"Who is next?" Blaine called, sitting up straight. It was impossible to relax on the throne. King Burt had fashioned it so that whoever sat upon it would never be too comfortable, least of all the king himself. Normally, the King held court himself, listening to his subjects' needs and concerns, but today was a day of mourning for him, so he had appointed Blaine to attend to this particular duty.

A young girl came forward, trembling.

"Y-you Highn- I mean, my-my lord," she stammered, dropping to her knees, but Blaine held up a hand to stay her words.

"Please, there is no need to kneel. What is your name?"

"M-marley, Sir. Marley Rose."

"Marley, you needn't be frightened. I am holding court for the King today to answer to the concerns of his citizens," Blaine told her gently, "you are here of your own free will, and any request you make will be listened to and respected, though I cannot guarantee it shall be granted."

Marley's cheeks flushed a lovely shade of pink. Blaine thought vaguely that she was the sort of lass that one of his friends, Sir Jacob, found most comely.

Marley went on to describe her problem. "My lord, I-I have travelled far, from the northlands, because my father has been terribly injured. There was an attack on his land, and he was struck down during battle."

"An attack? By whom? What banners did they fly?"

Marley cringed back, and Blaine remembered to keep a calm expression. The news that some enemy had attacked innocent people in King Burt's kingdom angered him very much. Truly, he spent much of his time on missions within the realm and even in ally lands keeping the peace, protecting the innocent and helpless, and spreading the crown's ideals of tolerance and chivalry. Most of the places he and his fellow knights went to were grateful and happy when they helped, but he knew he still had a reputation as a fearsome warrior and intimidating ruler in King Burt's stead. Among the kingdoms and lands that had made themselves enemies of the crown, Blaine knew he had an ominous reputation. It appeared those in the northlands were also wary of him. He thought to himself how very odd it was for the people to be more intimidated by a knight than the king himself, but King Burt was a constant reassuring presence in his kingdom and visited all corners of it regularly, and Blaine was a mysterious figure often off fighting in strange lands.

"Please do not be afraid," he told Marley, and gently asked her to describe the banners.

He recognized who it was immediately, and so did King Burt the next day when he told him of Marley's plight.

"Governor Karofsky," King Burt said with an angry frown. Blaine nodded.

"I've sent men to help tend to the injured and the dead, as well as help repair the damage done to the Rose lands," Blaine told him, "but Your Majesty, I fear that we can no longer sit idle by."

"I agree," King Burt said, "the Governor must be dealt with. I'll send a large force to take his city in a fortnight. But I believe the city has gone too long, corrupted for decades, and merely unseating its ruler will not save it or its citizens."

"Your Highness?"

King Burt regarded him closely. "Sir Blaine, you are young, but you are also my most trusted and best knight. Have you a sweetheart here in the city?"

"No, Highness." The truth was that though Blaine had many friends, he traveled too much to have time for a lover. His reputation hardly helped in the romance area either. The knights he was friends with all preferred women and he had grown up with them, so they were comfortable around them. But the kingdom's subjects generally avoided the intimidating group of knights. Blaine sometimes wondered if he had too little time for a sweetheart, or if he filled his lonely days with missions and fighting to distract from his loneliness.

"There is no one else I could trust this with. Prince Finn is still far too childish in spirit for such responsibility. I want you to lead the force to take the Governor's city, and I want you to stay there with the knights of your choosing, ruling over the city until it has been truly reformed. It may take months, even years."

Blaine looked at King Burt, conflicted. Prince Finn was King Burt's only son, and adopted at that, the son from Queen Carol's first marriage. He knew the King would never be able to let his son go, especially not after losing his first infant child.

"Take the night to think it over."

Blaine shook his head. "There is no need. I am at your command, Your Majesty, and honored that you have chosen me for this mission."

xxxXXXxxx

Kurt jolted awake to the sound of yells and clanging swords. Terrified, he pulled his ratty blanket around his shoulders and stumbled to his feet from the ground by the fire, which had gone out. He crept to the door and peered through a crack. Men were fighting outside fiercely. Kurt's eyes widened when a dark haired woman screamed out a stream of curses and slammed one of the Governor's men against the wall, knocking him out cold. Kurt let out a gasp and backed away, trembling. He had no love for the Governor, none at all. He truly hated him, actually, and he terrified Kurt. But Kurt did not know what to expect from the city's attackers. He had often been taught that the devil he knew was better than the devil he didn't.

