Third Person P.O.V:
It had been only a short amount of time before Roman's father had finally passed away after suffering for a great deal. In this Roman was plunged into the depths of grief, one of his final relatives that had still been with him being stolen from him. Even with how severely he was suffering dealing with this impending loss he couldn't let it consume him wholly. He had too much to do now, and there would be time to grieve properly eventually.
Virgil and Roman had had several meetings since his father's death, trying to work out what it was that they wanted to do. Becoming public about their relationship was a risky endeavor and Virgil seemed to know that better than anyone. Every evening he was plagued by terrible dreams where things took a wrong turn and the wars didn't cease. A dream where the kingdoms did not combine and in some instances, where Roman was separated from him or perished. As the deadline for Roman's coronation quickly approached he was filled with more worry. This was set to be the day where they came out about their love and announced their engagement, something that would surely shake up the kingdoms, for better or for worse. But Virgil's head has been spinning for the last few days, his worries and fears creeping into every thought and doubts invading what little confidence he might have in this situation. Virgil feels he is ill-equipped emotionally for the amount of stress he's under and a great deal of himself wants to throw in the towel and call it quits on so much as trying to work things out.
Except he can't do that.
He'd tried, god damn had he tried not to get his hopes up. He was far too aware that the chances of this going well and actually ending the war were slim at best, and so he'd attempted to try and talk himself down and realize that the odds were stacked against him. His and Roman's relationship currently was shrouded in secrecy and nobody knew anything about it, making it secure and safe. But how long could that possibly continue? Just as he knew that this plan was risky he realized that their current way of doing things couldn't possibly last too much longer. Sooner or later they'd be discovered and all would take a turn for the worst. But the idea of being apart from Roman was no longer something he could bear. He despised it but he'd grown ever so dependent on the prince. Could he be egotistical and an uncooperative prick from time to time? Hell yes, he could but despite his best efforts, he loved him. He loved him so damn much and Roman's romantic and courageous talk of their future together had really begun to work its magic and now he couldn't think about anything but being Roman's husband. He'd become obsessed with the idea of their kingdoms uniting all because of their love. Now it seemed if this didn't work ... if it all went to hell ... he wasn't sure how he could go on or if he could go on at all.
"Love?" Virgil looked up from Roman's lap where he'd laid his head, a worried look etched onto Roman's face. They were sitting in the garden once again, the coronation set for tomorrow evening and something weighing heavy on Virgil's mind. "Are you okay, Virge?" Virgil paused before attempting to nod of his concerns, only to cease when he saw that Roman wasn't going to settle for that.
"No ... no not really, Ro," he said, sighing deeply, "I'm scared," he admitted, sitting up and looking away. Roman reached over and cupped Virgil's face in his hands, demanding his attention.
"Hey, it's alright. Everything's going to be fine," he said, caressing his lover's cheek with his thumb. Virgil melted into his touch, closing his eyes for a moment before opening them again and frowning.
"How do you know that, though?" He asked the worry present in every single word uttered. "Things could go so wrong and if they do – god – I don't know what we're going to do! I just ... I can't lose you, Roman. I need you and ... and I'm afraid."
"Oh my dark and stormy knight, you don't need to get so worked up, darling. You're never going to lose me. We're going to work through this, love. I promise we're going to make this work. I will never ever let you out of my life, Virgil. It's okay to be afraid, I know that it's scary but you've got to have hope. We can do this; I know we can." Virgil took a deep breath, his shoulders falling and becoming slightly less tense before he wrapped his arms around Roman and buried his face in his lover's chest, Roman carding his fingers through Virgil's purple fringe.
"I don't know how you do it, but you always seem to cheer me up. I love you, RoRo." Roman smiled in amusement and fondness, squeezing Virgil just a little tighter.
"RoRo?" He retorted with a chuckle, "That's a new one."
"Shut up," Virgil hissed, his face going red.
"No no, I like it. It's cute."
"You're on thin ice, man," he said, though, in truth, they both were.
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The day of the coronation seemed to come in a hazy blur. After such a great deal of preparation for this moment, Virgil still felt extremely out of his element. His father, now old and almost past the age one should rule and some other trusted members of his kingdom's royal court attended the coronation of their enemies Prince purely to make sure nothing was amiss and that no attacks that he was unaware of were planned during this time. It was, for a brief fleeting moment, an ignorance of their kingdom's many differences. What was confusing to the King, however, was the fact that his son was more than a little eager to come along. Virgil, in his anxiousness, hasn't really come up with much of an excuse for this coming with but the king had a lot on his mind currently, so for a short time the issues were glossed over.
