This is for the whumptober prompts: Coma + CPR + "don't leave me" + poisoned
Parade days were by far Technoblade's least favorite.
It wasn't getting up early that bothered him. Techno had always woken up with the sun, a remnant of his days as a recruit when higher command would task the fresh meat with all the less desirable chores like cleaning latrines or night guard duty. It wasn't the crowds either. Techno didn't like dense throngs of people, just as he didn't like people in general. But from up on Carl's back, Techno could keep a good oversight of his surroundings and he didn't mind it as much. Heck, it wasn't even the silly costuming that bothered him. Though that ranked pretty high up there.
"Do we have to wear all this?" Tommy complained as Kristin messed with the collar of his shirt, tucking in the edges. Techno did not have much hope for that beautiful pale blue fabric to stay in such pristine condition for very long. Not when Tommy was the one wearing it.
"I know it sucks," Kristin said plainly. She did not sugarcoat her words even with her own children. "But it's tradition, so we're kind of stuck doing it."
"Dad always says traditions are fucking stupid," Tommy blurted out. Wilbur snickered from where he was lacing up his boots and Techno leaned on his halberd to watch him struggle.
Kristin flicked some hair out of Tommy's face playfully. "No, your father rightfully points out the importance of not letting tradition weigh us down. If something is harmful or inefficient, there's no reason to keep doing it just because those who came before us did." She leaned back, a small smile playing around her lips. "But wearing a fancy shirt is not fucking stupid. It won't kill you to not look like we found you in the gutter for one day."
Wilbur's smaller chuckles became a lot louder then, earning himself an angry glare from his younger brother. "Oh, Tommy wouldn't know what fashion was if it bit him in the ass, that's the problem," Wilbur said.
"Yeah? You look silly," Tommy told him.
"I look great," Wilbur said, affronted. He spun, and the long, dove gray cape that trialed off his shoulders flowed with the motion. It was too heavy a garment to be very functional, but the dark blue embroidery was a display of the kingdom's handcrafting skill beyond any other. The way the silken threads would catch the sunlight outside was wondrous. "Actually, we look great. Don't we, Techno?"
"I look like a peacock," Techno said.
This time it was Tommy's turn to laugh, and Kristin also had to modestly suppress a giggle behind her hand. She normally never bothered to act like most people would expect a queen to act, but parade day was one of those special occasions where she put in an effort.
The event was held only once every six months, for the summer solstice and the winter solstice. The entire day was one of celebration when food and drink would be handed out freely thanks to the royals' generosity. The literal parade was just another aspect of the holiday. The king, queen, and their family would ride from the castle and through the capital in ornate carriages, waving at groups of eager commoners who wanted to see the spectacle. Since their current royals were so well-liked, the feast became quite an affair. And as the head of the royal guard, naturally Techno would be expected to parade too, dressed up all fancy so he didn't stand out among the gaudy display.
His simple linen pants and shirt were exchanged for the same stuffy material that the royals themselves wore. The fabric was more constricting, not to the point of being hard to move in but also far worse than what Techno was used to. He normally wore leather armor for his casual day-to-day tasks and metal plating only when duty called for it, such as during higher-risk outings or when he expected trouble. Most of the time, Techno settled for just wearing the chest plate and the greaves too. Phil had given him an earful about that on a few different occasions, making some joke about the futility of armor if he wasn't going to actually protect his body with it. The way Techno saw it, the non-fatal injuries he risked by forgoing those pieces of his armor were worth it for the increased speed and mobility he got in exchange. Phil - while not pleased - had learned quickly enough that Techno was as stubborn as a mule and could not be argued with.
However, for parade day, Techno had little choice but to concede to the expectations of his royal employers. And that meant he was in a full-plated armor of metal and ivory, with the engravings of the kingdom's blazon and other decorations, plus a half-shoulder cape that suited the same color as Wilbur's. Techno was not too fond of it, partly because he was definitely going to overheat in the sun outside.
"Well, I think you look great," Wilbur stressed, giving Techno a few placating pats on the shoulder. He was exactly the sort of melodramatic personality to enjoy parade day on its own merit, having people wave and cheer and worship the very ground on which the royals stepped. Wilbur soaked that attention up like a sponge.
Techno supposed it was fair at least one of them was having fun.
"Are you guys ready to head out?" Phil asked as he walked into the hall. His hair was worn half-down for the occasion, touching the fur layer on his own cape in golden waves. He was wearing the most armor out of the entire family, as was tradition. Techno smiled to himself.
"I'll check with my regiment, but they should be good to go," Techno said. They'd all be at the stables. "We'll meet you at the gate?"
"See you in five," Phil said with a curt nod. Before he could completely turn away, Techno reached out to grab his wrist. He waited until the other three were out of earshot before proceeding.
"What's up?" Techno asked. He could read Phil easily.
"There might have been some threats made," Phil admitted, voice calm. If it hadn't been for the decade of knowing each other, Techno could have fooled himself into thinking that his composed attitude was sincere.
"How serious?"
