Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Many years ago, the land was ruled by a just King and Queen, who cared for their subjects as their own children. For years they did all they could for their people, and then they had a child of their own. They tried to raise him to be kind and considerate of all people’s needs, just as they were.

But the young prince was only interested in what he could gain from others. He gathered and hoarded objects in his room, even stealing them away from his parents just to have for himself.

His parents were disappointed, but never gave up on trying to teach their child compassion and empathy. He rolled his eyes, he ignored their lessons, he pushed away their love for material things that made him happy.

After the prince turned eighteen, the King and Queen left to visit a neighboring kingdom with a large entourage of palace staff, and the prince stayed behind with a select few to watch the castle and learn what it would be like to rule on his own. They left him with a kiss on each cheek and a promise to return soon.

That night, a stranger approached the castle and knocked quietly on the door. It was late, and the prince was curious, and so he opened the door to a hunched woman wearing a tattered old cloak.

She asked the prince if he might be able to offer her a moment of his time, to speak with him about an issue that had been plaguing her home village. She’d come all this way to speak with the King or Queen, she told him, and if she could just spend a night in the castle and speak with him come morning, she would then be on her way.

The prince laughed. Perhaps his father or mother would welcome a stranger into their castle, even wake up the cook to make sure she had a warm meal.

But he wasn’t like his parents and their bleeding hearts. The prince sneered at the woman, and told her she could sleep outside and wait for his parents to return. She asked him once more, if she could just have a warm and dry place to sleep.

The prince rolled his eyes and told her to get lost, moving to slam the door in her face. She grabbed the door before he could, forcing it open and stepping across the threshold. She threw off her hood and stood up straight, revealing her true nature.

The woman was beautiful, in an ethereal, otherworldly way. But the prince was not concerned with her beauty - he was only concerned in the dark aura that was beginning to swirl around her.

He recognized this magic, and felt his stomach jump into his throat. He began to backpedal, apologizing to her and offering her the best room in the castle. He offered to wake the cook and prepare her a meal fit for a king. He offered her riches from their treasury.

But she did not accept. Her eyes glowed dark, her scleras deep black and irises a menacing orange. She held a hand out towards the prince, her palm holding a swirling, powdery looking substance.

“Selfish prince, you have always taken whatever you wanted with no regard for others. No longer. I curse you, take the form of the heartless beast you truly are!”

She took a breath and blew the powder into his face. The prince coughed, and stumbled, his eyes and throat burning.

His vision blurred, and he blinked rapidly as his knees gave out beneath him. His breath started coming in ragged gasps as the burning spread from his throat into his chest, and he begged the woman - no, the fairy - to make it stop. Just make it stop!

“You will stay this way until you learn to care for others, to love someone without expecting anything in return. Until then, suffer in this form your soul has taken.”

With his fate sealed, the prince’s vision faded to black and he collapsed to the floor, his body no longer human.

~~~

“Logan, I left a list and some money on the counter for when you go into town today! Please make sure to pick up everything, I’m making your favorite tonight!”

The teenager nodded at the reminder, barely paying attention anymore since his father had already repeated it three times in the past ten minutes. He sat in his favorite chair beside the window, curled up with a book in his lap while his father rushed around the room, grabbing tools and setting them down in another place when he got distracted.

Logan snapped his book shut, sighing loudly. “Father, you need to slow down. This new invention of yours isn’t going anywhere.”

“Ah, but it will! That’s the whole point! This will be the greatest invention since the wheel! And I must complete it as soon as possible, the world cannot be without it for another minute!”

“We have lived without it until now, I think we can wait long enough for you to take your time and not run around like... well, like you are. Where is your apron? Holding your tools all in one place will make it so you can complete this project faster.”

The man gasped in surprise and rushed over to Logan, hands on his shoulders and shaking his son emphatically. “Logan, you’re a genius! Why didn’t I think of that!?”

Logan, used to his father’s shenanigans at this point, merely stood up and walked over to the counter, picking up the list written in chicken scratch. “I’ll be out for a while. You’re sure this is all you need?”

“Yes, yes! Oh, and more oil, this is squeaking!” He added, testing the axis on his cart. Logan rolled his eyes - he’d surely think of at least three more things he needed within minutes of him leaving. He jotted it down on the list and stuffed it in his pocket, turning to leave but getting caught up in his father’s outstretched arms.

“I love you Logan, you know that right? My brilliant, amazing son.”

Logan patted his father’s hand, acknowledging his declaration. “Yes, I know, you tell me every day.”

“Because you need to know!”

“I’ll be heading into town now, Father. Go back to your tinkering.”

“Oh, say hi to that lovely boy Roman for me if you see him! You should bring him around more often, I do adore telling him my stories!”

“I’ll do that.” Logan told him, promising himself to do no such thing. He stepped outside into the morning light, taking a deep breath through his nose.

The town square was beginning to wake, people scurrying here and there and paying him no mind. That was exactly how he liked it.

The townspeople found him odd, from how he spoke to his obsession with escaping from the world with his books, to his rejection of the town hero’s affections. Not to mention his father’s eccentric mannerisms and wacky inventions that only worked the way they were meant to about 20% of the time.

Logan didn’t mind. Or rather, he’d taught himself not to care. He had his father, and his books, and that was all he needed to be happy. Ever since his mother had passed away, he and his father had thrown themselves into their respective interests to distract from the pain.

He pulled out the list. He was in town, it would be best if he could do all the shopping before it got too crowded, and then perhaps he could spend the rest of this refreshing day reading in the sun. Logan sighed with a contented smile. Perhaps he’d treat himself and get a new book today.

With that calming thought in mind, he set off to the first shop, to get that oil that his scatterbrained father had requested.

~~~

With his arms loaded down with various parts and food, Logan was able to cross off the last item off the list. He glanced upwards to the sky - it was already far past noon, and there were dark storm clouds forming on the horizon. He pursed his lips - perhaps he’d be spending the evening inside instead. Regardless, he decided as he rummaged around his pocket, he still had enough spare change to get a new book for himself, and make this day not a complete waste of time.

When Logan stepped into the bookshop, he took a deep breath through his nose. The smell of books was the second best smell in the world, just behind his father’s freshly baked croissants topped with homemade jam.

“Why would you look who it is, my favorite customer!” The old woman who ran the shop welcomed him with a one armed hug, holding a stack of books taller than herself in the other. “How are you doing, Logan sweetie?”

“I’m doing just fine, thank you.” He nodded to her, setting his items down in the corner to take half of her pile into his arms. “Please be careful with these, there’s no rush.”

“Oh, thank you sweetheart. And how is your father doing? I’ve hardly seen him in weeks! Don’t tell me he’s holed up in his cave working on some invention again?” Logan shrugged at her with a smile that told her that was exactly what had happened. “Ah, that Emile, so concerned for the wellbeing of others. Make sure he doesn’t starve himself again trying to get it done as fast as possible, you hear?”

“Of course, Mrs. Berry. He’s promised to stop and make dinner tonight. I was looking for something new, actually. Storms are approaching, I feel as though tomorrow will be best spent inside with a good book.”

The elderly woman sighed. “Ah, if only more people felt the same as you, I’d be a much richer woman.” She chuckled, waving her hands at the stacks of books that had been set on the counter. “Take your pick, dear. A brand new batch just came in from the next town over. I think I spotted a few in here that you may enjoy.”

Logan checked over the pile quickly. Most of the books were historical or reports of some kind, but one book caught his eye. It was a simple leather bound journal on the top of the pile, and Logan grabbed it and held it up, curious.

“Yes, I thought that one was odd as well. It’s an old journal that’s found its way into our rotation. I took a look at it when it arrived, and it tells a story about a king and queen who used to live in the castle on the horizon. I doubt it’s true, though. More likely it’s a fanciful tale written by someone with a wonderful imagination.”

The teen examined the journal a bit closer. The binding was breaking down, and the handwriting inside was smudged and fading. The book had clearly been well-loved for a long time, and flipping through the book he could see why. It told a fantastical story about a castle cursed by fate itself, turning it into a dark and dismal place full of terrifying creatures bent on spilling blood.

“I’ll take it,” he heard himself saying without thinking. Mrs. Berry smiled at him knowingly.

“I had a feeling you might like it. It reminded me of all the stories your father loves to tell.”

Logan nodded, not meeting her eyes as he dug out some coins to give her. It did remind him of the fairy tales his father loved to tell, spinning a world out of words. But it wasn’t the story itself that evoked such feelings of longing in him.

“Yes... I suppose it is like something he would tell.”

