"So," Prince Hollis began as he and Virgil returned to the kitchen, "When do you plan on leaving?" Patton and Logan looked to Roman to answer. Not because they didn't know or anything, they did. The three friends and Virgil had discussed it the previous night before going to bed. It wasn't that Roman was the leader of their group either. It was just how they had grown up. Prince Hollis was higher on their social ladder, meaning that unless they had been asked the question directly it was Roman or Virgil who should answer the question. Another 'rule' and tradition the Light Realm had.

"As soon as possible would be best," Roman replied as he set Ronnie and Randi on the ground again and sat down.

Prince Hollis only gave them a nod before leaving the room. Virgil grinned as he sat down at the table again as he signed to them. "He's grumpy and protective, just how it is" River translated when he realized some of them were struggling to understand.

"Prince Ann! Prince Ann!" Ronnie said loudly as she and Randi ran to him and tugged on the hem of his shirt, "Prince Roman said we could ride the horsies again. Please can we? Please? Please? Please?"

Randi giggled as he began jumping up and down and joined in the begging, "Peas! Peas! Peas! The toddler chanted.

Virgil glanced at Roman smirking slightly when he saw Roman looking slightly embarrassed about making the promise, he nodded to the small children and they cheered excitedly before running toward the door. 'Camon Princey' Virgil signed to the Crown Prince, 'You made the promise you carry it out'

"Princey?" Roman asked as he stood up, "We're both princes, isn't that name kinda dumb"

'Romano it is then'

Roman rolled his eyes, "Remus told you that one didn't he?"

Virgil smirked and nodded. Everyone else at the table following the princes and the young children as they made their way to the stables. Patton last of all as he came out holding a fussy baby Mike. Ronnie and Randi ran to the gate, impatiently waiting for the rest of the group. "Camon Ryder," Ronnie said as she ran to pull on her sister's hand and got her to speed up.

Virgil opened up the gate and he and Roman led out two of the horses. Ronnie and Randi kept bouncing up and down with excitement, laughing and cheering as they called for their siblings to hurry. "You two should ride with your siblings," Patton said to River and Ryder. They looked at each other before nodding and each walking up to one of their little siblings, accepting Roman and Virgil's help as they climbed onto the saddle, and then wrapping their arms around their sibling to keep them from falling.

At this point, Ronnie and Randi could barely hold back their excitement. They only had one horse and only Rachel and their parents were allowed to ride them. This seemed like a once in a lifetime opportunity for these kids. And as the two princes slowly led the horses around the yard they squealed with excitement begging to go faster as their siblings continued to keep a hold on them. Eventually, though Ryder wanted to get off, her wings causing her discomfort, and deciding she should go lay down for a bit. River worriedly followed, deciding that maybe he should get a start on one of the medicines he had collected ingredients for and had promised the 'hospital' he'd deliver.

Ronnie and Randi though were left disappointed and begged to be allowed to ride alone. 'No, Your family would kill me if one of you got hurt' Virgil signed

"Please, Virgil? Please?" Ronnie begged

"Yeah, peas! Yeah, peas! Randi said loudly.

Roman laughed lightly, "Why don't we just ride with them Doctor Gloom?" Roman asked, already climbing onto the horse with Randi. Randi cheered with excitement and did his best to hug the prince.

"Aw no fair!" Whined Ronnie

"Camon Ann, we'll race you"

Virgil looked back at Patton hesitantly, "You don't have to do anything you don't want to kiddo"

Roman just rolled his eyes, "Who knew that the Prince of the Dark Realm was scared of a little race."

'Bitch please, my damn heart rate is faster than you, I'm not scared.' Virgil wrote on the notebook that now stayed in his pocket, smirking slightly.

"Uh-huh. You see in the Light-Realm hearts go ba-bump. But all I'm hearing from you is Ba-bac-bac" Roman started imitating a chicken, waving his arms like wings and everything as he caused the two small children to laugh.

Virgil sighed before climbing onto Lucy and sitting with Ronnie. The children cheered again 'Patton's judge'

"Fine" Roman said, nodding his agreement while Patton smiled and looked around. He hummed before telling them the route of the race and giving them a countdown. Not thirty seconds later and the two princes were off. Ronnie and Randi screaming with excitement while the princes each had one arm wrapped around a child and the other on the reigns.

At first, the race was pretty even. Virgil knew the layout a lot better having visited his uncle a few times a week ever since he was small. But Roman was better on a horse and less nervous than Virgil was and trusted his horse more than Virgil trusted Lucy. Slowly the gap between horses began to build up and Roman was gaining speed. "Faster Virgil! They're beating us!" Ronnie laughed as she gripped onto Virgil's clothes.

"Camon emo!" Roman yelled from ahead of them.

