hybrid_prince | Welcome To The Fold

Welcome To The Fold

"We do it so they feel hope for the power their people can attain."

That was what Emperor Dorrek had been told when he was a teenaged prince and found himself expected to take the first member of his imperial harem. One person of each people of the empire, on the idea that some day he would choose his consort from among them, would sire a child and heir upon them. It was his duty, and the people's they ruled would know they were close to power through the subject who might one day rule next to him.

The problem with it all was that Dorrek found the whole thing repugnant. Most of those given to his 'imperial consorts' were women, which was a problem for him. Which made every instance of these moments in the court tiring. Here he sat, upon his throne, awaiting the presentation of the newest offerings for his harem. He would have to choose one to take into his family, someone he would no doubt eventually send back to the others, trying not to feel disgusted by the whole process.

"You are before his Imperial Majesty, Emperor Dorrek-Vell. Kneel before his splendor and know you are close to greatness," his herald calls out to the assembled and Dorrek tried not to yawn.

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Geez, that's a good reason for the guy to be disgusted.

"One consort from every subject world," he says as he moves to the bed and sits on the edge of it. It's clearly large enough for maybe seven people. Royal privileges of course. "In theory for sex or heirs. In practice I will one day choose my spouse for their number. If their lineage is sufficient they would also serve as a co-ruler. In practice they can also serve as the voice for their people, but apparently that stopped being a thing about six Dorreks back, which is somewhere around three thousand years ago."

Dorrek himself would prefer if they did that again. But again, his grandmother... she was basically using him to retain power over a throne that wasn't hers to speak for.

"And yeah, the... kids thing. I don't know what to say about that part. Trust me when I say I'm not expecting that here. If I was I wouldn't inflict that on someone. We Skrull are shapeshifters, and sex is... less set in stone."

Atem stares out the window longingly a while longer but he’s listening. He’s thinking. He represents more than just his people then and… he sees an opportunity. He straighten, dropping his hands to his side and turning to make his way over to Dorrek. They both have long stories.

“Return to that way… let me help you,” he says. Working together with someone is something he’s good at. He did share a body with someone for a year.

“Shapeshifter or not, they made sure I could carry your heirs if you chose I believe,” Atem, lifts the silk enough to reveal a strange marking on his lower stomach. He doesn’t know how it works but he had felt it’s magic working inside.

“Work with me and I will willingly carry your children.”

Magic. Because of course. Skrull enjoyed using magic to deal with shit like this. Dorrek looked away from Atem's stomach and shook his head.

"It's not going to happen," he sighs. This guy really was going to get killed by his grandmother. "I'm not the power here, Atem, if that wasn't obvious yet. And you don't understand what she's like. I'm pretty sure my grandmother had my mother killed for having me. For daring to have a child with our enemy, for hiding me away, for wanting to change how the empire works."

“Are you that afraid to try and make a better way?” Atem asks, he doesn’t drop the fabric and with the other sitting on the edge of the bed he moves closer. He’s acting with more confidence than he feels but that’s part of being a ruler. He reaches forward to put a hand on the emperor’s shoulder and then quickly climbs to straddle his lap his knees pressing into the bed on either side of him.

“I’m not afraid to try and make a better world for my people. I’ve faced impossible odds, enemies far darker than you can imagine, I’ve seen the sun swallowed up and all my hope fail but I saw my people continue to rise and fight and give me the strength to push on.”

Atem meets the others eyes if he Dorrek will look at him. “I will do anything for them, for what is right. Are you too much a coward to meet me halfway?”

Enemies darker than he can imagine? Dorrek scoffs. Big talk from a small guy that was being far too forward. So he shapeshifts again, going back to the large, powerful, and very green Skrull form. His hands settled on Atem's waist and he lifted the smaller man up and bodily moved him aside.

All done with as much effort as one might use to move a kitten. He was strong, far stronger than he looked.

"I've fought interdimensional demons, time travelers, and terrorist groups driven by hate. I've bounded to an artifact level magical artifact tied to my bloodline and brought peace to two races that have been at war for literally half a million years. And the people of Earth are my people too, because I spent thirteen of my nineteen years thinking I was human and living on Earth. And I am telling you that my grandmother R'Klll is a whole other force."

Atem didn’t react when the other shifted, though his heartbeat sped up with instinctive fear. He pushed against it and let out a soft growl as he was moved around so easily.

He sits on the bed then, crossing his legs and looking at the other leader.

“Then it will be difficult to defeat her but isn’t it worth trying? I guess maybe not for you but…” Atem’s shoulders sag then, the other has no reason to want to fight.

