That night Theodore did something he had not done in years. He gathered all his will, pulled his indignant anger in closer to his determination and he knocked meekly on his wife's bedroom door.

Sierra looked up at the subtle sound and sighed. There is only one person she knew who could make a knock sound scared. "Come in, Theodore."

The door slowly creaked open and the head of curly black hair poked in. "Sierra," the King began shakily, "I need to speak to you."

Sierra sent Christopher away and beckoned for her husband to come closer.

Theodore nodded a polite dismissal to the family doctor as he made his way quietly out. Chris closed the door behind himself and only then did Theodore turn back to face his wife.

"Sierra, what the hell was that display about earlier?"

The Queen was taken aback for a moment by The King's new found passion, as well as his boldness to share it. "Are you really that upset about your chair?" She stood as she spoke and walked towards him, intrigued by the fact he'd stood up to her.

Theo watched. Temporarily distracted by her lusts, he watched the sway of her hips and the sultry stare she bathed him in. He shook his head and cleared his throat to find his voice again, "We both know this isn't about the chair! You sent an innocent girl to die."

"The slave? She's not going to die. I have better plans for her."

"Shell is innocent, and you know that."

Sierra walked around her Theo, her hand tracing along his shoulders as she slowly circled him. He had been away so long, fulfilling his role as ambassador that she had almost forgotten how attractive he actually was. He was cute; in a pathetic sort of way.

Theo tried to keep his eyes locked on his Queen's face, to show her how angry he was, but he had a hard time keeping up the expression, when she was so clearly trying to seduce him.

"Sierra, I want to talk to you." He gently grasped her wrists and slid her hands off his neck. He held her shoulders loosely to force her face him dead on, "Why did you spare Shell's life? I know you, Sierra. I know how you think. The girl is dangerous to you if she's left alive. It wasn't a wise move on your part, but you would know that, which means you have some reason to keep her around. What is it?"

Sierra stepped back a step, pulling her shoulders free from his grip, "I don't like this line of questioning. And I don't intend to share the answers with you. I do, though, invite you to share my bed for the evening."

Theodore could hardly contain his sneer of distaste. Any desire he may have been entertaining was gone now, "Sierra. I married you to please my father, and stop a war between our worlds. Nothing more. I have no intentions of sharing anything with you, other than my name, and our parentage of Abyss. I fulfill my legal responsibilities as King, and I do every petty job you assign to me. I am passive, and respectful. I am the perfect husband. I don't want anything from you but the truth, my personal space, and my damned dignity. Can you not grant me those simple requests?"

Sierra allowed a moment or so of contemplation to pass and then she exploded in laughter. "Theodore. You are the bane of my existence. If I did not need you to keep my crown, you would be dead. I owe you nothing. Get out."

Theo let out a sad sigh as he realized he was going to get no useful information from his wife tonight. He turned without another word and left her alone in her chamber. He looked at the young guard posted at her bedroom door. He was young and strong. A handsome man that Theo had no trouble imagining would, in only a few minutes time, take up the invitation he himself had just turned down. It is highly unlikely the young man would pass it up. Most wouldn't.

But still, Theo was at a loss. Why leave the slave alive? It made no sense. If Sierra truly intended to pass off this rouse of blaming the pet's death on Shell, why keep her alive and able to contest? It would be dangerous. Sierra was not sloppy. Something had stopped her heavy hand, but what? Theo had to know. The only problem was Theo rarely saw, or spoke to his wife outside of public displays and appearances. In short, he did not know her. But who was she close to?

Naturally Abysmal comes to mind. Sierra adored their daughter. The two of them shared a bond that Theodore never was quite able to duplicate. But The Princess would never divulge anything to him, well, anything. The only other companion she keeps on hand is the doctor. Doctor Casador, of course! If anyone would be able to delve into the inner working of Sierra's thoughts, it would him.

Shelley et, stood on the cot, in her drafty, smelly, cold cell in the lowest levels of the dungeon. She gripped tightly onto the bars in the window high up on the wall above her head, and yanked despite knowing the futility of the act. Shelley, although a slave, was not a stupid girl. She knew she was not going to receive a light sentence. She knew it was very likely she was going to die. But above all that, Shelley was afraid.

Theo pushed open the door into Doctor Casador's office, "Chris? You in?"

Christopher pushed back from his desk and gestured for Theo to enter as he stood slowly from his seat, "Come in, Sire, please… what can I do for you this evening? It's getting late isn't it?"

Theo nodded slowly, "Yeah… sorry. I just … I had a question. I think you're the only one that might be able to help me answer it."

Chris nodded smiling, "Anything, Sir."

Theo studied the man. He stared into the doctor's deep inviting brown eyes. They were huge, and reminded him of something, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was.

"Sir?"

Theo blinked. Chris's words snapped him back to attention, "Oh! Right… I wanted to talk to you about Sierra."

Christopher, a man old enough to be Theo's father took in a shaky breath, and wiped the back of his hand across his brow. "Yes Sir… I can try and help, as best I can. What about her exactly?"

"That's just it… I'm not sure. There's this little girl named Shell, and she andChristopher paced a step or two, "Close, sir? I wouldn't say we're close, as much as we spend time together occasionally."

"Don't deny it Chris. I know she asks for you company a lot. She likes you. And I know she'd never admit it, but I think you're her friend."

"She forced me, sir!"

Theo let this announcement hang in the air for as long as he could. When, finally, the moment broke, he could think of only one thing to say. "What?"

"She threatened my wife!"

"Chris!" Theo grabbed the doctor and shook him, "Look at me! You're not making any sense! Stop. Slow down. Think. Start at the beginning. What the hell are you talking about?"

Chris stared at his King and nodded. "I'm trying, Sir! I'm ashamed to say this, but I had an intimate relationship with your wife."

Theo quietly sat down. Next thing he knew, Chris was doing the same.

Chris brought his soulful brown eyes, back upwards, to stare into Theo's blue. "She forced me."

"To have sex with her?"

"Yes, sir. It seems somehow my devotion to my wife presented as a challenge for her. The fact she could not bed me, only made her want all the more to do so. I can think of little other reason she'd want old me."
Theo stared at the man not sure what to say, so he nodded and listened.