Gone

Chapter 52- Weddings

TW: Mentions of Acephobia, Homophobia, Mentions of Arranged/Forced Marriages, 

Light humming floated softly through the cell as the eldest prince ran his fingers through his boyfriend's hair. Remus was asleep, his head laid in Janus's lap as the rest of his body lay sprawled across the cot. Roman and Patton had insisted the couple sleep in the cot as they most definitely needed it the most. Janus was inclined to agree and hadn't argued much, he didn't let Remus argue much either.

Currently, Patton was sleeping in the back corner of the room. Janus was sitting up in the cot, and leaning back against the wall, he was the one humming. Remus, of course, was asleep and probably wouldn't be up for a long time. Despite everyone's worried nagging to get some rest, Remus had stayed awake for several hours in an effort to catch up with Roman and Patton. Eventually, the two had to pretend to go to sleep just to get Remus to do the same. 

Roman was awake too, tapping his feet nervously. The rhythm unconsciously matched to the tune of Janus's humming, Roman, always a musician. The Light Realm Crown Prince was sitting by the bars of the cell, pressed up against it to give him the best view of the wooden door at the end of the hall. He was rubbing his hands together, as if for warmth, and looked tense, far from relaxed.

"Watching the door isn't going to make someone magically open it," Janus said, he didn't know why he said it. Roman wasn't bothering anybody by watching the door, it wasn't like it mattered, "Trust me, I've been watching it for a month now."

Roman scoffed slightly, "How can anybody trust someone with the name Deceit?" he asked, he didn't know why he had said it. Virgil had already said it hundreds of times, Janus's trait name didn't show his character as clearly as the trait name Anxiety did.

Janus paused for a moment, his fingers freezing before slowly continuing, "Is my father dead?"

"...Yes."

"Then my name is Janus."

"Also a stupid name. Virgil's a strange name too, your parents were definitely thinking outside the box weren't they?" 

Janus smiled, "Virgil is the name of a legendary warrior in a Dark Realm myth."

"And who was Janus? A school librarian"

Janus shrugged, "Which do you want; the truth, or the lie?"

"What do you mean?"

"Janus is the name of the very first hybrid wizard in the Dark Realm. He started a revolution in the kingdom and brought about change without ever having a title added to his name. He made mistakes, as all leaders do, and people died. But, because of him, magic was more accepted in the Dark Realm and it was the start to this kingdom becoming one of the most inclusive safe spaces on the continent. But that took a long time, he was dead by then. That's the truth. The lie, however, makes him out to be a little more cruel and evil. After all, the dead can't write. They have no say in how people make them out to be."

"You're the first hybrid king, aren't you?"

"I am," Janus nodded and then looked over to the other prince, "Our parents had their reasons for giving us our names. Yours and Remus have to do with myth, yes?"

Roman nodded, "Yeah..." he shifted slightly, and tried to lean closer to the bars as if adjusting how he saw the door would make it open.

Janus looked over at the other Crown Prince "I'm sorry I gave them Logan."

Roman shook his head, "No you're not, but it's okay. I-I probably would've done the same thing for Remus... I realize that now." Roman looked to Janus and Remus, the eldest prince was still smiling and threading his fingers through Remus's hair. "He really loves you," Roman whispered.