A/N: My first fic to receive over 100 reviews – thank you so much! Lots of love to you all.

Thank you to anonymous reviewer lem. Glad you like the details. I couldn't resist with the lemon trees. The Sign of Three Lemons is one of my favourite settings in the books.

Also thanks to anonymous reviewer noaith ahsmi. Actually, I intended for this story to be episodic, so the continuous plotbunny plot was quite unintentional. I'm afraid that this will be not one, not two stories with one title, but many.

Pied Flycatcher, I haven't forgotten the truth spell, and kirdane, I haven't forgotten the Clayr; they will both come up in Chapter 32, I think. Thanks for the reminders. If anybody thinks of anything that I might have forgotten, please tell me!

On Palace Hill

Prince Dantalion glanced at Cassiel as they walked around the gates surrounding Palace Hill. Guards stood to attention as they passed, and a few of them looked curiously at the white dwarf trotting at Cassiel's side. It had been over a week, and Dantalion still couldn't quite believe that this young man was taking over Abhorsen's duties. But Cassiel did wear the sword and the bells, and even the blue surcoat. And Mogget was obeying him, which was a good sign.

They stopped at the main gate, and Dantalion spoke with one of the officers. "Guards stationed all around Palace Hill, sir," said Lieutenant Antares smartly. "Princess Penemue and the Royal children have been moved to the reservoir, as instructed."

Dantalion nodded absently, and glanced up at the sky. The sun was setting, and stars had already started to wink into life in the east. Alocas had delivered his "urgent news", and according to him the Freemen were going to attack the Palace – tonight. Having been foiled for twelve years in her attempts to destroy the Charter, Gamori had apparently grown desperate. Alocas claimed that the Freemen were to attack the palace en masse, kill the Royal family, and then continue on to Abhorsen's House and the Clayr's Glacier. It all struck Dantalion as a very foolhardy plan, but Alocas had told them that Gamori was becoming decidedly unstable.

Of course the Prince had not believed a word of it, but King Berillan had. And although Dantalion was officially ruling the Kingdom, he would never go against the express wishes of his father. So here he was now, patrolling the gates around Palace Hill with Cassiel Abhorsen and his stunted servant, preparing for an imaginary invasion of necromancers, sorcerers, witches, Freemen, and some of the Dead.

Dantalion noticed Cassiel leaning against the bars of the gate with his eyes closed. "Cassiel?" asked the Prince hesitantly.

The younger man opened his eyes and straightened up. "Sorry," he said, looking very distracted. "I was just…" He grabbed Dantalion by the arm and drew him away from the guards. "I can feel them coming," he explained in a whisper. "Many of the Dead. They're creeping through the streets, and they'll reach the palace in under an hour."

For a split second the Prince was frozen. Then he sprang into action. "Lieutenant!" he barked, and Antares jogged up to him. "Sir?"

"Prepare the men. Pass word along the gates that we should see the enemy within the hour." The lieutenant saluted and quickly got to work, and Dantalion turned to Cassiel. "Are you staying here?" The younger man indicated the surrounding streets hiding the Dead, and nodded. "Very well," said the Prince. He wanted to stay at the frontlines, but as ruler of the Kingdom his place was in the palace, surrounded nice and snug by hordes of guards. It nearly drove Dantalion mad, but he had to do it. His only solace was that his father would be there too. Perhaps they could distract one another.

"They are coming closer," said Cassiel in an undertone.

"Now will you loose my belt?" asked Mogget unexpectedly.

Cassiel did not even spare him a glance. "No."

The dwarf looked very put out, and Dantalion hid a smile as he said, "I'll take word to my father. Good luck, Cassiel Abhorsen." They shook hands, and Dantalion headed for the palace at a brisk walk.

He found his father within the throne room, noticing with satisfaction the numerous companies of guards posted all through the palace. Among them were Charter Mages, and all of the Wallmakers in Belisaere had been recruited to increase the ranks. Berillan stood in full armour, chatting with a nervous-looking Alocas. Once Dantalion had reported to his father, the King nodded in acceptance. "Nothing to do now but wait, I suppose."

Dantalion moved to lean casually against the wall, glaring at Alocas as he passed. He was glad for once that the spy was nearby. If Alocas turned against them, his neck was within easy reach.

The silence pervading the throne room was broken by the staccato sound of rapid footsteps on marble floor. A soldier sprinted through the doors and skidded to a stop before the alarmed Prince, chest heaving. Dantalion's hands instinctively shot to his swords when he saw that the man's upper arm was encircled by a bloody bandage.

"My – My Lord," the soldier panted. "M – Message from Lord C – Cassiel Abhorsen. The Freemen have breached the south-western gate and infiltrated Palace Hill–"

He was interrupted by another messenger dashing into the hall.

"My Lord Prince," she gasped, her eyes wide with panic. "A company of Freemen are attacking the palace! They are trying to force their way through the doors!"

There was immediate uproar.

