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Lately :3

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The Shield to your Sword

Masterlist ———- Chapter 2

Warnings: injury, blood, physical abuse, emotional abuse (please message me if more need to be added)

word count: 6544

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Beginning Note: Hey 👋 so this chapter includes some art done by @fanartfunart (I’ve included a link below the image to see their Tumblr post). Now, please please please do not repost this art. This means, do not COPY and PASTE (or screenshot) it onto your own post on any social media channel. If you like the art, reblog the Tumblr post. Respect the artist and give them the love and appreciation they deserve

Summary: Chance meetings can be shocking but often play a big part. Patton makes a new friend that will change his life, while Virgil and Logan meet old friends that leave them thinking about the future.

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Chapter 3: A Deer Friend

- years prior - near a small farming village on the edge of the west forest -

 Brown curls shifted in the gentle breeze as the boy, not long turned 12, stood poised with his arrow aimed at a target ahead of him. Glass framed by wood assisted trained eyes in watching leaves shift with the wind; waiting for them to still before releasing the arrow.

"Dead centre again. Do you ever miss, Pat?"

 Patton lowered his bow and turned to his younger brother, Remy, who was marching up the track in his usual attire; grey shirt with a dark brown jacket pulled over the top. He craned his head to look behind his brother, brow furrowing in confusion.

 "Where's our little Quiver?" It was odd to see him without their youngest brother clinging to his back.

"Just Bow and Arrow today-" he extended his arms and looked down with a half-smile - " Sorry I'm not enough. Quiver was still sleeping when I came back from my chores."

Remy accepted the bow that Patton held out for him, discarding his leather satchel on the ground and continuing forward to retrieve the arrow from its hold.

"You are more than enough, Arrow." Hands now free, Patton removed his glasses and pulled his blue shirt from his belt to clean the glass. "Unusual for him to sleep so late though."

"Yeah, well, Mother said he is a little feverish, but there isn't anything to worry about." The arrow required only a slight wiggle to remove from the target and Remy inspected the tip while he walked back to Patton.

"Maybe I should go back and check on him."

"No! Please," Remy begged; racing forward to grab his brothers arm and stop him from leaving. "We hardly ever get to train alone anymore."

 Patton looked into his brother’s eyes; begging for their lost time alone. It dawned on him just how little time they had spent together lately as he selfishly allowed their youngest brother to participate in all their training sessions. With the farm requiring so much attention and Patton taking on extra work with a baker, moments for archery practice for the brothers were far and in-between. Sighing, Patton returned his glasses and neatened his shirt before nodding; Remy quickly setting himself up to take aim at the target. Though he still worried for his youngest brother, Patton had to trust Remy's word that nothing was wrong and give his sibling his full attention for at least a few hours.

  Their final arrow sailed past the target again and Remy threw the bow down in frustration; fixing the untouched target with a death glare.

"COME ON! Can't I do one thing straight in my life!"

Ruffling his hair, Patton moved forward to search for the discarded arrows. "Don't despair little, Arrow. You'll get there eventually.

Grumbling, Remy followed, and they  began sifting through the leaf litter to find arrows and fill Patton's signature quiver. Rustling caught their attention and Remy looked over his shoulder to see Patton standing before a magnificent, grey deer with blue patterning on its face. Their eyes seemed to be locked and neither flinched at Remy's approach; his own eyes wide in fear and awe.

 "It's beautiful," Remy whispered; resting a hand on his brothers back and leaning in close.

"A creature of magic," his voice was calm and confident as Patton reached a tentative hand out, encouraging the deer to move closer.

The blue marks on the deer's face shimmered in the sunlight that escaped the forests canopy, confirming Patton's suspicion of magic. While all creatures had soul magic like humans, some were also blessed with natural magic and served as spirit guides or assisted the seasons in changing. Though neither boy could read runes, the deer's colouring was enough for them to assume its connection to winter.

*Art by @fanartfunart Click for link to the post*

 Stretching its neck forward, the deer closed its eyes and lent into Patton's hand; fingers shifting in soft fur to scratch the creatures head. Patton could feel the soul magic in his fingers connecting with that of the animal; an icy but reassuring sensation ran up his arm and he felt his body heat and cool simultaneously. Eyes opening, Patton saw a rune glowing blue in the deer's eyes and Remy gasped as Patton's suddenly did the same.

