Disclaimer: The Royals belong to E! and its creators. Not me.
Be still, my heart; thou hast known worse than this
Robert's eyes flashed as he realised what this meant.
Christmas was fast approaching.
Boy, was this going to be one holiday season they would never forget.
He had just come from the gym, surprise, surprise, when he saw Jasper Frost, his sister's latest boyfriend (how many of those did she have? Before and after he disappeared?) working out in there.
Ever since Ted Pryce had unmasked himself as the true a***hole that he was Robert had been seeing shadows.
Okay, Aglaia had given him a task. Stay alive, for one. But she had a plan to do it. Robert still didn't think that Cyrus was the type to murder so needlessly, but he had seen enough evidence.
For one thing, just as Aglaia had said, Cyrus had been interviewed on television and he had mentioned Violet as being 'the only person I could trust'. Sickened, Robert didn't want to believe it was all true. That his mother and grandmother might have orchestrated his father's love's murder. Or that a maid named Violet who had an affair with Simon was brutally killed because of that. Or that Cyrus had killed Alistair Lacey and another man or more.
But Aglaia would never have said this lightly. In fact, she wouldn't have said anything at all if she wasn't genuinely terrified for him.
Robert closed his eyes. She was right. But to what extent? Could she possibly be mistaken?
She would never have given this lightly but Liam had been acting well... Off.
For how long... First off, Liam had been all secretive. Then right after the press conference in which he announced his survival in front of the whole world, Liam had been distant. Not just distant, but silent, brooding calculating and grim. He didn't want to get anywhere near Robert, unlike his mother or Eleanor who were genuinely overjoyed to have him back. He wanted to stay the hell away from him, and tried to well...
And then there was the altercation with Beck. What exactly had Beck done? He was pretty sure Beck had barely strung two words with Liam that day, and he had spent most of it with Robert, being his official equerry. He was also sure that beforehand there wasn't any sort of disagreement and all, and Robert had asked Eleanor just to be sure. It was when they were preparing to present themselves to the king was when Liam and Beck had been in the same room all day. And he had caught glimpses of Liam heavily drinking from his flask numerous times when the latter thought he wasn't looking. Why had he been drinking?
If not to drown out his sorrows... That what? Robert was shell-shocked. That his own brother was alive?
Could my brother want me dead? Robert thought.
Could Liam have wanted the crown so badly as to have been glad he was dead? Had he not known his brother well enough, or had Liam changed in the months that he had been away?
Cyrus didn't appear to change and neither did Helena. Eleanor was more mature and responsible, but she seemed genuinely happy to see him again. Robert's eyes softened at the memory of his sister.
However that look fell way to a frown when he remembered his sister's boyfriend, a bodyguard, no less, whom they knew next to nothing about. How did an American end up working for the British royal family? And when everyone thought Robert was out of earshot, he had heard Jasper speak- to James Hill's little girl- in perfect British English. Even his accent seemed spot on. Nothing fake like the way some American actors satirised British roles. It was flawless.
And somehow, he doubted that the palace would take the trouble to not only search but trust a man from across the Atlantic with the security of their head of state. Something was not right.
The devils are within your walls, Aglaia had said.
And Ted Pryce was once head of security. When Jasper must have been hired, that is.
Eleanor was sleeping with him.
And she had no idea what he could do.
"Well?" Dimitri asked.
"Success," Aglaia shrugged.
"Don't celebrate just yet," Alexios said sharply. "So he's agreed. What about the crowned heads of Europe?"
"Start with our Great-Uncle, first." Aglaia decided. The King of Denmark was always a good person to start with. And she was very close to that side of the family.
Aglaia turned to her brothers. "Let's go to Copenhagen now, shall we? Athens can wait."
"Yes, but we need politicians too."
"Start with influence, then get... Political. Remember we can only influence from the outside of this country first- especially now that Britain's exited the European Union- only outside influence before the pressure we intend to force upon them."
"And if Cyrus finds out?" Dimitri asked warily. "Or Liam?"
"Then our goal is to throw them into a false scent and stay two steps ahead of them."