Virgil hesitated a moment before having Lucy speed up slightly. Ronnie cheered as they began to catch up to Roman and Randi. Virgil steered the horse through a few shrubs, knowing that in a few meters Roman was going to run into a wall of vines. He smiled at the confused look Roman had as he sped up just slightly more and started to finish the circle towards the house. He could see his uncle's chimney peeking up above the trees when a vision suddenly popped into his mind.

Somebody was going to jump out of the bushes. They had a sword. They were hurt. Virgil was going to trample them if he didn't stop.

The vision stopped. Just like it predicted somebody jumped out. Ronnie screamed as Virgil held her tight and pulled hard on the reigns. The horse reared back and neighed loudly. Virgil and Ronnie were bucked off and Virgil wrapped his body around the little girl, protecting her from the fall as they crashed on the floor. The horse neighed again before running off towards the house. The person in the bushes stared at them before laughing and drawing their sword.

Their shirt had a symbol on it. A symbol like the one the armor had the night of the attack and the soldier who had snuck up on him yesterday.

Virgil pushed Ronnie behind him and tried to draw his own sword but it had fallen out of its sheath. Virgil scrambled to his feet, pulling Ronnie up with him. She was screaming and crying as the man advanced on them. Virgil rose his hand and attempted to use a spell but nothing happened.

"Prince Virgil," the man said, "The New Kings have been requesting you. One of them has asked that I tell you Janus says hello"

"Virgil!" Ronnie screamed though the man had not attacked yet, "River! River!" She shouted, tears coming down her face as she held onto Virgil's leg.

"Shut that brat up before I skin her alive," the man said.

'Anxiety. Quiet?' Virgil signed to her. Ronnie stopped screaming, the six-year-old had been told to always listen to their princes, especially when Virgil said he was feeling anxious. 'Run on three. Find Hollis'

The man in front of them didn't understand. He just smiled thinking that he had accomplished what his comrades could not. His leaders would be proud of him for this. He could almost see it now, him returning to base with the youngest Prince. Would he be rewarded? After all, this was something that others had failed to do. Maybe he could use the Prince to guarantee a reward? Yes, he'd do that and then run off before they could think twice about it, he'd leave them the Prince though. What use did he have for a sixteen-year-old boy?

Virgil turned back to the man again, glancing at the sword then back at the man. He'd never make it in time, even if he was fast. 'One' He had other options though. He always had other options, those options just didn't always work. 'Two' Sometimes he really hated his magic. Why couldn't he just be like Janus? Janus learned magic so easily, he always had. But Virgil had always struggled with it, he was sixteen and his level of magic was weak. It was embarrassing, he had access to some of the best teachers in the kingdom, the most expensive and thorough books. Yet his magic was weak and inconsistent. 'Three'

Ronnie ran into the trees, but ended up hiding behind one instead of escaping, just as Virgil was able to form a small ball of purple flames and throw it at the advancing man. The man yelled in pain, quickly putting himself out before lunging at Virgil and pinning him to a tree. "You didn't think that would actually work, did you?

"Virgil no!" Ronnie said, she picked up the sword that had laid on the ground. It was heavy though and she struggled to point it at the man who just laughed as he stared at the little girl. Meanwhile, Virgil was panicking underneath the grip of his captor. He attempted to try and make another ball of flames but it just died in his hands. Ronnie's legs were shaking and she was struggling to not fall over with the sword. The man just turned back to him, about to slam the hilt of his sword against Virgil before the man was suddenly yanked away.

Roman stood by them now, immediately engaging in a sword fight with their attacker. Virgil allowed himself a moment to catch his breath before he quickly took his sword from Ronnie and pushed her behind him again. He was about to go help Roman but stopped. Roman was winning, easily dodging and evading the man's movements. Virgil could see now that unlike the soldier who had attacked him yesterday this man's movements were sloppy and slow. But Roman was obviously just as talented with a sword as he had claimed to be. He was doing a great job, Virgil briefly wondered how the man had even been able to pin him in the first place. Roman was sure to win and-

Virgil's eyes turned purple as something flashed through his mind again. Metal ripping through a cloth. Blood soaking a shirt and-

Virgil sheathed his sword before grabbing Ronnie off the ground and pushing her head into his shoulder just as Roman's sword pierced the man's body. Virgil froze, mouth hanging open slightly, as he watched Roman remove the sword and the man fall to the floor. The man looked back and forth between the boys, his breaths quick as blood dripped out from his mouth.

The smell of death stunk up the air as Roman removed his eyes from the dead man in front of them, "Ann are you two okay?"

Virgil stared at the man then up at Roman.

"Ann?" Roman asked, taking a step towards them. Virgil took a step back and shook his head.

Roman had killed a person.

Roman wasn't upset that he had killed a person.

Roman had killed a person.

