(BIG shout-out to p0tat0-g0ddess for the fan art! :D ..)
As you entered, you immediately slipped into the crowd. It was a lot easier to hide among the men than the women, since..you know..height. So there you stood awkwardly, pretending to be invested in a conversation about politics for over 15 minutes. After some time, however, you were tapped on the shoulder by Mrs. Pears and told to at least introduce yourself to the king. Your joints locked up at the mere thought. You had been purposefully trying to avoid looking at him at all. But, not wanting to stand out and be questioned, you shuffled out from your hiding place and glanced around the room for the man you had seen in photos many times before.
"Hey, (Y/n)!" Kim raced over to you. You leaned down a little to better hear her among the many. "Did you see how TALL that Herobrine guy is?! I NEVER would have thought he was like that from the photos!" This shook you to your core. Yeah, Kim was a mere 5' tall, but as you had seen, the typical 6'3 you hadn't phased her all that much. You mentally began preparing yourself for a behemoth of a man, capable of easily stripping the wings from a Falk within seconds. Kim stuck by your side as you ventured onward, simply because she believed in safety in numbers.
After a few minutes of quietly scoping the ball room out, at least looking for a good view of the king from a distance, Kim eep-ed from behind you, quickly tapping your hand. You spun around, eyes locking onto the top of a teal colored shirt. You took a step back immediately, bumping into Kim behind you. Before you DARED look up into this man's eyes, you scanned his outfit, especially for any weapons. This man had the STRANGEST looking outfit around! It was like he was deciding between dressing as a warrior, formally, or casually, and was just like, "frick this! I'm dressing as them ALL!" His casual part was just a basic teal blue t-shirt, which was tucked into more formal dress pants. Tyed loosely around his waste was the long sleeve white dressy shirt, and on his shoulders were a couple shoulder-guards latched on for good measure! It had been a long time since you had been around a man so tall, but here Herobrine was standing at a solid 7' tall. (Finally yall get your tall boi. XD)
In the end, you decided to treat him with the same respect Endermen typically receive, and simply avoided looking him in the eyes, which you were sure were his usual glowing solid white. Too crippled by fear to make any movement other than to hold your shaky hands, you just stood there uselessly. It was Kim to finally step from behind you with an awkward chuckle of her own.
"Heh-heh.. Hello, King Hero. We- we really are honored to b-e here with you today." Kim stuttered. You were looking down at the floor, but in the corner of your eye you could see the man's chin dip as he looked down at the shorter woman with a polite smile on his face.
"Hmf," came out a short, muffled chuckle. "Are you two the shy ones..? Heh. That is alright. There is a snack bar in that far corner I had set-up for anyone who might feel a little out of place in this party. Feel free to stay there the whole time if you like." He offered...kindly? This was the first time you ever heard this man's voice. You had expected something rough, sharp, and above all alse, dark, sending chills down the spines of anyone who heard. But, no...actually. Though deep, his voice was soft, calm, and surprisingly casual! Like you could actually imagine yourself having a simple conversation about the weather with a man possessing such a voice as his. However, his identity loomed, and the moment the escape was pointed out to you, you took your chance at an escape openly, quickly turning stiffly to the table, Kim politely waving a thanks behind you.
"Wow, I was NOT expecting you to freeze up like that!" Kim finally laughed once the two of you were out of hearing range. "And man he even looked tall compared to you! What a flex! I'll bet he was 7-foot at least! And that's also really strange because the only 7-foot tall guys I have ever seen were super skinny, but he actually looked properly proportioned, kinda like you. You know? With a bit of beef adding to it."
"Can you please just stop talking about him?" You mumbled, the two of you at last reaching the smaller table of food, untouched so far.
"Uhhhhh, okay?.." Kim then grabbed a small sandwich and began munching on that. You picked up a cookie and bit around the outside of that before finally digging into the gooey center. After a few minutes of you two just chilling, talking about food, another girl from your group sauntered over.
"Ugh." She huffed, flicking her red hair back before grabbing a cheese cube from the snack bar. You couldn't remember her name, but you remembered it started with a 'S' or something. "I can't believe him! He calls for a nation wide search for the right girl, and then doesn't even talk to the top 10 candidates! What the nerve..what the absolute nerve.." She huffed again.
"Wait, so he hasn't actually talked to anyone?" An eyebrow of yours raised as you spoke.
"Well, technically, he did...but it was nothing more than a surface level 'hi, what's your name? Oh, cool, nice to meet you' type of conversation." She explained. That was rather suspicious, since he had made such a big deal about it on the news and through his decrees.
"Well, maybe he is just waiting for the party to end?" Kim suggested with a shrug.
