The Realm of the Fallen King


Trigger Warning: canonical character death, mourning and funeral scenes, mentions of death and grief.

A/N: Hey guys… As always, I hope you are all staying safe and sound in these crazy times. I wanted to take a minute before you read this to explain some things, as well as spoil this chapter a little. When I first played TRR, I was honestly shocked by how they went from Constantine's death to Lythikos with a simple "One week later, after Constantine's funeral…" So, spoiler alert, that is what this chapter's all about. As you guys know, I'm a big fan of realism, and I was genuinely bothered by how they brushed over a character's death like that, even if said character was, well… Constantine. I also feel they didn't give us a chance to explore how the gang would face this and help Liam grieve. So when I began writing this fic, I knew this was something I'd want to include. I wanted to explore through Drake's eyes how this affects everyone in the gang, and also provide a deeper insight into Liam and Drake's friendship.

You might be wondering why I'm telling you this, spoiling the chapter before you even get the chance to read it. Well, because when I thought about writing this, it was March 2019 and I had no idea that a global pandemic would rock our world off its axis, metaphorically speaking, and would result in the deaths of millions of people world-wide. I don't know if any of you have lost anyone during and/or because of this pandemic and this virus - and if you have, I'm so sorry - but I do know I don't want my story to make anyone feel sad or have to relive a painful time in their life. So much so, I almost considered not publishing this chapter and just leaving it in my Google Drive collecting pixelated dust.

But then something horribly similar happened to me and I suddenly found myself in Drake's almost exact position. I won't go into details, but I will say that this is my way to cope, to process the situation I went through in real life through a fictional character's eyes, in order to make sense of what happened. But, like I said, I don't want to hurt anyone only because I can't find another way to process. That's why, if you don't want to read this, please I beg you to skip it. You really won't miss much, and I won't be referencing this chapter in the rest of the story. It also won't really affect the rest of the story, so it's really not something you absolutely must read in order to understand future chapters.

With all that said, I truly hope you and your loved ones are staying safe wherever you are in the world. If I may give you one tiny piece of advice before I finally leave you alone so you can read in peace, it's this: hug your loved ones, you guys. Let the people you love know you love them.

PD. Credit where credit is due. The name of this chapter was inspired by BrunuhVille's amazing masterpiece "The Realm of the Fallen King". Song link: watch?v=tUVqnXD4C5U


"Once upon a time there was a kingdom, a beautiful one

Surrounded in darkness of an ancient war

They say there was a king, this wandering soul

Who's cursed by a demon, forever, to watch his own realm rise and fall" ~ BrunuhVille ft. Sharm

"Father!" Liam's anguished cry snapped me out of my trance.

I looked around the now silent and nearly empty room, finding a few courtiers watching the scene unfold with wide eyes, others being escorted by members of the guard out of the ballroom. Regina was standing with her back against the wall, clutching Madeleine's hand tightly as she looked on with what I can only describe as pure shock.

I watched with a heavy heart as Liam ran to his father, and began to desperately pick pieces of debris off him. Leo, Maxwell, Jerry and several other members of the royal guard rushed over as well and between all of them, they were able to dig Constantine out from underneath the collapsed ceiling.

"Get me a gurney in here!" Jerry ordered. "The King Father needs a hospital now!"

"Father…" Leo knelt beside Constantine, taking his hand.

Constantine smiled, weakly lifting his other hand to Liam, who grasped it tightly. He was barely breathing, his chest rising and falling with effort. "Come now… this is a better end… than a man like me could've… hoped for. The chance to die a hero… instead of on a hospital bed." He erupted into a violent cough, blood leaking from his mouth.

Myers whimpered against my chest, and I tightened my arms around her, running a hand down her hair.

Liam gripped his father's hand tightly, lowering his head to his shoulder. "You shouldn't have sacrificed yourself. Not for me."

"Liam… You're Cordonia's future. You… are… Cordonia. Everything… I did… was for you… whether or not… it was right. Goodbye… my sons."

"I love you, Father." Liam sobbed.

Constantine closed his eyes, and his chest rising and falling ever so slowly… until it stilled completely. His hands went limp in Liam's and Leo's hand, and Leo pulled Liam into a tight hug. Regina took a few steps forward, before collapsing onto her knees and letting out an anguished, bloodcurdling scream; one that I was sure I would never forget. Madeleine and a few members of the guard surrounded her quickly.

I grasped Myers tighter.

"Majesty." Jerry urged Liam. "Your Majesty, we need to get you out of here. The palace is no longer safe."

I watched with a heavy heart as Liam let out two more chest wracking sobs, before pulling apart from his brother, sniffling and wiping his tears off with his forearm. He let go of Constantine's hand and stood, and while his eyes failed to hide the true depths of his grief, his expression was that of pure business. Pure duty. "Has the rest of the court been evacuated?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. But, please-"

"Let's go."

Without another word, the rest of the royal guard converged around him, Leo and Regina, and they began to rush them out of the palace.

"Drake…" Mara ran towards us, looking meaningfully at Myers' back. She was still pressed up against me, face buried in my chest and arms wrapped tightly around my waist.

I nodded at Mara, before gently disentangling myself from Myers. "Camilla, we have to go. Now."

Myers sniffled, trying to get herself under control, but her chin still quivered and silent tears still streamed slowly down her face. With a nod, she leaned against me and I wrapped my arm around her shoulders, before following Liam and leading her out. From the corner of my eyes, I saw Maxwell doing exactly the same with Hana.

Mara led us outside quickly, and the five of us got into a waiting SUV. We climbed inside, and Mara began driving us away. I draped an arm over Myers' shoulder, and she pressed closer to me, resting her head on my shoulder.

