Sorry for the wait! Enjoy!

Caspina de Gatto: Thanks for your great review! :-D

"Only the encore to do, now!" Ned sighed, collapsing back into his chair in the lounge. "Food and sleep again!"

"Oh, boy..." Clarence collapsed into the chair next to him. "Who knew stage life was so tiresome?"

"You're telling me, brother..." Ned threw a hand over his face.

"Can I die now, please?" Edmund pracatically thew himself into a chair.

"Me too...Oh, my back!" Richard moaned, stretching his twisted back.

"Your scoliois isn't too bad, is it, Dickon?" Ned asked, concerned.

"No, but I'm going to take some painkillers." Richard walked out of the room.

Just then, Macbeth came in, followed by Banquo.

"I'll tell ye now, Banquo," Macbeth began, "If I'm not dead by the time this is over, you can consider it a miracle."

"If you are dead, then what about your prophecy, and mine?" Banquo frowned.

"Then it would go to your son - you won't inherit anything, remember..." Macbeth froze in place. "Your son..."

"If I have a son..." Banquo sat down in the left hand side of the room. "If I have a boy, I think I'll call him...Fleance."

"Fleance? Sounds like a sissy name to me!" Macbeth grinned when Banquo gave him the finger.

"Aren't you too young to be thinking about having children, Banquo?" Edward asked him. "You're in Year 11 still."

"Says the man who had a kid at the age of 18. And Richard is 17, and he has his boy!" Banquo laughed back.

"Point taken!" Ned grinned back.

"Won't Hal have to start thinking about having children?" Edmund asked. "He is the King of Lancaster, after all - well, his father's lands, that is."

"I guess. It'll happen when it happens, I guess." Ned replied. "What about you, little brothers? Dickon and I have children - what about you?"

"I don't have girlfriend yet..." Edmund blushed.

"I may be dating Isabel, but that doesn't mean I'm going to propose to her yet! Maybe when we're older..." Clarence responded.

"True. Dickon and Anne aren't married." Edmund pointed out.

"Maybe he'll propose soon." Clarence said.

"Maybe..." Ned smiled. "Don't worry, brothers, you don't need to have children in such a hurry, the York line is secure with us, and with my children and Richard's children - our sons."

"As long as you're the one having the sons first, Edward. You are our father's heir, after all," Clarence replied.

"And I do. I have my boys, and my girls..." Ned smiled even more.

"Girls?" Clarence frowned. "I thought you only have Lizzie - who i haven't even been able to meet yet."

"That's because you called my wife a no good whore," Ned shot back angrilly. "I have two other daughters. They were separated from us because it was dangerous for all of our children to be together when Edouard and the other Lancastrian loyalists were attacking us daily. They live with their grandmother and grandfather in their country estate in Grafton. When I am King of York and secure from Edouard, I will send for them."

"He will have to be dead for that to happen!" Clarence remarked. "You may never see them again!"

"Why, Clarence, do you think we attacked Edouard in January?" Ned snarled at his younger brother. "It wasn't just for what he did to George, Lennie, Anne, and all of us: it was to wipe out the direct Lancastrian line. Forever."

"But, that means that Hal-"

"He won't be harmed. I won't hurt Hal, not another anointed King."

"It'll be like Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots..." Clarence murmured.

"What?"

"Think about it. Elizabeth I didn't want to harm or kill her fellow anointed Queen, but in the end, whether she liked it or not, she had to sign Mary's death warrant."

"You're saying I should kill Hal?" Ned was shocked.

"Think about it, Edward. If you want your line to be secure, truly want it to be secure, you have to eliminate any potential rivals or threats." Clarence stared his brother straight in the eye.

"He's right, brother Edward," Edmund replied gravely. "If Edouard were King of Lancaster, if his mad father died and he became King right now, he wouldn't hesitate to slaughter any threat he faced."

"But Edouard's a monster! And this is not 15th century England!" Ned claimed.

"Ned. What did Edward IV do when he won the Battle of Tewkesbury in 1471? What did he do to pious Henry VI, who did him no wrong but was still a figurehead for rebellions and still, therefore, a threat?" Clarence asked him seriously.

"He killed him. He had him smothered, or hit in the back of the head while at prayer..." Ned replied.

"Exactly. People still kill other people these days - they get murdered all the time. Edouard wouldn't hesitate to do the same. Edward IV was not a monster, but he had to do it. You may have to, too. Think about it." Clarence stood up and put on a grin when Richard came back in. "Feeling better, little brother?" he asked.

"Yes, thanks," Richard replied. He frowned at the sight of Ned's downturned face. "What happened? What's wrong?"

"Nothing!" Clarence replied cheerfully. "Come on, Dickon, let's go and see what the other are up to!"

"But I-" Richard found himself being pulled along by his older brother before he could blink.

"No buts, let's go!"