"Little sister," Alexios chuckled. "My, you've grown up."
Aglaia did not answer. It sickened her to think like this, but she knew Cyrus would do anything to keep the crown, even if it meant, well, he could discredit his own nephew the way he did with the twins, or he could kill him. And based on what she saw of Liam he was a ticking time bomb, ready to explode at any moment, ever since his brother returned. She didn't want to wait for Liam to become another Cyrus. His brother's life was already in danger as it was.
"This isn't a laughing matter," she said sternly. "Now are we going to Copenhagen or not?"
"Wait... If we need to throw them off our trail- in case they're following us, then we need to split up," Dimitri announced. "Alexios- go back to Greece, speak to our parents in the pretence of our royal duties, but contact as many of the crowned heads and political leaders as you can. Military too. Aglaia can go to Copenhagen with me under the pretence that we want to visit Grand-Uncle Erik, the king, in the meantime we will also be negotiating against the Henstridges."
Alexios frowned deeply. "To negotiate people to turn to Robert's favour is one thing. To negotiate them to turn against Cyrus is another. We need something more- a substantial proof that Cyrus has breached his boundaries and broken his own country's laws. And endangers the security of the rest of Europe."
"What?" Aglaia blinked. "Why should he? He only just got back."
"We need proof of corruption," Dimitri murmured. "In the British government. Do you think they may be embezzling anything to do with foreign trade?"
"Possibly," Alexios admitted. "If the government was willing to- falsely- declare Liam and Eleanor not to be the descendants of King Cyrus when they were actually already proven otherwise, I'm willing to bet that there is corruption within their government. Paid for by, surprise, surprise, the man who confronted the queen and stole the crown: Cyrus. He shouldn't be the king. And how many cover-ups does it take for people to not associate the murders of palace maids and their bodies turning up everywhere, and people connected in any way to the royal family, including the late king? Who's covering all this? Only the politicians. Investigators and who else."
"But we need proof," Dimitri reminded him. "Besides, everybody on the continent already knows."
Aglaia drew in a breath. "But to uncover all this would be to destroy the very foundations of Britain!"
"Well, not if Robert is protected and keeps a safe distance away from all the others," Alexios pointed calmly. "And not if we remind his people who he is and what he's been through for them."
"I thought we are making allies!"
"We are- we are putting this man on his rightful throne." Dimitri reminded her. "Plus we already have an alliance with Britain, we're just saving and reviving it. They probably took advantage of us as it is."
"He's not stupid but if he sees all this-"
"To the rest of Europe, we'll just be confirming what they already know in substantial, proven evidence. To Robert, we are saving his life. His family is his greatest enemy, and I know this will be painful for him- for all of them- but sometimes, what doesn't kill you will make you stronger. He survived being stranded on a dessert island, after all. He's sure to survive this."
"How long will this take?" Alexios grumbled.
"Some of us have better things to do."
Dimitri hushed him and the three siblings waited.
They had disappeared with the throng of the royal guests and had now- as hard to believe as it sounds- melted into the crowd.
Shortly after, a person entered. The brothers all turned towards him.
Alexios had expected a shady-looking person who wouldn't have looked out of place in a dark alleyway, wearing a hood low over his face and baggy pants, but he was surprised to see that this man wore an immaculate, well-laundered pinstripe suit. Not the tiniest wrinkle or crease was seen and it fitted his toned figure immaculately. He was even handsome.
He raised an eyebrow. Dimitri stood. "Please, close the door." The person did as instructed.
"Did anyone follow you here?" He asked.
The man shook his head. "No Your Royal Highness, no one followed me. If there were I certainly managed to lose them in convincing them that I was shirt-shopping."
"Huh." Dimitri looked thoughtful. "And I take it that you are an aide to the British prime minister?"
Yes, sir."
"But where does your loyalties lie? You have something against King Cyrus Henstridge, don't you?"
The man's eyes darkened a storm.
"He murdered my brother." He said finally.
"Your brother?"