"Jerry, come in." I heard Mara mumble in her breath. "I'm in the vehicle with the Fledgeling, the Fawn, the Lone Wolf and the Dancing Kraken. Headed to Safehouse 1848 now…"

I looked to the guys, half expecting Maxwell and Myers to comment on the codenames, as if the horrible tragedy that'd just happened hadn't actually happened, but…

I sighed and hugged Myers tighter. The drive passed by in a blur, and before I knew it, we were pulling up to the safehouse - this one slightly larger than the last one we stayed in, but still concealed amidst the trees and forest. I helped Myers out of the car, and gave her my jacket when I realized she was shivering.

"Thanks." She mumbled.

"Inside, Your Grace. Quickly." Mara urged.

We all made our way inside, finding the cabin warm, the lights on, and Liam sitting on the couch, with Jerry, Tanner and several other guards standing by. Leo was a few feet away from them, pacing back and forth.

"... please understand, Your Highness, we cannot remove you from here. It's not safe, and you are still-"

"I'm not a bloody prince anymore!" Leo yelled at Jerry. "And my wife is alone, right now, in a room at the Vescovienne Grand Hotel. So, either you let me go, or you bring her here."

"Jerry, send a team to bring Olivia here right now, please." Liam ordered quietly.

Jerry stared at him for a moment, before nodding. "Yes, Your Majesty." He turned around, and quickly ordered Tanner and two other agents to go.

With a sigh, Liam stood. "Is that all?"

"Yes, Your Majesty." Jerry nodded, looking at Liam with concern. Leo simply scowled.

"Very well. I'd like to retire to my quarters now." Liam turned and saw us. For a moment, he looked at each of us, his gaze resting on Camilla for a bit longer. "Ah. I'm glad you're all here, and safe. Mara will see to your rooms. Thankfully, this safehouse is quite large."

"Liam…" I sighed. I'd seen him like this before. It started with his mom… and I'd seen it again when I was in college, after that particular attempt.

"Good night." He cut me off, nodding and walking away.

"This way, Your Grace." Mara said, as she began leading us to our rooms. I followed, but not before sharing a knowing look with Leo. Mara led Hana to her room, and Maxwell to another, before leading Myers and I to the last one. We stepped inside and Mara shut the door behind us discreetly.

Myers sniffled, walking to the bed and taking off my jacket. She reached for the zipper on her back, before letting out a tiny frustrated growl. "Can you help me out of this please?" She asked meekly.

"Of course." I walked towards her and unzipped her dress.

"Thanks." She sniffled again, and after stepping out of her dress, she turned and hugged me tightly.

I wrapped my arms around her, before scooping her up in my arms and gently carried her to the bed. I held her while she cried, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead as she knotted her fists on my shirt. I held her until her cries slowly subsided into small whimpers and hiccups. I held her until the tears stopped, and her grip on my shirt loosened. I held her until she was utterly spent. I even thought she had fallen asleep, so I moved to lay her gently on the bed.

"I'm still awake, you know." Myers gave me a small, teary smile.

"Ssh. You need to sleep."

"I don't think I'll be getting much sleep tonight." She whispered quietly. "I… I still can't really believe what happened." Her voice broke a bit at the end. "Poor Liam… I can't even begin to imagine how he must be feeling."

I can… I know. He's feeling lost, and scared, like his whole world has been yanked out from under him… because his hero, the man who he looked up to and who taught him all the ways of his world, has just died. And the word 'grief'... doesn't even begin to cover it.

"Drake…" She shook her head. "I… really think you should go stay with Liam tonight."

"What?!" I looked at Myers incredulously.

"He needs you right now. You're the only one who knows what he's going through... And he's your best friend… he shouldn't be alone tonight."

I had to admit a huge part of me did want to go with Liam. I knew he was hurting, and I also knew that he had a tendency to clamp all his feelings down if someone didn't snap him out of it. But how could I leave Myers alone right now? "But… what about you?"

Myers shook her head. "I'll be fine. I'll go stay with Hana and Maxwell. I honestly don't think it's good for any of us to be alone right now."

"Myers… Are you sure?"

"Positive."

I sighed. "Okay. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now, go."

I cupped her face and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. We both got up, and I helped zip her up again, before leaving the room. I watched as she knocked on Maxwell's door and they both knocked on Hana's door, before slipping inside.

I went back to our room for a moment though, because there was one thing I wanted to do before going to see Liam. I took out my phone and called my sister. She picked up after the first ring.

"Drake?!"

I sighed in relief. "Hi, sis."

"Drake, thank god! Are you okay? Is everyone okay? Where are you?"

"I'm fine. We're all fine. We're staying in a safe house for the night. What about you?"

"Bertrand and I are back in the apartment, with Bartie."

"Okay, good. Don't move, okay? Stay indoors and stay safe."

"I know… But Drake… we heard Constantine…"

I couldn't help but sigh.

"Is it true?"

"Yes." I told her sadly. "It's true."

"Oh, no…"

"I know… And on that note, I really should go. I was just calling to see how you were, and to let you know we're all safe."

"Okay… thanks, I guess."

"Savannah… I love you."

"I love you too, Drake."

I nodded and hung up. Now that I was sure my sister was safe, I guess I could rest a little easier. I stepped back outside and walked to Liam's door, knocking twice. "Yes?" I heard him say from the inside, his voice sounding tired and vaguely irritated.

"It's me. Can I come in?"

Silence.

I was about to knock again, when the door opened. I stepped inside, only to find Liam sitting back down on the foot of his bed. I sat next to him and waited quietly. I knew if I pushed and pressed him, he'd only retreat inside himself more. But if I just sat with him, offering my silent support, he'd talk to me when he was ready.

We stayed like that for a long while, until Liam slumped down, resting his elbows on his knees. "I thought… I thought I was ready." I nodded, squeezing his shoulder. Liam ran his hands over his hair, before placing his hand over mine. He squeezed it quickly, before gently pushing it off. "I've been through this before. And last time was so much worse…" He pondered. "I didn't know with my mother. She was taken from me so suddenly…" He pondered. "But now, I knew… his cancer was terminal. And I knew he didn't have long. I knew it."

