The Curse of Royalty

Chapter Four: So Falls His Many Foes

Hey all! Here's another chapter!! I hope you like angst because my stories only get angstier! Please enjoy and be ready to feel super bad for fictional characters-😈

Virgil feels the world shake like a fragile vase in his hands. He sees Janus try to recover some of his composure, Roman eyeing him in disgust. Janus has a hand over his face, quietly standing.

"Have you been practicing?" Janus says, laughing softly, but it shouldn't be. This is so wrong, Virgil's mind is imploding. Janus shouldn't sound so kind and so sweet after being hurt, it's so wrong and it doesn't make any sense at all. "I think that's the hardest one yet."

Roman scoffs.

"You're flattery will get you nowhere darling," he growled, grabbing Janus's hair and pulling him back aggressively. Janus still keeping a pleasant smile on his face. Virgil starts to hyperventilate, breathing heavily, shaking with fear.

"Dear, we're outside and Virgil's here," Janus says, jerking his face to Virgil. "Why don't we take this inside." Roman looks at Virgil with a look of surprised disgust.

"Very well darling," Roman says, pecking his cheek. "We can spend some quality time together," he coos. "Virgil!"

Virgil looks up in shocked surprise.

"Yes?" he says, finding his voice.

"Go get Patton, and walk him to our room poppet. Tell him to bring along blue bandages," Roman says. Virgil nods and runs from the room in fear, frantically searching for Patton. His anxiety makes him spiral, thinking about all the horrible things Roman is going to do Janus, each more ludicrous than the last.

"Your majesty?" a voice asks. Its kind and soft. Virgil remembers it, as he breathes heavily, the world swirling around him, his biggest fault making way for everyone to see.

"No, no don't-" Virgil stumbles back, collapsing to the floor as he backs into a corner, shaking and panicked, unable to stop. He wants the person to go away, so they don't have to see this glaring flaw in his person. They won't though, and they aren't. Virgil lets out a panicked cry.

"Your majesty, its going to be okay," a voice soothes, sitting beside him. "Can you try and breath with me?"

"No, I-I can't, please go away!" Virgil begs tearfully. The voice sighs.

"Here." Virgil feels some dough in his hands, and he slowly plays with it, a distraction from his panicked tears as he finally starts to regain control of his weakness. He sees now its Patton, the servant from earlier, the servant Roman requested he'd find. "Are you feeling a bit better?" Virgil nods slowly.

"I-thank you," Virgil says, stumbling through the words. "I appreciate your generosity." Patton smiles brightly. Too brightly, Virgil thinks.

"It's no problem your majesty. I'm always willing to help," Patton says. "Now I must be going-"

"Wait!" Virgil suddenly yelps, jumping to his feet. "Ro-Roman told me to find you and bring you to his room. With bandages," Virgil said, heartbeat still a tad erratic. Patton freezes. "He wants you to come immediately." Patton nods.

"Of course. Did he specify what kind?"

"Umm... blue? But I don't know what that means," Virgil says, trailing off. Patton's face hardens.

"I do. Let's grab Logan along the way. Follow me." Virgil silently follows Patton, doing what he does best. Patton walks through the crowd, going to the servants quarters to a small room. Patton knocks, then opens the door.

"Patton!" Logan yelps, jumping up and slamming his book shut. "I told you to knock-"

"I did," Patton said tiredly. "You must have been focused on your book." Logan glared at him.

"Fine. Why are you distributing me then?" He asked. Virgil poked his head in nervously, glancing through the room. It's very plain, but he can clearly tell it's Patton's room too, with the small notes, letters, and drawings on the wall, from people Virgil would never know, but that Patton clearly cared about.

"His majesty requested you for King Consort Janus," Patton said stiffly. "He requested both of us." Logan looks up.

"Very well then," he said, tone entirely shifted to a more pleasant one. Virgil waited patiently as Patton sighs. "Let us go." Logan steps out, quickly bowing to Virgil and walking ahead of him and Patton. Virgil watches him curiously. Logan is a bizarre character, walking forward speedily, ignoring the two behind him.

Virgil plays with his hands, thinking about all the horrible things Roman could be doing to Janus.

"Worried about Janus?" Patton asks softly. Virgil jumps, surprised from his thoughts. Patton smiles weakly, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Sorry, didn't mean to startle you." Virgil hums quietly.

"It's alright," he said softly. "But yes, I am." Patton sighs.

"He won't get anything that leaves a bruise. His majesty is very careful of that," Patton said, sounding like he's reciting a script at gunpoint, teeth clenched and smile fake. "Janus will be just fine."

Unsurprisingly, this does not comfort Virgil in the slightest. Patton sighs, like he knows it. He probably does.

"Don't worry your majesty, I have yet to see an injury Logan is incapable of healing." Virgil smiles weakly. "Ah, here we are."

Virgil hears silence, which ordanirly would have been fine, but that fact that its King Roman, his husband (He shuddered just thinking about it), made it terrifying. Logan knocked on the door once. When there was no response, Logan pushed the door open and stepped in anyway, patton following suit. Virgil tries to follow, but is stopped by Patton with a sad look in his eyes.

"Believe me, your majesty, this is not a sight you wish to see."

"He's right," a voice says behind him, deep and imperious, slightly sweaty arms wrapped around his waist without his consent. Roman. He kisses Virgil's forehead, as he turns him to face him. "This wench of a husband is not a fit sight for a delicate flower such as yourself." Virgil blinks in confusion, opening and closing his mouth. Roman chuckles gently. "I am sorry my dear, you had to see me act in such a rash state. Normally, I can control myself, but Janus doesn't always know when to stop." He strokes Virgil's cheek, thin and cultivated to look perfectly beautiful, with a tenderness that he didn't seem to have before. Virgil feels almost lost in his gaze, Roman's gentle brown eyes, holding him close protectively, beautiful waves dancing in the sunlight. Maybe Roman wasn't so bad after all...

A sudden shriek of pain echoing from the bedroom jolts both Virgil and Roman back to reality. Virgil unintentionally jerks his head towards the shriek and sees Janus, lying on the bed and weeping, even though no visible injuries are seen, as Logan wraps a hand in bandages while muttering something from a book and Patton soothingly stroking him with a damp towel. Roman pulls him back, an annoyed look marring his beautiful face.

"Come along my petal, we should dine out in the gardens tonight. Maybe, when Janus feels a bit better, he can join us poppet," Roman says soothingly, voice so loving and tender. Virgil bows his head, gently kissing his cheek, his pants gently brushing against Roman's legs as he roots himself in reality.

"It would be my pleasure husband."