To His Majesty the King-
By the time you read this, I will be dead. I had to act in haste when I learned the name of the spy there at your own court. Peter Pettigrew is a man that I know you've kept close. I could not risk, through his betrayal, both the life of the rightful king and the ruination of the plans I have worked on covertly for months, with the help of several brave conspirators. At present, these allies are acting on my orders to bring down Riddle's agents in Duchies throughout your kingdom. In order to create a diversion, I have to sacrifice myself. Tell my brother that he was always the true heir. Riddle will be vulnerable and lacking allies. Now is the time to act.
Godspeed.
R.A.B
The letter had been delivered to Lady McGonagall. The King was advised of its contents first, then Sirius himself. He was not in a position to react to anything emotionally, but it was more than a little challenging to maintain calm composure considering the letter had been from his own brother.
Regulus had been on their side? Regulus had thought he was always the true heir? Regulus was dead?
He'd have to sort through this revelation later. The letter had plainly stated that now was the time to strike. He would not disrespect the memory of a brave ally by failing to answer that call to action.
"So the trebuchets…"
"Yes yes…" James sighed wearily, "you get to use the trebuchets. But don't go overboard, Sir Remus. I do believe we'll want the place to be habitable after we take it."
"Don't listen to him Remus. I want to watch that pile of rocks fall to dust." Sirius could hear the anger in his voice, but he didn't really have time to consider it.
"Sir Sirius is paying for the repairs out of his own coffers, in that case." Lady McGonagall stated pointedly.
"Noted." Sirius took a deep breath and tried to refocus.
"Sirius, you plan to lead from the front line, correct?" James pulled a hand over face. "You know the castle better than anyone else. We're going to outnumber them greatly, thanks to Regulus. I shall follow you in and handle Riddle. You just have to…"
"Defeat an army?" Sirius scoffed.
"And your mother" Remus reminded him with a smirk.
"Right. Yes." Sirius shook his head. "Since I'm going to die soon I suppose that it's nice that I will do so as a married man."
"Married?" Remus looked deeply confused. Lady McGonagall much less so.
"Wedded and bedded, I understand." James had to get a ribbing in, despite the grave situation they were in. Sirius thought that the King probably would have regretted passing up the opportunity, if any of them really didn't manage to come home from the battle alive. "Please don't die, Your Grace. Mourning clothes do not suit the Princess."
"Since when is Sirius 'Your Grace'? Can someone please explain what is going on?" Remus rolled his eyes.
"In a moment," Lady McGonagall looked at the sun rising over the horizon. "First I'd like to discuss what your plan for the spy is."
James' face grew stricken.
"Perhaps," Sirius cut in, feeling for his closest friend, "We discuss first a plan to keep Her Majesty and Her Grace safe until he is secure?"
James nodded gratefully, "I'll double the guards of the Royal corridor."
"Have a guard escort, the Princess there and have her remain with her Majesty until it's safe." Sirius added.
"Inform the guards that no one is granted an audience with Her Majesty." Remus added. "She trusts Peter, we all did, and she'd let him in without thinking."
James nodded as he shut his eyes to try and think, "Anything else?"
"It would be wise to have their meals arranged as well, and have them tested beforehand. We don't know what Peter has planned, and I doubt he'd be willing to tell us right at first." Lady McGonagall added.
"Right," Sirius tried to rein in his anger, he wasn't allowed to kill Peter for crimes he might be willing to commit. "Now how do we take the rat?"
"Bring a section of your guard into the Council room and then summon him to his spot on the Privy Council." Lady McGonagall shrugged. "Once he arrives, arrest him."
James looked ashen, "Lady McGonagall, he was my friend. He has on more than one occasion been there to protect me."
Lady McGonagall's face was like iron, but her voice had a touch of compassion. "This same friend was willing to have your heir and cousin kidnapped. This same friend would draw his sword on you now. This spy may also be conspiring against your wife."
That seemed to turn the trick as Sirius saw a bit of color return to James' face.
"Let me get the guards in place, then send a messenger for Peter." James stood and walked to the door.
