#constantine rys

A few evenings later, what would have been a polo match in Portavira was canceled, and instead, a small, intimate memorial took place for Penelope near the water. The forecast for the day perfectly matched the melancholy atmosphere, as storm clouds rolled in and painted the sky in dark hues of blue and gray, the crisp breeze causing the temperatures to drop well below average. 

The nobility mourned alongside the family, but whispers of what happened and why spread like wildfire. An official announcement about her death was released, but the details were incredibly vague; they wanted to withhold that information until they had someone to hold accountable. Emmaline and Landon cooperated with Ray, who worked around the clock to find some kind of suspect or a clue to lead them to one.

Liam was confident Ray would promptly produce an answer. Olivia helped him scour the crime scene from top to bottom, but little clues remained. However, Penelope’s note had fingerprints on it and her body showed prominent signs of a physical altercation, all of which pointed to her trying to fight back. The coroner extracted DNA from underneath her fingernails and found bruising and discoloration on her forearms and shoulders. He concluded this case was a homicide, which didn’t come as a surprise to anyone. 

Every ounce of evidence was sent off for further analysis, and everyone anxiously awaited the results. The cross reference in the national security database would surely produce a name to match those fingerprints, and they hoped it would put them one step closer to unraveling the chaotic web around them. Ray looked at the surveillance system but found someone deleted the footage from the camera positioned outside of Penelope’s room for a certain period — no doubt when whoever took her life was inside. 

They had a time frame, which was at least a start, but that was the only thing they knew.

Ray did as asked and backtracked to look into Rhonda’s demise. Liam was correct in his assumption that most of the damning evidence was long gone, but they confirmed the legitimacy of the second report they found; Bastien’s fingerprints were indeed on the murder weapon. Although they remained unsure of where the brutality initially took place, Bastien would face charges of homicide — and more — as the story unfolded, and Liam intended to serve him multiple platters of cold, hard justice. He was being monitored at a local hospital under a continuous watch from three heavily armed guards and medical professionals. 

Liam told the guards if Bastien miraculously disappeared, they would face charges of aiding a dangerous criminal, even going as far as threatening to make them stand trial for treason. He didn’t use the term hate lightly, but he hated Bastien and was determined to make him stand before God and everyone to take accountability for what he’d done. His doctors had no choice but to put him into a medically induced coma while they tried to stabilize internal bleeding from Liam’s relentless assault, but when he woke, he would get moved to a permanent cell. 

They still knew who held that kind of control over Bastien, and that was Constantine. Liam avoided him at all costs in the short time since that revelation. He wanted to question him and knew he needed to, but he honestly didn’t know how he could remain calm and keep his head level, and this wasn’t something he could send Olivia to do; he needed to hear it, straight from the horse’s mouth. However, he genuinely didn’t want to hurt the man who gave him life, but if it came out that he harmed or acted against Riley, his body might react without a second thought and he knew that would not be pretty. Perhaps he should have kept his cool with Bastien to get more information, but he didn’t regret taking out some of his aggressions; if anything, it was a release he didn’t realize he needed. 

Since Ray was now officially investigating the homicides, Olivia took over the search for Riley and Tariq. She wasn’t as skilled as Ray in tracking missing persons but had some basic knowledge. Her results were the same as his — there were no traces of either. She contacted the airport and requested security footage for the date and time Bastien specified, but unfortunately for them, he told the truth when he said he dropped her off in a blind spot; the SUV wasn’t on camera and Riley was nowhere to be seen.

She watched the footage from every angle until the sun broke out and illuminated a nearly empty parking lot, but never saw a single sign of anyone relevant. 

They dissected the file ‘Operation Ghost’ from top to bottom for every detail. It held no other useful information, but enough to charge Bastien with murder and prove Riley did not disgracefully leave with another suitor. Technically, it was enough to clear her name, but it did nothing to ensure her safety or help them locate her. Her phone also received a thorough examination but uncovered nothing of importance.

Liam knew he could not wait any longer because time was of the essence, and they needed answers; he had to corner Constantine and demand an explanation. It crossed his mind more than once that his father could know something, but he shook it off, concluding there was no way Constantine would do something of that nature. In retrospect, he was the reigning monarch at the time of the incident; something of this magnitude couldn’t have gone completely undetected, especially if Bastien was involved. The thought alone shredded his fragile heart, but he pieced it back together with bandaids and pushed forward. 

Liam’s mental state was fluctuant, at best. He felt unending guilt for allowing all of this madness to happen, and that pit doubled in size with every passing hour. If he had been more attentive and alert from the beginning, none of this would be happening. Innocent lives were taken all too soon from a path of unrestrained fury, and he truly felt like that blood lay on his hands. Not to mention Riley’s heinous assault rested heavily on his conscience, creating wave after wave of remorse mixed in with soul-consuming rage. His out-of-body experience continued to taunt him; her screams and those vile chortles flowed through his mind on an insistent loop, taunting him with shreds of the truth, but he still couldn't put a face to that man's voice. And now, he had the added stress that she suspected he ordered her assault. He hoped she wouldn’t believe the lie, but without seeing her, he automatically jumped to the worst-case scenarios all the way around. 

