Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It is a beautiful day. As it is every day in the kingdom of Basalt.

The birds are singing , the sky is clear and bright. The clouds are placed perfectly to frame the sun. Trees in stunning shades of orange and yellow. Just cold enough to feel it in your bones.

It’s just the kind of weather perfect for going out hunting or scavenging.A simple mundane kind of beauty, easy and gentle . It really isn’t anymore lovely out than usual. But Virgil couldn’t care less. It looks so enticing even in its normalcy. To him it’s everything he wants but can’t have.

Virgil wishes he could be outside. He wants to run through the drying grass. Feeling the sun on his skin and cool wind in his hair. He always seems to be wishing to be somewhere else now.The view from the window in the advisory hall is tantalizing. Tall windows delicately framing the outside world. Dark walls the only thing between him and freedom. Deceptively close and obtainable.But instead he’s trapped.

Trapped listening to public requests , as he does every day.

Virgil is the king of Basalt and just shy of 38 when we enter our story, listening to enquirers as usual. Trapped in the same uncomfortable dark marble chair for hours on end. The days blending together.

At first these meetings were exciting. In his youth it had brought him endless joy sorting out the problems of his people. Always trying to do what was right for his people. Then later on, in his more vengeful years, he found solace at the chance to punish those who defied him . Show them who was really in charge.

After two decades of rulership the whole ordeal had just gotten stale.

He knows he should be more vigilant, more careful, it’s in his nature to be, but he couldn’t muster up a reason to. He didn’t care about anything, he hadn’t for a long time. His life was not his own.
He’d have had good reason to be worried if he was emotionally present enough to worry though .

A small dispute had broken out in a minor territory, that had spread into a full revolt. A revolt that wanted his head on a spike.

Virgil was not much liked, for this kingdom was not his own. From outside perspectives he was the prototypical evil king. He had been married off to a young princess deemed by her parents unfit to rule. There was no fan fair or romance, nor was their ever a pretense of it. He had simply swept into the castle and made it his own. The people did not like such a fate for their princess. Whispers of a rebellion were on everyone’s lips.

For such reasons a great many military forces had been sent out to quell the tension at the pressure of his advisors. A show of force to prove he was not to be tested. This attack unfortunately included Virgil’s personal guard.

Virgil was unimpressed with the replacements that were being currently presented to him. He had told his advisors that no one they brought forth would ever truly impress him but that didn’t stop them from trying. They were on their eighth set of knights and were running out of options.

This time they had brought three knights to him. Each knight took a chance to boast about themselves and their achievements, tales of glory and adventure, but Virgil was completely and utterly uninterested. The shining armor and perfect teeth simply showed him that they were only in it to gain more power and adoration, they had seen little combat . He had no interest in people who sought to use him for fame. The poison laced blades and bottles they carried as “gifts” did not fill him with confidence in their loyalty either.

By the looks he was getting Virgil knew the knights didn’t think he was paying any attention to them. It was obvious why they thought so. His slummped and bored posture displayed nothing but distraction and a passionate distaste for them all.

The king let out a sigh that was loud enough that the advisors flinched in disappointment. He didn’t have to say it to know their work was for naught. They couldn’t even be surprised. Another batch of knights dismissed. No matter how great a candidate they brought it never seemed to be enough for their king .

He was about to send them all away, and have the traitorous knights dragged to the dungeons, when he heard the clacking of metal boots echoing down the hall. Loud screeching steps that scraped into his head. Sound bouncing form polished floor to shinning sealing. There was apparently a forth knight trying for the position today.

A man young man came bursting through the huge oak doors. Coughing profusely, he was clearly out of breath and his whole figure was greatly disheveled.

Virgil’s interest had been peaked.

The man immediately dropped down on one knee without prompting. Armor clacking and creaking in stark contrast to the respectful, almost fearful, silence all his subjects regarded him with. He then lowered his head, hair falling across his eyes, and murmured a brief,“ Apologies your majesty.” The shame transparent in his tone.

Now this was getting exciting. No one was ever brave enough to be rude to his face anymore. Not with the threat of his anger looming over their heads.

Virgil leaned forward in his seat slightly to better face the man in front of him. He kept his gaze unfocused, trying to maintain his disinterested facade.

“ What could be so important that you arrive late for your king?” Virgil spoke softly, trying his best to stifle the amusement in his voice . His eyes glinting in the light from the window.

“ Nothing your grace, I swear it will not happen again .” The knight said and finally raised his head, giving Virgil a chance to properly inspect him.

He was tall with broad shoulders and an overall bulky frame. He looked strong and hardened from hours of manual labor. His posture was stiff from practice. His arms were much too long for his body and his hands were even worse. Large and visibly rough even from Virgil’s distance. It was almost disproportionate the way his form was shaped . Like he outgrew himself in boyhood and never caught on. Little scars littered the small patches of visible skin peaking out from his armor.

His face on the other hand was delicate and soft. A kind of soft rarely seen within the castle walls. He had a gentle slope to his nose and rosy pink cheeks flushed from embarrassment. A sprinkling of freckles dotted his face. Soft locks of hair in warm rich tones fell along his forehead.The large, almost grotesque, scar across his cheek did little to dampen his sweet look.

His eyes were the main attraction tho, bright and determined with a gentle melancholy seeping through.

He looked… familiar, but Virgil couldn’t place it just yet.

He turned his face back to the window. The advisors tried to smoothly move on to the next phase of boasting, desperately trying to distract Virgil from the man, but he cut them off. The breath of a smile playing on his lips.

“ I’ll take that one” he said, not even bothering to look over at the men in front of him, he pointed to the one who was late. He was throughly pleased by the excited gasp that fell from the mans lips.

The other knights grumbled in disappointment but the man paid them no mind “ Thank you! I am honored to be allowed such a position. When would you like me to start?” His eyes glittered and danced, as tho he had just been handed the moon on a silver platter.

Again Virgil interrupted his advisors before they could but in,“ If you have nothing to attend to today, I’ll have you start right now.”

The man beamed and stood up from his kneeling position. A self satisfied smirk creeped its way onto Virgil’s face.“ No your Grace I have no other duties to attend to today, all I have to do is get my things from the inn.”

Virgil waved him off, still never moving his gaze from the window and the man never moving his gaze from Virgil “ I’ll send for some servants to pick it up for you.”

Without any further fanfare the man moved to stand behind Virgil’s throne and stood there for the rest of the day. Soft tapping sounding off behind Virgil as the man bounced from foot to foot. Without even having to look he could tell the man was smiling.

The consistent presence was nice.

Virgil wasn’t fond of the fellow just yet, he hadn’t even managed to catch his name, but he was pleased to finally have someone to keep him company.

—————————————————————-

The next morning the man is already waiting in front of Virgil’s door at the crack of dawn. His cheerful knocks were the things that woken Virgil up that day.

The man has been redressed in the proper guards uniform, adorned with the rich purples and deep blacks of the kingdom’s crest. The gaudy sash the he had worn the day before was disposed of and replaced with dark armor and a cool violet scarf.

Virgil felt the soft brush of possessive pride at seeing the man in his colors but payed that feeling little mind. It was much too soon to be thinking like that.

Virgil at that moment was barely dressed in much himself, just a dressing shirt and the sleeping shorts he had worn the night before. Pinpricks of shame played at his heart before he remembered that his personal guard is to accompany him at all times, thus in the long term this sight was to become common and natural .

Better to start it off early than to startle him later.

Virgil rubs at his eyes, says a brief good morning, and then practically slams the door in the mans face so he can go back inside to get properly dressed. He makes a mental note to tell the man not to come this early. He dresses slowly, taking his time with the many layers of velvet and fur. Pulling the warm cape around his shoulders tighter in the early fall cold.