"Hard to say. Serious enough that you should probably know about it." Phil tilted his head up when looking at him. "I didn't want to cause any unrest though. Prime knows that's more dangerous."
"Sure," Techno said. Panic and crowds did not go well together. And in all the time that Phil had sat on the throne, there hadn't been a single parade that had to be called off. Even through harsh wind and weather, thousands still poured out onto the street for the solstice celebrations. If Phil had chosen to cancel the parade at the last minute, the rumor mill that would start to turn could have far more negative effects than some empty threats possibly could.
But that was all on the assumption that they were empty threats.
"I'll bring in some extra men," Techno decided. "We got new recruits. They were just going to stay behind for training anyway, they might as well get some practice on the field. And nobody is going to be counting how many guards there are, they'll hardly notice."
Phil nodded gratefully at Techno's reassurance. "That works. Best case scenario, it's a nice way for them to get acquainted with their future duties."
Techno let go of Phil's arm, only for the other man to reach out to squeeze his shoulder. The gesture made Techno tense up awkwardly, not always used to it despite how long he had been in Phil's employ. Growing up on the streets had not left much room in Techno's life for getting accustomed to kindness.
"Be careful out there," Phil said. "And if shit does hit the fan, don't do anything stupid."
He couldn't help but grin at that. "Don't you trust your most loyal guard to keep your family safe? You wound me, your majesty." His tone was playful and the use of Phil's formal title made it clear Techno was talking in jest.
But Phil only gave him a small courtesy laugh. "You know that's not what I meant." Then he pulled back and crossed his arms. "While I trust you to keep all of us safe, I don't trust you to keep yourself safe. You don't exactly have the best track record, mate."
Techno shrugged. "Well, keeping myself safe isn't part of my job, technically."
Clearly, that wasn't the answer Phil had been looking for. But before he could respond (and possibly demand to change the terms of Techno's contract) the door opened again and Kristin peeked inside.
"Sorry to interrupt your little confidential meeting, but it's noon. If we don't hurry we'll be late." Kristin gave them a knowing look. Techno had no doubt that she was aware of the threats that were made against the royal family. Phil never kept any secrets from his wife.
It was kind of frightening what good actors they both were. Probably trying to keep Wilbur and Tommy from worrying too.
"Right, let's not keep the common folk waiting then." Phil gave him a final nod before heading out. Techno returned the greeting with a half bow.
But something told him today was going to be a long day.
So the thing that Techno actually disliked about parade days, badly enough to make them his least favorite days of the year, was his own popularity.
Techno could absolutely not phantom how, but somewhere along the way he'd found himself collecting a small yet dedicated group of people whom Wilbur ever so indulgently called his 'fan club'. Techno supposed he could see how his journey from street orphan to head of the royal guard was an inspiration to some folks. Lots of people loved a good rags-to-riches tale, especially the commoners.
(Not so much the nobility. Techno didn't hold grudges, but he'd never forget the disdain and scorn he had gotten from those whose only merit for the guard's position had been nepotism. Those that had whispered fervently about his 'questionable background'. Especially after the king took an interest in Techno and started to personally involve himself with his training).
"Would it kill you to smile?" Wilbur asked with an amused scoff, reaching out to pet Carl's mane. Since it was the summer solstice, they were using open carriages.
"Maybe," Techno deadpanned back. "It might kill some of them if they faint in this heat."
"Aren't you considerate?" Wilbur smiled at him. Techno wondered if slapping that smug grin off his face would count as treason. Probably, but it would be worth it. For his own part, Wilbur was having quite a blast waving at all the women who fawned over him. Techno could understand them at least, wanting to marry a prince was fairy tale stuff.
Who the heck dreamed of marrying the head of the royal guard?
"They don't know me," Techno added. "It's shallow."
"You say that as if you hold any interest in getting to know them," Wilbur mused. Techno shook his head before digging his heels into Carl's side and pulling on the reins to make the horse fall back slightly. As much fun as chatting with Wilbur was, he did have an actual job to do.
The procession was about halfway through the capital, slowed down to a crawl through the more densely populated inner area of the city. Techno had positioned his men in a loose formation around the carriages themselves, with additional infantry up front to clear the road. There were several guards on horseback to circle the carriages directly. He kept his own eyes mostly upward. The odds of somebody trying to storm them by foot were small, but the windows of the buildings around them would provide the ideal vantage point for an ambush.
So far everything had been remarkably calm, just the way Techno preferred things to be.
Keeping Carl level between the two royal wagons, Techno could hear Phil and Kristin talk to each other behind him, the noise mostly drowned out by the ruckus of the commoners. There was cheering, people playing music. The air was scented with a dozen different smells of foods that were being cooked for the solstice celebration, and the flowers that were thrown on the ground and trampled at the royal's behest. The overstimulation could get hard to cope with at times, but Techno was practiced at directing his concentration where it needed to be. He watched as Tommy crawled onto the thick gold railing of the carriage he shared with his brother, yelling at some kids who were standing on a street corner selling candy apples. Techno wondered if he should intervene, lest the prince fall off - funny as it would be to see Tommy eat dirt.
