Hi everyone. Here's the next chapter for you all.

I know that with the titles and everything, it's a bit hard to follow who's who so here's a little list of all our characters.

Lady Berlitz - Dawn

Lord Privy Seal/Master Shinji - Paul

Duke of Norfolk/Norfolk - Drew

The King - Cyrus (was crowned last chapter)

The Queen - Ursula (as Cyrus' wife)

Earl of Wiltshire - Ash

Lady Ketchum - Misty

Lady Maple - May

I hope this helps if any of you are confused :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.

III

The Duke of Norfolk matched the hurried pace of the Lord Privy Seal as they walked round in circles in the gardens of the Palace. Master Shinji paced feverishly up and down the grass, hands behind his back, eyebrows creased with worry. He had lasted a week so far with the new King but he felt something slipping.

"You shouldn't have threatened him," Norfolk told him bluntly on lap number twenty-five.

"Thank you for your counsel as always," was the irritable reply. Norfolk grinned at this.

"These are dark and stormy days," he commented, "but all stormy days pass in good time."

"I may end up at the gallows yet," Master Shinji said. He stopped dead at this thought then he turned to Norfolk. "Do you remember your promise?"

"I'm saving up the bribe money as we speak."

"I'll reimburse you."

"You're so kind."

With that the Lord Privy Seal went about his walking, leaving the Duke of Norfolk to hang back and think about the future. What hope was there if the Lord Privy Seal was booted out of office. Aged thirty, the man had done so much for the country: he'd been a soldier, a commander in France, then the secretary for King Gary's father for two years, then finally he had risen to Lord Privy Seal. Still the lowly born man was just what he was before he stumbled into court: the son of a farmer. The only difference now was that he was quite rich.

"Paul," Norfolk called after his long time friend. They had served together in France, rather, Master Shinji had saved his sorry ass when he'd been shot by a French archer right in the shoulder. Master Shinji had defended him, nursed him, avenged his father and beaten back the French with his low class soldier mob. Hundreds of farm boy rallying against the French squires and gentry, using clubs, rocks or their bare hands to smash faces and force a retreat. If he hadn't have been there, he wouldn't have believed it.

Master Shinji paused to allow the Duke to catch up to him. He looked forty years old with the scowl on his face, his coal black eyes swimming with thoughts, plans to escape.

"You know what you need?" Norfolk asked. "You need a lovely young lady on your arm."

"Did you know there's a rumour about our friendship?" Master Shinji offered.

"No, what?"

"They say I only befriended the Duke of Norfolk so I could tell him there's Norfolk-ing chance," Master Shinji said. He glared at the Duke, causing him to shrink back slightly. With that, the Privy Seal walked off towards the palace, arms still behind his back. His thoughts were elsewhere as he walked down the empty hallways, eyebrows meeting each other in the centre of the forehead.

He was almost to his private office when he was called back and told to see the King right away. The joy of it all, this politics, he thought as he trudged back the way he had come then made a right instead of a left. He was brought to the main hall where he was almost instantly besieged by Lords, squires and other members of court for favours. He dismissed them with an 'out of the way' and pushed through towards the King's chamber. The King was sat on his throne chair, waiting for his Lord Privy Seal to arrive.

"Majesty," Master Shinji said with a low bow.

"I need you to arrest some people for me," the King said pleasantly. "I want the Duke of Devon, the Earl of Winchester and the Lord Baron of Doncaster sent to the Tower without trail."

This confused this Lord Privy Seal. He was a lawyer, trained by King's Lawyers after he returned from France as a hero. The first thing the King's lawyer had taught him was that a man had to break a law before he could be tried and arrested.

"Pardon, your Majesty, but on which grounds are they to be arrested?" he asked.

"Treason."

"In what way?"

"I dislike them," the King said plainly. "The Earl of Winchester was a great friend of my predecessor wasn't he?"

"I believe so," Master Shinji replied with a nod. Those two had grown up together, rivalled each other at every sport in life. The last time the pair had jousted together, the King had almost killed the Earl of Winchester. He didn't half get a telling off from the Dowager Queen and the Earl's wife.

"Then get rid of him," the King said. "I don't want anyone relating to the old King so close to the throne."

"Yes, your Highness," Master Shinji said, bowing lowly again. He turned on his heel so he could return to his office and write up the arrest warrants for the three men in question. Just as he got to the door, the King added:

"Better arrest the Duke of Norfolk too."

The Privy Seal did a twirl, his face stricken with shock as he looked at the King once more. He stepped a few feet closer to the King, mouth opening and closing a few times to try and ask -

"Why?"

"He's in league with the Earl. Get rid of him," the King replied.

"But, your Majesty," Master Shinji said, his heart racing under his jerkin. "The Duke of Norfolk is no threat to your Majesty. He's a humble woman chaser. He knows nothing of politics and, since France, never wants to lift a sword again.