"You're a sorcerer."

Patton looked at his little brother; their words had come out as barely a whisper, choked by fear. Eye's returning to normal, Patton realised he had been holding his breath and gasped; hand still on the deer's cold fur. Fear flooded the young boy’s eyes before he wrapped his arms tightly around Patton’s middle, hands slipping securely beneath the leather quiver on his back. The action snapped Patton's mind out of a trance, and he could finally release the deer to stroke his now sobbing brothers head.

"It's okay, Remy. I'm ok."

"No-o." He kept his face pressed against the faded blue fabric of his brother’s shirt, "They'll get you. You'll be taken away or-or-"

 Patton firmly grabbed Remy's shoulders and pushed him back, forcing them both into direct eye contact. His voice was firm but comforting all the same.

"Listen to me now, Remy. I am not going anywhere. Nothing is going to happen to me. I promise."

He waited until his brother nodded, before pulling him back into a hug; glancing to the side to watch the deer as it made its way back into the forest.

 Patton had always felt he was different, but never acted on his magic abilities; preferring to remain with his family on the farm. It was safer to avoid magic work, than admit he was something more and risk imprisonment by the King. The confirmation of his gift wasn't going to change anything in Patton's mind. He would always put his family before anything else in the world. Though his heart was in the right place, Patton should never have made that promise to Remy. You can't make a promise about something you can't control, and unfortunately the fates did not work in his favour.

   ************Present Day************

 When Virgil finally opened his eyes, he was both surprised and grateful to reach his right hand out to the sun rune clock and see the sun had been up for at least 5 hours. Adding to the fact that the next guard was on time for once, he had managed to get a full 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Carefully shifting into a sitting position, grunting as his body protested to the movement, Virgil looked around the room. The chambers were designed to house the staff of visitors to the castle; beds with a chest at the foot and lockable cupboards lined the walls. Only the corner where Virgil slept had the addition of a small desk, an open shelf and a larger cupboard for his clothes.

His eyes caught on a savoury muffin sitting on top of his side drawers; a smile pulling at his lips reading the note from Roman. Hope you got some beauty sleep. Father has requested my presence all morning, so can we meet at the spell crafters after noon? Enjoy the muffin curtesy of Val. - Roman

 He made short work of his breakfast, before carefully making his way to the communal bathrooms. Stepping into a small cubicle, Virgil removed his clothes and the now useless bandages; runes gone now the magic had run its course. Despite the ache in his chest, it wasn’t surprising for Virgil to find his torso clear of bruising; it was the area he had focused majority of his soul magic throughout the evening and he was rewarded with his abuse hidden. The same could not be said for his arm as it throbbed when stray droplets of water ran down as he washed his hair; bruising ringed the stitched wound, a swirling mix of blue, purple and green. As much as he hated it, he knew he would have to see Haefen again for some ointment or potion to reduce his pain enough for him to train like normal.

 Fully clothed, Virgil set off down the halls to reach the kitchens; stomach hardly satisfied with his meagre breakfast. As the kitchens neared, the halls were filled with the lingering scent of the mornings bread and fried meat. Pace quickening, Virgil gasped in shock and pain as he rounded the corner and bumped into what appeared to be a woman with greying hair and a simple purple gown.

“Oh dear, pardon me - Virgil?”

Pain faded to the back of his mind as Virgil realised who stood before him.

“Adara!” Instinctively, he pulled them into an embrace; half thankful that they appeared to sense his injury and favoured his right side. “It’s been nearly 4 years. I’ve missed you.”

Leaning back, Adara reached up to caress Virgil’s cheek. “My little boy has grown into a fine young man.” Their hand trailed down to rest on his chest, eyes saddening at Virgil’s instinctive reaction to flinch. “Is it fair to assume Rupert has not gotten kinder in my absence?”

“It’s fine, Adara." He grabbed their hand and gently lowered it, "You needn’t concern yourself over my wellbeing anymore.”

 Despite Virgil’s words fire burned in their eyes. Adara had served in the nursery, assisting the Queen in caring for Roman, and then Virgil when the Queen took him in as well. They shared their chambers with the orphan boy and were just as much of a parental figure as the Queen. Though they were cast out of the castle after confronting the King about Virgil's harsh treatment; making their presence in the city bittersweet.

 "I will never stop caring for my boys. Either of you."

