Payments Due

[Taiylor Wallace]

Brammond's smile nearly faltered, but he kept it up more for her sake that anyone else's. "I... I really don't know, sweetheart... Listen to me, I want you to get into a fight with Rogal, don't let him know it's fake... And accept Miranos. I know you don't want to, none of us want you to. Accept him out in the open, let Rogal and everyone else think it's real. And when it's finally safe some other day, we'll get you out of this. I promise... I'm sorry..." He kissed her cheek.
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After the song, Rogal came back to her. "Amelia," he had a hand on the side of his head. "I've got the headache of the century, I'm going to turn in early..."

[Rose Swan]

Amelia's smile was gone. No. She couldn't... no. Brammond left before she could say anything more. And then Rogal returned. She could tell it was getting worse. "No. Don't you dare." she said darkly. She wasn't good at starting fights, and she had no idea what to start a fight over. "Go find my brother. Escort him up to my chambers. Actually, don't. Send him to Timur and don't let Lenny out of his sight. And then I want you all out of the castle by midnight, including Ben. I can't put up with you or your overbearing father anymore. Just get out of my sight. This engagement is off." she said and stormed up to her room. When she reached the chamber she broke down crying and flopped on her bed. The tiara she had worn was thrown across the room. Her carefully laid plan had fallen apart and there was nothing she could do to pull it back together. Rogal was dying because of her. Her castle was in danger. There was nothing to be done. She had to marry Miranos. He would want to consummate their marriage, and the thought made her want to vomit.

She was disgusted with herself, and felt like she had used Rogal. She needed to get out of here. She had to leave Hannibal or something. Something to clean up this mess. She kept telling herself it was Rogal's fault. He wanted this to happen. He got himself caught by Marcellus. She should have let him be executed earlier. She shouldn't have let him in. She was done with being a Princess without her parents here. She had no protection. She was vulnerable to manipulation like what Miranos was doing right now. She hated them both so much. Marcellus was a victim more than anything now. She hated it all. Hated it all so much.

Amelia finally got an idea. She had a dagger she kept in her vanity drawer. She opened it up and pulled the shining silver blade out before exposing her wrist, and then found the proper vein before drawing a thin red scar across the arm. The process was repeated on the other wrist. If no one found her, she would be dead by morning. And death would make it so she could rejoin her family and Rogal and be safe. She could apologize to him. Explain what had happened. And maybe then they could do things the right way.

[Taiylor Wallace]

The look on Rogal's face was pure heartbreak and confusion. "Amelia... what did I...?" He watched her go, as did everyone else. They were all just as confused, but none nearly as hurt. Rogal simply disappeared into his flurry of shadows, and Brammond could only look away to hide his own pain.
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Amelia's plan seemed like it would work. In minutes, she'd passed out. And she awoke in... her father's library. But there was no dust, the windows opened out to clear sky instead of the grand white expanse of Hannibal, and there was nothing but sky. No land in sight. She lay in the top room of the tower, on the small sofa there where her father had taken naps in the afternoons after reading for hours. It was so comfortable, and warm, and she was covered by her father's favorite fur cloak. But... it'd been buried with him.
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"Silly girl," she heard the familiar rumble that was none other than the voice of Griffinos Hannibal, the old King. He sat at his huge mahogany desk, his dark, long hair flowing over his back and shoulders over his deep red and gold and black robes. His broad brow was furrowed, and smile graced his kind, thick-bearded face. He stood, his heavy boots thumping on the stone floor. He came to kneel beside her, his huge hand coming to her cheek so gently. Though his hands were calloused and hardened, they were warm and ever-gentle to her. "That's not the way to fix your problems, kitten."

[Rose Swan]

Amelia opened her eyes to the room she hadn't been in in years. A fur cloak that was strangely familiar was draped over her. And then... Her father. "How.. Where am I?" she asked, despite her heartbreak and tears that ran down her face. "There is no other way. I'm not marrying Miranos. And Rogal... I can't save him now." she said as she threw her arms around her father's neck. "Why did you make that awful man Regent? Why did you have to die?"