They decided Liam and Leo would quietly pull Constantine aside and question him after the memorial concluded. There were only a few events left of the engagement tour, and now the wedding had much more at stake than only the future of the monarchy. It wasn’t a hunch they had confirmation for, but they just knew if they didn’t locate Riley before it was time for Liam to say I do, something drastic would happen. 

During the ceremony, Liam’s heart broke for the shattered remnants of a mourning family, but he couldn’t help but feel they were on the verge of a breakthrough. If his father was involved, this couldn’t climb the social ladder any higher, meaning Constantine could hold all the answers he desperately sought. He kept telling himself he would control his emotions regardless of what his father said, but everyone knew that was a lie, especially given his unfiltered and raw reactions as of late. Leo expected a knock-down, drag-out between Liam and their father, but he would stand beside his brother through hell and high water when it came down to it. 

As the service winded down, Liam made a bee-line for Constantine, who was deep in conversation with Godfrey and Adelaide, with Leo hot on his heels. He made it to the group and plastered on the politest smile he could muster, ignoring a glare from the duke. “Excuse me, but I need to speak with my father.” 

Constantine waved him off, barely even glancing in his direction. “Not now, son. I’m in the middle of a discussion.” 

Liam forcefully clenched his jaw and swallowed down the ball of rage forming in his throat. “I insist on speaking with you. It is urgent.” His eyes pleaded, but he didn’t make it too noticeable; just enough for Constantine to read because the last thing he wanted was to alert Godfrey and Adelaide. It took every ounce of willpower he had not to get irate and start screaming right then and there, but he was determined not to lose his head — at least until after his father answered some questions.

Constantine’s irritation rose, but he paused and observed Liam and within a second, his resolve weakened. For the first time in weeks, he truly took in his son and what he saw left him speechless; his sunken and darkened eyes with large bags underneath, his slouched posture, and he spotted Liam fidget with his hands, even though he tried to hide it. He knew Liam spent a few hours at the hospital recently, but since he was released so quickly, he assumed it was a farce, or someone being overprotective of the monarch. However, at that moment, he started to question his well-being.

Leo stood beside him, but wouldn’t look up to meet any of their gazes. Constantine heard he was around somewhere, but hadn’t seen him until the beginning of the ceremony. That wasn’t unusual, as Leo typically avoided his father like the plague, but he consistently interacted with Regina when he visited, and even she hadn’t mentioned him. His body language seemed nervous compared to the usual cocky demeanor Leo always wore, as he continuously bounced in place and mindlessly trapped his fingers against his thigh, raising multiple red flags.

Constantine had never seen his sons in such a way; the tension within them was palpable, making it impossible to ignore. 

He casually finished the rest of his wine, doing his best not to raise suspicion of their distress to the current audience. “Alright, boys, you have my attention.” He politely waved toward the lingering duke and duchess, before following Liam and Leo away from the crowd.

Liam silently led them down the beach, away from the surrounding commotion. While they walked, he racked his brain, trying to figure out the best way to approach this. When he ascended the throne, he never imagined it would lead him here — questioning the man he put on a pedestal his entire life about his one true love's disappearance. 

His heart pounded so hard in his chest that he was sure it would jump out at any moment, and the bites of finger foods he consumed tumbled in his stomach, threatening to reemerge. Every step crunched in the sand, the sounds echoing in the deafening silence. The ocean lapped against nearby rocks, but was the farthest thing from calming, white noise; every violent crash amplified the tension, the air nearly crackling from the combined stress and the distant lightning. 

They reached a small enclosure away from the gathered nobility and sat inside. As they did, Constantine quickly asked, “What’s going on? Are you alright, Liam? Were you in the hospital?” 

“I was, but that’s not important right now… ‘’ Liam trailed off, his voice soft; a stark contrast to the swell of emotions in his head. He remained silent momentarily before murmuring, “I need to ask you about something…”

“Alright, well, what is it?”

“Before I begin, will you promise to be honest with me? I — I’m begging you.” Liam pleaded, but wouldn't meet his father's curious gaze. His hands trembled violently, leaving him with no choice but to clasp them tightly in his lap. 

Constantine furrowed his brow. “I shall do my best, son, but what’s this pertaining? What’s the matter?” 

Liam glanced at Leo, his distress shining brightly, and his brother gave him a reassuring nod in return. He wanted so badly to believe his father was innocent, but deep down, he knew he wasn’t, and the thought alone made him fearful; he wasn’t sure he could stop the wrath that may ensue once the confession left his mouth, but he needed to hear it, regardless. 

With a deep, shaky breath, Liam began. “I think you know something about what happened with Riley. We know she didn’t leave with Tariq and the photos were fake. We found her things in Applewood with evidence to suggest she suffered an attack. Bastien has been working to cover it up and is responsible for that maid’s death — possibly Penelope’s too — to ensure this stays hidden. He confessed and told us you ordered him to engage… I don’t want to believe it, but I think he told the truth…” 

He sat forward but kept his vision cast downward, dread hitting the pit of his stomach like an anvil. “I need to know where she is. I don’t care about everything else, aside from the murders. Just — tell me where Riley is.”  