"Alistair." He said finally. "He'd been having an affair with the queen. I thought he fathered the twins too, until the DNA test results came back. Alistair always watched over those kids. He was heartbroken- despite his own common sense- when he realised that they might not be his."
"You mean he knew all along they were Simon's?" Alexios interjected.
"No Your Highness," Came the reply. "Just that Queen Helena had been seeing other men as well, even though Alistair always stayed faithful to her. He suspected that the twins could have been anyone's children. Called me by phone. He sounded heartbroken."
"Huh." Alexios looked down. "I'm sorry about your brother's loss." He said quietly. "But why would Cyrus kill him?"
"To get back on the queen. He tried to kill him once before but he survived. He decided not to see her again. He demanded to know if the kids really were his. And then he walked away. I found his body soon after."
A devastating silence ensued.
"I can give you justice." Alexios said finally.
"Justice? Justice against the King of England? The queen?" He shook his head. "There is no justice in this country. Not anymore. Unless you count Robert's miraculous return, to screw his uncle sideways."
"Well, if justice fails, why not vengeance?" Alexios asked, smooth and dangerous as a predator.
"I have a direct contact working for me at the Greek Embassy. Well, any embassy is alright really, as long as it's connected to us. Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Spain, Austria, Germany, Italy... You name it. You give any hard-core solid proof of corruption within the government, say, that these politicians have embezzled millions of Euros, pounds or drachmas from foreign trade agreements with those nations and keep it for themselves- under the benevolent gaze of His Majesty the King or maybe they're giving it to him, or he's taking stuff off to pay for his expenses, whatever, you give it to us- and we'll see it safely given to the most serious people you can get. United Nations, EU, the International Criminal Court in the Hague in the Netherlands... By the end of all this, I swear to you, King Cyrus will be so wretched, humiliated and disgraced, so loathed and abandoned by everyone he knows that he will hang himself or wish for death. Either that or he would be the first king to get imprisoned in a very long time." Dimitri said, never taking his eyes off the man.
"Will it be enough?" The man asked.
"We have more than enough evidence as it is," Alexios said suddenly. "We just need the icing of the cake- not stupid allegations from a random person whom people might overlook. We need solid evidence that slaps people in the face. We need to destroy the Henstridges- all of them, except for one."
"Robert." He guessed. "You want Robert saved but his family tarred, feathered and burnt at the stake?"
"Or hung, drawn and quartered with his head on a silver platter," Dimitri finished, with a smile. "We Greeks really don't approve of gruesome stuff, but there's treachery enough as it is." He suddenly stood.
"I want to know, however," he stated. "Of your trustworthiness. I could take your word that Captain Alistair Lacey- your reported brother- was murdered by King Cyrus, and I could trust you with a very important task, which, if it goes wrong, could destroy us all. I know England has had a lovely time, flourishing under the benevolent gaze of King Simon until his untimely murder, but in Greece we've had to endure bloodbaths on such scales everyone literally started calling it the Age of the Anti-Christ." His eyes were frosty and biting. "During the latest civil war- of which there were many- there were so many dead bodies covering the streets and the fields that there wasn't enough people left to bury them. The military junta just tortured and shot them all en masse. I grew up seeing so many bodies lying in the fields so much that it was a novelty for me when they eventually began to be buried. There was widespread famine throughout the country because there was no one left alive or uninjured to harvest the fruit, vegetables, herbs and to feed the animals. They just rotted and died. Countless of our citizens were forced to flee or risk their own family- even their little children- to be butchered. They never spared the little children."
From his pocket, Dimitri took out several pictures. He could see the man recoil as he saw the evidence of the slaughterhouse that was once Greece during the Civil Wars.
"I don't know about you but I would not only die, but I would kill to ensure that never happens again." Dimitri spoke. "And so would I. I would die and kill over a thousand times over. Do you have any idea to see how disgusting it is, that these people would take things for granted, and fight amongst themselves- their own family- for the crown?" Alexios said dangerously, his eyes never leaving the man's. He radiated an icy, terrifying aura. "We need insurance that this will not rock anything in Greece or any other country in the world. The reason we are doing this is to stop our country- and others- from being cheated by them. We know that Cyrus has taken countless amounts in currency from foreign trade agreements, along with your politicians. We want solid proof to get rid of him. But we also need to know if we can trust you." His eyes bore into the man's soul.
