A True Prince: Sanders Sides AU

Chapter 10: A Lesson in the Magic Arts

For the next few years, Virgil's lessons became routine. He would tell Patton that he was leaving for a "job" and he'd return a few hours later covered in bruises and scratches. To be honest, it had become so routine he almost didn't notice the pain anymore.

On the bright side, he had been making progress. Just the other day he had made the crown vanish and appear right in front of him. Even Dolos was pleased; that was a first. Except...

"I can't put it back."

Dolos shrugged off the issue. "When you've been around for as long as I have, you tend to learn a few tricks." At the end of the lesson Dolos walked off with the crown, and Virgil could hear shouting, furious shouting, directed at...Roman? Virgil shook his head. He wanted to focus on the positives. He'd made progress today. Besides, he probably heard the name wrong, anyways.

His progress wasn't always positive, however. When he tried to practice summoning fire, he accidentally set the castle kitchens ablaze. Dolos was able to remedy his accident again, putting out the fire and casting a spell over the cooks to believe that it was Roman's fault. Virgil tried to protest, saying that it wasn't fair Roman was being blamed for his screw-up, but one look from Dolos silenced him. Needless to say, he came home with a particularly nasty bruise that day.

While he enjoyed learning about his powers, Virgil didn't look forward to running Dolos' "errands". Sure, they may have started innocent enough. Fetch him some parchment, grab a certain flower from the forest. Those tasks paid for Virgil's lessons, but they also paid for the orphanage. Every time Virgil returned he was rewarded with a large pouch of money, which he happily delivered to an elated Patton.

Then Dolos asked Virgil to try something more daring. Steal crops from the market. Drain the water from the well. At first Virgil wanted to refuse, but Dolos made his point quite clear: do as he says, or no more lessons, and no more money.

One day, after a particularly difficult lesson, Virgil asked Dolos why he couldn't study light magic, too.

Dolos went silent. "Because, there's been too many Light Mages in this world. We need to balance the powers. It wouldn't be right for the first mage in years to join that side."

"But what if I could study both, and maybe get Master Logan to join, too? He's studied Light Magic for years, why shouldn't he give Dark Magic a chance? If I just tell him-."

Virgil's voice caught in his throat. In his confusion, he soon realized that Dolos had casted a spell on him.

"Virgil, you are to go nowhere near Logan. You are to not tell him a thing about these meetings, and you are not going to study Light Magic. Do you understand?"

Weakly, Virgil nodded, and felt Dolos' power disappear.

"Wonderful. Now, let us continue."

But the thought of learning another side of magic couldn't escape Virgil. The next day, he snuck back into the castle, and eventually found his way to Master Logan's office.

Opening the door, Virgil was taken aback by the spacious room. Bookshelves lined every wall, and the few tables and chairs were covered in papers and even more books. As he walked up to a table, he grabbed the closest volume and ran back home before anyone could see him.

Back at the orphanage, he began to read through the book. It was so much different than Dolos' teachings, but it wasn't necessarily better. Yeah, there were new spells, but everything seemed more complicated. You couldn't cast one spell without having to memorize more choreography and words than an entire broadway musical.

A sudden knock on his door shook Virgil out of his reading as he stuffed the book under his pillow and went to join the other kids. As Patton opened the door, Virgil's blood ran cold. Standing in the doorframe was the Royal Advisor himself.

"Hello," Dolos said. "May I speak with the owner of this establishment?"

"Well, you're already looking at him, so talking shouldn't be that hard. What can I help you with?"

"Maybe it's best if you come outside." As Dolos led Patton outside, he made very stern eye contact with Virgil.

Pressing his ear against the wall, Virgil could hear the conversation:

"What seems to be the issue, Sir?"

"Well, I'm afraid I must inform you that finances are tight in the kingdom nowadays. To make ends meet, the king has decreed that we hold a random lottery to see where to increase the taxes. Unfortunately..."

Virgil couldn't see, but he could clearly imagine Patton's crushed expression, as well as Dolos' smug face.

It didn't matter what Dolos told Patton. The message to Virgil was clear: If you betray me, I won't just hurt you. I will hurt everything you love.

The next lesson Virgil returned the book and apologized to Dolos, falling back into his routine. Now, however, the lessons felt more like a punishment. And the "favors" weren't getting any easier. Virgil had gone from stealing to vandalism to arson in about two weeks flat. As much as he wanted to, he never complained and kept his other life a secret.

The other day he was almost tempted to call out to Logan in the hallway to ask for guidance. Virgil stepped out from his hiding place behind a suit of armor about to call out when he remembered Dolos' threat all those years ago. Reluctantly he shrank back into the shadows, but not before hitting his elbow on one of the knight's chest plates. A loud CLANG startled Logan as Virgil quickly hid. As soon as the coast was clear, Virgil left through the secret exit, returning home to Patton.

And of course, both Roman and Logan had found their ways back into his life. Virgil was positive Roman recognized him, but he was relieved Roman had kept his promise and didn't say anything. But as the pair left to head back to the castle, Virgil couldn't help but wonder if he should have said something. Maybe they could have helped. Or maybe they could have become more people Virgil would hurt.