Janus lay shaking on the ground, breathing heavily and whimpering as pain forced its way through his body. He was bleeding, and a bruise was beginning to form along his chest. He lay curled on the ground, hands pulled close to his heart in an effort to protect them from any further damage. Remus wasn't too far away, sitting on the ground and leaning up against the wall as he nursed a wound. His shirt was soaked in blood, some of it not even his, and his hair in sweat, his fever had returned. Both boys glared up at the man and woman responsible for their pain. So much for avoiding furthering their injuries.

"Did you two know, that our kingdom's names aren't actually Light and Dark Realm?" The man asked them, neither responded and just continued to glare, "They actually got those names hundreds of years ago, given to them by other kingdoms. Eventually, it just stuck and the true names were lost in history. The Light Realm, Remus, was known as Pyrin. And our kingdom, Janus, was known as Vierwyn." The man smiled down evilly at the two boys,

"Named after two sisters, there's a legend of how our kingdoms began. Two sisters who fought and fought until they were driven apart, and even then they fought and fought. Even now beyond death it seems, they fight and fight. Ira believes they were cursed, I don't think-"

"What do you want?" Janus demanded.

The man looked back down at him disapprovingly, "I want, your brother"

"He'll be here soon," Janus said, "He'll be here with an army, and he and my uncle will run you through."

The man laughed as he kneeled down in front of Janus, "Oh Janus," he said with a smile, "You're not a child anymore, stop telling yourself these lies," He looked up at Remus, who sat up as tall as he could and tried to make himself look braver, "be more like your boyfriend here, he's given up on family."

"Virgie and Jan are my family now," Remus said through pained speech, "if you mean my parents and brother, they're idiots like you. Think I'm dead, wanted me dead, getting neither." He smiled at the man, the grin that scared so many others, "You see I'm like a really persistent goldfish. Every time you think I'm gonna die, I don't. Gotta catch you by surprise"

The man looked back at him, looking amused, "Very little of what you said is true. Your parents and brother never wanted you dead."

"They ordered an assassination on me, it sounds like they wanted me dead,"

"No, you idiot." The man said, "I ordered that assassination. And I thought it was carried out. But just like everything else, nobody got it right!" Remus froze. Janus stopped breathing, both draining of the little color they had left as the words sunk in. Remus's family didn't order the assassination. They hadn't wanted him dead. They could've sent him back, Tafe could have been arrested. So many things could've gone differently. And it was all this man's fault.

Remus had spent the last two years feeling nothing but anger and fear towards his family. He had thought that the next time he saw his brother they would each be on either end of a weapon. Because as much as he trusted and loved Janus he doubted they'd be able to negotiate a peace treaty with his homeland. There was just too much anger and bad history. The only way to end it would be something big. Something like what was going on now. He had assumed he'd see his brother and Roman would be surprised yes, for they thought he was dead, but would immediately recover and attempt to finish the job. And if Roman won he'd be as good as dead, no remorse, no mercy, just a quick and precise stab through the heart. Whereas if Remus won he knew he'd hesitate and make himself look weak. He probably wouldn't be able to kill Roman, maybe his parents, definitely Tafe, but never Roman. So....

Janus's glare grew while Remus shrank away and tried to process the information. "You bastard!" Janus screamed as he forced himself to sit up, "Do you have any idea how much you've hurt him?! I'm going to kill you! I'm going to kill you and then bring you back and do it again! I don't care if that kind of magic will kill me, It'll all be worth it and it won't be anything close to the pain you deserve for how many lives you've ruined! And-" Janus screamed in pain when the woman in the corner sent a spell at him.

"Janus!" Remus yelled loudly as he attempted to reach for him but was held back.

"Take Prince Remus down to the lower dungeon. Until Janus learns his manners again they will be separated," the man said before heading out the door.

Janus and Remus's eyes widened, "No wait," Janus begged, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry come back! I was rude! I didn't mean it! I'm sorry!" the words fell on deaf ears as guards forced Remus to his feet and out of the cell. Janus tried to get up and stop them, but fell back to the ground, too hurt to move. "Remus! Remus!"

Remus struggled, each movement hurting more than the last, "It's fine Jan," he said as he stopped fighting, "It's fine, I'll see you soon."

"Bring him back, please! Please! I'm sorry!" Janus begged, ignoring his boyfriend's assurances. Finally able to drag himself to the bars of the prison.

"I love you, Dee!" Remus shouted from the last doorway before it slammed shut behind him, leaving Janus alone in the smaller dungeon.

He gripped a bar tightly, tears falling down his face and sobs breaking from his throat. Fear, anger, and grief catching up to him all at once, "I love you too, Remus."

Virgil hissed in pain as Patton helped him down the steps of the inn. He was far from healed, but they had to keep moving. Logan had performed a healing spell on him and would do so again that evening in an attempt to speed up the process, other than that though there was nothing they could do. Logan's arm was in a homemade sling and sore but other than that he was fine, though Roman and Patton still refused to allow him to carry his own bags. Roman was loading up Logan's horse for this reason, despite his protests.

The princes had barely even looked at each other since the day before when Roman had basically accused Virgil and his family of manipulating and kidnapping Remus. Logan and Patton were not surprised, both princes were stubborn, both cared deeply for the Remus, but neither knew what truly happened that night.

Roman finished helping Logan and looked over at them. He sighed as he watched Patton try and figure out a way to help Virgil onto Lucy without getting hurt before approaching the two. He didn't even say anything before attempting to lift Virgil off the ground and onto the horse. Instantly Virgil screamed as he began to punch and kick to get free, he was about to reach for his sword as well before Patton stopped him. "Roman put him down now!" Patton demanded as he kept Virgil's hands away from his sword.

