Songbird (LAMP/Polysanders)

Prologue

Trigger warning (Please check the first part of the book for more info)

I'm such a sucker for Remile being Virgil's parents. Ughhhhh

Damien, please! Why are you doing this?" Damien simply clicked his tongue, turning away from his husband to face the two former kings who were being forced to kneel in front of, what had previously been, their thrones. Emile was crying ('How typical,' Damien thought) while Remy was glaring daggers at Damien. Virgil was gathered between the two, the young prince hidden behind his fathers. When Damien crouched to their level, Remy spit at him, snarling, "Traitor!" as he struggled against the guards hold.

Damien carefully wiped the spit off of his face, unperturbed. He stood back up, focusing on the shaking prince in between the two (former) kings. "Guards," he called, smirking as they stood at attention, "Take them down to the dungeon," He said, gesturing to the family, still huddled together. However, before the guards could make any move to grab them, Damien added, "Oh, and leave the Prince with me,"

Realization dawned on Remy and Emile's faces as the guards dragged them towards the dungeons, and away from Virgil, "No, please!" Emile called, dragging his heels against the marble floor, "Damien, please, we'll do anything!" Remy just sobbed, struggling against the guards' hold. He escaped for a moment, running towards Virgil, only to be grabbed by another guard. It was complete chaos. Damien didn't typically enjoy chaos, that was more his husband's territory, but he could appreciate this; chaos that was completely in his control.

He turned to the Prince, seeing that Virgil was faring no better. He was screaming, "Papa! Daddy!" as he twisted against Remus. He went so far as to bite Remus's hand, to which Remus simply laughed at. The screams continued after the former Kings were gone, before turning into harsh gasps for air.

Staring at the boy, Damien realized he was having a panic attack. Huffing, he waved away the remaining guards and told Remus to put the boy down. Once the guards had left and all possible escape routes had been closed off, Remus did as told although, he obviously didn't understand why. Damien kneeled in front of the boy, taking his hands from where they were pressing against his chest, trying to help him breathe, "Virgil, can you hear me?" He asked, frowning when Virgil flinched at the sound of Damien's voice, burrowing deeper into the hood of his cloak.

Damien tried again, lowering his voice as to not scare Virgil, "How about you try to breathe with me, okay?" Virgil just whined, shaking his head vigorously, and trying to take his hands back. Damien didn't let him, "Virgil," He said rigidly, squeezing Virgil's wrists just a little tighter, "We are going to practice breathing until you can calm down. Is that understood?" It wasn't a question, and Virgil had no choice but to nod his head and take a gasp of air.

When Virgil had finally calmed down, although he was still teary-eyed and shaking, Damien stood back up, satisfied with Virgil's state. He made his way to Remy's old throne, running his hands appreciatively up the dark bronze before slowly lowering himself onto it. He smiled after a second and relaxed into the cushion.

Remus was looking at him like an excited puppy, eyeing Emile's old throne expectedly. Damien rolled his eyes before patting the throne next to his own. Remus ran towards it immediately, jumping on it, before plopping down. Damien rolled his eyes again but gave his husband a quick peck on the cheek before turning back to Virgil.

The small prince was hugging himself and rubbing the occasional tear on his cloak, "Virgil, do you want your parents to live?" Damien asked, making sure to keep his face neutral.

Virgil's head snapped up, eyes wide as he answered, "Yes! Please! I-I love them! Please!" Damien rubbed his temple at the small prince's outburst; he had a headache forming and was ready to finish this.

However, no matter how exhausted Damien was (he supposed overtaking an entire kingdom would exhaust anyone, even him), he made sure to keep his voice quiet and sweet for Virgil as he asked, "Would you do anything to make sure they stay safe?"

Virgil sobbed as he replied, "Yes, I'll do-do anyth-thing!" hiccuping, Virgil looked between the two seated on his parents' thrones, eyes pleading.

Damien smiled at the boy, shifting on his throne, "Well, I suppose it's a good thing there is something I want you to do for me, Virgil,"

"There is?" Virgil asked, rubbing a final tear on the back of his hand.

"Yes," Damien replied smoothly, "You see, I've heard rumors about you," Virgil simply furrowed his eyebrows, but didn't interrupt as Damien continued, "I've heard about you and your... vocal talent," Talent was an understatement; his voice was so lovely there were rumors of his birth mother being a siren.

Virgil flushed at the mention of his ability, ducking his head. Damien narrowed his eyes but continued, "I would like you to show me,"

The prince's head shot up, eyes wide with alarm, "Rig-right now?" He stuttered, eyes looking anywhere but at the men sat in front of him.

Damien hummed, shifting in his throne as he replied, "And other times too. If you sing when I tell you, in front of the people I want you to sing to, your parents will stay alive and you will even be able to visit them," Damien was surprised when he looked to Virgil and saw determination written on his face; for the first time, the boy didn't look scared, "So, Virgil?"

It was quiet for a few more movements before Virgil started to sing, "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, You make me happy when skies are gray, You'll never know dear, how much I love you, Please don't take my sunshine away," Despite the shakiness of it, the song, and Virgil's voice, was the most beautiful thing Damien had ever heard. He was captivated, and one glance to his husband's face showed that he felt similarly.

Damien drew his eyes to Virgil as he took a shaky breath before continuing, "The other night dear, as I lay sleeping, I dreamed I held you in my arms, But when I awoke, dear, I was mistaken, So I hung my head and I cried," For a profound moment, Damien thought he might cry; Virgil's beautiful voice singing the melancholy words of the song struck him in his heart.

Damien held up a hand, a loud, "Stop!" echoing around the room. Virgil stopped immediately, quickly looking for approval from the men on the thrones. The prince hoped, for his parents'sakes, he had done good enough but, with how suddenly Damien had stopped him, he couldn't be sure.

"That," Damien started, nearly out of breath from how suddenly he yelled, "Was... enough. Your parents will stay alive for now. Perhaps if you give us another performance later, you can visit them.

Virgil cocked his head to the side, confusion shining in his eyes, "I'm not going down to the dungeons?"

Damien chuckled, acting as if he was amused and not annoyed, "No little Songbird, you shall stay up here, with us," He gestured to Remus who smiled just a little too wide for it to be pleasant.

"And-And they will be okay?" Virgil questioned, tears shining in his eyes again. Damien supposed he took after both of his parents in that they were all ridiculously emotional.

"I promise they will be fine Virgil and I am a man of my word. This will be perfect Songbird, just you wait and see,"