MICHAEL wanted to throw up. Jeremy was hurt and it was all because of him. He had caused this. He had been weak and not able to save himself. Even as he cradled Jeremy in his arms he was unable to do anything except stare. He could vaguely hear and see out of the corner of his eye as a guard ran up the stairs, presumably after Antoni.

The next thing he registered was Jeremys Advisor turning up next to them, pulling the King off of Michaels lap and down onto the cold marble stairs. Michael stood, still only staring with tight lips at the scene unfolding in front of him. Everything felt numb, it seemed surreal. It didn't feel like he was in his own body.

He watched numbly as the Squip called for a doctor, and finally as a man ascended the steps and took a place in front of Jeremy, blocking the view that he had of the king.

Michael turned around, placing his attention on Antoni, who was thrashing and writhing in the grip of one of the royal guards. He was seething with anger, Michael could see the anger in his eyes. Even after all that Antoni had put him through, there was still something inside of Michael that felt pity for the man. All he had wanted was equality.

The more sensible part of Michael knew, oh he knew, that even after Antoni was granted his wishes he still didn't comply.  There had to have been something that had driven him to be this angry, to be this hateful, Michael couldn't believe that this was just how he was— he couldn't.

After watching the guards march Antoni past him and out the door of the ballroom with the rest of the Nameless, past the faces of the scared and shaken guests. Michaels eyes wandered around the room, watching the guests as they were lead out of the room by some of the other guards. The prince recognized one of them as Jake.

Eventually his eyes landed back onto Jeremy and the doctor. The man had shifted slightly and now Michael had a clearer view of what was happening to the king. Jeremy had been stripped of his blouse and cloak at some point. The doctor was ripping up the end of the kings cloak into long strips— he was making do with what he had. With one hand he pressed the strips of cloth onto Jeremys stomach keeping the rapier, which was still embedded in Jeremys side, steady. The doctor and the advisor shared a wordless glance and soon the advisor leaned down, gripping the rapier and quickly removing it from the kings side. Quickly, the prince pressed a piece of cloth onto the wound, tying another tightly around the kings torso.

Jeremys eyes shot open shortly after the rapier was removed and he gasped looking down at his side, covered in blood and still gushing. He let out a string of curse words, barely audible with his heavy breathing.

The doctor was the first to speak, steadying the king by grasping onto his shoulders and pressing him back onto the cold marble. "Your Majesty, please I beg of you, calm down. It is all right. You will be alright." He pressed the cloth he was holding to the wound down with a little more pressure and Jeremy winced, taking a sharp intake of breath.

Jeremys eyes were half lidded, searching around the room for a familiar face. He couldn't find him, and his anxiety was rising with each second. He couldn't focus, he couldn't breath, he couldn't— "M-Michael... my
prince... is he—is he okay?" The doctor nodded, choosing to ignore the comment the king had made about the Prince, and moved slightly out of the way so Jeremy could see Michael standing behind him. Jeremy half smiled, finally resting his head against the steps. "Good."

Michael was still numb, Jeremy was awake now- but that didn't mean anything. He couldn't even process the comment that Jeremy had made about him. Still, all he could do was watch, even though half of him wanted to look away from the sight of the blood pooling beneath Jeremy.

The words of the doctor pulled Michael out of his half-trance, "We are going to need to move you now, Sir. To somewhere more secure so that I may ensure your safety." The doctor looked towards the door, the castle medical staff had finally arrived, carrying an empty stretcher and a medical bag.

Michael watched as the doctor, advisor and two others hauled the king onto the cloth stretcher and brought him down the steps. He trailed slowly behind, still in the trance that the events had put him in. Michael got as far as the doors before the kings guards stopped him, stating that the king needed his space and that the medical staff wanted to look Michael over to ensure that he hadn't been hurt too much.

He stepped back, watching the king being taken out of the room as other doctors examined him, asking question after question. Michael answered blindly. All he could think about was Jeremy. What would become of him? He thought about Antoni too. He couldn't help the curiosity that ate him up about just why Antoni had done this to him.

As the doctors examined him, Michael decided right then that he would figure out just why Antoni had hurt them.

———

THE cell bars were cold against his palms, reminding him of the weeks that he spent captive and helpless at the hands of the Nameless. However, this time it wasn't him being held captive, he wasn't the one questioning his fate anymore.

