Blue and Green Make The Sea

Chapter 2: The Runaways Meet The Captain

This was the full drawing I did for the cover, I'm very proud with how it turned out tbh. But yeah, hope y'all enjoy this one!!

Patton sat silently at the dinner table while his older brother and father talked...and talked...and talked some more. No one asked Patton about his day, or looked at him, or let him get a word in. Whenever he does, he always gets: "you're not going to be king Patton/why does it matter to you/you don't know anything about the villages, so don't try to find solutions to problems you know nothing about", so he stopped trying. At least the servants at the castle talk to him when he starts up conversations with them, because no one in his family does.

"Pat, eat," well, no one except Virgil. He's Patton younger brother, stepbrother to be specific. Virgil's mom came into the picture a few years after Patton's mom died from post-childbirth problems, and little three-year-old Patton took it upon himself to look after one-year-old Virgil. And now, twenty three years later, they're always there for each other.  Patton nodded and resumed eating, not really caring about what his father and brother were talking about.

"-And I believe we have found Virgil a suitor," until his father said that. Patton's fork slipped out of his hand and clattered onto his plate, it echoed in the small silent pause before Virgil's mother spoke up, saying how good that was. Patton looked over at Virgil, who looked paler than usual at the news. He knows Virgil doesn't want to be married to some princess so she can become queen, he and Virgil shared a lot throughout their childhood, Patton found out that included preferring princes to princesses. This makes Patton feel better over his selfish need to keep Virgil with him so he can protect the younger prince, an instinct he never grew out of, and he...Patton won't really know what to do with himself without Virgil.

It was after everyone had gone to bed when Patton ventured into Virgil's room, his younger brother still up and sitting on his bed, staring down at his lap.

"Virge?" Patton asked, slowly taking a few steps forward before regularly walking the rest of the way and sitting next to him. Virgil leaned on him and Patton wrapped his arm around Virgil's shoulders, his little brother needed him.

"I don't wanna be married to some prissy princess. I don't wanna be married, period," Virgil huffs. Patton opened his mouth, thinking over his options before saying something.

"You don't have to be married, Virge," Patton started slowly, "I - I was thinking - well, you see, there's a trade ship docking off soon, and - and I thought we could...leave together?" Virgil looked at him, and Patton squirmed a bit at his searching gaze.

"What do you mean? We just - run away? We can do that?" Virgil actually sounds hopeful at that, making Patton perk up. Maybe it wasn't a bad idea to bring this up.

"Yes, and I already have my bag packed," Patton told him, Virgil frowns at hearing that.

"So, if I said no, you were gonna leave without me?" he asked, looking at Patton, who frowns in thought.

"I...I don't know," he answered honestly. Patton never thought ahead if Virgil said no. Would Patton leave without him? Would he wait? While Patton pondered this, Virgil quickly grabbed a few things, and after Patton grabbed his they snuck out of the castle and onto the ship.

They're thankfully not ones to get seasick, how convenient despite rarely being on a boat. Soon after settling behind a few crates below deck, the boat gently rocked them to sleep.

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"Patton, Patton wake up!" Virgil shook him awake, panting slightly. When Patton sat up and the fog cleared away from his mind, he heard yells and fighting above them.