#tscreativity

“Roman!” The man called pleasantly as he approached. “There you are, I have been looking for you everywhere.”

Virgil was struck dumb as the prince’s name left the vile man’s lips. This couldn’t be happening. This was just a dream! A nightmare! He wasn’t really there! It was all just some sort of trick! But… He said Roman’s name with such familiarity… Like he knew him. Virgil’s wide and terrified gaze turned to Roman. 

The prince’s surprised expression was gone, morphing into something akin to determination as the man approached. It was obvious Roman recognized the man. But how? Was this some kind of trap? Had Roman been sent to collect Virgil and Logan from the beginning? Had he just been waiting for the two to be separated before calling his master? Was this some big elaborate scheme to capture the witches? Pain mixed with Virgil’s terror as everything began crashing around him. 

“Well, you should have kept looking,” Roman spat at the man, stepping forward between him and the witch.

“Now, now, that’s no way to treat an old friend,” the man teased with a chuckle, pulling to a stop just a few short feet away. “It's time to come home, Roman. We have work to do.” 

“I-” Roman began.

“Y-you know him?” Virgil interrupted, brows furrowing as he peered up at the prince, pain and confusion written on his features. Roman glanced at the witch.

“Virgil!” the man greeted excitedly before Roman had a chance to answer.  “There you are! I knew you’d be here, but I hadn’t expected you two to be so… close.” he glanced at Roman giving a sly grin, “Good job, Roman. How is he? I always assumed he’d be a wild one.” 

Virgil’s chest lifted and fell at a staggering pace as he began to panic. He had been right! Noname had sent Roman to them! Virgil had fallen for every word that had fallen from the prince’s soft lips. The witch staggered backwards in shock, stumbling over himself. 

“Don’t worry Virgil, I’m not here for you or the feline… yet,” Noname chuckled. “No, I’m afraid I’m just here to cut Roman’s visit a bit short. Isn’t that right Roman?” 

The prince didn’t even get a chance to speak or to explain before Virgil scrambled away, sprinting down the street. 

“Virgil! Virgil, wait!” Roman called after him, making as though to follow, but finding his feet were stuck in place. 

“Ah, now, now, Roman I can’t have you running off to play knight in shining armor now, can I?” Noname hummed as he approached. “You’ll have time to play with him later. For now-”

“Liar!” Roman snapped at him, the man’s face a reminder of all that he had lost. The images of burning buildings, the stench of burning bodies was all too much. “You’ve taken everything from me! You’ve destroyed everything! I don’t know what you want with me, but I know you won’t get it! And if I have my way you’ll never get close to Virgil! You’re him aren’t you?! The one they’re running from?” 

“Maybe,” Noname shrugged casually. “They really didn’t have to keep running, you know. Once you managed to slip from between my fingers, I wasn’t worried about them anymore. I have to admit though, I’m surprised they managed to live this long. I’m sure their magic started fading as soon as they left,” Noname moved closer still. His hand went to curl into the fabric of the prince’s shirt, close to the line of his trousers. 

“What are you-”

“Relax, Roman,” Noname huffed, rolling his eyes at the man’s dramatic nature, “As much as I enjoy this whole brawns over brains thing you’ve got going on, I’m not interested,” the demeanted man explained before he gave a firm tug, untucking the white fabric. “Also, side note, maybe stop buying children’s clothes. You’re an adult, Roman, buy your size. You look ridiculous,” he added lifting the shirt almost over the prince’s head.

Roman wasn’t quite sure how to react. He was furious, of course, but it was a bit difficult to form a response when someone was lecturing you as if you were a toddler. Noname’s gloved fingers pressed into the sensitive flesh of the scar that now marred his side. The scar that had been left over from where he had been stabbed. 

“Watch it!” Roman cursed, hissing in a breath at the tenderness.

“Color me surprised,” Noname commented again, lowering Roman’s too tight shirt and straightening. “I take it the badger healed you?” 

“He’s a procyon raccoon,” Roman corrected with a snarl.

“Whatever,” Noname scoffed with another roll of his eyes. “Either way, it's surprising. I didn’t think kindness was in his nature. Especially when you consider healing a wound like that would shave a few years off his life.”

“What?” Roman asked in shock.

“Oh, dear,” Noname gasped in feigned shock. “Loverboy didn’t tell you. By my estimate, he cut his meager existence in half for that little cut of yours. And with the pussycat by his side, there was no way he didn’t do the math. So, how does it feel Roman, stealing the life of someone you care so much about?” 