Constantine’s jaw dropped further and further the longer Liam spoke. Leo observed with a critical eye, but his father’s confusion only intensified throughout the story. Constantine was good at a stoic facade, but he was no actor and Leo knew all his little tells — he was genuinely shocked. However, there was guilt in his eyes; when Liam mentioned the scandal, Leo saw the flash in his gaze, but otherwise, he only showed bewilderment. 

“Liam… I —” Constantine started before he forcefully coughed, but quickly cleared his throat and tried again. “I admit to knowing of the scandal and her relocating back to New York, but I know nothing about the rest.” 

Liam’s vision turned crimson, but he squeezed his hands into fists and used every speck of restraint to deny the urge to act on his intrusive thoughts. “How? Bastien has been working to cover it up this entire time! I didn’t tell him to do that — you did, didn’t you?” 

“I — I did, son.” He stopped to take a steadying breath. “I told Bastien to bury the tracks, but I only approved the scandal and her returning to the States.” 

“You approved the scandal?” He repeated, his brows nearly touching his hairline. “What does that even mean?” 

“That’s correct —” Constantine admitted with his head held high. “But I assure you, I did not partake in any of these other things, nor did I know they were happening.” He sighed heavily when Liam and Leo merely stared at him, disbelief etched on their features. “Son, I knew how you felt about her — it was clear. If given the chance, you would have selected her as your queen, but I couldn’t let that happen…” 

“Why?” Liam demanded, his tone sharp and harsh. 

Constantine’s shoulders slumped, an air of melancholy clouding his expression. “I was afraid, Liam. Look at me — I’m withering faster than an apple rotting in the summer sun. I needed to do everything in my power to ensure you had a stable, capable queen to rule beside you.” 

Liam shook his head, the rosy hues in his complexion brightening with every sullen breath. His willpower teetered, hanging on by less than a thread. “Riley would have made an excellent queen. She thrived during the social season! She may not have been born royal, but she fit right in! Everyone accepted her! The people loved her!” 

“She was inexperienced, Liam.” 

“She could have learned everything she needed to know,” Liam bit out, his patience dwindling rapidly. Leo noticed and shifted in his seat, praying with everything in him that he wasn’t about to go postal.

“Inexperience equals weakness. I was protecting you.”

“Don’t give me that bullshit.” Liam scoffed. 

“Liam, believe it or not, I only did it to protect you—” 

“So you made me turn my back on her to protect me? She’s in fucking danger because of you! I ignored her because you shoved this down my goddamn throat!” Liam yelled, not caring who heard.

Constantine winced at his volume but calmly responded, “I didn’t know she was in danger. Bastien told me—” 

“I don’t believe you. I can’t believe you.” Tears blurred his vision as his entire world came crashing down. He felt a fool for giving him the benefit of the doubt, but that was a mistake he wasn’t willing to make more than once. 

“Son—” 

“No, you — you’re not my father, not anymore. You threw my mother in my face so much, but look at you! What you’ve become would disgust her!” Liam seethed. “I should banish you right now for lying and betraying your own flesh and blood. Do I mean anything to you?!”

“You mean everything to me, son.” Constantine held his hands up in surrender but remained calm as a cucumber. “And I understand your anger, but I need you to listen to me for a moment—” 

“Fuck. You.” Liam growled. He got into Constantine’s personal space quick as lightning and grabbed the front of his shirt, yanking him to his feet. “I hope you rot in hell, you spineless piece of shit.” 

Liam balled the fabric in his hands and bore his eyes into Constantine, who merely let it happen, but he didn’t recognize his son; Liam was nowhere to be seen, and he couldn’t pinpoint exactly what this monster before him was. He’d never seen him so worked up, but knew he needed to calm him down so he could plead his case. 

Leo approached and rubbed Liam’s shoulder, gently pulling him from his enraged trance. “Li, man —” He gave him a sad smile as Liam faced him. He understood his brother’s fury over the situation, but Constantine hadn’t even started talking. Until they got useful information from him, he had to keep his cool — for Riley. His eyes pleaded with him, but he breathed a sigh of relief when Liam’s features softened as if he got the silent message loud and clear. 

Liam turned back to his father and held his intent gaze for a long moment before he pushed him away with a firm shove. The former monarch stumbled, but quickly regained his footing. 

Constantine straightened his jacket and sat back down while avoiding the judgemental glares from his sons. He took a deep, shaky breath before he softly started. “Do you remember what happened to your mother? Did you want something similar to happen to Lady Riley?”

“Look around!” Liam bellowed, his face red as a ruby. “It is happening, and you fucking did it!” 

Constantine sighed. “I told you, I knew of the scandal and her departure — nothing else. I ordered Bastien to send her back to New York so you both could start over.” 

“She never returned to New York!” Liam and Leo yelled in unison. 

Constantine furrowed his brow. “... Pardon?” 

“Bastien told us he left her for dead in a parking lot after Penelope drugged her, with a plane ticket, but she never went inside!” Liam hastily explained. “She didn’t board, and Bastien told us he later received all her forms of identification in a sealed envelope. We have no fucking clue where she’s at!” 

Constantine’s mouth fell ajar. “Bastien told you this?” 

“Yes! Are you really trying to sit there and tell me you didn’t know any of this?!” 

Constantine remained silent for a long moment, gathering his thoughts, but both Liam and Leo noticed his anger escalating; neither was aware his elevating state caused his already labored breaths to shallow themselves further. His chest tightened and a strange discomfort erupted and traveled the length of his spine, but he shook it off as best as he could, and focused on the need to prove his innocence.

