Never After ((ON HOLD))

Help

I didn't stop until I returned to the palace— not Loramar, but the one I called home.

Or, rather, the one that would remain my home until word returned that its prince was murdered.

I needed to think. I needed to act. I needed to consider what Thespan would do to ensure justice was instilled and vengeance was wrought.

Therefore, the moment I returned home I reported the elf prince to the palace guard.

The first guard I was able to find was the same one who assisted Leopol in his deception towards me. Which would further assist me in my plans.

He only saw a pregnant, hysterical princess. He didn't see the woman who had traveled into an allied kingdom and, in a rage, killed her husband because the target of her anger used him as a shield.

"Someone help!" I shouted out as I stumbled towards him.

"Princess Sheralyn," he said as he rushed from his post. "We didn't know you had left."

"It's Leopol," I continued, ignoring the guard's inability to monitor the palace's inhabitants accordingly, especially when one of those inhabitants was their princess. "Leopol needs help!"

"What's happened to the prince?" he asked carefully, as if concerned his part in Leopol's lies would be discovered.

That was the least of my concern.

"Thespan," I gasped, and I immediately sensed the guard's hesitation at the mention of the elf prince's name.

"Thespan, my lady?" he asked.

At that, I prepared myself for the start of the greatest performance of my life.

I looked up at the guard with my tear-filled eyes, no longer able to discern which were real and which were exaggerated.

"It was Thespan," I informed him. "Thespan of Loramar has murdered Leopol!"