The King swooped out of his throne chair and glided towards the Lord Privy Seal, his hand grasping the others neck in a tight vice grip. If Master Shinji had been a Duke, he would have been armed with a small dagger. If Master Shinji was armed, he would have plunged his dagger into the King's abdomen and allowed him to bleed to death before he called for a guard. Luckily for the King, the Lord Privy Seal was not armed, merely stunned as the King roughly squeezed his windpipe.

"You will do as I say, Master Shinji or I will have you thrown in the Tower along with your friends," he threatened, whispering in his ear. Master Shinji closed his eyes, calming himself as he came out of his shocked state of mind. He needed to stay calm or he would strike the King down. "I will remind you that you are the son of a pig farmer. You are nothing. If you died then no one, no one, would have to wipe a tear away for you. I can raise you and I can drown you. Got that?"

"Majesty," he grunted. The King threw him away roughly. He almost fell flat on his face if it wasn't for his speedy reactions, his feet rapidly moving to support him. A weaker man's knees would have buckled by now, but not the Lord Privy Seal's.

"Now go," he ordered. Master Shinji hurried out of the room as fast as his legs could take him. Striding across the great hall, he idly reached up for his neck, rubbing where the King had grabbed it.

He crashed into his office, dossier thrown across the room as soon as the door was closed. He leant on the door, sliding down it until he was sat on the floor, knees in line with his chin. His hands played at the aching flesh on his neck as his cold onyx eyes stared blankly across into the darkness of the room.

He sat there for five minutes before he roused himself to his feet, stumbled over to his desk where he lit a candle so he could start writing up the dreaded documents. The Duke of Norfolk's was the last to be written, the bitter sting of betrayal eating at the Lord Privy Seal's mind as he scratched his quill on the parchment. The next time he talked to his friend it may be the last they time they ever spoke.

i

Dawn Berltiz awoke to the sound of yelling, more precisely, the yelling of Misty Ketchum as she ran into the shared rooms of her and May. May flew out of bed, much like Dawn did. Misty flew into the rooms, still dressed in her nightwear, grabbed Dawn by the wrist and pulled her out of the room. Dawn followed dumbly, wondering why Misty was in such a rush.

"Misty, please," Dawn said as she became aware that many people were looking at the pair of them oddly as she was dragged through Whitehall Palace. Misty walked quickly, almost running, never letting up, her hands tight around Dawn's wrist.

Eventually they arrived at a scene at the stable entrance of the palace. Stood in the doorway looking on at the chaos was the Lord Privy Seal, his hands as usual behind his back. Dawn hurried forwards now, hearing a scuffle outside the door.

"Stop them, Dawn," Misty pleaded. "They're taking him away."

"My Lord Privy Seal!" Dawn yelled at the man in the doorway. His head moved ever so slightly as she called his name, recognising that someone was talking to him but nothing more. Dawn stormed up to him, stopping at his shoulder so she could demand to know what was happening when the brushing past of Misty as she ran to grab her husband's hand as he was loaded into a cart made her gasp instead. Three men were being herded into the cart, their wrists heavy with metal cuffs, a fourth was already sat in the cart, staring up at the palace in a morose sort of way. Dawn gave a gasp at the man so calmly seated: Norfolk.

"Master Shinji," Dawn said, "what is going on here?"

"The King requested the arrests of these poor souls," he mumbled, only loud enough for her to hear.

"Why?"

"They were too close to King Gary," he replied, one of his hands appearing from behind his back so he could rub his eyes with a thumb and finger. "I will be bundled up tomorrow for the rack. Will you come to see me off?"

She looked at him wondering if he was trying to be funny but he had that unreadable mask on his face once more. She turned her head to watch as Misty cried into her husband's palm, he was now seated next to Norfolk in the cart, his shaggy black hair covering his eyes while tears leaked from his chin.

"Please, please," Misty pleaded.

"Your own friend. You arrested your own friend." It wasn't an accusation, it was a statement of fact. She rounded on him but found he was absently rubbing his throat through his high collar. He closed his eyes, obviously in discomfort. Come to think about it, he did sound a little raspy this morning. Perhaps he hadn't a drink yet?

Her eyes returned to the terrible scene in the courtyard. Misty had been pushed to the floor by a page boy, the cart pulled away from her by two horses. The prisoners yelled their innocence to the Lord Privy Seal who merely watched them disappear through the stable yard gate, the eyes of the Duke of Norfolk turning onto the Lord Privy Seal at the last second, his emerald irises filled with betrayal and sadness.

"My Lady," Master Shinji now said. "I would advise you to collect Lady Ketchum and return to your rooms."

She was about to tell him how heartless he was when he began to shrug his expensive coat off of his shoulders. He thrust it in her hands and, when she didn't take it, he wrapped it round her shoulders. He looked her up and down like he had done that night in Chelsea.