But Constantine was having trouble keeping his composure because he realized he'd been played and lied to — that was abundantly clear. Someone took matters into their own hands and ignored a direct order, and he was unwilling to take the blame for that. Bastien was at their disposal but even he disobeyed his wishes. 

They went rogue. 

As he took in the deadly determination staring back at him in Liam’s eyes, he realized it was time to come clean. Whatever happened that night did not go according to plan; not his plan, anyway. 

“Liam — let me tell you what I know because I did not wish for any of those things to happen. As a matter of fact, I strictly forbid them…” 

Lythikos, during the Winter Ball

Constantine retired to the king’s suite much earlier than normal. Usually, he would keep Regina on the dancefloor until both of their feet ached, but he just didn’t have the energy. He insisted she stay at the gathering, as it was still fairly early in the night and one of them needed to be in attendance, but he couldn’t withstand another minute. He was exhausted and found his lung capacity was nowhere near what it should have been; no doubt from his recent cancer diagnosis. 

Since Liam’s social season was in full swing, he knew he needed to step down and let him take the position of reigning monarch. He and Regina made the difficult decision together, after hearing his condition was fatal. However, Constantine realized in doing so, he would dump a world of responsibility on Liam’s shoulders, and he remained uncertain if he could handle the pressure so soon after taking on a role that was never meant for him. 

Regardless, the suitors all proved themselves capable in one form or another; some more than others. He hoped Liam would make the best decision for Cordonia when the time came, but knew his heart already belonged to a specific candidate. He wanted to forbid Liam from picking her but realized he would ultimately follow his heart. And, at one point, Constantine defied his father and married Eleanor; to speak ill of their hypothetical union would make him a hypocrite, and he knew that. He tried to convince his son to be reasonable and view the situation from a governance perspective, but Liam couldn’t see anything past his puppy love.

Just as Constantine was about to begin his nighttime routine, a sharp knock echoed throughout the room. He furrowed his brow, as everyone knew not to bother him after he retired for the night unless it was an emergency. He hastily dashed to the door and swung it open to find a familiar face on the other side. 

“Your Majesty.” 

“Hello…” Constantine answered unsurely. “It’s been a while…” 

“I’ve kept myself rather busy these days.” Constantine’s face contorted, but before he could press, they continued. “Respectfully, I’m in a bit of a pinch for time.” His company heartedly chuckled. “Do you mind if I come in? I have a proposition for you. One where we both get something we want…” 

Constantine eyed his visitor for a moment, but ultimately let them inside as his curiosity got the better of him. He ushered them to the seats situated around the fireplace and took one across from his guest, a thick silence filling the air. “What is this proposition you speak of?” 

His companion took a short moment to collect themself but soon began with utmost certainty. “It’s clear who your son intends to choose at the end of this… Lady Riley.” 

Constantine noticed the hint of distaste in their tone. “Yes, I believe that as well…” 

“And you’ve done nothing to stop it? You and I both know Madeleine is the one who rightfully belongs on the throne.” 

“Really?” Constantine challenged. “I’m not sure I understand why—” 

“She is a commoner, sir — nothing good will come from that for anyone.”

“I agree with you to an extent, but what am I supposed to do?” Constantine shrugged. “I’ve tried speaking with Liam about it, but he’s not listening.” 

“He’s thinking with the wrong head.” 

“I concur, but again, how am I supposed to remedy this situation? It’s not like I can send her home before he has the chance to choose her!” 

“Perhaps you can.” 

His visitor smiled, and Constantine had never seen such a chilling sight. “Pardon?” 

“I have a plan… We set her up.” 

Constantine’s interest rose. “… How so?” 

“We get her alone, send someone to her room, and have a photographer waiting to capture a scandalizing scenario… I’m not sure where just yet, but we can dispose and erase all traces of her after.” 

“Dispose?” Constantine shook his head when his comrade nodded, completely stunned by the suggestion. “No, we will not be doing that.” 

His guest winced. “Perhaps not dispose, but only ensure she leaves and can never return.” 

“And how do you suggest we do that?” 

“We detain her somewhere — perhaps use the tun—” 

“No.” Constantine sternly interrupted. “I will not allow you to do such things to her. Staging a scandal I could agree with, but I will not let you imprison her simply because of her origins.” He scratched his chin, deep in thought. “Perhaps a ticket back to New York would suffice, instead.”

“We can’t just send her back to New York! She will surely find her way back, or Liam will—” 

“If Liam is heartbroken, he will let his duty guide him; that’s the only way he will leave her behind.” Constantine returned but kept his vision locked on the floor. 

“We can’t simply rely on breaking his heart!”

“I know my son — he’s emotionally driven. If he’s devastated, he’ll keep going…” Constantine admitted in a low voice. He felt guilty about even entertaining the idea; to manipulate his son and the situation, knowing how he felt about Riley, but the past would always be there to haunt him and he couldn’t let it go, no matter how hard he tried. 

“... So, you’re agreeing to the scandal?” 

