Based off of the incredible animation by thepastelpeach on YouTube. The song used is "Ready As I'll Ever Be" from Disney Channel's Tangled: The Series. I've never actually watched the series but I loved the song and the animation.
"Roman," Thomas started from the corner of the room, "there is still a chance to stop this. There is still a chance to reconcile with the others and prevent anyone from getting hurt!"
The figure watching from the large balcony window shakes his head as he chuckles darkly. Something shivers down Thomas's spine; he had never heard his friend make such an unsettling noise. "No, Thomas. This is the only way to get them to hear; the only way for justice to be served." Roman turns around, the fake crown shifting slightly on his auburn hair. "If we don't go into war with the enemy, catching them by surprise, then we'll just get ambushed in the future! We must take the initiative and strike first. I know that I'm right; and soon you shall see that."
"But we can-"
"Quiet!"
Sounds from beyond the balcony causes Roman to turn, preventing Thomas from seeing the dark smirk that curved the corners of his mouth. "Any moment know, they will arrive; and I'll be here waiting for them, willing to stand up and fight!"
Moving back towards the glass, Roman grabs his dark cloak from a chair, swinging it onto his shoulders. Thomas realizes how much his advisor has changed; how different the person before his looked with the dark purple clothing cover his back. He can only watch his once friend reach for the handles, opening the windows and allowing the strong wind to enter the room. Thomas has to hold his small crown in place in order for it to stay.
Roman grabs the railing in front of him, watching the large crowd of people rest in the distance. Torches and lanterns surround them, separating their forms from the night's dark atmosphere. His grip tightens around the stones railing. "I'm ready," Roman says to himself. He closes his eyes, taking a deep breath. "Ready as I'll ever be." No one was there to witness the bright yellow eyes his eyelids revealed.
The castle continues to radiate elegance despite of the dramatic turn of events that have taken place, Virgil realizes. He stares up at it, dark brown hair brushes against his face as it dances in the wind. Logan did mention a storm approaching early.
Although a great distance separated him and the structure he gazes upon, Virgil swears he can still the silhouette of Roman. At the sight of his previous friend, he grips the red fabric rightly. The sash was the only thing connecting him to the memory of the man he once knew; the man he once trusted. Taking a deep breath, Virgil turns to the crowd behind him.
As he opens his mouth, Virgil pushes down the anxiety racing through him and takes the few milliseconds before words escape his lips to study the crowd. Logan and Patton stand in front, watching him with nervous and curious eyes. Like him, they are hurting and desperate for answers. They are probably wondering what he, himself, is thinking as well. Virgil's eyes scan the members of the guard and some determined citizens. If they don't hold the same emotions as his friends, then their eyes hold anger, wanting justice to come forth, or they hold fear, worried for what the outcome will be. Virgil briefly wonders if this is how Roman feels before giving one of his public speeches.
"The time to rise up and return Thomas to the throne is now!" he yells to the crowd, his normally quiet voice seeming to gain some mysterious strength. His grip on the sash tightens so much his knuckles turn white; once again, it's providing him with an indescribable comfort. "Now is also the time for you to decide whether you wish to stand down, and spend these moments with your family, or if you wish to join us and get on board! No one will judge you, but we could use as much help as we can get. Nothing will get done if we don't fight back." As he speaks, Virgil tosses the red clothing around his neck, hoping it will provide him with enough reassurance to get him through this fight. He scans the crowd once more; he doesn't see anyone backing down. Taking a deep breath, he stretches out his right arm, palm facing the pavement below him. "Are you ready?"
For a few minutes, he fears he is looking like an idiot. He fears they will turn away, allowing destiny to decide their fate rather than taking it in their own hands; he fears they will blindly follow him. If they stay with him and join the battle, will they question his orders; see him unfit to lead? Will he mess up and cause this all to be for nothing? What if he wins, but at the cost of their lives?
Virgil doesn't realize his hand started to shake until he feels Patten's hand rest on top of his own. "I'm ready!" he declares loudly for the others to hear. Virgil smiles at him gratefully, causing Patton to give him own of his own signature, beaming smiles. "You got this, kiddo," he whispers.
"We're ready," Logan states, resting his own palm on top on Patton's. His back is straight and, although his eyes hold fierce determination, the corners of his mouth are turned upward into a small smile.