"I don't think that is the case!" 'S' rubbed her chin. "I bet this is all just a test.. His diary said he wanted a bold woman, didn't he?"
"Well, I am not sure if 'bold ' was the exact word-" You.
"I bet he just wants one of us to call him out; show him that they're not going to let things slide!.. Yeah...He's probably just playing hard to get, waiting for the right girl to choose him!" S concluded confidently.
Your stomach squirmed as she boldly stomped back towards the center of the room, wanting to stop her but also too afraid to at the same time. Besides, you kind of wanted to see if she was right..though she very likely wasn't. Herobrine just didn't seem to be the kind who would play games like that. But, you and Kim watched from afar as S stormed up to the king, her boldness alone making you feel uncomfortable.
"Herobrine!" S verbally tore the king from the previous conversation he was just having with a couple other men. A brow of his shifted upwards as he turned his head to her with confusion. "You absolute a##hole! Taking hundreds of women from their homes and having them compete with one another just so you can find the right one for you, only to not talk to a single one of the remaining ten of us!! Do you think this is some kind of birthday party you have invited us to!? Wha kind of sick mind do you have to do such a thing?!" Wow...she was..really letting him have it.
Meanwhile, the king just took miniscule step after miniscule step back, away from this angry, finer-pointing female. Those he had been talking with were already beginning to slide away. You cringed at the sight, refusing to let your terrified imagination run wild with what might happen next.
More quippy insults were thrown the king's way, each time him growing more tense and unforgiving. His brows eventually furrowed, and by the time S finally realized her tactic wasn't working.. it was far too late for her.
Standing stiffer than before, lips sealed tight and eyes fuming, Herobrine finally spoke. "You will not mistreat your king, madam!.. I did not come to be insulted!" And then there was somewhat of a pause as the demi-god shifted, his stance and face softening a little. "I, too, did not come by my own will..." Slipped out the last bit. "Now, I wish to not see your face again.. Am I understood?.." S quickly bowed, backing away quickly with a heavy guilt and regret now resting on her as she scurried away..... Serina!! Ohhh! That's what her name was!
After the heat from the moment had had a chance to cool down, Herobrine rose one of his hands to comb through his hair, his head drooping down to meet it. An odd sense of guilt was over him, or something else. But it certainly wasn't how you had expected him to react. Not at all! In your imagination, you had seen him kill her ten times over, the mildest of his reactions being him banishing her from the country. Clearly there was something off about this..Herobrine.
Perhaps he wasn't Herobrine at all! Perhaps he was a secret agent who had already done the deed of killing the demi-god somehow, and now was standing as a place-holder for him.
Whatever it was, it sure compelled you to ask questions. But, to who? Herobrine himself had just mentioned something so bizarre. Had he been forced into this as well?! There was no context here for what he was even talking about! You had nothing to go off of. All you could do was stand there asking yourself questions you knew couldn't be answered easily.
The king then took a few steps away, signaling to everyone else that they could continue as usual. They did. The crowd began chatting one with another about what had just happened, criticizing the young woman who had just shouted, but you personally were more interested in Herobrine's part! You watched the king with eagle eyes from the corner as he turned fully and strode away from where the shouting had taken place, clearly wanting to distance himself from some of the other men who walked up to him wanting to talk again. You just watched this somewhat distraught man slide out of view behind one of the two fancy staircases, vanishing from sight.
"Pfff! Assumptions, am I right?!" Kim suddenly elbowed you, but you were too deep in thought to react. With a wavering foot, you took a step forward. Quickly, you halted yourself, scolding your foot for even making that risky move. What a task it was to realize all that was going on inside your head. Another shaky foot stepped forward, wobbling under your unsure weight. No. Herobrine was danger. Big red flags everywhere! But you had so many questions! Why was he so polite? Why did he think about the little things like a snack table for the shy people? And why was he forced into this?! Was he even Herobrine?! Before you realized it, you had taken 10 more steps.
'Ohhhh, why not?!.. He's probably a fake, anyways!' You decided to take your chances. Was it worth it..? Probably not. But there was something about this man that just drew you to him, in desperate need of answers.
(Was just going to end the chapter here, but that would mean more chapters in what is supposed to be a short story.)
When you turned your head to look around behind the sairs, you were a little surprised to see the supposed Herobrine sitting alone under them. He looked like he was just chilling, one leg bent and holding his arm, the other out straight. Even if this was a fake, you had never imagined the great king, son of Notch, killer of nearly an entire race, sitting so casually on the floor. Though you greatly disliked the close proximity to him, as you had noted before, the curiosity --for once in your life-- was just too strong. You sat under the stairs at the edge of them, which was as close as you could stomach.
"Why are you here? Here to lecture me on why I shouldn't have yelled?" He asked through his teeth.