And it was in that moment of his attention being drawn elsewhere that the trap was sprung from above.
Techno heard the arrow before he saw it, somehow picking up on the slightly higher pitch of the projectile cutting through the air. Instinct kicked in quickly enough, with common sense indicating that there was a greater chance the attack was aimed at the first carriage. There was more open space there, making aiming easier for a bowman. Techno tugged sharply on Carl's reins and the horse snorted. It was trained enough to instantly jump forward though, turning in front of the carriage with another pull on the leather in Techno's hands.
The arrow hit his pauldron, where it would otherwise have landed in Wilbur's chest.
There was a second of the jubilation around them not dying down. Just a blink where the air was still alive with cries of joy and string instruments because what had happened hadn't sunk in yet. As if the arrow could have been nothing but a stray incident, a shadow at the corner of people's eyes or their imagination playing tricks on them.
That didn't last long.
"Techno?!" Tommy's voice rose over the first alarmed cries coming from the crowd. Techno half turned towards him.
"Get down!"
He raised his shield with his other arm, catching another arrow in the wood. Techno unbuckled his rider's harness with deft fingers so he could get off Carl and into the carriage instead, where he'd be better able to shield both Tommy and Wilbur at the same time. He was also looking back at the other carriage. Phil was already in motion, trying to get to them.
One of their men screamed.
Techno's eyes scanned the ranks, searching for their attackers among a hundred strangers. Except he could not see anything out of the usual, nobody with weapons drawn.
Nobody except Techno's own recruits. There was blood on the ground, a body twitching and spasming in the throes of death. It took Techno a bit to realize that the guard was killed by another man of the regiment. The newer hires that Techno didn't know as well.
By taking their precautions against those threats, they had worked right into the enemy's hands and filled their ranks with traitors. A smart ploy, Techno would admit.
"Come on." Techno wound his arm around Tommy's shoulder, practically dragging him along while he grabbed Wilbur's wrist with his other hand. Later, there would be time to apologize to the princes for treating them in a rough manner. Saving their lives was infinitely more important. Techno couldn't trust his own regiment anymore. It was unclear to him how many of them were infiltrators from whoever was out for royal blood. And as fighting broke out around them, all Techno was concerned with was getting both Tommy and Wilbur as far away from that as he could.
Phil had been right. Unrest was dangerous.
More arrows rained down on the procession and the unsuspecting bystanders. Seeing their clean assassination thwarted, whoever was behind this had apparently decided that the loss of innocent life was an acceptable sacrifice in their efforts to kill a royal. Panic swept through the crowd like a wave, people pushing and pulling in an effort to get away. In the chaos, it was impossible to tell friend from foe anymore. Techno couldn't rely on anything but his own wits.
Thankfully, he had an excellent memory.
These streets were the ones that had birthed him, raised him. Techno's mother died when he was five, his father was never in the picture. The little alleyways and nooks that turned the capital into a maze for tourists and visitors were Techno's home growing up. He quickly herded his two charges towards the nearest passageway that would lead into the small paths between the rows of houses, holding up his shield to guard their retreat.
Techno chose to shift it so he was carrying it out in front of him mostly, pushing the princes behind it and himself between them and the carriage they'd deserted. He was grateful for his choice as several more arrows found a home in the broad piece of wood, though it did leave his own back exposed. Techno hissed at a sharp pinch of pain when one metal tip pierced into his side. But he ignored it and kept moving.
"Wait!" Wilbur's face was painted in concern as he tried to turn back, though Techno's hold on him was too tight to leave his guard's side. "What about mom and dad?"
"They'll be fine," Techno said. Truthfully, he had no way of knowing that. But he also knew it was what Wilbur needed to hear even if it was a lie.
Technically, Techno's job was to guard the entire royal family - meaning that sacrificing his life for every single member had become second nature. But Phil and Kristin both had made it abundantly clear that in a moment such as this, they'd want Techno to prioritize the safety of their two sons over anything else. So that was what Techno was going to do, regardless of Wilbur's feelings.
When they got far enough down the alley that Techno felt reasonably safe doing so, he quickly stripped off his chest plate and cape. He threw some of the other pieces of armor aside, pulling them free hastily enough that the straps snapped. They were too bulky to be much use in close combat and too bothersome to put on the princes quickly. But the chest plate just about fit Tommy - drowned him almost really. It was only so he'd have an extra layer of protection. Techno put the cape over the younger prince's shoulders too, to cover his neck and head.
"What are you doing?" Tommy asked, uncharacteristically quiet. Techno saw something there, in those wide, blue eyes. There had never been a danger that came this close to Tommy, that became this real. Any other wars or rebellions were stomped out long before they could reach the castle gates. The last assassination attempt on the royal family was from a time when Techno wasn't even head guard yet.
"Kristin will kill me if you dirty up your shirt," Techno said casually. The way Tommy's entire face scrunched up at him, told Techno the kid didn't believe his dumb excuse. It was just a way to distract Tommy from the screaming anyway.
"What do we do now?" Wilbur asked. He straightened his back, trying to appear more collected so he didn't scare Tommy either.
