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Everything for Nicky. Alex approached the stone platform, which reminded him of a bed. That was, he supposed, fitting; after all, this was his final sleep. There was a brand new thick, padded, purple velvet drape with golden festoons draped like a tablecloth over the platform -- it was made in haste, especially for this occasion. He stood by the platform and waited for instructions. It was a moment before everyone in the processional had finished becoming situated in their appointed places. The audience was comprised of ordinary citizens in the upper mezzanine, and courtiers in the lower mezzanine, and the most important officials and guests in floor level seating.

The King stood, and moved forward to a podium. Alex thought it odd that there was a podium, but didn't dwell on the fact. He began to realize he was noticing lots of little things that he'd not noticed before. He briefly wondered if this sharpening of one's senses was part of the proverbial making peace with yourself before you died before discarding the idea.

"My people, we are here to conclude a ritual. It was begun not that long ago, but it was unfinished." There was much murmuring at this statement. The Prince's failure was widely known and the crowd believed tradition must be upheld. Tradition kept everything running, smoothly, safely, and comfortably. Nothing tended to keep people happy like the routines to which they had become accustomed.

"Before we begin, we have some announcements that are directly relevant to this circumstance. This has been difficult for us, because no parent wishes to see his child die. Our child, my child," said the King, emphasizing the fact he had dropped the royal personage, "the Prince is headstrong and defiant, much like his father."

The courtiers in the crowd began murmuring quietly because this was clearly going somewhere, somewhere unusual. Nothing pleased courtiers more than a scandal and this veritably reeked of one. Above them, the citizenry listened with rapt attention, being unconcerned with scandals and protocol, but loving a good drama.

"There have been developments -- the presence of Alex, for one. This young man, who, in short order, will be dead by one method or another, has done deeds more noble than all but our most estimable citizens. We are not at liberty to go into detail, nor do we have the time." The King looked around for dramatic effect. He was known to be an effective orator.

"I, King Vonamoor, hereby grant Alexander Maitland full citizenship in our world, and as such, we allow Alex to die with dignity and honour. Guards, release his chains." This command caused an uproar. Alex realized this was another huge honour.

The Exarch knew that it wouldn't do to have the King raise his voice to control the crowd so he stepped in, as he had oft times before and shouted, "Silence! Silence for His Majesty. Be still!" he commanded. The crowd grew still quickly in response to his command. The Exarch was respected, but more significantly, he was feared.

The King looked a bit angry at the Exarch's interruption, but held his tongue. "Alex, you may lie down now. Citizens, this rare honour is granted him because he deserves it. You will accept that if we command it, but we are pleased that you have accepted it of your own volition." Alex lay down, and remembering his instructions, he popped the second pill into his mouth, masking the motion by pretending to wipe his face with his hand.

Alex bit into the pill, and felt the liquid flow out. It was bitter and he had to struggle to keep from gagging on it. He knew he couldn't show any sign he was doing anything out of the ordinary. He used his saliva to help swallow the remainder of the pill's casing, knowing he'd be unable to spit it out without being noticed.

By now, Alex thought panic would have set in but he was oddly at peace. He was pretty sure the first pill he had taken was a major contributor to his calm demeanour. The scent of sandalwood incense masked everything else. Alex felt oddly detached like this was happening to someone else.

"Prince Nikolai, please rise." Nicky rose and Alex could see Nicky wasn't himself. Nicky was alert, but his eyes were glazed over, as if he were in a trance. Only someone standing near Nicky would have noticed he was very obviously drugged.

"My son, Alex has given you the opportunity to finish what you have started because of his respect for our people and our traditions. Do you wish to do this?" Nicky trembled.

It was obvious to everyone, and especially to Alex, that Nicky was at war with himself. Alex knew this was unusual because Nicky should have been drugged enough so there shouldn't be any hesitation. Everyone else just thought it was a difficult decision that Nicky was dealing with. Alex glanced and saw Nigel with a look of extreme concern on his face, which was bathed in rivulets of sweat. Unquestionably, their efforts to drug Nicky did not go as well as expected. Finally, Nicky spoke, his voice showing nothing and sounding not at all like it normally would, "Yes, Father, I will do this."

The King smiled in relief, "Very well. Guards, please gently restrain Alex to prevent any unseemly accidents." Alex was confused that he had been released and now was being fettered again. He supposed it was so he wouldn't thrash around. The guards used some silken ropes and tied Alex down tightly to nearby posts, but not uncomfortably so. Alex didn't consider that the four posts on the corners of this table may have been used many times before.