The man took a deep breath. "Tell me what I can do." He said finally.
In Copenhagen, capital of Denmark, the Amalienborg Palace, Aglaia and Dimitri sat drinking with their great-uncle- on their grandmother's side of the family.
The King of Denmark was an imposing figure, over six-feet of suave, debonair elegance in a warrior-way. His genes could be traced back to the Viking rulers of old, including Gorm, Sigurd-Snake-in-the-Eye, Ragnar Lothbrok and Sigurd Fafnirsbane, and more. Far older, than the Henstridge line.
"You are certain of this?" He asked calmly.
King Erik had been extremely glad to see the two of them, but after the initial warmth the two had begun to explain things to him.
He wasn't stupid. He knew people dropped like flies in the near vicinity of the Henstridge family. Like the rest of Europe, including his Greek relatives, he wouldn't trust them to walk a mongrel mutt without something happening. Maybe it got high and poisoned drinking LSD-laced alcohol from Princess Eleanor's glass, maybe it started throwing up to death after or during it started eating barbed wire under Prince Liam's neglect when he was out with a girl, maybe the queen didn't know to clean up the dung or how and what to feed a dog, maybe Cyrus decided to poison it for because it was being a bother, he didn't know. Or his two dimwits either squeezed it to death, fed it heroin or somehow caused it explode, he would never find out.
No one would be mad enough to leave a poor, helpless wild animal near that family.
So any news involving the Henstridge family apart from Robert's miraculous return, could only be considered bad news. They weren't coming here, were they?
So when two of his sister's grandchildren spoke of the corruption, he wasn't surprised. To his outrage and anger, Denmark had been scammed like the rest of them. Electronic equipment, machinery, meat, oil, seafood, dairy products, furniture and much, much more. In total: billions of US dollars double-dealt with and stolen from them unfairly with the actual products being sold for far less because those damned politicians kept it for themselves...
And King Cyrus. King Cyrus who had ascended the throne by the time in which royal spending in Britain had increased enormously. They lived outstandingly lavish lifestyles. Twelve-thousand UK Pounds to pay for Queen Helena's stylish magenta outfit during Prince Robert's balcony appearance, twenty-thousand for her diamond-encrusted (diamond-encrusted!) shoes, thirty-thousand spent by the royal twins during a trip to Monaco, and not to mention Cyrus' own spending. Some of which had not be recorded exactly what it was, as compared to the others, like his wardrobe expenses, but they had all been recorded as missing.
"What did he spend the money on?" King Erik found himself asking, though somehow, he had a terrible feeling he knew exactly what.
"Who?"
"King Cyrus." He said, dangerously calm. "Most of these records appear to have been erased."
"That's because they were," Aglaia said quietly. "We have... Living evidence of certain things." She nodded.
A beautiful young woman walked awkwardly into the room. In her arms she held a baby boy- only a few months. Her lips were a full luscious red, and her flawless complexion was slightly tanned. Her green eyes had long, sweeping lashes, slanting green eyes and silky brown hair. She wasn't anywhere near as beautiful as his grand-niece, but she was stunning.
The boy however, did not resemble his apparent mother to an enormous extent. Starting with that mouth- where had he seen that mouth? His hair was dark, but it was tufted up and spiky, naturally-so it seemed. The shape of his face, was nothing like his mother's. They only shared the same nose, it appeared, or maybe the ears. But it was difficult to see how this could be mother and son.
"This is Prudence," Dimitri announced. "And if you will rein in your surprise, this is Simon Henstridge, named after the late king- on the orders of his mother, with the approval of King Cyrus. Named after his biological uncle, of course."
Erik's eyes bugged.
"This is King Cyrus' son and his..." Aglaia winced and looked at Prudence apologetically, as if asking for permission. Prudence steeled herself visibly and nodded to Aglaia. "Blackmailed liaison, his fiancée, almost his wife." She announced, switching from Danish to English.