"And it's almost cost you your life." Virgil held them out at arm’s length, concern thick in his voice. "How and why are you even here now? You were banished from the city."

"It's fine, sweetie." The anxious look in his eyes told them he was not convinced. "I snuck one of my young wards in for treatment with Haefen. We'll be out of the city in no time. Trust your old Bibi knows what they are doing."

"Last time I trusted you, I had to watch you leave."

 Silence fell between them and eye contact was lost in favour of the stone floor. Adara knew they could not argue with the truth; they truly had failed Virgil that day and quite possibly made the boy’s situation worse. It was never her intention, but nothing could change it now. The damage had been done.

"I'm sorry; you are right. I should have been more cautious with my words and actions." Looking up, Adara tried to find Virgil's eyes again; easy thanks to his new height. "I swear I will be careful not to make my presence known to the wrong parties. Okay?”

Nodding, Virgil pulled them close for a final hug. “Stay safe.”

“Same goes for you,” A single tear trailed down their cheek, “take care of yourself.”

“I do my best, but you should go.” Stepping back, they each swiped the tears from their faces. “Your window for leaving undetected will be small.”

“Seek me out one day, won’t you? I would love to see both my boys again.”

“Roman should be granted more freedom outside of the city soon. I’m sure we could make a detoured journey one day.”

“I look forward to it. Until then,” Virgil stepped around them, feeling his legs begin to shake from exhaustion and needing to encourage Adara to leave. “I love you, young one.”

“I love you too, Adara.” Thankful he had managed to have his back to his parental figure, Virgil hurried along to reach the kitchens and find food to stop his body from trembling.

 It tore at their heart to head in the opposite direction of Virgil, but Adara knew they had no choice. They had hoped to avoid running into either of their old wards, but the fates had never been kind. Haefen had already warned that King Rupert wasn’t growing kinder with time, but that still hadn’t prepared them. The pain in his eyes. The way his body instinctively tensed before softening. Years of working to gain the boys trust, only to lose him to the abusive King; the equivalent of training a timid rabbit to be brave and then leaving it with a pack of wolves. There was much that Adara regretted in their life but going to the King instead of the Queen was one of their greatest regrets. Things may have been different if that path had been followed.

  ********************

 Logan packed away their medical equipment after ensuring it was completely sanitised. The infirmary was much quieter now the knights had left; their laughing and ridiculous jokes about maiming each other made the young physicians blood boil. Working in the infirmary was the worst part of their day and they much preferred to work with their father. Nothing against the other physicians, they were just as skilled as Haefen, but the space didn’t have the same feel as their home. The general infirmary was an open space with rows of beds and trolleys loaded with rune bandages and pre-prepared potions; while their home was compact and allowed them access to personalised runes and supplies for mixing their own potions. It felt better to work in their own environment, but to be considered more than an apprentice they needed to be observed by people other than their mother and father.

 “Skilful work this morning, Logan.” A tall woman with cropped blond hair walked over; placing their own equipment into the nearby sink to begin rinsing them off. “Your stitching is immaculate, and I honestly have nothing to fault you on today.”

“Thank you, Tate. It was a rather average morning; hardly an opportunity to develop my skills further.” Packing their satchel, Logan was surprised to find Tate frowning at them.

“Until you have experienced the harshness of the field, do not complain about the mundanity of my infirmary. Do we have an understanding?”

 Logan was tempted to comment on the number of broken people they had seen in their home, but they knew it wouldn’t compare to the true nature of field work. Only Haefen’s stories gave them a glimpse into the intensities of working from limited supplies in an unsanitary area.

“My apologies. I didn’t intend for my comments to cause offence.”

“You are still young, Logan-“

“I’m twenty-one.”

“That is young. You are but a toddler in the area of medicine; regardless of how much your parents have taught you. Be thankful for what the fates have given you; for they could take it all away without a moment’s notice. Peace is not to be taken for granted.”

They stifled the urge to roll their eyes, nodding and ducking their head instead. “I understand and I shall be more considerate when I return tomorrow. May I be excused for the day?”

“You may. See you tomorrow, Logan.”

