My Disney Prince

7. The Kingdom of Deceit...

"How are you feeling, Kiddo?" Patton said as I got up off the floor and stretched. I could feel everything pop and I smiled. 

"Sore but healed. The one good thing about the transformation, broken bones heal..." Patton's eyes darkened and I knew what he was thinking. They heal but the pain is immense. So much so I couldn't choke down the cries and screams. I looked away and headed for the cliffside. "I'm sorry, Pat. I never wanted you to know how bad it got."

"Don't you EVER hide your pain from me."I looked over to see this serious look on his face. "I'm your dad..." I shot him a look and he laughed. "Ok, yeah I know. But the point remains. Don't hide it from me, Virgil. Not from me."

"You got it, Pat." I said quietly, avoiding eye contact. I sighed and looked down at the land around us only to spot someone just standing there. "Roman?"

"What?" I rushed past Patton and ran outside to see Roman standing there frozen.

"Roman? What are you..." I got closer to him and my heart sank. His eyes were glossed over and wide with shock as tears fell in streams from his eyes. He looked so broken. "Roman?!" I instantly grabbed a hold of him, pulling him in close, only for him to lose all strength and just ragdoll in my arms. "PATTON! PATTON GET OUT HERE NOW!"

Patton came rushing out in confusion, but as soon as he saw Roman, his face dropped and he helped carry him inside.  We got him to the couch and started to set him down, when he latched onto me tighter, making the both of us fall. I just sat there looking at this broken man, holding him tightly and praying that he's going to be ok.

"Kiddo? Are you ok?" I felt as Roman pushed himself farther into me and it took everything I had not to cry. "Roman, please tell us. What's wrong?" I felt him shake his head no as he pressed hard against my chest and I felt the tears start to fall. What is going on with him? What can I do to make it better? To see you smile again. My Disney prince... My Princy.

"Roman, you're scaring me." I gripped him tighter as my tears fell harder. I felt as he looked up at me but all I could do was hold him. "Please, talk to us."

"I'm sorry. I... I just... I didn't know where else to go." He pulled away from me and my heart sank "You don't even know me but... I just... I really am sorry."

"Your family now, kiddo. Whatever it is I'm sure..."

"My father is dying." Patton immediately clamped up unable to think of a response. "And my brother is going to war."

"What?" I jumped up as my thoughts began to race. All those memories of my Father... and... a-and Jan. "Why would anyone chose that?"

"He's not. He has a duty to do and... so do I." Patton's eyes went wide and I started to shake my head. Please tell me this isn't what I think it is. Please tell me he isn't going. PLEASE TELL ME THIS ISN'T GOODBYE!

"Roman, what are you getting at?"

"I can't let him do this alone. For all his strength, he is still vulnerable. I just can't..." I felt the tears begin to fall again as I watched Roman shake himself from his thoughts. "I'm going to joining him."

"WHY?!" I yelled out in fear and anger.

"Because it is my duty as their prince!" I stood there frozen in shock. Prince... He really was... a prince. And he's going to war? He's going to leave me. I should've known. The only one who has ever stuck by me was Pat. I never should have gotten attached. "I don't have a choice and neither does he. Logan's the in line for the throne and Father is on his deathbed. What am I supposed to do, Virgil?"

"War is a corrupting force that only brings death and destruction. No side ever wins and all it does is spread more hate." I said as I wiped the tears from my eyes. I won't cry. I-I won't show him how much this hurts. He's right. As a prince, your duty is to your kingdom, not some stranger you just met yesterday.

"Talking like you know. You're a fucking hermit, Virgil! What the hell do you know?"

"What do I know? YoU HaVE No IdeA WHaT I'Ve BeeN tHroUGh, PRINCY!" I snapped and watched as Roman flinched. I felt the anger burn through me and I quickly looked away. I pulled Roman in and rested his head on my chest. "Look, I'm sorry, ok? I've just seen a lot. I know what war does to people." Images of my father... my mother... the screams... they just kept rushing through my head. "Who is it against?"

"What?"

"Who are you going to war against?"He pulled away again and sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Roman?"

"The kingdom of Ceit." My anger hit it's the boiling point, heating the air around me and causing a blast of wind to whip around. I stood there as every slowly started to glow red.

"Nope. Nuh uh... You are NOT fighting those fucking monsters!" I was forcing myself to keep my voice from warping as the anger took hold. Roman just stared at me with a gentle smile hoping to calm me down.

"I know, but I have to. Those dragons aren't impervious, we'll find a way..."

"I wasn't talking about the dragons." He gave me a confused look, that only met my fear. Jan... he's there. He's a Dragon Rider. Roman, you don't know the type of people that you're going to be fighting. The way they treat their dragons. Their so-called partners... their...  "I was talking about their riders." 

A dragon picks their rider. It's a bond that literally means life and death for them. They put their lives in the hands of their rider, just as the rider does for them. But those people... They take those poor creatures and... and...

"Virgil?"

"Virgil." I fell to my knees, clenching my ears, as his voice rang through them. "You can't run forever." I opened my eyes to see I was in Romans arms. I latched on to him. He'll protect me right. He'll save me... He'll be my Disney prince. 

No, he won't. He'll go off to war. He'll change or worse... 

H̕͡e̴̵̡͜'̶͜͞l̨͘͠l̶̴ ̸͏̨̧͞d̷̵́͟͡i̡̨͢͠͝e̵̶͘͜.̨̨̀͜

Jan is ruthless. He's heartless. And he'll do anything to get me back.

"Virgil... It's ok. Whatever it is... It's going to be ok." Roman held me tighter and I gripped his shirt, unable to hold back the tears any longer.

"Please... please don't fight them. Those riders... they're the real monsters." I felt as Roman picked me up, but I was shaking so badly I honestly just didn't care. I couldn't... I was lost in his scent... in his heartbeat... in him. "Roman please... don't do it."

"Shh. Virgil. It's going to be ok. I promise." That's a promise you won't be able to keep. Unless...

Unless I fight too.