She wrapped the book up for him in a scrap piece of cloth and tied it with twine, and he tucked it under his arm to gather the rest of his stuff. He thanked her softly and she sent him off with a wave, going back to sorting through her new stock.

~~~

Logan shifted all his bags to one hand and unwrapped his new book to read as he walked, expertly navigating the crowded streets without looking up.

The beginning of the journal was relatively mundane, a day to day journal that was mostly boring. He deduced soon enough that the author was traveling back from another country with the royal family. That in itself was odd - they hadn’t had a standing monarchy in decades, perhaps even a century. If this journal was true, it would explain why it was in such bad shape.

Despite the story being mundane, Logan found himself drawn into the story. The author, whose name he’d found out was Valerie, had neat, slightly curly handwriting and her specific style of telling the story got him invested.

Valerie spoke a lot of her friends, both the ones she was traveling with and the ones left back home at the castle. It was clear she was a person everyone got along with, as there were many names mentioned and she even seemed to be on speaking terms with the king and queen themselves.

Logan was in the middle of reading about how Valerie had spoken with the king and queen about their prince who they’d left behind to take care of the castle when he slammed directly into a human wall, his bags falling heavy to the ground with him following not far behind. Logan groaned, rubbing at his aching forehead. “Ow...” he groaned.

“Why, if it isn’t my favorite bookworm! What are you doing on the ground, you’re seeing my worst side!”

Logan inwardly sighed, keeping his eyes locked on the ground as he scrambled to pick up everything and dust the dirt off. A pale hand reached out to him and he was helped up by a cloaked figure that followed the town hero like a shadow.

“Thank you, Virgil.” Logan nodded to him, and Virgil minutely nodded back.

“What is this? I didn’t think you kept a diary, Logan!”

“Roman, please give that back.” Logan droned, monotone.

The town hero glanced at him with piercing brown eyes. He snapped the book shut, which made Logan wince for the book, and Roman tossed it to the side and stuck his arm out to catch Logan from running after it.

“Reading about heroes is all well and good, but why just read about them when you have a hero right here! I’ll be happy to tell you all about the many, many times I have saved the town!”

Keeping his lips tightly pressed together to avoid saying anything he might regret, Logan calmly pushed Roman’s arm away from him and retrieved the book from the ground, brushing off the dirt.

“That’s a very... generous offer, Roman, thank you.”

Roman tossed his head and ran his hand through his hair, flashing a grin. He slung an arm around Virgil, who rolled his almost inhumanly blue eyes and pulled his hood back tightly over his head.

“This guy here is such a wet blanket, he always just sits in the corner and ignores me!”

“Imagine that.” Logan mumbled. Roman either didn’t hear him or didn’t care.

Virgil pushed Roman away, tugging at his hood as it started to fall. “Roman, let’s just go. I don’t think Logan cares about your bragging.”

Roman ignored his friend and stepped into Logan’s personal space, taking his hand in his. Logan had to look up to meet Roman’s eyes, which made Logan’s stomach stir uncomfortably. The look on the hero’s face made Logan shrink back, but he couldn’t go far as Roman wrapped his free arm around Logan’s back.

“You know, Logan, you have very pretty eyes. I think you’d be happier if you used them to look at other things besides books.”

Logan laughed awkwardly, trying to push him away but Roman’s strong arms kept him trapped. “That’s, ah, very kind of you.” He tried to look down, but Roman tilted his chin up with the hand that was holding Logan’s.

“Come on now, am I really that ugly that you can’t even look at me?” Roman pouted. Logan felt obligated to shake his head adamantly.

“N-No, that’s not it, I just... I...!”

He froze as Roman smirked, raising Logan’s hand to his lips and placing a kiss to the back of Logan’s hand. “Good, I was starting to think you didn’t actually like me.”

“I...”

“I’m having a party at the tavern tomorrow night, celebrating my latest victory. You should come, Logan. I have something I want to ask you.” Roman whispered huskily, giving Logan chills for all the wrong reasons.

Logan chuckled, managing to separate himself from Roman and collect himself. “Why not just ask me now?”

Roman didn’t answer, he just laughed and winked at Logan before brushing past him, making sure to bump shoulders with Logan. Virgil watched Logan silently for a moment, his face unreadable in the shadow cast by his thick hood. Logan took a deep, shaky breath, trying to bring his racing heart back down to a normal rate.

He tucked his book under his arm and ran home, slamming the front door and dropping the bags on the counter before rushing into his room and leaning up against the door, his legs giving out on him. Logan tried to convince himself that his ragged breathing and racing heart was now only because of his sprint.

He wasn’t panicking, he told himself as he wrapped his arms around his knees. He was fine, he said as tears starting leaking down his cheeks. Nothing was wrong with him, he insisted as he heard his dad knock on his door, concerned about hearing his son crying alone.

“Logan, please open the door. What happened? Logan, sweetheart, please let me in.” His dad begged him, and Logan took a shaky breath before staggering to his feet and opening the door for his father, whose eyes widened to the size of dinner plates when he saw the state his son was in.

“Logan, are you ok?!” He asked, tackling his son in a tight hug. Logan was barely able to squeak out an ‘I don’t know’ before he broke completely, hugging his dad back tightly, dying for any semblance of normalcy.

Emile was even more worried as his son cried his heart out in his arms. He rubbed Logan’s back, hushing him just like he did when Logan was just a baby. Slowly the hysterical crying slowed and Logan was able to collect himself enough to step back, wiping at his face with his sleeve.

“I’m sorry, I just... I don’t know what... what happened, I...” he stuttered, and Emile took Logan’s arm and gently guided them to the bed where he sat Logan down and knelt before him to be at his eye level.

“Take a deep breath, Logan. I’m not mad at you, and whatever happened, I just want to understand so I can help. Do you think you can tell me?” He gently probed, and Logan nodded, biting his lip.

“It’s stupid, though.”

“Nothing is stupid when it comes to feelings, Logan.” Emile scolded, and Logan smiled sheepishly.

“I went into town and got everything for you, and after that I stopped into the bookshop.” Emile smiled - that wasn’t exactly a surprise. He’d slipped in some extra coins to the shopping money for that reason. It was one of the few things Logan would treat himself with.

“After that, I was walking home reading my new book when I ran into Roman... uh, and I mean that literally.” Emile smiled at him, encouraging him to continue. Logan looked down at his hands, twisting them nervously.

“He, uh... well, among other things, he invited me to a party tomorrow night. At the tavern. For, uh... celebrating his latest victory, or something.”

His father pursed his lips. That didn’t seem like something Logan would get so worked up over, to the point of hysterical tears. Emile gently patted his leg.

“Was that all? Logan, you know you can tell me anything.” And Logan did know that. His father was the most supportive person in his life, and he knew he would understand if Logan told him the truth.

Which is why he surprised even himself when he shook his head and told his father that yes, that was all, and he wasn’t sure why it was even a big deal to him in the first place.

His father didn’t seem to believe him, but he smiled softly, deciding not to pry.

“Well, that’s good, right? Roman is nice, and going to a party could be fun, right?”

Logan nodded numbly as his father got off the ground and sat next to him on the bed, it sinking under his weight. Emile put a comforting arm around his son’s shoulders and pulled him closer. He rubbed at his shoulder with his thumb.

“I know you aren’t exactly... comfortable with large crowds, and I don’t want you to think you have to go at all.”

“But you think I should.”

Emile sighed. “I think it would be good for you, to talk to people a little more. I know ever since... ever since your mother passed, you’ve preferred books to other people, but... I think it would be good, just for one night, to spend some time in a fun, lively environment like that.”

Logan pursed his lips. His father was probably right. He loved reading, and loved his books, but it had been a while since he’d truly spent time with other people. He was rusty, out of practice.

“Besides, maybe you’ll find yourself someone nice to bring home to your old man, hm?” Emile teased, ruffling Logan’s hair. Logan swatted his hand away, rolling his eyes.

“Don’t get your hopes up, Father.” Emile chuckled - there was his Logan.

“Ah, well, one can dream, right? Now, up we go, I could use an extra set of hands to get dinner started!” Logan nodded, and he followed his father to the kitchen. They both pulled on matching aprons, a habit left over from when Logan’s mother insisted they wear them whenever they were in the kitchen.

Emile’s was bright and made of colorful scraps she’d held onto over the years. It fit him perfectly, both in shape and in personality. Logan’s was much more muted, made from an old dress of hers when she’d decided she didn’t want it anymore. It was a dark blue, almost black fabric with a very simple cut.

Logan was smoothing his apron when he caught sight of a paper pinned under one of the bags he’d brought home, that he hadn’t noticed before in his rush. With a raised eyebrow he tugged it out and flattened it, scanning it quickly.

“Father...? What is this?”

Emile turned from his preparations and his eyes widened. “Oh, yes, that. I was going to tell you about it when you came home, and then... well, anyways, that came for me today. I was invited to be a storyteller for a festival in the next town over.”

“Well, that’s wonderful, you haven’t had an opportunity like this for a long time. You’re going, of course?”

Emile paused, and Logan narrowed his eyes. “Father? You’re going, right?”

“Well, I was planning on it, but with what happened today...”

Logan sighed, shaking his head. “I’m fine, Father. You don’t need to turn something like down for me. I know how much you miss doing that.”

His father was avoiding his gaze, and trying to keep a neutral expression. “Logan, you came home in tears, when I haven’t seen you cry in actual years. This was the most upset I’ve ever seen you, and I know you haven’t told me the whole truth about what happened. I’m not going to push you, but... I’m worried about you, Logan. If I went, I’d have to leave tomorrow morning to arrive in time. And I don’t want to leave you when I don’t know it’s not going to happen again.”

Logan slammed the invitation down in frustration. “Father. You don’t get invitations like this at all anymore. It only makes sense for you to go. I will be fine. I’m an adult. I can handle myself. Today was a fluke. It’s not going to happen again.”

A long silence filled the air, and Emile eventually cracked under his son’s intense gaze. “Alright, alright. If you want me gone so badly~” He teased, and Logan rolled his eyes with a smile. “Now come on, I thought you were helping me make dinner, not giving me a lecture.”

“I’m capable of multi-tasking.”

Chapter Text

Logan fidgeted with the bottom edge of his shirt as he lingered outside the tavern’s entrance. He could hear loud voices and music echoing from inside, periodically interjected with boisterous laughter and the clanging of beer mugs. He worried his bottom lip - he wasn’t convinced anymore that this was a good idea. He could feel the panic rising up in his throat and he swallowed hard to try and force it back down.

“Logan? I’m surprised you came.” Logan started and turned to the voice, smiling slightly as he saw who it was.

“Virgil? I thought Roman was already inside?”

Virgil hummed. “He is. I had some things to do before I came. Besides, I’m not one for crowds and parties. I’m just gonna sit in the corner and wait for it to be over.”

Logan chuckled, feeling his panic settling for a moment. He didn’t often get the chance, but Virgil was nice to talk to. He never spoke too loud or invaded his personal space. The townspeople mistrusted him for never showing his face from behind his hood, and for the magical abilities he displayed that were unusual for a human. Roman was the only reason he was really allowed to be in town without many people questioning it anymore. The town loved Roman, and Roman spoke in favor of the shadowy teen.

“Mind if I join you? I’m not exactly comfortable in this kind of environment either.” The setting sun behind him cast Virgil’s face in complete shadow, leaving only his bright blue eyes to show off any kind of emotion. But Logan could hear the doubt in his voice as he answered.

“I think Roman has other plans for you. He was talking about how excited he was that you were coming and how much he wanted to, ah... show you off to everyone.”

“W-what?”

Virgil waved a hand. “You don’t really have to worry - his idea of showing off includes dragging you around while he talks only about himself. Just smile and nod, you don’t have to say anything.”

“But... why? Why does he even care if I’m here?”

Virgil shrugged, turning to stare at the tavern door rather than look at Logan. “I dunno. I guess he finds you interesting.”

“Interesting?”

Virgil took a breath to respond, but then the door slammed open and there was Roman, cheeks flushed and hair disheveled. He’d left his normal armor at home and was dressed more casually, but still with his signature sash draped from one shoulder down to the opposite hip.

“Ah, I thought I heard something out here! Logan, I’m so glad you could come!” Roman exclaimed, grabbing Logan’s hand and pulling him close, leaving one hand wrapped casually but firmly around his waist. Behind him, Logan could hear a scoff.

“Thanks, Roman, I’m glad I came too!” Virgil drawled, Logan could physically hear the eye roll. Roman looked over at him nonchalantly.

“Well, I knew you were coming! But Logan wasn’t a guarantee! Now, come on my little nerd, the party’s inside, not out here!”

And with that, Roman swept him inside and into a whirlwind of noise, heat and people. Logan was immediately overwhelmed by the sheer energy packed into the small parlor, and he had no choice but to press himself closer to Roman in an attempt to make himself smaller. Logan didn’t see, but he could tell Roman was pleased by the way the arm around his waist tightened protectively. Logan hated it, but it was the lesser of two evils, so he pushed away his discomfort.

Roman pulled him up to the bar and let go of Logan to grab the two tankards offered to him by the barkeep, shoving one into Logan’s unwilling hands.

“Roman, I don’t drink--”

“Nonsense! It’s a party! You can’t have fun if you don’t have a drink or two!”

Logan shrunk back as Roman drank deeply from his own mug. Logan realized he’d probably already had at least one of two before he arrived. He glanced back down at the dark golden liquid. Maybe... if he just had a little, he’d be able to calm down. He wouldn’t be so bothered by Roman being so close to him, invading his space. Maybe the noise wouldn’t bug him as much. Maybe he could forget about how uncomfortable he was here.

With that, he brought the mug to his lips and drank, the alcohol burning his throat on the way down.