"What?"
"Prudence was blackmailed into... Performing acts on King Cyrus' person when he was just a prince. He was hosting a party soon after his brother King Simon announced his intention to plead for the parliament to abolish the monarchy for his people's own good. Prince Cyrus hosted the party and threatened Prudence who depended on the wage of the palace service in order to survive. She was so traumatised, that later she wanted to take revenge. King Cyrus caught her trying to do so, and informed her that he would have her arrested for treason unless she performed more... Acts upon his person." Prudence did not look up. Aglaia stood and ushered the former maid and her baby to her own chair, with the king's nod. "And to spy on King Simon."
"Prudence became pregnant. When King Cyrus heard, he took it as his chance, whether the twins were declared illegitimate or not, to ensure that he would have a successor." She scoffed. "As if women were worth so little-" "Though to be honest, not women, just Cyrus' daughters," Dimitri muttered. "And she gave birth to her son- but not before the king supposedly married her in a secret ceremony, without the knowledge of the general public."
Aglaia bent down to Prudence. "Prudence," she asked quietly. "You don't have to do this. For the last time... We can find some other way." But Prudence shook her head. She reached into her purse and pulled out several papers." The 'Marriage Certificate' and the 'Pre-Nup' all bearing Cyrus' royal signature. King Erik saw it all.
"So I am to understand that I am looking upon the queen of Great Britain?" Erik raised his eyebrow. "He coerced you into marrying him? Threatened?"
Prudence nodded stiffly. "But I never did." She said.
"No, as it turns out, she sought help in Queen Helena." Aglaia said. "The queen arranged for the priest at the ceremony to be switched with her own gynaecologist, therefore the marriage is invalid. Then she arranged for Prudence and Baby Simon to escape."
King Erik leaned back. This was too much to comprehend.
Helena would never have done this out of the goodness of her own heart. She must have wanted to keep her role as queen. Any idiot could figure that out.
"Your Majesty," Prudence looked up at him. "I know things about Cyrus that would make your skin crawl."
"I have already guessed as such, most of Europe steers clear of him," he replied calmly.
"But they don't really know what's going on in there," Prudence said desperately. "All those things... He was involved with Violet until she got killed. The Grand Duchess-"
"I'm sorry?"
"Grand Duchess Alexandra of Oxford, Queen Helena's mother," Aglaia clarified.
"Ah, yes," the king leaned back. "My apologies, Prudence." He smiled kindly. "Please continue."
"She killed Violet- the queen, King Cyrus and the royal children confronted her on it," Prudence explained. "King Cyrus placed the engagement ring on my finger-" she produced the priceless diamond on the table in front of them. "And said that 'this ring is for the mother of my son' and that she killed the wrong maid. He later told me that the Grand Duchess also killed some girl- Dominique- who King Simon had been in love with before he married Queen Helena. She wanted her daughter to become queen. The queen didn't really know about it, any more than the twins until it was too late. That's why the Grand Duchess got stripped of all her titles and she doesn't come to the palace any longer."
The king sat back, stunned.
"Cyrus has done his share of murders too, not just Grand Duchess Alexandra," Aglaia explained quietly. "It seems in the months that Robert was gone, everything was revealed in there. We suspected corruption, but we didn't know to what extent. We did know, like you, uncle, that people kept dying around them. As it turns out Queen Helena was not guilty of murder, but King Cyrus certainly is. He murdered a man named Alistair Lacey, apparently to protect his reputation. Alistair Lacey was Queen Helena's lover, his brother confirmed that."
"I met him," Dimitri put in. "And Alexios."
"And there was a man named Jeffrey Stewart- he was Dominique Stewart's- King Simon's late love's- brother. He wanted revenge on the royal family for being responsible for his sister's death. So he teamed up with Ted Pryce, who also wanted revenge for his wife, Daphne's death, she was shot by accident. Apparently he blamed Queen Helena, even though she didn't directly murder her, it was implied that she could have saved her and acted callously towards Pryce in the aftermath. That was why he ordered Robert's plane hijacked and stabbed King Simon to death."
