The Fiddler (Hand in Hand Chronicles)

Chapter 9 - "good night, sweet prince"

We spend a fine holiday in Wales, in Grosmont castle. Maud's half brother, Hugh, a too clever for his own good boy, and his wife Eleanor, come with their young children. I'm against talking to people as a rule. But Hugh is deceitful enough to be amusing and not a bad chess player. And my children adore the company and playmates so I don't deprive them of that. I watch their games vigilantly as ever. But my daughter has her mother's temper it would seem, Blanche is bold and quick witted, easily getting along with the other children and not at all shy, and is rather quick with her toy swords. Tommy is protective of her which is sweet.
Emmy and Harry are both learning to walk and talk. They are the same size, and act as twins, with Emmy being the older, bold one, temperamental and fierce, and Harry is like his mother, gentle natured and observant. He's not afraid of anything, but he's happy to sit in his mother's lap for hours while she reads aloud to him.
And though we did not need another child and we were generally attempting to avoid it, Maud is pregnant by Easter. She again tells me just after Lent ends, though unlike with Blanche she's far enough along to be certain. Conceived at some point after Advent likely around the holiday.
"We did an excellent job not having another, good on us," I say, kissing her.
Maud laughs, "Meant to happen I suppose."
"Yeah you've been feeling all right eh?" I ask, rubbing her back.
"Nothing like Harry, poor boy," she laughs, looking down at her sagging belly, "No it's fine I just knew I felt different."
"Good those surgeons were laughing at us there."
"They definitely were yeah," she says.
Blanche and Tommy have lessons, now, music, reading, English and Latin, and mathematics. The babies are too small yet, but we're set to have three under the age five, it will only get more chaotic in the Lancaster household. Children, the pets that come with them, and a fair amount of chaos are surprisingly soothing to me. I keep my office down the hall from the nursery and school room so I can hear my children's laughter as they go about their day. Maud does her own paperwork, then supervises them, or comes and sits with me. It's a good life. This next child is due before fall, and thus far it's been an easy pregnancy. We joke that perhaps only Harry is that contrary. It's a joke because he's not. He's an easy baby and rarely cries.
Then tragedy strikes. The ferret dies.
I'm traditionally stoic about this, the children naturally weep they're children.
"You loved the ferret didn't you papa?" Blanche asks.
"Of course I did. Don't mind me I didn't cry when my mother died," I assure her.
And that's how I find out I forgot to tell my wife my mother died.
"Your mother's dead?" Maud is no longer crying about the ferret.
"Yes? Not long after I last saw her that was her final trip to England. She'd settled her own affairs," I say.
"THAT WAS TEN YEARS AGO!"
"I guess I never thought about it when I was around you?" I shrug helplessly, "Back to the ferret."
We have a funeral for the bloody ferret. I think Maud is worried about me but she's carrying our fourth child so I see her mentally decide not to worry about the revelation that I forgot to inform her of my mother's death. It's not that big of a deal. Also I feel like I did bring it up at some point or use the past tense. She may have been sleeping or throwing up or something but I think I did mention it in passing.
Anyway we have a funeral for the bloody ferret. I liked the thing it was a pleasant little pet and children adored it. I'll have to replace it with another pet maybe some house dogs. I'm not going to London but I can write and order a pet. Edward's probably sad I'll offer to pay for one for him too. I'm planning that and the pets for the children. I think attack dogs. Like, I think that would be good I have two girls already probably a third on the way we should have some purely attack dogs going. The ferret did get into the nursery a lot to cuddle up with the babies but it can't we didn't want it in their cradles and you can't have cats in the nursery they can smother a baby, steal the breath so the old tales go, so while I'd get Maud a cat she's currently pregnant we'll have babies for a while, so yes better stick with dogs. I really think I can make Edward get me some dogs if I offer to let him get one too when I order them.
We bury the ferret in the yard, I play the fiddle. The kids cry it's dramatic. Maud holds Harry and  Blanche holds Emmy while I play a funeral song. Okay I tell them it's a funeral song, I'm making it up in honor of the ferret which is dead therefore it's a funeral song.
"I'll miss Ghost," Blanche sniffles. They called it Ghost, Maud named it that because it was white I suppose.
"So will I. You know your father got me that ferret the year we had you," Maud says, "But, he had a very good life with us."
"Was that about me or the ferret?" I quip.
