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10. Butterflies

Don't you just love magic?

TW: swearing, pain, threats(sort of),

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"Come on, Roman," Virgil murmured. "We're almost there. I think you'll like this place." 

After a few more minutes they walked into a clearing that was full of flowers. There was a natural spring flowing from a small waterfall. The sunlight was filtering through the trees and creating an almost ethereal glow around the place. Butterflies were flying all over, landing on flowers with a featherlight grace only they could have.

"Woah," Roman breathed out. His eyes were shining with excitement as he looked around. "It's so beautiful. There are so many pretty flying things. And so many flowers. I didn't even know there were so many types of flowers."

"Come here, Ro," Virgil murmured, sitting down in the middle of the flowers. Roman sat down next to him. "This might hurt a bit..." Virgil put his hand on the side of Roman's head, concentrating on his magic. He washed as the daze slowly receded from Roman's eyes, letting him know that it was working. "Are you alright? Is there any pain?"

"Just a headache," Roman said. "Why'd you pull me out of it? I thought I wasn't going to get pulled out unless I had to be."

"That's the problem," Virgil said. He was concerned that Roman even had a headache. There shouldn't have been any pain. "I've never done a spell like this, Roman. I altered the original spell. There could be affects that I don't know about. I don't want you getting hurt just for my dumb plan."

"Virgil, I'm fine," Roman said, smiling softly at him. "Yes, I got absolutely terrified because of Remus, and I feel bad about that, but neither of us could control that. Nothing bad has happened. You've made sure of that."

"You shouldn't even have a headache," Virgil whispered. "I'm terrified that it's going to hurt like hell when I finally pull you out of it again. I can't pull you out of it all the time, but I don't know if it's safe for you to be in it for so long. I'm scared you're going to get hurt."

"It's worth the risk," Roman reassured him. "I don't care if I get hurt. As long as you plan works I don't care if I have to be under the spell for the rest of my life."

"How can you say that?" Virgil asked, looking at him in shock. "You just got off of what's almost a prison. How could you possibly want to basically be a pet? How could you want that?"

"You gave me the option of choosing," Roman said. "You got me off of the isle, and now I'm here. Even under the spell I have more freedom than I ever did before. Besides, you literally built it into the spell that I can answer questions with a clear mind, completely free of the spell's influence. This is more than I ever thought I'd have. I don't care if I'm a pet. You're kinder than anyone I've ever met, even if you're supposed to be a villain. I trust you."

"You shouldn't," Virgil whispered. "I'm just the villain kid who thinks he can change fate. I don't know what I'm doing. You're putting your life on the line for someone you just met. I don't understand how you can trust so blindly."

"I grew up with everyone expecting me to trust them," Roman explained. "You're the first person who didn't demand trust. You let me take my time. You told me the truth. That's more than I can say about almost everyone else."

"I should probably explain the spring," Virgil said. "This spring has magic water. It has the power to get rid of any magic spell, if you do it right. If you don't, it causes extreme pain to whoever has the spell being removed. The trick is to let yourself very slowly enter the water. That way it isn't a giant shock of the magic being ripped away, since the longer it's there the longer it has to latch onto you. Most people don't know about that, so when they try and use it they just cause themselves immense pain."

"Why are you telling me?" Roman asked.

"Because if anyone ever tries to get you to go in the water, I want you to at least know how to do it," Virgil explained. "If they just dump you in then it's going to be extremely painful. If they ask you to go in willingly, you can at least do it properly. And if someone does try to get you to go into the water by throwing you in...." Virgil's eyes were deadly serious. "I'm going to kill them for putting you through that. Say my name and I'll get here as fast as possible, but if they manage to get you into the water I don't care who they are, they're dead. I'll spell them and dump them in myself just to put them through just as much pain as it causes you, and I won't help them even when they beg for it to stop."

"I'm sure I'll be fine," Roman said. He wasn't even put off by the promises of violence Virgil had just uttered. It made him happy that someone was willing to do that for him. "I'll remember how to go into the spring if I have to. I hope I won't need to use it, but I'll remember."

"Good," Virgil said. "Sadly I think we need to go back now. I'll have to put the spell back on you. Did you at least enjoy this place?"

"I loved it."

951 words.