"...And when the gods found out, they sent Tantulas to the underworld and made him stand in a pool of water under the fruit tree. Every time he reached for the fruit the branches would go higher and when he'd reach for the water, the water would lower" Remus said, a smile somehow on his face. The children in the prison smiled as they huddled together in front of him, listening

"Another Prince Intrusivity!" The small child in his lap said excitedly. Remus's smile grew slightly soft at the name. About a year after he had started dating Janus the royal family had sat him down and had asked if he would like to be given a trait name, which would mean officially becoming a citizen of the Dark Realm. Remus had almost cried when they asked him and had hugged all of them. Hugged and kissed Janus, hugged King Harper, even managed a hug from Virgil. He had gone through the ceremony and everything, sure it had been a little weird lining up with a bunch of thirteen-year-olds, but he had done it and as he stepped down off that podium an extra name had been added to him.

Intrusivity, apparently a rare trait name and not one that was normally taken well. But Remus loved it, it felt right and he liked how it sounded and he liked what it meant. He also likes how sometimes it meant that people would call him Prince Intrusivity instead of Prince Remus. In the Dark Realm, people of royalty or high-class were known by their trait names until the title is passed down. Since Remus's mother was still queen, he sometimes went by Intrusivity. He liked that, it made him feel more Dark Realm and less Light Realm.

Remus nodded and was about to think of another story when the sound of a door opening and closing, followed by footsteps echoed down the hall. The children began to whimper and cry, by now they had all learned what the sound meant. It meant the 'bad people' were coming. That if they didn't listen to them they might get hurt. The children moved closer together, the child in Remus's lap wrapped his arms tightly around Remus making him have to suppress a gasp of pain when the child put pressure on an injury.

The guards stopped in front of their prison and as one pulled out a set of keys another yelled at them all to stand against the walls. The children scrambled to follow their commands, terrified of what would happen if disobeyed. Remus glared at them but listened just like the children. He had promised Janus he wouldn't try not to get any more hurt and that he would survive this. He couldn't afford any more injuries, he had to listen.

But when the group of guards pulled him away from the group the child that had sat on his lap began to cry and grabbed onto Remus's leg, "Don't go, Prince! Don't go!" the child begged. One of the guards barked at him to get against the wall at him but it only made the child hold tighter to Remus. Before Remus could do anything to stop them the guard ripped the child away from Remus and shoved him into the wall, the other children screamed as they kicked the sobbing child before Remus did his best to jump away from the other guards and in front of the child, furthering his injuries.

"Leave him alone!" He yelled loudly as he continued to shield the child from attacks, "They're just kids and they're just scared! Touch any of them again and I'll light you on fire than peel off your burnt skin like a banana peel and feed it to the wolves"

The guard who had attacked the child first was about to pull his sword and Remus braced himself before another stopped him, "Leave it!" she yelled at them, "He's the biggest leverage they got on the Crown Prince. Let's just get him back before we get a demerit." The other guards nodded before Remus was dragged to his feet.

Again the kids began to cry, Remus had brought a feeling of safety to them. These were just some of the many children who had been separated from their parents during the attack. They had been caught but their parents remained at home, alive or dead was unclear. Remus was the only 'adult' that had been on their side since they arrived here. And the way he was able to make a guard run scared just by looking at them made them all laugh and feel safe. They liked the stories they told, even if some of them were a little gruesome, and they liked how he told them that they would all get out of here that he would make sure of it no matter what. They didn't want him to be taken away. What if they hurt him more or they didn't bring him back? What if Remus couldn't keep his promise and he couldn't get them out? Or if he forgot about them? If they took him away it would mean nobody could protect them anymore, why couldn't they just let him stay?

"Shut them up!" The last guard yelled, banging his weapon against the old metal bars and making some of the kids fall silent while two others only cried louder. Remus glared at them before turning back to the children as two other guards pushed him away.

"It's okay kiddo's," Remus said, memories of his old friend Patton coming to mind "They're just taking me back to Crown Prince Jannie. I'll be okay and so will you guys okay? I'll do anything I can to keep these Cotton Headed Ninny Muggins from hurting any of you." He was getting farther from them now but the children had calmed slightly, "I'll back! When we get out of here I'll come back! We'll save everyone and torch this place to the ground and get you all back home safe and sound okay? Just think of all these dumb-dumbs impending deaths while you wait for my return. Jenny and Bradley, keep braiding hair it's good practice for their organs. Luna and Carl you two got some wicked purple nurples. And Jimmy, you got a pair of K-9's I've never seen before! Keep practicing those bites okay? Spread the word! You're our voices and our future! We're gonna need all of you rascals for the revolution! " By this time Remus was shouting it loudly as the guards finally got him out the last door, the children laughing slightly as he was pulled away and the door closed behind the group of guards. Even groups in other cells were laughing slightly at his words, feeling safer now even if it was only by a little bit.

They pulled Remus up and down long flights of steps and hallways, he wouldn't be surprised if they had been taking him in circles seeing as he was sure he had seen the painting of a creepy old guy three times. They finally took him up one last flight of steps before opening a door and leading him down a now-familiar hall with wooden doors and small windows instead of the metal bars like the other cells had. The female guard unlocked the for before Remus was pushed inside, he fell to the ground hard and groaned slightly before a pair of arms appeared around him and kisses were being pressed against his face. "Miss me much Jannie?"

"I was so worried about you, you stupid loveable idiot!" Janus cried as he held Remus tightly.

Remus laughed, "I was only gone a few days,"

"Remus you had no idea what I thought they were doing to you!" Janus said, still not letting go of Remus, "You had me looking like Virgil over here!"

"Aw don't worry about me Jan. They just stuck me in with a bunch of strangers"

"They didn't hurt you did they?"

"Oh no all five of them jumped me," Remus said with a smile

Janus looked mortified, "They what?"

"Did some damage to, this gal Luna undid some of the stitches and I started bleeding all over the place. And this guy Jimmy, he bites hard Jannie."

"Bites?"

"Oh yeah but we're friends now. He invited me to a sleepover at his house when we get out of here. I told him his mom and you would have to talk"

Janus stared blankly at him for a moment before sighing, "These are children aren't they?" Remus nodded with the widest smile on his face, "Remus, I thought we talked about saying yes when kids asked you over to sleepovers"

"I didn't say yes though. I said his mom and you would talk"

Janus smiled lightly as he gave Remus another kiss and hugged him again, "I'm just happy you're safe"

"Of course Jannie, I promised you. And unlike a certain snake I know I keep to my word"

Janus laughed, " I love you so much, Remus"

"Love you too Double-Dee"