It was a dark and depressing day and it was just about to get worse. Much worse. Duchess Jenesis was the next one called to see the widowed King Frank as he ruled the land with an iron fist much like his mother before him and then his daughter and so on and so forth going for generations to generations. Frank was rarely kind and caring towards his servants and people, often spending his time spoiling his daughter who was just as bossy and arrogant as he was, especially when he was a teenager. He often had peasants come in, mostly those who were willing to sacrifice themselves in order to please him and his daughter.

Today was different though, he sat in his throne, wearing his glittering leotard with his lightning streaked crown over his bush of curly black hair and his face heavily made-up. No one would dare ridicule of their ruler for being a transvestite or else they would possibly be executed or even have a fate worse than death that no one would dare try to imagine.

Duchess walked into the castle, the guards letting her pass as she had an appointment to see the king and she walked across the gray marble floor with the red carpet leading up to the king's throne. "Your Highness..." the woman bowed respectively to him, then looked up with her hazel eyes.

"You may stand..." Frank granted her access, but he never stood up from his throne. "You do know why you're here, correct?"

"Yes, sir..." Duchess replied respectfully. "I haven't paid my payments in quite sometime..."

"And why is that?" Frank asked her, he didn't sound firm just yet, but was surely unhappy about that.

"Well... Sir... I..." Duchess grew nervous of his emotionless tone. "My husband has abandoned us... It's hard raising two children alone."

"So you have only used your money to provide food and shelter for them, have you?" Frank took note of that.

"Y-Yes, sir..." Duchess replied honestly.

Frank narrowed his olive green eyes. "You know the penalty for lack of payment... GUARDS! Take her to my dungeon!" he demanded.

"Oh, no, please!" Duchess begged for her life, knowing that this meant she was going to be killed as punishment for her misdeeds.

"I'm sorry, my lady, but you know the rules..." Frank sounded anything but caring for her sake. "You shall be rid of by dawn..."

Duchess was fearing for her life now as the guards came to take her away and she would never return home to her children. They already lost their father, she couldn't risk letting them go without her now, even if her daughter was old enough to take care of herself. "Wait!" she then yelled, causing tension in the room, no one would talk back to him.

Frank glanced at her, he hoisted himself off from his throne and walked across the carpet. He then glared at Duchess, looking her dead in the eye. "Excuse me, Miss? I don't believe I was clear..."

"King Frank, please forgive me..." Duchess became desperate as she thought of an idea. "What if I give you my children?"

Frank glanced at her. "Give me your children? Why would I take them in when I already have a lovely daughter who is to be married when she turns 18?"

Duchess tried to think of something. "You could take them as your own..." she was going to give up her children for the sake of her own life and well-being.

"Them..." Frank nearly sneered, then thought about it. "You would... Give them to me for your own life?"

"If I did, would you let me go?" Duchess then asked.

Frank glanced back at her and slightly folded his arms. "Maybe... I do warn you though... Any children in this castle who are not my own must serve me... Is that clear, Mrs. Jenesis?"

"I understand, sir," Duchess agreed. "They could work for you. My son is about your daughter's age... Perhaps he could entertain her?"

Frank glared back then. "My daughter is to have an arranged marriage."

"Yes, sir..." Duchess gave an understanding nod. "Either way... Until her marriage, he could become her personal servant."

Frank hid a smirk then. "And what of your own daughter?"

"She's well after puberty, I'm sure she could entertain you as well..."

Frank thought it over, that offer was really tempting. He stroked his chin, deep into thought. He had to admit that that didn't sound so bad. He was a little shocked himself that a woman would trade her children just to save her own life so she wouldn't have the burden of raising them and after the absence of her husband, she had to provide for them all by herself.

"Perhaps you have something there, Mrs. Jenesis..." Frank grinned menacingly to Duchess. "Your children will be mine tomorrow... You have one more night with them tonight, but that will be it."

Duchess nodded firmly. "It's agreed upon then."

The two allowed each other to shake hands and Duchess was free to go home and tell her two children about their new living arrangements.