Patton cradled Amai in his arms, standing at the edge of the portal. Deceit had reluctantly let Thomas go unharmed and everyone was waiting for Virgil to finish saying goodbye to Remy and Emile.

Although Patton was happy that Virgil had made friends, he was really annoyed that they had to be... them. Virgil had been questioned by them but he had still managed to befriend them. Honestly, could he only make friends by being kidnapped and then latching onto the most familiar faces? Probably, as that was the only way he'd made any friends in the first place.

Virgil finally stopped hugging Emile, who waved him off with a cheery, "Bye, kiddo! Tell that king he's to treat you right or I'll get Remy to burn his butt with some coffee!"

The prince laughed, elbowing Roman who looked slightly uncomfortable around the two Grey citizens. "Hear that, Ro?"

"I heard him," Roman replied, trying to laugh it off but still giving the two men an uncertain, untrusting, unsure stare. Logan stepped to the side, allowing Deceit and Remus to pass first, before taking Fletcher's' hand and walking through with Patton. Virgil led Roman out.

The two blinked slowly at the view that greeted them. The entire Light Army were circling around the portal. Two knights at the front were struggling to hold Remus and Deceit still.

"Get off me, you idiots!" Yelled Deceit, writhing in the arms of a Light guard. Remus was screaming at the knight holding him, who was screaming back.

"Woah!" Cried Roman, stepping forwards. "Let's clear this up, here, people! What's going on?"

A knight with a symbol carved into his shoulder plate shrugged. "We were told by Joan that, because you'd taken so long to come back, something must've happened. We were about to storm this place and then these two came out."

Deceit wriggled his way out of the tight grip of the knight, furious. "Do I look like I am one of those idiots to you?!" He spat crossly, pulling the still screaming Remus away from the guard that held him.

The knight holding him raised his hands up in surrender. "In my defence, sire, you shoved your hands in my face and obscured my vision. I couldn't recognise you. Besides, Joan's' orders were very specific."

"Glad to see they're just as intelligent as when I left." Muttered Virgil, darkly. Roman glanced at him, intertwining their fingers and giving his hand a little squeeze. Virgil looked away.

"-Wait, Virgil-! oh, no, back off!" Remy was suddenly pushed through the portal, looking slightly nervous and highly awkward under his sunglasses. "Virgil, please, I have no idea what it's doing but it definitely wants to eat me!"

Storm's' muzzle appeared through the portal, the thestral trying to rest his head on Remy's' shoulder despite the humans' protests. He snorted happily and then heard Virgil's' giggle. The entire Light Army jumped away when the huge, dangerous, skeletal horse spun around to whinny excitedly at the tall prince. The two embraced each other, proving their strong, unbreakable bond as Virgil cooed softly at the thestral, who snorted contently.

"Remy, this is Storm-"

"I know."

"And he isn't going to hurt you."

"Really?!" Said Remy, eyeing Storm fearfully. "Because he sure as hell gets too close and he's caused a lot of deaths!"

Virgil snickered. "He's chill with you, Remy. Trust me, you'd know if he wasn't." The prince glanced around. "Where are my imps?"

Remy frowned thinking for a moment, clicking his fingers as he tried to conjure up whatever Virgil was talking about in his mind. "Those... Those sentient winged children?"

"Yes."

The coffee addict nodded before poking his head through the portal. Roman's' army tensed but he only reappeared with two cages. The final two Heathers sat there, one in each. The red Heather looked up, locking eyes with Virgil. "About time, honey. Can we go yet? The service there was awful."

Deceit stepped forwards. "Take me and Remus home. We'll make sure Roman sends the other Heather as soon as he gets to his own castle."

The Heather in green straightened up. "Heather's okay?"

"Shut up, Heather!" Snapped the red imp. "Heather will be fine, and the moment we get the Kings to the palace we can wait for her."

"Yes, Heather, sorry, Heather..."

.:*:.

"Storm's grown a lot," Logan commented. It was true. Now, Virgil, Patton and Fletcher were riding the thestral. Fletcher looked very uncomfortable sitting on the blackened bone of Storms' spine.

Virgil smiled, ruffling the feathers on Storms' neck. "He has, hasn't he? Some thestrals can get big enough to carry five fully grown people when they begin to reach their middle life."

"How long can a thestral live?" Asked Patton from the far back on the back of Storm.