I nodded in understanding. I knew what he was asking. 'If I knew… why does it hurt so much? Why did it take me by surprise?' "Liam… knowing doesn't make it less painful."

"No. I guess it doesn't." He rubbed his face with exhaustion. "Well… tomorrow is sure to be an interesting day."

Um… what?

"At least most of the funeral plans are done." Liam sighed. "He insisted on preparing and overseeing everything himself. Said he wanted to be ready to go, without leaving any loose ends."

"Liam…" This is… getting morbid.

"I'm afraid your wedding will need to be pushed back a week." Liam continued. "It's customary to allow the country one week sabbatical in order to mourn their monarch. Or, well, previous monarch in this case."

I knew exactly what he was doing. He was trying to focus on tangible facts, like the funeral or the wedding, instead of what he was actually feeling. "Liam." I said, my tone harder.

Liam finally looked at me. He swallowed, clenching his jaw. "I just didn't expect him to… to…" He stood suddenly, hastily wiping his face with the back of his hand. He began pacing agitatedly. "It's all my fault." He huffed underneath his breath.

"Liam." I narrowed my eyes at him, saying his name firmly enough to get him to stop pacing. "Don't say that."

"It's the truth." Liam looked at me with glassy, hardened eyes. "If I'd been standing just one meter away… if I had ordered him to listen to his doctor and remain hospitalized… and farther back still... Maybe he was right. Maybe if I hadn't been so selfish to chase my own ridiculous notions of 'true love'; maybe, if I'd put my country and my people over myself…"

I groaned inwardly. I knew exactly where he was going with this.

"Maybe if I had simply married Madeleine like I was supposed to, none of this would have happened."

"And what would that have gotten you? Not only would you have been mourning the death of your father eventually, but you'd also be stuck in a loveless marriage. Liam… this is not your fault." He shook his head, clenching his jaw tightly in order to stop it from trembling. "Liam, look at me. This is not your fault." I stood and pulled him in for a hug.

That did it. Liam hugged me back fiercely, before letting it all out. He cried, and cried, and cried for what felt like hours - harsh sobs that slowly receded into silent tears.

I stayed with him for the rest of the night, offering whatever support I could, whether that be a hug, a glass of whiskey or just sitting next to him in silence.


As the sun rose the next morning, I stepped out of Liam's room to get us some coffee. I nodded to Jerry, Mara and several others who were standing guard in the living room, before moving to the tiny kitchen island to put on a fresh pot of coffee. The safehouse was eerily quiet, and I briefly thought about stopping by Myers' room, but… I looked back to Liam's door. Then to Myers'. Back at Liam's.

"You should go." Leo's voice made me jump. I hadn't noticed he'd been sitting on the couch, alone. He looked haggard and just exhausted. "I can take it from here."

I shook my head. "No, it's okay. I just stepped out to grab us some coffee."

"Is he awake?" Leo asked, standing.

"Yeah."

Leo nodded, and moved to pour three cups of coffee. "I'll bring this to him. I know he wouldn't want you neglecting your fiance." He handed me one of the coffee mugs.

"Thanks." I nodded. "Did your wife…?"

The corners of Leo's lips twitched slightly into a small half smile. "She's asleep in our room."

I sighed in relief. I knew how worried he was last night. "I'm glad."

He nodded his thanks. "Thanks. You should go now." He bobbed his head towards Myers' room.

"I will." I nodded, before setting my cup back down on the counter and gripping his shoulder tightly. "I'm sorry, Leo."

Leo clenched his jaw and swallowed, his eyebrows furrowing before he pulled me in for a brief hug. "Thanks, Drake."

We pulled apart and headed our separate ways. I opened Myers' door without knocking, only to find it empty. Then I remembered she and Maxwell had gone to Hana's room, and they'd probably spent the night there. I walked two doors down and knocked lightly, before slowly opening the door. Hana and Maxwell were still fast asleep, but Myers was awake and looking out the window. She was still wearing her phoenix costume, her temple pressed against the glass. As soon as she saw me, her eyes lit up somewhat, and she pressed a finger against her lips in a 'ssh' gesture.

I nodded and stepped out into the hall, with Myers following. She closed the door behind her with a click, before slowly wrapping her arms around me. I hugged her back tightly, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. We stayed like that for a while, before she took a step back.

"Morning." She greeted me unenthusiastically.

"Morning." I took her hand and led her out to the living room couch. "Sit. I'll make you some tea."

"Thank you."

I set my cup on the small coffee table, before going back to the kitchen. I quickly made her a cup of green tea, and sat next to her. Myers accepted the cup gratefully, and leaned into me.

"How's Liam?" She asked.

I sighed. "He's…" A wreck...

"I'm sorry. That was a dumb question." Myers sighed.

"No, Myers, it wasn't. He's… grieving, as best he knows how."

"Did he sleep at all?"

I shook my head. "No." I looked at her then. "Did you?"

This time it was her turn to shake her head. "No." Myers sighed, resting her head on my shoulder. "So… what happens now?"

I placed an arm over her shoulders. "Now… Cordonia mourns. The bells ring for seven whole days. There's the state funeral on the seventh day, which consists of a military parade, then the funeral service at the Grand Cathedral and the burial."

Myers sighed.

"And… our wedding will be pushed back a week." I finished.

"Yeah, I figured. Though to be honest, the wedding is the last thing on my mind right now."

"I know." I pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "I just thought you should know."

"I know. Thank you." Myers tilted her face, catching my lips in a soft kiss. "Now… how are you?"

I sighed. "I'm…" I hummed thoughtfully. To be honest, I hadn't even thought about myself since everything that happened last night. "I feel for Liam. I really do. And…" I bit my lip.