~~~

Logan had never been drunk before. He’d never really been interested in it, having heard so many complaints about it from people the day after. He didn’t understand it, not until he had that drink.

Not that he was actually drunk, no. He wasn’t that much of a lightweight. But there was a slight buzz in the back of his mind that was certainly not there before.

The nonstop cheer and laughter echoing within the parlor no longer feels like nails on a chalkboard, and he was actually starting to enjoy himself. Bumping shoulders with strangers in various states of intoxication was no longer annoying and more humorous. He caught himself giggling - since when did he giggle?

And Roman. Roman was at the center of everything, as he would have expected. Right now he was up on a table, flourishing around as he embellished a tale of a time he “saved the town” from some beast that had attacked. Nothing Roman said was true, at least as far as Logan knew, but the crowd was cheering him on and enjoying his performance, so Logan let it be.

He found himself drawn to the corner where a cloaked shadow was sitting, arms crossed and balancing on the back legs of his chair with his feet up on the table. The lighting in the tavern was dark enough that he shouldn’t have been able to see his face at all, but Logan could clearly see his blue irises darting around, fixed on Roman’s general area. Watching. For what, Logan didn’t know. He cleared his throat and Virgil’s eyes darted to him, though he didn’t move his head.

“Mind if I join you?” Logan asked, and Virgil just gave a noncommittal shrug. Logan took that as a yes and pulled out a chair next to him.

“May I ask you something?” Logan spoke after a moment, and Virgil rolled his eyes.

“You’re gonna do it anyway, so go ahead.”

His sour attitude didn’t deter Logan. “Why do you stay here? You clearly don’t like this environment, and Roman can handle himself.”

Virgil scoffed at that. “I’ve had to heal too many bruises and broken bones from falling off tables for me to believe that.”

Logan shrugged. “Maybe so. But I meant more generally. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I have the impression that you don’t like this town very much. So why stay? Why not strike out on your own?”

Virgil finally broke his gaze away from Roman, who’d begun to energetically dance to the music that started up. “This town is fine. It’s no different than any other place I’ve been. I’m as comfortable here as I would be anywhere else.”

“Which is to say, not very comfortable.”

Virgil glared at him, but the alcohol buzzing trough Logan’s head have him the courage to ask questions of the shadow that he’d held for years.

“I’m not trying to insult you, Virgil. I just... I know you’re strong, talented, magical. And that’s so rare. Surely you could make your mark somewhere, just like Roman has here?”

Virgil was silent for a moment, then he sighed. He sat forward, his feet swinging off the table and onto the floor gracefully, his chair stable on its four legs. He leaned in close to Logan, keeping his voice low to avoid being overheard.

“Look, I don’t usually like talking about it, but I like you, Logan. I believe you won’t tell anyone this. But if you do, know that I will not be happy. Do you promise?”

Logan opened his mouth.

“Don’t say it unless you mean it. I take promises very seriously.”

Logan blinked. After a moment, he decided.

“I promise.”

The cloaked teen let out a minute breath, and nodded. “Alright then.”

“Roman and I have known each other for a long time. Believe it or not, he wasn’t always the self-righteous jerk he is now. He was kind and chivalrous, and looked out for those who couldn’t protect themselves.”

Logan looked at him, unconvinced. Sure, Roman saved the town often enough from the various wild creatures that would come from the forest now and again, but he couldn’t imagine him doing it if it wasn’t for the praise and treatment he got from the thankful townspeople.

“Whatever. Anyways, I was... kicked out of my home when I was young, and I was forced to wander around alone, taking care of myself. Most villages I found didn’t want a little beggar kid running around on the streets, so I didn’t last long anywhere. Then... I met Roman in his home village.”

Logan couldn’t see it, but he could hear a smile in Virgil’s voice. “He saw something in me that even I’d forgotten about. And when the village was attacked that night by a monster that was looking for blood, he ran out of his safe home to protect me, nearly getting himself killed in the process.”

Virgil sighed, putting his chin in his hands and glancing back at Roman, still dancing on the table. “He protected me that day, so I promised him from then on, I would be there to protect him.”

“From what?” Logan asked.

“Anything. I heal him when he gets hurt, use protective wards as shields while he does the attacking, and keep an eye out to give a warning if I think something might happen.”

“Is that why you’re sitting in the corner?”

Virgil snickered. “That, and I don’t like parties.”

Logan pursed his lips, turning his head to watch Roman. The town hero’s face was beet red, a wide grin stretched his face and his shirt was damp and sticking to him, showing off his muscular body, toned from many battles. He tried to imagine him as Virgil saw him - a valiant hero who puts his life on the line for anyone, even someone he didn’t know.

Virgil clearly had some other feelings towards him, if the fondness in his voice was anything to go by. He wasn’t going to ask - he wasn’t that drunk - but even with his limited knowledge on love, he could tell there was some form of it there. That alone made him confused.

Roman’s actions the day before flitted through Logan’s mind, and he shuddered. He could still feel phantom lips on the back of his hand, an arm around his waist, the suffocating feeling of Roman pressed completely against him. The rising panic that something was going to happen. He didn’t know what, but it was coming.

Lost in his thoughts, Logan didn’t notice that Roman had stopped dancing and hopped off the table. He only noticed when his vision was blocked by the very person who was causing all of his troubling thoughts.

“Logan! Why’re you sitting over here in the corner with Mr. Doom and Gloom? C’mon, it’s a party, come have fun!”

“I’d rather not--”

“Let’s go!”

And Logan was pulled none so gently to his feet and whisked off the the makeshift dance floor that was several long tables pushed together to form a raised platform. Roman vaulted up onto the table and pulled Logan along with him, who held tightly to his hand when he felt how the table shifted underneath him.

“Attention, everybody! I have an announcement to make!” Roman bellowed, calling the attention of the partygoers directly to him. The chatter quieted slowly and Roman spoke when he felt he had everyone’s undivided attention.

“As you all know, I arrived in this town only a few years ago, and I came to protect you from the terrible beasts that live in the forests that surround you. And I believe I’ve done a decent job so far!” A round of cheers seconded his statement, and Roman grinned.

“I never intended to stay this long. I was a roamer, going from town to town and saving those who needed saving. But you all welcomed me, gave me food and a place to call home. And for that I will be eternally grateful!”

A quiet wave of nervousness swept the crowd. Logan himself was concerned - what was going on? He narrowed his eyes up at Roman, who was still wearing a cheerful smile.

“Fear not! I am not abandoning my duty of protecting this beautiful town! In fact, I’ve decided that no longer will I think of myself as a travelling knight. I have found my place, and it is here in this town with all of you!”

Cheers erupted from the crowd, and Roman waited for everyone to calm down once more. “I have found a family with all of you, and that’s why I’m excited to have you all with me next spring at my wedding!”

That got the loudest reaction of all, and Logan winced. There were as many groans and whines as there were cheers, as many of the village girls started crying in their corner. Roman took a grand bow, and since Logan’s hand was still tightly within his, he was brought down as well.

“Roman, what are you talking about? Who are you getting married to?” Logan hadn’t thought Roman was seeing anyone. Sure, the girls in the town adored him and flocked around him at every opportunity, but he hadn’t thought he was serious with any of them.

Roman looked at him oddly, and Logan leaned back slightly, confused. Then Roman smacked his forehead loudly and laughed.

“I knew I was forgetting something!” And then Roman did something that made Logan’s blood run cold. He stood, frozen, hardly breathing, as the town hero kept a tight grip on his hand and knelt down on one knee in front of him.

“Logan, I’ve had my eyes on you for so long now, and you’ve made me realize what I’ve been missing. Will you take the honor of marrying me?”

He couldn’t breathe. People were shouting, cheering, laughing, crying, and all he could do was stare into Roman’s eyes, trying to find a way to break the spell. This had to be a nightmare. That was it. Any moment now and he’d wake up safe and warm in his bed, ready to say goodbye to his father and stay in with his new book. This couldn’t be real. It couldn’t be. He couldn’t do this.

“Logan?” Roman prompted, and Logan jerked his hand back out of Roman’s. He cradled it protectively against his chest, taking a reflexive step back.

“Roman, I... I can’t.”

Roman tilted his head, then his eye lit up and he smiled. “Oh, if you’re worried about your father, I’m sure he’ll approve! Who wouldn’t love their son marrying the hero of the town?”

“No, I mean... I can’t. I... don’t know you. And you don’t know me. How could you even...” Logan couldn’t form a coherent thought, with everyone’s eyes on him. The temperature of the room was quickly dropping and Logan couldn’t handle it.

“I’m sorry...” And then he spun, jumping off the table and charging through the people standing between him and the door. He slammed it open and sprinted out into the night.

Chapter Text

The night was dark, cold and rainy, but Logan would rather be dead than go back into the warm tavern. He ran as far as he could without even thinking of where he was going.

He heard voices shouting after him, Roman’s the loudest of all, but he didn’t stop. As he ran, he realized that he couldn’t go home. That would be the first place they would look, and all Logan wanted was to be alone right now. So instead, he took a sharp turn into a narrow alley between two buildings and went off in the opposite direction, towards the line of trees on the edge of town.

The lights of the town faded as he drew closer, and Logan ran down a small game trail into a clearing. He collapsed against a tree on relatively dry ground and brought his knees to his chest, trying his best to catch his breath.

Roman asked him to marry him. No, it was hardly even a question. Roman had been so confident that he’d actually forgotten to ask him before he announced the wedding! Not only that, but the townspeople had cheered for him!

Logan couldn’t make sense of all the emotions swirling around in his gut, making him want to throw up. He was angry, confused, scared. He was in disbelief, and throughout it all there was a pervasive sense that perhaps he should have seen this coming. If he was just a little smarter...

Or maybe... if he’d just been able to fall in love with Roman like everyone else had...

There was a rustling in the brush, and Logan sucked in a breath, trying to make himself as small as possible. No, there was no way someone had found him already!

The rustling continued, and Logan could swear they’d find him just by the deafening beat of his heart. But no human entered the clearing - instead, a small animal poked its head out of a bush and looked at him curiously.

Logan laughed, relaxing ever so slightly. It was just a fox, he realized as it fully emerged from the bush. It regarded him with dark eyes as finally, the adrenaline began to seep out of his body and he realized how cold he really was.

His teeth chattered loudly and he rubbed his arms to try and get warmth back into them. But his clothes were damp and the wind was picking up and the ground itself seemed to be trying its hardest at sucking his warmth away.

The fox took a step forward.

“You’re a curious thing, aren’t you? Go on, shoo, I haven’t got anything for you,” Logan managed to tell it calmly, though the whole thing was starting to freak him out. What did this wild animal want? He didn’t have any food on him, but maybe he smelled of something it liked.

