Fall With Me [Prinxiety/Loceit]

Chapter 25 - Persuasion

[psa: others' safety is a good exchange for freedom. virgil is talking about roman's safety and roman's freedom. wear ur goddamn masks.]

The sun. 

Virgil was right, he would probably die without the sun. His parents would let hi go outside, but only for a few minutes at a time. And with the week spend underground, he was looking paler than usual, and his freckles had faded away. Which was a disgrace. 

He unlocked his window, pushing the frames outwards and breathing in the air. He wanted to go outside, so, so badly. But he knew that if he was caught, he would be in even more trouble. They might restrict him even more. So he stuck to staying in windowsills.

A bright blue bird fluttered in, landing on his bed. They dropped a letter from their beak, fluttering back. 

It seemed to be...nodding? 

Roman walked over to his bed and knelt at the foot of it, offering out his hand. "Well, hey there, little guy," he whispered as the bird stretched upwards before shaking out its feathers. "You're a smart one," he laughed, reaching for the letter and opening it quickly.

trust me.

-virgil

"Okay then," he muttered to himself, confused. The bird flapped a few times and soared up to Roman's shoulder, chirping desperately. "What're you trying to tell me, buddy?" he asked, watching as it flew over to the handle of his door, shifting from one foot to the other. "You want me to go outside?" he questioned.

The bird nodded.

Roman laughed. Birds couldn't nod. They shouldn't.

And yet this one was, stamping its feet on the metal handle. 

"Okay, okay," he relented, walking over. It fluttered up to his shoulder again as he unlocked the door, checking both ways before leaving, shutting it behind him. "Which way should we go?" he asked, humouring the tiny guy as it stretched its neck towards the left. "Okay then."

He followed the bird's directions, finally reaching the side doors to the throne room. He reached out, but hesitated when he heard muffled voices inside. 

"Are you sure about this?" He felt sort of dumb, asking a bird about going through a door, but it seemed smart enough, so...might as well.

The bird hopped down his arm, jumping on the handle once more and nodding aggressively. 

"Alright, alright." Roman scooped it up and placed it onto his shoulder, quietly opening the door.

"...have to let Roman come back, sir." He heard a familiar voice and slid inside, shutting the door softly behind him. "You don't know what the Academy means to him."

"We have decided-"

"Please." The voice cracked slightly and paused, and Roman's heart soared as he recognized it. Virgil. "Let me explain."

"...Continue."

"I'm not him, but being there, it...makes him happy." He saw a smile form on his face from his place in the shadows. "He's in his element. Not just with the fighting, sir, but the curriculum, the people. He's radiant." Roman blushed but didn't say anything. "I understand that you want to protect him, your majesty, but what is safety at the sake of freedom?" He broke from his respectable stance, taking a step forward and gesturing with his hands. "We can keep him safe."

A long, uncomfortable pause. "You would protect him?"

"Yes, sir." Silence. "It's...my fault that he got hurt, anyway. And I-"