When Virgil finally emerges from his room, nearly an hour later, the guard is still waiting patiently, cheerful smile plastered onto his face. A smile that doesn’t quite reach is eyes.

Virgil yet again does not fully address the man, simply motioning for him to follow. The knight quickly does so, keeping in stride just behind Virgil.

Out of the corner of his eye the mans sheer stature was much more apparent. He must have been nearly 7 feet tall with how easily he towered over the king. And it should be noted the king was of no dismissible hight.

They walked together for some time, Virgil going around to address his early morning duties, the knight following him obediently.He made no attempts at conversation. Instead he seemed to find boundless joy in just watching Virgil, constantly bouncing from foot to foot as he had the day before . Like a hound excited to please it’s master.

The leisurely quiet was nice for a time. Eventually though, the silence started to get to him. The mans burning gaze on him began to make Virgil squirm. The halls echoing their footsteps just made the quiet feel more strained and uncomfortable. The knight had not uttered a word all morning. Virgil intended to change that.
“You have yet to boast about your achievements knight,“ Virgil had said, not even glancing at the mans face “Please, regale me with some stories while we walk.”
Judging by the sudden jump in the creaking metal the knight was shaking his head no , “ Oh! But your grace I am not a knight!” He seemed distressed at the mere suggestion.

This was going to be fun.

“ Oh?” Virgil shifted his head to the side in mock suprize, finally meeting him face to face, his gaze biting back into the other. Violet eyes picking apart amber ones.“ Then what prey tell, are you?” Excited butterflies played in his chest at the thought of toying with the man, just a little.

“ I was to be a squire, but it did not pan out. I severed as the guard to a convent for about seven years.” The man obviously had more to say but cut himself off. Virgil stepped in again,.“ And your battle scars?” The sarcasm practically dripping from the words.

Apparently that sarcasm did not come of clear enough.The slight prompting almost immediately brought forth an excited rant of from the guard.

“ Most are from the occasional clumsy mistake. I am known for my strength not my wit, but I make do where I can!” He smiled brightly, like speaking to his king was the greatest joy. He brightened even still a bit more, he had seemingly remembered something,“ Except for this one! This one is my favorite,” he then gestured vaguely to his facial scar that crossed from under his eye to just below his mouth across the middle of his face,“I got it from my time as a solider in the war back in **30? I was defending a church I think? Or maybe a government building, I still can’t remember all the details, the doctor said I had serious brain damage. But in short I took a nasty Morningstar to the face!”

Virgil to this day could not remember what he had said in response. The memory almost completely blurred from his mind, greatly out shadowed by the rest of their exchange. Doubtlessly it was something unreasonably cruel and rude. Maybe about his intellect or his brutish nature. Something that would easily push someone to silence. Something to scare them away.

All he remembered was the way his guard had reacted.

The man had stopped. Frozen for a moment processing what Virgil had said. Face scrunched, gears almost visibly turning behind his eyes.

Then he laughed, a real genuine laugh, and Virgil’s heart nearly caught in his throat.

The laugh was ugly to be sure. It was nasally and rough, much too loud. Gruff and barked. A laugh that bubbled out uncontrolled and unhindered . Echoing and rich. The laugh was completely out of place in the sterile halls of the castle.

It was beautiful.

Virgil whipped around to face him and all the words he could have said died on his lips. Every thought drained from his head. His pulse through the roof.

The man was absolutely gorgeous. His face scrunched up still, cheeks flushing once more, flashing perfectly uneven teeth. The scars littering his face were on full display, sharp and stark against his gently tanned skin.

His hair tumbled and coiled, bouncing with each
gasped breath. A warm feeling creeped it’s was up the kings spine. What he could have possibly said to deserve such a reaction, he had no idea.

Virgil turned to the window and did not speak until the man calmed down. Even without looking he could feel the warmth of the guards lingering smile on the back of his neck.

They walked again in silence for a small ways, this time much more comfortably.

—————————————————————

The company the guard provided was something Virgil had not known he missed.

After 20 years of silence you forget the joy of song. 20 years of distance makes the heart grow cold. When someone moves to close that distance? It lights you aflame.

————————————————————-

Virgil warmed up to his guard rather quickly. Much quicker than he thought he would. Much quicker than he thought possible.

He had thought going in he’d have a pretty piece of eye candy for a few days and then scare the man off. He’d be easily put off by the kings doom and gloom. Be left to his lonesome once again.

It wouldn’t have been a shock.People were often lured in by the idea of a cushy job with heafty pay, and would be sent home by evening. It wouldn’t have been the first time it had happened and certainly would not be the last .

But to his surprise the cute face was parried with and equally cute personality. Their first conversation was not a fluke ,but instead was much more indicative of their dynamic than he had suspected. The two of them had simply clicked.

The walls the king had built up for this exact situation came crashing down. Falling to rubble under the scorching light of his smile. The cruel attitude he had built his whole reign around had been made completely useless. The man was just so, nice about everything. So considerate, respectful and god dam obedient he just couldn’t think of anything to complain about.

Rude words softened to playful teasing. Cold distance melted into amicable silence and then to pleasant company. Dry small talk lead to vivid discussion almost instantly . It was simply hard to stay mad when someone so kind is with you all day.

The man was such a sharp contrast to the quiet fear he received from his other subjects and servants.

He was loud and cheerful, with easy laughter and excited eyes. Gentle confidence and blazing passion. Any room he was in greatly warmed and relaxed. Soft smiles the king hadn’t used in decades resurfaced after just a few conversations. His presence was always welcome. Always wanted, at least by Virgil.

Conversation between the two was never stilted or boring. Always lively, always exciting. Honest banter like this was something he hadn’t heard since he was a small child.

The guard was real and raw in a way Virgil hadn’t felt in a long time. It was not very hard to get attached.

After only a few days he could tentatively call the man a friend. It wasn’t saying much, as few had ever tried to get this close to him, but it was more that he had had before. Things in the castle felt alive for the first time in years. And this was only the beginning.

Chapter Text

  Virgil was no stranger to beauty. He was well aware of how gorgeous he was.It would be impossible to not be aware of it. He had not gone a day since his birth without someone commenting on his looks.

     He possessed an almost unnerving kind of beauty. A kind that pulled people in and made them desperate for you. Drew people close, made them devoted to you, made them love you. A desperate kind of love that if left unfulfilled would leave those people broken in your wake. Make them sick. Turn them angry and cold, make them hate you. Fun in the short term, not so much in the long term.

   It was in his blood. Their family’s whole claim to the throne was their beauty, and Virgil was the most beautiful child the line had had for a long time.

     In his youth girls had clamored all over each-other just for a glimpse of him. Fighting with their closest friends to gain his attention. Peasants and nobles alike couldn’t get enough of him. People constantly vying to catch his eye.

         It was almost unprecedented that he was seen as such a catch, even though he could bring them no crown. When compared to eleven equally stunning siblings he was the most beautiful. No one cared he was not anywhere near the line of succession for his kingdom. He was apparently pretty enough they all wanted him anyway.

      And still, Long after his youth had passed his beauty stayed, more creased with worries now, but still beautiful. His hair had begun to grey and crows feet inched their way onto his cheeks. Yet he still got heat filled glances from lady’s coming for diplomatic conferences and shy blushes from sweet servant girls.

      Not many could look him in the eye and not fall head over heals for him. It was a part of his charm, a blessing and a curse all in one. That’s why he found his guard  so fascinating.

    Virgil had never felt that pull for himself, never felt that burning desire he had heard described so many times, but this man was coming quite close. It wasn’t love, god was it not love, but some sort of morbid fascination.