"In honour of Alex and at his specific request, we have agreed to let Nicky use a gun, the weapon of choice up top, for this deed. So we have procured one for him." The King paused and showed the gun for dramatic effect. While guns were not permitted in the kingdom, their existence was common knowledge. There was a murmuring from the crowd at this unusual weapon being allowed. Very few people in this world had ever seen a gun and those who had, had only seen them in a museum or in photographs. None present had every seen or heard a gun actually fire.

The King resumed, "Alex has agreed to do this willingly, a feat, we might add, most of you would not undertake. How many of you would die willingly for your principles? Ask yourselves that. We say here and now that could this sentence be undone, we would undo it. This boy, no, this man deserves to live, but alas, it cannot be so."

The King handed Nicky the gun, "There are three bullets in here. Let us hope you do this task quickly and painlessly. Go! Do this deed, though evil it has become. May your aim be true."

The Exarch began a chant and the crowd joined in. It reminded Alex of a Gregorian chant. He knew his time was running out. Everything for Nicky.

With Nigel a pace behind, Nicky came closer and stopped about three feet away, standing on a small stone block. Nicky was visibly trembling. Alex wanted to speak to Nicky, to tell him something, anything, but he knew he wasn't supposed to speak. He fought with himself, but knew he could ruin everything by deviating from the carefully designed plan. Now was not the time to ruin it with Nicky's life on the line. Alex realized he was getting very sleepy, and struggled to stay awake, to see what was happening. The drugs Nigel had given him were beginning to overcome him. Oddly, he didn't feel sick, just tired.

Nicky aimed the gun at Alex. Alex looked at Nicky trying to focus through the drug induced haze, vowing to die with Nicky's face emblazoned on his mind. Nicky began shaking harder. Undoubtedly, some part of Nicky was fighting this. Nigel whispered something to Nicky, and Alex heard the first shot. Everything for Nicky. Everything. Immediately after the shot, he felt a sharp pain accompanied by a small, localised explosion. He wasn't sure if it was Nicky's shot or one of the packets exploding, nor did it matter. Had he looked away from Nicky, he'd have seen a bright red spot seeping through his clothing. The last clear images of Nicky came to his eyes as sleep overtook him. Alex thought that Nicky had mouthed the words, "I love you" as he pulled the trigger.

The crowd reacted with a thunderous gasp as the blood exploded. They had heard guns were destructive and violent, but the imagery they were seeing was too much for them to grasp. Many with weaker constitutions turned away in revulsion.

Although two more shots rang out, Alex did not hear them because he was gone from the conscious world. Following each shot, he'd have seen a bright red spot of blood growing in another place. By the third shot, there were copious amounts of blood seeping through his clothing, soaking into the velvet drape. The dark colour prevented the blood from showing on the padding, but the white rope began turning red.

After the final shot, Prince Nikolai broke down and began to cry, sobbing on Alex's unmoving body. Nobody could have known that the Prince's grief had broken the drug's hold over him. Although that was unusual, what was even more unusual was the reaction of the King. Indeed, the King had tears on his face, and that was unheard of. The weight of the solemn scene before them kept the crowd from becoming unruly as they normally might have at the scandalous behaviour.

A litter was brought to remove the body. Four guards came forward to carry it, but the King himself stopped them. "No! Nigel and I will do this deed. This is not a happy day nor a happy time. We have done what is required, what is the law, what is proper, what is tradition," almost spitting the last word. "But, we have not done what is right!" His voice cracked with anger and pain.

King Vonamoor and Nigel gently took the limp and blood-soaked body of Alex Maitland and set it upon the litter. The entire crowd was astonished, since the King simply did not do manual labour, yet before their eyes he was affording someone the unique honour of being borne by Vonamoor himself. The King's own hand moved gently down Alex's face seemingly looking for something. He turned to his son, "Come, Nikolai, follow us."

Nicky was grief-stricken, but he followed because he still wanted to be with Alex. He couldn't believe what he had done. He didn't understand. He didn't remember most of it. This was all so wrong. He was ripping apart inside and he wanted to die. Perhaps that wouldn't be a bad idea. Death. Yes. Had Nigel not retrieved the gun, he'd have gladly used it on himself at that very moment.

