Chapter Text
The sun was high in the sky, casting rays of light onto a kingdom bustling with energy and life. The people walked the streets with a spring in their step, fearless and at peace with the world they lived in. High above the streets of the kingdom was a castle, carved out of the side of the mountain, made from white brick and adorned in the most beautiful twisting vines and flowers that were in full blossom in the midst of Springtime. It was a beacon of light and hope for the people, a place of love and laughter.
High up on one of the balconies, a man watched his Kingdom from afar, a smile on his face and his eyes full of love. These were his people- his people that he looked after, that he would lay his life down for in a heartbeat. His kingdom reigned in gold and the early scents of a colourful Spring.
A soft voice sounded from behind the man. He turned and was greeted by his wife, a tall lady with gorgeous black hair, and the biggest wings he’d ever seen. They sprouted from her back, the golden feathers gleaming in the sunlight, matching the airy dress she wore as she almost floated onto the balcony to stand beside him. “Philza,” she breathed, her voice sweeter than honey, “what are you doing up here alone again, my love?”
The man- Philza- bowed his head as his wife put her hands on his cheeks. “Watching our people live, Kristen. I’m so glad we were able to bring this much life and prosperity to our kingdom.” he replied, his own wings jostling behind him. People had often said they were a strange pair, like darkness and light. Kristen was the embodiment of an angel, straight down to the way she looked. Philza… was just Philza. Golden hair, large black wings, but a very soft heart.
His heart seemed to only soften more as his wife smiled at him, letting her hands slip down as she leaned over the railing to watch kids play in the square. She looked happy, but there was something else behind her eyes… sorrow? Envy? Phil didn’t know. He placed a hand on his wife’s back, just below her wings, and looked down at the children. “It’s not your fault,” he murmured. Kristen sighed, lowering her head.
“The doctor said I cannot conceive children. How isn’t that my fault?” her sorrowful eyes met Phil’s. Something clenched in his chest.
“The doctor is wrong. He has to be.”
“He isn’t,” Kiristen cut in, “we’ve been trying for… for so long.” she murmured. Phil shook his head. They had been trying for years to convince a child- an heir for their kingdom, but nothing had worked. They had to come and meet the fact face to face that maybe they would never be able to have children. Or a family of their own. It broke Phil’s heart.
“Then we will keep trying.” He looked over at his kingdom, embracing the clear skies and sun. “We will not let our home down.”
~
Months passed. Winter had quickly fallen over the castle. Blizzards met the side of the mountain constantly, and Phil only wished to see the clear skies of Springtime again. His army commander, Sapnap, had come too him not to long ago with a problem. It was now too snowy to train young soldiers that defended their peaceful city outside. After many days, Phil and Kirsten made the tough decision to move them to the nether to train instead. It was a hard decision, considering how hot the nether could be, however they found a cooler biome and let Sapnap organize the details.
Then they stood side by side, watching their young soldiers train. The heat of the nether was almost suffocating. Phil and Kiristen had hidden their wings- something all avians could do- to protect them from burning up over the fiery lava pools that stretched and turned like rivers through the other world. They watched their soldiers train for a long while, pride filling his chest at the young men and woman that listened hard and well to their commander. However they couldn’t stay and watch forever.
It was almost time for them to return home. Phil lead his wife away from the training ground as they headed back to the portal that would send them home, to the snowy ice fields and towering mountains beyond. Guards stood around them, protecting them from any outside foes.
They walked in silence until a commotion broke out amongst the guards ahead of them. An outraged yell had Phil pushing his way to the front of the crowd, where a sight burned into his mind greeted him. A young child, maybe around three or four, was banging around the guards legs with a stick. He froze upon seeing Phil, but he was too young to know who he was. He held up the stick in defence and hissed at him. Phil couldn’t help but feel slightly amused by the way the child was acting. He must’ve been protecting something. Maybe food?
Phil gently took the stick from the child, frowning. The kid was strange, appearing to be half piglin and half human, however two small blood red wings sprouted from his back. An occurrence that Phil had never seen before. It was then that Phil realised what he was protecting- another child, about the same age, with human features and small, clipped yellow wings that oddly looked like Kristen’s. The child was injured and looked sick. Phil frowned and reached for him, but his hand was whacked away with a new stick the other child had found. Phil slid his gaze back to him, taking in his pink hair and pinkish skin. “Your friend is sick. Let me help.” He said softly.
The child just stared at him in terror.