Techno looked around, considering their options. The alleyway might not be safe for long, it was impossible to tell if any of the people behind this ploy saw them sneak away. And regardless, having the princes out in some gutter of the kingdom for long sounded like a bad idea. Techno just didn't know if somehow trying to make their way to the castle was a smart move either. They weren't very close to the gates.
"Let me think on that," Techno said. Time was of the essence, he had to make his mind up quickly.
"You're hurt," Wilbur pointed out suddenly. Techno looked down at the arrow sticking out of him, buried in the flesh of his abdomen right above his hip bone.
Normally, leaving a foreign object inside the wound was better. It was hard for Techno to judge at a glance how deep it had dug, and the adrenaline masked his true pain. But having the arrow inside would impede his ability to move around.
So Techno decided to risk it. He pulled it loose with a small grunt, then bunched up the decorative sash around his waist and pressed it to the bleeding. He fastened it using one of the leather straps of his discarded armor.
"Who were those people?" Tommy asked while Techno did that, trying not to look at the blood. "I thought they were on our side."
Techno sighed, rubbing at his face. He was trying to concentrate. "I don't know, Tommy."
"Aren't recruits vetted?" Wilbur said.
"Not in the first stage of training." Techno wasn't even technically responsible for that part of how the army worked, that was a task long since handed off to somebody else.
Tommy looked at the entrance to the alleyway, worrying at the edges of his sleeves. "Do you think they killed anybody else? Like, the people that were watching the parade?"
"I don't know," Techno could only say. "Let's worry about ourselves for the moment. We should try to get back to the castle." He had made up his mind on that, at least.
"We're halfway across the city," Wilbur said.
"I know, it's not ideal. Staying out here is even less of a solution though."
"But we-"
"Somebody's coming," Tommy interrupted them. He pressed closer to Techno, fingers clutching at the back of Techno's shirt. Fighting with a child clinging to him would be harder still, so Techno handed over his shield to Wilbur instead and directed them both into a small alcove between two buildings.
"Your shield-" Wilbur tried to give it back to him as Techno stepped out of the hiding spot.
"It's too bulky for close quarters," Techno told him. "Don't move." He reached for the sword at his hip. Footsteps were drawing closer, the shape at the end of the alley was heavily armored. Definitely somebody from the royal regiment.
It wasn't a man Techno recognized. A newer recruit then.
They opened their mouth, maybe to deliver some kind of speech. An appeal to Techno's unshaking loyalty, an attempt to sway him to the benefits of regicide. Techno wouldn't let them get a word in. He was completely uninterested in finding out the reasoning of the traitors, that was something for the royal court to concern themselves with.
Techno only cared about taking out anybody who would threaten those he was sworn to protect.
His blade was pulled from its sheath before he had crossed the small distance between them. The downside of fighting in a confined space like this was that it was a pain. The alley was only a handful of feet wide at most, Techno would be able to touch both sides without fully stretching both arms. Not exactly ideal for swinging a sword around.
He opted for a stabbing motion instead. The recruit caught it with their own weapon. In their other hand, they were holding a dagger, better suited for tight spaces. This told Techno they were not a total idiot at what they were doing.
And they were actually wearing more armor than him, which could pose a problem.
Their strides were quick, attempting to dart past him. Techno blocked the way with his body and tried to bring his pommel down on their neck. Their shoulder slamming into his chest stopped him. The wound in his side smarted painfully, sending small twinges of pain into his leg and side. Techno didn't like the idea of tearing the injury open worse but he had no choice. In the next moment, he had managed to slice into the man's shoulder and made them stumble back.
He could feel some blood dripping down his hip.
The man did not let him regain his breath, pushing forward again. Techno was the one catching the blow this time, feeling the force of their strike reverberate into his elbow and arm. He hissed, heart beating so fast he could feel it between his temples. His head pounded, perhaps from the heat and adrenaline. Techno tried to push it off, to focus only on this battle and what would come after.
He had no time to waste on his own body's demands. He had to get Wilbur and Tommy to safety as quickly as possible.
There was a blur at the edge of his vision, moving too fast to catch. Too late did Techno realize it was a fist, hitting the side of his head hard. He fell into the wall but stuck out his leg to trip the recruit before they could try to slide past him again. Man, this guy was really set on the whole assassination plot. They spun around, hands grabbing for the front of Techno's shirt and then his back was against the wall. His own sword had fallen onto the ground in the struggle.
Techno used his own hands to try and fight back, to push them off. But it felt like his fingers were slipping through water. He frowned, confusion barely able to take hold. What was-
"Take this, you prick!" There was a weird, metallic thud that Techno only then realized was Wilbur using his shield to bash the would-be assassin in the back. Their armor protected them, but it distracted them enough to let go of Techno. They turned around, dagger still in their hand. Techno acted quickly, winding his elbow around the man's neck to choke them.
It only took a few seconds of him applying force for them to stop struggling and Techno dropped their body onto the ground.
Then he fell back against the wall again, legs unsteady. He blinked, the harsh sunlight felt so much less tolerable than it did a few moments ago and made his eyes burn.