    Virgil always found his eyes pulled back to him. Always taking shy glances when he knew his guard wasn’t looking . Always feeling warmer under the mans gaze and breathtakingly cold when that gaze was gone. It felt childish and stupid to be so enamored with a man he barely knew.

     The guard really wasn’t much to look at, nothing compared to Virgil’s own beauty. He was average, nothing about him stood out as anything he hadn’t seen 100 times before. He had seen each of the mans features on reflected on dozens of other men, why this specific combination lit his heart a flame baffled him. There was no trait he could easily pinpoint as what attracted him to the man. No element of him that was an obvious draw.

The uncertainty was infuriating.

         His strong arms could easily been seen on the average blacksmith. His hair a typical shade for anyone commonly in the sun. His smile that of any kindhearted basket case Virgil had pitched to the coals. His nature was brash and unrefined, as was most lower class people. His only truly unique feature was his eyes.

And they never seemed that interesting until you saw them up close. At a distance they were cool and empty. Their stunning shine only evident if you were given the chance to look deeper. Flickers of rose gold passion seeped through, but faded just as quickly as they appeared.

It made no sense.

    And even more infuriating still the man seemed completely unaware of both his charms and Virgil’s own. He didn’t seem to realize the effect he had on the king, nor did he seem at all effected by it.

     He could easily hold Virgil’s gaze. He would confidently speak to him without so much as a stutter. Never bashful or shy. He never reacted to Virgil’s voice with the typical shudder and flush he had come to expect , just a pleased smile and bright empty eyes.

      He was so obedient and cheerful, even Virgil’s bad moods couldn’t scare him off.         

       The people who could see past the kings beauty, or never got close enough to see it, thought he was an insufferable prick. A man with too much power and not enough sympathy to do anything good with it. And they were right to think so.

      He did very little for his people. He wasted the hefty taxes they paid on extravagant parties and beautiful art. He made them fight in trivial wars and die for causes they knew nothing of. No care was put into the wellbeing of the many.

          And on a smaller scale,  he was simply mean. He always kept people at a comfortable distance, always having a biting criticism ready at a moment’s notice, never letting them see his venerable pieces. Never letting anyone get to close. The unkind words were the most efficient way to do so.

       The guard apparently had yet to get the memo. To understand fully how cruel a man he was the servant of. The man wasn’t stupid wasn’t stupid, well he was stupid he had made that clear very quickly, just not that stupid. He obviously understood the rude comments and chastising remarks but always let it roll off this back. Never dropping that dead eyed look always on his face.

     Undoubtedly cute, but frustrating. Virgil had no idea what to do with him.

—————————————————————

      His guard was never quiet.

Virgil learned that fact early on. The guard was completely unable to stay silent for more than a few moments at a time.

     He always had a tale of childhood mishaps ready and waiting for a lull in conversation. Always had questions for Virgil, no matter the context . His loud booming voice happily filling every possible moment it could.

       When not speaking he would hum or sing under his breath. Cheerful tunes called out any hour of the day. Whistling was common from him as well.

     And even when he was trying to be quiet, silence never seemed to follow . Tapping fingers on every surface. The practically constant movement from foot to foot. Even on the rare occasion he stood almost still the clanking of his bulky armor filled the air.

     Yet another reason this man did not belong in his castle.

    No other servants spoke above a whisper. Deliberately lowering their tone as to not disturb their king. The fear and terror that followed his every step seemed to not effect his guard at all.

     At first the king found it annoying. He had grown accustomed to a certain level of peace and quiet. He wasn’t keen on the idea of never having a moment of it.

    But after some time it began to grow on him. It was nice to have a constant sense of where the man was without looking.

      The sounds later almost faded into simple white noise. He barely noticed them anymore. Now all it did was calm him. Keeping the fearful silence at bay. The soft sounds were pleasant, an obvious reminder that Virgil was never really alone.

Chapter Text

The guard really did seem to bring out, in tandem with more positive traits, Virgil’s more stubborn nature, most exemplified by the fact that after about 3 weeks of having him around Virgil had yet to learn the mans name.

For a while it was fun, a little game with himself to see how long he could go without addressing the man by name. But it wasn’t much of a game anymore and it was starting to get tiresome. Synonyms for guard quickly ran dry. All the king wanted now was to use the name proper. At least in his head. The only problem was that he wasn’t quite sure how or who to ask about it.

He couldn’t just ask the guard himself! It was far to late for that now. He would rather die than admit to not knowing it to the mans face.

He felt like he should just know! It should simply beam into his brain so he never ever has to do or say something even slightly uncomfortable. They should really make that a part of the whole king package…

His next thought was that he could ask his advisors, but he doubted they kept track of that kind of thing. After how many guards they had gone through already and how quickly they were dismissed they no longer wrote any of it down.

He thought some other staff might know but he couldn’t use that route either. Although the guard had made friends with the castle staff, he wasn’t actually sure which staff it was.

This was all much more complicated than he could handle. He was very frustrated by the whole ordeal.

He did eventually find out. Emphasis on eventually.

Virgil would never admit how long it took to learn the guards name, nor how he found it out, but judging by his response to the question most knew it took much longer than he would have liked.

————————————————————-

————————————————————-

He was always eager to please. The guard constantly showed off, practically begging for his kings attention.

He was constantly demonstrating his strength or agility, or at least trying to. Easily flaunting how many crates he could lift or what surface he could precariously balance on. Constantly joking in ways that were far too casual for speaking to a king.More often than not he would end up making a fool of himself.

He would drop all the crates or slip and fall. He’d walk straight into a wall or person because he was so excited to talk to Virgil. He’d always manage to make a mess out of anything he touched. Air loom vases were in critically low numbers after just the first Few days.But the king couldn’t ever bring himself to be really angry about it .

He was just so desperate to win the king over. So openly vying for Virgil’s eye. Always going above and beyond the call of duty. It was so earnest and sweet.

Virgil tried not to show to often how pleased he actually was with the man. His guard didn’t need to know how fond Virgil already was of him. How adorably amusing his attention seeking behavior was. He didn’t want it to get to his head. Better to keep him wanting than comfortably having.

Sometimes though, when he had done something especially cute, he would offer the man a soft laugh, or a small smile and boy was that small boon worth its weight in gold.

The guards whole face would light up, with so much awe and joy. He would giggle to himself and spin around. It nearly made Virgil want to smile all the time. At least if that was the reaction he got.

—————————————————————

—————————————————————

The guard was allowed 1 break a day, most often at noon, as was required by law. It was a brief 45 minutes but it was more than most.

What Virgil’s guard chose to do with those minutes was completely up to him. Anything he wished to do within the castle walls was at his disposal.A small window of freedom Virgil would kill to have. And yet the man chose to use his 45 minutes on work.

The first week he had completely ignored the break and stayed on duty the entire time. The next week he had been practically shoved out of the castle, and told he was required to take his break .

He then used that time to spar with other guards. Most tried to avoid him, not wanting to draw attention to themselves, but they wouldn’t last long against his puppy dog eyes. By the end of the second week it seemed as though he had battled, and beaten, every guard on duty and had moved on to tussling with the kitchen staff. Then play fighting with schoolchildren. It had quickly become quite the spectacle. And despite the horrible noise from cheering servants, no one complained.

Virgil only caught glimpses of these fights, through partially closed windows and peaks around corners. Always gently amazed by how quickly the man had seemingly worked his way into everyone’s hearts. But one afternoon, 8 weeks along in their precarious companionship, he was free just long enough to linger.

The fight was a rematch between a previous appointment, a guard he had sparred with on his second day doing the whole charade. They were mid battle. Throwing their swords around like they were weightless. His guard was easily winning, swiftly overpowering the other in a few energetic strokes.

Virgil was absolutely enthralled. He couldn’t look away. Fully drawn in and amazed. But not just by the combat.