Maud pushes my shoulder. I'm carrying Emmy she's still got Harry on one hip. Emmy has to play with everything and is fiddling with the stays on my tunic. Harry is just so happy that kid loves being carried specifically by his mama, and is leaning on her contentedly.
"Come on, why don't we make that cross for him? The stewards said I could have the wood?" Tommy offers, holding out a hand to Blanche.
"Okay," she says, wiping away the last of her tears.
"Be careful," I call after them.
"What are you going to get her to cheer her up, a lion?" Maud asks.
"No," I say, like I don't spoil the kids, "I was thinking dogs. Those two run about, and these two are going to start running away from us, nothing like some dogs to run after them and scare away predators, like bears, or people."
"Oh that's a good idea actually," she says, "Yes let's do that. The hunting dogs aren't bad."
"No but pups of their own, would occupy them," I say, "Plus get some breeding ones that way this pair, well trio god willing, will have some to chase after them as well."
"Good idea," Maud nods, looking down at Harry who is laying his head aimiably on her chest.
"No that one may not ever leave his mama's skirts," I say, amused, "Anyway, today could have gone worse. Suppose losing the pet is educational. In its own way."
"Death is a part of life, and it is a good lesson—speaking of learning to take things as they come and not freaking out—,"
"Oh my god is that people by the gate? Here give me the baby you get inside I'll follow we're not here—," I say.
"I think it's my brother, not yours," Maud says, craning her neck to look.
"Oh. Well your brother's all right I'll go see what he wants."
"Henry he can come in," Maud says.
I look at her.
"Henry."
"Fine, but he can't tell anyone we're here I told everyone we were at Leicester I'm not involved in anything anymore," I say.
It is her brother, Hugh, with only a couple of men. His face is grim.
"I'm out of the game, remember?" I ask, when we get close enough.
"Gaveston's dead," he says.
"Come in," I sigh.
We hand off the babies to the nurses and conduct him to the parlor. Hugh has no reaction to his obviously pregnant elder sister, we've told no one of the coming child so he can't have known but he's uncharacteristically shaken, not even embracing us. He's armed as well I don't make him take it off.
"I'm assuming you're not at my door because he died of natural causes?" I ask, dryly.
"How much do you know?" Hugh asks.
"From when I walked out of Parliament, Thomas made it clear I'm out of the game. Fine. I don't want it," I say, standing behind Maud's chair.
"Gaveston went to France, per the exile. He was willing completely to go, moved his money to Italy, that manner of thing. Richmond had me prepared to help him as need be, we were going to charter a ship to take him and the girls there," Hugh says.
"That was the plan," I say, "What happened? Edward?"
"Essentially. They had watchers on Maggie, she gave birth not long after new year. Little girl. Gaveston, being him, slipped back into the country to be present for the baby's birth, fully intending to leave again after mother and child were well," Hugh says.
"Of course he did," Maud sighs.
"I'd do the same in his position, most—well we would," I say.
"Quite," Hugh nods. He's married to Maggie's older sister, another one of my cousins, Eleanor, they have a couple of daughters by now, they're young but he's a good father and yes like most of us tries to be around for the child's birth.
"All right I don't blame him, how'd they catch him?" I ask.
"They didn't. When he was back Edward revoked the exile by royal command, and announced he was staying," Hugh sighs.
"Motherfucker," I breath.
"Shit," Maud says. I take her hand.
"I assume this is the bit of the story where my brother becomes involved?" I ask.
"Yes of course it is. Thomas was naturally thrilled. It gave him license to hunt Gaveston so he did. Edward fled with him, then Gaveston wound up hiding in Scarborough with his sister. Edward went back to Windsor I assume there was a falling out of sorts or maybe Edward was stupid enough to believe they'd not do what they did. Anyway. They captured Gaveston there, Gaveston, to his credit I understand, was still trying to play it, signed an agreement to go with them and be under house arrest in his wife's custody. Well Warwick's men seized him. I road as hard as I could, I and my few men, we didn't make it in time. We suspected they'd take him to Warwick castle they did. Thomas was yes the leader of it," he says.
"What happened?" I ask.
"They killed him," he looks at his sister.
"Go on, how?" Maud asks, tears on her face, "I want to know."
"They left his body by the side of the road," Hugh says.
"How did he die?" I ask, hearing something like grief in my own voice.