"Does it… does it remind you of when your dad…?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

Myers took my hand, lacing our fingers and squeezed. "I'm here for you."

"I know."

At that moment, we heard a door hinge squeaking behind us, and a tall girl with long straight hair and almond shaped brown eyes stepped into the living room, her hands cradling her pregnant belly. "Oh! Um, hello…"

"Hi." Myers stood immediately and smiled at her kindly. "You must be Olivia. I'm Camilla Myers, and this is my fiance, Drake."

"Yes! No, I know." She smiled timidly, reaching to tuck her hair behind her ear. "I've heard a lot about you from Leo."

"Likewise. It's nice to meet you." Myers stretched out her hand, and Olivia shook it.

"Nice to meet you both." Olivia nodded at both of us. "Um, I was looking for Leo…"

"He's, uh, with Liam." I told her.

"Ah." Olivia pursed her lips. "Of course." She sighed.

"Would you like to sit down?" Myers asked, gesturing to the couch and the other sofas.

Olivia nodded. "Thank you." She plopped onto a sofa across from us, cradling her belly. "And how is he? Liam?"

I shrugged. "He's… trying to stay strong." I told her. "For Cordonia."

"Leo always spoke so highly of him. I was so looking forward to finally meeting him on this trip. It's a shame it has to be under such… awful circumstances." Olivia grimaced.

"Yeah, well… for what it's worth, I know he was also very excited to meet you." I told her.

"Really?" Her eyes lit up a bit.

"Yeah. He always regretted not being able to attend your wedding, or have a chance to meet you before."

"That's… very sweet."

A small and somewhat awkward silence ensued.

Myers quickly broke it. "Olivia, can I get you something to eat, or drink? Can you drink tea?"

Olivia shook her head. "That's alright, thank you. I think I'll just wait for Leo to get some breakfast."

Myers nodded. "Okay…"

At that precise moment, Olivia's stomach rumbled loudly. She laughed somewhat nervously, until we joined her and the ice was broken.

I clapped my hands on my knees and stood. "Okay. I'm making breakfast." I announced.

"Very well. Thank you, Drake." Olivia said.

"Yes, thank you." Myers smiled softly at me, and I pressed a kiss to her forehead. "So, Olivia, how far along are you?" I heard Myers ask as I walked to the kitchen.

After perusing the shelves, I found several boxes of pancake mix that hadn't expired yet, so… I guess I was making pancakes for breakfast. I also found some powdered milk and made about two cups of milk to add to the pancake mix. After mixing everything up, I set about making the pancakes. As the pancakes sizzled on the griddle, I heard Hana emerge from her room.

"Good morning…" Hana muttered.

"Morning…"

"Hana, this is Olivia, Leo's wife."

"Nice to meet you."

"Hello. It's nice to meet you as well."

Maxwell stepped out a moment later, with more introductions being made.

At ease now that Olivia had more company, Myers came to help me in the kitchen. She searched and fished through the shelves, until she found a large serving platter, and placed it next to me. I smiled at her, and took the cooked pancakes off the griddle and placed them on the platter. Then, Myers took out several plates and utensils, and carried them to the living room, before ducking back into the kitchen to put on a fresh pot of coffee. Once that was done, she carried that out too, along with several mugs and tea spoons.

I finally finished with the pancakes, and carried them back to the living room. Just as I was setting the platter on the coffee table, Liam and Leo emerged from Liam's room. Myers immediately stood and wrapped her arms around Liam, pulling him into a long hug. He looked a bit shocked for a moment, before hesitantly hugging her back. They held each other for a long time, with Myers whispering her condolences. He accepted them with a nod, before they finally broke apart, and walked towards us.

Leo immediately moved to help his wife stand, before introducing her and Liam. Liam greeted her with a kind smile. "Olivia. It is… so nice to finally meet you."

"You too, Liam, or, erm… Your Majesty."

Liam actually chuckled lightly, a small smile appearing on his face. "Please, just call me Liam."

"I'm very sorry for your loss." Olivia told him.

Liam cleared his throat, his eyes immediately becoming guarded. "Thank you." He looked down at the coffee table, before turning his eyes back to her. "Now, please, sit. Let's eat before it gets cold."

We all moved to sit around the coffee table, and we invited Jerry, Mara, Tanner and the rest of the guards to eat with us as well - I'd made more than enough for all of us. The room became eerily quiet once more, as we all busied ourselves eating. None of us were particularly in a talking mood, but thankfully we all finished eating quickly, just before the silence could be deemed oppressive.

As soon as they were done, Leo and Olivia excused themselves, heading to their room. Jerry and the rest of the guard left the cabin to do a quick sweep outside. And after asking the guards to notify him if anything else came up, Liam also returned to his room. I dearly hoped he would at least try to get some sleep. Hana and Maxwell insisted on washing the dishes and cleaning the kitchen, since Myers and I had prepared breakfast, and after a quick discussion, Myers and I conceded.

We walked back to our room and locked the door. Wordlessly, Myers moved to close the curtains, and I stepped behind her, slowly unzipping her dress. After she shrugged out of it, she turned and began undoing the buttons of my shirt. Once we were both undressed, we got into bed and slept.


It was completely dark by the time I woke up. Myers was still asleep next to me, her back pressed to my chest, and her arm over mine, snoring lightly. I pressed a kiss to her bare shoulder, before moving my arm to fish around for my phone. I found it underneath my pillow, the screen lighting up, flashing 7:09 p.m. We'd literally slept all day… and the fact that no one had woken us up meant that the palace was still being secured, and we'd probably be spending tonight in the safehouse as well.

I also realized, looking again at my phone, that I had several missed calls both from Asterwood Hospital, and Dr. Yonekura's personal number. And that's when I remembered that I was supposed to have my first appointment with the physical therapist this morning. I sighed, trying to move as slowly and gently as possible so as to not wake Myers, and got out of bed. I dressed quickly and quietly before stepping outside into the hall, and dialing Dr. Yonekura.