Lady Riley’s presence was pleasantly surprising and she had undeniable chemistry with Liam. In another universe, he would eagerly support their relationship. However, the throne was not to be taken lightly; it was a dangerous position that would put not only her but Liam at risk as well. He’d already lived through one assassination attempt and buried his mother after her demise, yet he still entertained the idea of letting a commoner rule beside him. He didn’t understand this weakness could bring Cordonia crumbling to the ground, taking his heart and man-hood down with it.  

Constantine briefly thought back to the torturous months after Eleanor’s death — how heartbroken and hopeless he felt. Those were the darkest times of his life, and he truly didn’t know how Cordonia wasn't brought to its knees then. He wanted to protect Liam from experiencing that type of pain at all costs. A harmless scandal and sending Riley back to New York was a decent option; he would ensure Liam continued for the greater good of Cordonia and, eventually, she would become a distant memory. 

His country and his son would be safe, and Constantine could rest in peace, knowing he did everything to protect what was important to him. 

However, he didn’t know if he could genuinely trust the person before him. The solutions they suggested were extreme, and he did not wish for those to come to fruition. On the other hand, he recognized his time left dwindled rapidly, and as it was, he physically could not make any plan come to fruition and he couldn’t step away at such a crucial moment either. He needed to ensure the transition from monarch to monarch went smoothly, especially after Leo's sudden abdication.   

There was no other choice than to take a chance and hope for the best. 

“Will you be present during the operation?” Constantine questioned with a curious eye.

“Yes, sir. I will make sure everything goes according to plan and they’re removed from the premises after.” The response came immediately, with not even a single second of hesitation.

“They? Who’s the other?”

“Lord Tariq — he’s the perfect candidate. He’s naïve enough to go along but still noble. The goal is to photograph them in a compromising position.” 

“Compromising how?” 

“That will depend on how the situation flows, I suppose, but something to disgrace her and make your son and the nation believe she left to be with Tariq. We’ll find a media outlet or something to leak the story and soon, her name will leave a bitter taste in everyone’s mouths — including Liam.” 

“And how will we enlist this photographer? We can’t do it ourselves — it’s too risky.”

“I'll request the aid of Lady Penelope.” 

Constantine’s brows rose. “And you expect she will agree? What will you offer in return?”

“Don’t worry about her,” His guest smirked. “I have my ways, sir… She will comply with the request willingly.”

After a moment of deep consideration, Constantine slowly nodded. “I can agree to this, but perhaps we should let her finish out the season to avoid raising suspicion.”

His visitor tensed. “Respectfully, I don’t see that as a viable option. If someone has the chance to get to her, they may convince her to stay. It has to happen before the end of the social season — at a random moment, without notice.”

Constantine stared off into the fireplace as he pondered that statement, but ultimately knew it was true. He could admit Riley was kind, funny, and incredibly smart, but those features couldn’t grant her the specific birthright she needed. He couldn’t let it happen; it wouldn’t end well for anyone involved, especially Liam and Riley. 

This had to happen. 

“I suppose you’re correct.” Constantine finally agreed with a heavy sigh. 

“She has to leave beforehand. It’s the only way we can make it work.”

Constantine bowed his head, overcome with a rush of various emotions, as their plan snapped itself into place. “... Alright, I’ll allow you to oversee the operation.”

“Marvelous!” His company grinned. “Perhaps you have a few guards to spare? Just to ensure everything runs smoothly… Maybe — Bastien?” 

“Alright — you have Bastien at your disposal to assist in whatever you may need and he will report to you, but he is to be in charge of Lady Riley’s departure at the end of the night.”

“As you wish, my liege… Just to clarify, you’re putting me in charge of this operation?” 

“I — am.” Constantine reluctantly agreed, but quickly added, “Do not make me regret it… Now, what of Tariq?” 

“I'll handle him. You and Bastien deal with the commoner.” 

“Okay, but neither of them is to be harmed in any of this, and I shall tell Bastien the same — do you understand?” He eyed his visitor critically, searching for any signs of ill intent, but found none.  

“I do, sir.” His guest snickered, a small notion the monarch didn’t notice. 

Constantine mindlessly nodded, sufficed by the answer. “This needs to happen fast — perhaps in Applewood, as it’s an older estate and it’ll be easier to have all of this go unnoticed.” 

“I agree.” 

Constantine inspected the person across from him once more, causing his cohort to shift in their seat. “Remember what I said — neither of them is to be injured, only removed — that is an order. And you had better make this quick and quiet — nothing that’s going to end up causing more harm than good.” 

“Understood, Sir… Now, what can we do about Duchess Olivia?”

“I ordered Bastien to ensure she went back to New York — safely, and he told me he did. I pushed the scandal on you because I assumed the plan came to pass as instructed. It wasn’t until this conversation that I realized they played me.” 

Liam couldn’t believe what he’d heard. It hurt him in a way he didn’t know was possible, to know his father acted against the woman he loved in such a way, even if he says his intentions were pure. Plus, the manipulation he suffered at the hands of the person who should’ve shielded him from the animosity shredded the frail remnants of their relationship. He felt the tear within his chest, as that father-son bond crumbled into a million pieces. He truly didn’t know who the man sitting across from him was, and couldn’t conclude if he could trust his confession. Constantine looked genuine, almost remorseful, as he spoke, but he knew his father could shift and mold himself to adjust to any situation.