~
The two children were returned safely to The Antarctic empire, under the emperor's protection. Over the coming weeks, Phil noticed his wife spent more and more time with the children as they healed. They were quiet at first, untrusting, but Phil didn’t blame them. However to his surprise, the ice in their hearts slowly began to melt as they saw that they were safe, and cared for. By the king and queen nonetheless. Kristen spent more time with them than he did, and one day she came to him in excitement. She found out they were twins, and had been abandoned long ago by their parents. The twins couldn’t say many words, so it amazed Phil that she had put that much together. It also amazed him at how much they had come to trust her- but as he gazed at his wife, he found he wasn’t surprised.
The question came a month after they had bought the twins home. Phil had slowly begun to grow attached to them, and wasn’t ready to let them go off to a foster family once they were fully healed.
“Phil, Dear?” Kristen said from her seat across from the roaring fireplace. Phil looked at her with soft eyes.
“What’s on your mind?”
“I’ve been thinking this over for a couple days and… and I think we should adopt the twins. I still haven’t been able to conceive. We are getting older, time doesn’t slow for anyone. The kingdom needs heirs. And I… I love them. I love them so much. They’re my sons.” Her eyes glistened. Phil smiled.
“They’re our sons, my love.” He said softly. Kristen began to cry. He hugged her tightly, kissing her cheeks. “They’re our sons.”
Kristen sobbed, nodding her head. “Technoblade and Wilbur. Our sons.”
~
It was clear the twins loved the King and Queen as much as they loved them. They quickly grew into a strong family. Kristen taught them about the kingdom, and the lands beyond. Taught them kindness and love. Phil took them on adventures in the surrounding fields, showed them the ropes of being princes. Occasionally they would all return to the nether, hunt wild animals and spy on bastions. It was where the twins were born, and Philza and Kristen promised themselves they would always teach their boys to embrace their heritage.
Springs came and went. On their crowning day, two years after they had been adopted by a new family, when they reached the age of five, the kingdom celebrated. They embraced their young Princes, filled weeks with celebrations and parties and dancing. The kingdom had never been happier.
The happiness was widespread. Celebrations continued, in their own small ways, for many months.
A year after the Princes’ crowning, however, a miracle happened.
The day happened like any other. Phil and Kristen had been attending their weekly meeting, as usual. Schlatt, their right hand man and secretary of interstate relations was there, as well as Sapnap, commander of their army, Quackity, their keeper of maps and books and Awesamdude, the one person they trusted to teach their sons how to fight, as well as a few other of their most trusted friends. The meeting had been going as it normally did when Kristen cried out and collapsed to the floor. Panic ensued in Phil as he cried out his wife’s name, and begged for their court physician.
He arrived within minutes, and instantly began to help her. He checked her over, gave her medicine, then his eyes widened. The news knocked the breath from Phil’s lungs. “Your majesty. You’re pregnant.”
~
The news spread fast, and was highly celebrated. The happiness Phil and Kristen felt didn’t last long. Very quickly she became sick, too sick for even their physician to help her. One day as Phil sat beside her bed, holding her hand, he came into the room and looked at him with an intensity that told Phil there was only bad news on the horizon.
“Just tell me, Badboyhalo.” Philza said. Bad looked at him sorrowfully.
“She is going to die, along with her baby. This sickness is beyond something even I can heal.” His eyes were regretful as he spoke. In the matter of seconds, Phil’s life fell apart. He let out an anguished cry. This wasn’t how their story was meant to go- they were meant to have their baby, live out the rest of their days watching their sons grow alongside their kingdom.
But Kristen was dying.
He would never get the future he’d dreamt of.
“But.” Bad’s voice snapped Phil’s attention up. “There is one thing that could save her. It’s only a rumour- a legend, more like. A flower. A flower made from a droplet of sunlight, its glow so bright it could illuminate an entire town. This flower has the magical properties of healing, and can heal anyone. Rumour has it that it can reverse healing, even save people on the brink of death.” Bad’s eyes flashed. The king frowned deeply.
“How are you sure this flower exists?” He asked softly, voice full of anguish.
“I’m not. It’s a legend, lost to the sands of time. However… I believe if we look, the gods will light the path ahead.”
Phil nodded, letting the words sink in. Bad was old- much older than anyone he knew. Being half a demon, he could live for Millenia. If he was bribing it up… then their chances of finding this flower must be slim, but present. Phil sucked in a breath, looking at his sick wife. He would tear the world apart looking for this flower to save her and their unborn child.
“Then we start looking.”