She picked up after the third ring. "Mr. Walker. Thank goodness you're safe."

"Hi, doc. Thank you." I sighed. "I assume you've seen the news."

"Of course. I'm very sorry for everything that happened yesterday."

"Thank you."

"I was calling this morning because I assumed you wouldn't be able to make your appointment, and even though I understand why, it's still very important for your treatment to begin your physical therapy soon."

"I know, doc." I sighed. "I just… we literally got no sleep last night, and I just completely forgot about it."

"Of course, Drake. I understand completely. Is there any chance that we could reschedule for sometime this week, though?"

"Um…" That would depend on when we got back to the palace, as well as all of Constantine's funeral arrangements... "Can I call you back? We really don't have a lot of information as to what happens now, with the funeral, with the tour…"

"Very well, Drake. But please, call me as soon as you're able to coordinate your appointment."

"Will do, Doc. Thanks for understanding."

"Of course, Drake." She sighed. "Stay safe."

"Thanks, doc. I'll be in touch."

"Goodbye." She hung up.

I tucked my phone into my pocket with a sigh, and turned around. After a quick glimpse into the small living room, I saw Maxwell sitting alone on the couch, staring into space. He looked lost and… heartbroken. There was no other word for it… I knew something was wrong - besides the obvious, of course.

"Maxwell." I called him softly, and yet he still startled, clutching his chest.

"Drake!"

"Sorry." I walked out of the shadowy hallway and sat next to him. "... You okay?"

He frowned slightly, clenching his jaw and looking straight at the wall ahead. Then, he nodded once.

"Maxwell… I'm here if you need to talk."

Maxwell swallowed heavily, clenching his jaw even harder to stop it from trembling. I sighed, grasping his shoulder and squeezed in what I hoped was a comforting manner. The empty dark room fell into silence. I waited, knowing he would talk to me when and if he was ready. And if he wasn't, I was content to just sit next to him all the same.

"Can we take a walk?" He said suddenly.

I looked out the window, noting how it was already dark outside. But… I looked back at Maxwell, and I knew he really needed it. "Sure."

We stood with another word, and made our way outside the safehouse. I shivered as the cold night air hit me, shoving my hands into my pockets and hunching into myself in an effort to preserve warmth. Maxwell merely walked toward the edge of the treeline.

I followed, stopping next to him, and once again waited for him to speak first. But when he didn't, I turned to look at him and saw him crying quietly, silent tears almost invisible in the dark. "Maxwell… whatever it is… you can tell me."

Maxwell sniffled, hastily wiping his face with his sleeve. "I know." He said softly.

"Is it…" I decided to take a wild guess, because I knew that what happened last night… well, it's gotten all of us thinking back to when we lost somebody of our own. "Maxwell, is it your dad?"

Maxwell's head jerked in my direction, the look in his eyes pure sorrow. I was so used to seeing Maxwell happy 24/7 that seeing him like this really did break my heart. "Come're." I pulled him by the collar into a tight hug. Maxwell hugged me back fiercely, before stepping back.

He let out a whooshing breath, rubbing his face warily. "Sorry…" He mumbled, slumping down on the dirt.

I gingerly sat next to him. "Maxwell, you don't need to apologize."

"If I tell you something… will you swear you won't tell anyone else?"

"Yeah."

"Not even Milla?"

I narrowed my eyes. Whatever was troubling him had to be very serious if he was making me promise to not even tell Myers.

"She doesn't know…" Maxwell continued. "And she already has enough on her plate, with the tour and the wedding and helping out House Beaumont… I just… I don't want to worry her…" The corner of his lips quirked into a tiny, pointed smile that I returned. I knew exactly what he was getting at.

"Maxwell… whatever it is, I promise I won't tell a soul. Not even Camilla."

Maxwell nodded and sighed deeply. "It's my dad…"

Ah… Barthelemy Beaumont was a sore subject for Maxwell. Their relationship had always been strained, with the old man coming down on poor Maxwell even harder than Bertrand did, and when he died a couple years ag-

"He's not dead."

"What?!"

"Ssh!" Maxwell shushed me quickly, looking around in a panic.

"Sorry. I'm sorry. You just took me by surprise… It's just… The way you always talked about him. In the past tense. And he was never here! I just assumed-"

"I know." He cut me off quietly. "It's not an easy thing to talk about. But… the truth is my dad's been in a coma for so long now. The doctors say he'll probably never wake up. We kinda gave up hope a long time ago."

I nodded, trying to take this in. "... What happened?"

"He started getting sick, and the doctors couldn't diagnose what it was exactly. I remember he went to a bunch of specialists and they were the ones who discovered he had a really rare degenerative disease for which there's no cure yet. There were only experimental treatments…"

I nodded, listening intently.

"Dad decided to invest in these treatments, or fund different research and development projects, trying to find a cure. Until one day, he collapsed. Had a stroke and hasn't woken up since."

"So… he's been in a coma for the last…?" I didn't even remember how many years it'd been since I saw him.

"10 years, yeah…" Maxwell nodded sadly. "He's still there, under a different name in room 407 of the Ramsford General Hospital."

I put two and two together. "Maxwell… is that the real reason House Beaumont's broke?"

He nodded again. "Yeah. Long-term healthcare is so expensive, and Dad had already made so many bad investments searching for a cure…"

"I'm… so sorry."

"Bertrand refuses to… disconnect him. Dad made him promise that if something like this were to happen… Bertrand wouldn't pull the plug. And he hasn't. Even if all that's gotten us is into crippling debt and bankruptcy, and my brother becoming a graying, stressed out workaholic shell of a man. Dad made him promise…" Maxwell balled his hands into fists. He was shaking, though with sadness or anger, I couldn't really tell. "I try not to think about it. Most days I don't even remember it at all. But…"

After last night, it all came flooding back. I couldn't even begin to imagine how he must be feeling. When my dad died, I was a wreck, but at least I'd gotten my chance to mourn him and make my peace with his death. Maxwell's dad was gone… but he wasn't really gone, and Maxwell's never had the chance to actually mourn… He was stuck in a horrible in-between.

