As Hollow As A Mannequins Grin (Keveridge)

Epilogue: As Hollow As A Mannequins Grin

As the celebrations went on in the city of Grandomina, one man sat alone on a hill - not too far from the city's edge, glaring. No one knew that he was there - no one cared...and that's the way he wanted it. It meant that he and his followers could pass through the crowds of people and lay their plan out. He would get his revenge for how they'd treated him - and when he'd helped them.

The Cardinal.

They'd all assumed he'd been killed and those still loyal to him had carted him away for some kind of secret burial rather than him being put in an unmarked grave so even in death he would still be as humiliated as when he was killed.

His body had been twisted in so many different ways when his servants collected him... but nothing had been broken, they'd made sure of that. They'd caught him before he hit the ground, swooped in and carried his body away to repair and care for it, only now he was feeling better. He wanted his palace back.

"My lord..." a quiet voice came from behind him. He turned to come face to face with a tall man, a rifle armed over his grey waistcoat covered shoulder.

"Gilbecc... so glad you could join me," The Cardinal, turning his gaze back to the city.

Gilbecc's gaze lowered slightly so his eyes were no longer visible, hidden beneath the rim of his top hat, "I came as soon as I could, m'lord... The plans are all in place and are set to go off as soon as you're ready to attack."

"Excellent..." was the only response Gilbecc got, but then after a moment, "You've done exceedingly well. No one even knows about you as you moved behind the scenes of this entire operation - which means that they won't expect it even more." A grin appeared on his face as he thought about how this was all going to work - nothing would be able to stop him anymore, not the Prince or his little band of outcasts.

"I only look to please you sir..."

"Well, you most certainly have. And when the kingdom is ours again you will take your place by me, the only one that I can really trust any more is you. I don't know where anyone else's loyalty lies," the ending came out as more of a snarl than anything as The Cardinal thought about the traitorous scum back in the city grounds - they'd fought for him and the minute the stupid Prince was back, they'd fled and left him.

He watched as the celebrations grew more, spreading further over the city as people moved into pubs for the enormous amount of food that had been prepared for this event. 

"I should be down there..." he growled, catching Gilbecc's attention once again as he stepped up to be by his master's side. "They should be dancing and celebrating round me. The Prince should be dead and I SHOULD BE IN POWER!" He screamed the last part as he stood up, kicking at the ground in frustration.

"I'm sorry m'lord, but you'll have to be just that little bit more patient," Gilbecc stumbled over his words, taking a few steps back at his master's sudden outburst. It wasn't as though he wasn't used to these shouting matches The Cardinal had with himself - it was more to do with the fact that when they happened he usually ended up as his punching bag.

"I am tired of waiting! They get everything while we have to go and hide out in fucking caves and alcoves just so people won't try and kill us! No. I want Laurence dead."

"And he will be sir, soon... Everything's set and as soon as you say it's a go, then we do it," Gilbecc finished speaking and delivered a bow to The Cardinal. "My King... It will only take a little while longer - but soon Grandomina will be yours once again."

The Cardinal stared Gilbecc down until eventually he slowly backed away, keeping his head bowed. Somewhere inside of him he knew Gilbecc was right, even if he didn't want to admit it - it would take a little bit longer just to make sure everything went according to plan...until then he would have to live it just that little bit rougher than what he was used to and had come to expect.

But it would all be worth it to have The Prince's head on a platter.

He cast one last glance behind him, a smirk growing over his face, "See you soon, Princey."