Can't this be 'happily ever after'?

8

ROMAN's POV

I grab my sword and flick it around, warming up my wrist. I'm freaking out inside, I don't know where Patton is, and I don't know who I'm fighting! What if I have to fight Virgil and then I kill him because I never knew it was him! I'd die for Virgil! God, I hate this. I wish Patton was here so he could tell me I'd do great. He never came back last night, what if he's dead? What if's start running through my mind and I double over, not being able to breathe properly.

I start to chase Virgil, we run around and through the forest, "come back here, you little shit!" I scream, he laughs and keeps running. I'm not actually mad, he only said he was going to kiss Patton to annoy me, as a joke. I smile and shake my head. Once I catch up to him, we tumble onto the ground, spinning around each other. Getting covered in leaves and getting poked by sticks. We don't care though. We're both laughing so hard as we stop rolling. He's on top of me, staring down with his big brown eyes.
"I love you, Virge."
"Oh, I know." He says and goes to stand up. I grab his wrist and pull him back down.
"Oh no you don't, say it back, this is a threat." He giggles, struggling to loosen my grip.
"Lemme go!"
"Not until you say it back." A twig snaps a couple of metres away, I freeze.
"What was that?" Virgil whispers, rolling us so we're behind a tree. I sit up, pulling Virgil toward me.
"I don't know." I whisper back.
"It's fine, let's just sneak away."
"We can't do that! What if they're like people that know me! Word would get around!" I hiss.
"Don't focus on the what if's, Roman, come on." He hisses back.

"Don't focus on the what if's, it'll be fine." I whisper to myself. I breathe in and out, trying to shove the unwanted thought out of my head.

I feel a hand on my shoulder.
"You ready, kid? Make us proud." My father says, shoving me up. I smirk at him, not wanting him to know I was just panicking.
"Oh, I will. Ready to watch me win?"
"That's the spirit!"
"Yes sir!" he walks away again. I sigh, I want peace sure but that's never going to happen. I guess I'll just have to win. For my family's sake. For my village's sake.

"Welcome to the battle of the sides!" The announcer screams. I shake off the bad feeling creeping up on me. I got this. "First battle we have the famous Prince Roman Kingsley versing," he pauses for effect, "Virgil Sanders!" A wave of cheers and boos go through the crowd while I stand there, frozen.
"No, no, no, this can't be happening. God forsake anyone else!" I want to scream; I want to cry but I can't. I step out into the arena, seeing Virgil on the other side. I glance around the crowd.

There is approximately seven hundred people here. I take a deep breath, "I guess this is how I'll die." Is the last thought I have before the bell goes. I can see Virgil walking, calmly, over to me. I stay frozen. I can't move, I can't do anything. I can feel a tear slip down my cheek. I don't want to die but I don't want to kill Virgil either. Suddenly, he's in front of me.
"What are you doing?" he hisses.
"Just get it over and done with, please." I whisper. He flinches.
"You have to fight me, princey."
"I can't fight you, Virgil." My voice breaks.
"Don't you dare cry!"
"Please just kill me, Virgil." Before I know what's happening Virgil grabs me by the collar and pulls me into him.
"I'm sorry Roman, you have to fight." He whispers in my ear.
"Why can't you just kill me?"

"What are you doing, Roman?! Fight him!" I hear my father scream.

"Just do it, don't hurt me, I won't hurt you. There's someone here who's going to stop this okay?"
"What? How...?
"Just trust me." he lets go of me and puts his sword up, "Argh! Come at me, you snob!" he screams. I almost laugh.
"I will kill you, you emo nightmare!" I can see him smile I tiny bit.
"What's wrong Princey, scared to hit me?"
"Never, JD elightful." I swing my sword, narrowly missing his face. I swings back, I block.

NO ONE's POV

"I will kill you, you emo nightmare!" Prince Roman screams at the other dude. They must know each other, that's why he froze...? Everyone in the crowd stared down at the two men fighting. "Bang. Clash. Crash." It's an equal fight, they all think. Who's going to win?
Suddenly, there's a cry from a stand toward the back.
"We want peace!" Someone screams.
"We have Prince Patton!" Another voice screams. The crowd goes silent and the fighters stop fighting, all staring toward the voices. Three men come into the light. One everyone immediately recognises as Prince Patton. He's struggling, trying to get out of the tall one's grip.
"Let me go!" he screams.