It hasn't taken long for Virgil to escape the king in the massive crowd gathered and dressed in a dark cloak and fading into the background he wasn't noticed much, something that made getting to Roman all the easier. He'd always seemed to be like that, even as a child. One to try and avert little to no attention, never opening himself up to people. That was the best way to avoid getting hurt, he always felt. It was insane to think that he, the Prince of a warring kingdom was among these folks who didn't bat an eye, meanwhile his father stuck out like a sour thumb and was feared by many passing people who knew he was the king of an enemy kingdom. But in a moment he was about to be in front of the whole crowd, front and center and whatever came after that was not something that could be predicted. Roman would help ease his frantic nerves, he thought to himself, he always did. When he'd found him alone in his chambers, however, the prince was almost a shell of himself. He was trembling like a leaf in a windstorm, his face paled as he paced the floor, muttering to himself. He raked a hand through his hair, his breath seining quickened and frantic. The image practically broke the dark prince in two.
"Roman ...?" The word cut through the tension hung thick in the air, an unsteady confusion in his tone. Roman whipping around to find his boyfriend, an uneasy smile settling into his face as he rushed to his side and enveloped him in a tight hug.
"Oh Virgil I'm so glad it's you," he breathed out, squeezing him even closer and pressing sloppy kisses to his cheeks and face like he wouldn't ever get to see him after this. Surely he couldn't think this? Roman was confident, Virgil reminded himself, he was sure things were going to work out ... wasn't he?
"Ro? Are you okay?" He asked, pushing him aside slightly only to see the horror glimmering in his eyes. Roman's face was paled, almost as ghostly as Virgil's meanwhile he wasn't wearing any makeup. He looked worn out like he hadn't slept in a hundred years and the fear was more than evident. Roman looked as if he was about to meet his maker and he wasn't at all prepared. "Oh, Jesus ... I hadn't realized... I didn't know you were as nervous as I am. You didn't need to put on a brave face for me," he said, hugging Roman once more. Virgil wasn't always the most affectionate of the two, but in this moment of crisis, he took it upon himself to hold Roman as close as he could manage, his lover seeming to melt into his touch and clinging helplessly to him. It felt as if he might collapse, the pressure on him being so great.
"I-I just didn't want you to fuss over me," the prince muttered in a meek voice very much lacking it's usual charming spunk, burying his face in the crock of Virgil's neck who was now rubbing his back soothingly. Roman was terrified.
"Ro, I'm always going to fuss over you. I love you. It's my job to do so if anything. Please, talk to me. What's going on? I thought ..." Virgil paused, trying to choose his wording as carefully as he could, concern etching every muscle of his face, "I thought that you weren't too worried. That you thought everything was going to work out. You said-."
"I know what I said," Roman said, voice wavering in a way Virgil had hardly ever heard, his face still buried in Virgil's neck, "I-I couldn't let you down. I needed to be brave for you. I didn't want you to be afraid. B-but ... but I'm afraid, Virgil. I'm s-so scared. I don't know what's going to happen i-if things go w-wrong. They might t-take you a-a-away from me, and the war m-might not ever end. I-I love you a-and I need you I-I can't let us be apart anymore ..." Roman stopped, untucking his face from Virgil's neck and staring at him with wide fear-full eyes welled up with tears, his lips still trembling but no words actually coming out. He was breaking down, goddamn it all he was breaking down and he was so scared. This was exactly what he didn't want. He wanted to be there for Virgil, to calm Virgil down and make sure he was alright but he just had to be a drama-queen and break into tears. He didn't want to subject his lover to this, but now he just couldn't stop it. Virgil, though certainly just as worried as Roman, seeing his boyfriend in such a state was compelled to ease his nerves as best he could. He cupped his face with trembling hands, caressing Roman's cheek with his thumb and speaking gently.
"Hey, hey shh. It's okay that you're afraid. I am too, but you're still my brave prince charming just as you always have been." The corner of Virgil's mouth curled into a smirk as when he thought of Roman so long ago calling him his prince charming and knight in shining armor. At the time he brushed him off as a nuisance, but in this moment he'd give the world and then some for how simple things had once been. "I love you too, so, so much. I'm not going to let them break us apart. I - I'll do whatever it takes to stay by your side because you're the love of my life and that's worth fighting for." There was a chance in Virgil then, his voice becoming passionate and, for once, brave. He sounded more valiant than he ever had, an ember of hope igniting something inside of him and Roman was caught aback. Virgil swiped away his tears, caressing his cheek. "I promise you, we're going to stay together." Roman sniffled before putting a hand on the back of Virgil's neck and pressing their lips together. The kiss was fiery and vibrant, Virgil feeling like he'd been swept off his feet - though he always felt like that when Roman kissed him. The switch of roles between them had been brief but Roman seemed to have gained his bearings, thanks to Virgil. When they broke apart Roman smiled. It was twinged with anxiety and fear, but it was also out of admiration.