I thought about what to say. "Maxwell… I'm so sorry."

Maxwell shook his head, shrugging and pressing his lips together. "It's… whatever. There's not much we can do, so… But thanks. For listening. It felt good to talk about it."

I'll bet. Who knows how long he's kept all this bottled up. "Thanks for trusting me." Maxwell looked at me then, a sad half smile on his face. "If you ever want to talk about it some more… I'm here for you. Whatever you need."

Maxwell's eyes welled up again, but he nodded. "Thanks, Drake." He whispered hoarsely.

"Anytime."

We stayed outside for a few more minutes, just sitting quietly and looking at the stars. Finally, when neither one of us could handle the cold anymore, we slowly made our way inside. Maxwell turned to wave good night, and on impulse, I pulled him by the collar of his shirt and gave him a tight hug. He seemed surprised at first, before slowly hugging me back.

"You really are a great hugger." Maxwell clapped my back before we stepped away.

I chuckled sadly, not having the heart to argue. "Yeah, so you've said before."

"Milla's a lucky girl." His grin was back, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Anyway, good night, Drake. And thanks again."

I nodded. "No problem. Just… remember what told you."

"I will. Thanks." With that, he nodded before making his way to his room.

I watched him go, before going back to mine and Myers' room. I stepped inside the warm dark room, everything quiet besides Myers' light snoring. In a lazy bit of self-indulgence, I undressed yet again and got into bed with her. Myers stirred lightly, turning around and wrapping her arm around my waist. I watched as those beautiful brown eyes fluttered open. I saw them slowly become brighter and more alert. Her dimples appeared as she gave me a small smile.

"Morning." She whispered, closing her eyes again and cuddling closer to me.

"Evening, Myers."

She jolted awake. "What?!" Myers moved to sit up, but I held her tightly against me.

"Ssh. Come here."

"What time is it?"

"7 something p.m."

Myers groaned, and buried her face deeper into my chest. "Any news?"

"No… not yet anyway. They would've woken us up if there were anything new to report."

Myers hummed pensively. "So… what now?"

"Now… we wait."


Said wait lasted until the very next morning, when Jerry gave us the all-clear to return to the palace. A motorcade, heavy on security, arrived to escort us back to the palace, and when we arrived, the very first thing I noticed was the flag flying at half-mast. Liam and the rest of the Royal Family were immediately escorted to their private dining room to oversee the final details of the funeral preparations. Meanwhile, the rest of the court slowly trickled back to the palace throughout the course of the week, the sense of fear palpable in the air.

The ballroom was completely sealed off, as it would need extensive repairs and was still technically a crime scene. At the same time, security was tighter than ever, since tradition demanded that Constantine's coffin be placed on a catafalque in the center of the palace's ancient throne room - or what was commonly referred to as the National Cordonian Gallery in the 'historic east wing' these days - for a three-day lying in state. This room would be open to the public, for every Cordonian citizen who wished to pay their respects.

The guys and I decided to take turns during the week to keep an eye on Liam. He needed support now more than ever, and I was worried that he had so much to do that he wouldn't be able to feel and grieve properly. And so, every night one of us would convince him into having dinner with them, to talk, to take a break from the funeral plans or the security briefings, or to simply sit by each other in silence. To my immense relief, it seemed to do him some good, or at least provide him with some comfort, because he didn't show signs of retreating into himself.

On our second day back at the palace, after clearing it with Mara, I visited Savannah and Bartie and we held each other tightly for a solid five minutes. She told me in more detail everything that'd happened with Bertrand the night of the Costume Gala and how they'd managed to escape. I, in turn, told her what we'd all gone through, Constantine's last few moments and our stay at the safehouse.

I also called Dr. Yonekura back regarding my PT appointment. Even though it would mean having to deal with more drastic security measures, Myers decided to come with me - in part because she cared about my treatment, and in part because the palace had become somewhat stifling, and I think we both just needed to get away for a bit.

Since we were both at the hospital anyway, we took the opportunity to visit Bastien as well. He had a concussion as well as scapular fracture, several first degree burns, and some cuts and scrapes from flying debris…

"... But beside that… I'm okay." He said with a slight chuckle that turned into a grimace.

"The doctor did tell him he was lucky to be alive," Mara told us, shaking her head slightly. "And that he hadn't suffered more serious injuries, such as a spinal cord fracture or something."

"She's right." Myers told him, reaching out to squeeze his hand. "You boys seem to have a history of surviving by pure luck, don't you?" She looked at both of us with a small smirk that betrayed a tiny bit of annoyance. "Mara."

"Your Grace?"

"Why don't we go to the cafeteria and get these boys something to eat? Give them a chance to catch up?"

"Of course, Your Grace." Mara nodded.

They left the room and I pulled a chair closer to Bastien's bed. He sighed. "I'm… glad you're safe, Drake."

I scoffed slightly. "I'm glad you're alive." I told him, shaking my head.

"Savannah?"

"She was outside when it happened. She was one of the first people to get out."

Bastien nodded, looking relieved for a single second, before turning serious once more. "His Majesty?"

I couldn't help but sigh. "He's… safe. He's alive."

"I failed him." Bastien growled softly, quickly blinking back tears.

"It wasn't your fault, Bastien."

"It was. My security measures weren't enough. I failed to protect my King and his court. It is my fault the King Father is dead." He said as if it were a fact.

"Bastien, you did everything you could. You screened the guests, you secured the palace-"

"Not well enough, apparently."