It was just … so beautiful. His guard moved about almost as if he were a dancer, playfully dodging and rolling , laughing all the way. The clashing of weapons their only music. It was obvious from his grace that the fight was not really a challenge. Despite how hard the fellow guard was trying he had them on the ropes. Pushing them across the yard with poised precision. He was barely working up a sweat. He was having fun.

His grin was so wide it had to have hurt. He effortlessly dodged the opponent’s attacks and placed his own with a dramatic flair for the audience. This whole thing was some sort of show to him.

Virgil was sure that his guard didn’t
know who the opponent was. No one seemed to have told him the fellow guard he was fighting was a lineage prodigy who had been trained to fight since birth. A man who had not lost a fight since he had been hired 5 years before.

The sheer strength it would take to
match the opponent blow for blow was almost unimaginable. Thus the power his guard must have had to beat them not just once but twice ?

It sent warmth right to his cheeks. And a darker pool of malice rose just underneath it.

—————————————————————

One evening the two were allowed an all too rare moment of free time. The council had finished their discussion a few hours early.

The two were set up quite casually. A soft fog of familiarity curled around their feet, like they had done this many times before. Virgil was sprawled out in his drawing room on a lush velvet couch and his guard was sat rather stiffly across from him. A fire was burning softly just to their right, warming the room in the evening chill and casting gentle light about the room.

They had played a few rounds of chess but neither were particularly good at it. They had tried a wide variety of card games as well but to no avail. They were greatly bored. The two had then moved on to trading jokes and banter back and forth. But a lull in the conversation had sent them both silent.

Virgil was dreadfully tired of the silence. He had gotten to used to the noise now. Whenever his guard fell quiet he felt almost angry. Not being able to hear the mans voice could almost be considered a slight. The comforting tones were some of the only ways he could manage to relax. It amused him to no end to have a new plaything, and he wanted to make use of it while he could.

To remedy this silence, he opted to use a method of conversation that always got the man excited. Asking about his scars. There was no shortage of them to be had, they littered every inch of the mans visible skin. Each one accompanied by a substantial story that would quickly devolve into happy rambling. He had used the trick quite a few times and it always got a good result.

Virgil cared very little for the actual stories the method brought forth though , instead he was more fond of the chance to draw his hands across the guards skin and watch the pretty flush rise to his face.

Toying with the man was his new favorite game. Much better than poker or darts. Pushing and prodding the man until he reacted just so was a better pastime . Seeing what he could take. It was almost too fun.

Some would say it was cruel to treat him like that. Virgil disagreed, it was a waist of a perfectly handsome man to ignore his lovely face.

“ Guard,” he had said “ tell me about this one” he then traced his finger along the underside of the mans chin, lifting his gaze upwards. The man had shuddered ever so slightly, and then dove right into a story about a battle he had fought.

All the while Virgil was shamelessly staring at him. Raking his eyes along the mans figure.

It was kind of cute, how his guard pretended not to notice the looks. It would be disrespectful to ask if the king was coming onto him. Instead he simply turned a brighter shade of red and spoke ever so slightly faster.

He absolutely loved it.

Chapter Text

Virgil was a cold hearted king . A uniquely messed up man. That was a truth everyone was aware of. He was much less volatile than he had been in his early days, but no less cruel.

His subjects were easily disposed of. Each one replaceable. There were hoards of peasants desperate for a chance at a better life always within arms reach, and thus all of little value to him. They were practically worthless from sheer quantity alone.

No one was safe. No one was special.

Advisor’s who spoke out their station would disappear without warning. Servants were always on a constant rotation. Children, mothers, the young and the old. Everyone stepping on glass to keep their head. Torturers were always in high demand.

Seniority did you no favors . The longer the king kept you around, the more likely you were to get on his nerves. Proximity to the king a clear sliding scale of danger. Too close and you were a lost cause. It wasn’t a matter of if but when.

People who thought they were safe, though they had say, had power, were always the first to go.

Slighting the king was a death sentence, and no one was willing to risk it. Getting on his nerves was a fast pass to the dungeons.

Anything above a respectful whisper was grounds for violence. Fearful tones soon became the default. Even when not in earshot of the king they kept their volume down, just in case. Silence permeated practically the whole kingdom.

That’s why it was such a surprise when this guard, who was known about the castle for not being able to shut up, who was brash and unafraid, survived not just the first week but 6 whole months. Six dreadfully long months of baited breath. Of reverent silence every time they heard his laughter echoing down the halls. Because it might be the last time they hear it.

Cool fall days had quickly chilled into freezing winter ones without a single incident. Except for rumors of the two being caught cuddling by the fire in the evenings. These rumors were false as far as anyone knew, but they were shockingly plausible.

It was practically unheard of for someone so outspoken, so loud, to last that long. Especially so close to the king. They were sure he would have been long gone by now. Some of the meaner crowd had even made bets on the matter. But most had simply grown fond of the man and would be sad to see him picked off. It was nice to have a bit of change. A bit more life in the castle.

All the servants were bracing themselves for the news of his sudden “disappearance”. Readying themselves for the loss of such a bright young man. As days drew on they started getting ready. Preparing words they could say if his body could be recovered in a solid enough state for a funeral.

That terrible news never came. The guard instead had stayed, completely unaware of the danger he was in every second he spent in the palace.

When things finally did go wrong, a plate was dropped or he would speak out of turn, instead of orders for the man to be disposed of, they got silence. A new strange kind of silence. A meditative almost predatory quiet.

The man was spared.

But the guard was not the only one who was spared. Not in the slightest.

Offenses that would normally lead to a trip to the dungeons were now nothing more than a slap on the wrist. When an infraction occurred his eyes would easily ice over, with the customary violent anger they had come to expect, but just as easily be thawed with a glance from his companion. And for the first time since Virgil had become king, people were actually fired for doing a poor job. The dungeons were blissfully empty. No screams from down below had to be politely ignored by guests.

Nearly the whole kingdom breathed a sigh of relief.

It seemed as though the king was simply too caught up in his new boy toy to care about anything else.

————————————————————-

The first time he had actually used his Guard’s name it had been a very odd encounter.

Virgil had been toying with the idea for a while. Picking the whole ordeal apart.

The name was a bargaining chip he wanted to employ cautiously. He spent a lot of time playing with the way he said the name. Making sure it felt right in his mouth.

It already felt familiar when he finally had it, round and soft, almost obvious, but he wanted to break it in a bit before saying it to the guard in proper. Make sure everything was set up correctly.

It had to be perfect.

The two were in the almost empty palace library when it finally went down. The tall shelves of books gave them a sense of privacy and intimacy. Walling them off from the rest of the world.

Virgil was sitting in the corner wrapped in a pile of furs, pretending to read a book his cousin had recently recommended. It was something about finances. He wasn’t paying much attention.

He was perched elegantly on a crushed velvet love seat, pawing at the worn pages rather than actually reading. Instead his main focus had been on his guard.

It always was.

The man was visibly uncomfortable being in the library. He had been scolded quite a few times by the book keepers for his obnoxiously loud armor and most likely didn’t want to relieve the experience again.

He was overflowing with nervous energy, hoping from foot to foot almost constantly, never stopping for more than a few moments. His eyes darted back and forth, as if looking for something to fight. To keep his hands busy he kept picking up and putting down books, barely glancing at the pages before putting them back. It was obvious he was trying to entertain himself while the king finished his “reading” and failing miserably .

The stress the man was under was a little funny. Virgil was not opposed to cruelty, but he thought he should not draw it out any further. Leaving the man squirming with discomfort felt wrong somehow. It seemed to Virgil now was as good a time as any to strike.