[Taiylor Wallace]

"I left him because I knew you could stand up to him when the time came, and that even if Miranos got involved, you'd be okay if you kept faith." He kissed her forehead. "But you've lost faith, kitten... That's why you're here... You're not dead, honey, only unconscious... Don't run away, Amelia... For your brother, for Rogal, and for Brammond. Those three... they're dead without you. Brammond and Lenny might last a while into the war, but Rogal's going to be dead by tomorrow night without help. He's going to find out what's wrong with him, and he won't try to help himself because his heart's broken."
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Griffinos lifted her head carefully, "I'm gone, kitten, I can't come back. I didn't want to go, but I can't reverse it. You still can. You don't have to marry anyone you don't want to, but you have to make a plan. You know Brammond and Hinden are there to help you. But don't lose your most valuable asset and friend, Rogal. Don't allow him to let himself die."

[Rose Swan]

"I don't know how to fix him. I don't know what poison Miranos used. I don't know where Rogal is or how to explain myself to him. I can't face him like this. I used him. He'll die thinking I hate him, and I never got a chance to tell him anything. I can't win this fight. I won't give Miranos what he wants though. Even Brammond lost faith. And Lenny... Lenny will be taken care of. Brevir or Brammond or Ben will take care of him. I won't hand myself over to Miranos like this. Even you wouldn't let me do that." she said sadly. Griffinos was right. She had lost faith.

[Taiylor Wallace]

Griffinos stood then. "Listen to me, kitten, you'll never know if you don't try. Don't give up. Hannibal's in danger, and the people know it. Help them, do everything you can and don't let anyone hold you down. You're a Hannibal, Amelia, we were born from fire and ice. We survive the world's harshest winters and entire months without sunlight. The country's survived through plagues, wars, and famines, and even when all seemed at its worst, we continued. I've run my course, but you've just begun. When you wake up, stand for what you've fought Marcellus for all this time, and become the Queen you're meant to be. To hell with age." He took her hand, pressing his Hannibalan crest into her palm. "Long live the Queen."
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And then she woke. She was in her bed, her arms were wrapped up, and Rogal was asleep on the floor, pale as a ghost and huddled into his cloak, still in his clothes from the ball. Her blood still stained the floor near her vanity. She'd been out all night, and it was just dawn now. He'd come and save her though she'd destroyed him emotionally.

[Rose Swan]

Amelia immediately leapt out of bed and kneeled at Rogal's side. "Rogal... Wake up. I'm sorry. I didn't mean any of it. You have to wake up, please... I love you. I should have said it last night, and I didn't mean anything I said before I left. We have to get you help. Please..." she begged as she shook him. She would never forgive herself if he died here and now. Then she truly would have disobeyed her father and done it right this time. "Please, Rogal..." She truly was sick with worry.

[Taiylor Wallace]

Rogal lifted his head slowly, and she could see blood trickling down from his mouth, but he wasn't hurt. It was a deteriorating poison. He looked up, and his eyes slowly focused on her. She could see him shaking from the simple exertion to the point that he just let his head lay back down on the stone floor. He didn't say a word, but she could see he was trying. No sound would come. She could still see the emotional pain, though, in his eyes. He tried so hard to move and pick himself up, but he just couldn't.

[Rose Swan]

Amelia was starting to panic. She stood up and threw the door open "Get me a healer!" she screamed down the corridor, hoping someone would hear. But then she realized she couldn't rely on hope. She started running toward the main area of the castle. "I need a healer for my fiancé in my chambers immediately!!" she screamed again. Tears were falling down her face, and she had no idea what state he was in right now. She had no idea how he was poisoned to begin with. The tasters would have caught it, the champagne they had all drank.... Miranos was smiling after she had kissed Rogal. Was it her lipstick? No time to dwell on that. Miranos would have to wait. Rogal needed her.