It didn’t stop, instead taking another step forward and sitting on the ground in front of Logan, staring at him.

Logan threw out his hand and made a shooing motion to scare it away, but all it did was sit there and slowly blink at him. “What do you want?!” Logan cried, and he must really be going crazy because did the fox just smile?

It stood up and turned around, scampering towards the bush it appeared from and stopping in front of it, tilting its head to look back at him.

“You... want me to follow?” Logan asked incredulously, sure now that he must be dreaming when the fox seemed to nod and dove through the bush. Well, if he was, it would surely be an interesting dream. And if not, well... he still didn't want to go home lest he face Roman again. He was sure he wouldn’t have the willpower to resist him so soon.

So, with that thought in mind, he made up his mind and stood, deciding to follow this oddly sentient fox to wherever it wanted to go.

Behind the bush was another trail, even more narrow and overgrown than the one he’d entered the forest with. He tried to keep the fox’s bushy tail in his sight, and the animal was managing to keep a perfect pace to stay only a few steps ahead of him. Every now and again it turned its head to make sure he was following, and its ears were turned backwards to listen to him.

Logan only grew more chilled as he continued further into the dark forest, with large droplets of rain slipping through the leaves and dampening his hair and clothes further. He tried tucking his fingers under his armpits to gain feeling back but it didn’t help for long.

“W-Where are we go-oing?” Logan finally asked, unable to keep his teeth from chattering now. The fox stopped and turned completely towards him, seeming to look him up and down with those intelligent eyes. Then it slowly approached Logan, stepping carefully and keeping its eyes locked with him. The teen took a step back.

“W-what’s happ-ppening?” he got out before the fox was at his feet. Logan winced, ready for a bite or claws raking down his leg, but instead the animal stood up on its hind legs and put its front paws on Logan’s hip gently, looking up at him expectantly.

“You’re... not a regular fox, are you?”

Logan found he wasn’t surprised when it shook its head and bared its teeth in what could be seen as a smile. It then pawed at his hip again and made a whining noise in the back of its throat, bouncing slightly on its hind legs.

“W-What? You want me to pick you up?” The fox nodded, and Logan squatted down to grab the fox. Instead of being cradled, it tensed its hind legs and hopped up directly onto his shoulders. Logan yelped in surprise, but the fox didn’t hurt him and instead curled around his neck like a scarf.

Almost immediately he felt warmer, like a thick coat had been draped over his whole body. Logan glanced at the fox on his shoulders, and he was sure it looked proud of itself. The teen let out a breath, and kept walking.

~~~

It felt like he’d been walking for only a few minutes when the trees began thinning around him. The trail he was on widened and while the rain had continued to grow heavier, there was something special about the small animal wrapped around Logan’s shoulders. Water seemed to be repelled from him, and while he was still damp underneath, he wasn’t cold.

They were getting close to wherever the strangely intelligent animal wanted them to go. It started fidgeting around excitedly, its tail flicking around and tickling Logan’s ears and nose.

“Enough of that!” Logan snapped at the fox, and he could have sworn it rolled its eyes at him. It shuffled around again and hopped down from his shoulders, bounding away from Logan at a faster pace.

“Hey, get back here!” He found himself chasing after it, and instead of slowing its pace for him it only seemed to speed up. “Wait!”

The trees then thinned even more, and with a final burst he found himself standing at the front of an enormous castle, looming miles above his head. Logan stopped cold in his sprint, and only faintly registered that the fox had stopped as well.

“This is... no, that’s impossible, I can’t have come this far already! I was only walking for an hour, if that!”

But there it was. The castle that had been taken over by a terrifying, fire breathing dragon over a century ago. Logan stepped back on instinct, his gaze still fixed upward.

“No. No, I can’t go in there. It’s dangerous, I can’t!”

The fox was having none of it, and it bounded up to his leg and clamped his teeth into his pant leg, tugging him in the direction of the bridge spanning the moat surrounding the castle.

“Let go of me! I’m not dying here! I’d rather run back to that jerk Roman and marry him this instant than follow you in there!” He insisted, trying to pull his leg away.

Then he caught sight of something glittering on the ground near his foot, and his heart stopped as he recognized it. He brushed the fox aside as he sank to one knee, picking it up and wiping it free of mud with the edge of his shirt.

It was a golden brooch shaped like the sun, with a dark red ruby set directly in the center of it. It was cold but just touching it send shock waves throughout Logan’s entire body.

“This is... my father’s brooch... why is it here?! What’s going on?! Is my father here?!”

The fox nodded its head towards the castle and Logan stood up, clutching the brooch tightly to his chest. “Where is he?! Show me!”

But he didn’t wait for the animal to move, instead finding new energy to sprint towards the castle’s large wooden front doors. He would tear through every inch of this godforsaken castle if he had to!

As Logan sprinted across the long drawbridge, he thought he saw a shadowy creature swimming in the water below him. He barely had a second to consider it before a massive tidal wave of water crashed down on him. Logan sputtered and coughed out the water that had gotten up his nose, keeping a tight grip on the brooch in case another came.

The fox came up behind him, screeching at whatever was in the water, and it sunk down and swam away. Satisfied, the fox then tugged at his pant leg once more and pawed at the castle doors, which Logan pulled open with some effort.

The front hall of the castle was huge, ceilings almost as tall as the sky, but Logan’s eyes were fixed solely on the fox, leading him through winding hallways and too many doors to count, then down a set of stone stairs. They were both sprinting now, and Logan could feel his father was close. So close.

A final door, this time fully metal and heavy. Logan groaned with effort as he pulled at it, using all his body weight to heave it open.

The dungeons. Iron bars and the strong scent of mildew were the first two things he noticed. The third was that there was one cell, all the way down, that was guarded by two hulking animals.

“Father!” Logan called out on instinct, and the creatures jumped to their feet. A lion and a huge black dog growled at him, crouching low, ready to attack. Then Logan heard a familiar voice and he nearly cried right then and there.

“Logan?! Wait, stop, that’s my son! Logan, I’m here!”

“Father!”

Logan ran to him, disregarding the guard animals as they stood looking confused, and Logan fell to his knees in front of the bars, reaching out for his father. Emile got as close as he could and gathered his son in his arms as best he could with the bars blocking their way. Emile brushed Logan’s wet hair out of his face, cradling it between his palms.

“Logan, why are you here? It’s dangerous, you should go, now!”

“That’s why I’m here! I’m getting you out of here! I don’t even want to know how you got here in the first place!” Logan declared, realizing quickly that he had no idea how he would do that. “Where are the keys?”

“I don’t know, I didn’t see--” his words were cut out by a coughing fit, and Emile doubled over with one hand over his mouth and the other over his chest. His coughs were wet and heavy and definitely not what a healthy person should sound like.

“Father, you’re sick!”

“I’m fine, I’m fine! Please, Logan, don’t worry about me! You need to get out of here before he comes back!”

Logan stared at his father. “‘He’? Who’s ‘he’?!”

“The master of this castle. Logan, listen, just go back to the village. I’ll... I’ll find my own way out!” He devolved into another round of coughs, and Logan stood.

“Absolutely not. You two!” Logan pointed at the lion and dog, who’d just been sitting there patiently watching. They both tilted their heads at him. “You’re not just animals, right? You’re just like that fox that brought me here. So show me where the keys are to get my father out of here!”

They blinked at him, and for a moment he thought he’d guessed wrong. But then the lion sent a questioning look towards the dog, and he knew he was right. The black dog nodded, and the big cat turned to look down a small corridor behind it. Logan followed the gaze and saw a ring of keys hanging on a nail. Far from any possible prisoners reach, but easy access for a rescuer. He retrieved them and fumbled with the key ring, trying nearly all of them and dropping the key ring once with a loud clang before he found the right one.

Logan threw the cell door open and embraced his father tightly, trying to express all his relief in one simple hug. Emile returned it, then held his son’s shoulders tightly, looking into his eyes.

“Thank you, Logan. We need to go, now, before he comes back!”

“You’re not going anywhere.”

Chapter Text

Logan whirled around to face whoever the voice had come from, and held out a protective arm in front of his father. He glared hard, trying to see past the strange shadows the torch behind him was casting. Faintly he registered that the lion and dog had both laid down, heads submissively between their paws.

There were two glowing yellow eyes hovering in the darkness in front of him, narrowed and angry. When the man spoke again, there was a rough sound, almost hiss to his voice. Almost like the very shape of his mouth didn’t allow him to pronounce the words right.

“Who are you? What are you doing here?”

Logan swallowed, trying to keep his voice steady. “I’m here for my father. We’ll be on our way.”

“You think you can just walk away?! You’ve trespassed, just like he did! I should lock you both up here and leave you to rot!”

The dog whined behind Logan, and the glowing eyes shifted from the teen to the animal. They glared at each other for a moment before the dog lowered its head again.

Emile fell into another coughing fit, and Logan wrapped an arm under his father’s armpit, holding him steady. Logan looked back at the stranger.

“Please, he’s sick, we need to get back home so I can take care of him!”

“He should have thought of that before entering my castle!”

“Isn’t there something I can do to convince you?!”

The golden eyes regarded him coldly. He glanced over at the lion and dog, then back at Logan. The figure straightened his back, standing at his full height.

“A life for a life. He goes, and you stay. Forever.”

Emile clutched at Logan’s hand. “No, Logan please, you can’t do this! I’ll be fine, you cannot throw away your life like this! You can get Roman, he can come and--”

“No!” Logan hissed. “I don’t want anything to do with that selfish, tactless idiot!”

Logan whipped his head up to stare the stranger in the eyes, unwavering. “If I stay, you will make sure he gets home safely.” It was not a request, but a statement. A demand. If he was to sacrifice his life in the village, he had to be sure his father would survive.

The man nodded. And so, despite Emile pulling desperately at his shirt and arm, begging him to run away and leave him here, he stepped forward and let go of his father, regarding the master of the castle with wide eyes.

Logan could see scales, glittering in the flickering torchlight. They ran across his whole face and down his neck, disappearing under the cloak wrapped around his shoulders and the hat on his head. His eyes looked almost swollen, surrounded by red folds of skin. His hands were covered by gloves but he could catch a glimpse of more scales around his wrists.

This was a not a man, but a monster, pulled directly from one of the old tales his father used to tell him.

With his heart in his throat, he met the golden eyes and spoke only a few words that would seal his fate.

“I give my word. I will stay here... forever.”

“Logan, no!”

The monster smirked, wider than any human would be capable of. “Then it is done. Thomas!” The lion jumped to its feet, ears perked and tail swishing. “Get that good for nothing fox to bring him back to his village. Now!”

The lion bounded up to Emile, catching the sick man as he practically collapsed atop the lion’s back. The animal took this in stride, shifting so the man would be more secure and headed up the stairs, soon disappearing from Logan’s sight.

“Patton! Tell Dot to prepare a room for our guest... in the North Wing, understand?” He demanded, spinning on his heel with his cape fluttering with the movement. He started towards the stairs as well.

The black dog tilted its head in confusion, but then nodded and scampered up to Logan’s feet, nosing at his knees insistently. Logan glanced down at it and then back up in surprise. “Wait, I thought... I mean, I thought I was a prisoner?”

“Would you rather stay down here? You’re welcome to do so!” The master asked sarcastically, raising a metaphorical eyebrow. Logan shook his head.

“No, I just--”

“Enough! Patton, go, now!”

The dog nodded and began to push against Logan’s legs and back. The teen stumbled forward and threw out a hand. “Wait!”

“What is it now?!”

Logan took a deep breath, steadying his nerves. “What... what’s your name?”

The scaled monster paused, then looked back with those inhuman, glowing eyes of his.

“You can call me... Deceit.”