Virgil kept his eyes on the book as he spoke softly, “Roman, would you do me a favor and tell a servant to fetch me some tea?”

The effects were almost instant, the man had frozen up completely. The book in his hand nearly dropped to the floor. His shoulders were tensed and his breath had quickened noticeably. That alone had Virgil pleased.

That sharp pull of wicked amusement bubbled up again.

“ Yes your majesty.” He had responded barely above a whisper. So soft, almost breathless. His tone wavering and light like a prayer. Then the man had carefully turned to face Virgil, as though he would shatter if he moved too quickly, and there it was.

That characteristic flush, averted gaze, stumbling words. His eyes were gentle and almost heartbreakingly warm, nearly glazed over. His feet completely still for the first time in hours. It had Virgil reeling with devilish excitement. He had finally cracked him.

This was going to be so much fun.

—————————————————————

Virgil had in fact not cracked him. At least not completely.

Sadly the name never had the same beautiful effect it had had the first time. Not even close to it.

You see names were powerful things. They held meaning. They held connection .

Knowledge of one’s true name was a sign of utmost trust in the kings home land. It had been one of the only things he had requested on his wedding day, that he not be referred to by his name.

Now, after so many replaced servants, no one but the queen herself knew his true name.

How names were used were also of great importance. They demonstrated the relationship one had to another. Like for example, one sided usage of names. When both parties are aware of the each other’s names but only one party uses the name it is a sign of possession. Of ownership. Like how one would address a pet but they could not address you back.

Virgil had tried to use the name sparingly. He wanted to keep his guard Roman on his toes. To better maintain that power.

He made sure he always waited for the perfect moment to strike, and when the time came he did so without hesitation. The response was always pleasant, if unexciting. The guard would simply smile softly and looked at his feet, blushing a soft pink. Good but not great.

It had none of the shocked amazement present the first time. Instead all Virgil got was a brief pause and a flush on the mans cheeks. Just a shy warmth. No stutter, no averted gaze, nothing substantial at all. It was pretty but not quite what Virgil wanted. He was building up a tolerance to it.

After the first few times the name had almost completely lost its luster. Roman would recover almost immediately, with some effort he even managed to keep the blush from rising on his face. The only sign that it even effected him at all was that soft look in his eyes. Still full and empty but warmer now.

Shockingly Virgil didn’t mind this. He disliked it much less than he thought he would.

As most things with the man tended to be, it was cute. New but pleasant. A clear demonstration of the bond they had built and the ties that they had. Each time he said it a piece of the kings heart almost seemed to fall into place. It was easy.

It was so familiar.

Some might say he was getting soft. That he was getting weak. They were wrong.

They were so so very wrong.

Chapter Text

Romans morals were something Virgil was beginning to question.

   They were for lack of a better word, incongruous. The behavior and word never properly matching.

    He was well mannered and kind, and very clearly knew right from wrong. But where that line actually fell was a little unclear.

    He would quickly scold children for stealing from the kitchen and then slip them treats himself. He would gladly insult anyone regardless of status if in a bad enough mood and then be back in their good graces the next day. He would easily lie to anyone and everyone without hesitation .  Yet he would not let himself leave things poorly with one of his friends, honoring their bond.

     He would have no qualms with the injustices Virgil was committing on a daily basis, but vocally criticize other rulers with very similar policies.

   On that note, Roman truly would not stand for anyone criticizing his king at all. Virgil seemed to be a sore spot for him. Any negative mention of him would set Roman off.  Reacting as if it was almost a personal attack. He’d almost turn. It was very uncharacteristic of him. Something unsettling and wrong would rise up and Roman would lash out at anyone and everyone.

    He could tell Roman tried to hide this side of himself from him. It was some sort of secret. He never made the comments in front of his king directly. Virgil had never actually seen the behavior, only overhearing talk of it from others. But Virgil was well aware of it.

    On one memorable occasion Virgil had actually gotten close enough to experience it himself. While walking down a mostly unused stairwell, he overheard a conversation the guard had in the nearby hallway. What it was about in full he wasn’t sure but what he did hear, sent him reeling. He heard Roman threaten to run a set of teenage servants through with his sword if they ever spoke ill of his king again. He sounded completely serious.

   A kind of fury Virgil didn’t think possible reverberating in his voice. The kind of tone one would expect from the person guard of a man like Virgil. It was completely unlike him. His tone was so harsh and vile, even without being able to see it the king could feel the servants fear. A pleasant shiver rolled down his own spine.

  Virgil had laid awake later that night for hours thinking about it. An wonderfully delirious grin plastered on his face even in the dark.

  He wasn’t sure just yet what all that really meant. He hadn’t known the man had it in him. He would never think his guard to be be the violent type. He didn’t know what to think at all.

He didn’t really know what to think about Roman either .

  Every time he thought he had the fellow figured out he would get thrown another curveball. A new facet he had to pick apart.

It was thrilling .

—————————————————————

Virgil had always enjoyed a good chase.

  The fun of luring someone in was much greater than the joy of having them stay. At least to him.

  He seemed to almost constantly be leaving broken hearts in his wake. The excitement of pulling people into his arms then crushing them beneath his feet when he was done was all he had to look forward at parties. It kept the loneliness at bay. That’s why he kept hosting them.

  He frequently cheated on his queen. Done it so many times. Practically since the day they had been married. He had tried not to at first, but the chill of his empty bed would pull at him. He happily returned the heated looks he received from strangers with looks of false desire. Easily taken women to bed with no remorse and thrown them out the next day.

  He had no doubt that his wife had been unfaithful as well so he barely counted that business as cheating anymore. They had never actually discussed it, in fact she had taken a great many strides to hide her lovers but Virgil knew she had them.

He just didn’t care.

  She was his wife in name only. He respected her greatly. She was strong willed and a diligent queen. What small duties she had she tended to well. He left her to her own devices and vice versa. If she wanted to escape their loveless marriage who was he to stop her. She deserved to have at least that bit of freedom.

  Virgil himself had never taken a mistress. It wasn’t that he couldn’t. It was almost expected. It was that no woman had ever won him over like that. He never wanted them to. The commitment made him fearful.

  He liked the set up he had. He was content keeping many ladies in his orbit, and when they got too close sending them away. He had never felt the need to ask them to stay.

  He had also never taken a man to bed. He had never even considered it. It was disgraceful to do such a thing. Gossip would stir, the public needed no more reasons to dislike him. Riots would fill the streets. It would be chaos.No man was ever worth the trouble.

Virgil was beginning to think Roman might be.

——————————————————-

   The winter chill softly faded into the bright beginnings of spring. Flowers bloomed on every corner and the whole kingdom sprung to life.

  Each petal present in the palace was delicately curated by a hoard of gardeners to fit the style of the king. Each flower in dark shades of purple and grey, almost mistaken for black, matching the kingdom colors.

   Virgil and Roman were out observing their first blooms one brisk afternoon. Virgil had opted to move his work outside as to not miss out on the sight. He had set up a little station near a large marble fountain surrounded on all sides by beautiful rose bushes in shades of white and silver. Roman was puttering about just in Virgil’s peripherals picking small bundles of dandelions. It was still slightly too chilly for the kings liking, he naturally ran cold, so he had adorned one of his lighter fur shawls.

      He was thumbing through and signing a collection of new rules proposed by his advisors to better control his subjects. The stacks of papers were nearly to his shoulders but he read through them diligently.

      He quickly got lost in his work and before he new it he was almost at the bottom of his first stack. The scratching of a quill his only company. Hours had swiftly passed as he had worked. By the time he had finally looked up the sun was just sinking low on the horizon, and Roman was no where to be seen. He had at some point slipped away.

  The last time Virgil had remembered seeing him much earlier in that day his guard was wandering near the hedges just to his left.