"Techno?" Wilbur asked, uncertainly.
"Yeah." Techno pushed off the wall. He had no time for this. Focus. "Thanks for that."
"That was almost cool," Tommy told his brother, drawing a frail chuckle from Wilbur, pale and gripping the shield still. Techno shook his head.
"Let's not wait for the next dude to show up," he said. "Stay close to me."
If Techno did his best, he could just about remember the winding paths they'd need to take to get back to the castle without crossing over any crowded streets where people likely were. There were small hatches at several secret points within the castle walls. They were there to sneak out unnoticed in case of a siege or invasion. But there was no reason they couldn't be used to get in too. Ignoring the way his vision seemed intent on taking on a blurry, almost hazy quality, Techno started to lead the two princes through the capital.
"How do you know where we're going?" Wilbur asked at one point. "It's like a fucking maze out here."
"I grew up on these streets," Techno said simply.
"That was years ago," Wilbur replied. He'd known Techno since he came to the castle too, seeing as they were around the same age. In a way, they grew up together, though it wasn't like they actually hung out a lot until they were both in their late teens and Techno was holding his first position on royal details. The crown prince had better things to do than hang out with some random orphan kid in the barracks.
Techno huffed a laugh. "Yeah, so?"
"So it's fucking ridiculous that you'd remember unless you have a photographic memory."
"Maybe I do," Techno said with a smirk.
"You're just jealous Techno is cooler than you," Tommy helpfully supplied. Techno didn't know if Tommy actually thought he was that cool or if he simply enjoyed riling Wilbur up. It could go both ways, really.
"Hold." Techno held out his arm to stop them, glad that they instantly fell quiet. They watched somebody cross the road in front of the alley they were currently in. It seemed to just be a civilian, but Techno wouldn't take any chances. He waited until they'd walked around the corner before gesturing for Wilbur and Tommy to continue following him.
With each passing second, Techno felt like he had to blink more often. Light radiated off the cobblestones, the aura around them shimmering with yellow and green in his deteriorating vision. By then, Techno had realized this was more than a heatstroke. Most likely, the arrowhead had been dipped in something lethal.
That was also a concern for later.
They had almost made it to the castle walls. Once inside, Techno would be able to fall back on the support of his most trusted generals. He wanted a full report on the situation, he needed to find Phil and Kristin to make sure they were safe, he would require intel on who was behind this and why, he had to-
"Wow!" Tommy's hands pressed into his chest, Wilbur's hold on Techno's shoulders the only thing that kept him from toppling over and almost crushing the younger boy. "What's wrong? Techno, are you-"
"I'm fine," Techno reassured hastily. The tingling in his legs had caught him unaware, almost making him collapse before he was able to catch himself. The muscles didn't ache, rather they felt made of liquid. Weak, slackened. It was as if his heart couldn't decide whether to go extremely fast or as slow as a snail, switching between the two tempos at random. "Let's keep going."
"Are you sure?" Wilbur asked.
Techno gave him a look.
"Yeah, sure." Wilbur offered his shoulder. "Just lean on me, okay?"
And since today wasn't the day to let pride get the best of him, Techno did. It wasn't far now.
Techno had been a bit concerned about whether the hatch would still be there. And if it was, whether he'd be able to pry it open. Having their most convenient route into the castle rusted shut would really throw a wrench into his plan. But thankfully, it seemed to lift easily once Techno put some force into it.
"Be careful," Techno warned. "I didn't get you through the entire city unscathed for you to trip on these steps and die."
Wilbur went down first, taking a torch from the bracket on the wall. There was little chance it would still light after being down there for so long, but he seemed to feel better with it in his hand somehow. Then he helped Tommy down, then last came Techno with the shield he'd gotten back from Wilbur once they reached the gate. On the last step, Techno faltered. He used the shield to regain his balance by placing the edge on the ground.
Techno stood there squinting into the darkness, feeling his heart hammer away in his chest. He couldn't chalk it up to a mere side effect of the adrenaline anymore either. Even after putting an effort into slowing his breathing and calming himself down, that didn't make a difference.
He hadn't been this dizzy in a long while… or ever.
The tunnel only went a short distance, spitting them out somewhere in the middle of the kitchen area. Techno blinked briefly as several servants - completely shocked at their sudden presence in a part of the castle where the princes would usually not show up - started to fuss over the two royals. News did not always travel fast, so they had no idea what had happened outside the castle.
Techno didn't have time to waste on explanations, he had gotten Tommy and Wilbur where they needed to be. It was his duty to go help Phil and Kristin as fast as he could.
"Throne room," he managed to say, raising his voice enough to be heard. That would be the place for them to reconvene, at the heart of the castle.
Wilbur said something and touched his shoulder, but Techno could barely pay attention to his churning stomach trying to expel his breakfast, let alone what was being said. He gave a vague nod as they started to walk.
The throne room wasn't empty.
Techno hadn't exactly expected it to be. There were often people around, even when the royals weren't present. It was one of the larger rooms in the castle, sometimes used for other stuff besides holding court. Still, seeing so many people lingering - some of them members of the royal guard - somehow put Techno on edge after what happened at the parade.