"I'm just trying to help."

"Now!" Patton repeated.

Roman rolled his eyes and placed Virgil back on the ground. Virgil's breath was heavy and fear filled his eyes as he wrapped his arms around Patton. "I was just trying to-"

"Roman maybe it'd be better if you kept your distance from Ann for a bit," Patton told him. Roman stared at the two for a moment before stomping toward Jezebel. He mounted her before immediately breaking into a conversation with the horse, it was obvious to any of them that the words were angry. "Did he hurt you, Ann?"

Virgil shook his head, somehow Roman had managed to avoid that when he had picked him up, the only result had been fear. Patton nodded in understanding before finally succeeding in helping Virgil onto Lucy and going to mount his own horse. The youngest glanced over at the other prince before sighing and pulling the hood of his cloak up.

Virgil led the way, keeping the horses going at a quick pace while the others trailed behind him. He wanted to stay as far from Roman as possible, and the desperation to get to his brother and Remus faster had grown. They were following clues that could've led to a dead end. What if they were wasting their time? What if they never found Remus and Jan?

Virgil knew they weren't dead. Or at least, in his last vision, he had with them they had been alive. How long ago was that now? Sometimes the visions blurred together and he didn't know which one happened when. He knew his last vision had been when he was escaping those wizards. Honestly, though, he was getting terribly lucky with these visions. Warning him of things before they happened, telling him and assuring him his brother and friend were alive, helping him keep himself and the others safe.

He was just worried about when his luck was gonna run out. Because let's face it, it had to run out eventually. And then where would he be? Standing on the sharp end of a sword? Falling off a cliff? In the hands of whoever fault, this was? Maybe he'd be half-dead and rotting on the forest floor. Or maybe he'd be on his way back to tell his uncle and Roman's parents where these people were when suddenly he got an arrow to the back. Maybe it'd be an animal, a bear or wolf or mutated demon monkey jumping out from the trees and mauling him to bits before the others could step in. Wherever he was, he just hoped that he'd be able to save Janus and Remus before it happened.

While Virgil thought of ways he could die on the journey Roman was in the back of the group, forty or so feet away from Virgil. Logan and Patton were up ahead talking about certain plants, the conversation would bore Roman terribly which was probably one reason he hadn't joined them up there. Another was that he was still angry and venting to his horse, who every once in a while would neigh or huff and Roman would treat it as if it had been a response.

Really though, he didn't know who he was angry at. He knew he should be thankful of Virgil. His family had saved Remus. He and his brother and his friend Remy could've just left him to bleed out on the forest floor. But even when finding out he was the prince they had not only saved him but even tried protecting him from his father. And when Remus confessed to them that he didn't know if he'd be safe in the Light Realm they had offered to get him somewhere he would be safe until eventually, it turned into an offer to move in with them.

They had befriended him. Remus was dating one of them even, and in love with them. He honestly couldn't imagine his brother in love, but whenever Virgil shared anything about their brothers' relationship it definitely seemed like love. It definitely seemed like love when Virgil said that Remus would throw Janus over his shoulder and run around the castle whenever he was in a mood because as much as Janus would scream obscenities at him he knew it really did put him in a better mood. It definitely seemed like love when Virgil told Roman about the time Remus shared some Light Realm holiday traditions and Janus went out of his way to find all the ingredients to make this weird cake and even made a big show of eating it when Remus said it wasn't gonna taste good only for Remus to tell him that it wasn't the type of cake you eat and you were supposed to leave it outside for gnomes which weren't even native to the Dark Realm.

Roman had never thought his brother would fall in love before him. After all, it had always been Roman who liked reading love stories and who would swoon over romantic gestures. It had been Roman who would stop breathing every time his latest crush walked into the room wearing something that looked amazing on them. It was Roman who wanted a cliche love story with life-saving kisses and white weddings a week after meeting them. And it was Remus who would make fun of him for that. And Remus who would steal the outfit he wore before a ball. It was Remus who threw a ball of mud at the first guy he had a crush on and then called it playing hard to get even after Patton ended up doing a little recon and found out that the guy was straight. So learning that his brother had fallen in love before he had, it was honestly one of the most unbelievable things he had ever heard.

So yeah, when you thought about all they had done for his brother to keep him safe, happy, and loved, he really should've been thankful to Virgil and his family. But he couldn't find it in him to stop being angry. He couldn't find it in him to not yell at Virgil because they hadn't sent them a letter. He couldn't find it in him to not be mad that they hadn't tried to convince Remus to go home. He couldn't find in him to not be frustrated that a messenger hadn't been sent. That nobody had told them that his brother was alive.

It had hurt.

Being told that he was never going to see Remus again.

That his body would forever be stuck in the Dark Realm.

It had been terrifying, whenever he remembered another thing he would never get to see or do again. Every time he saw something cool and had to stop himself from saying "I can't wait till I tell Remus about this." And it had been terrifying waking up every day and not getting to see him because he thought his brother was dead. And it had been an unbearable experience to be announced the crown heir of the Light Realm without his brother standing there next to him. His brother was always so important to him. They were always close even if they didn't always get along.

Best of friends.

Thick as thieves.

Two peas in a pod.

Inseparable since birth...

And then ripped apart.

So yes. He was angry that it took him two years to find out his brother was alive, only for there to be a chance that he could be taken away all over again. He was angry that nobody had told him or his family. He was angry that Virgil and his brother had had him for two years all to themselves. He was angry that Remus had really thought he would ever let his parents do that to him.

Really, he was just angry.