"Can't you drive any faster?" Brian hissed at his driver, despite the fact they were only fifteen minutes away from his grandfather's home, feeling as if they had barely begun the journey.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness. I'll try to pick up the speed." The driver looked into the rearview mirror; his eyes wide with fear upon seeing the unforgiving rage on his master's face.

Justin placed a hand on Brian's leg, tears misting his eyes, before he said, "Brian, you need to calm down. Your driver is going as fast as he can. Any faster would be unsafe. I think King Salah would prefer to have you in one piece when he comes around."

"If he comes around..." Brian's eyes stared bleakly ahead, his head swimming in disbelief at how quickly things had changed. Upon his arrival home, he had been lost in the blissful knowledge that Justin loved him and intended to stay with him... now his heart had been savagely ripped apart. He didn't know how to function now. This was all his fault. There was no recovery from that. His head rolled back onto the seat behind him, using all the control he could gather not to break down. "All my fault..." Brian whispered hollowly, not cognizant of the fact that his words were being spoken aloud.

"What's your fault?" Justin demanded to know.

"I should have been with him." A lump rose up into his throat. "Instead... I was..."

Justin sighed, feeling stupid that he hadn't thought of Brian thinking this way in the face of this horrific tragedy. "Brian... don't, just don't." His voice cracked as he looked at the devastation on his lover's face. "All you did was live your life... and that's all he wanted for you."

"Right. What about all those years that I abandoned him and what he loved most - this land..." Brian muttered bitterly.

"No, you are so wrong. King Salah loves this land and the people that belong to it... but he loves one thing more. You. And you know this."

A tear slid down Brian's cheek, Justin's words hitting their mark instantly. "I can't lose him, Justin. I just can't."

"You won't." Justin smiled as the jeep came to a halt, and the palace security came rushing forward. "Remember his strength and determination. My heart tells me he's a fighter. Having you here with him now means the world to him. The king has no reason to give up now."

Brian nodded, quickly exiting the jeep, glancing briefly to see that Justin trailed closely behind him. He ignored the greeting from his grandfather's security, clipping out harshly, "Take me to my grandfather."

Justin sat in the back of the king's bedchamber as the physician examined the unconscious man, his eyes focused primarily on his broken prince. One look was all it took to know that was exactly how Brian felt now. He shook his head in his own dismay. His own heart broke for the frail man that lay unresponsive in the massive bed, but more than that... he feared for what the worse would do to Brian. He loved his grandfather so much. As he'd told Brian earlier... and it was more apparent now - he had never viewed such familial love as he had between these two. It was unrealistic to think the king would live forever... but to lose him now, would break Brian's spirit. He couldn't bear to see that happen.

"Doctor, I've been sitting here at his side for two hours now. He isn't responding. Why hasn't he been transported to a medical facility?" Brian demanded, his face pale and drawn... his eyes reddened from the constant rubbing at them - all to stop the tears that constantly tried to flow.

"Your Highness, I'm doing everything I can for him here. It is his wish to be treated at home. You know how he feels about his role in the public. He doesn't want anyone to see his weakness... most especially any enemies from opposing countries." The doctor listened to his heart rhythm again, nodding for the first time in a show of satisfaction since this began. "His heartbeat is stable at the moment. He should awaken soon... but it will most likely be for small blocks of time. He shouldn't be overtired with a lot of needless chatter."

Brian's eyes flared in his rage, only fully recognizing the first part of the conversation. "His political etiquette be damned! This is his life on the line here!"

Justin quickly stood to his feet, briskly moving forward to lay his hand on Brian's shoulder. "Brian, did you hear what the doctor said?"

A derisive snort followed. "Yes. I heard him just fine." Brian glowered at the physician, demands quickly falling from his lips. "I want the king transported to a private hospital - immediately!"

"I don't think you did hear him." Justin took in a deep breath, releasing it just as quickly. "The doctor just stated that King Salah's heartbeat is stabilizing and that he should awaken soon - albeit briefly."