 Leaving the infirmary, Logan sighed and hoped that this wasn’t as peaceful as the city would be. If peace meant people could be beaten without consequence, then they didn’t want it. Stepping outside, the sunlight warmed their face as they headed around the castle to reach their house. Taking the outside route was much more pleasant than using the castles inner halls. The linking inner halls were wonderful during harsh winters but came across as suffocating during the seasons that offered clearer skies. A smile easily spread across their face as they spotted Virgil exiting the castle from the opposite side of the courtyard. They eagerly quickened their pace to intercept him, curious to find out how they had responded to yesterday’s treatments.

 “Good day to you, Virgil.”

Tired eyes looked up at the sound of their voice. “I appreciate your optimism, Logan. You here to cash in your truth?”

“What? No.” They tried to hide the hurt in their voice at Virgil’s accusation. “I just finished work in the infirmary and saw you. I wasn’t seeking you out or anything.”

Sensing their hurt, Virgil felt guilty for making such a judgement against the man who had freely healed him on multiple occasions. “Sorry, Lo. I’m just tired. I didn’t mean to-“

“How much sleep did you have?”

“What? Um, 8 hours, I guess. Look, I -“ Logan stood in front of Virgil and took hold of his wrist to feel his pulse; staring at his pupils’ reactions. “What are you doing?”

“Have you eaten?”

“Obviously. I’m not a-“

“Have you taken any relievers this morning?”

“Not yet, but it’s fine I-“

“Nope. Let’s go.”

Logan wasn’t having any of Virgil’s stubbornness that morning; practically dragging him around to the back of their chambers. It was jarring for Virgil; he had never seen Logan acting so forcefully; but he guessed it had something to do with the fact that his injuries were more serious than a bruised face or fractured wrist.

 Haefen hardly appeared surprised when Logan entered with Virgil in tow.

“Considering the significant lack of blood, am I safe in assuming this is a potion visit?”

“Hey, Haefen.” Virgil took a seat diligently, while Logan started grabbing various jars and vials from the shelf and setting water to boil. “I would answer your question, but I just came along for the ride.”

“Father, can you inspect Virgil's injuries while I craft a reliever for him? I believe he used more magic than we initially predicted.”

Virgil shook his head and rolled his eyes as Haefen grabbed his wrist and stared at him just as Logan had earlier. “I think you are overreacting. I’m just tired and sore. Nothing exactly ground-breaking going on-what is that for?”

The large needle in Logan’s hand had Virgil’s eyes widening, causing Haefen’s face to contort in concern.

“Logan’s correct. Shirt off now, I need to assess some things.”

“You still haven’t explained the needle,” he grumbled; carefully removing his vest and shirt.

“It was to prove a point,” Haefen assured; hardly shocked to see his chest clear and moving to help unwrap his arm. “Though you showed a concerned reaction to the needle, your heart rate remained unnervingly low.”

 In the few hours since he had woken, the gash on Virgil’s arm had healed further. The sutures were beginning to breakdown as his body used the natural magic held within them and they were no longer necessary to secure the wound shut. It still astounded both physicians, regardless of how many times they had witnessed his healing ability.

Logan held a mug out to Virgil, “Drink. The temperature should be balanced enough that it won’t burn you.”

Accepting the mug, Virgil did his best to ignore the discomfort of having Haefen’s hand resting on his chest; soul magic searching for injuries and making his chest tingle and burn. Raising the mug to his lips, he was expecting the warm concoction to be bitter and earthy like everything else Logan had mixed before; instead his tastebuds were overwhelmed with a confusing mix of spice and sweetness that had his chest convulsing in coughs.

“Woah,” Haefen took the mug from Virgil’s hand before any of the liquid could spill. “Take it easy.”

Logan sniggered before quickly jabbing Virgil’s arm with a small needle.

“Wha-da-f-k?” He finally managed to gasp out, frustrated by the grins that were now on both physicians faces.

“I know you don’t like needles, so I thought a distraction was necessary. Was it effective?”

“No!” Leaning back heavily against the chair, Virgil felt like his chest had been pierced by one of his flaming arrows. “I feel worse now than before you dragged me here.”

Haefen pulled out a familiar vial of blue, which Virgil accepted gratefully. “I am satisfied this process will restore your natural heart rhythm. Though I would advise you against any crafting or magic practice today. Logan’s assessment was correct, your soul magic is what caused your unusual rhythm. To be frank, most people I have come across with that little magic are unconscious.”