Antoni was pacing in his cell, sneering at Michael. Neither of them had said a word, just stared at each other.

Michael was the first to break the tense silence with a question, "Why? Why did you do this to us?"

Antoni laughed, practically barked at the question, "Why?" He seethed, "Because we have a selfish king who only does good when it changes his life. Do you think that if your life had not been in danger that he would have rearranged the kingdom?" Antoni laughed, "NO!" He slammed his hands into the bars, growling. "He is selfish, he is a bastard. He deserved this!"

Despite his obvious anger, Michael spoke calmly, removing his hands from the still shaking bars. "Do you think that the thought did not pass through his mind? He is not the villain that you make him out to be in your mind. The king is not the only one in control. He does not make all the decisions."

Antoni was still seething, "You are blinded by the affection that you feel for you. You cannot see how much pain he has caused! You are just as bad as him! That man is still the leader of this fucked up government— and this fucked up government is what got my sister killed!"

If Michael had not been sitting down he would have stumbled back in surprise. "What?" Michael had not known that Antoni had any family.

Once again Antoni laughed, this time more somber. "Julianna. Her name was Julianna. She was amazing... so smart, so much smarter than me, so strong. She worked for a tailor near our home to support us. She was amazing, except according to your dear king she had one flaw, she fell in love with a girl— the tailors daughter. They were so in love, so happy." Antoni was smiling a genuine smile, tears brimming at the edge of his eyes. "They were so happy together, she could finally breath... but that didn't last for long..."

———
"Charolette! Where are we going?" Julianna laughed, letting herself be pulled down the rocky path by her lover. The girl in question—Charolette, squeezed her hand.

"Somewhere delightful my dear! I think you will enjoy it... but I am not so sure our dear Ant will..." Charolette glanced back at Antoni who was walking behind them with his arms crossed and a frown on his face. "Why did you agree to accompany us if you are just going to brood the whole time?"!

"Because I want to keep my sister— I want to keep both of you— safe."

Charolette and Julianna shared a glance and after a few tense seconds burst out laughing. Antoni couldn't help but roll his eyes, a half smile gracing his lips.

The walk didn't last much longer and eventually the trio came to a clearing. There were others there, holding hands, talking, kissing, their love forbidden in their home country. The couple introduced themselves and engaged in casual conversation with the others, while Antoni stood off to the side, profiling everyone.

Almost every one had a pair or a group. Only one man was alone. Antoni should have guessed that something was up, but in the moment he just supposed the man was a little nervous. He vaguely recognized him (Alexios or Alfred? He couldn't remember). Soon enough though, he disappeared and Antoni turned back to watching his sister. She looked so happy. She looked like she belonged, she finally found people who understood. Of course that couldn't last forever.

The strange silent man returned finally, three others were trailing behind him. Antoni recognized them immediately; Royal Guards. "I told you they would be here! I am no liar! There they are, these disgusting ingrates!"

The man was practically screeching, hurling insults at the group who could do nothing but stare.

Julianna was the first to react, she pulled Charolette behind her as the guards pulled their pistols and their swords.

Antoni had tried to protect his sister, he really had. But he couldn't make it fast enough. He had been too far. Too far. He could only watch as the first bullet was fired, straight at his sister. Antoni did not hold back after that.

———

"My sister died that night. She died not getting to be the person that she wanted to be. She died as her lover cradled her in her arms. She died because of your kings corrupt government. Three other people died that night. I hunted down the bastards that did it, every last one of them, I made sure they all paid for what they did. They fucking deserved what I did and I wish I could fucking do it again so they would understand just how much pain they caused!" Antoni was shaking with anger, it had been too long that he had it bottles up.

Michael was choked up, covering his mouth to stop the sobs from escaping. He knew that Antoni could be lying but the emotions were so raw— he didn't see how he could be. He felt bad for Antoni, he felt bad for Charolette. None of them deserved it. "I—I am so sorry. I had no idea, they did not deserve that."

"Damn right. And it is all the king's fault."

"I understand your anger but he did not send those men. He did not kill them. It was never his intention to get anyone hurt, trust me I know." Michael stood and stepped closer to the bars. Antoni only clicked his tongue, shaking his head.

"I am going to make you a deal."