Roman’s heart sank. No wonder Logan had been against rescuing the prince; doing so came at such a great cost and yet… Virgil still fought for him. Virgil risked everything for a stranger. 

“You know nothing about him!” Roman spat angrily. 

“You’re wrong, Roman. I know him well enough. I know him enough to know what goes on in that tiny little brain of his. I know that he was content doing my dirty work until that seer got his claws into him. I know that he enjoyed it! Enjoyed the pain he caused, the suffering-”

“You’re wrong!” 

“Am I? He’s a coward, just like the rest of humanity. He crawls out of the woodwork when there is something to be gained, like the pest he is, like the pests they all are,” Noname hissed at him, his deformed face contorting with the effort. 

“No. Virgil isn’t like that. He saved me!” Roman defended.

“But why did he save you, Roman? Hm? Why do you think he did it?” the man pressed. “Think about it.”

Roman tried not to allow the man the purchase in his mind, but suddenly the reminder of their first conversation had everything flooding back. The words he heard Virgil speaking to Logan as the prince awoke. 

"I didn't spend all of it, but what would you have me do? We need him.”

They needed him? But for what? Is this what Virgil meant? Had they been playing him this whole time?

“No,” Roman whispered in denial. “No! I refuse to believe that! Virgil is kind and caring! He cares for me he l-”

“Loves you?” Noname finished for him with a scoff. “Oh, please, Roman. Virgil and Logan don’t give a damn about love. They only care about their own survival. Though, I have to admit, I am a bit surprised that you do. Even in the state that you’re in, I never expected your kind to have such… human emotions.”

“Excuse me?” Roman scoffed, struggling against his bindings. “My kind? What, Royals? Slaughtering my family wasn’t enough for you, now you have to insult their memory?” 

Noname paused, as if surprised by the accusation before he began to laugh. The sound was harsh, but hearty as if Roman had genuinely amused him. “Royal? Family? Your brother really did a number on you didn’t he?” he laughed, slowly beginning to sober. Roman’s jaw set in his fury. 

“I didn’t kill your family Roman.” Noname continued, “Not that I wouldn’t if I found them all.” 

The prince tensed. ‘If I found them all’? Did that mean that Roman’s family was still alive?! His parents? His siblings? Had Remus been telling the truth. No, no… that couldn’t be right… He had been there. He had watched them die. But… But if this man was capable of so many things then maybe… maybe it was all a lie… everything was a lie! Like one of Virgil’s dream creations! No… That wasn’t right either, Virgil knew his family had died, knew his kingdom was attacked. If Virgil knew these things, then they had to be true unless… unless Virgil was in on it too. Roman’s heart sank further, drowning in the pits of his stomach. This wasn’t right. None of this was right. 

“You’re lying,” Roman repeated far more weakly. “Everything you're saying is a lie.”

“Is it?” Noname asked. “I suppose it could be. But, tell me Roman, does it feel like a lie to you? You’re obviously such a good judge of character,” he added sarcastically, “what with how you can read Virgil so well. Does it feel like I’m lying?”

Roman stared down at the man, his seething anger bubbling in his chest as he tried to wrestle back the tears that threatened to fall. Noname was right. It didn’t feel like a lie. Roman refused to give him the satisfaction of admitting the words. 

“It doesn’t, does it?” Noname pouted, voice dripping with condescension. “Poor poor Roman, unable to tell who is lying and who is telling the truth. Well, let me help you out Princey,” the witch’s nickname sounded vile on the man’s lips. Roman’s chest ached with the need to hear it from Virgil just one me time, despite his doubts. “I am telling the truth here and now. Everyone you care for, even your dearest procyon, has abandoned you and yet here I am. Offering you the knowledge you seek. All you have to do is bite.”

“No.” Roman growled with no hesitation. 

“Excuse me?” Noname scoffed, obviously offended, anger flashing behind his suddenly yellow eyes.

“I said no. I won’t bite. I don’t need anything from you, you snake!” Roman repeated, spitting at the man who took a quick step backwards to avoid being soiled. 

“Alright, fine!” Noname hissed in return. “I gave you your chance. If you don’t want to play, then so be it. I’ll get what I need from you regardless. Don’t come crying when it’s more painful than necessary. Just remember, you chose this path, not me!” 

The man lifted a gloved hand and with a quick twist of his wrist, he and the prince vanished from the small village streets without a sound. 

To be continued...

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