“Shall we add that to the list of reasons why I’m not normal?” Virgil was glad to feel the burning subside as the normal potion seemed to work its way through his system. “By the way, was there any benefit to that first potion or were you just messing with me?”

Logan’s face was serious as they wrapped a fresh bandage around his arm.

“Everything I do has a benefit, Virgil. Not only did that brew act as a distraction, it also encouraged the production of soul magic and included a herb combination that will either improve your energy levels or…” Both Virgil and Haefen raised their eyebrows expectantly as Logan secured the bandage in place and stood to wash their hands. “You could…potentially… respond to it like a mild sedative.”

“What do you mean potentially?” Virgil stood and followed Logan to the sink, ignoring the way his body swayed slightly as he stood beside them. “How can herbs have two vastly different effects?”

“The body is a very complex system and we have already established that you don’t respond to situations as we would expect.”

“I can’t be sedated. I’m meeting Roman at-t noo-“

All sense of space left Virgil as his mouth failed to cooperate and his eye lids grew heavy; swaying dangerously as his body numbed. Sighing, Logan pulled his arm over their shoulder and led him to a bed; carefully guiding him to lay down.

 “I shall make a note that Virgil is among the 3% who react to the Dye-Smith combination negatively.” Logan turned to look at their father, a hint of fear in their eyes. “How angry do you think he will be when he wakes up?”

A comforting hand rested on their shoulder. “I would suggest you go out collecting after completing your chores.”

“I concur.”

   ********************

  Roman was glad to finally be pardoned from the meeting room as the sun reached its midpoint; mind already forgetting half of what had just been discussed about relations with Pixma and Xican. The only thing he took away from the morning was that he was finally granted permission outside the city unaccompanied; meaning he and Virgil could ride without having a group of knights trailing behind them. Others took note of the obvious spring in the Prince’s step as he headed towards the spell crafting area; quickly moving out of his path and smiling supportively.

 The crafting area was a visual wonder, a stone wall built around a large tree with a low, umbrella canopy forming a roof. Crafting runes required natural magic, pulled from the earth and fused with materials using soul magic. While natural magic was present in all places, it was easier to access at a focused location known as a source point; the crafting tree being one such point in the city.

Roman barely acknowledged the waiting patrons as he strolled passed, only registering that none of them were Virgil before continuing to head straight into the space. Faces dropped after Roman passed them, knowing they would have to wait even longer for their needs to be met with the Prince’s presence.

 Squeezing his eyes shut as he was allowed through the main door, Roman blindly stepped through a black curtain before slowly reopening his eyes and allowing them to adjust to the new light. The crafting area of the inner wall was the largest source point in the area, with plentiful space for multiple crafters to be set up with their individual crafting crystals around the tree and small pond. Bioluminescent fungus and moss filled the area with a soft rainbow hue, while fireflies and glowing moths danced through the air and distracted his sight as he searched for Virgil.

 A short, old man carefully stepped past the Prince as he finished with one of the furthest crafters; a round faced woman with wavy, brown hair that rested on the ground where she sat. Heart sinking slightly as he realised Virgil wasn’t there, Roman advanced to sit in the newly vacant position.

“Pleasure to see you, Vivian.” He beamed, trying to hide his true sadness.

“Honour to be of service, my Prince.” Vivian lowered a reed pen into the water; tiny glowing fish swarmed the pen to clean it of ink and magic. “I’m assuming we are touching up your current runes?”

 Though he nodded, in truth, Roman had hoped to craft teleportation runes in anticipation for his first unsupervised missions. Unfortunately, he relied heavily on Virgil’s assistance when it came to runes and without him, he couldn’t possibly visualise the rune he needed; and he wasn’t about to admit his inabilities to Vivian. Thankfully, repowering current runes meant he had the rune already available and visualisation was simple.

Retrieving his belt, sash and wrist guards from his satchel, Vivian dried her hands and pen before dusting  off the crystal slab and inspecting the runes they would be making.

“Seems you have gotten good ware from these runes, your highness. It shows exceptional control on your behalf.”

“Thank you, Vivian.” Roman glanced around the space again, the beauty having no calming effect as he wondered where Virgil was.

“Is there a problem, Prince Roman?” Worry caused Vivian’s brow to crease as one of the guards eyed their area at the sight of the Prince’s discomfort.

“My apologies, I was expecting to meet Virgil and I guess I’m a little distracted by his absence.”

