Master go on, and I will follow thee,

To the last gasp, with truth and loyalty

Disclaimer: I don't own The Royals.

"Where the bloody hell were you?!" Alexios nearly shouted. "Didn't I tell you specifically NOT to leave your security guards?! Damn it, Aglaia, why do you ALWAYS have to give them the slip?" He glared at her.

Aglaia glared defiantly back. "They wouldn't dare harm me," she stated. "And if I ever disappeared within their palace walls they would have an international diplomatic crisis on their hands. They wouldn't dare risk it. Not even Cyrus would."

Alexios nearly growled. "I wouldn't put it past them to give you a little something," He said dangerously. "Didn't you see that the second you entered that ballroom, everyone fell silent?" He dared. "Didn't you see the way King ball-less looked at you?" He challenged.

"In any case," Aglaia stated, trying an idea to ease them into it. "I was having a discussion with Prince Robert."

That caught their attention.

"What did he say?" Dimitri leaned forwards, fixing his dark eyes on her.

Aglaia sighed. "He knows he's in a dangerous position," she stated. "And nothing is the way he's left it. He's not stupid. He knows his uncle and that there's something going on within his walls."

Dimitri snorted. "That's not nearly good enough. What is he going to do about it?"

"Pull out the weeds," his sister shrugged, going to the dressing table and unfastening her earrings. She was tired. She needed sleep, but she doubted that any of them could rest in such a place. "Before they kill all the plants."

"I still don't understand why it has to concern you," Alexios said sternly. "I don't want you getting mixed up in their... Lunacy."

"They're bug-nuts loony," Dimitri remarked in English. He switched back to Greek. "Did he offer you a deal?"

"Robert needs support from the other heads of states in Europe," Aglaia stated calmly. "Including other royal houses." This was not what they discussed back there, but she was coming up with ideas... To put Robert on the throne. "He knows that there's corruption within the British Privy Council- Cyrus' dogs, mind you. And he could never gain the throne with Cyrus filling their pockets with cash. He's never win it in Britain alone. He needs foreign support."

Alexios and Dimitri both looked disgusted. "Why not simply wait until Cyrus dies?" The latter asked, sickened. "After all, how long can he possibly have?"

"With the right amount of care, quite some time." Aglaia answered. "Long enough to discredit or get rid of Robert," Aglaia remarked. "Possibly in a similar way he prevented Liam from taking the crown. We might have to think of Greece first of all, but our country can never be allied- military or economically- to somewhere that's going to pot. Cyrus and the rest of the Henstridges apart from Robert will destroy not only their monarchy by fighting amongst themselves and their scandals. They will destroy their country. With Cyrus- the king- ensuring even benefiting from corruption and encouraging it in order to stay in power... One only has to guess that there's embezzlement going on, including in No. 10 Downing Street." She remarked.

The brothers looked disgusted. "We have close ties- unlike the rest of the Henstridges- to the other monarchies of Europe." Aglaia remarked. "We have to make a move now- get them to support Robert, over Cyrus- and Liam. And even Helena and Eleanor."

"But what's in it for everyone else?" Dimitri retorted. "We Greeks know that everything comes with a price. And with only Robert to trust and the rest of the country's economy- possibly military- threatened by corruption, what can he possibly offer any of them, including us?"

Aglaia smiled. "Leave the negotiations with me," she stated. "Deal with the rest of the Henstridges- distract the king, queen, prince and princess. Robert and I will negotiate."

Alexios scowled. "It's in Greece's best interests, Brother," Aglaia reminded him. "Remember, officially- and by law- we are allied to Great Britain. If they go to war, we are all required to come to their aid."

Alexios' face darkened. "They weren't there for any of us during the Civil War." He said flatly.