"Thank you," he said in a whisper just loud enough for Virgil to hear, "Thank you so much." Virgil grinned nervously.
"Anytime, Ro." Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, interrupting this blessed moment.
"Prince Roman, the coronation starts in precisely one minute," the voice of his royal adviser chimed.
"C-coming!" Roman answered back, his voice cracking in all the wrong places, though it hardly mattered to the untrained ear. Virgil looked at him with a wary eye as the regal man smoothed over his hair and made sure his outfit was becoming enough for such a royal affair. Virgil had to bite back some snide comment about Roman always obsessing over his looks because, in this moment, it did mater.
"How ... how're we doing this exactly?" Virgil asked, quirking an eyebrow, "Like ... hand in hand or do I come in later or something?" Roman sighed unnervingly, grabbing the dark prince's hand and lacing their fingers together firmly.
"Hand in hand." With that, Virgil nodded and the two walked out onto the balcony, trying their hardest to be as prepared as they could possibly be. The moment the couple walked out together there were gasps and sounds of dismay could be heard from the crowd, the loudest perhaps coming from Virgil's father who could be seen unsheathing his sword, despair written all over his face. Though most weren't all too familiar with Virgil with how little he'd made an appearance, he was certainly recognizable in this setting and that wasn't a positive thing. Roman's royal advisers looked at each other in dismay, wondering if this was a halt in the ceremony and just what this plot was. Roman cleared his throat, trying to gain some sort of control over the people as well as his racing heart and in the moment he squeezed Virgil's hand just a little bit tighter. Virgil stood rigid, staring out at all of the individuals in the crowd, his eyes settling on his father who looked at him with utter concern.
"My dear fair subjects," Roman announced, his voice booming. The utterance of the people faded into confused whispers as he continued, the uproar dies down. "Today I stand before you. I, as all of you, do and continue to grieve the death of my father. He was a good man and a wonderful king. He will be missed greatly." There were looks of sorrow and words of sympathy muttered between people. "But, although I wish we had more time that we so justly deserve to ride out the hard times his death has left us with, I'm afraid lady fate isn't that kind. We've got far too much to do, and today I am to be Christened as your king." The words felt strange to say, catching in the back of his throat but he continued onward anyway. "I do hope that I can do even half the job my father did for you as I know how beloved he was. Unfortunately, him dying has left us with a dreadful war that is currently of major concern." The crowded mumbled in agreement. "Yes. I know saying so might sound a bit uncouth, but this war is something that should never have started. We've been at this gruesome thing for far too long, kingdoms who have no business in slaughtering each other's soldiers." There were several sounds of confusion coming from the people, a look of disdain on the face of Virgil's father. Roman swallowed the forming lump in his throat and continued.
"I know as well as any of you that times are hard. We've lost good citizens and it's been brutal." He gave Virgil's hand one more reassuring squeeze before finally delivering the crushing blow, "This," he said, still clutching his hand as he raised their clasped fingers together before the crowd, "Is prince Virgil. To you, he's the prince of an enemy Kingdom. But to me ... to me he's the love of my life." Several gasps sounded from the ground, some turning to boos and hisses and others just downright confused. Virgil's father looked as if he'd seen a ghost. "I ... I realize this isn't anything you expected, certainly not on the day of me becoming your king but this is something that I needed to come forward about. I love this man with all of my heart, every bit of me does and we're going to be married and unify our kingdoms. Though this wasn't something that most of you foresaw, it doesn't change the fact that I am your ruler and Virgil will rule by my side. Thank you for coming, all of you, and you can look forward to the future, because this will be the end of the war." Virgil felt himself trembling under the eyes of everyone, including his father but he stood strong regardless, clasping Roman's hand with all of his might.
When the couple was back in the safety of Roman's room the doors burst open, reveling Virgil's father, Walton. His weathered old face was twisted into an expression of anger, his aged hand clutching his sword as he stormed in. He looked as if he was trying with all of his might to look heroic and brave but with the tremor of his hand and the fleeting look in his eyes, it was easy to see a feeble man who was truly afraid. It had been clear for some time that he was almost too old to rule now. His eyesight was going, as evident from his pale glassy blue eyes and he constantly shook. He wouldn't last much longer as King. Roman stood in front of Virgil protectively, hand resting on his sheathed sword that would be ready to be used at any instance, even if it was Virgil's father.