At least, until he saw a familiar man with long blond hair push through the crowd.
"Wilbur?! Tommy?!"
The throng of gathered people parted for the king, letting the man surge forward to catch his two sons in an embrace. Kristin wasn't far behind.
They already got there. They were safe. All four of them were safe.
Heh, it was almost as if his body caught up with his brain all at once then. Techno's shoulders sagged and he felt his pulse slow to a small stutter. Oh, that was… not good…
"-you?" Phil was reaching for him, trying to say something that Techno found as nebulous as fog. His own lips were moving, forming a greeting.
What came out of him was only a strange noise, clumsy. He couldn't make it sound like anything. He couldn't talk. Phil started to frown.
There was a headache that burst behind his eyes, sudden and vicious. That was the last thing Techno was aware of before it all slipped away.
The relief of seeing that his family was alive and well had barely started to blossom in Phil's chest before Techno collapsed.
He'd noticed that something was wrong with the other man. Techno's stance was unsteady, leaning on his shield for support. Phil saw the wound in his side, yet it wasn't bleeding too badly. It looked minor. It looked like a thing they could patch up in minutes.
Then Techno opened his mouth only to slur his speech and Phil saw the dilation of his pupils, the sweat that clung to Techno's forehead. He was at his side in an instant, fast enough to catch Techno from cracking his head open on the tiles of their throne room.
Phil lowered them both until he was on his knees, horrified at how Techno's eyes fluttered. His chest was barely moving. Phil pushed two fingers against Techno's neck, the skin cold and clammy. What he found there was thready, faint.
It disappeared from right beneath Phil's fingertips.
"Get a physician!" Phil didn't care who would do it, so long as somebody listened to his command. He intertwined his fingers so he could start pushing down on Techno's chest in rhythmic compressions.
"What do I do?" That was Kristin, kneeling on his opposite side. Her completely calm appearance was undercut by the tension in her face. But she was steadfast as usual. She directed herself exactly where he needed her most.
"Hold his head back," Phil said. "Make sure he doesn't choke on his own tongue." Somebody had run off, Phil couldn't tell who. Hopefully, it wouldn't take long for whoever it was to fetch a professional.
Kristin put her hand under Techno's jaw to angle it up, thumb pressed into his jugular. She would be able to tell if Phil was doing his job correctly, if he was keeping the blood circulating in Techno's body.
"Are his pupils responsive?" Phil asked, voice smothered from the effort it took to keep up the compressions.
Kristin tried to be careful as she lifted Techno's eyelids enough to check, hoping to see any kind of reaction to the light or movement around him.
"I think so," Kristin said. "Not much but some."
Phil nodded, dismissing the pain shooting up his arms. "Good, that's good."
"It's poison, right?" Kristin shifted Techno's elbow to take a closer look, inspecting the wound in his side. "Curare?"
Phil inhaled and exhaled heavily, his own muscles were starting to ache. He couldn't keep this up for long. Where was that damn doctor? "Different symptoms," he grunted out. "It's milkweed or oleander, most likely." His voice was strained, but it was worth it when Kristin nodded.
"I'll tell the physician." She got up again, talking to the people around them to direct them what to do. Phil wasn't concentrating on what she said, solely putting care into keeping Techno from dying. He knew his wife would convey the needed information. They would be able to get an antidote, they had to.
He blinked and so much time had passed that he couldn't feel his hands anymore. There was something burning in his eyes, but Phil couldn't tell if it was tears or a side effect from him forgetting to blink. Somebody curled their hand around his elbow to pull him away and he tried to resist for a moment, to snarl at whoever dared to interrupt him.
Then it was Kristin's warm hands on his face, holding him, pulling him back to himself. One of the guards had taken over compressions, while a physician knelt close by and told them what to do. They were using a syringe to administer something into Techno's veins.
The silence was overwhelming, seconds dragging out into eternity as they waited and waited and waited for the antidote to spread through Techno's veins and for his heart to beat on its own again. The physician wore a grave expression while they stood there. It turned Phil's stomach.
But when they finally directed the guard to stop for a moment so they could check for a pulse, they nodded. "Okay, we're moving him. Make way."
Phil tried to follow automatically, legs carrying him without thought or reason. It was a selfish desire of his, to stay close to Techno's side right now. Kristin - forever his better half - squeezed his wrist.
"The kingdom needs you," she said simply. He could see it in her eyes, that she had that same wish.
'He needs us too.'
But Kirstin was right. She always was. Techno would not benefit from having Phil flit around his bedside while he was unconscious. After such a serious attempt on the royal family's life, Phil needed to take precautions. They needed to get to the bottom of this. They needed to reassure the commoners lest the waves of this incident toppled the entire country. Not to mention Wilbur and Tommy…
So Phil nodded. "Yes. Yes, of course." But he knew from the squeeze of Kristin's hand against his own that she understood his hesitation.