~~~

The dog - Patton, Logan reminded himself - seemed just as sentient and intelligent as the fox that lead him here. It noticed how Logan was shivering from the wet clothes he was in and lead him to a sitting room that held a blazing fire in its fireplace.

Logan sat right in front of the fireplace, holding his hands out and wincing at the pins and needles that came with him gaining feeling back into his extremities. Patton flopped down beside him, looking up at Logan with curious eyes.

“None of the animals in this castle are just animals, are they?” Logan guessed, and the dog did the animal equivalent of a shrug. “I mean, the fox that lead me to the castle to save my father, and you and that lion took orders from... from...” Logan bit his lip, taking a shaky breath. Patton butted Logan’s knee with his head, trying to comfort him.

Logan pulled away, pulling his knees to his chest and pressing his forehead against them, hiding his face. His heart jumped into his throat and he found he couldn’t stop the tears anymore.

He cried, loud and ugly, for everything that happened in only the last few hours. To think, he started this night by going to a normal party at the tavern, and now he was stuck here forever with a monster. It was impossible, unthinkable, but Logan knew now that this wasn’t a dream. It couldn’t be. The world couldn’t be that cruel, to allow him to suffer like this if it wasn’t even real.

“Please stop crying... I promise it will be alright!” A kind, fatherly voice softly told him, and it surprised Logan enough to stop the tears for a moment. He raised his head, looking around for whoever had just spoken.

There wasn’t anyone there. “Who said that?”

The black dog at his side puffed out a breath, then sat up to be eye level with Logan. “I’m right here, kiddo.”

Logan blinked. The dog’s mouth hadn’t moved, but there was that voice again, and the dog was staring at him with an expectant expression...

The teen snickered. Of course. Of course! Why didn’t he think of it sooner! Of course the castle run by a scaled, horrible monster would have talking animals! Why wouldn’t it!

His snickered became full blown laughter, and he toppled back onto the plush carpet holding his stomach. It echoed throughout the room and Patton stared at him concerned.

“What’s so funny?”

“It’s just-- I thought-- this castle was-- abandoned! Taken over by a-- dragon! And there’s-- talking animals here!” Logan tried to explain but his words were interrupted by his laughter. The corners of Patton’s mouth turned up as he watched the teen. At least the tears now were from laughter rather than sadness.

“Now I don’t want to scare you, but we’re not actually talking animals.” Logan raised an eyebrow at Patton, giggles fading.

“What do you mean?”

“We’re actually humans, who were cursed to take the form of animals. We can take our human forms if we want, but only inside the castle perimeter.”

“Prove it.”

“Hmm?”

“Prove it.” Logan repeated. “My day’s been weird, sure, but I’m not just gonna believe a wild claim like that without proof.”

Patton shrugged. “Ok!”

There was a moment of pause, and all of a sudden the black dog disappeared and instead there was a man sitting there in front of the teen. He was older, probably around the same age as Emile, wearing glasses similar to him and Logan as well. He wore a light blue shirt and had a sweater tied around his shoulders like a makeshift cape.

Logan blinked, unsure his brain comprehended what had just happened. “You’re... human...”

Patton smiled gently. “All of us are.” He stuck his hand out in front of him in greeting. “Patton Sanders, it’s very nice to meet you!”

“Logan Picani, nice to meet you too...” Logan said slowly, shaking Patton’s hand gingerly. “So... you’re really human? You’re not just a dog that was turned human with magic or something?”

The man laughed, a nice sound that soothed Logan’s frayed nerves. “Yes, I am. Now, I know you probably have a lot of questions, but I need to go and do as my master asked, to get your room all set up for you! You’re probably exhausted from today, and we need to get you changed as well!” Patton stood and clapped his hands

Logan nodded, and then his stomach growled loudly. He ducked his head, embarrassed, but Patton just laughed. “And we’re preparing you some dinner!”

~~~

Logan let himself be guided through the torch lit castle hallways, Patton leading with confidence. He didn’t allow himself to think about how much he reminded him of his father. He didn’t let himself dwell on the fact that he hadn’t been able to say a proper goodbye. Logan’s hands went to his pockets, where he’d stowed away his father’s brooch. He brought it out now, staring down at it with misty eyes.

The gold glittered in the low light, and Logan picked off some dried flecks of dirt with his fingernails. It was a family heirloom, passed down for generations through his mother’s side of the family. Now, he supposed, it was his. After all, there wasn’t any way for him to return it now.

Making up his mind, Logan pinned it tightly to his shirt, right above his heart. It was his small piece of home, and he would not let anyone take that away from him.

Patton pushed open a door and Logan was hit with a blast of warm air and the sound of a woman humming to herself.

“Knock knock! The king has returned to his domain!” Patton announced their presence cheerfully, with way too much energy considering it must be near midnight at this point. The humming stopped and the woman stepped out from behind a wall of shelves.

“I was wondering where you went off to! It’s not like you to leave a mess behind, Patton!” She laughed before turning to Logan with a curious look. “Now, who is this?”

“This is Logan, he’s our guest! And he’s hungry, so I’m going to make sure he doesn’t go to bed with an empty stomach! While I’m doing that, the master asked me to tell you to prepare a room for him in the North Wing!” Patton turned to Logan, gesturing towards her. “Logan, this is Dot, she’s the head housekeeper here!”

The woman raised an eyebrow. “The North Wing? Really?”

Patton shrugged. “That’s what he said!”

“What’s wrong with the North Wing?” Logan found himself asking. They both looked at him, quick to reassure.

“Nothing is! It’s just... well, when this castle was being used, the North Wing was reserved for important guests, like other monarchs and dignitaries!” Patton explained.

“We haven’t been able to use it in... I don’t even know how long!” Dot clasped her hands together, excited. “We haven’t had a guest in years!”

Logan bit his tongue to avoid further questions. This castle had been standing empty aside from a ferocious dragon for at least a century, at least as far as anyone knew. Now he was finding there may be more to the story than anyone knew.

“I’ll go set it up for you then, Logan! Is there anything I could do to help you feel more at home?”

And Logan nearly cried again right there. Silently, he shook his head and forced his words out. “No, thank you. I’ll be alright with whatever.”

Dot pursed her lips, but nodded when Patton gave her a smile. “Right then!” She scurried out of the kitchen, taking off her apron and hanging it on a coat rack near the door. Patton retrieved his own apron from the same rack - a light blue fabric with plenty of stains and signs of wear.

“Alright kiddo, what can I make for you? What’re you in the mood for?” Patton asked, and Logan shook his head.

“I don’t know... whatever you have is fine.”

“Aww, c’mon, you must have a favorite food!”

“Sure, but... how is there even still fresh food in this castle?”

Patton stopped for a moment, then he glanced up at Logan and wiggled his fingers mischievously towards him. “Magic!”

“Really?” Logan asked dully. Patton nodded.

“Really! There’s magic in the castle that makes sure we don’t run out of food!” Patton didn’t elaborate more, instead grabbing a well-loved cookbook from the shelf and leafing through it, adjusting his glasses as he read. “Hmm, you probably shouldn’t have anything too heavy this late at night... How about some soup? It should help you stay warm as well!”

“Sure...” Logan took a seat at the small table in the corner and cradled his head in his arms. He laid sideways, watching Patton flutter back and forth from the cabinets to the shelves to the stove, which he stoked with firewood until it was blazing.

He hummed as he worked, chopping vegetables and stirring the pot on instinct, with experience that comes from years of doing the same thing over and over. Patton glanced over at the teen at the table, ready to strike up a conversation. Then he saw how Logan was slouched over, glasses askew and eyes half-closed, watching him, and merely smiled instead. He was tired, and Patton couldn’t blame him.

The door burst open, and Logan shot up straight, eyes wide in fear. Patton glanced over and grinned at the newcomer.

“Welcome back, kiddo! Where’s Sleep?”

The new person shook his head, spraying water droplets everywhere. He looked exactly like a younger Patton, sans glasses and sweater. He smiled at Logan as he plopped down across from him, chin in hand.

“He ran off as soon as we got back. Probably going to nap somewhere he isn’t gonna get yelled at.”

Patton chuckled, serving two bowls of soup to him and Logan. “What else is new?”

“I’m sorry, but... who are you?” Logan asked, too tired and curious to word his question any more tactfully. Patton grinned.

“Don’t recognize him? I guess you wouldn’t, he was just lion around when you met him!”

The other teen groaned at the pun, but Logan just looked at him, soup forgotten as he stood up suddenly, hands pounding against the table.

“You took my father home! How is he? He made it back, right? I swear, if you left him somewhere in the woods to die I’ll--”

“Hey, hey, hey! He’s fine, I promise! I got him to the edge of the forest, and then Remy took him the rest of the way. He’s safe at home, ok?”

Logan stared into the other’s eyes, searching them for any sign of dishonesty. But he saw that he was telling the truth, and with Patton’s gentle hand on his shoulder he sat back down again, staring into his soup bowl. “I’m sorry, that was uncalled for.”

“No no, it’s ok! Trust me, if it was my dad, I’d probably be even more mad than you are! I’m Thomas, by the way. Thomas Sanders!”

Logan blinked, and glanced up at Patton who was grinning. “He’s your dad?”

“And I’m a pretty good one if you ask me!” Patton bragged, ruffling Thomas’s hair to the teen’s chagrin, and Thomas batted his hand away. “Now you two should eat up! It’s past all of our bedtimes!”

Logan picked up his spoon and took a bite. It was flavorful, but not overly so. It soothed the churning sensation in his stomach and warmed the chill in his bones. He swallowed the lump in his throat with every bite. He would not cry again. Not anymore.

~~~

He let his spoon drop into the bowl once he was done, and he breathed out slowly. “I... think I’d like to go to my room now, please.”

Patton, who had been cleaning the dishes while the two teens ate, nodded and turned to Thomas. “Could you take him there, Thomas? Dot set up a room for him in the North Wing, I’ll take care of clean up here.”

Thomas nodded, pushing out his own chair and waiting for Logan to find his footing on unsteady legs. He offered an arm but Logan shook his head, walking on his own.

“So... who is Sleep?” The teen questioned as they made their way up the stairs, recalling the strange name from before. Thomas laughed.

