Roses for the King

Chapter 2 - Oh, B/r/other!

Shoutout to @Lavapelz for giving me the honor of being the Beta Reader for the first two chapters!

"He thinks I'm so stupid that he can use me just to satisfy his needs?!?!" Roman muttered between his teeth "Wasn't he in love with mum?! Didn't he marry for love?!" he subconsciously headed toward a room and was content how he could finally slam a door "Why CAN'T I...?!?"

"Is that your only problem?"

The prince with the dark red cloak was startled by a raspy voice, which belonged to none other than his twin brother, Remus. He desired to point his sword toward the intruder which was difficult to do because Roman didn't have his loyal weapon with him.

"Get out of here! I swear if you dare to besmirch my room I won't hesitate to-!"

"Your room?!?" Remus screamed and frantically motioned to the room and the king-sized bed he was laying on... with green and black covers.

Roman inhaled, dumbfounded, but as a prince should he also had pride in himself.

"No! Oh no! When a true royal is facing a problem they always solve it!"

Remus rolled his eyes "Then why are you even more of a whiny little brat than usual?"

"First of all, rude! Second of all, you cannot expect ME, Roman, THE Prince of Flaremont..." It was true that Roman always wondered what it was like to be an only child but Remus' glare now reminded him that he wouldn't have it the other way "...and... a son of King Marsus to-!"

"Yes, yes!" Remus blew a raspberry at his brother "You've told me a million times!"

"I told you only once!"

"It doesn't make you tolerable."

"That's why." Roman sat down on the opposite side of the bed showing his back to Remus "The only way I can escape this hellhole is if I get to The Land of the UNKNOWN and let Father use me as a tool for his needs to establish some stupid trading routes!" he exclaimed as he threw a black pillow against the wall with all his strength "He thinks I'm that dumb?!? Didn't 24 years of education pay off?!?"

"Bet he really does want you to get married if he charged you with this mission impossible." Remus said matter-of-factly as he summoned the pillow back onto its original place "Well, I always wondered what it's like to be an only child."

"You seriously can only focus on that?!?" Roman shouted indignantly and finally saved Remus from the staring contest he had to have with his back "Goodness, brother! I sometimes wish the same because of that!"

"See? We're no different."

Roman looked down in shame which Remus somehow sensed and decided to continue nonetheless to cheer his brother up. They had to stick together after all...

"Even if you fail, you can at least rule a whole other kingdom with Tooteener. Why the bother?"

Roman, unfortunately, wasted his energy on anger and couldn't do anything other than letting out a defeated sigh "First, her name is Tatjana. Second, because without my wi-!"

The prince stopped mid-way through his sentence as the memory of what his father said crossed his mind about Remus being too immature to be a king one day, basically implying that nor the king... nor their mother would be proud of him now. Strangely, it hurt Roman more than Marsus' remarks and demanding yells ever could.

"You heard what father said, right?"

Remus crossed his arms and shrugged... while embracing that cursed silence that Roman so despised.