The king sneered as he looked down at the dead body of Craig Taylor. In his opinion, it was a fitting end to a pathetic existence. Rage boiled within him that he hadn't been able to render justice on this evil specimen of a man. "This vermin disgusts me, Benjamin. I would have loved nothing more than to run him through..."

"Yes, Your Highness." Ben looked away from the man, immediately flinching at how disfigured he had become with the precise gunshot wound. "Amazing he was shot in an exact spot to instill instant death. No suffering... and no time to talk." Ben compressed his lips as he met the king's stare, seeing they each shared the same thought. "You thought that as well."

"Indeed I did, my friend. It is highly unlikely that it would happen in such a way with the urgency of the responses. I suppose one could deem it a lucky shot, but I am curious as to who truly shot him. My instincts tell me that one of the guards that hadn't been executed yet could have passed their firearm to Sapperstein."

Ben flushed in embarrassment, thankful they were in the prison morgue alone. "How remiss of me. That hadn't occurred to me. And I know it should have. My apologies for being so inept, Sire."

Waving off his most trusted guard's apology, the king tersely answered, "Nonsense, Benjamin. No matter how many criminals you have been forced to confront in your position as my security council, you are a man that possesses immense goodwill to mankind. You don't see evil until that's all that remains. I admire that; sadly, it's not someone I can ever be."

"My King, you do yourself a great disservice with your words. I have seen both gentility and understanding in you over the years. Despite how you project yourself to your people, and the rest of the world, you have moments of great kindness." Ben knew that his king would shut this discussion down quickly. Not only did the ruler have much to accomplish yet, but he was also uncomfortable with emotional displays. King Bruhier would never allow this to become too much of one.

Clearing his throat, the monarch pulled the sheet over Taylor's head, still irritated at how events had transpired here tonight, along with his uncertainty that all sought to betray him had truly been handled. Turning away from Ben, he indifferently responded, "Yes well... let's just keep that between us."

Ben smiled, pleased that there had been no denials forthcoming. That was his king's mantra, though. No matter how unpleasant the truth might be to him personally, he was always in full acceptance of the reality. No matter what the situation may be, the king was always a realist. That was one reason why King Bruhier was such an amazing ruler. "I can do that, Your Highness."

Moving away from the body, Brian began to walk back and forth, his forefinger tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Allow the doctor to perform his final exam and process the body. I have no desire to give this man any form of proper burial; however, I will leave that for his wife to decide. I am going to review the surveillance tapes one last time. I can't shake the feeling that something or someone has been missed. I need to be sure..."

"Sire?" Ben asked in deep concern. "You have the most fine-tuned instincts I have ever seen in a man. What are you thinking it could be?"

"I wish I knew." Brian frowned as he continued his pacing. "I don't want to be gone for long. I know that Sapperstein can't gain access to the palace grounds, but there isn't a doubt in my mind he seeks to victimize Justin as an insult to me."

Ben nodded. "Not only to dishonor you, My King. I have glimpsed this on more than one occasion now; Sapperstein possesses a violent lust for the young man. He wants him, Your Highness. Despite its leading to his death, I fear he won't stop until he uses and abuses him."

"I am aware of that!" the ruler hissed, in this case, it wasn't jealousy that overwhelmingly assailed him; it was disgust and rage all directed to the depraved criminal. "I don't make many mistakes, but I did make one the day I imprisoned that man instead of killing him! I won't make that mistake again!"

"With all due respect, Sire, you acted in a civilized manner. Sapperstein had been surrounded and captured. Killing him at that moment would have been viewed as an act of terrorism to your people. There could have been no way anyone could have predicted this..."

"It's an abomination! He escaped from my prison, Benjamin, and appears to be the only one to have survived it. I believe that Sapperstein planned it that way... but why? In his position, I would want as many men as possible left to assist me." Brian momentarily pursed his lips, the thoughts running rampant in his mind. "It tells me that he wanted no attachments, no visible trail...and that they possibly had information that he didn't want to be discovered. There are too many questions, ones that could be very difficult to answer." The king took a deep breath, tension creating harsh lines on his face. "Sapperstein must be found... and quickly!"

Nodding emphatically, Ben agreed. "He will be, My King. I can't envision him having the means to evade your men for long."