Virgil continued to stare before walking around the man and Roman. His breath and hands were shaking, Ronnie was still in his grip and she was asking him what was going on and why he wasn't letting her see but Virgil didn't put her down. Roman was following now, calling after him and asking him what was wrong but the second he got to close Virgil began sprinting into the trees again.

He reached the house quickly, everyone was waiting for them on the deck. Virgil shoved Ronnie into Rivers' arms as they ran to see him. They were all asking questions. Roman hadn't even broken the tree line yet, Virgil was that much faster than him.

His uncle could see the panic in his eyes, he said something to Ryder and she led her siblings away. But Patton and Logan were still there. Roman had just appeared but was not yet in shouting distance. Virgil quickly turned to his uncle and started giving quick signs to him. Repeating them over and over and desperate to get the message across before Roman arrived. His uncle was slightly confused but seemed to understand because just as Roman walked through the gate Virgil was pushed behind him.

"Ann," Roman said breathlessly, "What's wrong? Did that guy hurt you?"

Virgil stayed behind his uncle, the three members of the Light Realm all looked confused. None of them knew what had upset Virgil so much.

"Ann?" Roman asked again.

Virgil froze before sprinting into the house, he ran up the steps and slammed the door to his bedroom shut. His window was open, and he could hear his uncles muffled voice explaining to Roman that in their kingdom they don't kill people of another kingdom without a trial first. Not unless they were engaged in an actual battle. Roman was arguing that it had been self-defense, that he was just trying to help, and all though Prince Hollis agreed with him others may not have, Virgil included.

"Kiddo?" Patton's voice said, "It's Patton, can I come in?"

Virgil took the notepad from his pocket, wrote something down on it, and then slid it under the door.

"Nobodies with me kiddo. Logie and Ro are outside with your uncle and the kids are in the bedroom calming down Ronnie" Patton answered, sliding the pad back under in case Virgil had any more questions. He didn't and carefully opened the door."Hey kiddo," Patton said as he came into the room and closed the door behind him, "Are you okay?"

Virgil shook his head and signed something to the other, but Patton didn't understand and Virgil had to write it down. 'I told him I don't kill. I don't like killing'

"I know kiddo. I don't like it either. It's not right" Virgil nodded, agreeing with his friend as he sat down on the bed. "But Roman doesn't think that-"

'How can he not think that? Killing is bad'

"Ann, Roman knows killing is bad. He doesn't do it often, but if he thinks it's needed he'll do it"

'Wasn't needed'

"Roman doesn't always think when he's fighting. He says his mind is moving too fast. He's too busy"

'He didn't even seem upset or bothered'

"It wasn't the first time he had to kill," Patton said slowly as he took a seat next to Virgil

'He didn't have to kill!'

"He didn't think that.," Patton answered.

'He's killed before? How many times?

"Three I think."

'Why?!'

Virgil's writing was shaky and messy, each time he showed Patton the paper it almost seemed like he was going to throw it but never did. Patton's voice stayed even though, calming and cool as he used it to help the boy next to him.

"The first time was a few days after they told him Remus was dead." Patton began, "One of the men that they had said killed him escaped the dungeons. He managed to get all the way to Roman's room without getting captured again. The man killed the guards outside Roman's room and then tried to kill Roman too. But Roman was still awake, we were on the balcony and heard the commotion. Logan and I tried to protect Roman but the man pushed us away. Logan got hurt we couldn't get up in time but Roman killed him first"

'But Remus isn't dead. Those men didn't kill him'

"Well, Roman didn't know that. And that man still tried to kill him"

'Other times?'

"The second time he was protecting two little kids. A lady had attacked them. The last before this one... I can't remember. Logan was there, maybe we could ask him?"

Virgil shook his head as an answer and Patton nodded. They were quiet for a moment, "Have you ever killed someone before Virgil?"

Virgil hesitated and then nodded, 'Once' he signed 'Killing is bad though. I don't kill. It's wrong. It's bad'

"He was just trying to protect you."

'Would you have killed him?'

Patton paused for a moment and then shook his head, "No. I'm sorry kiddo. But the man wasn't trying to kill you. I would have found a different way"

'Good' Virgil signed, 'Never kill for me. Nobody else should ever have to kill for me'

Patton frowned, "I can't make promises for other people Ann"

Virgil sighed and looked out the window.

"Can I give you a hug kiddo? You look like you need one." Virgil shook his head and instead held out his fist. Patton smiled faintly and fist-bumped Virgil. Both placed their hands on the bed again and returned to looking out the window. A moment passed before Virgil held his hand out to Patton again, Patton understood and gently held Virgil's hand. Virgil was shaking, every fiber of his body wanted him to yank his hand away from Patton and ask him to leave, but his mind just wanted human comfort. He wanted to be held, something he rarely ever wanted. Patton could provide that, he wouldn't hurt him. Patton was his friend.

Virgil would let Patton hold his hand.