I do not own the WWE or any of the characters associated with it. I only own Rose and her family.

Chapter 18

Dawn had come more swiftly than most dawns had previously, at least to Rose whose hands were now bound and she was being led to a horse. Marcus helped her onto it and she thanked him. He got onto the horse next to hers and a guard handed her bounds to Marcus.

"Marcus, I really hope you know what you are doing." Rose said, as the guard stepped away from them to prepare. "I don't want you getting hurt."

"You want to see them try to kill me then?" Marcus asked.

"No, I want a peaceful solution which you don't seem to understand." Rose snapped. "Marcus, you can still stop this!"

"I don't wish to get advice from you, Rose." Marcus answered heatedly.

"Richard is acting more grown up than you." Rose said.

The next moment Marcus grabbed her arm. "You will apologize for that or when I am King, I'll throw you in the dungeon to rot."

"Throw me in the dungeon, then." Rose replied defiantly.

"As you wish." Marcus let go of her arm and they galloped to the battle field. "This is a great day, my soldiers. You will witness the rise of a dynasty and the fall of a usurper!"

The soldiers cheered and roared. To Rose, they looked like demons and she had no idea how to react to them at all. She looked at Marcus who cleared his throat to quiet them.

"If any of you hurts this woman, I will personally punish you painfully. If you win this war, I give you full run of the land and any women you desire, except her." Marcus emphasized.

"You would lead this kingdom to ruin?" Rose cried.

"If I can't have what I want, the people will suffer."

"You sound like a petulant child." Rose answered. He grabbed her bounds and pulled her close.

"This child is using you as a shield." He hoisted her onto his horse and put his arms around her, galloping to the front lines. "You will pay dearly, Rose. You will be made an example of."

"What will you do? The children already hate you."

"Maria, Vivian and Edward will be declared bastards and they will become servants in my household. I will ensure you obey me. Only my children will be heirs to my crown."

"Marcus, you're a monster." Rose said.

Marcus kissed her soundly. "You will see how it will be better once I am High King."

The armies stood against each other and attacked. Steel against steel, steel against blood and bone, the battle waged fiercely between King Kane and the Undertaker of England. Rose could only watch in horror as men from the King's side were slaughtered mercilessly by the demons of Lord Marcus. It was quite a sight to behold as Rose debated whether or not she should find Richard and Kane. They hadn't appeared yet.

Knowing the children were safe in the castle, probably watching the battle, Rose cut her bounds against Marcus's knife, sliding down in the process. She began to run, wondering how her legs could carry her at this rate, she ran through the carnage. Looking for Richard, with Marcus hot on her heels, she knew she was running out of time.

Kane saw her and yelled at his men. "To the Queen!" He made his way through the crowded bloody mess and embraced her.

Marcus came right up behind and Kane shielded her by taking a blow to the chest. Rose watched in horror as Marcus killed him right in front of her. Kane's lifeless eyes seemed to stare straight into as she screamed, her dreams of peace shattered into a million pieces.

Knowing the inevitability of a kingdom to be torn apart, she looked at Marcus who had a look of victory upon his face. She stared at him as he crowed to the mass of bodies that he was now the High King, taking the crown and placing it on his head.

A reign of terror had begun all because he didn't come home and Rose went to him, only to be met with a backhand. Marcus, realizing what he had done looked down at her and smiled cruelly.

"Let my dark reign begin, my dear. Any who don't kneel to me this instant will be killed on sight." He barked. Rose, with little choice, kneeled to him. "You belong to me once again, my dear. You will do as you are told."

"I won't kneel." A voice said from behind Marcus.

"Richard!" Rose screamed, seeing her son covered in blood.

"It's not mine, Mother. I promise." Richard seemed to answer her question.

"Ah, Richard. My only son." Marcus looked pleased. "Come to congratulate me on a job well done?"

"No, I came to tell you that it won't happen today and it won't happen tomorrow, but I will avenge the High King's death and take my rightful place on MY throne." Richard sneered.

"You're welcome to try, boy." Marcus answered. Richard turned to run and Marcus called out. "Let the boy run into the wilderness. We have a party to attend and an execution to witness."

Marcus grabbed Rose roughly and led her back to the castle. Once there, he found Theresa, Maria, Vivian, and Edward in the King's chambers with Lord Adam and Lady Morgana.

"Children, you must bow. This is your King." Morgana said with conviction.

Marcus threw Rose on the floor as the children crowd around her. "I give you a choice as the royal children and family." He looked at all of them. "You bow down to me and I will spare you. If not, I will kill you in front of your mother."

Rose stared at Theresa who looked at her father. "Father?"

"Yes, child?"

"Where's Richard? Did you kill him?"

"No, he escaped. He swore to take his throne back, but I won't let that happen. Will you, Theresa?" He looked at her. She knelt beside her mother. "Good girl."

Vivian knelt too, fearful of what would happen if she didn't. Edward at six knelt as well, and Maria at nine and a half knelt last. Lady Morgana curtseyed as Lord Adam bowed. Rose looked around and gasped at the sight before her.

"Duty to the throne, my love. You will honor me and obey me again."

"Marcus, I beg you. Don't marry Theresa off. She's too young." Rose followed him out of the room, leaving the children. "She's only eleven."

"And when she's thirteen, I will force the King of Scotland to obey my will which I will enforce through my daughter." Marcus looked at her. "Rose, I know you think me cruel—"

"You killed Kane in front of me and threatened Richard in front of the children!" Rose answered.

"That might be, but I am still your king and you will obey me. You swore you obey the crown and you will obey the crown. Won't you?"

"Yes, my King." Rose curtseyed. "Don't take my children from me and I will be yours to command."

"There's a good woman. Now, I expect you for dinner. Just the two of us. Lady Morgana and Lord Adam will look after the children while we dine. Clean up and get a new gown. By then dinner will be ready and remember Rose, I watch all the binded ones."

Rose shuddered and ran down the corridor back to her chambers. She pulled out a purple gown and washed up, ripping the black gown off of her. Theresa came in and looked at her.

"Is Father the High King now?" She asked.

"He is, Theresa."

"Will Richard come home and make peace with Father?"

"I hope so." She dressed in her gowns. "Help your mother with her necklace." Theresa did as she was told.

"Mother?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think we will still be a family or will Father treat Maria, Vivian, and Edward differently than me?" Theresa looked at her mother.

"I honestly don't know. You'll have to ask your father that, my love." Rose looked in the mirror and sighed, it was almost the same. Before all the children were born. "I must go see your father for dinner, Theresa."

"Of course, Mother."