"Until their owner dies," Virgil explained. "A thestral knows when its' owner will die and it adjusts its' own life span accordingly. That's why wild thestrals live forever."

Roman blinked up at the skeleton. "Woah..."

Amai reached up, dragging her hand along Storms' wing. "This feels all funny..."

"Amai, darling, that's your robotic arm. You know the doctors said you won't be able to feel anything, and only sense the pressure!" Logan smiled. Fletcher glanced away, only to feel Patton rest a hand on his shoulder. The boy attempted a smile.

"How fast can he go?" Fletcher asked, eager to change the conversation.

Virgil gave an awkward laugh. "Patton may have to get off, or else he'll go flying." Patton climbed down obediently. "Alright, little guy, get closer to me. You live next to Patton's' bakery, right?"

"Yeah!" Fletcher replied.

The prince smirked. "Hold on tight," He instructed, before tapping a certain spot on Storms' skull. Then there was just wind rushing past where they used to be.

"Is it just me," Roman asked, "Or has Storm managed to get even faster?"

.:*:.

The group waited four minutes when suddenly Storm appeared again. Virgil's' hair was windswept and Fletcher looked excited.

"I went home! Amai, I got you your favourite jumper!" He said happily, holding out a small, delicate, pink cardigan.

Amai took it gleefully, slipping it over her human arm with ease and then moving to try fit it over her robotic arm. She frowned, tugging, but her new hand refused to slide through. The girl scowled, pulling hard before giving up and yanking at the sleeve. The cardigan ripped in half. Amai's' jaw began to quiver and then she began to bawl, holding the two seperate pieces.

"Fletcher, honestly!" Gasped Patton. "You should have thought about that! You know it's going to take a while for her to get used to her new arm!"

The boy paled. "I didn't-!"

Patton knelt down, hugging Amai. "There, there, sweetie. It's okay, we'll fix it later. Fletch, apologise!"

"But, Dad-"

"Say sorry!" Patton ordered sternly.

Logan hesitated but quickly stepped in. "Patton, it was simply an accident. Remember, Fletcher also needs to get used to Amai's' situation. They'll both learn in time." He promised, looking at Patton with adoring sympathy.

Patton sighed, bowing his head. "You're right, Logan. Amai, I'll fix your cardigan for you, sweetie, don't worry!"

Only Roman and Virgil noticed Fletchers' sudden, jealous scowl. The lovers exchanged a glance but said nothing. It wasn't their problem until much later.

.:*:.

They reached Cabina city a day later, only to be swarmed by all the citizens.

"Where are our children?!"

"Sire, please, did you find my son?"

"Where's my granddaughter? Please, has anyone seen here?!"

Roman quickly raised his hands. "Enough! I will explain all soon! I need to discuss the events with the stand-in king and I will hold an announcement straight after I have rested! Please, enough!"

The crowd reluctantly stopped shouting their questions, tearing slowly apart to let their King pass. Virgil kept his head bowed to the sudden whisperings he heard around him. People hadn't seen him since Romans' coronation but now he's just shown up again. Rumours began to spring into life, surging through the crowd.

Oblivious to Virgil's' discomfort, Roman turned to Logan and quietly asked, "You're still unemployed, right, Logan?"

"Yes."

"If you want, I'd welcome you back as my advisor."

"What about your current one?"

Roman shrugged. "He's more of an agree-er, to be honest."

Logan placed a hand on his friends' shoulder. "Roman, I would love to be your advisor again. I adore Patton but baking is not my skill."

.:*:.

Joan may have been placed as acting King but they never sat in Roman's' throne. They always sat on a small dining chair. They'd also been rather confused to find out that their title would be King, no matter what gender. As it turned out, King was just what the rulers called themselves. The ruler's' significant over would be called 'Queen,' no matter the gender. Curious way to do it, if they said so themselves.

The throne room door opened and they looked up.

"Hey, Joan, we're back!" Roman said brightly.

"Oh my god, I was so worried! It's been ages, what hap- what happened to Amai's' arm?" They asked incredulously.

Roman winced slightly and Patton scowled. "Touchy subject," Said the King, "But, hey! Virgil's' back and so is Storm!"

The non-binary knight paled, catching sight at the tall prince, who towered above him and his thestral, who'd grown too, now broader and stronger. "Please don't kill me," They pleaded.