Queen Kerry Weaver took a firm hold of the hand of the head of her Royal Guard Mlungisi and somehow made it to the ground without breaking her neck, it was close though. Mlungisi cleared his throat, a small twinkle in his eyes as he addressed his friend and Queen. "My Queen, a graceful dismount, as always."

A laugh came from behind the horse and Kerry's lady in waiting wore a smirk as she appeared. "You are a lot of things your majesty, graceful is not one of them." She handed Kerry a long grey colored cane with the head of a lion made out of wood on top. "And how was your ride?"

Kerry shook her head. She had been riding since she was a child. Early on her parents had figured out that despite her bum hip she was quite a good horseback rider and encouraged Kerry to spend as much time as she had between her studies and her obligations to the kingdom with and on her horse. Usually it was a calming experience to take her favorite horse, Rebecca, out for a ride, but every single worry line that had been there before the ride was still there.

"It sufficed Miranda. Is Archibald with my son?"

Randi nodded, "I just came from there, he and Archie were playing with the sword that Captain Mlungisi made for him?"

Kerry swung her gaze towards Mlungisi and Randi put an mouthed oof and put her hand over her mouth. "Sword."

Randi was waving her hand at Mlungisi and mouthed the word sorry. Mlungisi shook his head, "It is made of wood my Queen. Just wood, as is the one I made for Mr. Morris."

Kerry raised an eyebrow, "I'm not... overjoyed that he is playing such a violent game, but I suppose..." She trailed off, "Mlungisi, thank you, Miranda, come with me."

Randi gave a smile to Mlungisi who shot Randi a look that while it wasn't quite a deadly as Kerry's had quite a sting. Randi just stung and followed Kerry out of the stables.


"Alas, my love, you do me wrong,
To cast me off discourteously.
For I have loved you well and long,
Delighting in your company.

Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight,
Greensleeves was my heart of gold,
And who but my lady greensleeves.

Your vows you've broken, like my heart,
Oh, why did you so enrapture me?
Now I remain in a world apart
But my heart remains in captivity.

Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight,
Greensleeves..."

The tall blonde woman trailed off as a dark skinned younger woman gave two claps of her hands. The blonde's hair was tied up out of the way. She was wearing what looked like a well used protective apron, and a glove on her left hand. The darker colored woman had black silky looking hair, also pulled up behind her head. She had on leggings and a simple shirt. As she walked by the blonde, she patted her on the shoulder, "I'd keep your day job Kim."

Kim closed her eyes and raised chin towards the roof. "That wasn't for public consumption Neela."

Neela shrugged into her own apron and went over to the forge at the back of the room. She stoked the fire and turned back towards Kim, "What is on your mind... boss..."

"Neela..."

Neela held her hands up with a quarter of a smile, "You only sing badly out of key when something is on your mind."

Kim shook her head, opened her eyes and looked over at Neela, "Is the die done?"

Neela moved over to a table that looked as though it had no order to it. She looked for a second before she held up the die, "And it's a swage."

Kim rolled her eyes, they'd had the exact argument over and over, she didn't want to disappoint, so she responded, "No, you swage, it is called a die. Will you just give it to me Neel?"

Neela handed over the piece of metal that she had made, "Sometimes, I don't get you Kim. You won't let me make the chain mail, or some of the more basic things, but you don't mind when I make the... ...swages...?"

Kim picked up her hammer and held it on her shoulder for a moment as she thought through her answer. Finally she shrugged, "I'm crazy, didn't those in the town tell you that when you told them you were becoming my apprentice? If not, they should have. My father died before he could properly marry me off, and instead of running to the first available man, I took over this shop and became my household's breadwinner." Kim slammed the hammer down on the piece of metal she had put on the anvil. "Crazy, just plain crazy..." she finished her thought in a mumble that Neela didn't catch, "...surprised they haven't burned me at the stake yet..."

"What?"

Kim shook her head, "Back to work, we need to get Baron Carter's sword done before he comes by and throws a hissy fit."


Kerry strode through her throne room with barely a look. it was a grand room, the vaulted ceilings glowed gold and silver in the right light. It was almost as wide as it was tall. Down either side were windows that were almost floor to ceiling. Toward the back of the room sat a dais where two chairs sat. One was a regular sized throne, the other was a smaller version of its parent chair and was a little crooked on the dais. The most apparent part of the room thought, was its emptiness.