"Bastien." I said his name firmly. "You did the best you could with the information you had. But what happened to Constantine was not your fault, just like it wasn't Liam's fault. It was the attackers' fault. They killed Constantine." Bastien clicked his tongue, turning away. "Bastien…"

He let out a shuddering breath, before turning his head back to look at me. "I promise I will find them."

"I know."

"And I promise I will not let them harm you, Lady Camilla or King Liam."

"I know. I have faith in you, Bastien."

"We all do." I turned my head to find Myers in the doorway, a paper bag of food in her hand. Mara was right behind her with another one.

Bastien cleared his throat, clearly moved. "Thank you, Your Grace."

Myers rolled her eyes. "Seriously, what will it take for you to just call me Milla?"

"An order." Bastian said dryly, the corners of his mouth quirking slightly.


A week after the Costume Gala, the day of Constantine's funeral had arrived. The whole palace was radiating anxiety and grief in equal measure. The court was ushered by the palace staff to get ready for the military procession. It was tradition for the nobility, alongside Cordonia's Armed Forces, to escort the King Father's body from the palace to the Grand Cathedral.

And so, I went to my room and showered quickly, before making my way to the boutique to meet the guys for our appointment. Myers, Maxwell and Hana were already inside when I got there. Myers came out of the dressing room wearing a simple and elegant black dress - the same dress Hana had given her the day after the Homecoming Ball - with a sleek black blazer over it, topping off the look with a small black hat. She gave me a small smile when she saw me, and moved to wrap an arm around my waist. "Hey."

"Hey." I pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Nice hat."

"Philip Treacy."

I chuckled lightly, before turning to the rest of the guys. "I was hoping you guys would help me pick out a suit… I don't really have anything for the…"

Maxwell nodded immediately, but solemnly. "I got you." He immediately began browsing the racks, picking out a black suit, a black dress shirt and a black tie in a matter of minutes. "Try those on."

I did as I was told, relieved that everything fit me to a tee. With all of us dressed and ready, we left quickly so as not to delay the appointments of the rest of the court. Mara and Tanner met us outside and escorted us to the foyer, where a member of the palace staff indicated all of the protocol that we'd have to follow. Liam, Regina, Leo and his wife would be riding in the car directly behind the King Father's carriage, followed by cars carrying members of the Grand Houses of Cordonia, i.e. the major duchies - which included Myers and I - followed by the royal council, the King's ministers and military generals, and lastly, the rest of the court.

With that, we were respectively ushered outside and into said cars. Maxwell was separated from us, since he would be riding with Bertrand, representing House Beaumont. A staff member tried to separate Hana from us, but Myers pulled rank and asked that Hana ride with us, since she was a 'member of the King's inner circle, after all'. I caught a glimpse of Liam as he climbed into his car, and of Olivia and her aunt Lucretia in the car behind his.

After about thirty minutes, everyone was where they needed to be and we took off. I watched from the window as the palace gates were opened, and Constantine's horse-drawn carriage began to lead us out. Myers gripped my hand tightly as our car finally began moving, and we made our way past the gate ever so slowly.

The procession was flanked on all sides by soldiers of the Royal Navy, all of them in their crisp formal uniforms, marching alongside our cars with their weapons in hand. I knew it was mostly for ceremony, since the King's Guard was technically in charge of the actual security. Up in the sky, I saw several drones that were probably livestreaming the procession, as well as news teams and cameras on several street corners. Behind steel barricades, thousands of Cordonia's citizens crowded together in order to say their farewells to the King Father. And in the distance, I heard the bells toll, but apart from that, the city was completely silent.

After slowly making our way through the streets of the capital, we arrived at the Grand Cathedral. A member of the staff opened the door to our car, and we were led inside, being seated on the third row. After the rest of the court was inside and seated, we were asked to rise for the royal family. The choir began to sing a deep, sorrowful song and Myers gripped my hand tightly, her breath hitching so quietly I almost missed it.

The archbishop who would be conducting the service walked down the aisle, followed by a procession of small children - acolytes, probably - and other church officials. After them, Constantine's coffin was carried inside ever so carefully by members of the royal navy. Draped over it was Cordonia's flag, as well as a garland of Cordonia's crest. Finally, behind them, Liam walked down the aisle, all in black save for a blue sash that had several medals on it, with Regina on his arm. She stood ramrod straight and tense, and she was wearing a hat with a black veil that concealed her face. Behind them, Leo and his wife entered. All of them carried wreaths, which they gently placed on the coffin before being seated just as the song ended.

The archbishop took his place on the dais, and the service began. "We are gathered here today, in our capital's Grand Cathedral, to give thanks for the life of Constantine Rhys, King Father of Cordonia, to commend his soul to almighty God, and to seek His comfort for all who mourn."


Once the service concluded, members of the Royal Navy carried Constantine's coffin to a hearse. We were ushered slowly back into our respective cars, and the funeral processional made its way to the Rys Mausoleum. All of Cordonia's Kings and Queens, dating all the way back to Kenna Rys, were buried in a large, white marble building.

Thankfully, this smaller ceremony was somewhat private - and by that, I only mean that it wouldn't be televised, or live-streamed, or generally just covered by any type of media. It was a chance for the Royal Family and the court, for the people who'd actually known Constantine, to say goodbye.

Several older members of court, like Godfrey, stepped up to give their eulogies. They all spoke about what an honor it was to have gotten the chance to know Constantine, or to have worked with him in the name of Cordonia. Some spoke of his unshakable strength of character or his capacities as a leader and a monarch. And while all of them sounded genuine, they didn't feel… like eulogies for Constantine, the man. They were eulogies for Constantine, the King.

