Savage - Prinxiety [Sequel To "Monster"] [COMPLETED]

Chapter Eleven

The group of runaway royals moved with haste toward the stables, their feet hitting the ground in heavy steps. "What's the last part of the plan again?" Luis asked as they ran, looking pale with fear. "Because isn't a group of four people running toward the stables a bit obvious?"

"They're not even looking at us," Roman reassured him, nodding to back toward the prison.

He was right, the guards were scouring the land surrounding the dungeons and the interior. None of them were even looking toward the stables. The four of them slowed their pace to look even less suspicious in case one of them were to look their way. The horses all looked up and shifted upon their entrance, letting out whinnies and whistles of alarm or surprise.

"Shh, easy," Thorn said, clapping her hands softly to send a calming spell over them. They stilled as its effects fell over them. "That's better, now find your horse and let's go."

"What about Virgil?" the younger prince asked.

They looked toward the handcuffed man, realizing he wouldn't be able to ride with his hands bound. Memories flowed of times Roman had gone horseback riding with the boy he loved; he remembered the way Virgil's hands had found their way around his waist and his head had rested on his shoulder as they'd watched the sunset one time. He bit his lip and shook the memories away. "He'll have to ride with me."

"Roman, is that a good idea-"

"Look, we've gotta get a move on if we want to get out of here before they notice where we've gone," he interrupted, pushing the dark prince toward his horse. He looked toward Luis, meeting his worried gaze. "I can handle him, it'll be fine." 

The younger prince nodded and reluctantly headed over to his horse. Roman guided their prisoner toward his brilliant white stallion, but Virgil's old horse was in the stall before it. Its large black head craned over its stall door, sniffing for its owner. It whinnied sadly, making him reach out to pet its head with a sympathetic coo. "This isn't him, boy," he said quietly. "I'm going to bring him back."

The cursed Virgil looked at the black horse, eyes wide and face expressionless. He wasn't frowning or smiling. His face was just blank; it was unnerving to look at, so Roman averted his eyes.

I wonder if he subconsciously remembers him, the prince wondered as he continued toward his own stallion. He always said horseback riding calmed him down because of how connected he felt to the horse. Clearly Parma remembers Virgil's scent considering he didn't even need to come close for him to pick him out. 

"Come on, you're riding with me," he said as, grabbing the dark prince by the arm and ushering him over to the white stallion. He looked up at the tall steed with a torn expression and then down at his bound hands. "I'll help you, come on."

Roman held his arm gently as he stepped up and pulled himself onto the horse the best someone with their hands bound together could. Once he was situated, the prince pulled himself up to sit in front of him so that he could have control over the horse's actions. In the other stalls, Luis and Thorn were mounting their own horses. They nodded to him that they were ready, and they made their way out of the stables into the open grounds of the castle, the forest lurking ahead of them. 

He set his jaw determinedly and snapped the reins. His stallion kicked into motion beginning a steady run toward the treeline. Roman couldn't help but feel adrenaline rushing through his veins. 

The dark prince's presence behind him took him back to once when they were younger. He closed his eyes as the memory flowed. 

He could almost hear Virgil quiet little giggles in his ear. He could almost feel his arms wrapping around his waist, and the touch of his nose pressing into his hair and breathing in his scent. He recalled the way he'd murmured that he loved the way he smelled because there was something calming about it. 

Roman's eyes fluttered open as the memory faded, feeling hot tears prick the back of his eyes that he quickly blinked away. This was no time to cry. This was no time for nostalgia. While he typically enjoyed reminiscing on his past with Virgil, he couldn't be thinking of such situations when so much was at stake. This was not some gentle horseback ride for a view of the sunset at the end of a long celebration. 

Somewhere out there, his Virgil was alive. Somewhere out there, he was suffering and in pain, while this empty shell of the dark prince pretended to be who he once was. As memories of his pained whimpers and cries flowed through his mind, he felt his grip on the reins tighten. He was going to find him and bring him home. They were going to be together again, no matter what stood in his way. He didn't care if it was the most powerful mage in the world. Nothing was going to stop him from saving the boy he loved.

"Did we always ride like this?" the cursed dark prince asked him as they rode closer to the treeline. Roman turned his head to look over his shoulder at him questioningly. "I don't know, there's something familiar about it."

His gaze softened at his lost tone. "Yes, we used to ride like this a lot," he answered honestly. "Whenever we saw each other at least... we didn't get to see each other very often."

"I can admit that I see the appeal of riding with someone," Virgil said, looking down and deliberately not at the prince in front of him. "I didn't think it would be very comfortable, but it's actually not too bad. I can imagine that if my hands weren't bound it'd be even more pleasant."

Roman smiled encouragingly. "Well, you'll remember all of that once you're back to normal and we've saved the real Virgil."

The dark prince didn't look convinced that it would be that simple, but he didn't disagree with the statement either. He simply swallowed and averted his eyes, signalling that he was done talking for the time being. It was just as well; he wanted to focus on finding the real one, not trying to convinced the cursed one of who he once was.