“Oh,” relief filled Vivian’s chest as she realised Roman’s issue had nothing to do with her. “I’m sure he isn’t too far away. These runes should take no time at all to strengthen and you can be on your way. Let’s start with the collection on your belt.”

 Trusting their word, Roman adjusted his sitting position and placed one hand on the crystal while the other hovered above the reed pen in Vivian’s hand. The crystal began to glow a soft green as Vivian pulled natural magic up from the earth; eyes closed, and mind focused on the purpose of the runes she had to write. Simultaneously, Roman pushed his soul magic forward, warming his hand as he channelled it into the reed pen in a soft yellow stream. Moving his magic was easy but focusing on the rune shapes was a challenge for the Prince; the pen in Vivian’s hand moving slowly as their magic and visions combined to form each rune. After the golden letters were formed, Vivian placed the belt on the crystal and the golden runes shifted, slotting into place on the belt with a flash before dulling to black.

Roman let out a quiet sigh, glad to see that the runes matched perfectly and hadn’t failed.

 “Shall we move onto your sash?” Vivian questioned, noticing the slight shift in the prince’s demeanour.

Nodding, Roman prepared for the next set of runes; hoping Virgil would arrive before the session was over.

  ********************

 Screams filled the darkness and Virgil felt nothing but fear. He had no idea who the screams belonged to, where they were coming from or why they made him feel so sad and alone. No matter how many times he dreamt about them, he couldn't remember anything about them. The darkness shifted and a knew memory filled his mind.

  Useless outsider!

 Strong hands pushed the teenage Virgil to the ground.

  Don’t you dare cry in my presence!

 A callused hand scraped across a slightly older face with such force that his body crumbled to the ground.

  Remember your place!

 Staring in a mirror with blood running from his nose, Virgil squeezed his watering eyes shut to escape the image only to open them and see King Rupert’s boots in front of his kneeling form.

  If you can’t do your job properly…

 A leather boot met his face and his body was instantly knocked backwards. When his eyes opened a stone weight was held over his chest.

  … don’t bother living.

 Reliving the pain of having the weight dropped on his chest was unbearable and Virgil found himself crying out as he jolted back into consciousness. Heart pounding in his ears and whole-body trembling, it took him a moment to realise the pain was only a phantom memory and the discomfort in his chest was from his rapid breathing.

“Are you okay, kiddo?”

Haefen was quite shaken from his patient’s sudden outburst, but the only answer he received was a mumbled “Roman” as Virgil was on his feet and heading out the door. By the time he poked his own head out the back door, the young man was already running towards the crafting area.

  Nightmarish memories were nothing new for Virgil; the main reason he worked himself into exhaustion was to avoid having them at all.

  The only reason I haven't locked you up is because you serve a purpose to my son. If you can’t do your job, don’t bother living.

 King Rupert’s words seemed to reverberate in his mind, only quieting as the crafting area came into view. The guards at the door caught sight of Virgil's rapidly approaching form and shared a knowing grin; preparing themselves for him to ask permission to enter and they could have some fun tormenting him. Their games didn't come to fruition as they were left stunned when he didn't even acknowledge their presence; pushing straight past them to enter the crafting area. A few waiting patrons turned away to hide their grins as the guards looked behind them as the doors swung closed; questioning each other on whether they should actually follow him or not.

  Roman sighed in relief when he saw Virgil approaching just as Vivian finished packing up his satchel. Concern quickly took its place as he registered the vacant look in his friends tear rimmed eyes; breathing more laboured than it should have been, even if he had just run from his chambers.

"Virgil? What's wrong?" Roman was on his feet; ignoring the stares around him as he grabbed onto Virgil's shoulders to try and steady him.

Squeezing his eyes shut, Virgil shook his head and tried to compose himself as he suddenly became aware of the watching eyes. "no-nothing...jus-. Late...sorry."

He tried to continue forward towards Vivian, but Roman's grip didn't loosen and even without eye contact, Virgil knew the Prince's eyes were assessing him with concern.

"We're leaving."

"Wha- no."

Tears threatened to spill from Virgil's tired eyes as Roman let go to grab his satchel from Vivian's outstretched hand; his skin felt ice cold without the touch and his hands started to shake. Fists clenching in frustration, Virgil was about to argue when Roman grabbed hold of his right hand and started to pull him out of the crafting area.

