Uneasy Alliance (A Roleslaying with Roman story)

The Regrets

Nothing particularly harsh for this chapter, just a vague mention of alcohol near the end.
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    Roman and Youngblood were going to do something that would almost definitely get them killed. As soon as Noise had refused to leave Neon with them, they shared a look, silently agreeing that they would do everything in their power to save him. Youngblood knew how the Bard King worked. At least, he thought he did. The King would ask Noise about what happened, pry the truth out of him, then-...
   
Youngblood shook his head, trying not to think about it. Roman noticed and looked over at him, visibly concerned. Youngblood hadn't seen Roman so worried or upset in almost all the time that they had known each other. Granted, it was only a few days, but they had been through so much in those few days that they felt like they knew each other as well as any friend really could.
   
"Everything alright?" Roman asked tentatively, though he knew that it wasn't. Youngblood sighed quietly and leaned his head back against the window of the taxi. "He's not going to survive there."
   
Roman flinched like the words had physically burned him. "...but we'll save him... right?"
   
Youngblood stared out at the quickly passing landscape for a while before answering.
"We can try, but..." he paused, the weight of his guilt settling on his shoulders, getting heavier by the second. He turned to look at Roman. The way Roman looked back at him, Youngblood could tell that he could almost see the turmoil and stress swirling through his mind. He dropped his gaze and Roman leaned forwards to meet it again, pulling at his seatbelt. Youngblood sighed again.
  
"It's all my fault, I should've-"
   
"No. Don't do that."
   
Youngblood looked back up, startled at the sharp tone in Roman's voice. Roman held his gaze fiercely, as though he was angry with Youngblood for even suggesting that he was at fault.
   
"This wasn't your fault. We told him that he could come with us, but he chose to stay behind. Yeah, he was trying to protect us, but that's because we're nowhere near ready to confront the Bard King. We're going to save Noise, but we have to come up with a plan first or we'll all be..."
   
For all his ferocity in that moment, Youngblood could still see that Roman didn't want to face the reality of that situation. Neither of them could bring themselves to think that they might not make it out alive, especially while Noise was so vulnerable somewhere that they wouldn't be able to save him when things went bad.
   
Youngblood looked back out the window, tapping his finger on the door where he was resting his arm. "I know we need a plan, but we also need to think of one fast. The Bard King is ruthless. He's probably got Noise backed into a corner as we speak. Figuratively and literally."
   
Roman shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Youngblood, I know you're worried, but I really don't want to think of the possibility that he might be hurt..."
   
"It's not a possibility!" Youngblood snapped, making Roman flinch again. "That's what the situation is!"
   
He groaned and buried his face in his hands, propping his elbows up on his knees.
   
"I shouldn't have left him again. I should've made him come with us. If I had just told him... If I didn't..." He struggled to find the words and settled on another muffled groan into his hands.
   
Roman looked at him sympathetically before pulling one of his knees up to his chest and looking down at the floor. "It wasn't your fault," he whispered. "This time or last time."
   
Youngblood nodded, looking up slightly but still resting his chin in his hands. "I promised him I would protect him," he said quietly. He turned his head to look at Roman, who tilted his head questioningly. "When we were younger," he clarified. Roman nodded and silently urged him to continue.
   
"He was so sweet when he was younger," Youngblood began, a small, sad smile forming on his face. "One of the nicest kids I ever met. Poor thing could hardly speak, he was so nervous. He came up to me and just sort of... attached to me. He wasn't really clingy or anything, it just seemed like he didn't have anyone else. Which, to be fair, neither did I. As luck would have it, we got put in the same dorm. He was a lot more upbeat and energetic when no one else was around, so I just figured he had social anxiety or something. But the very next day we got split up after lunch and I couldn't find him anywhere. By the time I did find him... well... he wasn't in very good shape, I'll just say that. I had to carry him back to our dorm and I didn't know how to use magic at the time so I had to bandage him up and hope for the best. Turns out, he was the only person in the college who couldn't sing, so he got bullied about that a lot. It kept happening over and over again until he just... snapped. He lashed out at a guy and accidentally hurt him. You'd think that would make people leave him alone, but it just got worse. People started calling him dangerous and a monster... by the time it happened, I had already been appointed first chair, so I wasn't around enough to know about it, but when I did eventually find out, I promised him that I wouldn't let anyone hurt him ever again." He smiled bitterly and Roman recalled the conversation that they had had the night that Noise found them in Neon.
   
Roman waited for Youngblood to speak again, but he didn't. The silence between them said all that either of them needed to know. Roman was the first to break it. "That's when everything happened, wasn't it?" he asked solemnly. Youngblood nodded and hummed a low note, holding his hand out in front of him. A small blue flame ignited in his palm and he stared at it for a moment before closing his fist and smothering the flame. "Turns out I'm not that great at protecting people..."
   
"But that was an accident!" Roman insisted, a note of desperation in his voice. He hated that Youngblood blamed himself for everything that had happened between him and Noise. It was a sentiment that Roman had noticed that the two of them shared. Before Youngblood could deny it, the taxi slowed to a stop. Both boys looked out Roman's window to see bright lanterns illuminating a large swamp town.
   