"They ran him through—he was in poor shape they'd taken his shoes looked like made him walk barefoot for some of it. Pretty decently beaten, nose broken. They ran him through, by the marks in the earth he wasn't going to his knees so they did that. Then cut off his head," Hugh says, still looking at his sister.
"Damn it," I sigh.
"Poor man," Maud says, hand over her belly, protectively. I slide an arm around her shoulders.
"I didn't find him. Monks did. They took his body back, now," Hugh says.
"Idiot," I breath, "And why may I ask weren't you and your good wife acting in your capacity as Edward's brain?"
"He wouldn't listen. You know him. He was sure royal priviledge would prevail. Despite our warnings for the last three years or so he didn't think they'd kill an innocent man, well now they have, and Gaveston paid the price," he sighs, "Henry, Gaveston was excommunicated, when he died."
"What?" Maud asks.
He nods.
"Is that—can some bishop just do that? That's what they said I—," he says.
"Edward can get it overruled by the Pope, if he hasn't already we remind him of it, we can bury him that's the main thing, when's the funeral? We're not going obviously but," I nod to my pregnant wife.
"I have no idea. He's made no plans for burial. Not doing well is an understatement. Isabela's pregnant as well, she's upset too. She was fleeing with them and she liked Gaveston as much as any of us," Hugh says, "Things are bad."
"Then frankly why are you here? I can't go to court I'd not be admitted my brother's the murderer. This could have been a letter," I say.
"Because I need your help. Your brother's made an orphan of two small girls. A five year old and a barely five month old child who now don't have their father. Maggie's seventeen trying to protect them both. Most of the money is is in her name but we've seen all the good legality will do. And I have no idea of Aimee's location since Scarborough I fear the worst," he says.
"You need to go," Maud says, tugging my arm.
"I don't know what I personally can do," I say.
"Please. Henry, come help me if not for Gaveston's sake for the sake of his daughters, you'd want someone to do the same if it were your girls," he says.
"I'm fine, go," Maud says.
"Where are they now?" I ask.
"The girls are in London Edward had them brought."
"Great, disguises, I'm going to go tell the kids I'm going. Wait here," I say, standing up.
"Go," Maud nods.
I bid the children farewell and explain I'm going to London to help a cousin. Tommy and Blanche both ask to come.
"Your cousin Edward isn't good at managing his own life just now so it's safer you stay," I explain, nicely, "Another trip perhaps if he gets better at it."
"Our cousin the king?" Blanche confirms.
"That's the one."
I get my disguise and bid Maud farewell, promising to return as quickly as possible. Then Hugh and I depart. We decide our safest way into London is in disguise as common merchants, I can't show my face, with my crooked neck and red hair I'm terribly recognizable. And so I pull up a hood and keep my head down.
Maggie's in a house of hers in London, Hugh left her there, under guard and with his wife. I haven't seen my cousin in some time and after my brother's actions I am shocked for her to fly directly to my arms.
"You were always good," she says, when she sees my startled face.
"I'm terribly sorry," I say.
"Richmond wrote to me, I know you did what you could," she says, tears in her eyes. She's only a child, "I'm begging you both to help me. Edward's taking my daughter."
"What?" Hugh asks.
"He's next of kin," I sigh.
"That is my child," Maggie says, anger burning in her face, "He's sending her to a priory."
"Let me look at the papers I'll see what we can do," I say.
We can do nothing.
A few hours of reading later, I'm in a study surrounded by documents, Hugh and Eleanor are reading too. Maggie is pacing and holding her baby.
"Gaveston put the house in my name, that was always the plan," Maggie says.
"And you're under age of majority, which is twenty one. Your daughter is not and never was in your custody—despite—the obvious, she was your husband's. Her wardship passes immediately to the next male relative. Gaveston had none and so that is your next male relative Edward," I sigh.
"That's ridiculous."
"I am aware. In my case were I to die my children's wardship would pass to my brother. For excessively obvious reasons I have it written that all my property and the children's wardships go to my wife, their mother, and if she too is deceased then to HER next male relative which incidentally is him," I point at Hugh, "And that at age fifteen my son is considered next male relative. Most people don't bother to do that. In general it's not really worth it. And let's face it Gaveston would have put her into Edward's care unaware he'd go mad. But the long and short of it is she is not yours legally, Edward is by all rights her sole parent."
"Then I'll buy the wardship," Maggie says, "That's done isn't it?"
"If it's for sale," Hugh says.
"Correct. If Edward were being reasonable we wouldn't be having this conversation," I say.
