You've chose to run from the wedding/Roman's heart! If this isn't the decision you wanted, feel free to return to where you came from, which was either Chapter 10 or 11!
__________

The story you are reading was written by Jay, TheBroadwayJay.

__________

"I - I can't," Roman shook his head and turned away from the doors.

He heard gasps from the maids and knights accompanying him, though hardly one of them attempted to stop him - nobody wanting to rise above royalty.

Roman made his way swiftly down cobble steps that led to the stables - hearing footsteps after her.

He bounded to Buttercup, his secondary horse as Crofters was still healing from the snake's venom, and unlatched her stall.

"Sir - " One of the stableboys, who had watched him run in, addressed him with concern.

"He's alright, just needs some air," A familiar voice sounded from behind Roman and he sighed with relief at the sound of Patton.

Roman attached the horse tack to buttercup before leading her out.

"Let me help," Patton offered.

Roman smiled in gratitude as he and his personal servant assisted each other in saddling Buttercup up.

The royal then turned to Patton and paused before clapping him on the shoulder and giving him a small, short, affectionate shake. "Thank you - for everything... perhaps we shall meet again, in another life."

Patton smiled shakily and nodded. "Perhaps..."

"Until then," Roman put his foot in the stirrup before pulling himself up and over the saddle, dipping his head a final time before guiding the horse out from the stables, breaking into a trot and then a run as he made his way to the castle gate.

Patton watched him with a sad smile - but was glad that he'd made the right choice.

***

Roman galloped to the wood's edge.

He frowned upon arriving.

Virgil would be somewhere in there...

And Roman hardly knew of any of the geography beyond his own kingdom or these woods... was it quite wise of him to spend daylight looking for a love who might be somewhere in the woods that took up hundreds of acres of land?

He could stay on the horse route, with a slimmer chance of finder Virgil - but he better chance of finding a place to stay until he had a full day to find the Nymph... but he himself may be found out by that point -

Was it worth it?

.
.
.
Where does Roman go?

Horse Trail - Go to Chapter 15

Find Virgil - Go to Chapter 16