"No, but if we prove it to them, then I assure you, Great Britain will owe Greece, Big-time," she said. "And most of all, the Henstridges. They will be at our beck and call and we will get rid of Cyrus. Now is our chance, and we may decide the future- to have an uncorrupted, strong ally, or to have one weakened by corruption, greed and scandal. They will have no choice. We can help move this country to a brighter future," she reminded him. "Rot always spreads, how long before it spreads to Greece. The royals here are corrupt. What if people get the idea that the royals anywhere else are also corrupt? Our country's system has been uprooted many times during the last few decades alone," Aglaia stated. "Peace and stability in Britain will mean the same everywhere else. Already right now, every royal, every politician and more are watching the events here with growing unease. There is no guarantee that Robert will remain alive long enough to take the throne and get rid of the corruption. I know theirs is a constitutional monarchy but Cyrus is overstepping his boundaries by paying off politicians to do what he wants."

Dimitri and Alexios exchanged looks.

This would, Aglaia hoped, ease them into the fact that Robert and she would be a good match after all. Especially if they got rid of his scheming uncle.

"We'll stay one more day," Alexios finally decided. "Aglaia," he said, with a dangerous note to him. "I hope it will be worth it. Don't take more risks than necessary. After negotiating we leave."

Aglaia breathed out a deep breath. She had spent the night with Robert after going through the (classic) secret passageways to his bedroom (some predecessor heir must have had mistresses! the Henstridges were naughty for several generations it seemed.) and had barely managed to make it back.

She reflected on the conversation with Robert.

"I love you." He said quietly as they lay on the bed.

Aglaia snuggled closer to him, pulling the covers to shield her bare skin. Despite being cold earlier on, she was suddenly warm.

"Robbie," She said suddenly. "Do you love your family?"

Robert looked surprised at such a question. "Of course I do."

She sighed. "As I do mine. Despite any faults, family is still family. But what if they're dangerous?"

Robert fell silent. "You think Uncle Cyrus is..." He trailed off.

"Are you seriously denying that he isn't capable?" She looked up at him. "I love my family too, but even so..." She trailed off. "Did you know that my biological father abused my birth mother?"

"What?"

"He did." Aglaia stated bluntly. "He was. I never knew him, but he used to beat her. Yet my mother committed suicide to save me. Because that's what family does. Most of my family is dead because we had royal blood during the worse time possible. Look what happened to the Imperial Family of Russia. You are lucky, but how long will you stay lucky? Do you really think your uncle is going to give up the throne without a fight?"

Robert looked uneasy. "I've already spoken to him beforehand," he stated. "We both agreed to let the Privy Council decide."

Aglaia shook her head. She shifted around to look him in the eye. "And why did he do that?"

"I made him think it was his idea."

"Are you sure?" She asked sceptically. "Because I don't think so. He's smarter than you give him credit for. He might have had a soft spot for you, but his greatest love will be the throne. You know he's always resented being in his brother's shadow. And yours, no doubt. And later Liam and Eleanor's. Why do you think he dresses like a disco ball?"

Robert snorted in amusement.

"Because he likes it," he said. "He likes those foppish clothes."

"Because he wants to be at the centre of attention. Years after being overshadowed... I don't suppose the spare heirs in this country has career paths open them? Even if they have other skills? Has Liam ever been in the army?"

"Well..." Robert paused uncomfortably. "No."

"The navy? Air force? Has he ever had a job?"

"He's royalty," Robert laughed uneasily. "He took royal duties since he came of age. He receives a royal allowance."

"Then he and Cyrus must feel like they have a pretty pointless existence," Aglaia said bluntly. "They are always in the public eye. No one would ever see them as anything other than prince or princess someone-or-other. If he tries something, like a hobby, maybe work in a royal-funded organisation- like a theatre company, or a charity, then he would still feel like no one would take him seriously- because he was a prince. Always in the public eye, never being able to have a life away from all that, yet completely unable to take centre stage under the spotlight... It's a pretty pointless existence being the spare heirs."

Robert looked uncomfortable. "Do you think this is why he lashed out at Beck before the balcony appearance?" He asked.