At least it was a worthwhile distraction, to get caught up in all the arrangements that needed to be made. Phil checked on Tommy and Wilbur again first, the wave of relief upon first seeing them unharmed had passed enough that he could properly inquire about what happened and make sure they were both doing fine despite the shock of it all. He was also glad to see that Wilbur had taken his younger brother under his wing after Techno's collapse, to keep the worst of the sights from Tommy. Phil did not have the presence of mind to do that.
It made an odd sense of pride flare alive within him, knowing Wilbur had foresight that Phil lacked.
Then the more practical matters remained. Before Phil knew it the sun was lowering and his generals were already well on their way to apprehending the rebels responsible. Of those who had infiltrated his guard, most had been killed but the ones that were captured could be questioned. Phil would not rest until that whole pathetic lot had been dealt with.
He would not rest until they had paid for touching his family.
The only word of Techno they got through the day was that his condition had stabilized, but it was still with anxiety that Phil finally found himself in that room at the end of the evening. Wilbur and Tommy were already there. They had been for a while.
"It was poison, as you feared," the physician told Phil. They were one of Phil's most trusted at this court, and they knew not to mince words with him. "It is a fortunate thing that he pulled out the arrow, it stopped more poison from entering his system."
"But?" Phil asked. He could tell there was bad news, another shoe waiting to drop.
"But moving around a lot made it easier for the toxin to circulate. The damage is… worse than anticipated."
"In practical terms?" Phil asked. "Just tell me what the fuck it means for him."
"It means I can't say when he'll wake up," the doctor said. "Or if he'll wake up."
Phil didn't know how to respond to that. For a moment he simply stood there, feeling profoundly numb to everything. Outside, far off in the distance, he could hear the sound of music playing out in the streets. The solstice celebration continued, it always did.
In the face of everything, that felt so horribly unfair.
"I'm hopeful," their physician put in quickly. "Between how fast we were able to give him the antidote and the maintaining of blood flow, there's a good chance he'll make a decent recovery."
A decent recovery. Not a full recovery, Phil noted bitterly.
"Brain damage?" Part of him almost felt it was better not to know, but Phil had to ask.
"In the worst-case scenario, it's not a possibility I can completely rule out." They cleared their throat, making somewhat of an effort to direct Phil to more hopeful prospects. "But again, we were very quick with our treatment. We'll just have to keep an eye on him. We'll monitor his condition closely and see what happens."
Given the circumstances, Phil was aware that was the best they could do. Whether he could accept that or not.
After thanking the doctor for their hard work, he went into the room. Phil had ordered Techno to be moved to his private quarters. The medical ward was full of those injured in the incident today, so it wasn't the ideal place to keep somebody long-term. Additionally, Techno's bedroom was in the same hallway as the royal family's rooms - obviously, since it made sense to keep their head guard nearby, though Phil would be lying if he were to say that was the only reason. Wilbur was sitting on a chair next to the bed, distractedly playing with Tommy's hair. Tommy himself was asleep, using a pile of pillows and blankets to keep himself propped up comfortably on the floor next to Wilbur. Both of them had washed and changed out of their messy attire.
Somebody had gone through the effort of changing Techno too. He looked remarkably peaceful lying in that bed, almost as if he was merely sleeping. Though Phil had seen the other man slumber often enough to note he didn't usually have such a relaxed expression on his face. And he would instantly wake up with that many people in his room, Techno was a very light sleeper. It was only natural for somebody who grew up the way he had.
Phil stood there, feeling more helpless than he ever had before.
"He's going to be okay, right?" Wilbur asked from behind him, his voice pitched low enough to not wake Tommy up. Phil could recognize the small smattering of guilt there. He had become very familiar with it himself over the past few hours.
And that was so fucking stupid. Hell, if Techno was awake he'd probably laugh squarely in their face at how silly it was for them to feel any sort of guilt about him doing his literal job.
Things hadn't been that simple for a while though, had they?
"I don't know," Phil could only answer honestly. Wilbur was old enough to bear the crown if something happened to his parents, he was old enough to know the truth.
Sometimes Phil wondered what happened to that little boy who would run through the castle courtyard chasing butterflies to catch them in cupped palms.
"Oh," Wilbur said. A soft exhale.
Phil turned around, offering his son a modicum of a smile. "The doctor's hopeful he'll wake up, at least. We'll see what happens after that."
"One day at a time, right?" Wilbur asked. It was a little something Phil used to tell him a lot. When foreign affairs kept them busy and Wilbur was raised by tutors and servants more than his parents. He'd be ten years old screaming and throwing a tantrum, demanding that whatever wars were going on at the borders could end already so he could spend time with his mom and dad. And Phil pulled him aside, gently scolding him with proper conduct for royalty. Sternly yet with empathy making it clear to Wilbur how the world worked even at such a young age.
Sometimes shit just happened and all they could do was take it one day at a time.
"One day at a time," Phil agreed with a little smile.
Not an hour went by, probably, with the room completely empty. Even during the night, somebody would 'accidentally' fall asleep on the couch that they'd pulled up next to Techno's bed, laid out with more duvets and pillows than one would know what to do with. Or Phil, bold enough to simply admit to his intentions, would refuse to leave despite the physician's assurances that they'd keep an eye on their comatose patient.