That’s what snakes do best. 

“I don’t believe you,” Liam suddenly declared, breaking the tense stillness. 

Constantine’s shoulders sank. “Liam, I —” 

“No!” Liam shouted as he shot up from his seat to tower over his father. “You’re lying and I demand to know the truth!” 

“Look at me, Liam!” Constantine breathlessly pleaded. “What do I have to gain from lying at this point?! I’m dying! I never wished for harm to come to her — I only wanted to remove her from the situation—” 

Liam sardonically laughed. “Yeah, well they fucking did, alright!” 

“Liam, I apologize. I trusted the wrong person and—” 

“Me too — me too.” Liam shook his head, tears of rage burning his eyes. “How could you?” 

“Son —” 

“YOU LET THEM HURT HER!” Liam wailed, not caring if anyone could hear their altercation. 

“I didn’t! I specifically told them not to!” 

“But yet — you ordered Bastien to go along with it?” 

Constantine winced. “I did, but he never mentioned any of the additional things you speak of. I told him to cover up the scandal — nothing else. His job was simply to escort Riley to the airport and ensure it stayed quiet. Anything additional, he did under the supervision of someone who was not me.” 

“But you told him to clean it up?” Leo questioned. 

“Yes…” Constantine swallowed thickly, followed by a small coughing fit. He recovered quickly and continued, “But I didn’t know—” 

“Yeah, well, for once, Bastien understood the assignment — maybe even a little too well.” Leo retorted, completely blown away by Constantine’s admissions. He regained himself rather quickly, however, and a light bulb suddenly went off inside his head. “Have you ever heard the names Anton and Claudius before?” 

Liam froze, but centered his death glare on his father, watching for any waivers in his facade but  Constantine’s face only contorted, his confusion showcased brightly. “... Who?” 

Liam scoffed. “Keep lying and see what happens.” He laughed indignantly, his hands balled into fists at his sides. “I’m not playing these games. I want to know the truth, and I want to know now.”

“I am being truthful with you. Listen to me, Liam — I never should have gone along with it and I am so incredibly sorry,” Constantine pleaded, but as he finished, his lungs screamed for air. He inhaled deeply, searching for oxygen, and found just enough to continue. “I never should have agreed, but I was afraid, and I let that fear guide my decisions in the matter.” 

“I do not accept your apology! You–you’re a monster!” Liam yelled, his voice cracking on the last syllable as one lone tear traveled down his cheek. 

“I — I know, son…” Constantine hung his head. “I regret the things I’ve done, even more so now that I know Lady Riley is potentially in danger.” He hacked again, but then forcefully clenched his jaw. “I told him not to…” He grumbled to himself, which Liam nor Leo heard. 

His lungs burned with every shallow breath, and his pulse steadily rose, causing his hands to shake and turn clammy. He wanted to blame his sudden change in state on nerves for being caught, but realized it ran deeper than that; something was wrong. A tight sensation in his chest made him feel as if a weight sat on top, growing in pounds by the minute, and every breath seemed to do the opposite of what it should. His windpipe slowly narrowed, and the erratic thump of his heart was so forceful, that he felt it from the tips of his toes to his temples. 

Leo interjected himself. “You don’t know where she is? Or Tariq? Really?” 

Constantine didn’t answer but stared off into space with furrowed brows as he recalled conversations, while simultaneously trying to catch his breath and settle his elevating state. He and his conspirator spoke only a few times regarding the ordeal, but every time, they subtly asked for insignificant details regarding a specific location within a few of the duchies. He never thought much of it because the areas were abandoned, never used, and inaccessible; but it would be possible if someone knew where it was, and he’d practically given them a detailed road map to it. 

His eyes widened as he slowly turned to Liam and spoke just above a whisper. “The tunnels…”

“You mean that old wives’ tale about underground passageways?” Leo returned. 

“It’s not a tale, but very real,” Constantine replied, matter-of-factly. 

“And you think that’s where she is?”

“It's a huge possibility. If you go deep enough, the passageways lead to cells, almost like a hidden dungeon. Our ancestors used them as torture chambers when someone spoke out of line against the monarchy, but those accusations are mostly hearsay. He kept asking about it when we spoke, but I didn’t make the connection.” Constantine coughed again, trying his hardest to hide his rapidly deteriorating state. 

Liam’s heart rate involuntarily quickened, the light at the end closer than ever before. “The tunnels?” 

“Yes… If you believe Lady Riley is still in the country, I would almost guarantee that’s where she is if you haven’t found her by now.” Constantine answered through a wheeze, but neither Liam nor Leo noticed, as they processed this new information. 

“Where? Which estate?” 

“I’m not entirely sure which duchies still have one. A lot of the dukes and duchesses opted to have them filled with cement long ago to erase the remnants of what their ancestors used them for. All I know is they are only accessible through a hidden door, likely on the outside, but it won’t be easy to find without knowing what you’re looking for. It will take you underground, but the chambers will have concealed doors as well. I know for a fact the one at the palace remains open, but Portavira and Ramsford are closed.” 

“Why is the one at the palace still open?” Leo demanded. “And how do you know so much about this if you’re ‘innocent’?” He air quoted.