Randi had to practically run to catch up with Queen Kerry. "Your Majesty."

Kerry practically plowed through the door to Henry's play room and came to such a quick stop that Randi slammed into the Queen's back. Randi bounced off and moved around Kerry. Archibald Morris, the court's jester and the one who took care of Henry on occasion was sitting in the middle of the room, curled up in a ball, and rocking back and forth.

Randi started to speak, but in a cold, almost sterile voice Kerry spoke first. "Get Mlungisi in here."

"Your Maj..."

"Get him Randi."

Randi's head snapped and she stared at Kerry's unmoving face. Kerry never called Miranda Fronczak by her nickname. Randi had known Kerry all her life and been the Queen's lady-in-waiting for seven years. Randi's mother Gloria had served Queen Catherine, Kerry's mother, for many decades. When Catherine had died Gloria had been a rock for the thirteen year old newly minted Queen Kerry. Ten years later when Randi had turned eighteen she had entrusted Kerry to her daughter. Randi was the one who saw Kerry in all her moods. Unlike most of the rest of the kingdom of Bryeront, Randi even knew that Kerry had a magnificent smile. But in all that time the Queen had always called her Miranda, when even her mother had given up and called her daughter by her preferred nickname, but neve Queen Kerry. Randi sounded more worried than she meant to when she spoke to Kerry, "I shouldn't..."

"Now Miranda."

This helped ease a bit of Randi's fear, but as she neared the door she spoke over her shoulder, "Don't kill him your majesty."

Kerry hadn't blinked since she entered the room, "Death would be a blissful escape for Archibald."

Randi opened and closed her mouth before she shook her head and rushed off to find Mlungisi. She hoped to God that he was fussing over something or other in the castle.


A shorter, greying version of Kim cleared her throat in the doorway of the blacksmith workshop. Kim looked up, "Mom..."

This made Neela look up as well, "Mom?"

Anne Legaspi winced slightly. She had never really gotten used to Neela calling her Mom. Neela's parents, Ajay and Nivedita had lived next door to the Legaspi's for years. Eighteen years ago, when Kim was sixteen her father had died while hunting. A year or so later both of Neela's parents had died when their house had gone up in flames. Neela was four at the time and had been playing next door with Kim's one year old sister Mary. Kim had been working as a blacksmith in her father's place for a year by that time, supporting her family. When Neela became an orphan Kim had made an executive decision, and took in the young girl. Anne Legaspi had flipped out at first, but both Anne and Kim knew that the town orphanage was no place for any child if there was an alternative.

Still, although Anne had gotten used to Neel as her third daughter over time, almost every time Neela called Anne Mom the older woman still winced.

"Kim, Neela, it is dinner time."

Kim rubbed at the bridge of her nose, "Sorry Mom, we'll be there in a moment, we just need to clean up."

Anne looked Kim up and down, "Yes, you do."

Anne left the doorway and Kim let her hammer drop onto the anvil with a bang. Neela practically jumped out of her skin. "Kim, you'll burn this place down."

Kim lifted her apron over her head, "Sorry."

Neela shook her head, "You let Mom get to you too easily. You need to do what I do..."

"Ignore her when she gets like that. Believe me Neel, I try..." She put the die back on the table, "Let's get some food."


Kerry hadn't moved from the spot she had stopped in the room. That fact didn't seem to matter to Archie, who although he had stopped rocking was still curled in the fetal position, "What happen... exactly what happened Archibald?"

Archie swallowed, opened his mouth, and then closed it with a snap and swallowed again. "Your majesty, we, Prince Henry and I were sword fighting." He looked up through his bright red bangs. "With wood swords... of... of course. That's all I remember, your high... your majesty... I'm so sorr... Prince Henry, I love him. He is the sweetest, most understanding... I'm so... so..."

Mlungisi barreled into the room, by Kerry, and with one motion hefted Archie up by his collar. "Where is Prince Henry, Morris?"

"I don't know Captain. I don't..."

Archie's eyes rolled up into his head and Mlungisi lowered him onto the ground.