"He won't! If necessary, I will join in the search... and when I find him, I will split him in two with my blade!" Rage and bloodlust continued to pour through his veins; the king stormed from the room, quickly making his return to the surveillance cameras, intent on studying them one last time before he returned home. The palace guards were on high alert. He couldn't imagine anything going awry tonight. However, one fearful thought kept nagging at him. If Sapperstein had gained support with a few prison guards, whether done on his own or through Craig Taylor, had he done the same within his own home?

That was the most troubling thought of all.

Gary Sapperstein watched the gates of the king's estate, the binoculars making the task much easier from a safe distance. The king had been gone for hours; and yet, he couldn't safely attack. Security was on high alert. He could see signs of that around the perimeter, and what little he could observe beyond the entrance gates. There was a possibility, slim at best, that he could slip inside unnoticed... but he would never find his victim before discovery was made. He had no idea where the mouthy little blond was being kept. Was he in seclusion? Or, was he with the king's other slaves? As far as he knew, the blond could be held in the king's bedroom. A sneer followed that thought. That was exactly where he would keep the hot little blond. The boy would be servicing his cock - night and day. Lowering the binoculars, his head turning from side to side to ascertain he remained alone, he knew he needed an airtight plan. He needed help from the inside. There was only one person that he knew could possibly help him. That person wasn't presently accessible... So for now, he had to wait. Patience wasn't one of his strengths, but it would be worth it in this case. He would not only slake his lust within that hot and perfect ass, but he would insult King Bruhier as well.

He gritted his teeth in fury as he thought of the missed opportunity tonight. How often would he have the luxury of the king's absence from the palace grounds? He knew that to be isolated at best. And he'd even taken his security advisor with him. It had been so easy to watch from a distance. He hadn't moved from his position since that time. Initially, the new security measures had quickly been implemented. Now, the perimeter had more the feeling of an armed fortress. He would have to give King Bruhier credit. The king was skilled in the ways of security. Only a fool would seek to penetrate it. As much as he knew King Bruhier would love to capture him with minimal effort, he knew the king didn't want the war fought out within the walls of his well-protected home. The king not only had a son, but he also seemed to care about the people that surrounded him.

Sapperstein sneered as he continued to look on. King Bruhier was primitive; however, he also cared about some of his people more than it was safe to reveal to an enemy. In the end, that would be his ultimate downfall.

Jennifer frowned as she stepped out onto the porch, her heart feeling heavy, and her body unable to succumb to sleep. She sat down on the swing, looking out into the darkness, seeing the flowers illuminated by the moonlight and dim lighting, but truly seeing nothing. She felt turmoil within herself, and fearful of what could be to come. Yet, realizing she was powerless in all of it.

Hearing footsteps approaching, Jennifer looked up, a tense smile on her face as she recognized the late-night visitor to be Tucker. Since her time at the king's estate, proprietary had begun to diminish in importance. "Good evening, Tucker. You may sit and rest if you like..."

"Thank you, ma'am. I appreciate that." Tucker smiled, and bowed slightly, mindful to take a chair next to the swing, and not sit next to the refined lady at such a late hour. "My apologies if I have disturbed you; I just wanted to make certain you and your son weren't in need of anything."

"I appreciate that, Tucker. You are always so kind." She smiled warmly at him, uncertain of why she trusted him as she did, only knowing that she felt more comfortable in his presence than any other man in the past. "Justin is resting. It's been a long and difficult day for him."

Tucker inclined his head. "For you as well, dear lady."

"Indeed..." Jennifer agreed. "I won't allow myself to be caught up in the drama surrounding Craig's death and what might have been if he had been a decent man; his actions decided his end a long time ago. What I am concerned about is this madman that seeks to hurt my son. I realize there is nothing I can do about it, but I am frightened of him and his intentions." She smiled weakly. "I'm doing my best not to show that fear to Justin. I know he has enough of his own."

"I'm not going to try to deceive you merely to allay your fears, Jennifer..." Tucker looked Jennifer directly in her eyes, sincerity, and concern reflected in his own. "This man is a monster. I have not borne witness to his crimes as I was escorting you to the palace at the time; however, I know of his reputation and of what he perpetrated against not only your son but my king as well. Gary Sapperstein has evil intentions toward Justin, and the sooner he is captured the better. His freedom endangers any he comes in contact with, but I trust that King Bruhier will strike him down swiftly!"