"He can't lock her up in a priory," Maggie kisses her baby's head. The little girl looks around at us, with wide green eyes. Damn does she look like her father.
"In theory he's doing it to keep her safe," I say.
"Her father was dragged from a priory and murdered. Safe is in my arms," Maggie says.
"I agree however, I'm telling you legally there is not a lot you can do," I say.
"I can run," she says.
"If you do that, and he catches you, he'll never let you see that little girl again," I say, heavily, "He's not going to give her up that easily. Not when she's all he has left of her father. He's selfish."
"You can't run, with an infant. You yes I'd smuggle you to France if you liked, we know that child wouldn't survive the journey," Hugh says.
"My advice? Play along. You can protest a bit, tread on his guilt, weep that you miss your child. Go visit her often. But cause no problems. Edward's moldable. He will at least allow the visits and if we're lucky he may let you take her out when he knows you're not going to run off," I say.
"He's right," High says, gently.
"I'll work on him too, insist she could stay in my nursery," Eleanor puts in. She has her youngest asleep in her arms, "For whatever reason we basically live at Windsor anyway."
"Precisely, he's been known to listen to me. At worst I can intercept reports of how often you're seeing her," Hugh says.
Tears stream down Maggie's face as she looks at her little girl, "He wouldn't want this. I know what you all think. We were happy for this child. He loved his daughter."
"I don't think things. Where's the other one? The illegitimate girl and her mother are they here?" I ask.
"Oh funny story," Hugh says, humorlessly.
"They're at Windsor," Eleanor says.
"Isabela said that we could all come, she's pregnant so she said, keep the little ones in the nursery and Alice—that's the mother—could be a nurse," Maggie explains, "That offer was open to me as well."
"Yes I'm there, I'm helping them set up the nursery for the new prince or princess," Eleanor says.
"But he said I could go to my properties if I want but he's putting Joanie in the priory, which makes no sense if it's safe enough for his own child to be there why can't mine be?" Maggie asks.
"Right as is the normal thing. God forbid Edward be expected to function at normal levels," I say, rubbing my face. It's very typical for a prince or princess to have other children, nobles usually, but not always, imported as it were to grow up with them as playmates and school mates. Richmond was with Edward and his older brother who died, to an extent I got imported to play with Edward. We have Tommy with our children. It isn't unusual for this to be from the cradle, even staff children some of Edward's staff they're the children of old staff who were nursed and reared alongside him. Ergo it's entirely normal for I guess Alice and her little one to be in the palace, the girl can help rock future babies and be a lady of any princesses, easy. It's why I was going to take Thomas' bastard daughters if the babies had been girls, raise them with my girl it's what you do.
"We thought that was going to happen. Like I said I'm setting up the royal nursery 'cause he doesn't know how to do it," Eleanor says. Usually the father, such as me, orders the nursery staff and things since the mother is busy being pregnant. That said if he's a first time father young and/or clueless a female relatives advice is enlisted, he's put her on it that's at least the work outsourced. And Eleanor has her own she has contacts and old wetnurses and the like to lend.
"I thought that was going to happen? It only makes sense and I brought this up, it was ignored, who has to say we say that's Gaveston's kid? Yes it looks like him we all know that we know well what he looked like. By the time she's walking let alone leaving the nursery? Nobody will be the wiser say it's his sister's bastard or something at best nobody looks for daughters, nobody looks for infants, Maggie stays and cuddles her baby all she likes we all know, but we causally say Joan died, easy, done," Hugh says. It's not important right now but he and his lies are a danger to himself and others. But he's currently right.
"Yes I'm fine with that. And if he doesn't want us about fine, I'll live on my own, or with them, or I'll leave England I have friends in Ireland," Maggie says, "Or if he wants us close I'm more than happy to change her name and claim she is his bastard or some one else's."
"All this was brought up, I take it?" I ask.
"Yes, multiple times, why separate the child from all of us who actually care about it?" Eleanor asks.
"He didn't listen," Hugh says.
"God forbid Edward be expected to use basic critical thinking," I say, rubbing my sore neck, "All right. You've done all the right moves we've come with nothing. My plan is best. Go along, bit weepy go visit her they enable, at a last resort you do always have me and my wife, cousins and sisters in law, you can always visit her help with a new baby."
"You're having a new baby?" Eleanor and Maggie asks, surprisingly nicely under the circumstances.