  When the Prince gives you an instruction, you follow it! Do I make myself perfectly clear?

 Virgil hated the fact that Rupert's voice entered his mind again in that moment. He was torn between allowing Roman to lead him away or forcing him to stay and continue crafting. Logically they should have stayed and crafted, but his heart screamed for solitude with Roman. Technically it was Roman's wish to leave; he only hoped all onlookers would see it that way as well, and not that Virgil had distracted the Prince from his duties.  Feet moving diligently, the pair were soon moving quickly through the inner city and towards the Queen's gardens.

  Filthy outsider. You are nothing but a useless farm boy the Queen took pity on. Nothing more.

   Roman may have been ignorant of many things, but he had seen that vacant look in Virgil's eyes too many times to ignore it. As they reached the back of his mother’s garden that disguised the inner wall, Roman carefully parted a manicured bush and encouraged Virgil to continue past him to the secluded hideaway they had made as children. The bushes came back together seamlessly and Roman had hold of his friends trembling hand again as they walked around the back of a massive old oak stump; hollowed and coated in moss and vines.

 Safe from prying eyes, Virgil allowed himself to relax; body shaking with sobs as he finally allowed his held tears to fall and Roman pulled him close. Fists pushed briefly at Roman’s chest, before Virgil accepted the hold; head resting on his shoulder as he let his hidden emotions rise back to the surface.

"I've got you, Virge," Roman whispered, slowly guiding them down to sit on his lap in the hollowed oak. "You're safe with me."

 Virgil knew Roman believed his words. He truly thought that he was safe with him. In the past, those words were a form of comfort from Adara, Queen Alexandra and Roman. Back then, his nightmares were only from the lost memories of his past and the battle he had been saved from. It had become almost routine for Roman to sneak into Virgil's bed to comfort him when he woke gasping and sobbing uncontrollably when their carers weren't nearby. Even after he left the nursery to live with Adara and then on his own, Virgil never spent long alone following a nightmare. Roman almost had a sixth sense for when his friend needed him, and many evenings he would wake to find the Prince appearing in the doorway and ready to comfort him. Virgil craved that comfort and feeling of safety when his lost memories hit; but when King Rupert was involved, he only felt more guilty sitting in Roman's arms. Lying to his friend was harder in these moments of weakness. He wanted to be honest with him but the light in Roman was too precious to lose, so he remained clinging to the white fabric of his friend’s clothes; mind in a state of emotional turmoil.

   ********************

 The forest outside of the city was bursting with colour and a sense of life as Logan left the common trails in search of herbs. Their usual slim glasses replaced with large squares of glass with wooden frames; black cloak shielding them from the light shower that had blessed the area with a fresh earthy scent. Eyes scanned the ground and tree trunks for any signs of useful plants or blooms that could be collected and tested.

 Screwing the lid on a sample jar, Logan inspected the cuttings they had placed inside; curious about the blue colouring that had appeared on a normally white flower. The shifting of undergrowth caught their attention and they turned to spot a grey deer with blue runes marking its face.

"Hello, Spirit, my old friend," Logan smiled; slipping the jar into the satchel and calmly approaching the deer.

The creature showed no fear as they approach, stepping closer to meet the human halfway; lowering its head to allow Logan to begin scratching behind its ears the moment they were close enough.

"I feared your safety after such a long absence," blue animal eyes blinked at Logan; head tilting slightly in apology. "I am glad to see you appear safe. May I inspect your health?"

Bowing its head in agreeance, Spirit allowed them to walk around and inspect their body; pausing at a small cut on their hind leg.

"It appears you have been in a bit of a scrape." They wasted no time in retrieving a premade ointment and rune cloth from their satchel. "Won't be a moment."

 Healing animals wasn't a conventional use of healing magic, but Logan enjoyed working with the deer. They had met Spirit years prior when they found them with an arrow stuck in their shoulder; spending hours with them before finally being able to heal the wound. Ever since, Logan had come across the animal regularly when they were out collecting for their father. The runes on Spirit's face a clear sign of their status as a spirit animal and translated to ice or snow. Logan was fascinated and excited by the relationship they had formed over the years; they couldn't understand why such an honourable creature would be interested in them, but savoured it nonetheless.

 "There you go, Spirit," Logan stood and admired the healed leg, "Not even a mark." Spirit turned and nuzzled Logan's chest, almost knocking them over with the force of their affection.