Aglaia sighed. "Who knows? I don't know your brother, well enough. But if I had to guess, he might be glad and overjoyed to see you again, but now he realises that- after a life of purpose, despite being in the spotlight, trying to get the monarchy working- it was all for nothing. He's not in the centre of the stage, but he's still in the spotlight and he can't escape. What is the point of such an existence?"

"Then how do you cope with it?" He asked incredulously.

"As I told you once," Aglaia said softly. "Independence was my rebellion. Not drugs or alcohol or sex-" Robert winced as he remembered his sister, Eleanor who must have used those as a form of rebellion to her seemingly 'pointless' existence too- it was all starting to make sense. "-But independence. I never accepted that I had to be in the spotlight all the time. I never accepted the fact that I had to depend on my father's money in order to survive. Or to feed and clothe myself. Remember how we first met? You didn't know that I was a princess until I dropped the bombshell."

Robert chuckled. "That was a shock. But it explained a lot on how you had so many great ideas on what to do. You certainly helped me more than I could have imagined."

Which was why people mourned him so much when he was gone.

"But you didn't know. I could cook, clean and do much more. I lived in a spacious apartment flat. I went to university. I learned. I was groomed to be more than just a princess. A spare heir, third in line for the throne. Same as my brother, Dimitri. We were all groomed, in case of, well, an accident, God forbid, but we were also trained to survive on our own- to emphasise with our people."

Aglaia had not lived in a royal palace for the majority of her life. Her home was a lively, edifying estate a few kilometres outside of Athens. Far from the Royal Palace which had been primarily used by the government, business peoples and even had apartments rented out for ordinary citizens to live in. At the grounds of the estate there was a small cottage which her brothers had built from scratch when they were young. They had worked the same as any regular labourer and their father paid them the regular wage for their work, so they would know what it felt like. Inside the three of them kept a stocked kitchen full of herbs, spices, dairy products including cheeses- anything for cooking and baking. Aglaia had learnt to cook and she loved it. Food came alive under her hands, like paint under the hands and brushes of a master artist of the Renaissance. It was all mouthwatering and splendidly creative. Often, her food would be served to guests, even at the royal palace. They had vegetable and fruit gardens, gardens for herbs and spices which the children tended themselves. The produce would be assessed by several farmers from nearby and they would be paid the according to the annual market rate- same as all the rest. That was their allowance.

This ensured that the three children had all the life skills that other people of ordinary rank would, and that they would not become spoiled brats. Combined with their education, the three of them were capable of being anything. Robert knew that after a brief, but successful spell in the Greek military, Prince Dimitri owned several businesses of his own, independent of the royal establishment, and the money he earned himself would be used for his own expenses. Same with Aglaia and Crown Prince Alexios, despite still being in the military.

All in all, a sharp contrast to the Henstridge family. And the Greeks had gone through civil war and a massive slaughterhouse. Robert cringed at how spoiled and soft his family seemed.

Was it any wonder they had nothing other than contempt for them? And their partying and scandalous ways? The dispute- though officially proven wrong- about the twins' paternity was proof enough.

"So you get what I mean, don't you?" She asked quietly. Aglaia stroked his hair from his face. "Those that have been reared in the spotlight but without a purpose or a chance to escape it, have nothing else to fight for. He stroked her face. "Cyrus hasn't been groomed or trained for anything else... Cyrus has nothing else to hope for. Or to fight for. No other purpose, no other way to fulfil his life. Besides," Aglaia sighed heavily. "He's lost his one true love."

Robert blinked. "What are you talking about?"

"A maid appeared in Athens," Aglaia said quietly. "Of all places. Apparently she worked in this very palace. Her name, I believe, was Prudence. She had a baby. A boy who looked remarkably like Cyrus." Her eyes narrowed. Robert sat up straight. "What?!"

