Prologue — The Lost Queen

 

Toriel watched patiently while the lights of the city below her were lifted up as the monsters returned to their homes after a long working day. The air was cold in the ruins that night, although it was nearly summer. “I hope my child is doing fine…” She thought. Several years have passed since Frisk returned to the surface, and Toriel was starting to feel the weight of loneliness in her mind. She knew that there was someone on the other side of that door, but she could not dare herself to open it and risk being recognized as the lost Queen of the Dreemurr dynasty. A dynasty that ruined her life, took away her most precious treasure and was responsible for the murder of six innocent human children for nothing. A dynasty that must end as it is.

—Your Highness. — A grave female voice said, in a solemn tone.

Toriel slowly turns away from the vision of the city to face her interlocutor.

—Undyne? I must confess that I was expecting Alphys. — Said the goat, crossing her arms and trying to warm up her hands under its sleeves.

—Why did you think so, your highness? — Questioned the fish, still kneeling.

—Huh… Because… — Toriel simply could not say that was because there were no grammatical errors in the letter she received through the door. It would imply that Undyne lacks the capability of writing properly, and certainly would hurt her feelings. So she had to make up something quickly. — Well, she seemed more likely to high treason than you.

—HIGH TREASON IS TO NEGLECT YOUR PEOPLE AND DELIBERATELY DENY THEM THEIR FREEDOM! — Undyne stood up and then realizes that she was shouting at the rightful Queen. The knight woman quickly kneels back, her head low, asking silently for forgiveness.

—No need to kneeling. I’m not a Queen. — Said Toriel, with a gloomy expression.

—Queen or not, your highness still is of royal blood.

—Blood alone does not make a ruler, child. Honor does.

—And righteousness. Both of them virtues that our King lacks. — Undyne’s voice got a tone lower, and suddenly she had to fight back the tears in her eyes. It breaks her heart to know the truth about Asgore; to know that he could have freed the monsters this whole time, but instead choose to fake it all, deceiving monsters — deceiving HER, the one he once called “daughter” — with a prophecy that never existed at all. Just because he preferred to stand still and demise his responsibility to others. To children.

—He deceived us. He double-crossed all of us. He double-crossed ME. I LOVED HIM AS A FATHER, AND YET HE LIED TO ME! UNFORGIVABLE! — Undyne clenched fists, and prevent herself from shouting again with a strong bite of her own lips. Soon the taste of her own blood filled .

—Calm down, young one… — Toriel approaches the knight and gently touch her left shoulder. — You can’t fix everything through violence. Even if you do overcome Asgore in battle, how could you manage to rule by such passion?

—I won’t rule anything. You will.

—That’s out of the question. Toriel flatly said.

—WHY? Nobody else could do it!

—Someone else might want it.

—YOU’re the rightful Queen!

—I abdicated the throne as well as I abdicated the Dreemurr name and Asgore’s love. That crown isn’t mine, and there’s nothing you can do about it.

The knight grit her teeth. Alphys surely didn’t warn her about it. “That stupid nerd lizard!” — she thought — “This stubborn old goat is a real waste of time! I should have done it the old way!” — She would continue her mental outrage but she suddenly feels the vibrations of her phone under the armor. It was Alphys, with a hot piece of info, just in time.

Toriel watched Undyne “withdraw” her cellphone from the armor, and did not like her evil smile while doing so.

—Oh, so your highness abdicated?” — Undyne smirks at the former Queen — Can I see the divorce papers, please?

Toriel widens eyes for a short moment but then returns to her peaceful and austere expression.

—Why would I show you such a thing? You are but an insolent child who trespassed these ruins, MY territory, to discuss treason against your King. Go home, girl, and come back when you realize that politics aren’t done by muscles.

—Fuhuhuhuh… — for Toriel’s frustration, Undyne giggled — You can’t show me the papers, can you? That’s because you don’t have any. — The fish then turns her cell phone to the Queen, showing the data Alphys just send: an article about Toriel’s disappearance, no signs left — Look, old lady… Politics are not made by muscles, but by bureaucracy. You didn’t “abdicated” anything, you just fled, ran away like a coward, leaving no evidence of your whereabouts. No abdication. No divorce. No name change. So, as it seems, you ARE the Queen of the Underground.

Toriel falls silent for a while. “Damn you, Alphys.” She definitely didn't see this coming. After a heavy sigh, Toriel turns away from the fish again.

With unseen ability,  Undyne typed Alphys a message before putting back her phone in the armor. “ALPHYYYYYYS! It worked! The ol’ lady’s freakin’ out! My cute lil’ nerdy lizard! LUV U <3” — Said the text message.

—Divorced or not, I am not going back.

—So I’ll take you by force! I’m not leaving without you!”

—Teheheheh… —  Toriel turns to face her again, not containing a faint laugh — And then what? Will you tie me up to the throne and force me to rule? How do you plan to do that?

Undyne hadn't thought about it at all. All she wanted was an ally against Asgore, and someone worthy of being called “Ruler of the Underworld". — “Next time I’ll let Alphys do the planning… She’s smarter than me.” — She frowns as this thought emerges in her mind.

—Please, leave, child. — Said Toriel, once more staring at the city lights.

—Stop calling me child!

—So stop acting like a spoiled brat and go home. — Toriel’s voice tone turned from a gentle to a severe one.

—Didn’t you hear me? I told you that I’m not leaving without you! — I’ve come too far to turn back right now. “Sometimes you need to act, not think!” — She thought as she withdraws her spear.

—Don't worry, old lady… I’ll try not to hurt you… Much.

—Foolish child. So, this will have to be settled the hard way…

Suddenly flames hurl up around Undyne, trapping her inside a burning circle. The knight woman ready her spear just in time to deflect a fireball before it hits her. “That was a close one… But there's no way I can lose to an old lady! Even the Queen! I AM THE STRONGEST MONSTER IN THE WORLD!”— Undyne conjures and hurls an ice spear towards Toriel, but it is melted down before it could reach the target. She swipes her spear towards the raging flames, trying to make her way to Toriel, but the Queen was nowhere to be seen.

—HA! ARE YOU RUNNING AWAY FROM ME? — Undyne feels the heat increase on her left — her blind side — and evade-rolls just in time. A massive column of flames came from a dark corner of the ruin and surely would have done her a grilled fish. “HOLY ! IS SHE TRYING TO KILL ME?” Undyne never saw such power before; not even Asgore could cast so much fire. As the heat increases in the room, the thick smoke turns the atmosphere impossible to breathe. Undyne’s armor heated up in a way she could not adapt herself to, and dizziness began to take over as she coughs, gasping for air.

—I’ve told you to go home, child. — Undyne’s right eye was burning and tearing because of the smoke, and even with limited eyesight, she recognizes Toriel’s silhouette among the flames, walking in her direction. — You should have listened to me.

—I never… Give up… — the dizziness is now unbearable, forcing Undyne to supports herself in her spear to avoid fainting.

Undyne feels the impact of Toriel’s blazing hand at the chest of her armor, knocking her back. She stumbles at the marble balcony and falls down all the way to the river. The cold touch of the water was refreshing and literally revitalizing. Undyne’s first breath was underwater; she opens wide her gills, letting the liquid in as it was life itself — and for her, it was. Feeling as she was born anew, the fish swims back to the shore.

—… ! That mothering witch! — Cursed the knight woman — Oh, the world would LOVE to know where you’re hiding, you .