There was a stunned, shocked silence in the room.
"His daughter Ophelia was said to have been with Prince Liam during the murder," Aglaia said slowly. Prudence's eyes flashed with pain as she remembered her friend, the late king, who was one of the few people to have showed her kindness in that palace. "I don't know if she was involved, but it certainly kept Liam from joining his father on the walk they were both supposed to take together."
King Erik tried to breathe normally.
"Why are you telling me this, now?" He asked through a dry throat. He still didn't sound feeble though, thankfully.
"Because Denmark is a victim too. Greece has been cheated as well. And Norway. And Sweden. And most of the countries in the European Union. Frankly, it's been harder for the people since Brexit, and for Cyrus and those politicians, but they still managed to wheedle as much money, though the imports to Britain were getting increasingly expensive. The imports are still expensive for the people, but most of the money is given to King Cyrus and his loyal sycophants."
"During which King Cyrus has distributed to the royal family, carelessly, despite his lack of love for his relatives, for their own amusement," Dimitri said shortly. Aglaia winced. "Robert has returned. We did not tell him any of this, because we wanted to be sure that the news would make it overseas. We need to tell the other European leaders- politicians and monarchs alike. In the meantime, ever since Robert's 'death' and Simon's, British military spending, infrastructure, social welfare and public health and education has dropped in efficiency and value." Dimitri finished. "All thanks to King Cyrus. Their own people are being cheated and the world needs to be made aware of that. We need you to help us- get justice for Britain against King Cyrus, and for the rest of the world, including Denmark and Greece. You know what it means to be a true royal- it means sacrificing everything that is you, continuously, even if you die from it, then all the better to prove your devotion to your peoples. This is what King Cyrus has ignored or never knew."
King Erik heaved out a sigh.
"We need your support," Dimitri continued. "When we face the other European leaders... And the International Criminal Court in the Netherlands."
"Then you shall have it," he stated. "Now, do you have their evidence on Norway and Sweden?"
"This.. Is disgusting." Aglaia declared. "We're stabbing them in the back."
"The way they stabbed us and so many peoples?" Dimitri challenged.
"I need to tell Robert of this, at least." She insisted.
"WHAT?! Are you mad?" He hissed. "Robert might be the best out of the bunch, but the rest of his family... You're mad if you think I would ever let you..."
"He needs to know, besides if the rest of them ever heard me, by then it will be too late. If they try to kill me or even hold me hostage, then we will have confirmation, and they would be in even more international trouble than they already were. King Cyrus would have murdered a princess with a connection to most of the royal houses of Europe. That will lend him in serious trouble."
"Our brother would muster the military and if he can't invade Britain, he can certainly send out a blockade until Cyrus either kills himself or steps down in favour of Robert." Dimitri chuckled. He then turned serious. "I still don't like you going anywhere near him, though."
She leaned towards him. "For once, please, just trust me."
One month later...
"Aglaia," Robert murmured.
"Surprised to see me?"
"I thought..." Robert blinked. "You're still in Greece."
Aglaia stepped forwards. "I went to Denmark." She said. Her eyes flashed. "Does your mother or your siblings know about all this?"
Robert looked confused. "What?"
She handed him the copies of the files.
Robert's eyes went wide as he read through it.
"Where did you get this?" He whispered.
"Alistair Lacey... He's dead. Killed by Cyrus' thugs. His brother works in Downing Street. He wanted revenge, against your uncle and those politicians. He showed this to us. Greece has been scammed, Denmark has been scammed. And Norway, Sweden, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Spain, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, Liechtenstein, Italy, Finland and much, much more. Not to mention your own people. In the months that you've been away, Britain exited the European Union- to its everlasting regret. Food and other prices of imports have risen very high yet Cyrus still manages to get the cream of it all, while the people are required to pay more for the imports but the countries exporting them get far less. The politicians get it all and supply Cyrus with the best of it, to keep him happy, or Cyrus gives them the best in order to keep them on his side. The Privy Council will never support your claim to the throne. More than half of them has been bribed." Aglaia dropped the bombshell.