Brian's eyes released the doctor from his cold stare to look down at his grandfather, his eyes narrowing when he viewed a slight improvement in his color. He dragged a trembling hand through his hair, his head lowering to rest on his grandfather's shoulder, tears of relief clearly pooling in his eyes. "Thank God," Brian uncommonly whispered, his tone reverent, one that held such a depth of emotion that it pierced into his blond lover's heart. "Please wake up, Grandfather. You don't even have to talk. I just need to look into those all-knowing eyes and know that you are going to be alright."

The doctor nervously cleared his throat, backing away from the bed, in this instant feeling as if he was intruding on a private moment. "I need to make sure the medicine I ordered has arrived. I-I'll return soon."

Justin smiled in understanding. "Thank you, Doctor."

Brian's eyes drilled into the beloved face of his grandfather, willing him to open his eyes... needing that connection to reaffirm to him that the man he adored was still here with him, and not slipping away into some faraway place where he could never reach him again. "Open your eyes, Grandfather. Please. Fuck. I'm begging here. Do you know how rare this is?"

In less of a traumatic moment, Justin would have laughed at the words, knowing nothing truer had ever been spoken. He watched with Brian as tired eyes slowly began to flicker open... confusion quickly turning into a limited awareness.

A raspy cough resulted, before barely audible words were uttered. "Hell, Brahim. C-can't a man get any sleep?"

"Sleep? Are you kidding me? Do you have any idea how scared I've been?" Brian asked, his breathing becoming almost as erratic as the king's, the beat of his heart increasing in what was now relief at seeing his grandfather responding.

Justin smiled his own relief, unable to articulate just how relieved he felt. "It's good to have you back, Your Highness. I'll just go alert the doctor."

"W-wait, Justin. Can you do something for me first?" King Salah asked, each word he spoke showing a man that was still in great pain by the tense lines on his face.

"Grandfather, surely it can wait. The doctor really should check you out..." Brian suggested, his worry far from gone.

"That man will fuss over me for hours. I need you to get some files from my desk. A proclamation I wrote and had witnessed before this happened. I-I need for it to be announced to the public... in case anything else happens." King Salah looked back and forth between them, his breathing coming out harshly as he spoke... both of them knowing they needed to do whatever necessary to soothe him and place him back into a state of much-needed rest.

Brian sighed. "Fine. Whatever you need. I'll find it quicker, though." He looked at Justin intently. "Sit with him, please... and try to keep him still and calm."

"I'll do my best... but you know, the two of you are so much alike. It won't be easy." Justin smiled affectionately at the king, sitting down next to him, winking at him... an elation in his eyes that even the densest of men couldn't miss - all of them knowing this weakened leader to be anything but dense.

A tired, yet pleased smile appeared on the king's face. "Something has changed between the two of you. We'll talk about that later. First, the proclamation..."

Brian bowed dramatically, not even attempting to deny his grandfather's assumptions, more than pleased with the changes himself. He was almost to the door, when he heard his grandfather coughing, a chill traveling down his spine. He turned to face him in alarm, his relief palpable when he watched him settle back down in his bed more peacefully. He turned back to face him, a full acceptance in his heart.

"Brian? What is it?" Justin asked in alarm, instinctively knowing something significant had just happened.

"It's not going to happen, Grandfather. Not tonight... nor until you can freely move about of your own accord - if it even does then." Brian looked his grandfather square in the eye, both of them knowing where this was about to head; where the elder of them had wanted this to lead as soon as Brian had returned home - except, not under these dire circumstances.

Justin looked back and forth between king and prince, his confusion continuing to mount. "What are you talking about?"

Brian smiled, finding it difficult to fathom how easy he was finding it to accept this particular destiny. Perhaps his grandfather had been right all along. It was his destiny... and one he had desired deep down in his soul, but could never admit. "In our land, a king's proclamation is an important announcement before the public. It can only be given by the king. He is not going to deliver it from his sickbed... his near-death bed! I absolutely forbid it!"

King Salah smiled, his eyes teasingly challenging his grandson. "I-is that so? On whose authority?"

His steps returning to the bed, Brian looked down into his grandfather's tired, yet knowing eyes. Ones that were filled with love and profound admiration for the man he had become... the man he'd always known him to be.

"You may not have acquired your heir; yet, you gained something else. I am about to leave this room as Prince Brahim El Khadir, but when I return with your proclamation speech, I will be crowned King Brahim El Khadir of Brakania."

TBC