"I wish I could feel some sort of sympathy for that man, but I cannot. Some men are evil and have no redeemable qualities. Craig was that way, and I believe this Sapperstein is even more so. I hope for his speedy capture." Jennifer stifled a yawn behind her hand, thankful that she was becoming more tired. She knew she needed to rest. These were very uncertain times, with her never knowing what each day would bring. "Thank you for talking with me, Tucker. I think that's what I needed in order to get some sleep."

Tucker stood to his feet, realizing the lady wished to go back inside. He hadn't wanted to tarry too long, with the escape of Sapperstein, feeling his senses on high alert. "I'm always glad to listen, Jennifer... and please rest well knowing that I, along with several other guards, are watching over the cottage. No harm will befall either you or Justin on these grounds."

"Thank you, Tucker." Jennifer smiled gratefully at Tucker, continuing to find herself more at ease with this man. He was a gentleman, through and through. It could be a matter of him attending to his duty, but she didn't think so. She believed Tucker was simply exactly as he seemed to be. "I do feel safe here, Tucker, and I think Justin does as well." She laughed for a slight moment, not seeing the flicker of a smitten look on her guard's face. "I doubt that Justin would ever admit that, though. He is determined to agitate King Bruhier."

"Yeah, I haven't witnessed too much of them together yet, but they do seem to have a volatile relationship. It should be interesting to watch." Tucker was about to step away, before he turned back to her, uncertain if he should bring up the subject, but feeling it was in Lady Jennifer's best interests to be well informed. "Uhhh, there's something I wanted to warn you about, Jennifer. An annoyance that will soon afflict us all."

"An annoyance?" she asked.

"Yeah." Tucker slightly grimaced, knowing it wasn't probably considered good taste to someone of Lady Jennifer's status, but he knew the queen would be an irritant to this lady that was deserving of the title of ‘lady'. "The queen is due to return in the morning. The good news is that she rarely stays for long. She is quite the jet-setter."

Jennifer nodded, finding herself a bit curious about the queen. She knew the king had married only to procure a legitimate heir, but she did wonder about their relationship. "I see. Well, I doubt our paths will cross much. Once Alba arrives, I doubt I'll eat up at the main house as much. As much as I love spending time with Justin, I prefer more simplicity. I hope that the king will continue to allow me to spend time with my son."

"That's understandable, and I'm sure he will; unless it becomes a security risk, or if Justin acts out unreasonably." He hated to be so blunt, but they both knew how outspoken the young man was, most especially when around the king. "In any event, I have the feeling the queen will make her presence known. She is extremely arrogant, and self-entitled. I doubt you'll find any of the staff that sympathize with her. You and Justin both have true royal blood, she will feel threatened by that; and because of that, most likely she will lash out."

Jennifer frowned. "Lash out? That's absurd! She's married to the king and has given him an heir. Why would she fear either me or Justin?"

"That's difficult to answer since I can't even comprehend such a mindset. I just know how she behaves and interacts with others. You are a lady, and quite honestly, she is not. She will recognize the difference."

Blushing slightly, Jennifer lowered her gaze, softly answering, "Well, thank you, Tucker. I appreciate the warning, and to a degree, I guess I understand why she might feel overwhelmed by me and Justin. Not only our social status, but the fact that we have been sitting at the king's table, and have our private quarters. I am the king's guest, but Justin probably shouldn't be in such protective seclusion. I can foresee her being far more threatened by him than by me."

"I guess we'll have to see what happens, but I fear with her return, and King Bruhier anxious over Sapperstein's escape, there could be some very rough days ahead." Tucker bowed to the waist, realizing he had kept the lady far longer than he had intended. "Have a good night, Jennifer."

Inclining her head, Jennifer politely responded, "You as well, Tucker, and thank you for the warning. I will certainly take it to heart, and advise Justin in the morning." She smiled warmly at him before she slipped back inside the cottage, closing and locking the door. She laughed slightly at that. For the first time since she'd left her family home so many years ago, she actually felt safe enough that she found locked doors to be unnecessary. In light of the present dangers that faced them, Jennifer decided that was quite ironic. It was just another indication of how much life had changed. She had the feeling this was only the beginning of changes, not only for her but for all of them.

TBC