Whether Techno took a turn for the better or the worse, Phil would never forgive himself if they weren't there for it.
Mostly Techno did neither though. He stayed in complete oblivion to the world around him, unaware of all the fuss happening because of his condition. Sometimes, Phil found himself standing next to the bed and putting his hand on the side of Techno's neck, to assure himself of a pulse. He would study the minute flicks of Techno's eyes moving beneath his lids or the way his chest ever so subtly moved up and down. All those small signs of life became eerily easy to miss sometimes with Techno being as still as he was.
At other times, he found it startlingly easy to convince himself Techno was asleep and nothing more.
Phil caught Wilbur shaking him once, almost timidly as if he was ashamed of what he was doing. Phil watched through the ajar door and didn't know whether he should laugh or cry while Wilbur tried to wake up the very much unresponsive Techno.
"It's not funny anymore, you prick." Wilbur sat down on the chair again. He'd taken an almost permanent residence there, second only to Phil himself. "You can wake up now."
And then quieter, Wilbur leaning onto his own elbows.
"Please don't leave us."
It broke Phil's heart. But Techno's eyes would remain closed for three whole weeks.
Then one day, Phil was startled awake himself by Tommy almost yanking his shoulder from the socket.
"Dad! Dad, he moved! I'm sure I saw him move!"
Phil blinked, taking a moment to come back to the present. He'd dozed off in the chair while listening to Tommy reading out loud for Techno. It was pretty late at night.
"Tommy," Phil yawned there, not able to finish his sentence first. "The doctor told us about the muscle spams-"
"No, he lifted his arm. His eyes are open," Tommy insisted, shaking Phil harder.
Phil finally got up, blearily rubbing at his face. He went over to check, noticing that Techno's arm was askew on the bed, lying almost across his own lap. Techno's eyes were not truly open, but also not closed. As Phil watched, his head kind of rolled to the side slowly - not the contractions of muscles that Phil had gotten used to.
"Get the doctor," he told Tommy hurriedly, shooting over to the bed. Phil put his hand on Techno's face, lightly tapping against his cheek to draw his attention. "Techno? Can you hear me?"
There came no reaction, except for the slight turn of Techno's head again and his eyebrows drawing together. That was fine though, the physician had explained that people didn't just wake up from a coma all at once. It was more of a gradual thing, short bursts of consciousness during which they were more and more sensical over time.
When Phil cupped his palm against Techno's face, he could almost imagine him to lean into Phil's touch.
Tomorrow the sun would rise on the kingdom again. And it would be a new day once more.
Techno came back to his senses very, very slowly.
There was a lot of pain, at first. Not ideal, but Techno did grasp onto that sensation solely because it meant he wasn't dead. Unless he'd died and gone to hell, hell probably was an excruciating place. But then again in hell, he wouldn't be lying in a bed, most likely. So that scrapped the hell theory.
His thoughts were too slippery to make much sense of them, drifting in and out of his head like clouds over rolling hills. Sometimes Techno thought he heard things, voices. Or he felt something that wasn't pain. It faded as quickly as he could make sense of it. Back into that quiet darkness that was better than the hurting but also somehow not better. Hard to explain, that one.
Then one time there was light. Techno scrunched up his face, making a noise low in his throat. There had been light before, burning behind his closed eyes. This felt brighter somehow, though. Harder to ignore. Could be he was just more aware of it than before.
With way more energy spent than such a simple action should require, Techno managed to bring the world into a groggy sort of vision around him, all blurred lines and soft angles. He couldn't tell much more than smudges of colors, really. Yet he was sure he could recognize this room blind.
It was his own. The one Phil had given him years ago.
He blinked again several times, bringing sharp focus in small stutters. Yeah, it was definitely his room. Techno was in his bed, the blankets tucked around him. His body was sore, his head might have been battered with a war hammer somewhere along the way.
He was home, though.
Phil was adjusting the drapes he had pulled open. Techno wanted to say something to him, finding he needed to swallow several times to get the words out.
"So, I'm guessing I missed the parade?"
His voice sounded like it'd been pulled through a cheese grater, bad enough to make Techno flinch a bit. But it also made Phil turn around and then he was at the side of the bed, slightly stilted as he reached for Techno's wrist and checked for a pulse.
"Techno?"
For some reason, Techno wanted to close his eyes and go right back to sleep at the soothing sound of Phil's voice. He'd barely been awake for ten seconds and he was already spent.
"How are you feeling?" Phil asked. He was not being very subtle in the way he was looking Techno over, checking for something. Techno couldn't say what.
"Been better," Techno said.
It was an understatement. Techno had never felt this weak and ragged in his entire life. No need to concern the king with that though.
But something told him Phil already knew. "You'll be okay," he said. "Whatever happens, we'll be okay."
"One day at a time, right?" Techno asked.
Phil used to see that to him when he was a kid in the barracks, bruised after another day of training.
"One day at a time," Phil agreed, not pulling his hand away from Techno's wrist.