Even in his dark room, his eyes stang like fire. Even in the black that surrounded him, his eyes were strained and he hated it. Even with open windows and the fire out, it was getting a little too hot. Virgil sat up with a loud groan. Why did he have to have been born at midnight in winter?

To many, that wouldn't seem like a problem. To a Ver, it is. The Vers is a race that adapts easily to their environment at birth and then stubbornly keeps their body evolved to that environment only. That's why most Vers tried to be born in summer, so they could take warmer temperatures and brighter places. Virgil couldn't.

The Ver swung his legs from the bed, glancing fondly at Koue, who slept soundlessly by the window. Virgil stood, stretching, and walked around his room, pacing to try to shake off the heat. It wasn't like it was too bright. In fact, it was just the right amount of light for an evening. But not a night. And Virgil was exhausted. His curtains were too thin and they were letting in the moonlight. That was the problem.

Virgil sighed and then whistled gently. Instantly, Koue woke up and ruffled her wings as she jumped to her feet. She narrowed her eyes at Virgil as if to say she was happy sleeping but flew over obediently, nestling around his shoulders. The butler sighed softly.

"I'm gonna find a darker room," He mumbled into her ear. Koue growled gently back, wrapping her tail around his neck, calmingly. "Thanks, let's go."

Like she had said, Koue used her wings to throw shade over Virgil's' eyes as he stepped out into the corridor, away from his room. The torches weren't lit, obviously, but all the curtains were stretched wide open and one or two candles were flickering. Virgil scratched his kleindraak behind her horns gratefully and he paused, listening for anyone who would try to stop him.

Janus was sleeping in the room next to him, he could hear Krag's' snores, and there wasn't any other movement in the palace.

Now he just had to find a darker room.

~('^')~

If you asked Roman and Remus why they still shared a room when they were twenty, they'd just grin back and say they were brothers. Besides, they both felt a little empty sometimes and Remus often had disturbing nightmares and he was never in a state that he could go find someone afterwards. Remus was snoring away and Roman was just falling asleep.

Why was Roman falling asleep now? Because he had been stargazing. It was a habit he had picked up on and he'd always get to daydream. He'd daydream about his future lover. Roman was certain they'd be a Ver. One of those purple Vers, definitely. He didn't know why, the purple suited the white skin. Maybe dark hair, too, and large horns. Someone slim and shy, anxious and pretty. But they'd be sarcastic too. They'd be able to defend themself.

Roman sighed softly, a dreamy smile on his lips as he fantasized. Definitely female, though. He wouldn't let Remus win this bet. The Crown Prince nestled down further in his bed, listening to his brothers' snoring and the footsteps outside-

Wait, what?

The tapping, quiet, hurried footsteps outside his door that were getting closer? Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu-

"Remus," He whimpered. "Remus!"

"Wha?"

"Th-There's someone there..."

This woke up his brother and they were both thinking the same thing. Assassins, assassins, assassins, assassins. You'd almost think that the princes wouldn't be too worried. After all, they were sitting comfortably in their castle, they'd only need to scream to get someone's' attention and they'd never been in this position before because of how efficient the guards and knights were. But now there were strangers in the castle. The Ver.

Obviously, not a single Ver had shown either prince ill will, but it didn't stop the anxiety. Remus reached carefully for a candle and match while Roman took a hold of the curtains, both prepared to fill the room with light. This was the small amount of training they'd gone through. You fill the room with light when they're not expecting it, then you rush them and grab them, then scream.

The dim light from the keyhole was blocked briefly then it flashed saturated indigo. Then the door opened quickly, the dark light from the corridor silhouetting a horned figure. A Ver. They couldn't see any details, just the black outline, before the door shut, plummeting the room in darkness. The two princes began to count down but then they heard a tiny sigh of relief.

"Finally..." Mumbled a familiar voice. There was a soft growl and a tiny chuckle. "Yeah, Koue, the halls were way too bright for us. This room's much better than the other one."

Roman blinked and then slowly peeled back the curtains, casting silver moonlight across the room. "Uh, hello?"

The Ver jumped and his kleindraak began to snarl, panicky. The princes nervously watched as the figure dropped quickly back, out of the light, scurrying into a corner that still threw shadows about the room. "Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!" Hissed the Ver. "Cut out that light, it hurts! I'm a Winter Ver, not a Summer Ver!"

"A Winter Ver?" Remus asked.

"I'm more comfortable in the pitch black and ice-cold, stop the damn light, Koue can make some if you want to bloody see!"