“My father’s father brought forth plans to fill it, but uprisings started and it got lost in the hands of time. As far as my knowledge of it, I was young and curious once as well. There is a book in the library that has a lot of useful information on it, and I know for a fact that it has not moved from its spot on the shelf.”

“How?”

“Maybe I knew in my subconscious that something wasn’t right, and I wanted to ensure it was there so I knew it wasn’t being used to gain access.” Constantine shrugged. “As long as it was there, I didn’t have to face the possibilities of what I allowed to happen, I suppose.” 

“Yeah? How’d that work out?” Leo rolled his eyes but centered his attention on Liam. “Applewood, maybe?”  

“Yeah… Yeah — that makes the most sense, right?” Liam responded, his mind racing a million miles an hour. Every muscle in his body shook as wave after wave of adrenaline rushed through him. “Perhaps I’ll send teams to all the duchies.” 

“Not a bad idea — knock ‘em all out at once, and we can’t leave any stone unturned. And I think we should check all of them, despite what he claims.” 

“I agree, boys,” Constantine hoarsely interjected. 

“Don’t even act like you helped us at all. You knew about all of this and never said a word to me about it! And you had Bastien fucking me around this entire time!” Liam bellowed. 

Constantine let out a slow breath and spoke in a low, quiet voice. “I understand you’re upset. However, I truly thought she safely returned to New York. Bastien mentioned none of these things to me, nor you. Granted, perhaps I should have stayed more on top of the situation. I was aware of the deaths, but you never told me there was foul play involved or that you suspected Bastien. If you had come to me sooner, I would have told you what I knew.” 

“Yeah, I bet you would have.” Liam huffed.  

“I would have, Liam. I never meant for this to happen — all I wanted was to ensure you and Cordonia would be safe after I’m gone. It was my duty as Cordonia’s king—” 

“No, it wasn’t! And you’re behind Olivia leaving too?” 

“She’s far too irrational to sit on the throne, Liam. I knew if you had her as an option, you would choose her.” Constantine’s face contorted as the knife in his chest suddenly twisted. He somehow pushed through it, but the pain only flourished, alternating between sharp, sudden jabs and a dull, throbbing ache. “You still tried to select her, but I assumed she would speak to you and not leave without saying a word.” He breathed, his face turning a bright shade of pink.

“I don’t understand something—” Leo spoke with furrowed brows. “Why was all Riley’s stuff in Applewood?” 

“I didn’t have any part of that. I was not interested in taking things from her — I only wanted her to leave.” He wheezed. Liam and Leo both continued to glare at him, but their fury and curiosity blinded them from seeing their father’s deteriorating state.

“One more,” Leo went on. “If you were behind the scandal, why’d you drop it during the coronation of all moments?” 

“That was the only hiccup in the ordeal that I knew of; the timing. I realized Liam would have an adverse reaction, but it was supposed to be released early enough to give him some time to let the general shock wear off.” Constantine rasped, and that’s when Leo finally took notice of his father’s struggles. Despite his sideways feelings, a surge of concern bolted through him. 

“Wow…” Liam spoke before Leo could address their father's state. He shook his head, tears of rage and devastation stinging the corners of his eyes. “You played me like a goddamn fiddle and I let it happen. You had everything planned out, down to my emotional needs.” He indignantly laughed, the sound sending waves of uncertainty through everyone. 

“I — I’m sorry, son. I regret what I’ve done, and I hope one day you’ll be able to forgive me for getting caught up in this—” 

“Don’t hold your fucking breath.” Liam snapped. 

“I’m willing to do whatever I can to help you find her, Liam.” Constantine held a shaky hand over his chest as the pain intensified, momentarily taking his breath away. Leo rose to his feet, torn between his brother's wrath and his father's struggles, but Liam continued before he concluded what to do.

“How can I trust you? You knew about all of this! I think you know much more than you’re leading on, too!” 

Constantine’s mind raced so fast, but he tried with all his might to fight off whatever was happening within his body. “I’ve told you all I know, son. I will gladly assist you in any way possible from here on out.” 

“You’re going to be lucky if you don’t wind up in the infirmary next to Bastien, or worse,” Liam snarled as he slowly rose from his seat. “Who?” 

“Pardon?” 

“Who was it? Who came to you that night in Lythikos?” Liam stalked toward him with his hands balled into fists at his sides, his steps loud and menacing. He didn’t even notice Constantine’s struggles — all he saw was the monster who destroyed his life and decimated everything he’d ever cared about. “This is your only chance to come clean because if I have to ask again, you won’t like how I get the answer.” He scowled. 

Constantine stumbled upright and took another ragged breath, but realized he was no longer getting any airflow. He coughed, but his hands flew to his neck after, helplessly clawing at his throat. He suddenly gasped for air and grabbed at the front of Liam’s shirt, his knees buckling under his body weight. His eyes were nearly black as the dilation swallowed his iris, but his sclera was tinted with a bright shade of pink.

“What the—” Liam started, but soon recognized the problem. Constantine’s complexion somehow went from a shade of red to white within an instant, his gasps becoming more panic-laced by the second. One moment they were face-to-face, but the fear Liam saw staring back at him momentarily took him aback; it wasn’t a terror rooted around being caught, but something much deeper. His body tensed, the hands securely holding onto his jacket turning white and shaking from the intensity of the seizing. Constantine choked on his saliva, struggling for air, but soon let out an anguished, blood-curdling cry.