The driver turned in his seat to face them. "Welcome to Frogtown, boys."
   
Youngblood got out of the taxi and walked up to look around the entrance of the town while Roman stayed back to pay the driver their fee. The town sat behind an arched entryway with a hedge wall surrounding it all the way around. Large trees lined the outer part of the wall, growing and winding together to create a more secure barrier. The ground was soft and marshy with a slightly more solid mud path carving through the swamp. All of the buildings were made up of either giant mushrooms, hollowed-out tree trunks, or tangles of vines held up by the branches of the surrounding trees. Lanterns were strung up in the canopy of leaves and vines above the town, flickering lazily and casting a warm glow overhead.
   
Youngblood felt strangely at peace here, which surprised him considering their situation. Roman came out and stood next to him, eyes wide with wonder. Youngblood noticed that he was still holding onto the piece of fabric that the taxi driver had given him when they left Neon.
   
The tension started to seep out from the two boys as they looked around. The heavy air of guilt and worry lifted from them as they fell back into the spirit of adventure.
   
"This place is amazing!" Roman declared, pulling Youngblood through the archway and onto the path. Youngblood smiled fondly and nudged his arm. "This isn't going to be like Neon where you drew a bunch of attention to us by gawking at everyone and everything, is it?"he scolded lightly. Roman shrugged and looked up at the lanterns. "You can hardly blame me, I've only been outside of Reston for a few days. The world is so much more exciting than I thought it would be!"
   
He turned to look back at Youngblood, beaming. Youngblood nodded and started to look around as well, much calmer about it than Roman. Throughout their adventure, Youngblood had, in fact, noticed Roman's childlike wonder and excitement at everything in the world. It reminded him of how Noise was when they were children. Thinking of Noise made his chest feel tight and he shook his head frustratedly. He looked back at Roman, eager to change the subject. "You think they'll know anything about your parents here?"
   
Roman stopped for a moment and looked at the cloth in his hand, holding it out to examine the image and fabric. "I don't know. I get the feeling that they may have been here, but Dad didn't mention anything about it..."
   
He rubbed his thumb over the fabric thoughtfully, and the next time he spoke, his words were much quieter. "I hope I can find something here, though. Maybe I'll even learn something about my mom..."
   
Youngblood walked over and put his hand on Roman's shoulder sympathetically. This seemed to cheer him up a bit and he took a deep breath and folded the cloth to put it in his bag. "In any case, at least we'll be able to get some rest for a bit."
   
He started to stroll down the street, looking at and admiring all the buildings and little details about the town. Youngblood only hung back for a second, following once the sinking feeling had finished settling back into his stomach. He didn't know how he was going to be able to meditate peacefully with the events of the past few hours nagging at the back of his mind. For the first time since he had escaped the Bard King, he dreaded the next rest he was going to have to take.
   
The first few nights after Youngblood had run away, his meditation was frequently interrupted by visions of things that might have happened to him if the Bard King found him. The fear of being arrested or killed, the regret of leaving behind his responsibilities to the college and the guards, the guilt of leaving Noise to fend for himself after burning him...
   
Just as before, he found himself struggling to not think about the pain that he must have caused Noise by leaving him alone. His mind flashed to when he and Roman had gone through the comminicave, when they had faced down the monster that reflected their worst fears back at them, Noise's distorted voice ringing in his ears. "Do you think running away is going to solve all of your problems? Do you think it will erase the pain that you've caused?"
   
Youngblood was snapped out of his daze by Roman, who had his head tilted slightly to better meet Youngblood's gaze. "You alright? You looked like you were gone for a bit..." He straightened up and put his hands on Youngblood's shoulders. Youngblood grabbed his wrists and gently pushed his hands away. "I'm fine. Just... thinking."
   
Roman looked at him for a moment, then nodded. "I found the inn. We should try to get some rest, it should be morning soon." He took Youngblood's hand and led him down the street to a large building made from what looked like three trees that had grown together. The building seemed to have two stories and each of the uneven windows had a golden amber color to them. Despite how asymmetrical the building was, it still managed to look comfortable and welcoming. Leaves and vines grew along the roof and balcony, and the front of the building was lined with many differently colored mushrooms and flowers.
   
Roman was practically radiating with alacrity and Youngblood couldn't help but smile again at his friend's awe. The entrance to the inn was simply a gap in between the trees where the wood hadn't grown into itself, but vines hung down over it to give it some form of concealment. As the boys pushed the vines aside and stepped into the inn, a hush fell over the crowd inside. Youngblood shifted self-consciously as whispers started to break out at a few of the tables. He was about to pull his hood over his head before realizing that the quick glances and hushed gasps were directed at Roman.
   
Roman seemed to be determined to keep his smile glued to his face, but Youngblood could tell that he was struggling. Neither of them knew any of the people there, but they all seemed to know them, or at least Roman. Youngblood felt a pang of sympathy as he remembered how that had felt during his time as First Chair. Roman took a deep breath and walked purposefully towards the back of the inn with Youngblood close in tow.