"Yes, thank you—plan is, wait a couple of years let Edward's remnant of reasoning get through his grief and we broach the subject again tactfully, ideally someone rich like me offers to buy her wardship wanting a playmate for my girls, or Hugh does, or you remarry and you and your husband try to buy it he's not probably going to want to sell it though. He is very poor. But God forbid Edward make a rational decision," I say, leaning back in the chair, "Where is Aimee? If you don't want to tell me that's fine but we've not heard from her and she and my wife were in communication."
"I don't know," Maggie says, "She left us in York, she was going to see his body, and claim it for burial so Alice and I didn't have to leave the girls. I haven't seen her since she never came back."
"Okay, completely related I'm going to visit my brother," I say, standing up.
"You don't think he'd hurt her?" Hugh asks.
"He gutted the man by the side of the road, I fucking lived with him. There's nothing I don't think he'd do," I say.
"Okay then you do that do you want Hugh to come?" Eleanor asks.
"No," I shake my head, "Maggie, final move, worst case, he cuts off contact with you and the baby you think something is going on, he's moving her, someone else comes to see her, you tell me and them, and we find you a kid that looks like that one and we swap them. Almost no chance it'll work but it will buy us time to save her life if necessary. It's not likely to work I don't want to do it but I will. Richmond will help as well if you can't get to us."
"Thank you," Maggie nods, holding her child tightly.  She's about to lose it. I can't imagine having one of my own stripped from me. But I push those thoughts aside. I am doing my best for her.
"Are you sure you don't want one of us to come?" Eleanor asks.
"No, he's my brother. I can handle him," I say.
I hope I'm right. But an innocent woman's life is at stake. And I owe Gaveston at least that. Well. I don't owe it to him. I owe it to me. It's the right thing to do. And I'm the only man who can do it. I can play him. Or I wouldn't still be alive.
Thomas' preferred manor is Pontefract. I expect to find him there. But I meet him on the road to it.
"Well look who wants back in the game," Thomas says, laughing, "Look what you missed."
"You think I'd be proud of your carnage? You wasted five moves. What have you accomplished?" I ask.
"England is mine, or near it. Edward has almost no power," he says.
"He has all the power. Because he's got nothing left to lose why are you giving this away?" I ask.
"I'm the one in control of over half of England. Not you little brother," he laughs.
"But you want me or I'd be dead by now," I say.
He says nothing. We're nearly to Pontefract's gate. It says something about Thomas that his men are having no reaction to this conversation.
"You have a son now," he says.
"And you don't."
"I do," he likes his bastards.
"They're bastards. Your heir is me, and my son," I say, coolly, "My wife is with child maybe another boy. You can't build a dynasty not on your own. And what happens when Edward revolts?"
"He has no army," he says.
"What if he had mine?" I ask.
"You don't like him. He's an idiot. Useless at best he'd lead you to ruin."
"You quit making him your puppet. Maybe I'd enjoy it if he were mine," I purr. We're at the main gate. He waves and they let him in.
"What is it you want?" He asks.
"You need the rest of Lancaster on your side. I've grown bored. I want back in the game. And I can make my own if you won't let me in. Let me help you," I say, dismounting. We've reached the drive.
"You have to prove your worth, prove to me this isn't a game."
"Wouldn't you prefer it if it was? Oh no you don't like playing just tormenting your subject. That's not a real game there's no intellect," I say.
"What is yours?" Thomas asks.
"France. Scotland. Whatever you pick. Give me one," I plead. Oh he's almost there.
"Prove you'll follow my moves, not your own," he says.
"How?" I ask.
"Kill. You never get your hands dirty."
That I don't.
"Well you killed Gaveston, which was the prize," I say. He'd forgive me for this if he knew it was to save his sister, "And Maggie and the child are out of reach. Did you kill his sister yet?"
"You'd kill a woman?" He laughs.
"Watch me. Or don't —you don't like blood do you Tom?" He doesn't.
"Never caught the bitch. Don't know how you plan on it," he scoffs.
Oh thank god.
"Really? Never? You've no idea where she went?" I ask.
"What you think I'll give you a head start? But no. She got out of Scarborough. Pembroke, the idiot, didn't take her too," he scoffs, as we walk into the main hall. "Come, my Tom is going to Southampton to make sure Edward's got no intention of fleeing. You can go with him."