"Your mother and siblings haven't told you everything that's been going on since you've left." Aglaia said in low tones. "Cyrus was- or tried to get married again. Prudence was quite loyal to your father and liked him. After you... Left, Cyrus and your mother combined forces- as remarkable as that seems, now- to convince the politicians to keep the monarchy. They arranged some sort of party..." She grimaced. "Robert, it wasn't a formal party." That had a double meaning. "It was a masquerade ball to begin with and the guests ended up, ahem, enjoying themselves too much. Comparable, I have to admit, to Alexander the Great and Philip's Macedonian drinking parties- symposiums." Robert cringed. Alexander the Great and Philip were hard drinkers. And Philip loved sex. "Prudence was there. She said your uncle threatened to fire her if she didn't perform... Certain things on his person. She wasn't able to go without benefits, so she did do it. And then some time later, she took her revenge, or tried to, by pouring poison into your uncle's wine." Robert's eyes widened, and despite the heat, he began to suddenly feel cold. "But Cyrus saw security cameras and he threatened to charge her with treason and attempted murder unless she, firstly, spied on your father for him, and repeatedly have sex with Cyrus. She agreed. Later, she became pregnant. Your uncle became king after confronting your mother and siblings publicly by saying that they weren't the king's children, and he... Married Prudence... Or tried to. She gave birth to a baby boy just as the news came out that Ted Pryce was beaten to death by rioters and your uncle realised that both she and the baby had disappeared. He searched all over for them. As it turns out, your mother had replaced the priest at the wedding with her gynaecologist and the marriage was never legal in the first place. She convinced Prudence- who turned out to be quite willing despite signing a pre-nup- to escape with the baby. They ended up in Greece. My family provided a decent living for her, and care for the baby." Aglaia shook her head.

"Does the name Alistair Lacey mean anything to you?"

Robert looked up, startled more, if possible. "What?"

"Alistair Lacey... Apparently, he's dead. His body was found in the Thames." Aglaia finished. "After some investigation, it appears he had... Something to do with your mother. I don't think she killed him though," she put in hastily.

Robert- white-faced- leaned back on his pillows, horrified and chilled to the bone. "You think my uncle killed him?" He whispered. He had no love for Alistair Lacey but he kept his mother happy. He accepted that. "My mother said that he didn't want to see her ever again."

"If he found out that the twins were actually your father's children, or children by some other man's, he might have reacted badly." Aglaia sighed. "All of Europe knows that your mother had affairs, Robert," she said regrettably. "Few things are as secret as they seem. Cyrus might have gotten rid of him in order to keep him silenced. My family is not the only ones who knew these things but they decided to keep silent, in order to preserve your dignity... And their alliances with Britain... As long as it benefits them," she said reluctantly.

"Will it continue benefiting them?" Robert asked, hesitantly.

"That depends," Aglaia said, unwilling to meet his eyes.

"On what?"

Emerald eyes met blue. "On you. Alistair is not the only person to have died. A palace maid by the name of Violet was also found dead. The autopsy showed poison. Your uncle mentioned her in an interview in which he revealed his cancer. Apparently they had some kind of romantic connection. Not long after Violet disappeared, your grandmother, the Grand Duchess Alexandra of Oxford was stripped of all her titles and she hasn't been anywhere in the near vicinity of your mother and siblings ever again." She looked silent. "The name Dominique Stewart was also mentioned. Apparently, long before your parents married your father was dead-set on marrying her. She died in a riding accident, not long after..." She trailed off.

I can't tell him this, she thought. I've told him enough. I can't tell him that his mother- or grandmother- might have killed a woman in order to gain the crown. Or Cyrus' girlfriend.

"Tell me," Robert said, very still. "Damn it, Aglaia, tell me!"

"Your parents were married. Years later, Ted Pryce killed your father, as you know. He had a motive." She said quietly, not meeting his eyes. But then she looked up into his. Those beautiful emerald orbs were full of pain- for him.

"What motive?" Robert found himself saying.

"Revenge." She said in very low tones. "His wife Daphne... It's implied..." She shrugged helplessly.

"My father would never hurt her," Robert swore suddenly.

"Not your father, and not you. Ted Pryce ordered the hijacking of your plane. He wanted... Someone close to both of you to feel pain."

