"Virgil?"

Virgil looked up, startled. "Oh, hello Princess."

Rose sighed. "Virgil, you can just call me Rose. It's my name and I'd prefer you use it instead of my title."

"Apologies Pr- Rose." Virgil said, checking himself quickly. Rose smiled kindly and sat down beside him.

"Can I see what you're drawing, Virgil?"

Virgil looked at his sketch. "Er, no. It's silly and, um, well..." Virgil trailed off.

"Who's caught your eye?"

"What?!"

"Who were you drawing?" Virgil started to protest. "Virgil, you've been my best friend for ages, I know what you're going to draw if you like someone and what you're going to do to keep that drawing from everyone else. So come on. Who is it?"

Virgil opened his mouth but let out a small strangled noise rather than actually saying anything.

"Let me narrow that down so it's easier for you. Which prince is it?"

Virgil looked at Rose with complete fear and horror in his eyes. "Virgil, I've seen the way you act around the princes. One prince in particular. You don't have to tell him, you can just tell me."

Virgil sighed and looked at his drawing before snapping the book closed. "I don't want to talk about it." He hissed, not missing the sharp edge to his voice.

"I was just asking. Besides, I already know who it is."

Virgil let out a low hiss. "If you tell Roman anything-"

Rose laughed and Virgil realised what had just happened. "Shit." He mumbled.

"You walked right into that one." Rose laughed. "But don't worry. I won't tell. You're still going to have to talk to him, you know that."

Virgil groaned and hit his head with the sketchbook. "Do I have to?"

"Yes. Roman definitely doesn't want to marry me but come the end of next week, he'll have to if you don't talk to him."

"I have talked to him." Virgil protested.

"You've also run away from him. Show him you aren't scared."

"But I am!" Virgil nearly yelled, getting up and pacing. "I am scared! I'm scared of what people will think when they see a prince with a servant. Not just any servant, a servant of the same gender as them."

"Virgil, they will think exactly the same thing as they thought when Patton got married to Logan. They won't honestly care. As long as the marriage is a happy one, no one will honestly care whether it's a bride or a groom."

"How can you be so sure? Things here aren't like they are back in Lycen."

"How do you know that?" Rose asked, now also on her feet. Virgil opened his mouth but, finding no reply, closed it again in defeat. Rose nodded once. "Virgil, you need to stop running from yourself. Accept that you like this prince and go talk to him. Properly, without running away."

Virgil sighed. "Fine." He grabbed his sketchbook and stormed off, mumbling darkly.

Rose smiled happily. Virgil wouldn't regret this.

***

Roman fiddled with the pure white rose, worried. What if he didn't come? What if he hated it? What if Rose hadn't convinced him? All these worries and more were running through Roman's mind when he heard a small cough from behind him.

"Your Highness?" Virgil asked cautiously as the royal turned around, hiding the flower behind his back. "I wanted to apologise. For running away."

Roman smiled in what he hoped was a kind way. "It's alright. Would you mind talking or would you not feel comfortable talking to me?"

"No, I'd like talking to you." Virgil said, smiling a small half-smile that made Roman's heart melt. "If you don't mind me asking, what are you hiding behind your back?"

"Oh, um, shit you weren't meant to notice that." Roman said, laughing nervously. "But, it's just a flower. A rose. For you, I guess." Roman held the rose out to Virgil who took it, playing with the creamy petals.

"Thank you, your Highness." Virgil said, smiling and tucking the stem of the rose in his sketchbook. Roman nodded, trying to think of something to say. Virgil beat him to it. "You're kingdom is so picturesque. I mean, just take these gardens for instance. They're full of life which can be captured in a single image." Virgil looked at Roman and laughed. "Sorry, you probably don't want to hear about this."

"No, it's fine. As long as you're comfortable talking about what you want, I'm happy."

Virgil smiled slightly. "You know, you're nothing like what I thought royalty would be like."

"How did you imagine me?"

"The usual. Pompous, annoying, forever complaining about your 'rich boy' problems and undeniably straight."

Roman laughed. "Well, I hope you're happily surprised that I am none of those things."

Virgil laughed slightly. "Not surprised as such, just happy."