He looked over Kerry's unmoving shoulder and met Randi's eyes. She nodded, "I'll get Healer Anspaugh..."

Mlungisi straightened up and approached Kerry, he put a hand on her shoulder and spoke quietly, "Kerry..."

Kerry blinked and for the first time in the last few minutes her eyes focused on Mlungisi's face. "Mlungisi..." She took a breath and it escaped in a whoosh. "Henry..."

"If he..."

Mlungisi shook his head, "He's not, my Queen, he's old enough that he will be okay."

Kerry took another breath, "He's only seven."

Mlungisi forced a smile, "When you were seven you were already ordering around the entire castle staff."

Mlungisi heard two sets of approaching footsteps and took a step back from Kerry. The best healer in Bryeront stepped into the room. He first went to Kerry, but she shook her head, "It's Archibald..."

The healer was the oldest in the room. His hair was a blonde white color and was thinning all over. He knelt by Archibald and looked him over. After a moment he reached in his pocket and brought out a small something, he waved it under Archie's nose and the jester sat up with a start. "What, where..." He put a hand over his eyes as everything came rushing back, "Aw God above no..."

As the healer stood Kerry spoke softly to him, "Thank you Donald..." Donald Anspaugh had been the one that had seen her when she was a young child, and had helped her through her woes with her hip when all the other children could run, play and cavort in the fields and streets of Bryeront.

Donald inclined his head, he had a soft spot in his heart for the Queen. Not everyone in the kingdom understood how much Kerry felt and had gone through, and realized somewhere in his bones that they never would because the Queen would have had to open up to her people, and that wasn't going to happen. "Your majesty, if there's anything I can do..."

Kerry nodded and focused on Archie again, and started to speak, but Mlungisi didn't let her. "My Queen, I will escort Mr. Morris back to his room and see if he can remember any other details. I would very much like for you and Randi to wait here for my Lieutenant, Michael Gallant to come and escort you to wherever you wish to go."

Kerry stood perfectly still and everyone else in the room held their breaths. "Have your men find out if anyone in the castle saw anything."

Mlungisi heard what was missing, "And Michael?"

Kerry made everyone wait for a moment before she responded, "We will wait."


Before Kim and Neela could make the ten or so steps to the house where they and Anne lived they were nearly run over by David Malucci, their brother in law. Mary Legaspi had always dreamed of her wedding day and of her future husband unlike her big sister. When the army soldier Dave Malucci had come around and courted Mary she had swooned and said yes immediately. He was a nice guy, if a person squinted it could even be said that he was quite attractive, although he wasn't exactly tall, dark and handsome, it was more like he was middling height with mostly brown hair and okay looking. He was sometimes not the smartest man in the world, but he went to work every day and didn't abuse Mary. In Kim's mind, that made him quite a catch. He was quite out of breath as Kim and Neela caught him on the way to the ground. "What's up Dave?" This question came from Neela.

"The Prince... I just..." He swallowed and coughed for a moment before he cleared his throat, "Someone had kidnapped Prince Henry from inside the castle, General Benton is fuming..." His eyes got large as he realized something. "You can tell Mary that I'm not coming home, we're searching the entire town, top to bottom. If you see Prince Henry..."

Kim nodded, "I'll go over and tell Mary. See if she wants to come back for dinner." David embraced Kim, who stood there a bit uncomfortable. He didn't seem to realize this though and took a step back, "Thank you Kim."

Kim shrugged as David started towards the large castle that was the center piece of the town at a jog. "Do you ever wonder?"

Neela looked over at Kim, "Hmm... wonder at what?"

Kim stared up at one of the turrets of the castle, "What it's like, does she use the chamber pot like anyone else, does she put on any of her own clothes at all?"

Neela shook her head, "You know better than I. Didn't your father make the Queen's first cane?"

Kim nodded, "But I was young, and she never came down to the... town... to get it."

Neela rolled her eyes, "You make it sound as though she had some sort of choice to become the Queen. King Henry and Catherine took her in because she needed a family, after that, it was just fate."

"But, she never comes out anymore."

"Comes out?"

Kim shook her head to shake herself out of whatever funk she had fallen into, "Into town I mean. Okay, I'm going to go get Mary. You try to defuse Mom..."