"You let my son go, you wretched thing!" Cried the king, anguish present in his voice. "How dare you capture him like this?! What is it you think you're gaining here?! I will kill you with my bare hands, boy, if it means saving Virgil."
Oh. Oh. The king thought that Roman had captured Virgil and forced him to play along like this was some sort of hostage negotiation. This explained the panic in the father's eyes and the sense of vengeance in his father. At this moment Virgil had a sense of bravery, rushing in front of Roman and holding up his hands to show he meant no harm, the king lowering his sword upon seeing his son front and center.
"Dad, no! R-Roman didn't kidnap me! I ..." he bit his lip, swallowing hard as he glanced from Roman with his worried expression back to his father, "... I love him. I really, really love him. Everything Roman said is the truth." Walton's eyes went wide, his jaw slackening and mouth hanging open wide. He took a step back, Roman using his free hand to place it on the small of Virgil's back testily. Roman wanted to say so much in the heat of the moment. He wanted to proclaim his undying love for Virgil and explain that he would be a good husband and a good ruler beside him and yet his mouth stayed shut for once. This was an intimate moment between father and son, he registered this and it wasn't yet his turn to talk.
"I ... I told you two that you were forbidden from seeing each other!" Cried the king, "This wasn't supposed to happen." Virgil took a shaky sigh in, trying to keep his breaths steady.
'In for four, hold for seven out for eight.' He mentally reminded himself of the breathing exercise Roman had taught him, taking a moment to regain composure before speaking.
"I know dad, and I-I'm sorry. But we love each other and I couldn't stay away if I wanted to. He's a good man, father. I promise you he is and he's going to be a great king." Walton let out an uneasy sigh, his gaze shifting over to Roman, a shiver running down his spine.
"Is this true, young man?" He asked, his words pointed, "Do you love my son like he says you do?" Without missing a beat Roman nodded, sure of himself.
"Yes, sir. I love Virgil with all of my heart and then some. He's everything to me and I'm sorry that we both went against direct orders but I would do it again and again if it meant I could be with your son. I would die before seeing him taken away from me." The man thought for a long moment before taking a deep shuddering breath and closing his eyes, pinching his temple.
"Do you two kids realize the amount of trouble you've gotten yourselves into?" Virgil's father asked, a hollow chuckle escaping your lips, "Do you realize how hard it's going to be to unify our kingdoms? And lord knows I'm not going to be around much longer, so this is quite a risky venture. And god ... this slipped right past me, too! Have I really let my guard down this much?" The two princes – scratch that, Kings blinked, mouths agape. Roman's hand on his sword was lowered and fell at his sides.
"Wait ... you aren't mad?" Virgil asked finally.
"Oh I'm mad alright," Walton answered opening his eyes, "I'm good and pissed that you too snuck right past me and lies to me for so long. But I'm not going to kill Roman here, if that's what your thinking," he said, gesturing to him. Virgil felt his shoulders go less ridged and a once calm breath to come past his lips. "I don't care that he's who you love, I mean I'm not particularly fond of him – no offense, kid. You are the child of a rebel kingdom." Roman nodded thoughtfully.
"Point taken."
"But the fact that you're already ready to take charge and fulfilled what you're meant to be ... Virgil, that's all I've ever wanted. It seems like days ago when you were so afraid to become a king and now, look at you. And already, you've got someone to rule alongside you. That's more than I could've wished for you."
"D-dad ... does that mean... Mean that you ...?" Virgil could hardly speak he was so shocked and Roman looked to be in about the same state. Though the question was never actually finished, his father got the message.
"Yes," he said, lips curled into a small smile, "I give you both my blessing." Virgil hesitated with suddenly watery eyes, his vision blurring as he came forward and pulled his father into a tight hug, repeating "thank you" over and over again, tears slipping down his face. Walton couldn't think to the last time he'd seen his son so happy. When they'd pulled away Walton looked to Roman, extending his hand for a shake with Roman returned firmly, thanking the man.
"You be good to my son," he said, tone serious, "I can see that he really does care for you." Roman nodded.
"Of course I will, yes."
The road from then on was a hard one. Of course, not everyone approved of this transition and there were those who tried to rebel against their new kings, though through time the bitter war eventually after much toil finally ended. They faced challenges and Virgil's father didn't live to see many of the ones his son faced, but Virgil was lucky enough to have Roman by his side, his husband. Even with how much he'd worried and how much he'd stressed, they'd really accomplished it and they couldn't have been happier.
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Crappy ending that's rushed and might be edited later? You betcha. See ya next time.
- Sammy Sam