  Virgil set his things aside and stood up. He supposed now was as good a time as any for a break. He stretched a bit, his back ached greatly from the slumped position, sighed and he started out to fetch his companion in the direction he had last seen him.

   He walked slowly and gracefully, stepping softly on the intricate stone paths, but inside Virgil was a just little worried. The guard was not one to run off without good reason, and frankly it was unsafe to be alone even within the palace walls.

   Assailants were constantly being sent to the castle trying to take Virgil out, and many servants got caught in the crossfire. It was a common occurrence and Virgil barely thought about the casualties anymore, but now? It was in the forefront of his mind. He knew the man could handle himself but it did nothing to quell the panic. The mere idea of Roman being in danger nearly sent the king into a panicked spiral.

      Before he could spiral too deeply though he had turned a corner Roman had come  bounding through the hedges. And immediately slammed right into him at full speed . The young man nearly bowled the king over completely but swiftly caught him instead just before he hit the ground .

Virgil’s breath caught in his throat.

    The two were face to face. Soft Amber eyes so close and so clear. Close enough their noses bumped together ever so slightly. The freckles along Romans cheeks served as a beautiful tapestry of spiced stars, just within reach.

   The guard’s strong arms had the king pulled flush to his own body. Pressed chest to chest, so tightly he could feel Romans heart beating. He was holding Virgil so gently, not like he was fragile, but like he was precious . He could feel the guards soft breath on his face. Could now easily feel how warm Roman was in comparison to Virgil’s natural cold.

   Could feel how right it felt to have Roman like this. All intimate and soft. Eyes perfectly trained on him and only him. Like this was how it’s supposed to be. Just the two of them.

  The feeling was intoxicating. It was amazing . It was like nothing he had ever felt before and everything he had ever wanted. That little possessive pull of want had suddenly boiled over. It was almost a need now, deep rooted and violently sharp.

~The guard was his. No one else’s. His every movement, every breath and every heartbeat, should be for Virgil and Virgil alone. Virgil should take what was his. Should make sure everyone knows who Roman belongs to. Make him mine.~

   Virgil had to fight the feeling. It flooded his mind, making him feel scrambled and undignified . He had to fight the desire to pull the man closer, to keep him there forever. To trap him.

  It would have been so easy. So simple.  He’d done it a million times before, this would have been no different. He’d just reach up and grab his guards face, run his fingers along his cheek. Finally touch his beautiful little scars and softly press their lips together -

But just like that the moment was broken.

  Roman pulled Virgil to stand and dusted the king off, muttering desperate apologies. The two were shoved back harshly into the real world. A world where this whole thing wasn’t right.

“ Are you alright? I didn’t hurt you did I!” Roman said, His voice so soft and tentative, rising with fear and panic. His gaze was lowered and shaky.

  “ Yes yes, I’m just fine. You really do need to be more careful with your strength you brute.” He shoved Roman away softly but it didn’t stop the man from stumbling backwards.

  Virgil hadn’t meant to snap but it came out aggressive anyway . It was obvious something had passed between them but neither were sure what.

  “ I’m glad,” he had breathed out delicately, as though speaking to loudly would break whatever had just passed even further.

   He paused a moment, and cleared his throat roughly, still as a the statues that littered the garden.

   Roman then reached behind his back and pulled out a bundle of Lilacs in pastel purple tones, now slightly crushed from their collision.  They clashed horribly with Roman’s uniform. They were more pink that purple and obviously not fully matured.

  “I picked these for you!” A remarkably shy smile reached his lips .

  “ The Gardeners won’t be very happy with you for ruining their hard work.” Virgil blurted. He sounded angry. This wasn’t what he was prepared for at all.

  “ Nope! They’re actually wild flowers, saw them just over the wall and I hopped over to pick them.” Roman swung his arms back and forth. Not quite meeting the kings gaze. He was nervous to give him the flowers .

   “ You “hopped” over the eight foot wall to bring me lilacs when we already have plenty inside the castle?” Virgil had no idea how to process this.

    Roman then lowered his head in poorly disguised disappointment, this was all wrong.

“…..”

“ You can just say you don’t like them.”

That was wrong too. 

     “ Who said I didn’t like them?” Virgil had snapped again.  He snatched them out of the guard’s hand and pulled them protectively to his chest. He hadn’t really wanted them. They were ugly flowers but they were a gift, he couldn’t not accept them.

   That had Roman perking back up almost instantly. He raised his head, A big dopey grin lightning up his whole face. He was all flushed and cute. It made Virgil’s heart ache.

   “I have just one question for you tho,” Virgil said, trying to squash his own smile from breaking through ,“Why did you chose these flowers out of all others?” There were dozens of more beautiful flowers all over the garden, why go through the trouble of picking these ones?

“ That’s easy! “ he had simply replied, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world,“They match the color of your eyes.”

Oh .

Oh no.

—————————————————————

   You’d probably be happy to know that despite the internal protest, those very lilacs were gently tucked behind Virgil’s ears for the rest of that day, and many days after. They never matched his outfits nor demeanor, always pulling weird looks from servants and guests. But they were worn no matter the occasion, until they were long wilted.

    It was childish to be so fond of such an ugly flower. It was stupid to keep them and be so attached . But he adored them regardless . The odd looks were worth it when he got to see the wonderfully breathless look on Roman’s face every time they were brought out .

And even after they finally died, the meaning most likely forgotten, he couldn’t bear to part with them. Virgil had them discreetly pressed, framed, and hung in his study.

They were a gift after all…

Chapter Text

  Things between Virgil and his guard were getting a little too soft for Virgil’s liking. It was becoming impossible to ignore and was worsening by the day.

   The feelings he had for Roman were at first purely surface level. They were shallow, based only on appearance. They were nothing of substance. Nothing to worry about.

   Roman was obviously handsome, a little rugged sure, but still handsome. That was it. Nothing more. It wasn’t unlikely that Virgil would start to appreciate him for his looks. It was easy to indulge himself in a bit of eye candy. To gaze at him and want to know what the man would look like in his bed. But now it was starting to feel like something else. Something worse .

   He was starting to care for Roman in a way he didn’t think he was capable of. The desire he felt over the guard was much less primal than before, no longer purely physical. It was becoming deeper. More emotional and honest. More real .

   This little thing they had going on was feeling too much like actual affection. Like he truly cared for the man. It wasn’t quite love per say, Virgil doubted he was capable of it, but it was close enough. It was too vulnerable, too raw.

Virgil wanted Roman.

   He really did. In a way that almost hurt. He wanted him in full. He didn’t want a fling with Roman, no that would be too simple. Too easy. What Virgil wanted was an honest to god relationship with Roman. And he wanted it desperately.

   He wanted Roman all to himself. He wanted all that warmth and light to belong to him.He wanted to sweep Roman off his feet. To give him all the gifts his riches could offer, and keep the man by his side forever. To hold him and adore him. To love him, and be loved by him. And he wanted that love to be real . He wished more than anything that he could really truly love him.

    But he also wanted to hurt Roman, he wanted to hurt him so badly. He wanted to nearly as much as he wanted to love him.

   He wanted to tear the man apart. To see how easy it is to kill the mans spirit.To break the mans heart and watch him bleed. To pick and pull until Roman had no resemblance to his formal self. To toy with him, to see how far he would go to please his king.To add a few more little scars to his beautiful skin. To leave pretty bruises all along his body.

   It was a dark sickening kind of want that lay just beneath the honest affection. Pooling and bubbling up, ruining that perfect picture of romance.

   His nature was constantly in conflict with his heart. Thrashing against each other and harming everything in their wake. If he didn’t stop this It was going to tear him apart.

   And Roman? God what it would do to Roman.