The two youngest York boys left the elder two and their Scottish friends alone to contemplate the seriousness of the food for thought that had been heavily placed upon them.

"Harry, did you hear that?!" Tudor hissed from outside the lounge door, hidden well from sight behind the open door. "The Yorks will smother us all in our beds!"

"Ned just said he wouldn't even consider killing Hal!" Harry replied fiercely. "It's a sin!"

"Sin or not, Clarence is right. A King must kill a King to be secure, along with any other claimants that may come after him..." Tudor frowned. "I imagine Richard especially would love to drive some stake into my heart like I was some sort of monster!"

"What do we do?" Harry's lip wobbled in fear.

"Hal is our sovereign Lord and King. As long as he's alive we are safe. We must protect him, and support of House with children to keep the dynasty safe."

"Children? Henry, we are only 15 and 16!"

"And Gloucester's had this son, and he's 17," Tudor shot back.

"Who do we have them with?"

"Our wives, when we have them. You may be a man of the cloth, but if duty calls, Harry, you must answer it."

"I know."

"I must aim high...Ned's oldest daughter."

"Lizzie? She's 11!"

"I know that, but she won't be for the rest of her life. When we are grown, I will marry her and unite our houses and be a King in my own name as the heir to the House of Tudor."

"Treason, Henry?"

"No treason. I am Tudor's heir. I will be my House's King, like Ned and Hal are of theirs."

"What if Lizzie doesn't want to marry you when the time comes?" Harry asked.

"She's a girl: she has no choice in the matter, I'm afraid. She is equal to me in all other things, like any Western girl of the 21st Century today is, but not in marriage. Our dynasties are male-centered and absolute. That's never changed, even in today's times. I will look after her; she is a sweet girl, after all."

"What do you want now, John?" Geoffrey sighed into the phone. "I am away in France right now."

"Father's acting strange, Geoff," came the teen's reply.

"Father's always acting strange, John. What's the difference now?"

"He's really strange, Geoff. The sooner you get back the better."

"And Mother?"

"Being a bitch as usual."

"John..."

"What?"

"Like her or not, she is our mother."

"So? Just because she gave birth to me doesn't mean she means anything to me. You know everything she does is for Richard. I'm just an accident to her, and an inconvenience."

John had been the last Anvegin Plantagenet child born to their family, during the first breakdown of their parents' marriage. John had been rejected by his mother as he reminded her of what had happened, leaving him to the care of the many wet nurses and nannies that had brought the brood up. Henry had taken the baby with him on one of his campaigns and had brought the boy up. No wonder John adored his father and hated his mother. Geoff didn't feel anything towards either. Hen was the heir, his father's first surviving son. They squabbled and fought, but Henry cared very much for the lad. Richard was the apple of their mother's eye. Geoff didn't matter to either of them; he was a tool for his father to gain more land - i.e. in Brittany - and for his mother; he was a tool she could use to aggravate Henry and promote Richard's position as her heir to her lands in Aquitaine and Poitiers.

"Keep smiling, John," Geoffrey replied after a moment of silence. "This bullshit will all come to an end soon."

"How do you know?" Geoffrey could just see the pout that was probably on his brother's face right now. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing. Goodbye, Johnny. See you soon." Geoff put the phone down.

"Heathcliff, what are you doing?" Cathy looked out over her bedroom to see Heathcliff wearing dirty clothes and carrying a shovel.

"Oh, don't you know I'm your brother's dog? Surely, you must know?" he sneered at her.

"Yes, I know that. What are you doing with the shovel?"

"I'm off to clear out the horses' sty. Why, fancy coming along?"

"Are you off to the moors later?"

"Yes. As always, Cathy."

"I'll meet you there when you're finished, then." And Cathy closed her bedroom window shut before Heathcliff could reply, leaving the teen to brood by himself as he walked to the horses' sty in silence.

"Am I speaking to a Mr. George Milton?" A calm voice said down the phone line of George's mobile. He was sat next to Hyde, who now frowned with his green eyes and a scowl across his face.

"Yes. What is it?"

"I'm afraid that your guardian, Miss Clara Small, is in hospital right now. She's had a heart attack, I'm afraid."

The lad's face went white. His palms gripped his trousers tightly. Sweat clung to the material as his mind registered with what he'd been told. "I-Is she alright?" He stuttered.

"She's stable. Do you want to come home?"

Hyde's fingers began to click impatiently.

"N-No. I can't. I'll be back on the 26th August. I'll go to the hospital straight away when I get back."

"Now, I understand that you're 17. You will have to find someone to stay with till your guardian gets out of hospital."

"I'll see if I can stay with one of the families of my friends."

"A social worker will have to come round regularly to check on you."

"I understand. Thank you for telling me."

"My many apologises, Mr. Milton."

George hung up the phone. Then slammed it onto the floor as tears poured out of his face.

"Why?!" He screamed. "Why does everyone I love die or leave me?!"