"I don't think the King would like his only heir walking round the palace in her night gown," he commented. She smiled at this, hugging the coat round her body as he left her side. She walked outside on the cold cobble of the stable yard to Misty. She pulled the orange haired woman to her feet, wrapping her arm and the Privy Seal's coat around her shoulders then leading her back into the Palace, all the while cooing that everything would be alright.

ii

It was unfortunate that the King caught the Lord Privy Seal walking back to his office without his expensive coat wrapped round his shoulders. He stared at the purple haired man, eyebrow raised in curiosity before he called him over to ask if it had been done.

"Yes, Majesty," Master Shinji replied with a bow.

"Where is your coat?" the King asked.

"I..." Master Shinji started but stopped as a wave of tiredness washed through him. He looked around the room, composing himself. "I gave it to Lady Dawn. Lady Ketchum dragged her down to see me when her husband was arrested. I thought it indecent for the Lady Dawn to be walking round in just her night gown."

"Lady Dawn?"

"Lady Berlitz, forgive me." He was quick to correct himself, frowning at the slip of the tongue. He bowed his head waiting for the King to say something else but the King didn't say anything. Instead he decided to cuff his secretary around the head with his jewelled fist. Master Shinji took the blow with barely a flinch.

"Don't forget it," the King warned. Master Shinji looked up into the eyes of his new King, the orbs of ebony trying frantically to work out his new master but there were no clues in his eyes. His eyes were dead – devoid of all emotion. "I am going to marry the Lady Berlitz to my dear friend, Duke Somerset."

Master Shinji nodded once, stiffly.

"Don't forget it," the King warned. He cuffed the Lord Privy Seal round the head once more for good measure then walked off. He flinched at the blow again but waited until the King was out of the room before he allowed himself to glare after the man, a spiteful snarl shrivelling up his face. He rubbed the abused portion of his head. Around him, servants stared dumbly at what they had just witnessed – the King struck the Lord Privy Seal. The King – the most powerful man in the country – had just hit the Lord Privy Seal – the second most powerful man in the country. It was a scandal. King Gary had never hit anyone, neither had his father, let alone the Privy Seal.

Master Shinji stood in the centre of the room, now looking round at the white faces of the servants now gaping at him. Mustering what little restraint he had left, he marched onwards towards the sanctuary of his office wondering how long he had before he joined Norfolk in the Tower.

iii

Dawn peered round the door of the Privy Office around ten o'clock, knocking on the door softly. Master Shinji was working at his desk, a bad mood written across his face. He seemed to be carving the words he was writing into the parchment. On her knock, he didn't bother to look up, merely waved his hand.

"I've been waiting for those reports for the past hour," he barked. "Bring them here at once."

"I have no reports, sir, I came to return your coat," Dawn replied.

She had never seen the Lord Privy Seal move so fast. One moment he was sat on his chair writing, the next he was stood up staring at her in a shell shocked manner. Once the initial shock wore of, he scowled at her.

"Damn you," he hissed. He sat back down, resuming his writing the moment his trousers hit the chair. "It is your fault my head is banging."

"Why is my fault?" she asked, appalled he would blame her for a headache. He glared up at her.

"The King boxed me twice over the head for giving you my coat," he replied curtly.

"It was rather an intimate thing to do," she said. "Are you always so intimate?"

"You bring it out of me," he conceded.

"Do you kiss every woman you interrogate?"

"Speak of that to no one," he ordered. He thrust the quill up at her, pointing it threateningly. Then he used it to point to the chair in front of his desk. "Put the coat there."

"You're so hot and cold," she mumbled as she walked forwards to deposit the coat in a heap on the chair.

"You are going to marry Somerset," he stated.

"The county?"

"The man you ninny."

She leant on the back of the chair, smiling at him: "It is nice to see you squirm."

"Will you say that when the King sends me to the same fate as your father?" he hissed at her. She paled at this, straightening up. "Please be gone from my sight, Lady Berlitz. Go do what ladies do and stop coming into my private office. If you require my assistance, please put it in writing and give to one of your ladies to bring to me."

She bobbed a curtsey then left the room without another word. He let out a sigh once she disappeared from his sight. He ran a hand through his hair before propping up his face while he continued his diligent work.

Ten minutes later there was another knock on the door. This time he looked up and was met by the nervous gaze of Lady May Maple. She shuffled towards his desk, holding out a letter for him to read. He took it from her, dismissing her with a flick of his hand. The poor girl practically ran from the room. Was he so terrifying?

He turned his attention to the letter. It was not sealed, just folded up. He opened it carefully, raising an eyebrow as he read the four words scribbled on the pale parchment.

You are an asshole.

He should have burned the letter. He should have folded it up to show the King how much the Lady Berlitz hated him. He should have screwed up the paper and flung it across the room. But he did none of these. He folded it back up and slid it into the hidden pocket in his jerkin. He closed his eyes, pained.

"Oh the irony," he mumbled. He should have sent her to the gallows when he had the chance.

Poor Paul. Not only is the King hitting him, Dawn's being mean to him. Bless.

Anyway, feedback is welcomed. Please let me know what you think :)

RSx