Chapter Text
12:
14 Days out of 123 Completed
The ballroom was a large open space, the biggest open space in the entire fortress. It was decorated with silks of red, yellow, and orange in nearly every corner of the room. There was a grand staircase that led up to a hall, a red curtain acting as the door. It was behind this curtain that Tango was standing.
He was dressed in the same outfit that he wore at the last ball he attended. [describe the outfit(just go back to the other fic and go off that)]
Tango was unsure what he was supposed to do. There were people in the ballroom, he could hear them. But it was much quieter than he was used to. Normally there was chatter as guests waited for the hosts to show their faces. But there were barely even whispers here, just the sound of people walking in the room.
“This is completely normal,” Impulse whispered to him. Tango had forgotten he was even there beside him.
The demon was dressed in [figure it out]
“Are you sure?” Tango whispered back, his tail twitching with unease. “Because normally it’s never this quiet.” This seemed to make Impulse surprised.
“Huh,” Impulse whispered. “Normally it’s never this loud.” Tango could only stare at the demon in response.
Empress Nora then approached from down the hall, her gown even more stunning than ever before. [describe gown and such…maybe]. She smiled reassuringly at Tango, but didn’t stop to greet him. Instead she moved forward and through the curtain. Stepping onto the top of the stairs and greeting her guests.
“Welcome everyone!” She said, Her voice was loud, reaching every part of the room with ease. The crowd below applauded her, but it wasn’t long. More like their own kind of greeting to her before she started her speech. It was easy for Tango and Impulse to listen in from behind the curtain. Even if Tango wouldn’t understand the high majority of it.
“As many of you are aware, I went to visit the Avian Empire in hopes of trying to reconnect with the Overworld,” She said. “Many of you disagreed with this action, and we all understand why.” There was a quiet pause, as if to give a moment of silence. Tango could only guess as to why.
“But regardless, we were able to make a successful alliance with the avians,” The crowd cheered, though it was clear that not everyone had joined. “But that is not why we celebrate!” she interrupted. There was a murmur from the crowd, it sounded confused.
“Their King, King Richard, and his children had done something that brings me new hope for our future,” Tango couldn’t tell if it was just him that thought that she sounded a little emotional[fix sentence-].
“So many of our loved ones have been lost because of the actions of the Overworlders… but it can be because of the Overworlders that we get to reunite with them too,” She said, there were whispers among the crowd. “Years ago, just before the closing, King Richard’s young children found a blazeborn child. One that had been left and abandoned in the snow-” The crowd gasped, Tango guessed that she’d brought up the snow since this was the reaction he had received anytime that bit was brought up in front of netherborns. It was good to know that the Empress was one for dramatics though, he wouldn’t have expected it, even if it was somewhat obvious looking back.
“They Saved that child’s life,” She told them, the emotion in her voice was real. Tango could tell. “King Richard helped that child, they tried to get him home. But the portals had closed.” There was a quiet pause again.
“So instead,” She said, the smallest of shake to her voice. “King Richard decided to raise him. Not sell him off or use him for free labor, but raise him alongside his own children as if they were one and the same.” It was clear that some of the crowd was in awe of the actions of the King. Maybe that’s why Empress Nora was addressing him by name? She wanted them to remember him, to separate him from every other king there was.
“That blazeborn child,” She started, her voice warm and hopeful. “Is the same exact child that I had lost. That was taken from me.” It was clear to many that this was what she was building up to, but the crowd cheered for her nonetheless, much louder than they before.
“Due to his unfortunate experience out in the snow,” She said once the crowd had calmed. “He is unable to remember anything that was before him being found. He knows near nothing about netherborns, our languages, or the Nether itself. So most of his time here will be spent learning. I ask you give him patience as he does”
“Tonight we will celebrate the return of my son, Tango!” The Empress said, voice filled with joy.
“That’s your cue,” Impulse said, giving Tango a light push. “I’ll come find you later.” With that the demon turned and went down the hall, leaving Tango to join Empress Nora.
Tango only hesitated for a second before walking through the curtain. The moment he stepped he was greeted with a sea of netherborns. Blazeborns, piglins, demons, zombie piglins and more. He didn’t even know that there were this many different netherborns, he’d only known of three. And they were all cheering and clapping as he came into view.
Empress Nora smiled at him, with what he had to admit was a loving gaze. He didn’t know a lot of what she had said, but he’d heard the emotion in her voice as she’d spoken. Even in the moments Tango disliked her, this was his mother and she loved him wholeheartedly.
Part of him hoped that one day he could love her too.[this feels wrong. Out of character. Also has his perspective calling her his mother, we don’t do that yet]
The rest of him ignored that thought and pushed it as far back as possible. She’d done things he could never forgive her for, regardless of how much she loved him as her son.
“Are you ready?” The Empress asked him in a whisper.
“Yeah,” He answered, bringing more joy to her face.[off]
He ignored it, and followed her down the stairs.
This was just the beginning of his first netherborn ball.