"N-no! I- I- actually think you had handled yourself pr- pr- pretty well!" You turned in defense. Thankfully he calmed down, even smiling a little. Good, because you were about ready to jump up and run away the moment he opened his mouth.
"Thanks... I have been so worried about my reactions lately.. It doesn't help that I didn't do all of this by choice. My apologies..for putting all you young ladies in such a precarious position." He..apologized?! You were bewildered beyond belief!
"Wh-... Why then did we come in the first place? How was not all of this by your choosing?!" You asked.
"...My mother is a very..interesting woman. In short, she discovered my diary two weeks ago, and one day just, arrived, squabbling about how depressing it sounded and how I needed to find myself a wife." He chuckled. Oh, so this wasn't a fake then?? Was this really the real thing?! The real king?! He didn't seem to studder in his language, and his story seemed sound enough. Typically, liars contradict themselves often, so perhaps if you just let him keep talking..
"Wait, so she made you do all of that?! How?!" You asked. Still you refused to look into the eyes of this king. Instead you kept them on his chin or the ground.
"Hah! Well.. she blackmailed me, basically! She said she would make my diary public if I refused her offer to help me find a girl. She's actually right over there." He suddenly pointed at an older woman...waiiit.... That was Mrs. Pears! Was she REALLY Herobrine's mom!? He must have noticed your flinch at the realization, a small wheeze escaping when he leaned forward to see the side of your face; your reaction.
"Th- that's Mrs. Pears!" You turned your head back, almost looking Herobrine directly in the glowing eyes, just narrowly dodging it.
"Mrs. Persson, you mean." He corrected with a smirk. You couldn't believe nobody had recognized her!
"Yeahhh, she never likes the attention of the news, so she puts extra effort into not having her picture taken.." Said the king, leaning back now.
"Wait, did you just read my mind or something?!" Immediately, your blood ran cold. You had no idea what this man was capable of. For all you knew, this whole thing could very well be a trap set for you.
"Wha..?" The man's head turned to you in confusion. "Why would you think I could read minds?... Ohhh! I see. Yeah- no. I just assumed you were wondering why..because of your confusion. Having that ability would be pretty cool, though...to a certain degree." You just nodded your head, relieved beyond belief!
All of your questions having now been answered, you began moving your legs underneath you again so you could stand up and lea-
"So, what about you? Do you..umm, have any hobbies?" The question was asked. You tensed a little, freezing yourself instead of your planned standing up. You had hoped that would be it, and that Herobrine would let you wander off again like before. But looks like now he had the thought that you were actually here for him rather than just the answers to your questions. Darn...you'd have to find a way to let him off quickly without angering the demi god. Being purposefully boring boring was probably your best chance.
"....Uuhhhh, I like rock collecting." You said, staring as close to his eyes as you could force. The king erupted in laughter, before a slow realization gracefully fell onto him.
"Wait.. you're kidding, right?"
You shook your head, no. This seemed to kind of catch the near-immortal off guard. But then his pleasant little smile returned again --the friendly kind, NOT the formal kind...you had already noticed the difference-- and again the king's mouth opened to speak.
"Well what a coincidence, then! My brother is a collector of rocks, too! You and him might actually get along pretty well." He chuckled. You internally slapped yourself. Of course! You completely forgot this guy even had a brother, who, like his mother, usually avoided the automatic fame that came with being related to Herobrine, only he didn't do as good a job of it as his mom. "Steve typically collects for educational purposes. Is it the same for you?"
"Um, well, ummm.. no. Heh. I just think they look pretty." You blushed, but not because you were flattered. Herobrine was moving his head around slightly, trying to look you straight in the eyes. Without even needing to think about it your head would move as well, and your eyes would quickly dart at any attempted eye contact.
"..Why do you keep looking away..? Is there something wrong?.." He asked politely, your avoiding showing to have chipped some away at the man's own delight. Personally, you didn't really care for his emotions, but there was this small minority in your brain whispered.. asking that you at least consider not ending this on a bad note. Guessing this was your intuition trying to help you survive this event, you quickly went with the voice of the minority.
"No-no. I just don't like...eye contact.. heh... some people have called me an Enderman because of it." Which wasn't entirely false. While you did on occasion enjoy the occasional stare-down to see if someone was lying, for the most part if you stared at someone and they stared back, it got awkward pretty quickly --as is typical with everyone. You were just called an Enderman sometimes by little kids, who were referring to your height.
"Ah, that's understandable.. I don't really enjoy it too much, either. At least it isn't because you are scared of me! That would just be sa-"
"I- I- I have to go." You finally interrupted. It seemed there was no natural way out of this conversation, so to excuses you went! "I really have to go to the, um.. bathroom." You answered the question you knew he had. Worried he might try to stop you, you stood quickly and began walking right away.