“Oh, that’s a nickname we gave Remy! He’s always lying around somewhere taking a nap, so we call him Sleep.”

“And... who’s Remy again?”

“The fox who brought you here.”

“Oh.”

Thomas hummed, not offering anything else. They walked in silence until reached the North Wing, with the third room down’s door wide open. Dot popped her head out, smiling at Logan kindly.

“In here, sweetheart! I was just about to come get you, come in come in!”

Logan was swept into the room and looked around. It was extravagant, all the furniture hand-carved and stained a deep brown. The bedding was dark blue and softer than anything Logan had ever felt before. Dot shuffled over to the wardrobe and handed him a nightshirt, soft and more importantly dry.

“It’s late, dear, and I’m sure you’re tired. We’ll get out of your hair and let you get some rest, alright? Is there anything else I can get for you?”

Logan looked down at the clothing in his hands, then back up at them and shook his head, managing the tiniest smile. “No, thank you. I’ll be fine for tonight.”

Dot nodded, bowing her head and leaving the room. Thomas hovered for a moment, his mouth open and wanting to say something, but he ultimately decided against it. “Good night, Logan. Sleep well. And come find us if you need anything.”

And with that, he closed the door behind him and Logan was left alone. He slowly unpinned his father’s brooch and laid it gingerly on the nightstand. He then tugged off the rest of his damp, mud-stained clothes and folded them neatly, laying them on the chest at the end of the bed. He pulled on the nightshirt and threw back the covers, snuggling deep into the soft bed sheets.

With a full belly, warm and relatively safe, Logan let go of his worries for the night and slipped into a deep sleep the moment his head hit the pillow.

Chapter Text

Logan awoke to a familiar room, the light from his window causing him to blink and shield his eyes as he sat up, reaching blindly for his glasses on the nightstand. He put them on and glanced around, finding himself pleasantly surprised to find his small bedroom exactly as he’d left it.

He was home, in his bedroom, in his house. It had all been a bad dream - the party, Roman’s proposal, the castle, everything. He’d simply gotten himself all worked up over the possible reasons Roman had invited him and his subconscious had run with it from there.

Logan chuckled to himself, pushing his glasses up to rub at his eyes. It had been years since he’d had a nightmare that vivid. Normally he was a heavy sleeper, and an early riser, but glancing out his window he realized that the sun had already risen completely over the horizon. He’d slept in!

The teen threw off his blankets and stood up, wobbling slightly. His nightmare had affected his balance as well - his legs felt like his father’s homemade jam. He stumbled down into the kitchen, where his father was shuffling around, humming softly as he made breakfast.

When he caught sight of him, Logan was filled with such an intense feeling of sadness and longing that he found himself surging forward, tackling his father from behind in a tight hug.

Emile let out a surprised squeak, looking over his shoulder curiously. “Well this is a surprise! What’s wrong, my boy, you’re never this affectionate!”

Logan swallowed the lump forming in his throat, shifting so his words wouldn’t be muffled against his father’s back. “I had... a rather vivid nightmare.”

That got his attention. The older man set down the bowl he’d been holding and turned around, holding Logan gently by his shoulders. “Do you want to talk about it? You know I’m here for you, Logan.”

“I...” Logan hesitated. He wanted to tell his father everything. He desperately wanted him to reassure him that everything would be alright, that it was all just a dream, that he would never leave him alone. But for some reason... he couldn’t force the words out. They just got stuck in his throat and made him feel like he was choking. Emile was watching him with such sympathy in his eyes, and all Logan could do was shake his head and give him a hesitant smile.

“No, I’m alright. It was just a dream, after all.”

Emile wasn’t convinced, but he accepted Logan’s answer and stood up straight, going back to his breakfast preparations. Logan stood to the side and waited.

“By the way Logan, when were you going to tell me the good news?”

Logan tilted his head. “What?”

Emile kept talking, ignoring Logan’s confusion. “I only found out about it this morning when Roman stopped by! I know you got home late from the party last night but you should have woken me up!”

“Father, what are you talking about? Why was Roman here?” Logan’s heart was picking up as worry started swirling in his gut. Emile turned to him with a confused smile.

“Your engagement? Logan, I know you’re not one for big celebrations but I would think you’d be a little more excited! You’re getting married! Oh, my little boy has grown up so fast!” Suddenly Logan was wrapped up in an excited hug and he felt like throwing up. The teen struggled against his father’s iron grip.

“L-Let go, father! You’ve got it wrong! I’m not--”

“If only your mother could see how her little boy has grown! You’ve become such a strong, amazing young man, Logan, you have no idea how proud I am of you!”

Logan pushed him away roughly. “Father, I’m not getting married to Roman!” His hands curled into fists at his sides, nails cutting into his palms.

“But... Roman told me all about the proposal! How he sang a ballad in your honor and asked for your hand in marriage as you cried out of pure happiness! And you’ve always had such a crush on Roman!”

“W-What?!” Logan stumbled backwards, knocking into the bowl of batter and sending it to the floor with a loud crash. “Father, I’ve never been interested in Roman in... in that way!

Emile stared at him in disbelief and Logan couldn’t bear to lift his eyes from the floor. “I... I don’t feel anything like that for Roman... or for anyone, for that matter.”

“What do you mean?”

Logan flinched. “I mean... I don’t love Roman. I don’t even like him. And I... I don’t think... I can... love anyone... like that...” He blinked rapidly to keep his tears at bay.

“What are you talking about? Of course you can. It’s human nature to love and be loved, Logan. Everyone does.”

His father’s tone was harsh and it hurt. He tried to keep his voice steady. “Then I... I guess I’m not... everyone... I’m just... broken...”

“...I suppose you are.”

Logan flinched like he’d been struck. His head whipped up and he stared into his father’s normally warm eyes that had now turned so cold and harsh.

“I’m disappointed in you, Logan. If only you were normal. You could have had a perfect life with Roman. But you’re just going to be alone.”

“Forever.”

~~~

Logan bolted upright in bed, his breath coming in ragged gasps and tears streaking down his face. Sweat trailed down his back and made his nightshirt stick to his clammy skin. He clutched his hand over his chest, staring down at his dark blue blanket twisted around his legs as he struggled to regain control of himself.

His panicked mind registered only one thought. It was a dream.

And that meant the rest of it was real.

There was a knock at the door and Logan nearly screamed , staring at it with wide eyes.

“Good morning Logan! Are you awake? May I come in?” Patton’s chipper voice came from the other side of the door. The teen took a shaky breath, reaching blindly for his glasses.

“One... One moment, please.”

“Ok! I’m here to get you for breakfast! Then I thought we might be able to go on a little tour of the castle, if that’s alright with you kiddo! You can meet the rest of the staff here!”

Logan rubbed at his face with the sleeve of his nightshirt, drying the tears. He only hoped Patton wouldn’t notice how red his eyes surely were. “You may come in now.”

The older man opened the door and stepped inside with an armload of linens and clothes, stopping when he saw Logan’s general state. “Bad night, kiddo?”

Logan’s mind flashed back to his dream and he shuddered. “I’m fine. I’m just not used to my surroundings yet, that’s all.”

“Did you not like the room? We can always fix you a different one!” Patton offered. Logan shook his head, throwing off the blanket and standing. He reached for his stained clothes, but Patton stopped him, shoving fresh clothes into his arms. “Here, I grabbed a few of Thomas’s extra clothes, you two look about the same size. We can’t have you walking around in stained clothes, I’ll have Dot clean them for you today!”

“Thank you...” Logan was happy to take off the nightshirt and change while Patton bustled around the room, putting extra clothes and a blanket in the dresser and changing Logan’s bedsheets. “Oh, you don’t need to do that.”

“It’s alright, I want you to be comfortable and fresh bed sheets are great for counting those sheep!” Patton chirped, throwing the new sheet high into the air and letting it gently billow down over the bed. “Besides, we haven’t had a guest in years, I’m happy to do anything I can to make you comfortable.”

Logan chewed his lip, biting back questions that he was dying to ask. This castle had sat abandoned for decades, slowly worn away by time. Everyone knew that it was home to a fierce dragon who would mercilessly slaughter anyone who got too close, but it would rarely leave its nest of treasures.

But Logan had seen no dragon; at least, not one like from the stories his father would tell. And there was life here, that had apparently been here for all those decades the castle was thought to be empty. A wave of guilt ran through him. How lonely they must be, stuck here with a foul-tempered master.

“Logan? Looogaaaan~” The teen blinked, flinching back at the hand being waved in his face. Patton was looking at him curiously, and Logan shook his head.

“I’m sorry, I was lost in thought. What did you say?”

Patton pouted, shifting the pile of laundry in his arms. “I asked you if you were ready to go downstairs and have some breakfast. Are you sure you’re feeling alright? Maybe you should get some more rest, we don’t want you getting sick!” Patton put his palm to Logan’s forehead, his hand warm on Logan’s skin.

It reminded him of his own father, and Logan pushed Patton’s hand away before he started crying again. The teen grabbed his brooch from the nightstand and pinned it to his shirt, looking back at Patton. “I’m alright, I’m just… a little overwhelmed. Please, lead the way.”

“Alright, if you’re sure…” Patton didn’t look convinced. He opened his mouth to say something else but decided against it. He instead smiled and nodded, waving for Logan to follow him.

There was lively chatter coming from the kitchen as they approached, and Patton dropped the pile of laundry outside the door before smiling encouragingly at Logan and leading him inside. Instantly he was hit by a wave of heat and the unmistakable scent of freshly baked bread.

Logan counted three people already in the kitchen. Dot and Thomas were setting the table and there was another man by the sink, rinsing his hands. He was a bigger man, taller than everyone else in the room and wide in the shoulders. As he moved, Logan could see faint scars running all along his bare arms and freshly red scratches crisscrossed over them. His coat had patches sewn all over them and there was a dirt stain on the entire bottom edge.

The man turned and caught sight of them, and he tilted his head towards Patton. “Who’s this, Pat?”

“This is Logan, he’s our guest! Logan, this is Larry, he’s our groundskeeper and Dot’s husband.”

Logan held his hand out. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Larry took the handshake with a hearty chuckle. “What do you know, he’s got manners! Nice to meet you, Logan!”

Larry’s hands were rough and calloused, Logan noticed. Then there was a warm hand on his shoulder and he was being steered towards the table and sat down.

“Breakfast will be ready soon, just sit for now, alright? I’m still a little worried about you, you know!” Patton told him, ruffling Logan’s hair. The teen sat frozen. Patton reminded him so much of his father it was almost scary. His hand came up and closed over the brooch sitting on his heart, holding onto it like a lifeline.

A chair squeaked against the floor and Thomas sat down next to him, looking concerned. “You good, Logan? I know there’s a lot going on and you’d probably rather be anywhere but here, but… I promise we’ll take good care of you, ok?” Thomas gently put his hand on Logan’s arm.

The heartfelt promise warmed Logan to his core – even if the master of this castle was cruel and heartless, it was clear his staff were kind people. Looking up, he saw Larry and Dot playfully batting at each other as they helped Patton with breakfast, and Patton humming some tune as he scurried around the kitchen.

Logan turned and met Thomas’s eyes, and slowly nodded. “I know… I trust you.” Then he cleared his throat, letting go of his brooch to cross his arms. “Now, it’s a new day, and I have a lot of questions about this place, and all of you.”

Thomas’s grin was lopsided and playful. “I had a feeling. Go ahead!”

“Firstly, how are any of you… here? I’m sorry if this is rude, but I thought this castle was abandoned, save for a dragon.”

The other teen grew somber. “Well, see, the thing is… we were cursed. A long, long time ago. And part of that curse was that we would never age.”

Logan narrowed his eyes. “We haven’t had a standing monarchy in well over a century… are you saying that you all are part of the original staff of this castle, when it was still being used?!”

Thomas scratched the back of his neck. “Has it been that long already? Yeah, we all worked here for the king and queen, back when things were normal. Well… there were more of us. We’re what’s left.”

“What… what happened to the others?” For a moment, flashes of the castle’s scaled master and his sadistic grin ripped through his mind. Thomas, however, wasn’t bothered by the question.

“They left. See, the curse makes it so inside the castle, we don’t age. But some people figured out that if they left the grounds, they’d age like normal. So, they decided they’d rather live out their life as a regular forest animal than wait here forever for the curse to break.”

Logan let out a small breath. So, Deceit hadn’t killed them after all. Somehow, though, the truth of the matter was more upsetting. “They just… left their life as a human behind? How could they?” He tried to imagine making that choice, but he found he couldn’t. He may not have many friends, but Logan couldn’t imagine how painful it would be to leave life behind for that of an animal.

Thomas opened his mouth to answer, but then a plate of steaming eggs and bread with jam was placed in front of them both and the question was forgotten.

“Thanks Dad!” Thomas cheered before digging in eagerly, hardly pausing for breath. Patton, Larry and Dot joined them at the table and they all dug in.

Logan found himself enjoying the fresh bread and jam the most. Patton noticed and slid the jar across the table to him, smiling. “You like it that much? I make it fresh from berries we grow in the garden.”

“It’s almost as good as my father’s.” Logan blurted out accidently. He covered his mouth and the tips of his ears turned pink at the stunned reaction from the others at the table.

“…Almost?” Patton asked quietly. Larry let out a barking laugh and slapped the other man across the shoulder.

“You’ve got competition, Pat! I like you, Logan, I think you’ll do fine here.” Logan’s eyes were fixed on the table. Had he offended Patton? He hadn’t meant to – he hadn’t meant to say that in the first place. He’d looked so sad…

“Well, I guess there’s no accounting for nostalgia! But mark my words Logan, I’m gonna make a jam that’s better than anything you’ve ever tasted, just you wait!” Just like that, Patton recovered and was smiling again. The others laughed at his declaration and Logan relaxed.

Even if he was a prisoner, if he got to spend time with people like this? Maybe… it wouldn’t be so bad.

