THE King stared up at the two men standing on the staircase. Chaos had broken out all over the room, yet all eyes were on those two. And though they were standing there together, they were not similar at all. The man in red was terrified, his hands clenched in fists at his side. The other man, the one in black, the one that had spoken had an air of confidence around him.

"Hello, ladies and gentlemen. I'm sure you all have heard my name. Or, at least, know of me. My name is Antoni, and I am the leader of The Nameless.

The Kings eyes widened, he knew that man, he knew what he was responsible for. Jeremy took a step forward intent on getting to him before he got away, but Squips arm stopped him before he could get any further. 

Antoni noticed his reaction and merely smiled, he turned his attention to the king. "My dear king... I'm sure you received my letter a few weeks ago. I'm sure you know the terms for the release of your oh-so-precious prince." Antoni reached for the man next to him roughly, yanking him close by his arm. He was still terrified, even more so than before. Jeremy could see it in his eyes. His eyes, which were so familiar that is pained the King. 

Antoni continued his speech, "Now, I'm all sure that you are all wondering who this mystery man is. Any guesses?" He did not wait very long, but either way, no one said anything. The room was dead silent, you could hear a pin drop. "No one? Well, I'll tell you anyways."

Antoni pulled the other man closer and yanked the mask up, and there was the terrified face of the Prince of Barguil. Those who knew his face gasped in surprise and looked on with horrified expressions. 

Jeremy was the most horrified, tears brimming at the edges of his eyes. Michael looked so afraid. Jeremy was afraid for him. 

"I see this face is a bit familiar, isn't it? Well, he has been in my possession for the past few weeks, and still, the terms of his release have still not been met yet." Antoni was addressing the crowd, but he was keeping his eyes trained on the King. 

Squip had to keep Jeremy from rushing up the steps to Michael. Jeremy was just about to snap.

"Well you know my terms--you've known them--and they were not met. So, you know the consequences. As a matter of fact, this is all your fault." Antoni finished his speech and shoved Michael down in front of him. He didn't give the King a chance to even react before he was holding a rapier to the prince's neck. His rapier. He was using his own weapons against him. He had given it to Michael and now it was to be used against him. 

Jeremy was frozen in place, he couldn't move. What could he do? He could wind up getting Michael hurt more.

Antoni smiled as Jeremy stood there in fear, staring him in the eyes. "Any last words, my dear prince?"

Michael looked Jeremy in the eyes, tears running down his face and regret written all over his expression. He smiled through his tears, he mouthed the words "I'm sorry" to Jeremy. 

"Nothing? Okay, let's--"

Jeremy broke himself out of his trance and spoke up before Michael was gone. "Wait!" Antoni removed the pressure from the rapier on Michaels' neck and quirked an eyebrow at the King. Jeremy sent his advisor an icy glare and he dropped his arm that was stopping Jeremy from doing anything. The King pushed his way through his guard and past the crowd and he stopped at the bottom of the steps looking from Antoni and the prince to the crowd. Michael looked hopeful and surprised. 

Jeremy stared at Antoni taking a deep breath, "If you had only waited until the end of the night, this would not have happened. I was going to make an announcement. I did what you wanted, Antoni. I met your terms." 

Antoni hesitantly removed the weapon from Michaels' neck but kept his hand tightly gripped on his shoulder. "Go on." 

The king turned his back to Antoni and faced the crowd,  preparing himself for the reactions he would receive.  "This has been a long time due," He announced taking a long deep breath, "The ban on same-sex marriages and couples has been lifted, and as of tonight any persecution of these people or these couples will be met with extreme punishment."

Murmurs erupted in the crowd and slowly grew into shouting. Jeremy could feel the angry glares, and he knew there would be hell to pay eventually, but he did not regret it. He did not regret it because this would save Michaels life. He did not regret it, because now a whole lot more people could be free about who they were. 

"Hush! Quiet! You can all discuss this later, but it is not for right now." The room grew quiet all of a sudden as the King Commanded and he continued. "Also in effect as of tonight, the draft age has been moved up to 21 years of age. Neither of these decisions are up for debate. Things will stay as they were stated tonight."

Another round of murmurs broke out in the room, but the king silenced them just as quickly as they started. Jeremy turned to face Antoni.

"I did as you said, please, now let him go." Jeremy's eyes were pleading, he just needed Michael back.

Antoni was scowling, hatred written all over his face. There was a want in him that made him want to enact his revenge on the king and still take the life of someone that he cared for. But the other part of him, the sensible part, knew he shouldn't. Antoni never went back on promises Though, he remembered, that he never promised to spare the princes life if the terms were met, only that he'd reconsider his fate. He had found a loophole in his own plan.

The smirk returned to Antoni's face, "I do not recall ever promising to spare your dear princes life. Only to reconsider  what would happen to him."

The king took a sharp intake of breath, "Please, I did as you asked, please do not take his out on him. Please." 

Antoni seemed to consider this for a second, but he smiled after a few seconds had passed and said, "No."

The next couple seconds seemed to happen in slow motion to those involved and to those who would later recall the events from the ballroom floor. 

As soon as the word was uttered from Antoni's lips, Jeremy was on his way up the stairs. Antoni drew his weapon again and pulled Michael back a few steps. The King's advisor was right on his heel, pushing people on the floor out of his way. 

Jeremy was not going to lose Michael for sure this time. He was not going to lose Michael again. He couldn't let Michael lose his chance.

Jeremy was at the top of the stairs at the rapier was lifted to Michaels next again, and he was not thinking as he lunged from Antoni. He was not thinking as Antoni turned the weapon on him and dug it into his side. He was thinking, however, when he looked up at Michael was cupping his face, tears streaming down his face, whispering words that the King could not make out. Jeremy could hear the fight going on next to him, he could hear his guards fighting with Antoni but he could not see them.

The world seemed to fade from existence as he focused on Michaels' face, and he watched as Michaels' face got blurrier and blurrier until his face was completely gone, and nothing was left.