"Take it easy," a laugh effortlessly escaped them as they wrapped their arms around the creature’s neck and snuggled the soft fur with their cheek. "It is my pleasure to serve you."

Stepping away, Spirit looked around before bounding over to a patch of green ground cover; eyes glowing with blue, natural runes as they bowed their head to touch the patch with the tip of their nose. A grin spread across Logan's face as they watched frost coat the plant and golden buds grew and bloomed before their eyes.

"Frost lilies!"

As Spirit stepped back, Logan knelt and quickly collected the flowers in a sample jar. After the jar lid was secured, Spirit lent forward again and froze the jar with a tap of their nose.

"These will be most valuable for my father and I," Logan scratched the deer behind its ear as they stood. "Thank you very much for this gift. These will be invaluable in crafting my new treatment for internal injuries and muscular bruising."

They had been working on new remedies for a while, and with King Rupert's increased aggression they feared they would be testing it sooner rather than later.

Logan looked sadly at the deer as they spoke, "Virgil may be in need of more support than magic alone. I worry about him, Spirit." The deer moved closer; eyes just as sad as Logan's. "I fear I may not find him in time one day."

 Wind rushed through the area and Logan shielded their eyes as leaves and dust blew past their face. When their eyes opened, they were shocked to see tears slip from the deer's eyes; slightly frosted and shimmering like small jewels.

"Spirit?" Logan gently swiped the tears from the creature’s eyes; heart aching at the pure sadness they saw within them. "Your empathy will never cease to amaze me, my friend. You do not know Virgil and yet you cry for him. Perhaps you could meet him one day. I'm sure Virgil would appreciate you as much as I do."

Another tear slipped from the deer's eye and Logan quickly brushed it away before Spirit started backing away from their touch.

"I assume it is time for you to be on your way. I hope to see you with happier news soon."

Spirit bowed their head once more before sprinting back into the depths of the forest, leaving Logan alone once more. The satchel was cold against their leg as the frozen sample jar chilled the leather, making them aware of the passing of time as they continued to watch the horizon where Spirit had vanished. They always felt lost after the spirit animal left; like a piece of them was taken by the creature every time. It wasn't until the howl of wolves echoed through the trees that they found their feet again and started to make their way back towards the main track for the city.

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Next Chapter 

End Note

Also, I really hope you liked the art and please don’t forget to check out @fanartfunart and give them some love for the lovely art of Patton and Remy. They do amazing artwork and stories of their own. Well worth taking a scroll down through their Tumblr page 😊 

I really can’t give a timeline on when the next chapter will be done. I need to get some less angsty ideas to fill in a bit of a gap I have in the story and I don’t really have anyone to bounce ideas off sooooo gotta wait for inspiration to hit me in the face. 

Anyway, thanks for reading and I hope you have a lovely time zone 💜🐌

New characters appeared!

Patton ‘Bow’ Finn: he|him pronouns; eldest son of Mia and Larsen Finn; father disappeared after youngest brother was born; took on the father figure role for his brothers; works on the family farm and helps a local baker for extra gold; skilled archer and basic healer (using only herbs and not magic); always carries his archery gear around ‘just in case’; decorated his quiver with a crest to represent his brothers. 

Remy ‘Arrow’ Finn: he|him pronouns; middle child (three year gap between both his siblings); is short for his age; makes braided bracelets and sells them at the market; helps Patton as much as he is able; hasn’t been able to master archery at all; keeps a length of fabric tied around his middle and uses it to cover his eyes for ideal daytime napping in the forest; is jealous of how much attention Patton gives Quiver now he is older. 

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What else has Snail done?

The Perfect Ring (oneshot -analogical proposal)

You Promised (oneshot - prinxiety angst/injury/near death)

Sides of a Hero (Completed Fic - sides are fusions of impulses and aspects of Thomas. Virgil has a depressing past that he is forced to face thanks to Deceit and Rage. Was canon compliant at the time of completion)

Libraries are for Meetings (ongoing WIP - Human/University au with Royality and developing Analogical. Slow burn and heavily focused on a grieving group of friends that Virgil slowly becomes a part of to better himself.)

Check out my other blog for random fandom reblogs and stuff @snail-giggles . Always happy to interact and chat on that blog too 💜🐌