~~~

“So, how many staff members are left from when this castle was being used?” Logan asked as he and Patton left the kitchen for their tour. The father glanced sideways.

“Thomas filled you in?”

“A little. I’m still in the dark about a lot.”

Patton nodded. “Well, let’s see. There’s me, Thomas, Larry and Dot, Remy, Joan and Talyn. And he’s not staff of course, but we also have our prince—” Patton made a choking noise and tried to cover it with a cough. “I mean… Deceit. Sorry, something in my throat.”

Logan realized that Patton had stopped himself from saying something. “Are you… not allowed to say his name?”

The guilty look on Patton’s face gave Logan his answer. “Ever since the curse… he hasn’t allowed us to call him by his name. He insists we call him ‘Deceit’ instead. We get in… pretty big trouble if we slip, so it’s better if you just don’t know it. Sorry, kiddo.”

The teen noticed the older man rubbing his arm and caught his meaning. “Fine. So, wait… there are only seven of you?! For this huge castle!?”

“We do pretty good for what we’ve got, don’t we?” Patton grinned. “Although, most of the work falls on Remy.”

Logan thought back. “I thought you said he spends all his time sleeping.”

Patton chuckled. “He does, and he doesn’t. See, Remy is the reason we have fresh food and water, and the reason we can take our human forms again, within the walls of the castle.”

“But you said you had fresh food because of ‘magic’” Logan mimicked the wiggly fingers motion Patton had made before.

“Yup! Remy’s… well, he’s a witch.”

Logan stopped in his tracks. “A… witch?”

Patton took Logan’s shock for confusion and explained. “A human who has been granted magic powers by a faery. They’re very rare, since not a lot of people can make a bet with a fae and win. He’s actually the last in a long line of witches. His ancestor, centuries back, made the deal and included in it that her descendants would be granted the same powers she was. He’s super powerful, but even he has his limits! With all the magic he uses to do what he does, it makes him pretty sleepy!”

A witch. His father had told him stories about them; humans that were brave enough, cunning enough, stupid enough to make a bet with a faery. If they won, they would be granted one wish, usually for incredible power or riches. But if they lost… their soul would be taken, their body left a husk to wander aimlessly around the world forever.

They also took on aspects of the fae in their power – they struggled to tell lies, they were bound to those who they promised favors, and silver would make them sick. The most powerful of them would also take on their appearance, their ears sharpening to points and their eyes changing into pitch black scleras with bright irises.

Logan’s mind flitted to Virgil, the town shadow who always kept his body covered by a thick cloak, no matter the weather. To his eyes that always shone like miniature stars. He wasn’t a witch, though. The townspeople had tested him. He was just someone born with strange magical power.

If he wasn’t scared of Virgil, then Logan supposed he could give this Remy a chance.

“Anyways, let’s go outside to the garden, I can introduce you to Joan and Talyn! We’ll find Remy later, he’ll show up sooner or later.” Patton chirped, guiding Logan outside.

Logan blinked at the harsh sunlight that assaulted his eyes and he shielded them with his hand. Then he sucked in a breath as he adjusted to the bright light and could finally see.

The garden was colorful, flowers of all shapes, sizes and colors blooming one final time before autumn started to set in. Logan didn’t know much about flowers, but even he could tell that a garden of this size would take a lot of work, patience and care. The plants were clearly well loved.

“Is… this what Larry does? Take care of this garden?”

“Yes! Dot helps him sometimes, but it’s his pet project. It’s so pretty, and in the summer I just love to nap out here! Come on, the pond is this way!” Patton waved him forward, and Logan raised an eyebrow.

“Pond?”

“Oh, Thomas didn’t tell you that? Ok, so, the thing is, Joan and Talyn got hit with the curse pretty hard, so even Remy’s magic isn’t enough to change them fully back. So, they have to stay in the water, but at least they don’t get lonely!”

“I… see…” Logan recalled the dark shadow in the moat the previous night and had a sneaking suspicion he was about to meet whoever had drenched him.

The “pond” turned out to be a decently sized pool of water tucked away behind a wall of rocks, creating an alcove. The water was deep and dark enough that Logan couldn’t see anything, but as he was peering at his reflection, a giant fish tail erupted from the water and sent a massive wave toward him.

He screeched and jumped backwards, avoiding most of it but still getting hit by the splash. As he was shaking his head free of water he heard peals of laughter coming from the pond.

“You should have seen your face!” A deeper voice said, and a higher pitched voice agreed. When Logan looked up, he saw two human heads poking up from the water. The only thing that clued him in that there was something off was their wider than normal eyes and the strange slits on their necks.

“Come on now, don’t scare him off already!” Patton scolded, and their only response was to throw some water his way.

“It’s the only fun we get to have, leave us alone!” The first one said before swimming up to the edge of the pond and putting their arms up on the edge, casually showing off their glittering tail as it floated lazily behind them. “So, who’re you?”

The smaller of the two swam up next to the first as Logan cautiously shuffled closer, eyeing their tails warily. The water was cold and while it was late summer, there was a slight chill in the breeze. “My name is Logan Picani… and you?”

“I’m Joan. This is Talyn. Why’re you here? We don’t keep guests.” Joan’s tone was light, curious, but Logan’s blood ran cold. What did that mean? Have others come to this castle… and not come back?

“I, uh… I’m here because I…” The teen stuttered, unsure of how to summarize the previous evening’s events. Patton stepped in and knelt by the water, whispering to them in a hushed voice. Talyn’s eyes widened at Patton’s words, and Joan started to look guilty.

“Oh…” was the only thing they said. Logan nodded. That was about the only reaction he could handle right now.

“…Anyways, since Logan is a… permanent addition to our family, I thought it would be best if he got a full tour!” Patton was straining to be cheerful, but the others appreciated it.

“That’s a good idea! We’d be happy to show you around out here too! The moat connects to all sorts to cool places.” Joan offered. Logan hesitated, eyes darting to Joan’s tail. The merm glanced back and realized with a laugh. “No more splashes, promise!”

Logan let out a breath and he smiled slightly. “That’s alright then.”

The two merms suddenly dunked their heads back underwater and stayed under. Logan cast a questioning look at Patton, who explained.

“They can only stay above water for so long since they have gills. They have to take a breath sometimes.”

Logan let out a soft ‘ah’. The two resurfaced, hair falling in their eyes.

“We’d love to talk more with you, Logan, but we haven’t had breakfast yet so if you want to come back later, we can stay and talk more then.” Joan explained.

The teen blinked. “O-Oh, of course, don’t let me keep you.”

Talyn grinned widely. “Thanks!”

They both dipped under the water again and within a blink they were no longer half human, half fish, but now fully fish, swimming deep into the pond and disappearing into the depths.

Patton turned to Logan. “So that’s them!”

“I need you to explain something to me, Patton. How is it that Remy’s magic can revert you and the others I’ve met back to their full human state, but those two are stuck in a limbo between forms?”

The older man pursed his lips. “To be honest, we don’t really know. Thomas thinks it’s because they got turned into fish while they were on land, and nearly died because they weren’t in water. And that somehow affected them. Remy thinks that maybe they haven’t figured out exactly how to use the magic to transform back.”

“What do you think?”

Patton shrugged. “I’m with Thomas. It… well, it makes sense.”

Logan accepted the answer for now, though he filed it in the back of his mind to ponder. “Ok, another question then.”

“You’re just full of them!”

The teen shrunk back and pushed up his glasses, staring down. “I’m sorry, am I annoying you?”

“What? No! Of course not!”

“You can say so if I am, I’ll stop.”

Patton firmly shook his head. “No, you’re not. Let’s go inside and you can ask as many as you want as I show you around, is that alright?”

“...Alright.”

Chapter Text

The castle was big.

He’d known that, of course. Everyone in the surrounding villages knew about the castle that lurked in the middle of the forest. Its towers stretched to scrap the sky, the tallest man-made creation as far as the eye could see. And in the days when it was inhabited by the royal family, it watched over even the smallest villages on the edge of the kingdom.

But somehow, it still managed to take his breath away.