Dantalion's first instinct was to go out and help the soldiers defend the palace, but he knew that as ruler of the Kingdom he could not jeopardize his life. "Barricade these doors," he ordered, frustrated at having to stay behind. "Have the men look to their posts." There was a moment of organized chaos as soldiers and guards and Mages rushed around, apparently for no reason. But soon the doors to the throne room had been closed and secured.

Footsteps, shouting, and the faint clashing of swords were heard. Dantalion unsheathed his two blades, and there was a sharp ringing sound as every person in the room – aside from the unarmed spy Alocas – drew his or her weapon. They waited in an agony of suspense as the sounds of battle came closer.

Suddenly, three or four of the guards pulled out lengths of material, winding them rapidly about their heads so that they were hooded and masked. Before Dantalion knew what was happening, those hooded guards had thrown open the doors of the throne room.

The Freemen swarmed through, and the room was soon full of skirmishing figures. Leading the invaders was a woman with a tangle of white hair, wielding a curved sword. She shouted a spell and several guards were blasted off their feet.

Dantalion moved forward to meet the witch, and sparks rained about them as their blades met. The Prince trapped the witch's sword with one of his blades, and made to strike her with the other, but a swift spell on her part sent him reeling away doubled over in pain. He looked down at the blood trickling from his side, which had been laid open by Free Magic. Heat rose to his face, and he felt the first twinges of anger.

The Prince glanced up to see his foe rushing at him holding a handful of green flames, and he raised his own palm to cast a spell. A ball of golden light knocked the witch to the ground. As Dantalion made to stab her, she swiped at him with her own blade, and he was forced to jump away.

She scrambled to her feet, and pointed with her sword. Silver needles spat out of the end of her blade and hissed as they sank into his skin. Dantalion let out a furious cry of pain, and threw one of his swords. It revolved once before piercing the witch's chest, and with a roar the Prince struck out with his other sword.

The witch's head rolled and came to rest at the base of the throne. Dantalion's pounding heart nearly stopped when he glimpsed his father: King Berillan was running a sorcerer through, but a tall hooded figure had crept up behind him holding a knife. The Prince opened his mouth to call out in warning, but a whole roomful of battling people separated them. But fate intervened. Before the figure could attack the King, someone brought a large marble bust of Dantalion's great-great grandfather smashing down on the attacker's head.

The hooded figure crumpled to the ground, and Prince Dantalion was shocked to see Alocas holding the remains of the bust.

There was a rush of sound as more guards poured into the throne room, having been called by the alarm. The Freemen were quickly rounded up, but Dantalion stood still, forcing himself to calm down. The sorcerers and witches were escorted by Charter Mages to special cells in the dungeons, but the other attackers who were of no immediate threat stayed in the throne room.

"Sir," an officer reported, standing to attention despite the blood dripping from his arm. "The Freemen have been defeated throughout the palace grounds."

Dantalion nodded. "Very good. Send out the word to have all sorcerers and witches taken to the dungeons, and for all non-magic prisoners to be brought to the throne room."

The officer saluted and made off, while Dantalion turned to survey the prisoners. They were a rag-tag bunch, a mixture of spies like Alocas, and hooded and masked agents. Kneeling among them were the four guards who had opened the doors to the throne room.

Dantalion went over to where his father and Alocas were gazing down at the unconscious hooded man whom Alocas had knocked – with a priceless marble bust of King Egratom. Berillan pulled back the hood of the tall figure to find a fair-haired man. Dantalion instantly recognized the face as one adorning posters all over the Kingdom. "Devon Tuli!"

Alocas stared down at the man, who was hardly more than a boy. "The assassin? But he did not work for the Freemen!"

"He must have been hired for this very occasion," said Berillan mildly as if not at all perturbed that he had almost been killed by one of the most notorious assassins in the land. "Check the other prisoners to see if they're members of the Freemen or not."

Guards moved among the kneeling prisoners, baring left hips of the men and left shoulders of the women to look for the spiralling tattoos. More prisoners were being brought in, and Dantalion glanced up to see Cassiel striding through the door. The young man's usual smile was gone, and he was tugging a very battered-looking officer beside him.

"There," said Cassiel with an air of finality, shoving the officer to the ground. "Lieutenant Antares was a Freeman agent."

"What?" gasped Dantalion, who immediately wanted to smack himself on the forehead for sounding so brainless.

The young Lord nodded grimly. "He attacked me while I was busy warding off the Dead, which allowed the Freemen to breach the gates. I eventually subdued him, as you can see."

"And the Dead?" questioned Berillan, joining in the conversation.

Cassiel inclined his head slightly. "Only moments ago the Dead suddenly ran wild, and we destroyed them. I suspect the necromancer controlling them was killed or knocked unconscious."

The Prince turned to his father. "Wasn't Gamori the only necromancer left among the Freemen?" he asked casually. The King nodded.

"I'll go down to the reservoir," Cassiel volunteered. "I saw a large group of Freemen break in through the ornamental caves. Gamori probably went down there."

"Get Penemue and the children out of the reservoir," Dantalion called after him, and Cassiel waved absently over his shoulder in acknowledgement.