   Those clashing desires would break Roman. They would Confuse him, make him question it all. It would make him fall and let him fall. Abuse the love Roman had for him. They’d fool him into thinking he was really truly loved then leave him without a moments notice. Betray Roman without hesitation. It would destroy him .

  Virgil couldn’t do that to him. He just couldn’t.

   Roman deserved better. He truly did. He deserved real love. A love born from admiration and trust. He deserved to be held. To be desired and adored. To have a love unsullied by blood. And that could never be a love he shared with Virgil.

    This could never end well for them.They were destined to fall apart. To hurt each other. They were destined to break.

Roman was getting too close.

And Virgil had to put an end to it.

————————————————————-

     Virgil decided he needed a distraction. He needed something to pull him away from Roman. Something to remind himself what he really wanted. To remind himself that Roman wasn’t worth the trouble. Not really.

   Since the guard had arrived Virgil’s bed had been completely empty. He hadn’t even thought about taking anyone to bed. He had hardly realized it, but Roman really did take up so much a space he couldn’t really consider anything but him.

   Virgil didn’t really like Roman that much, he just liked the thought of him. He liked the idea of it. The idea of someone being loyal to him. Of wanting him unconditionally. Of serving him not out of fear but adoration. But that wasn’t the truth.

   Roman wasn’t special. He wasn’t anything to Virgil. He didn’t matter. He was simply available. He was close and he was easy. Too easy.

   That’s why he was so sure a distraction would fix his problem. A little fling was sure to clear his mind. He convinced himself that he was only so caught up on his guard because he had nothing else to focus on. No one else to think about.

   He convinced himself that Roman only filled his every waking through, and his dreams at night, because the chill of his empty bed was starting to get to him. That had to be it.

   That means that all he needed to fix this was a chance to find a good distraction. Parties were always the best choice.There would be hoards of people coming to the castle. That meant it would be easy to find someone to toy with in the crowds.

It had to work. Now all he had to do was wait.

————————————————————-

   One of such parties was quickly advancing on the horizon.

   Perpetrations were already being made for the spring Galla. A gaudy event hosted every year on the last day of spring, just before the flowers begin to dry and wither.

   Huge bales of foliage were being hauled into the castle all hours of the day, from all across the kingdom. Flowers in pale pinks and vibrant blues, rich reds and sweet yellows bursting forth on every surface. Gorgeous flowers from every corner of the world.The most colors possible were on full display. At least the most ever seen inside the castle walls.

   Jars and vases overflowing with greenery were placed precariously on anything vaguely flat enough for it to balance. Rows of baby breaths, tulips, roses, carnations and any other flower under the sun were everywhere. It was certainly a sight to behold.

   Complex contraptions were being set up all around the palace to maintain each flowers ideal conditions. It was a constant battle.Servants ran back and forth with pitchers of water desperate to keep the plants alive to the day of the actual event.This year they had simply gone above and beyond.

Most years were much more tame, but now it seemed the king had someone he wanted to impress. Orders were given to make this the most spectacular gala they had ever had. And who were they to refuse their king, especially when he had been so amicable lately?

   They were greatly ahead of schedule.The final preparations were nearly in motion. Virgil’s delicately designed outfit for the occasion had been stunningly tailored and was going through the final stages of corrections 3 days ahead of when predicted.

  It was going just amazingly and Virgil was honestly very excited.But his nerves were getting to him the closer the date approached. These parties were some of the only positives about being king. But also some of the most nerve racking.

  The sheer volume of the outpouring of beautiful people and things were hard to ignore. It was most likely going to be the best Galla they had ever had. And this expectations were high.

  The beautiful people specifically were a point of great excitement and fear for the king. This would be the perfect chance to meet a lady, to take his mind away from his guard.It was imperative that he impressed this hypothetical girl. He had to sweep her off her feet and fast. He was nervous but it had to be done.

  One night spent in someone’s arms and he should easily forget all about Roman.

At least he hoped he would.

Chapter Text

Step one, inform Roman that their was nothing between them. He had to prove, not only to Roman but himself that there was nothing special about the guard.

He wasn’t looking forward to the conversation.

It just felt wrong, all of it. The thought of Roman being unremarkable rolled around in his heart, weighing it down in a way he would rather ignore.It was a very unclear way of describing his feelings in that moment but he could think of nothing better. And as Virgil strode down the hall, weaving between servants and floral displays with his guard trailing just behind, the feeling in his chest tightened with each step.

He noticed passively that the guard was actually trying to talk to him, but he was too far into his own head to consider responding. It didn’t seem to bother Roman much anyway. He seemed content to talk to himself, and pretended his king was listening.

“ Guard,” Virgil started, he might as well get it out of the way sooner rather than later, “ I’m sure you are aware of the upcoming spring gala?”

Roman didn’t even blink at the sudden interruption, he was always sweet like that when it came to Virgil’s curtness,” Yes your majesty, it would be difficult to miss it.” He gestured vaguely to the hoards of flowers littering the hallway to punctuate the statement.

“ That’s good, then hopefully that will make this conversation much less uncomfortable.“ The guard shot him a nervous look but Virgil elected to ignore it.

“ As you know a great many important people will be attending such an event, and for sake of political alliances it is crucial that I maintain a level of secrecy.” Roman nodded along, although he seemed confused as to how it applied to him. “ Thus my activity’s at such events need to stay out of view as much as possible.”

Virgil pulled in an unsteady breath, “ That is why you will not accompany me during the party.” Before he could continue Roman spoke up.

“ Your majesty, with all due respect that cannot be safe! I assure I am no danger to security and is it not my job to protect you?” The distress in his guards face was clear, this conversation was going to be a problem.

“ I attempted to give you an out Roman, please do not make me spell this out to you.”

“ But-“

“ Roman?” Virgil said in a calm tone, so quietly an untrained ear would almost consider it pleasant, but Roman was very well trained. The guard stilled. “ I’m sure you have the rumors about me and my behavior outside of my marriage.” A soft blush rose to his companions cheeks, a more than acceptable yes.” I’m glad, that makes things much easier for me.”

“ Well those rumors about me are true. I am going to do as I please at the gala, and if I so choose, obtain some company. And YOU are going to stay well away when I do so“ The two locked eyes for a moment, something in his guards eyes shifting with each shared breath. The grin plastered on his companion’s face chipped away ever so slightly.Things felt heavy with static, it nearly read as a challenge from his guard. But Roman was smarter than to think he could challenge him. He wouldn’t dare.

“ Have I made myself clear.” Virgil said. No matter how fond he was of the man no one got away with challenging him.

The guard lowered his gaze in a rough replica of a bow, his eyes hidden by unruly curls. No doubt he could feel the kings cold gaze burning into his skull. It was polite but did not at all read the docile respect it was supposed to.

Slowly Roman rose up to his full stature. He towed over his king, in a way Virgil had almost forgotten he could. The shadow the guard cast fell of his face, a the room chilled. Virgil had to look up slightly to maintain eye contact but he did not falter. And neither did his guard. Something dangerous flitted just behind Romans gaze, a sparkle that settled oddly in the back of Virgil’s brain.

“Are we clear Guard.”

Something soft snapped behind those warm amber eyes, before he spoke with a smile that looked a bit like the barring of teeth.

“ Yes your highness.”

————————————————————-

The night of the Gala began beautifully. It could seem to an uneducated eye that everyone in the whole of the world was in attendance. Every square foot was filled to bursting with nobles from all around, a near sea of people. Rows upon rows of beautiful people and things flooded in from the grand entry doors.