"Now," Remus turned on Sirius, "while our great King sees to all that, pray tell how the landless knight married to his country fell to a woman?"
Sirius smiled, it was hard not to when thinking of Marlene. "Her Grace, the Princess Marlene also happens to be my wife."
Lady McGonagall looked like she might burst from the smile upon her face.
Remus however looked positively perplexed. "So, the Princess must know of your heritage. She's too high born for your assumed identity."
"Her Grace deduced it on her own, actually." Sirius chuckled. "And then when I confirmed it all to her, she immediately laid claim upon my hand."
"May I ask when?" Lady McGonagall looked fifty years younger and it was quite a sight for Sirius who'd known her for nearly seven years.
"The night before last," Sirius smiled at the old woman who had been both a teacher and a friend.
Lady McGonagall stood and embraced Sirius, and Sirius sat dumbfounded for several seconds before standing and embracing her.
"I'm proud of you," she said with a choked voice, "so very proud."
Then she released him and seemed to gather herself and her emotions again. "Now then," she smoothed her gown, "when Peter enters you're to let His Majesty handle it and only act when ordered to do so. I know you both are protective of His Majesty, but he needs to make an example here. If he can hold strong and make a display of his authority and then bring Semprapuria back into the Kingdom, he'll have a very loyal population for the remainder of his rein. Keep the big picture in mind my Lords, and we won't likely have to do this again."
The two knights nodded as James returned. "The messenger has been sent for Peter. Marlene was already breaking fast with Lily so they are safe behind a squad of the Royal Guard, led personally by the head of the Guard."
Then James moved to his place at the head of the table. "I know you'd prefer the Royal Guard be present for this as well, Lady McGonagall, but We've decided against that counsel."
Lady McGonagall smiled at her pupil, seemingly becoming a King, "As Your Majesty sees best."
"Your Grace, My Lord," James turned to Sirius and Remus, "I will rely upon your strength to hold the traitor at bay should he decide to flee or do Us harm."
Sirius was mildly shocked at the change in his friend, but his King had called him to action, not just for himself, but for the whole of Phoenixordo.
"We pledge our lives to you, your Majesty." Sirius dropped to his knee and Remus followed suit.
James nodded, "Then rise Sir Knights, and let us mend our broken kingdom."
Moments later Peter entered the Council Room.
"Good morrow," he yawned, "what news do you have? The messenger said you had received some troubling information."
James nodded, "Indeed, Sir Peter. It appears there is a plot against me, here in the castle itself."
Peter looked perplexed, "Truly?"
"We have received information that there is an assassin in our midst." James continued and Peter started to look distraught.
"You're quite sure? It has never been the intention to harm you directly."
James smirked, "Ah simple Peter, hasn't it though?"
Peter's eyes grew wide and his face began to drain in color as he realized his slip of the tongue.
"Why else would Riddle have brought you in? Didn't you think that at some point he wouldn't be content with my heiress? Didn't you think at some point you'd be forced to take action against my Queen, and ultimately against Us as well? Or are you not just a coward but a fool also?" James had stood to his full height and his eyes burned as he rebuked the man he once called friend.
"Your Majesty," Peter stammered as he began to slowly back away. "I can explain."
"You have been caught in your treachery!" James roared at him. "Your explanations will come, willingly or upon the rack, and then your head will be delivered to Riddle as a token of the wrath that I bring to the traitors of Semprapuria!"
Sirius had been ready, he'd expected the death sentence to be what made the coward turn tail. Apparently Sir Remus had also been prepared, as both their firsts connected with Peter's head as he spun towards the door. His eyes rolled back in his head and he fell back onto the floor.
"Remove the vermin from Our presence." James sighed heavily. "And then, I would like to take an hour to be with my Queen before we commence with more planning."
"Of course Your Majesty," Lady McGonagall soothed as Remus and Sirius pulled Peter's limp form from the room.
Sirius thought his friend's desire for an hour with his wife was a good one. He found himself desiring his own wife's comforting presence, as he still had yet allowed himself to realize his brother was dead.