Arranged (COMPLETED)

Chapter 7

"What do you want, Roman?" Virgil asked, carefully hanging Rosebane over a window. Roman clutched his head, it felt like six little Prince Romans were banging the inside of his skull and arguing. "Roman, you here? Or are you away with the fairies?"

Roman sighed. "My head hurts like Hell. I was wondering if this was your doing and if you could help."

Virgil shrugged. "Sorry Roman, my 'freaky witch magic' isn't working today and besides, I honestly don't want to help you after what you said to me. Hold that please." He said, giving Roman a sprig of Rosebane.

"And this is meant to... what?"

"Keeps away witches, warlocks and demons."

"Then how come you're hanging it everywhere?"

Virgil sighed and looked down at his left arm, rolling up his sleeves so Roman could see a brand on his wrist.

"I wasn't born with magic. I was given it. Unwillingly, mind you."

The brand was a lopsided black circle with two arrows crossed over in an x and three red lines.

"And this mark is meant to mean....?"

Virgil sighed. "I would tell you but, honestly, I don't trust you. You've seen the brand, work it out yourself." He muttered, rolling his sleeves down.

"The purple's you, isn't it?" Virgil nodded. "Who's the red represent?"

Virgil sighed. "The person who was chosen at random. 'The Chosen' as they're often referred to." He said, sketching quotation marks around 'The Chosen'. "Except they haven't been seen, heard of or heard from in years. It's a lot of bullshit, really."

"And the yellow?"

"Janus. He's dead." Virgil returned to hanging Rosebane around the room. "He was married to your brother, I believe."

"Remus did seem pretty distraught in his last letter..." Roman said thoughtfully. Feeling a new spike of pain, he clutched his head again.

"You alright?"

"No." Roman growled through gritted teeth. "Can I put this plant down?" He asked, indicating to the Rosebane.

"Sure." Virgil looked over his shoulder, looking Roman dead in the eye, he tilted his head to the side a little. "What's that in your eye?"

"There's nothing in my eye." Roman said doubtfully. Virgil walked closer towards the other prince, squinting at him.

"No, there's something. A reflection." Virgil titled his head to the side before turning away suddenly. Roman felt his cheeks heat up when he realised how close Virgil had been to him.

"Well? Was there anything there?"

Virgil opened his mouth to say something but then closed his mouth and shook his head. "I suggest you don't leave this room."

"Why?"

"Whatever's out there is dangerous. It nearly killed Logan. I need to get some more Rosebane and this thing seems to be targeting you the most. Stay within reach of Rosebane."

Roman opened his mouth to protest, the smell of the herb was make his headache worse, but Virgil swept from the room before he could say anything.

***

Virgil hated the look of the sky. Somehow, the black had gotten darker than before. Sighing, Virgil grabbed a few sprigs of Rosebane, not caring if he got pricked or not, and set off towards the castle. He didn't trust Roman enough to leave him alone with his thoughts. That boy was troubled by something and Virgil had a sinking feeling that whatever that something was had hurt Logan and was causing this dark and cloudy sky.

Roman wouldn't just attack the boy he was betrothed to without proper cause. Virgil hoped anyway. There was something else at play. Something super-natural. Either that or Roman was just the biggest asshole on Earth. Before his 12th birthday, Virgil would've dismissed these thoughts as imagination. Ghosts and demons weren't real. But then he had been taken by something and he had been marked.

The brand on his arm started to burn. That was never good. Virgil resisted the urge to start scratching it and made his way back to the castle, his pace a little quicker now.

"Roman, did you leave this room?" Virgil asked, his brand stopping it's burning as he passed under Rosebane. There was no answer. "Roman?" Virgil looked up from tying string around a sprig of Rosebane.

Roman wasn't there.

"Shit." Virgil hissed, getting up to leave the room and find the other prince when it felt like his arm had been cut open from his brand. "Shit!" He yelled, tearing his sleeve up his arm to look at his brand. Everything was as it should be.

Except one of the red lines, the one across the top, was no longer red ink. It was red with Virgil's blood.