So... there was a bunch of the princess and the pauper Sanders Sides au on my dash last night, and I ended up thinking of this...
Roman is a nervous, quiet Prince and Heir to the Throne. He’s just a kid, so he can get away with slipping out of his lessons and falter on memorizing the exact number on ships in the harbor or what other ridiculous fact they want him to memorize about his kingdom. He hates the large, empty rooms. He feels lonely surrounded by people who just care about him cause of his parents and his birthright, shy’s away from the upper class kids who are spoiled and snotty and just trying to get him in their friend groups for bragging rights and cause their parents pressured them too.
Virgil is a bright, energetic kid whom is slated to become an apprentice to a couple of seamsters, Joan and Talyn. He carries himself tall for a kid, with a bright smile and brighter eyes. A lot of adults are amused by his personality, but he’s got the maker of a charmer in him and does his best when in front of a crowd. He has dreams of becoming a famous actor one day, potentially even a knight, but had never, not in his wildest dreams, imagined himself becoming royalty.
Than one day Prince Roman sneaks out of the Royal Garden and explores the forest bordering the castle and separating it from the nearby castle town, where he bumps into Virgil, who was savoring the one of the last days of freedom before he’s expected to start learning his new trade. And the two look exactly alike. They freak out about that for a bit.
When they calm down, they start talking and swapping stories about their respective lives- and, surprisingly, realize they both have a lot in common. They both have somewhere else they’d rather be in life, for one. The two end up becoming fast friends, and agree to keep meeting each other.
It’s not until the second meeting, while Virgil is talking about packing up so he can move in with the professional sewing people, that Roman gets the idea. Swap places for one day, see if anyone notices. A little prank, something harmless. The two swap clothes, share as much information as they think the other needs, and head back to each others homes.
Roman finishes packing for Virgil at his foster home, than gets to play outside where he’s allowed to just be by himself and play in the dirt. No one snaps at him at what’s proper, although a few of the locals role their eyes good naturally as he runs around. He runs and trips and picks himself up, and feels embarrassed only for himself and, for once, twenty people don’t come running over at once to fuss over him and make sure he didn’t hurt himself. No one is trying to remind him that the future of the Kingdom is his inevitability responsibility, and he’s just allowed to be himself. He’s just allowed to be... a kid.
Meanwhile, Virgil gets a first hand peak at the inner walls of the castle, in all its splendor. For once in his life, he’s the star of the show- everyone wants to know, he changes a room just by walking into it. He doesn't get what Roman means by ‘cold rooms’, cause there are plenty of fireplaces and the walls are free of drafts, and all the furniture he uses is comfy and fit for him. He finds himself running his hands down the simple white outfit he’s wearing- just a few silver buttons that are just there for decoration, and a red sash. It feels right, in a way nothing has ever felt before. He wonders if this is what it’s like to wear tailor made clothes, and if he’ll get anything that fits as well once he starts his new job.
Later that night, the two quietly and quickly swap back before returning home to go to bed, their head filled with all the things they had seen. It was a nice break from their normal life, they thought, something they’d never forget. They were only going to do this once. They were only supposed to do this once.
They kept doing it.
Roman learned how to use a needle without stabbing his fingers and how to keep the seams from showing (unless showing them was a stylistic choice). He was a natural learner, and enjoyed the quite repetitive nature of sewing and crafting the fabric into something new. Virgil learned how to properly speak to a crowd, how to speak in a large, echoing room and let his voice carry, could recite from memory how many ships were in the harbor and what were the important trade lines in the Kingdom. They spent longer and longer swapping places, until one day, while in their favorite meeting place just beyond the gates of the garden, they wondered... if they ever really needed to swap back.
Smash cut to years later.
Prince Roman is reaching his 18th birthday, and the whole Kingdom is gearing up to celebrate. He is a bright, energetic young man whom is slated to become King one day. He carries himself tall, with a bright smile and brighter eyes. A charmer in a crowded room, confident and daring and everything a Prince should be. He has bright dreams, and an even brighter future. The name Roman feels him with pride- the greatest gift he was ever given, a true dream come true.
Virgil is a soft spoken, quiet sewist (sew and artist) who makes some of the most impressive and sought after ballgowns and suits in the Kingdom. He works in an otherwise humble little shop and has a small group of friends he can trust. He works and lives in quiet, warm rooms making small talk with the other tailors, telling stories and listening to those told in turn. They laugh and gossip and enjoy the quite things in life. The name Virgil rolls of the tongue, a unique name, nothing like the six of seven names the Royal family tosses around from one generation to the next. It’s his name, one he’s chosen, and that’s all he needs.
One thing you need to know about Royalty- you have the royal family of the resident Kingdom, and the people who marry royalty are their consorts. Consort’s never have a higher rank than the royal member they rank, so when Patton married the King, he only took on the title of Prince. They are not both King’s. That is all.
Anyways, Prince Patton's heard marvelous things about this little tailor shop, and brings his son along one day to get him a custom made, tailored suit for his coming of age birthday celebration. Roman doesn't recognize the shop until he steps inside. Joan, who was working the front that day, takes one look at Prince Roman and immediately begins low key freaking out. Patton gets curious, and asks to meet this Virgil- their best tailor and apparently someone who looks like Roman. And then Virgil comes out of the back and he and Patton lock eyes, and Patton just gasps softly and covers his mouth.
Virgil is just thinking, well fuck, this is awkward, when Patton lowers his hands and very softly, in a hopeful voice, asks... “Remus? I... Remus, is that you?”
Then Virgil thinks, oh fuck, I never told Princy about my long lost twin brother. Fuck.