The Leading Player slinked his way down the corridors of the eastern wing, over to where, at the top of a high tower in a large room, Pippin had been placed. When he walked in, the boy was trembling slightly, eying the people around him warily. At the sight of the Leading Player, he leaped up and fled to his side. The Players made no immediate move to stop him, for he had asked them in their minds not to. After all, Pippin's weapon had already been removed at the main gate to the kingdom.
"So tell me what staying here would require," Pippin began, walking alongside him as he made his way over to the bed. "H-How much of me would you be able to control exactly? What do you mean by heart, mind, body and soul?"
"You're still worrying about that? Pippin, Pippin…" He placed his arms around Pippin's shoulders casually, "just think about the prize… Catherine. You want her don't you? You love her?"
"I think so. Yes."
"Then what's there to consider and reconsider? Unless… there really is nothing left for you, in which case, we have a simple solution to your problem."
"I'm not doing the Finale," Pippin insisted, a bit frustrated as he plopped onto the bed. The Leading Player sat down beside him and smiled.
"Take your clothes off, Pippin."
"What?!"
"Well, aren't you hot? As long as you're in my home, I want you to be comfortable…"
"Uh, well, uh…"
"It's okay, now. I'll answer your questions, if you do answer mine."
Blushing, as there were one or two women in the room as well, Pippin slowly complied. The cool air actually felt relaxing rather than jarring and uncomfortable against his bare skin.
"Good… now where we? Oh yes…" The Leading Player moved closer to Pippin and reached out his hand to touch Pippin's chest. "Your heart. Basically, whatever I say goes. If I want you to have a passion for something, you will, and if I don't, you won't. It's as simple as th—"
"You'll use that against me for Catherine, won't you?!" Pippin exclaimed fearfully, trying to pull away from the hand that suddenly seemed attached. "You'll make me hate her! Despise her! You monster…!"
"Now, Pippin… I'm a reasonable, merciful master… ask anyone here. I'd never do anything like that to you… would I?" The Players around him shook their heads and whispered "no!" but Pippin wasn't so sure.
"I don't like the idea of that. Not at all."
"I can make things more enjoyable for you, Pippin. You have no idea of the benefits that come out of you giving your heart to me."
"Please let go… I don't want to know…"
"You mean you don't want to love me? Would that be so awful?!"
"Um… I…"
"I'm only joking, Pippin… the only time I'd ethically be able to use it is in order to help someone play their part better, more legitimately. That's what all of these are for, for instance.
"Let's take bodily for example…" The Leading Player reached out slowly for Pippin, but the younger man pulled back and scooted away.
"Please don't. I'm not yours yet…!" He squirmed as Players surrounded him to pin him down to the bed.
"I know. I won't abuse my power, I never will… unless I have to. I basically can… stimulate you, satisfy you, punish you, or… well anything. I can make you never be hungry again, or, if you need to be hefty for a part, make you never completely satisfied while eating."
"I don't know if I'd want a special role then…" Voices erupted from all around him.
"Oh, but it's essential!"
"Completely essential!"
"And honorable!"
"Come on, Pippin…"
They continued to whisper until the Leading Player made a move to touch Pippin on the head.
"Your mind… this is for me to further program you for a role. I can send my thoughts to you and vise versa… as well as influence and control some of your thoughts. Sometimes it can be helpful though… especially for remembering lines and entrances."
"I don't trust you with my mind," Pippin admitted with a shudder. "I don't trust you with any part of me. And you don't need to explain soul to me… I'm pretty sure I understand."
"Oh? Good, I was hoping you would." The Leading Player rose from the bed. "So you go ahead and think about it, Pippin because it's either become mine… or lose Catherine, and Theo, forever. I mean, of course, that they'll have to stay here with their real family."
"But why? Can't you just send us both back to living normal, human lives…"
"As mortals?"
"Uh, yeah, I guess."
"Because… I want Catherine back. That's all there is to it. I won't lose her to you."
"You can control her, so why don't you?!"
"I don't abuse my power! Plus, I like her."
"Don't you all see that?" Pippin exclaimed to the rest of the people in the room as he covered himself up. "He's biased! He plays favorites! He'd never do this for any of you!"
He turned back to the Leading Player and began, once again, to inch away.
"Hey, wait, I'm sorry! I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean it, it's just… it's funny, isn't it?"
The Leading Player's glare was intensifying.
"What did I tell you today about defaming me in front of my people!" He leapt on top of Pippin and straddled him possessively. "And I still haven't received a grateful word of thanks from you yet for anything!"
"I'm sorry!" Pippin insisted, flinching away as The Leading Player touched his shoulder. "Ow! Hey! Let go of me! Ouch! I'm sorry! Ugh… please… I'm sorry!"
"Sorry for what?"
"I told you earlier! All of that! Plus… for going against your wishes…! And um, ow! Hey! For not being grateful for stuff…"
The Leading Player stopped his punishing touch and slid off of the bed.
"Take him to the dungeons. He no longer deserves our luxurious hospitality… he seems like he'd prefer dank, cold stone walls behind bars."
"I said I was sorry!" Pippin said weakly as he was roughly lifted up by the Players and carried, still bare, down the steps and corridors. The Leading Player trailed behind this time and did not follow, but simply disappeared to his room.
-~-
"Was that really necessary?" A voice asked him as he walked in. He looked up into the face of Lillian, a simple Player, and frowned, growing angry.
"What are you doing in here? Who gave you permission to wait in my room?" His voice was little more than a monstrous growl. "I don't want to speak with you right now."
"You're being so cruel to them! It isn't right…"
"Silence, Lillian, I don't want to hear this from you right now. I've had a long day and my head is killing me!"
"Then heal yourself! I know you can!"
"Get out of here. Now. Before I make you get out of here for good."
"Why? Because I'm not immediately seducing you like Fastrada or dancing beautifully for you or stumbling stupidly around like Ca…"
"Catherine does not stumble stupidly around!" He slapped her harshly and prevented her from leaving. It was too late.
"You know, I've been meaning to punish someone from last month's failure," he continued, pushing back his sleeves, "our kingdom needs a proper sacrifice, and seeing as how you were among the peasants who failed to properly convince Pippin..."
"What? It wasn't my fault!" She protested fearfully. He rose his hands up, preparing to harm her in many ways, when a hand caught his arm and held him back.
"Stop!" He swiveled around, preparing to punish the intruder. It was Catherine. He softened his gaze and lowered his arms slightly. "Please don't hurt her! I let her in! I…"
"How did you ever get them to let you come in here alone?"
"I told them that I desired to speak with you… and they figured that that might be alright, since you're the boss and everything and all."
"Did you tell her to mouth off to me like that?"
"I think she improvised that very well, don't you? And don't think it isn't true! She spoke from her heart!"
"Even about the things she said about you?"
"Well… yes. I suppose. The thing is, I have a husband now… his name is Pippin, whether you want to give us your blessing or not. We'll leave contentedly with it or without it. We don't want to play your silly, stupid game."
"Have you talked to Pippin about it though, Catherine? What does Pippin think? Perhaps Pippin would love to stay." He turned back to Lillian, suddenly remembering. "Leave us, please, Lillian."
"Yes sir…" she said reluctantly, not wishing to anger him further, however not wishing to lose his attention.