The King and Nigel lifted the litter and began a slow processional out the King's private entrance. The Exarch and some guards moved to follow him out but, with a fierce glance, the King bade them to leave him be. "This is a private moment to honour a hero to our people; a hero to me." His emphasis on the word me indicated to all exactly how important it was. The public rebuke from the King would haunt the Exarch until the end of his life.

Together, the King and Nigel proceeded through his private entrance and back towards the processional route which they followed in lock-step most of the way back. Although they did not pass many people because most were still at the ceremony, the ones they passed nodded in respect, not only to the King but to Alex. It wasn't long before they approached the King's chambers, and the guards at the doors stepped aside, opening the doors as they did.

In the King's private chambers, the litter with Alex's body was put gently down. Nigel immediately went to shut the doors, making sure the guards stayed outside. "His Majesty does not wish to be interrupted. Wait outside and let no one in until the King commands it."

As soon as the doors were shut, Nicky immediately went to put his arms around the body, but as he tried to do so, his father grabbed his arm, preventing him from doing so.

"Son, come here. We need to talk. Now!" commanded the King.

Nicky looked up at his father, then back at Alex, torn. It was obvious Alex was in no immediate danger. How much worse off could you be than dead? He decided to at least listen to his father. "What?" asked Nicky, insolence and rage beginning to show in his voice as his head continued to clear from the lingering after-effects of the drugs.

"First, you will cease your insolent attitude. Although it's understandable, it is unwarranted. I am your father and I am the King," said the King, and in a softer, but still firm voice, "You should apologize."

"And you should drop dead! What the hell did you do to me? How did you make me do that?" demanded Nicky. The King turned red with burgeoning rage.

Nigel interrupted to prevent a disaster. "Sire, I may be out of place, but the Prince's anger is justified, especially based on what he knows. He is entitled to an explanation."

"Yes, Nigel, you are correct in assuming you are out of place. Very out of place," said the King dangerously. His voice softened, "But, you are also correct." Had anyone else dared interrupt the King at that moment, he would have them executed without a second thought.

"Nicky, Alex came to me and said there was only one way out of this, and that was for you to kill him. He said you'd never kill him willingly. He provided this plan because he wanted to save you. So, with the help of Nigel we implemented Alex's plan. The tea with your elevenses had a few drugs in it. It didn't knock you out, it just made you very weak, compliant, and open to suggestion. You were instructed to answer a few questions with predetermined answers, and then perform one action."

"There's no way you could have made me kill him. I just know I couldn't have done it. I don't believe it."

"Well, that is partly true. You can't be made to do something that you normally wouldn't do. But we made you believe that you were shooting at the deadly snake crawling on him."

"But there wasn't one, was there?"

"No, but you believed there was; that's what the drugs were for. That's why Nigel whispered a trigger word in your ear. The drugs were very powerful. Not only did they contain drugs to bend your will, they contained extremely powerful hallucinogens. Even then we didn't know if you'd do it. You struggled greatly because your bond with Alex was very strong."

"I've never used a gun in my life. I probably couldn't have hit him, especially while I was drugged. It's just as likely I'd have shot the Exarch by accident instead. How did I manage to do so much damage?"

"Well, this is where it gets more complex."

"In order to make sure everyone thought Alex died, we decided to put packets of cow's blood on his body. Then, if you missed, we could kill him later. Remember, the only way to save you was to kill Alex. This way, everyone would still think you killed him. Besides, it wasn't likely you'd miss on all three shots. You were far too close -- we made sure of that."

"I don't believe you! How did you make the packets explode? Magic?"

"No, it was a wireless electric discharge. There was a transmitter hidden inside the gun's sight, so each time you shot, it blew a packet open."

"Gods, this is too much. Make the pain stop. I want to die! I really do. "

"Nicky. Please. Don't say that. If you want to kill yourself, I can't stop you. But, before you decide, I have one last thing to tell you," stated the King. Nicky didn't notice this was not how a parent would react to such a proclamation.

"What?" inquired Nicky, barely audibly. Looking around, he could see the story was true. All the facts added up. It was the sort of plan his father would like: preserving the family honour, the Kingdom's honour, the old traditions, and doing the right thing even if it wasn't really the right thing.

Nicky decided that he would kill himself -- he didn't want to live in this world. Not without Alex. Tears again came to his eyes, but he didn't break down.