Until Regina stepped up to the small podium. "I would like to start by thanking all of you for your kind words, as well as for being here with us today." She nodded, making eye contact with several members of court. "Constantine Rhys was a truly marvelous king, a fact which all of you have corroborated several times. But… I would like to take a moment to honor Constantine, the man." She looked at the coffin, pure sorrow and heartbreak in her eyes. "I had the privilege of knowing this man and of falling in love with this man. And while history will remember him for his policies, his reforms or his strength of character and courage of conviction, I will remember him for smaller things.

Things he would only allow his innermost circle to witness. His family to witness. I will remember how much he loved to dance, or how he could spend hours at the balcony staring at the ships and the sea. I will remember how he could gush about his sons for hours, always going on and on about how proud he was of them both. But most of all, I will remember his small gestures of love. I will remember how he used to send me a box of chocolates or a small, simple bouquet of flowers - not because it was a special occasion, but simply just because he felt like it. I will remember how he would watch his sons play knights and dragons in the gardens from his study. And how, the next day, he would leave them wooden toy swords and shields for them to play with." She chuckled sadly, moving to wipe a tear from her eyes.

I instinctively shared a nostalgic look with Maxwell, then Olivia, and finally Liam - all of us remembering that day. We'd run out into the garden, and right at the entrance of the maze, there they were. Three small wooden swords and shields. Since there were only 3, Liam had given his to Olivia. She'd named it Zenobia.

When Constantine found Olivia playing with hers, however… I sighed, shaking my head out of the memory.

Regina breathed in deeply, recomposing herself. "Constantine… thank you. It was a true privilege to have shared my life with you. I… I love you. Forevermore." Liam offered her a hand and helped her step down from the podium.

Leo was next. "Well… everyone here knows that my father and I butted heads… a lot." Several members of court chuckled politely. "The old man was tough a-and overbearing, and stubborn like a mule." He chuckled tearfully, before hastily wiping his eyes. "He would always go on and on about honor and duty to Cordonia, trying to drill it into our heads that we were nothing more than her humble servants. But like Regina said before, that was King Constantine. Constantine as a father… was also tough, stubborn and overbearing." The court chuckled a bit louder this time. "But he taught us a lot. He taught me a lot. Maybe not in the most conventional of ways, but… He taught me to never be afraid of going after what I want. He taught me to stand up for myself and for others who can't stand up for themselves. In his own… unique way, he taught me to be kind. And what I think might've been his most important lesson… he taught me to protect the ones I love. So… thanks, old man. For everything." Leo nodded, and stepped down.

Liam hugged his brother into a tight hug, before stepping onto the podium. He cleared his throat. "I would also like to thank you all for coming." I could see by the tightness in his eyes that he did not want to be doing this right now.

I thought back to my dad's funeral. Thought back to all the people who spoke. Constantine. Bastien. Jerry. Several others; truth be told, I don't really remember. It all went by in a haze. But what I did remember was that mom, Savannah and I didn't say a word. It just… hurt too much.

And when I looked at Liam now… god, how I wished he wasn't bound by all this protocol. I wished he could get away with not saying anything, and just… be able to wallow in his grief in peace. But he was King. And people would talk if he didn't give the former monarch a proper eulogy.

"My father was… truly a character," Liam continued. "Like my brother and many of you have mentioned before me, he was honorable and he was brave." God, this sounded just like everything the nobles said before… I could see he was also focusing on giving the King Father an eulogy… but not his father. "He worked tirelessly for Cordonia, for her citizens." Liam looked at the coffin, allowing himself a moment of vulnerability. "He sacrificed his life for Cordonia," He said softly, almost like a whisper. "I would like to take a moment to honor that sacrifice… And I promise that I will do everything in my power to be worthy of it. I… hope I make you, and Cordonia, proud… Father." Liam looked down at his feet, before shaking his head slightly and clearing his throat. "Thank you."

Myers shot me a worried look, one I reciprocated.

As Constantine's coffin was sealed into its place, the court began to file out slowly. Liam stood in front of his father's plaque, his eyes never leaving it. I stepped next to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing lightly before letting go. Myers stood next to me. Olivia moved to stand to Liam's right. Maxwell and Hana next to her. All of us stood beside him in silent support. And in that moment… I hope he allowed himself to properly say goodbye to his dad.


"Welcome," Mara began, as we all took our seats in the dining room. "I've called you here to give the King's Guard report on the palace bombing. Bastien would be briefing you, but he's still in the hospital, recovering from injuries sustained during the attack."

"How did this happen?" Liam asked solemnly.

"We're absolutely certain that the palace was air-tight. The only people who entered that night were on the guest list and had been thoroughly vetted by our agency." Mara explained.

I groaned. "So we were betrayed from the inside…"

"A traitor?" Myers ran her hand through her hair. "We have to be careful." Her eyes were narrowed, a calculating look on her face. "It could be anyone in court."

"Where do we stand now?" Liam asked.

"We must examine everyone at the Gala, even those who have professed their loyalty." Mara said, looking at each and every one of us in the eye.

"But how?" Hana asked. "Most of the court scattered after the bombing, and while they came back from Constatine's funeral, who knows if they'll stay?"

"I have good news on that front. We simply won't allow that. The Unity Tour is still scheduled to attend the Winter Festival in Lythikos. It won't be postponed to mourn Constantine."

I could help but grimace at how… cold and calculating that sounded, especially because Liam had said it in such an apathetic tone.

"Are you okay with that?" Myers squeezed Liam's arm.

He looked at her, really looked at her, a flash of actual feeling in his face. When he finally spoke, he sounded more like himself. "It's… a chance to strike back. My father would want us to take it."

"It could be our best and only opportunity to gather the suspects and get our answers." Mara nodded. "We finally have a chance to go on the offensive and scrutinize our main suspects."

"Camilla and I will do what we can to uncover any information." Liam said.

"All of us will." I added.

"Good. Our answers will be at Lythikos." Mara stated simply. "I know it."

"Very well. Everyone, pack your warmest clothes." Liam looked at all of us. "Lythikos is cold this time of year…"