Patton chattered away as he walked with Logan through the halls, showing him inside rooms and explaining each of their functions. The teen quickly found that most questions about what the castle was like before caused Patton’s eyes to water. So, despite his growing curiosity, he decided to table his questions and ask one of the other staff members.

He was stuck here, after all. Perhaps unraveling the mysteries of the castle and its curse would be enough to distract him from his fate.

“And now, I’ve saved the best for last!” Patton’s exclamation jolted Logan back to the present, and his eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as Patton threw open the dark oak doors in front of them.

“This... this is...” Logan stammered, taking a dazed step inside the room as Patton grinned widely.

“This is the guest library! I had a feeling you would like it!” The older man said, watching with glee as Logan rushed over to the closest shelf and reverently ran his fingers over the spines.

The teen pulled a book from the shelf, cracking it open and gently touching the pages. “This is... in perfect condition... how? Even if they were new at the time, these have been sitting here for a century!” Logan tore his eyes away from the pages to make sure the question hadn’t upset Patton.

If it had, he hid it well enough. “Do you remember when I told you how we keep fresh food in the castle?”

Logan raised an eyebrow. “Yes? You said it was because of ‘magic~’” He mimicked the wiggly hand gesture again. That made Patton smile.

“Yes! Basically, Remy’s magic keeps the castle in the same state that it was when we... since that day. Our food restocks back to full every night, the dust never settles in the unused rooms, and the castle remains as strong as ever!” Patton’s smile wavered slightly, and Logan licked his lips.

“Isn’t that... I mean, if everything stays the same, isn’t it hard to keep track of how much time has passed?”

That was the wrong thing to ask, based on how Patton moved to grip at his arm. “It... it is, yes. Every day is pretty much the same.”

He stepped forward and put a gentle hand on Logan’s shoulder. “That’s why we’re so excited to have you here, Logan. I know you don’t feel the same, but I hope we can make your time here bearable.”

Logan shook his head. “I... I don’t hate it here.”

Patton blinked. “What?”

The teen shrunk in on himself slightly, embarrassed. “I mean, I’m not a fan of being a prisoner, don’t get me wrong. But... you all are really nice. I feel like I’ve been accepted into a family.”

“But, surely you have a life you left behind? People you care about? A girlfriend or something?”

Logan stared at the book in his hands. “N-No... not really... my only family is my father, and I don’t really have any close friends at home... Actually, there’s someone that I was trying to avoid. It’s because of him that I even ended here last night.”

Patton chewed his lip. “I see. I won’t push you on it, Logan. I can tell you don’t want to talk about it. But, if you ever do...”

He peered at the fatherly man over the top of his glasses and nodded. “I’ll come find you, I promise.”

“Good! So, you like it?” Patton changed the topic, gesturing to the room as a whole. Logan was grateful for the shift, and he felt a smile fight its way onto his face.

“It’s incredible! I could spend weeks - no, months here!”

Patton chuckled, seeing the sparkle in Logan’s eyes. “There’s a sitting room just down the hall with a huge fireplace. I’ll have Larry start stocking it with firewood so you can use it whenever you want!”

“Oh, you don’t need to go to all that trouble!” Logan told him, but Patton shook his head.

“You’re our guest, Logan! We haven’t been able to take care of someone besides our prince in years! Please, we’re happy to do anything if it means you’ll feel comfortable here with us.”

“Ok...” Logan trailed off, holding the book against his chest. He couldn’t help but compare Patton to his father again.

God, he missed him so much.

There was a low rumbling, and Patton held a hand over his stomach, laughing. “Whoops! I guess it’s lunch time! Are you hungry?”

“A bit, I suppose.” Logan admitted, feeling his stomach react eagerly to the idea of another meal made by Patton. The older man grinned and waved to the door with a joking bow.

“Well then, after you!”

Logan let a small laugh slip out as he pulled the door open, tucking the book under his arm. Patton followed him, guiding him through the maze of halls and leading them out into the main foyer.

“Let’s see, what are you hungry for? I could make some soup again! Or I could have Thomas run out and get some fish from Joan and Talyn! Or maybe--”

“Patton!!”

Patton flinched slightly at the booming shout, but Logan froze completely. The older man cast his gaze up to the top of the stairs leading to the West Wing. “Yes, my prince?”

The crown prince stared down at the two of them, nose twisted up in a sneer. “Where have you two been all morning?”

Patton cleared his throat, trying to smile calmly. “I took Logan on a short tour of the East and North Wings. I thought it was important he knew his way around, if he’s going to be our guest!”

Logan heard carpeted footsteps and kept his head down. Maybe, if he didn’t make eye contact, he would be able to hide how badly he was shaking.

“Did you now? And how did the little trespasser find my castle? Does it meet your standards?” The footsteps echoed loud in his mind, even after they stopped in front of him. Logan studied the dark dress shoes intently.

“It’s... fine.” Logan mumbled, realizing the prince was expecting an answer. Then there was a hand on his chin and his head was being lifted and he met the gaze of the prince. He couldn’t breathe. His lungs were on fire and his throat was burning and he couldn’t think properly as he watched Deceit’s lips part in a smirk, canines sharp and deadly.

“Just fine? Do you mean to say that you don’t like it? You’re rather ungrateful, aren’t you?”

Logan dragged in a shallow breath. “N-No, I meant... it’s wonderful... a very nice castle...”

There was a low, dangerous rumble from the prince’s chest, and Logan couldn’t tell if it was a laugh or a growl. Then Patton cleared his throat, and the hand left Logan’s chin.

“I was just about to start lunch, your highness. Would you like me to have Thomas bring it to your rooms?”

Deceit hummed, seeming to consider it. “That’s fine. Patton, have you seen our resident witch anywhere today?”

Patton blinked, pursing his lips. “Um... no, I don’t think so.”

The prince snarled, the air hissing past his teeth harsher than a human would be capable of. “That slippery fox has been avoiding me all night. He knows he’s in trouble, and he’s trying to avoid it. You’re to call me immediately when you find him, understand?”

“Of course, my prince.” Patton’s voice was steady and unwavering. It helped Logan to ground himself, until that dreaded hand returned and he was looking back into those cunning, deceitful golden eyes.

“And tonight, I wish to dine with my lovely guest.” He said the word so sincerely, he had to be mocking him. “Of course, you’re alright with that, aren’t you?”

Logan wanted to say no. He wanted to spit in the arrogant prince’s face. He didn’t care if that would be the last thing he did. Pain would be better than this paralyzing numbness he was suffering from. He opened his mouth to tell him off, to speak his mind and let him know exactly what he thought of him.

But there was something about his touch that kept him rooted to the spot. All he could do was gaze up in abject terror. He flashed back to last night in the tavern. Roman’s hot hand touching him all over, burning him and leaving marks on his skin. Deceit’s hands were gloved, but the touch still seared.

“Very well then. I’ll see you at dinner, my caged canary. Hopefully you’ll make a better conversation partner this evening!” Then he was gone, shoes clicking over the floor and a door slamming closed.

Logan’s vision was swimming and he could hear Patton speaking to him but the words didn’t make sense. His ears felt like they were full of cotton and his knees made of jelly.

Then there was a warm hand on his arm, and it didn’t burn like Roman or the prince. It broke Logan out of it enough to meet Patton’s warm brown eyes and convey a silent plea.

“Oh, kiddo...” Patton breathed, pulling the teen into a gentle hug, his heart breaking as he felt Logan violently shaking. “It’s ok, it’s ok. I’m sorry, Logan, it’s ok...” he hushed.

Logan let himself be held, his senses slowly returning until finally, he dragged in a deep breath and managed to speak. “It’s ok... I’m ok... I just... I...”

“You don’t have to talk if it’s too hard, Logan. I understand.” Patton soothed, and Logan nodded.

“I know... I just... there’s a boy, at home. And he... he always... held me, without asking... I... I don’t like it.”

“Of course you don’t! I don’t think anyone would like someone touching them without permission!” Patton exclaimed, suddenly tense. He pulled away, realizing Logan had never actually given him permission either, and Logan mourned the comforting warmth.

“I’m... not very hungry anymore. If... if it’s ok, I’d like to return to the library...”

Patton sighed silently, eyes shining with sympathy. “If that’s what you want, then alright.” The father agreed, making a note to send Thomas up with something easy on the stomach in an hour or so. He knew Logan would have no interest in eating now, but that didn’t mean he didn’t still need his nutrients. “You remember how to get there?”

“Yes, I think so...”

“Alright then. And, Logan? I promise, we won’t let anything happen to you.”

Logan nodded, unable to speak past the lump in his throat. He quietly tucked the book tight against his chest and turned back to the North Wing, quickly disappearing.

Patton sighed, taking his own route to the kitchen and finding his son and Dot already preparing the meal. He told them what had happened, and the profound terror Logan had been in.

“It wasn’t just because he’s stuck here, I don’t think. It’s something more... personal than that. He mentioned this boy from his hometown... I think something happened between them.”

Dot held a hand over her heart. “Oh, the poor thing!”

“And Deceit wants to have dinner with him? That’s so...!” Thomas waved his hands around, failing to find the words.

Patton nodded helplessly. “I know!”

Dot shook her head. “I’m not surprised, though. We all know how much our prince enjoys getting into people’s heads and playing his games.”

“What should we do?” Thomas asked, almost pleading for an answer. His dad shook his head, taking the cutting board and knife away from Thomas.

“We just have to be there for Logan, and hope he can be brave. Have either of you seen Remy today?” He saw two heads shaking, and he chewed his lip. “Deceit hasn’t found him yet. If we can find him before the prince, then we could have him take Logan home tonight.”

“Would he be willing to do that? Deceit would be... god, I don’t even want to think about how angry he’d be!” Thomas shuddered.

Patton closed his eyes, fist clenched tightly around the knife handle.

“It might be our only chance to save him.”

Thomas swallowed, voicing the thought that was lingering at the back of their minds in a choked whisper. “And... what about us?”

Patton stayed quiet, staring down at his hands. He didn’t have an answer to that.

Chapter Text

Hey guys!

So, I know this story hasn't been updated for quite a while, and this update is definitely not what you're hoping for.

I'm here to announce that I'm not going to be updating it for quite a long time. I can't say exactly how long, because I don't know, but the fact is that I have written myself into a corner with the current chapters that have already been posted. I got stuck, and I've since had a lot of time to think of the worldbuilding that I want to have, and it doesn't flow with the current written content.

I don't have much time currently. I'm working on another Sanders Sides fic that I hope to have finished by the end of the summer, and then I'm going to be working on my own original story that I hope to get published.

However, I am not abandoning this story!

I will (eventually) be rewriting it, to follow a smoother story that's a little more consistent with the canon characterizations in the show and with better pacing. I will be posting it as a new story, so you should subscribe to my profile so you can see when it's posted! I'll be deleting this version of the story once I start posting the other one, which will be under the same name, so just a heads up!

Thank you all for being so patient, and I hope that I can make your wait worth it!