Ah, back finally! Thank you for staying with me. It's a hard slog trying to get all this out

BTW not in any accordance with the play, I've toned down a significant amount of violence in this scene, partly because of having my mind melted by massive amounts of work and partly because a disturbing chapter or two is coming up...

"Keep your eyes peeled," Wallace instructed. "Silver and Red should be coming soon."

Winona frowned, standing on the marble steps leading to the Senate, gathering her robes tightly around her in nervousness. "What about Lance? Mightn't he turn up anytime soon?"

"He shouldn't be," Shadow replied. "He should be - well, occupied."

"He has to be," Winona muttered. "If he isn't - "

"We agreed that we should not harm him," Steven reminded mildly.

"I know," came the terse reply. "I just hope - "

"You don't think there'd be a leak, do you?" Diamond asked worriedly.

"Of course there isn't," Winona snapped.

"Are you sure?" The plump young senator's brow creased into a frown.

The lavender-haired woman rounded on him. "Diamond, I swear if you just - if you - "

"If there's a leak, there's only direction from which it would come. From the inside," Wallace said softly, with a glance at Shadow.

Shadow narrowed her eyes. Think what you like.

"Finally," Emerald said, dissuading the tense air. "There they are."

Silver was accompanying his sovereign, and was trying to keep as much of a cheerful face as possible, which was no easy task considering his gloomy nature and his desire to murder the man at his side. Red seemed oblivious to all things, decked out in splendid regalia, and seated proudly upon his steed.

The little group dropped onto their knees, the proper manner to be shown to one's leader. Red smiled and dismounted. "Arise."

"Thank you," was the collective murmur. How little can anyone no one know of their impending doom? Winona thought.

They led Red past the marble arches into the hall, where politician upon politician was milling around, chatting, discussing. Even knowing full well that it had been orchestrated, Wallace was impressed by Winona's power of calling assembly. Usually, no politician in the right mind would be here so early in the morning - but of course, they had to give the king the impression of an important event in motion. There was an important event in motion, naturally, but not the one the said king had in mind.

The inner chambers of the Senate were deserted but for one politician. Silver swiftly intercepted the grinning Gold.

"What are you doing here?"

"What are you doing here? So early in the morning and with the king himself! As if I don't know - "

"What do you mean - " Silver tried desperately to stay calm. Oh God, please no. How could he know? How could he? Please -

"Come on! Knock it off! It's not like I know nothing about that petition that's been circling around for days," Gold interrupted cheerfully.

What petition? Silver thought, but was too relieved to say anything. He simply nodded mutely and peeled off to join the rest.

"What was that about?"

"He thinks we're here about some sort of petition," Silver told Wallace.

"Good. The one we proposed for the return of Pearl."

"And when since did - "

"Emerald, get Gold out of here," Shadow instructed. "He could make things messy."

The blonde complied. Silver watched the disappearing figure of his good friend with a mixture of relief and apprehension. Very easily, he thought, everything they'd planned could come to pieces. At the same time, he was glad Gold hadn't really known anything about it. He wasn't sure he could bring himself to murder him if the need arose.

Wallace tilted his chin towards Red. "Mark him."

Carefully, the conspirators fanned out in a ragged semi-circle, watching as their ruler took his place in the throne - the centre of authority and which face the double doors - at the back of the inner chamber. Had someone had an aerial view of the situation, they would have immediately thought of hungry lions closing in on prey.

Diamond was the first to throw himself at the feet of his king, as they'd agreed on earlier. "Sir, your majesty, oh wonderful sir," he babbled, "I can only come before you to humbly beg - the release of my good brother Pearl."

Red frowned. "He was exiled for a good reason. I am not inclined to change my mind over that."

The others merely bowed deeply, with Wallace even dropping to his knees, saying, "Your majesty, I would fall as far as I could, to ask for a pardon for the young gentleman."

Winona kneeled as well. "Please, your majesty, your merciful highness."

"Indeed, I would be moved by this, if I were you. But I was certain when I made that decision. I am not to be shaken," was the reply.

Brave words - if only you knew! Wallace lifted his eyes slightly to note that Shadow had slid silently next to the throne, partially in Red's blind spot, with one hand slipping under her cloak. She was watching the king intently, rather like a leopard waiting for the opportune moment to spring.

The rest of the Senators had got down on their knees, pleading with Red, who was continuing to refuse. He hadn't noticed Shadow, waiting patiently.

Wallace gave her the most imperceptible of nods.

And with the metallic glint of a dagger, the leopard sprang.