"Alright then. It was...a pleasure talking to you." Herobrine waved behind you, having not moved at all. Away you walked, trembling now that the worst part was finally over! You did go to the bathroom just in case, stopping at the mirror, leaning with your hands on the sink, regaining your composure and preparing for the second half of the event.
Was that REALLY Herobrine you had just talked to?! REALLY!?!
Cl-bank!
Angerly, distraught, you kicked the trashcan beside the sink. He was too NICE! Was he trying to get under your skin?! Was this how he had gained so much political power in the past; by acting nice and hiding his true insanity?! You just couldn't believe that you almost let your guard down.
If that man DARED start another conversation with you using that friendly little smile of his, you would have to smack it right off! Because as much as you wanted to be invisible, you would only stand out more if you spoke with him again! And as much as you feared the man and EVERYTHING he stood for, you would have to show a little bravery if you ever wanted to get back home. ...Which was why.. when you did step out of the bathroom again, you were mentally prepared to do whatever it might take to survive the night.
------------
You stood in the food corner again, filling in Kim with the base conversation you had just had with Herobrine. After that, you watched as the king emerged again, slipping back into the crowd as normal. It was easy to track his tall form as he stood taller than everyone else. Other girls, one after another, came to talk with them. He used the same polite smile as always. After some time, there was a quick gathering in the room, which you did not attend, though Kim did. It eventually dispersed, and the dancing finally began.
The music was mostly classical. A calming, peaceful rhythm that kept you to your senses. You danced a little by yourself, until you noticed Herobrine smirking at you from a distance as he danced with a partner. You quickly stopped, hiding again behind a pillar unil the rapidly beating heart in you chest finally died down. Though you were bad at it..honestly..it looked pretty fun. But, of course, should anyone touch your back, feeling your wins crushed against your body, your cover would be blown immediately. Luckily, everyone was satisfied with you just standing there alone.
The dancing finally ended, and everyone moved to one of the further sides of the room where there was a collection of well decorated tables for an actual meal. A small smile broke onto your face when you saw Kim had conquered her fear too, sitting beside the king and talking with him, laughing every now and then. Honestly, good on her! Small as she was, you could easily imagine her being princess or even queen someday.
But then at once, both looked at you briefly, concerning you about what they might be talking about. As the meal ended, it appeared the two had become mutual friends, shaking hands before departing.
"Sup, loner." Kim arrived.
"What were you guys talking about, and why did you point at me earlier?" You asked inquisitively.
"Oh, nothing~"
You smirked, lookin down at her. "Sure doesn't sound like nothing."
"I was answering questions and talking about YOU, silly!" Kim burst with excitement. You visibly flinched. "I was just telling some of the stories from the past few days about you. I think he's into you~~"
"No way! I am NOT staying here! I- I still have college to finish, and my cu- grandpa to take care of!" You announced.
"Oh..! I- I- I'm so sorry, (Y/n).. I thought you were interested, by the way you told me that story just a few minutes ago.. I'll go tell Herobrine what you just told me." And, following that, Kim left, leaving you alone again.
Another few minutes passed of aimless waiting around. By this point it seemed like everyone was just waiting for the king, who wasn't visible anymore; away to make his decision already. The press even began slowly filing-in one after another, ready to take both notes and pictures. Finally, after holding your breath in the eerie silence, Herobrine arrived, this time on top of the balcony which the two staircases lead to.
An announcer beside him quickly reminded everyone why the event had been extended a little longer. Mrs. Pears revealed herself to having been in charge of the operation, though no pictures were allowed to be taken of her. Then, all stood there in silence as Herobrine began to speak.
"After some great consideration..." Yeah right. The guy only had five minutes to think! "I have decided that this nation's first ever queen will be..." You crossed your fingers, noticing the hesitation in his eyes. Then, the demi-god exhaled, as if making a tactical decision he knew was risky "......(Y/n), life long citizen of Glydeemia.. District 89." The press erupted! Flashes of light left and right, questions spewing from the crowd, most asking about you, what you look like, your heritage, where you were, etc! You backed away slowly. You had nowhere to run. No chance of hiding! You couldn't even imagine a life living with your oppressor, the very man who waned your kind dead! Not to mention you hadn't even agreed to this in the first place!
All these years...you've survived by watching others and mimicking their behavior. You've survived by being passive and never getting involved in conflict. You've survived by hiding from the world who you truly are...yet NONE of that worked when you really needed it. Now, it's only a matter of time...
Nowhere to go, you hid under the table in the corner, hidden by the thin white table cloth. Looks like you really were going to see the rest of your family soon..
(FINALLY done...4k words in!! XD)