"Aren't they going to be in bed?" I ask, following him up a set of stairs. The castle is mostly quiet this time of night but a serving woman pushes past us, smacking Thomas' shoulder with hers. He laughs and doesn't turn. I glance back. The woman is tucking her hands into her dress, looks like covered in blood? Someone giving birth or just her time or another girl's and they were cleaning up? Either way good reason to be annoyed with him.
"Now that I'm back they're going to be up. Christ it's good you have a boy; girls were making you soft," he says, "The whores will be up too, as you can see, do you want one?"
"Yes my wife will thank you," I'm going out a fucking window.
"Come and have a drink first then," he says, leading me into a parlor. I genuinely expect that he's going to attack me that's about where we're at. I am busy preparing for that, moving away and generally getting a blade in my hand, when Thomas gives a strangled cry.
On the sofa in the middle of the room, sit his two bastard sons. Their throats are slit, eyes staring open. Blood all down them and draining onto the floor.
I move automatically to the younger boy, hand over the wound. He's no longer warm, the blood has stopped flowing. But his body isn't cold. And that fire in the hearth isn't two hours old.
Thomas shakes the other boy, not the proper way to handle the situation, but his face is twisted with rage, and nearly grief? No, just rage. Something of his was taken.
"Thomas," I say, voice shaking.
He looks up.
There's a parchment on the table. Written by a finger, in no doubt the boys on blood is:
FOR PIERS
I know laughter's not the appropriate response but damn, girl. I have no doubt it was the work of his sister.
I walk over, turning the paper.
I WILL BE WATCHING YOU.
YOU WILL NEVER CATCH ME.
Again. I know laughter's not the appropriate response. I do know that.
"Are you—laughing?" Thomas looks up, he's still holding the body of his oldest boy.
"You reap just what you sow. I thought you'd enjoy it. This is the game you invented," I laugh.
Thomas lunges for me. I draw a dagger and hold it out. I'm faster with a blade than he is. He knows it.
"Your game. Your rules. Blood for blood. Brothers for a brother. Isn't this what you wanted? Or did you think the rules would be different for you?" I ask, laughing. I don't laugh at the boys' death, but hell they're better off without him as their father.
"Brother for—you think the girl did it?" He asks.
I nod, "I warned you didn't I? Never take away what someone can't afford to lose. You took her brother. Now she's claimed your sons."
"I'll kill her," he says.
"How? Read the note Tom, 'you will never catch me' you won't catch her now. Do you know what the woman looks like? I haven't seen her in years I don't. What was the color of her eyes? She's a commoner she could be anyone. Anywhere. You don't even know what name she'll use where she'll go. Anytime you take a tavern wench. Anytime you turn your back in a crowded room. She'll be there. If only in your head. Because she has nothing better to do than to haunt you for the rest of your days. A phantom. Of your own invention."
"You never came here to join me," he breaths, looking down at the blood on his hands. Are there, tears in his eyes.
"Very good! Oh did you make the mistake of caring? Oh darling, what an awful choice that was when you chose to spill innocent blood. Sleep at night with your own son's souls on your conscience. They'd live if he did," I laugh, walking to the door.
"I will hunt you."
"Good luck. Lancaster will support me. You're already stalked by one ghost. You want two? I'll ruin your fucking life. You know I can. It's only what you taught me," I say.
"What makes you think you can win against me?" Thomas growls.
"You do," I laugh, "You're terrible. You think you're clever and it'll kill you one day. You were saying about having your sons?"
He lunges for me. I take a neat step backward blade extended.
"Come on now. Come on. Give me exactly what I want. Give me everything I ever wanted. And let me kill you, I could blame it on her. You know how easy that would be? You think you can win, come fight me," I laugh.
He stares at me. And he knows he'd lose.
"Get out," he growls, "If I ever see you again, not only you are dead, but your son is. And your precious girls raped. I'll see to it. I'll have your wife myself."
"Go on with your threats of murder and violence, Tom, look just where it's got you. You're on a throne of your own design built on the bones of murdered children. Enjoy it. You have what you wanted. I know how to be evil because of you. I taunt you in your grief because you destroyed me. You think I don't know you're the one who did this to my neck?" I ask.
He snaps his head up. Oh, he didn't know that.
"You have everything you wanted. By your own design. Your game. You play bloody games you win bloody prizes. Enjoy your world Thomas," I say, walking out the door. I hear him throw something. But he does not follow me. As I walk down the hall I hear quiet sobs. So perhaps he did love those boys. His mistake.