Neela smiled, "And tell her the news?"

Kim raised an eyebrow, "Neel, she already knows..."


Michael Gallant straightened as his boss, Mlungisi came to the entrance to the Queen and Henry's suite of rooms. "They are still in there sir, Randi is with them and promised that the Queen wouldn't go out the window. The Healer was called again when the Queen started feeling faint."

"Faint?"

Gallant cleared his throat, "I believe that she wasn't... breathing as much as she should have been. He is still in there." Mlungisi started to pass by Gallant, but the younger man cleared his throat. "Captain. If Prince Henry is not found I would like to request to be on the search party to go outside the kingdom."

Mlungisi patted Gallant on the shoulder, "I hope more than anything that I will not be able to take you up on your offer." Gallant opened his mouth, "But I will keep it in mind Michael."

Gallant moved to one side and Mlungisi passed by. But he stopped in the doorway and turned back, "If Jerry and Ray come by, get their report and come inside if I'm not back. Also, Pratt is acting as Liaison between General Benton's people. They're searching the town." Gallant nodded and Mlungisi continued into the suite of rooms. He found Kerry in Henry's bedroom holding onto one of Henry's pillows to her chest. "My Queen. Everything is in progress."

Randi and Donald's gazes met and they both left the room, leaving the two friends alone together. Mlungisi had been just assigned to guard the then Princess Kerry the year that her parents died. He was a twenty four year old newbie in the Royal Guards, and she was a confused young thirteen year old Princess, and then Queen. He had been standing next to her when her mother had called her into these very chambers and given Kerry the devastating news that her father had died. Mlungisi had also held her and let her cry her eyes out when her mother had died in her bed three months later. He hadn't left her side since then, and he wasn't going to rest until they found Henry.

Mlungisi put his arm around Kerry's shoulder and she collapsed onto his chest. No tears came, and she didn't make a noise, but Mlungisi could feel that she was in pain. "We'll find him, we'll find Henry..."

"Alive, say alive Mlungisi..."

Mlungisi put his finger under Kerry's chin and lifted it so that they were eye to eye, "We'll find Henry alive. I promise."

Kerry's body shuddered with a chill, "Giving a promise like that..."

"I don't care my Queen..." he looked up and continued, "Kerry, we will find your... our son, and I give you my word."

Gallant cleared his throat from the doorway to the room, "Captain, I have Ray and Jerry's report."

Kerry's face went white, "Oh God..."

Gallant's dark brown skin also seemed to pale along with Kerry's. War, blood, swords, and guts he could deal with, but a sad woman, even if she wasn't crying was not his forte. He straightened up as straight as his spine would go and started speaking again. "There is good news and bad news. The good news is that a castle worker saw someone leaving the castle with a burlap sack that looked..." He cleared his throat, "Looked like the size of Prince Henry. The person said that he couldn't tell anything more than the person was hunched over and middling height."

Kerry started to speak, but Mlungisi beat her to it, "How exactly is that good news Mr. Gallant?"

Gallant cleared his throat again, "The bad news your majesty, is that Greg... uh, Gregory Pratt, from the Royal Army also came with news that someone saw the same person leaving town and heading towards the Pauroso Forest."

Kerry closed her eyes, "Thank you Michael. Mlungisi, would you... I need to think."

Mlungisi met Kerry's gaze and wouldn't let it go. "You won't... do... anything stupid my Queen? Gallant here will be right outside and will be keeping an ear out. Understood?"

Kerry's jaw worked back and forth, "I'm not a child Captain Mlungisi, I will not kill myself, my son is not dead yet, and I will damn well die myself before that happens." Randi and Donald re-entered Henry's room and Kerry addressed them, "Please, I just need a bit of time alone with my thoughts. Is it too much to ask for that?"

Mlungisi stayed silent for a moment before he nodded, "Of course, of course. Randi, Don, I'll update you... in the hallway..."

Randi gave a half a smirk, "How about the kitchen." She glanced over at Kerry, "We'll get you something to eat your majesty." Kerry nodded and watched the four people walk out the door of her son's room. She took a deep breath and hugged the pillow tighter against her chest.