He curled up in the corner behind the door, trying to ignore the clanging of metal and screams of pain and battle cries. He sat like that, wishing he had something to defend himself with, but alas there was nothing in the room, shivering and waiting, until the fighting died away. Some time later, the door banged open.

"Get up, stupid," Brody said, yanking Kurt to his feet.

"Wh-what's happening?"

"The Governor has fallen. We have a new ruler now, and everyone was to present themselves in the great hall five minutes ago. You're late."

Kurt noticed Brody, another lowly servant but not as lowly as Kurt - no one was as lowly as him - had found himself a clean shirt and trousers, and even an old pair of mismatched shoes. Kurt had no shoes of his own, his clothes were torn and dirty, and he himself was smudged with soot and dirt. He had been too scared to brave the halls last night and take a bath, and too exhausted besides that.

"Please," he said to Brody, grabbing his arm, "have you a spare tunic? Anything? I cannot go like this."

Brody snorted. "What's the use now? Whatever you're wearing will likely be whipped from your body anyway, for your tardiness. You'd never get the bloodstains out. The new Governor is Lord Blaine Anderson. Heard of him?"

Shaking, Kurt trailed behind Brody. He had heard of this man, a fearsome warrior and uncompromising ruler. Surely no one could be worse than Governor Karofsky, but still...Kurt had already failed to show Governor Anderson the proper respect. He would already be punished or perhaps even killed, and if he survived the day, he would certainly already be a marked man.

Their footsteps on the way were loud and ominous. The creak of the door to the great hall as Brody pushed it open rang in Kurt's head and everyone inside turned to look at him. He walked forward quietly, taking his place at the end of the line, next to Bree, another servant.

Governor Anderson sat in Karofsky's place, and he was looking right at Kurt. Kurt lowered his head, staring at the floor. He had learned a long time ago it was the safest way to get by.

The Governor didn't say anything about him, though. He spoke to the room, informing them that Karofsky had been executed (Kurt couldn't help but feel relieved, even in his new fear), and that he would be staying on with knights from King Burt's court to reform the city.

"I know many of you will not like the changes we are going to implement, but you will see in time they are for the best. I expect cooperation and respect. Any trouble will be dealt with accordingly."

Kurt closed his eyes, determined not to cry, not right in front of Bree and Brody and all the others who laughed at his misfortune to distract themselves from their own. He would surely be flogged, perhaps killed as an example to the city's citizens and the servants of the Governor's house.

Everyone was dismissed and Kurt immediately ran outside where barrels of water collected rainwater. He knew better than to try to escape. He had done so many times under Karofsky's rule, but the guards had always recognized him and never let him pass. But he scrubbed at his skin, trying to get clean.

"Hey, idiot," Bree said, walking up to him with her arms crossed, "The Governor has commanded your presence in his chambers. So either he's going to kill you, or he's one of those freaks who likes men and you're sort of a boy, so maybe he wants to fuck you. At least you'll be alive?"

Kurt shuddered. Homosexuality was outlawed in the city. Governor Karofsky's father had made it so during his rule. Which was why Karofsky himself had hidden who he was from the world, and chosen to take out his desires by tormenting Kurt. Now it appeared Kurt had escaped that fate only to be met with an even worse one.

"Please, I need something clean to wear."

"That is not my problem" Bree laughed. She tugged at a string on his shirt and made another tear. Kurt gasped and pulled away from her.

"Don't!"

"Run along now. You were already late once. Unless you want the new Governor to be angry with you and end your pitiful life for you."

He had at least washed his face, hands, and neck, but he was still dirty, his clothes still stained and torn. His bare feet made their way to the Governor's chambers, clammy against the hard stone of the floor. His hands shook so he twisted them into the material of his tunic.

The dark haired woman he'd seen before was standing guard. She pursed her lips, crooking her eyebrow as she looked him up and down. Kurt kept his eyes lowered.

The woman jerked her head towards the door. "Go on, then."