The dress code for the gala was strict and it had been followed to a T. Elegant gowns and suits of vivid purple and steely grey swept along the dance floor. The only colors other than the purples and blacks of the crown were small flowers, little things handed to guests as they arrived, pined to one’s breast pocket.The clinking of shoes and glasses rang out alongside the soft piano and strings, echoing off the high ceilings. Light from the chandelier flittered down onto the intricate beading and dew laden flowers, and shimmered.

Torches lit up the dark corners and warmth bounced along the walls. The dance floor bellowed and breathed like some magnificent beast. The rows of dancing partygoers swirled and twisted around one another, swapping partners all the while.

Ladies of every shape and size had put on their best silks in the hopes of Catching the kings eye. The rustle of petticoats and soft flutter of fans alerted of their every move. Jingling bells and sparkling stones were embroidered into the gowns and only added to the cheerful cacophony of noise.

And at the head of the beautifully extravagant room in a chair outfitted with florals bloomed in the kingdom colors, sat the most beautiful person of all, the king himself.

Finely dressed in nothing but the best, he was a sight to behold.

His usual shawl had been replaced with something lacy and light, and fresh flowers had been braided into his dark hair. His outfit was less flashy, but he had no reason to try and catch peoples attention, not when he already had it.

All eyes were on him and anything less would be disrespectful. He could feel every one of their hundreds of stares, they nearly warmed his face. But there was one pair of eyes Virgil was thinking of. Specifically because they weren’t on him. One pair that were missing.

His guard, now cleaned up in a delicately polished set of armor with small floral engravings along the edges, stood behind him stalk still, completely silent for the first time Virgil could remember. He loomed over his king shoulder starring straight forward, not once pausing to appreciate the surroundings. That burning gaze Virgil had come to expect was looking far beyond his king, instead at the ladies lined up to meet the king.

These guests were all Roman was focused on. Each greeting cause his guard to tense, Virgil could feel it. It was all Virgil could think about.

But he didn’t turn around. He too starred straight ahead, at the guests coming to meet him, and met them in turn with a smile. Good first impressions and the like.

Roman was just doing his job, Virgil was sure he would loosen up once the introductions were done.

Hopefully.

Chapter Text

After all the guests had arrived and been thoroughly greeted, Roman was dismissed. Virgil had said something to the effect of the guard needing some time off, but the man looked nothing but angry at the thought. He had stormed of without a word and Virgil had hardly caught a glimpse of him all night.

But Virgil had better things to do than worry about what a peasant thought of him- right? He couldn’t let this stop him.

With his guard dismissed he was free now to explore the event as he pleased. And once Virgil got a bit of alcohol in his system the rest of the night had passed in a blur. His anxieties were pushed far to the side and all he could think of was his next conquest. Only small things stuck in his head as the events of the evening blended together.

A dainty gloved hand grabbing his arm.

A press of lips against the shell of his ear.

Eyes trained on him. Eyes that could almost be mistaken for amber ones,but only if Virgil squinted.

Stumbling back to his chambers together, hand in hand with a stranger, her giggling tone grating on Virgil’s ears.

A too polite smile pressed to Virgil’s own.

Catching his hand on the door out of the party for one little glance back.

Those Amber eyes meeting his own for the first time all night just as he was about to slip away.

—————————————————————

The next morning Virgil had woken up much earlier than usual. Nearly 3 hours early in fact . He had to, So he could make sure the lady was out of his room as discreetly as possible.

He took little care with his guest. He simply ushered her out of his room at the crack of dawn - nearly shoving her through the door - and informed her of what exit to take to avoid being seen. The headache pounding in his scull did little to help his bad mood but the lady seemed to mind it very little. She simply thanked him, and then stumbled away, mumbling something about needing to get home soon.

Once that was all said and done he had a lot of extra time on his hands. He had not expected the lady to be as happy to leave at the crack of dawn as she seemed that morning, but once he found out she had a finance at home it made quite a bit more sense.He hadn’t really thought of what he would do in the time he had left over but opted not to resign himself to boredom.

He probably should have noticed the aforementioned fiancé the night before, and a spike of anxiety rose in his chest at the thought, before falling away once more. What happens has already happened. No need to fret over it now.

Instead of stewing in his own thoughts and waiting around for the time it would take for Roman to wake and come fetch him he decided to go get his guard instead. Give the fellow a good scare.

With this idea in mind he got ready for the day. He dressed quickly and simply, pulling on a light shawl to combat the rising temperatures, and decided to take the scenic route to the servants quarters. He had the time after all. No need to rush.

Virgil wandered quietly and leisurely through the halls, observing the servants rushing to set everything up for the day as well as clean up the mess from the night before. It was pleasant to take a step back and observe his kingdom, even on such a small scale.

He never caught the castle like this. It was usually completely silent by the time he awoke, but now it was alive and bustling with energy. At least until they noticed Virgil was there. Then all signs of life were quickly tucked away the second they knew he was coming.

He paid that thought little mind. He swiftly found his way to the servant quarters. These halls were much less grand than the public ones. They were cramped and empty, with very little decoration. It was all cold stone and rotting wood. He really needed to update them, now that he was seeing them again, he was sure his guard could hardly fit through a few of the doorways. That simply wouldn’t do.

He reached his guard’s door very quickly despite his easy pace. He knew which door was Roman’s without even having to check. The door was nothing special, the same dull shade of sickly gray as everything in the servants quarters, except for the fact that it was almost completely obscured by a gigantic bouquet of amber flowers. ( Flowers Virgil personally had sent to his guard, because they reminded him of Roman’s own eyes, to return the favor of course.)

But that had been weeks ago and now the flowers were far past wilted, and had faded to muddy browns and greens. Virgil had half a mind to be offended, then caught himself. The guard had no way to make the flowers last, no gardeners to come and care for them. No wonder they wilted. He made a mental note to send another before stopping himself mid thought.

Virgil was supposed to be stopping these feelings, and pampering his guard would do nothing to help that. To emphasize the thought to himself he crushed a wilted bud beneath the toe of his shoe.

Now back to the task at hand.

He paused a moment to consider what sort of greeting to give Roman. In the time since he had woken up he had yet to think of the proper way to go about this. It had to be something charming and friendly, to break the uncomfortable tension from earlier.

He took some time to think of this. Just because he wanted to create some distance between him and Roman didn’t mean they couldn’t be friends. Roman deserved that much respect at least. Once he had settled on a set of words he liked he leaned forward to knock on the door.

But before his hand ever met woods he stopped, frozen in his tracks. A soft sound came gently through the door. Gentler than the coo of a dove. It was just quiet enough that Virgil had to press his ear up to the door to properly hear it. But once he did his blood ran cold.

Sobbing.

It was clear as day. The gasps and heaving breaths echoed in his mind. It was the kind of sound you could never forget.

Virgil’s heart dropped like a stone, splintering into a thousand tiny pieces. This was all wrong. Wrong wrong wrong. This was the exact opposite of what he wanted. His chest pulled tightly and his eyes began to prick with burning tears of his own. A horrible feeling, one he had not experienced in decades, rose to his mind.

Guilt.

It was the feeling of undeniable, unshakable guilt. A kind of guilt he didn’t want to face. He couldn’t face.

He instead of facing it, of rushing in to apologize, to pull Roman into his arms and make things right, he ran. He returned to his own quarters without another thought. He walked through the halls as if a ghost, looking but not truly seeing. It was all too much for him to handle. He wasn’t used to feeling remorse over his actions.

Once he returned to his room he simply sat in silence. Guilt and shame swirled in his head. He stared at the ceiling and simply waited for his guard to arrive at his door. He was far too unsettled to do much of anything more.

When the guard finally did come around, an hour later than was normal, they didn’t say a world to each other. The tension from the night had multiplied tenfold. Neither one could look the other in the face.

And if Romans eyes were more red that day, and the next few days after, Virgil didn’t mention it.