Youngblood couldn't help but steal a few glances at the other patrons. He figured if they were gossiping about him and Roman, he ought to have the right to at least know what they look like. He noticed that most if not all of the people there were fae, with a few tourists scattered around the room. The boys both took their seats at the short wooden counter running parallel to the back wall, and sat facing away from the prying eyes of the people around them. Now that he didn't have to uphold an air of general friendliness, Roman's smile had been replaced with an uneasy grimace. Youngblood patted him on the back before folding his arms on top of the table. Eventually the chatter rose up again and the boys could feel fewer eyes locked on them.

After a few minutes, a waitress came out from behind a curtain of vines leading to a back rom. She towered over the boys, but they couldn't tell if it was just because they were sitting or if she was actually just that tall. She had straight, platinum-blonde hair that was tucked behind one of her pointed ears, and she wore a black traveling coat over a bright, green and pink dress. She looked down at the boys with a pleasant smile.

"Good evening, gentlemen. My name is Cassidy, is there anything I can get for you?" Youngblood looked up gratefully, glad to finally get a break. He opened his mouth to say something, but Roman quickly cut him off. "We'll just have waters, please."

Cassidy nodded and went back into the back room. Youngblood shot Roman a look, slightly offended that Roman didn't trust him. Roman returned the look with raised eyebrows and turned back to the counter.

Cassidy came back a few moments later and set two large glasses of water in front of them. Having not drank anything since the previous night, Roman took the water gratefully and downed half of it before stopping to breathe. He sat back against the back of his chair and smiled contentedly, closing his eyes. Youngblood started to drink as well, watching Cassidy study Roman curiously. It made him nervous, but he chalked it up to paranoia and let it be.

"You know, you're something of a celebrity around here," Cassidy mused.

Roman, who was halfway through another gulp of water, choked slightly and set his glass down, looking up at Cassidy in utter bewilderment. "Wh-who, me?!"

She hummed and smiled sweetly at him. "Yep. Your parents used to come here all the time when you were just a baby."

Youngblood saw something flash over Roman's face, but he couldn't quite make out what it was. Roman nodded slightly and focused back on his water, deep in thought. This made Youngblood worry more, so he cleared his throat, getting Cassidy's attention. "If it's alright, I think we might need to stay here for a while to... figure things out," he said casually, trying not to give away too much. Cassidy went into the back room again, coming out a few moments later with a tiny silver key. "There's a room open on the second floor. 202."

Youngblood thanked her and took the key. Roman continued to sit in silence, so Youngblood carefully nudged his arm. He looked up, seeming to come out of a daze, and quietly thanked Cassidy. Youngblood sighed and finished his water before standing. He pulled Roman up out of his seat by his arm and led him around the counter to another door leading to a staircase. Roman stayed quiet the entire time they navigated their way to their room, which put Youngblood on edge. When they finally got to their room, Roman set his bag down and immediately laid down in the bed on the left side of the room.

The room was decently large, with two beds pressed up against the walls and a desk set between them. The walls were coated with vines and leaves and the floor was warped beneath their feet. There was a large window above the desk, still tinted with that nice gold-orange color. Youngblood felt a bit uncomfortable as the layout of the room reminded him of his dorm in the college. He immediately stopped that spiral before it began and instead focused on the more prominent issue. He sat down on the edge of the bed next to where Roman was laying.

"I, uh... are you... can I..." he started awkwardly. It had been a long time since he had tried to or had to comfort anyone, and he was never very skilled at it to begin with. Luckily, Roman seemed to pick up on what he was trying to say. He sat up and leaned back against the head of the bed, kicking off his boots and setting them on the floor.

"I'm fine, I just... I don't really know what I expected, but it's just so weird hearing things about my family..." He curled his knees to his chest and looked at Youngblood apologetically. Youngblood nodded and put his hand on Roman's shoulder. He didn't know much about his family either, having been raised in the college, but he figured that if someone just started telling him things about his parents, it would make him uncomfortable as well.

"Well, maybe we can go out tomorrow and try to find some stuff out on our own." He stood and stretched, walking over to the bed on the other side of the room. "If you're up for it."

Roman shifted slightly. "I would like to, but I don't want to make it about me..."

Youngblood looked back at him incredulously. "What are you talking about? You deserve to know about this stuff. Besides..." He looked away and sat on the other bed, taking his hoodie off and fidgeting with the strings. "It'll help me take my mind off our... situation."

Roman stiffened slightly, but nodded. "Okay."

He reached over and turned off the lamp sitting on the desk, coating the room in darkness, then took his stuffed bear out of his satchel and shuffled under the cover, turning back over to face the wall. "Night, Youngblood."

Youngblood sat cross-legged on his bed and smiled. "Night."

He closed his eyes and sat up straight as he started to drift off. He heard Roman fall asleep before him and listened as everything started to slow down and fade away.