver, embroidered with soft blue patterns. A fur mantle draped over his shoulder, pinned by a jeweled clasp bearing the Empire’s sigil. A deep azure sash crossed his chest, held with a brooch shaped like a compass rose. The boots were elegant but reinforced, detailed with etched silver stars and vines.

Dressed like a prince again, he stepped outside. The wind caught the edge of his cape, making it flutter behind him.

He was no longer just a homesick boy. He looked—and felt—like the Crown Prince of the Antarctic Empire.

A soldier led him to the imperial carriage, a gleaming creation of steel and royal blue. Polished silver lanterns glowed on each side, and a crow-shaped finial adorned the top. Even the wheels were etched with ivy and stars, gleaming like frost.

He stepped inside. Blue velvet cushions lined the interior, the same color as the tied-back drapes. He sat down, looking out the window.

The carriage began to move.

This was it. Just one more day until he would see his family—his people—again.
He was going home.
And he wasn’t looking back.