"We're ready!" a member of the crowd cheers. Soon, others join in, the powerful sentence filling the air around them. Swords and torches and other objects are lifted in the air as the chant continues. As their hands separate, Virgil feels a small burst of confidence enter his heart. Lifting his arm, he grips his scarf before turning his back to the townspeople to gaze up at the castle once again. His fingers curl tighter into the fabric. "Ready as I'll ever be," he whispers quietly to himself.
Patton cheers along with the crowd, smiling with pride for his strange, dark friend, and for how passionate the crowd is to fight for the kingdom and Thomas. Raising a fist in the air, he lets out another cry, allowing it to blend in with the other voices around him.
Out of the corner of his eye, Patton noticed Logan turning around, slipping into the crowd of smiles, with his head hanging low. Concern and confusion pulls at his heart as he follows the logical companion. Before Logan can completely fade away, he is able to grip his hand tightly. The intelligent companion paused at the contact, well aware that his chance to think in isolation has diminished greatly.
"Logan? You okay, buddy?" Patton asks, trying to look Logan in the eye from where he stood.
Sighing, he turns to look at the kind advisor before him. Patton was always good with emotions and comforting, something Logan was lacking in and admired. Perhaps mentioning his hesitation would calm his nerves in someway.
"Our chances of succeeding are low, Patton," he starts. "Not only do we have an emotional connection with Roman, but who knows what he has planned behind the castle walls. Oh, and let us not forget he is cuttingly holding Thomas hostage. I don't want to believe Roman would do anything to him, but his actions lately have been unusual, and irrational, and erratic!" Logan stops his rant, letting out a sigh before looking Patton. "It's just," his shoulders slump, "are you quite sure we can do this? Are you sure we can stand victorious against Roman?"
Patton observes his friend, trying to silently get a read on his friend's form. Slight tremors shake clenched fists, shoulders hung downward, giving off a sense of disparity and helplessness, and dampness around the forehead. After taking this in with just a quick glance, Patton move to gaze at Logan's eyes. Fearful, calculating eyes meet his before moving away slightly, causing him to give a sad smile at seeing his typically confident and level-headed friend become so unsure of his calculations and the next course of action.
"Of course!" Patton declares, grabbing Logan's hand before pulling him forward. "With your help, we'll figure out a way to get into the castle and talk Roman out of this!"
Something sparks in Logan's eyes at his words, a look of contemplation and concentration spreading across his features. "I mean, getting into the castle may be easy based off of blueprints and other different forms of the castle's layout I have studied in-"
"See! You are overthinking things, Logan." A classic, Patton smile is once again given. The grip on the necktie-wearing man's hand tightens and he is once again pulled towards the front of the crowd. "Together," Patton cries," we will win this! Guaranteed!"
Several citizens surrounding them cheer in agreement and courage, causing Patton to grin widely and Logan's fear and sporadic thinking to calm. Yes, together they can do this.
Patton continues to move forward, determination flooding his eyes. They were going to fix this. He was going to make sure to get all of them out of this. I'm going to save them, he thinks to himself, taking Logan with him and he leaves to retrieve their horses. Out of his peripheral vision, he sees people smiling at him widely, so trusting and brave. I'll save my home, and my family.
Virgil tunes out the noise from the audience behind him as he studies the castle. Memories of when he was first hired to work at the castle flood his mind. At the time, due to being hired much later than the others, he was kind of an outsider and wasn't very trusted. Virgil still finds it hard to believe how far he has come, from being the untrustworthy, new advisory, to now leading a rebellion to save Thomas. Letting out a sight I calm his nervous, he eases his hold on the red scarf around his neck. "They can trust me," he whispers quietly. "And I'll make sure to prove it to them."
"Virgil!" Patton calls out, coming up behind him with two horses in tow. Next to him is Logan, already on his steed with one hand resting on his blade's handle.
After giving Patton a grateful smile and taking his horse, Virgil looks back on the first time he had rode the creature. His nervous yell as his horse picked up speed when he wasn't prepares, quickly followed by laughter and a joking comment from Roman, who happened to be there for guidance and support. The memory causes a nostalgic smile to cross his lips before turning into a frown at the thought of what his friend has become.
Gathering his courage, Virgil hops on his horse, Logan and Patton at each of his sides. His stallion rears back as he takes his sword to the air, pointing it skyward. "Charge!" he cries into the dark night, the crowd yelling in return before following the three Royal Advisors.
I'm ready.
Ready as I'll ever be...
Again, based off of animation by thepastelpeach on YouTube. The song used is "Ready As I'll Ever Be" from Disney Channel's Tangled: The Series. Please go check it out!