Fantasizing a war - A Sanders Sides Trilogy

Day 10

The group were still no closer to the Dark Realm border then they had been in Cabina City. Virgil and Storm could get there easily but the others would still be weeks behind. It was all very slow-moving and tiring.

"How long till we get there?" Whined Patton.

"To the border? Fifteen days. To Virgil's' castle? Another five days. Then we'd have to summon both kings to us and hope the message gets to them before Deceit destroys our home." Logan replied.

He was riding very uncertainly on the back of Storm who Virgil had to lead to stop the thestral from bucking the advisor off. Patton rode next to him on Roman's' pegasus.

Roman was walking next to Virgil and they were discussing something in whispered tones. Every time Patton and Logan stopped talking they'd also shut up as if to keep it a secret. Logan found he didn't trust the smirks on their faces. Virgil began to chuckle, shoulders shaking as he tried to stop laughing.

Roman punched Virgil's' shoulder. "Shuddup! It's not that funny!" Despite his statement, he was also laughing.

"First, princey, ow? That hurt? Also, calling your pegasus 'Winged Gay' would be a marvellous idea." Virgil answered, grinning as he rubbed his shoulder.

Patton snickered and Logan smiled. The bushes rustled.

"Blasphemy!" Exclaimed Roman, pointing his arm at Virgil fiercely.

Virgil raised a mocking eyebrow then pulled out a knife.

Roman hesitated. "Now that's unfair."

 Virgil grinned. Pressing a button on the knife, it extended rapidly, the blade purple. "Draw your weapon, princey! Bet I'll win, you-!"

Something large picked Virgil up and threw him. "How dare you threaten to hurt Prince Roman, Dark Realm scum!" Cried Joan, brandishing their own weapon.

Storm reacted instantly, bucking off Logan as he kicked out. The thestral stretched his wings to their full span, flapping them strongly as he snorted. Patton cried out, getting Roman's' pegasus out of the way. A stray hoof hit Joan harshly in the chest, knocking him to the ground.

Roman grabbed Storm's' reigns, and he and Logan, who was already back on his feet, managed to push him away. Virgil got to his feet, running over to Storm and pushing Roman and Logan out of the way. "Storm, are you good? Did the sword hit you?"

"Your thestral just attacked my friend!" Roman yelled in disbelief. "Yet you run to it?!"

"And your friend picked me up and fricking threw me without any context! Yet you're defending him?"

"Them."

"What?"

"Them. Joan is non-binary." Roman glared at Virgil. Virgil rolled his eyes, turning back to Storm and petting him.

Joan stood up from the ground. "Mind telling me what's going on?" they asked.

"Mind telling us why you waltzed in and decided to invade our personal business?" Muttered Virgil, deliberately audible.

"I was sent to find Prince Roman and his friends when the King found out they were missing. I am the Private Recherche Tracker. I was given orders to get rid of any opposition I find." Joan replied, crossing their arms. "Now what are you doing?"

Virgil scowled. "None of your business-"

"We were travelling to the Dark Realm castle because we had a plan to get King Deceit and King Phillip to talk it out before the death toll started stacking up and our home got burnt to the ground," Patton answered brightly, smiling at Joan.

"Yes," Logan said, fixing his glasses, "We are travelling with-"

"Anxiety." Snapped Virgil. "He- They are calling me Anxiety."

Patton looked shocked. "But! K-Kiddo-!"

"They're calling me Anxiety. I don't want them to suddenly think we can get all chummy after he fucking threw me." Virgil crossed his arms with a sneer.

"Honestly, V-Anxiety, you're overreacting!" Roman rolled his eyes, putting his hands on his hips bossily with a glare. "They've explained everything, chill!"

Virgil turned his snarl onto Roman, uncrossing his arms. "How'd you like to get thrown, Roman?" Storm opened his wings slightly in a threatening way behind Virgil and snorted.

Roman opened his mouth to reply, but Virgil already turned away, mounting Storm.

"Where are you going?" Asked Roman in confusion.

"To seek the company of the only sane person I know."

"Who's that?"

"Storm. He's got enough sense for all four of you and I'd rather spend time with him than with you idiots." Virgil snapped, looking back at Roman with anger and something else in his eyes. He hesitated at the confused hurt on Roman's' face but turned away and kicked Storm sharply in the sides. The thestral lifted off the ground in a single wing flap and then was gone.

The four of them stared up at where the black dot was vanishing rapidly. "Well," Joan said, "He's an interesting fellow."

"Give him time, Ro." Said Patton with a small, sympathetic smile. "You know Vee. He'll be back soon."

Logan rested a hand on Roman's' shoulder, with a sorry smile. "Vi-Anxiety knows how to survive on his own, Roman. He'll be fine and he'll find us soon."

Roman looked away from the sky, shrugging off Logan. "I'm fine." Banishing the thoughts of Virgil from his mind, he looked over at Joan with a big smile. "So, Joan! Great to have you on the team, buddy! We're going to need a knight in shining armour to help us on this crazy journey."