A/N: As much as I wanted to avoid this...I am considering wrapping this up, finishing my other deadlines, and then writing an 8th one of these to finish out.

Oh my word...an 8th one of these...

Thoughts?

TheRanger'sDaughter: Watching you cheer is a lot of fun. Dear Maggie...she's going through a lot.

Aubrey: Okay...I'm curious...what's the story behind that?

AER: Lots of not so great things happening right now. By the way, congrats! You pushed the review count for Discovery higher than that of Purpose!

Disclaimer: I'm not John Flanagan.

Reese sat with his head in his hands. What he'd give to have his parents with him, or anyone from home with him. He'd return home in the coming days and it would fall to him to inform Araluen that newlywed Princess Elizabet Peterson was now a widow. Neil was gone, leaving Elizabet and Noah with just each other. From what he'd heard, Noah didn't take the news of his brother's death well. Neither had Elizabet. She kept herself together long enough to get Noah home, appoint Tammy his babysitter, accept Alicia's resignation, and escape her apartment. The Head Physician gave her something to help her sleep after it became apparent she was slowly spiraling into a mental breakdown. She would spent tonight in the medical wing with her mother at her side. Her father had gone to speak to Noah as a man and planned to spend the night in Elizabet's apartment. Gabe, who hadn't spent a full night with Lorelei since she was first placed in recovery, stood with her as the healers allowed her to wake just long enough to drink a cool broth and some water. She'd talked some, but not much. The pain overcame her and they put her back under within thirty minutes of letting her come to.

It wasn't fair. Reese may not be as close to the Hibernian royals as he should, but none of this was fair. No one deserved the horrors they were facing. The castle went off lockdown, but every entrance was still under heavy guard. There would be no mass hearings for the public until further notice. There would be no great wedding for Gabe and Lorelei in the foreseeable future. Elizabet, known as the Peoples' Princess for her humanitarian efforts and adoption, became a recluse overnight. As much as he disliked their next king, Reese had studied the alliance between his home and this country enough to know how far Hibernia had come as a nation. Just a generation ago it was still separate kingdoms. They united under Sean. Scout sealed the unification in her reign. Hazen would be the one to take Hibernia to that level Araluen enjoyed as a strong presence in the world. No wonder he was so obsessed with making and maintaining connections with his peers abroad.

Lorelei was no longer the beautiful merchant's daughter Gabe would marry. The burns would leave her physically scarred the rest of her life. The farmers no longer had Neil to rally under. Where did this leave Noah? He was titled because his brother married a princess. Elizabet wouldn't turn him out, but would the people meant to live in his dominion accept him without his brother's stepping stone? It'd been generations since Araluen experienced this type of turmoil.

Now tonight, Reese had no one. The families each sectioned off into their own units. He could probably join the Araluen O'Carricks if he wanted, but Mason and Scout's guest rooms were full now that Caitlyn had come and Russ wanted to stay with his mother and sisters anyway.

Then, Reese remembered. Kane was still in recovery. Reese grabbed his cloak and walked down to his room. He passed by Lorelei's first. Gabe sat by her bed, afraid to touch her but staring at her without shame. He seemed like he'd been crying. Next he passed by Elizabet's room. Her induced sleep seemed peaceful enough. Her mother had laid down in bed with her. Kineta slept peacefully holding Elizabet against her shoulder as though she were Maggie's age.

Maggie. The Ranger Commandant's daughter. Daniel would have to return now that she was safe, but his parents and Julia would stay through her recovery. It would hurt Daniel to leave her. As Commandant, he had no choice. He'd been away from his post too long as is. The Rangers back home wouldn't stir a fuss in any way. So few had children they treated any within their ranks as their own. Maggie was especially popular. Still, they needed their leader.

Reese entered Kane's room without a word. As he'd expected, the early retired Royal Scout wasn't sleeping. Kane raised an eyebrow to Reese as he came in.

"Didn't want to be alone?" Kane guessed. Reese didn't want to admit it, so he remained silent. Kane simply nodded. "Don't blame you."

"I feel I should do something as a representative of Hibernia's ally," Reese said. "I just don't know what."

"Sometimes the best thing you can do is nothing," Kane told him.

"My father wouldn't sit and do nothing."

"You're right."

Reese took a chair next to Kane's bed. "What do you think he'd do?"

"Well," Kane began. "He'd probably assist in figuring out who keeps going after the royal family here."

"I was supposed to help find Maggie and then come home," Reese said. "I've done that."

"That's the thing about being a leader. Sometimes you've got to make tough decisions without anyone to fall back on if it turns out you make the wrong one."

Reese stared down at the ground. "Are you saying I should stay?"

"No."

"You're saying I should go home?"

"No. You've got to decide."

Reese chuckled. "Aren't you supposed to be my godfather or something? Give me sound advice and all that?"

"You're a man now, Reese. Time to make a decision without my advice."

Reese sighed. Kane had a point.

"Besides, you outrank me if you don't remember."

Another point. Daniel and Kane both had been more than willing to stick him back in whatever place he belonged growing up, but now Reese noticed how much they'd let up on him in more recent years. Honestly, he'd suspected that at least for Kane his injured back made him soft, but that wasn't the case. Kane proved that when he hurt himself more defending Lorelei's recovery room.

"Even Elizabet has made a mark now," Reese whispered. "What have I done?"

"Negotiated treaties. Learned extra languages without the pressure of necessity. Made allies."

"Made allies," Reese laughed. "With who? Hazen?"

"Yes," Kane answered. "As much as the two of you bicker, you worked together on the team with Russ and Robin. Both of them have told me you two were able to put your differences aside while in the field. You may not be friends, but you are allies."

Of course Russ and Robin would be informants for their father. Kane continued when Reese said nothing.

"You've also won Jin as an ally. She's built herself a position as a force to be reckoned with. Her circle will be more discreet than yours, but powerful nonetheless. You get on with your Uncle Frey's contacts, maintain Skandian support. All your younger cousins adore you, which will keep any homegrown rebels from having a royal to manipulate. None of them would turn on you. You've impressed Empress Sun and Kaito. You have Russ' loyalty, which goes a long way as he's a Ranger. The kings of Araluen will forever have to prove themselves to the Rangers if they are to be sound leaders."

Reese couldn't help laughing at that. The Rangers were fiercely loyal to those they felt earned such loyalty. His father joked at times the Rangers existed in part to keep their king humble.

"You've also got Robin's loyalty. Heaven only knows where she'll end up with Lucy's training. She may be making loans to the crown next time we go to war."

Reese grinned widely. Perhaps he hadn't been doing as horrible a job as crown prince as he thought. "Thanks Kane."

"It's what godfathers are for."