A Nuisance Though Thou Art
is an AU The Goblin Emperor fanfic written by wedgetail on Archive of Our Own.
Three and a half years have passed since Empress Chenelo's death. Not even the imperial family gives much thought to her son, who is in the care of Setheris Nelar, in the distant Western Marshes and far from the court.
But vexing news come from Edonomee: Nelar is dead and Maia is without a guardian.
The emperor will have to decide on a new arrangement. For the sake of expediency, Nemolis volunteers to go to Edonomee and bring his half-brother to the Untheileneise Court. After all, the sooner a new guardian is found, the better.
Of course, the plan starts to unravel with Nemolis deciding to be a decent half-brother towards Maia.
Contains the following tropes
- Abusive Parents: Varenechibel is nothing short of beastly towards his fourth, half-goblin son — not only did he basically exile him from court to be raised in abject poverty, he's pissed off when the doctor reports that no, the Archduke isn't mentally retarded or physically impaired because it deprives him from a reason to discriminate.
- The Ace: His Highness the Prince Nemolis Drazhar, an accomplished courtier and diplomat, a devoted son, father and brother.
- Big Brother Instinct: Nemolis is pretty unhappy with Maia's circumstances, and even more unhappy with his father for allowing it.
- Boys Like Creepy Critters: Zigzagged, as Sibenar laments his unability to keep a bug collection and Idra has a pet scorpion, but Maia isn't very interested.
- Calling the Old Man Out: Nemolis is not okay with the way Varenechibel is criminally neglecting his fourth son, leading to a verbal row between Prince and Emperor.
- Cool Big Bro: Nemolis is the first royal to feel a genuine modicus of care and worry for Maia's well-being, and would even defy his Emperor on his decisions regarding the boy.
- Creepy Physical: Maia complains about the imperial doctor visiting him. Since the Emperor tasked said doctor with finding a physical or mental defect that would justify his abuse of the poor kid, it was creepy alright.
- Cute Kitten: Bizhu is gifted to Maia but quickly conquers everyone's hearts, with the staff spoiling the cat rotten and Mireän asking after him in all her letters to Maia.
- Everyone Has Standards:
- Several imperal secretaries and the doctor are present when the Crown Prince decides to indulge into Calling the Old Man Out and are completely aghast to learn the Emperor would leave one of his progeny grow up in abject poverty and illiteracy.
- For all his neglect towards Maia, Varenechibel does not condone Nelar's physical abuse and tells his fourth son that no one is allowed to strike him.
- For Want Of A Nail: Said nail being Nelar's untimely demise from excessive drinking, leading the imperial family dynamics to be upended.
- Freakiness Shame: As Maia internalized Nelar's Fantastic Racism against everything goblin, he's quite floored to hear Nemolis and later Mireän praise his curly hair.
- Interclass Romance: Emero and Sibenar's father fell in love with a commoner woman and has several children with her, but isn't allowed to officially marry her since their grandfather would disinherit him.
- In Spite of a Nail: Maia growing closer from his half-brothers ultimately couldn't save them from the airship's destruction, and the story finishes on him about to be enthroned as Edrehasivar VII.
- Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: When Varenechibel tries to force Nemolis into abandoning Maia, the Prince pointedly remarks that he's only following his father's advice to be a loving and protective brother to his siblings — including Maia.
- Parents as People: Nemolis takes Varenechibel's Parental Neglect towards his youngest son rather hard, as he can remember the Emperor being a decent if rather distant parent to him and his two other brothers.
- Practically Different Generations: The age cap between the Emperor's firstborn and youngest son is wide enough for Maia to be barely older than his own nephew.
- Promotion to Parent: Averted in spite of Nemolis' best efforts, since Varenechibel decides to name Arbelan Drazharan as Maia's new guardian. Nonetheless, the boy's affection towards his eldest half-brother is all but stated to be filial as he wistfully regrets to not be Nemolis' son.
- Rejecting the Inheritance: Maia attemps to do this twice, the first when a preteen and the second when about to become the Emperor. Averted both times when his relatives — Varenechibel and Idra — explain why it wouldn't work.
- Royals Who Actually Do Something: Nemolis picks Maia while on a diplomatic venture to Thu-Evresar and is shown to be genuinely worried about the commoners' living.
- Thinks Like a Romance Novel: Sibenar immediately speculates about Maia's guardian being murdered when informed of his death, only for his sister to reveal he has read a bit too much of mystery novels.
- Troubled Child: Maia quickly worries Nemolis with his quiet, withdrawn behaviour. What he learns about the boy's previous accommodations is everything but happy.
