The coronation ball proceeded without much fanfare, save for the joyous festivities that came with the territory.

After the celebration had died down and the guests all departed and the servants cleaned up, the Lamia Royal Palace settled into a nigh complete silence.

Sir Edgar inched the door ajar, eyes flicking this way and that.

When all he registered were shadows and darkness, he silently opened the door and stalked down the hallways with Heston coiled around his staff.

"Where are we going, Sire?" enquired the snake, feeling the early morning chill through his cold-blooded veins.

"An obscure part of the palace," Sir Edgar replied, voice low. "The only ones who know of its existence are yours truly, and now, you."

Sir Edgar descended a spiral staircase and Heston's wide eyes fell upon all the preserved parts of now extinct creatures mounted on walls, suspended from the ceiling, or propped up on platforms inside display cases.

Even though he'd served Sir Edgar for years and committed his fair share of ill deeds, including usruping the throne from King Florian, there was something strong growing inside Heston.

Something he'd never felt in a very long time.

It was screaming at him to cut and run.

Finally, they arrived at the room Sir Edgar was looking for.

What lay beyond the door, and what his master told him next, triggered a vehement flight response from Heston.

"No... No! This... This is madness! You can't... Sir Edgar, I beg of you, please! No... !"

Prince Char was restless.

He couldn't sleep.

Between Ella breaking up with him and his coronation the very next day, he had a lot on his mind.

He stealthily climbed out of his bedroom window, scaled the stone walls of the Royal Palace as he'd done so countless times before, and effortlessly navigated his way past guards making their rounds on his way to the Hall Of Mirrors.

Over a decade ago, his father, King Florian, had brought him to this very place.

"Look into the mirror, Son," he remembered his father say. "And see yourself as the one true King."

But Char didn't feel like a King.

He was lost.

Why did Ella leave him?

The time he spent with her was so perfect.

Was it his family?

The politics?

The moment he laid eyes on Ella Of Frell, he instantly knew that they were destined to be together.

But now she was gone.

Left him.

And he had no idea why.

If he couldn't hold onto the love of his life, how could he ever hope to hold onto his crown?

How could he be the King his father wanted him to be?

He stood up to leave the Hall Of Mirrors the moment he felt a tear about to well up in his eye.

Ready or not, he was going to be King tomorrow.

All eyes will be upon him, depending on him to fulfill his royal duties.

He couldn't let his people down.

It came as a surprise to him how closely he came to crashing into one of his personal guards.

"Sir? What are you doing up this late?" one of them asked. "Your big day's tomorrow!"

Char blinked for a few moments to gather his thoughts. "Sorry, I just needed some fresh air."

"Don't we all?"

That voice.

Prince Char and his men spun around with swords drawn, face to face with Sir Edgar and his Red Guard.

"Uncle," Char glanced at the scores of Red Guards levelling their halberds at them. "What is the meaning of this?"

Sir Edgar simply affixed him with eyes that shot venom into his soul.

Char swore that his uncle's pupils appeared to be... slit.

Like a snake about to strike.

But he snapped out of his thoughts when Sir Edgar coldly issued an order to the Red Guards.

"You know what to do."

As a single unit, they charged at Prince Char and his men.

He felt a sharp tug on his shoulder. "Your Highness, we have to go!"

There was no time to think.

Char had no need to.

His legs automatically carried him safely away from a Red Guard's swinging halberd as he joined his men in their escape.

Sir Edgar may have had more men, but Char had somebody looking out for him.

Or rather, many somebodys.

A/N

This chapter's title has a double meaning.

It refers to Sir Edgar wanting to be King and cooking up a new evil plan in order to achieve it.

It also refers to Char feeling insecure about becoming King.

But as to what Sir Edgar is up to... well, stay tuned for the finale.