"My mother... Or Cyrus?"

Aglaia took a shaky breath. "Look, Robert, I don't know! And I don't know how Dominique Stewart's brother's body was found not long after he had an audience with your uncle either!" Aglaia threw herself up. "Do you think I want to tell you all this? Do you think I wanted to be the one to tell you that everywhere your family goes, a trail of bodies are found and the scent of blood hovers above each and every single one of them, save you and your father?" She looked anguished. "I love you, damn it, Robert! But every royal and politician outside of Britain knows that not everything that goes within your walls comes back out!" She flung her hands away.

"Then why tell me this?!"

"Because I LOVE YOU, YOU FOOL!" She all but shouted at him. "And that's what you're going to be facing on your return. Your plane's hijacking was just the beginning. After your death-" she choked on the last word and her eyes filled with involuntary tears "I spent months digging into your case. I spent time in Africa and the Caribbean to make my family think that I was doing nothing more than humanitarian work. I was, but I was also looking into clues- I couldn't stop or rest if I didn't!" She choked. "The hijacker, Brandon Boone didn't know the hell who you were. I found him before Eleanor or her bodyguard even did. I sent him to tell her in order to warn her that the devil was inside her home, but I couldn't in hell get involved least the murderers thought my own family knew about this, and God knows, most of them and our people are already dead!" Her eyes flashed with tears. "Everything was revealed, piece by piece, and thank God, they didn't think that my family knew. But they eventually found out, anyway. They suspect your family was behind all those deaths but they didn't know for sure. Dominique Stewart and her brother Jeffrey, Daphne Pryce, Violet, Alistair Lacey... They also found out! The royal and political circles know that they must be involved. Why did you think all the guests went to you, actively avoiding the rest of your family during the ball? Damn it, Robert, you're in danger, and not just from your staff, but from your own family!" She threw herself from the bed.

"If you think I was going to keep silent and let you think that you're living in your own pleasant little world, you must be joking. Just because you can't see the knife, doesn't mean you won't feel it when it stabs you in the dark. This is the world you came back to Robert and only you have the power to change that- but not unless you open your eyes. Don't expect me to stay in only to see you die! Or maybe they will kill me too, when they know that I know- or if they know I am in any way involved with you. I just pray that I won't have to outlive you like last time!"

Tears blinding her eyes, she ignored Robert's desperate pleas and hurriedly dressed. Proceeding to go back to where she had come from, where she gritted her teeth and tried not to sob.

She had hurt him. But she would die to keep him alive. Aglaia had already lost him once, she wasn't about to do it again.

She loved him. And she wouldn't just die for him. She would kill.

Aglaia closed her eyes trying to savour what little sun there was. She heard footsteps and she opened them to see a desperate-looking Robert looking anguished.

Her resolve crumbled.

"I am sorry." He whispered hoarsely. He enfolded her in his arms.

"What do you have to apologise for?" She asked numbly. "I shouldn't have even spoken." She turned away.

"Aglaia- please." Robert begged her. "I love you, and you know there is nothing I wouldn't do to keep you safe."

"And what about you?" She challenged. She shook her head. "Are you willing to distance yourself from your uncle? To keep your mother and siblings under control? To open your eyes and know what your uncle is capable of? And that he's probably paid off half the politicians to keep himself on the throne? Do you want to accept our help to get on the damned thing, and set your country to rights, or not? Because I won't stand to see you die a second time, Robert. I would die myself. And they would probably kill me if they know what we're already up to."

Robert cringed.

"I'll get rid of them. Tell me what I need to do. I swore that I would give you a safe home and a wedding ring by the end of this, and I intend to do anything to keep my promise."

"Form an alliance- with the European heads of state. Strengthen your own ties. They will accept something in return, though. Leave that to me. Just deal with the demons inside this palace, Robert."

So along with over-protective big-brother tendencies, Robert has other motives for 'weeding out' anyone he doesn't trust.