Hyde picked up the phone and checked it for damages. Then he pocketed it. "Is she dead?" He asked, growling in his usual tone.

"No! She had a FRICKING heart attack!" The boy yelled.

"She's stable?"

"Y-Yes. She is. For now." George's hands went to run through his messy brown hair and then cover his face. "God damnit!" He snapped. He then kicked out at a nearby bin. "Son of a bitch!"

"Oh, that poor bin, what on Earth did he do to deserve that?" Hyde chuckled, clicking his fingers again.

"Shut. The. Fuck. Up." George whirled round and pointed a finger towards his face. "Just shut the fuck up right now, and give me back my goddamn phone!"

Hyde sighed and slowly pulled the phone out, letting the angry teen swipe it quickly out of his hand. "I really don't see how this-"

"I told you to shut the fuck up!" The lad snapped back at the psychopath. "Shut up, or so help me God, I'll gut you where you stand if you so even breathe another word!"

Hyde's face was ineffable. You could not tell what he was thinking in response to that. He slowly knelt down and picked up his posh, Victorian cane, turned around, and walked briskly away, tapping his cane on the ground repeatedly as he went.

His face a storm of thunder, George stuffed his phone forcibly and quickly back into his pocket, turned around and stormed back inside the hall.

"Great job, guys!" Warwick clapped Ned on the back proudly. "You're doing great! This will all pay off, I promise!"

"Thanks, Warwick. Geez, where did Richard go? Have you seen him?"

Geoff walked in. "Your brother is with Anne and Clarence," he sat down on a seat. "As for everyone else, they're all sleeping."

"LOKI!" Thor yellled angrilly form down the corridor, his voice booming as it retouched against the walls.

"EHEHEHEHE! TOO SLOW, BROTHER!" Loki cackled back.

"Oh, God, someone please kill me!" Ned held his face in his hands.

Just then, Harry came walking in holding a phone. "Warwick...It's Ned's wife on the phone."

"Dead meat!" Warwick sniggered, slapping Ned on the back. "Busted!"

Ned took the phone and held it tentatively to his ear. "Dear? Are you okay?" he held the phone away and motioned to Warwick that he was leaving the room, then held the phone to his ear again as his wife answered his question. "Don't worry, if Dickon seems fussy, just try what you did for Eddie..." his voice trailed as he walked out of the room.

"You okay, George?" Slim frowned as the lad flopped down beside him angrily.

"No. Aunt Clara's had a heart attack..."

"Oh, God, is she okay?!" Slim's eyes widened in worry and concern.

"She's stable, but I'll have to stay with a family while she's still in hospital, and a social worker will be sent to check up on me."

"You can stay with me and my family," Slim immediately replied. "I won't have you out homeless by yourself."

George gave him a tired, but grateful smile. "Thanks, Slim..."

"That's not all there is though, is it?" Slim knew that the teen was hiding something. He frowned at the sight of the purple bruises on his neck. "Who gave you that love bite, George?"

Suspicious eyes zoomed towards him. "They ain't that..." he mumbled.

"Then what are they?"

"Bruises."

"I can see that. Who gave you love bites?"

"No one important. What's it to you?!" The lad glared at him. "What if I got them from some god damn whore?!"

"You didn't get them from a whore, George...'

"And how do you know that?!"

"Your expressions suggest otherwise..." Slim's eyes focused on his friend's ever-changing facial expressions. He could see the poor teen's face flushed an embarrassed red as George thought back on what had just transpired between himself and the psychopath. Why was Hyde having such a powerful impact on him? He hated the bastard's guts!

The lad sighed and rubbed his hands over his face wearily. "Look, I'm just going through a lot right now. The fucking love bites don't matter at all, so just forget about them. Okay?"

"Fine. If you want."

"Yes, so can we talk about something else please?" George rubbed his eyes and he yawned.

"Sure." But as they spoke about various topics, Slim's eyes never wavered from the strange bruises on his old friend's neck.

"Sigyn, do you think that Thor will ever find us?" Loki sniggered from where the two were hidden in a tight alcove.

"No, not really!" The Goddess laughed. "He's too dense!"

"Quite right, my darling..." the God purred, nuzzling her ear and peeking out into the corridor. "This shall be an interesting wait!"

Mercutio sat in his room alone, knees drawn up to his face as he gently rocked to and fro to calm himself. His brown hair was tousled and his green eyes shone with tears as he buried his face into his trousers and wept.

From outside, Hal sat against the door, his knees also drawn up to his face, and he cried into his trousers. Electric blue eyes welled up with tears and he sobbed mournfully for what he had done and lost.

Clarence eyed Tudor with suspicion as the latter strolled down the corridor to his room. Tudor glanced at him and nodded his head in acknowledgement of his presence, placed a hand on the doorknob, and entered his dressing room to sleep. Clarence briskly walked by.

'A King must kill a King to be secure.' The question both knew on their minds was: which King would it be?