Roman, embarrassed, shut the curtains and he listened as the Ver started to move, probably looking around. He heard their breath hitch nervously and their kleindraak begin to growl protectively. "Uh... P-Princes?"

"Yeah, who's this?" Remus asked peppily.

There was a moment of silence and then a hurried stammer, "I-I'm so s-sorry, I sh-should go!"

Roman quickly shuffled in his bed, eyes slowly adapting but not well enough. "No, it's fine! Why are you even here?"

"...My curtains were too thin and it was too warm. I couldn't sleep..." Was the hesitant answer.

"Well, that's fine. We all have scenarios where it's just too hot or too bright and we can't sleep," Roman smiled, trying to be reassuring but he couldn't see how the Ver reacted, only seeing a silhouette. "O-Okay, I'm sorry, is there any way we can get some light in here?"

The shadow of the Ver moved to the large, winged animal on his head, probably his kleindraak. "A-Are you sure? You don't really like me..."

"Roman is an idiot, don't worry," Remus said, probably grinning. "For starters, he thinks he's straight-"

"Remus!" Snapped Roman, colour blooming in his cheeks. "I am straight!"

"Exactly, so that's why you keep eyeing up King Janus's' butler even though King Janus hates you," Teased Remus.

There was a moment of silence from the Ver. "That makes this really awkward now..." Mumbled the Ver. "Uhm, Koue, can you?"

At the Ver's' words, there was a soft, violet glow that managed to bathe the room in saturated purple, emitting from a familiar kleindraak. Roman was slightly surprised how this light just appeared and he didn't wince of flinch at the sudden illumination. He looked about the room in awe and then glanced at Remus, who was burying his face in his pillow, laughing. "What?" Asked Roman. Remus just pointed at the Ver and Roman finally looked over. "Oh, shit..." Mumbled Roman, quickly hiding his face in his hands.

Virgilious.

"Told you you hated me. And how what Prince Remus said made things awkward," Virgilious muttered nervously.

"I am so sorry for Remus, I swear, I haven't been checking you out," Roman apologised, flopping forwards to hide his red face in his bed.

"Well, in case you didn't know, your brother has been flirting with my cousin whenever he sees him to the point Janus is actually talking about him, so you can make fun of him for that."

Remus perked up and Roman couldn't help but burst out laughing. "Janus talks about me?" He gasped. "Goodness, I can only imagine the flattering things he says."

Virgilious hid a smirk in his hands. "He calls you obnoxious and stupid."

"Aw, how sweet!"

Roman snorted loudly at his twin, picking up a pillow and hurling it at him, any desire to sleep gone. Virgilious sat gently down on the ground, petting Koue who wandered into his lap and watching the brothers fight. Remus chucked two pillows at Roman with startingly good aim and the others laughed as the Crown Prince sat up grumpily, looking dishevelled.

Virgilious snickered into his hand. "Not looking so good over there, princey."

"Oh, shush, emo nightmare!" Roman retorted back, throwing a pillow at Virgil in return. The pillow was caught in a saturated indigo haze and it flew straight into Remus's' face. "Oh my god, was that magic?" Gasped Roman, in awe.

"Well, y-yeah, I'm a Ver," Virgilious stammered, scratching the back of his neck in shy embarrassment as the two princes gawked at him. "That wasn't even touching my abilities. That was basic levitation."

Remus grinned. "Can you blow things up?"

"Uh... Yes."

The young prince's' grin stretched wider. "Can you blow me up?"

Virgilious jumped back. "Wh-What?! No-!"

"Virgil!" The door burst open with a quiet hiss and all three turned to see yellow eyes blazing with fury. "What are you doing in here?"

"J-Janus!" Stuttered Virgil, scrabbling to his feet as Koue stopped glowing. "I-I'm sorry, I-"

"I told you to leave them alone." The King of Verloor quickly paced across the room, grabbing Virgil by the boy's' wrist and tugging him into his arms with hostile glares at the two princes. Krag was snarling at the princes, climbing over Koue protectively. "Come on. We're going and they won't talk to you again."

Virgil glanced back at the others as his King pulled him out of the room. "J-Janus, it's fine, I swear-" The door slammed shut without a noise.

The twins sat in silence for a moment. "I mean, I knew he didn't like people talking to his cousin, but damn," Commented Remus, "He is more protective than Dad, sometimes."

Roman nodded slowly and slumped back onto the bed. "I guess he hates me?"

"Oh, no, he's so into you- Wait, you meant King Janus?" Roman looked his twin dead in the eye and Remus cackled quietly. "Yeah, Janus hates you ever since you gave Virgilious a panic attack."

"Remus, you are so weird..."

"Hah! I know!"