"Allow me to give you a tiny crash course in Skrull politics," Dorrek says as he rises and starts to pace. "I'm a half-blood. Our race, because of what we are, hybridize easily. Of course that is seen as 'unclean' and for most of our recent history, which spans back before the first pyramid mind you, hybrids were killed, usually as infants. My father was Kree, the greatest of their heroes and thus the biggest target of hatred of the Skrull who have been their enemies since humans were still in caves. And a large percentage of Skrull either don't trust me because I am young or because I am half-blooded Skrull. Making change is not easy. They could happily get rid of me. So this isn't something that is merely 'difficult'. Oh, and by the way, typically the imperial harem is not supposed to outlive the royal. So consider that too."

He's nineteen and terrified of his survival. What is he supposed to do but try and secure his position and minimize suffering in what ways he can get away with?

Atem takes in the information and sitting cross legged with his hands pressed down against one of his legs he does look incredibly young too and probably incredibly small. He feels a hint of doubt but he simply closes his eyes. He recalls the sacrifices made by those who believed in him. Almost his entire court. All the faith of his modern friends, rivals. His fingers curled and he couldn’t let doubt take hold. If Dorrek could not see a way then Atem would have to hold the hope. He will see that Atem is not easily swayed. He’s also not stupid.

“It is worth striving for better is it not? If you truly… want a better fate. You would rather cast my offer of partnership aside? I might be human and I might not know everything but I do understand politics and vipers in my midst.”

Yes it is. He wants a better fate. He wants to make the Skrull better. He wants to be allowed to fall in love and have a partner on his own terms.

"Stop downplaying humans. I don't hate humans!"

That one was annoying him. The guy needs to get that much.

"I just want to protect people. I want there to be less suffering. The Skrull could help with that."

“Then work together with me,” Atem says. If their priorities could align it could work.

Dorrek groaned and moved to flop back face down onto the bed. This guy is a fucking broken record.

"If you can go three days without starting a fight and increasing the size of the 'assassinate me now' on your back, we'll talk. I can't begin to justify moving you to the harem for at least two months after all."

"Fine," Atem says simply and his eyes move back to the view.

"Will I ever get to see home again?"

"I don't think either of us will," Dorrek says mournfully into the exceedingly plush bed.

Not unless they succeed. Which Dorrek hasn't even signed up for.

Atem swallows down the ache in his throat and chest as he looks at the other's form.

"What else do you want me to do aside from be quiet?"

"I'm not asking for quiet, I'm asking for less rebellious statements," he says with a sigh. There's nothing wrong with that.

Though other than that he's got a lot to think about he supposes.

"Tell me what you like, so I can try and provide. You should be as comfortable as I can make you."

"I'll do my best but honesty is a vice of mine."

Atem says and sighs. He should try and be more agreeable if he wants the other to work with him but he doesn't think he's being unreasonable.

"I like games," Atem says after a moment. It is his favorite thing, dueling specifically but that's probably not an option here. "Other than that... I haven't... thought about it in a long time."

"I'm guessing games doesn't include dueling with laser scythes. Which isn't my favorite either."

Still, he rolls onto his back. There's a lot to consider here.

"Foods, clothes, the whole of that."

"Mostly cards," Atem sighs again and he can only hope that at least he'll get his deck back if not the duel disk. It's not as if he can duel alone anyway.

His eyes are still settled on the other.

"I get a choice with clothes?" He raises a brow. "I like fruits... and... pizza."

"You won't find good pizza here," he sighs. "But we have a lot of fruit you'll never have experienced before, so that's good."

Skrull weren't always the biggest on meats after all. But he could make that happen too.

"And you get some choice in clothes. They'll still dress you in a way to flatter you to my eyes, and you'll be in imperial colors."

Atem nods and honestly he’s not that needy especially when it comes to that sort of thing.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

"Well, as they don't know what I like, given all the women that have been thrown at me, I really don't know. But the colors will be purples and greens," he says with a shrug. "I can't get them to drop the color scheme."

“I suppose it could be worse,” Atem says quietly. Though, he will miss the colors he’s most comfortable in. He doesn’t bother to complain if the other can’t do anything about it there’s no point.

Yes, it really could. It could be pink and teal. Teddy at least looked good in purple and green.

"I could request some black. It might not look bad against your skin. They'd care about that. Are there styles I should hint at preferring on you?"

He'll work with this guy the best he can.

"Have you seen the carvings of what pharaohs wore in ancient times?" The other had mentioned spending time on Earth.

There's a small smile. "However, spending time in more... modern era, I mostly favored wearing black tanks. I liked my collars and chunky bracelets," Or really they were Yugi's but that would be complicated to explain.

Well, yes. Something like a skirt and a collar.

"At least back won't be too hard of an ask. But they won't like things that could be used as weapons."

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