Robert looked up horror-struck from the evidence on paper. "This looks... Valid."
"It is valid... A valid copy." Aglaia stated. "My brothers got the rest. They've shown it to the King of Denmark, our great-uncle, and members of the Danish parliament. And the Swedish, Norwegian and Finnish who have contacted the German government and more. Our parents also know about this. Very soon, there will be a trade boycott of Britain... And they will demand King Cyrus' presence in the International Criminal Court in the Netherlands."
Robert dropped the files.
"You... Can't be... Serious." He managed to get out.
"I'm very serious." She said. "As much as I loathe to be, for your sake." She shook her head. She looked anguished. "Robert..." She choked. "I would kill myself to spare you of this news."
"Tell me," he found himself saying.
"There isn't just corruption but murders. Alistair Lacey's brother wants to testify against Cyrus, though hopefully not your mother. Members of Jeffrey Stewart's family and Prudence- the same maid who was blackmailed by your uncle." She took a deep breath. "By tomorrow, your family will be facing international boycotts and disgrace, if not open war. Your own public will hear the news. The money that Cyrus took was given out in forms of royal allowances to your mother and siblings. Items involving your mother's wardrobe, her jewellery, and your sister's, as well as your siblings' expenses, like trips to Monaco, was part of the evidence as to where the money all went. Your cousin Maribel's cosmetic surgery, the expenses of them both and their mother Veruca Popperwell, Duchess of Essex who was entitled to alimony from her ex-husband." Aglaia turned away, though she already knew he felt her pain thoroughly as his own.
She sighed. "As such, when your people hears about this they will rise up," she stated. "You can't cover this up, Robert. My brothers were already furious, my parents, my relatives, and everyone who knew about this. The Henstridge monarchy is going to be destroyed and your own country and people will be shaken to their very foundations unless you do something about this. We've already had the names of the worst of the corrupt politicians... I came to tell you as fast as I could... So that you could save the rest of your family and yourself most of all. You are the only Henstridge, apart from your late father, that is untouched by all this."
"Liam and Eleanor-"
"Are innocent, and unwitting victims in this, I know. But they still spent the money. On parties and more. Their lavish birthday party was listed as being one of the expenses where the twins popped up from this giant cake thing. You are going to be destroyed until you rise up and prove that you are not in any way associated with them."
"And how do you expect me to do THAT?!" He yelled.
"Do you think I wanted to tell you this?" She yelled back. "I love you more than life itself!" She shrieked. "And if I could I would have killed myself and cut my tongue out before telling you ANYTHING- ANYTHING AT ALL- THAT WOULD CAUSE YOU PAIN!"
Robert tried to breathe deeply. "I came to save you." She stated, tears brimming in her eyes, her piercing gaze that never left his, though she steadfastly refused to let the tears fall.
"If you... No longer want me to... If you... Wish me to go away, then say it. Doesn't matter if it was all for nothing. Because I know what I'm getting myself into. I know I probably won't live a day more if your uncle has his say, and his sycophants. I know that I could never bear to lose you a second time and that I would sooner die, because that is why I came here once more- to save you. And to save you means that I have to save your monarchy." She stood there, her hands shaking.
"My birth mother slit her own throat from ear to ear just to make everyone believe that she died when she was still pregnant with me and give my other mother a head-start to escape with me in a basket. She held me for only a few hours, yet I still feel the pain of her passing. I won't lose you again." She stated, tears brimming in her eyes and shaking.
Robert went over to her, and despite her flinching, he grasped her tightly and pulled her into his arms.
"I swore to protect you," he said hoarsely. "But you're in danger... Because of me."
"Then save yourself," she whispered. "Save your country. Save your people. Because they don't deserve to have their country's system wrenched from under their feet and for anarchy to begin."
The two brothers are scarier than you can imagine and next chapter comes the massive confrontations. Robert finally faces his mother, Cyrus and Liam who all have to deal with the oncoming attack and the danger they are in.