When he was gone, Dantalion and Berillan turned back to the captives. The Guards were unmasking the agents, and Dantalion was shocked at how many faces he recognized. Aside from Lieutenant Antares and several palace guards, there was Lady Kasdaye, a prominent noblewoman of the court; the innkeeper Otis who was famous for his squid stew; and Wallmaker Craftsman Joderan, or Joddy, who had helped Dantalion with the Lesser Stone among the lemon trees.

"Sir," said one of the guards, indicating even more of the agents with her bandaged hand. "This is Master Wallmaker Furce, who we all thought was dead. He's the one responsible for making the necromancers' bells. And the apprentice Wallmaker Lytha over there, she stole the plans to the Great Stones…" The list went on, names of traitors to the Kingdom who had been feeding information to the Freemen for years.

And then there were the spies, none of whom Dantalion recognized. He suspected that, like Alocas, they had been disguised by Free Magic when working undercover. The Prince motioned for them all to be taken down to the dungeons, and the men and women were shepherded out of the room by stone-faced guards. There was little pity for traitors in Belisaere.

A messenger squeezed through the door, and bowed hastily to Dantalion and Berillan. "Your majesties," he said, "Master Felio sends word that the necromancer Gamori has been captured. She is in the dungeons as I speak."

Dantalion glanced at his father, who smiled grimly and inclined his head. "I'll go see her when we are finished here," Prince Dantalion told the messenger, who bowed and made himself scarce. The prince ran his hand through his hair, and turned to face Berillan. "What are we to do with the prisoners?" he asked in an undertone.

King Berillan stroked his chin. "We should try to turn them, I think. It worked with Alocas, after all. Those who will not turn can remain in the dungeons."

"We cannot do that," Dantalion argued. "We got lucky with Alocas. It's far too difficult to separate the instigators from the followers. And no matter what their reasons are, every single one of those spies and agents are guilty of treason. I might have absolved them before, but this attack on the Royal family, this participation in a desperate plot to wipe out the Charters, condemns them all."

"Condemns them to what?" asked Berillan quietly.

Dantalion's mouth twisted. "Death."

"No!"

They turned to see Alocas, who had been standing quietly to the side, but had heard every word. The spy shook his head, taking a hesitant step forward. "No," he repeated. "You cannot kill them!"

Dantalion raised an eyebrow. "I have already made my decision," he declared coldly. "They are all to be hanged publicly."

"All of them?" asked the horrified spy.

The Prince felt his lips lifting into a sneer. "And you can watch them hang," he said to Alocas. "I will spare your life, but watching your friends breathe their last will be punishment enough for trying to kill my daughter." Dantalion was aware of his father's disapproval, but he did not care.

Alocas, however, was almost frantic. "Spare some of them," he pleaded. "Please, spare the lives of the spies at least. They joined the Freemen out of poverty, not out of malice."

The Prince said nothing, but Alocas did not give up.

"Well, spare three lives," he urged. "Only three lives. My friend Danel, his wife Nammah, and Vassago. They do not deserve this fate."

"Danel?" repeated Dantalion, having heard the name before. "He was your spy partner, correct? Well, if you are as innocent as you say you are, then he was the one who told the Freemen how to break the Lesser Stones. Do you know how many Charter Mages died because of that?"

"Just one life, then," Alocas begged, looking near tears. "Just Vassago. He's only a boy, recruited less than a month ago. And – he is my cousin."

The Prince shook his head. "Then you should have kept him away."

At the appalled expression on the other man's face, Dantalion felt a pang of remorse. He quickly suppressed it, and not even Berillan's disapproving expression could persuade him to change his mind. "I am not you, father," he said in an undertone.

The King nodded slowly. "You're right, of course. The Kingdom is yours. I will not interfere."

Dantalion turned to head down to the dungeons with Alocas, accompanied by guards. Berillan stopped him with a hand on his arm, but Alocas and the guards carried on. "My father – your grandfather – suffered from a berserker rage," said the King. "In my youth I sometimes inexplicably went mad, or lost my temper, but I learned to control it. Do not let these irrational feelings control you, Dantalion."

The Prince bit his lip. "I know I feel these sentiments around Alocas," he admitted, "But I also know that my decision was rational."

As he turned to leave, a soldier sprinted through the doors. "My Lords," he puffed, bent over nearly double. "The assassin Devon Tuli has escaped!"

"No prison could ever hold him," Berillan murmured.

Dantalion gave a shrug. "He wasn't technically a member of the Freemen. And now that they're overcome he won't be of any danger to us personally. Let's let him be, this time." He strolled past the surprised soldier, heading for the dungeons.

A/N: Fun facts: the names of all the Freemen are all based on names of minor demons. This includes Alocas, Danel, and Vassago, although I consider them 'good guys' compared to the rest. I'd hate to think that you guys credit me for coming up with so many names!

EvilDonut, did you recognize yourself in this chapter? I hope you did; your name was an anagram. Let's just say I got inspired by one of your earlier reviews But I didn't kill you – or the King, for that matter!

And thanks go to Lady of the Outlaws for asking long ago about the Royal Family's berserker blood. PiCCaMoP forever!