The next instant, Constantine crumpled to the floor, his entire body going limp.

Before Liam or Leo could register what happened, the guard stationed close by was already on site. The man spoke into his earpiece and summoned medical professionals to their location, a frenzy of lights approaching in the distance nearly instantly. Constantine’s eyes were open but nobody was home, and before too long, the man had no choice but to start CPR. 

Liam could only stand, frozen in place, unable to focus on anything else. He wanted to look away so badly, but couldn’t gather the strength. He felt every push against his father’s chest as if it were his own, and his pulse soon matched the rhythm of the compressions. An overabundance of emotions filtered through him; betrayal, fear, anger, regret, and guilt. Constantine shredded their bond into a million pieces, and he couldn’t find it within him to be sad; he desperately wanted to feel any inkling of remorse that his father might have just taken his final breath right before him, but he wasn’t, and that made him question if he was a monster in disguise all along, too.

He fixated on the fact that Constantine knew who did this and, right now, he wasn’t sure he would get to hear that tale. His heart yearned for Riley, but every time he got even a drop of information, he only met an abrupt wall. He’d almost grown accustomed to having the tiny shrivels of hope dangled in his face and then yanked away, but this time, he couldn’t simply shake it off and pretend like they had the situation under control, because they didn’t.

The abyss of insanity Liam teetered for so long pulled itself dangerously closer. His father had aggressive, end-stage lung cancer, and something like this should come as no surprise. But — for his clock to stop ticking at that exact moment seemed too convenient and at some point, the term coincidence just couldn’t apply anymore. Any other time, he wouldn’t have questioned it, but he instantly fell into a pit of madness as he internally debated the facts.

He couldn’t decide if this was nature taking its course, or a different force pulling strings. 

He would tell her about himself and Jackson and she would understand, like Bianca had. He could be more freely himself, Jack could be a bigger part of his life. Everything was going to work out. He just had to get through his part of the press conference.

The peace accords had gone far better than expected and he was confident about the future. He shot a discreet glance at Jackson as he took his place at the podium and cleared his throat.

His parents and his wife were seated on the stage behind him, along with the heads of state of all the attendee nations. Rivala, Auvernall, Monterisso, and Vallenheim. All of them hereditary monarchies. All of them targets of the anti-monarchy terrorist group The Liberation Core.

“I’d like to start by thanking the Spanish government for hosting this summit,” Constantine turned his head to nod politely at the king of Spain. He smiled broadly as he opened his mouth to compliment the culture, the cuisine, and the hospitality they had been shown.

The words never made it to his lips.

Gunshots shattered the bright June morning. Screams erupted from the audience, from the stage, and from the security teams as people scattered and dove for cover.

The crowd that had gathered for the historic announcement descended into complete chaos as panicked people trampled each other in an effort to escape.

The government officials and their families that had been seated on the stage seconds before were being drug from the area by their security teams or already lying on the stage floor, bleeding.

Security team members stumbled and slid through the wetness that now covered the floor as multiple people lay dead or dying.

Seconds stretched out like an eternity as Constantine turned his head wildly trying to find the source of the gunfire. Before he could react, a body hit his full force, tackling him to the ground.

There was a loud ringing in his ears, the gunshots and the screaming sounded dim and far away as darkness clouded the edges of his vision. He blinked rapidly trying to clear his senses as every survival instinct he possessed screamed at him to stay conscious.

He turned his head to the left and felt bile rise in his throat. The king of Auvernall lay mere feet away from him, unseeing eyes fixed and empty, his queen next to him gasping for air as her lifeblood ran out of a gaping hole in her chest.

His eyes swept the stage in horror searching for his own parents. The ground was covered in blood. Bodies lay everywhere. He spotted Eleanor being pulled from the stage by the head of her security detail, hands clutching at her stomach as blood soaked the fabric of her dress.

“No!” The scream tore from his throat as he began to struggle to get free. He had to get to her, to all of them. Why couldn’t he move?

His attention shifted to the body that lay motionless on top of him. Time suddenly sped up again as he gazed up into the face of the man who had shoved him out of the line of fire. The man who wasn’t moving. The man who was bleeding out on top of him.

Hot, sticky blood covered them both, but Constantine wasn’t bleeding.  

“Jack! Jack!” Terror clawed at his insides, panic washing over him as tears and snot smeared his face, “Wake up! Wake up!”

Then he was being pulled off the stage by another member of the King’s Guard as he fought with every ounce of strength he possessed to get back to the man he loved.

Liam awoke after a restless night’s sleep, tentatively opening one eye to search the area. Constantine enjoyed messing with Liam any day of the year, but a few held special significance for mischief; April Fool’s Day and Halloween. Much to Liam’s dismay, the date was October 31st. 

He enjoyed the 'holiday'; the royal family spent a few hours where they stood atop the front steps of the palace passing out candy. It was a tradition Liam intended to start alone, but Constantine and Regina both liked the idea and wanted to engage. He didn’t dress up but still enjoyed seeing all the costumes the public wore. 

However, he never knew what the day could hold for him. He could handle most of it, but the part he didn’t enjoy was the jump scares; perhaps it was a bit of PTSD, but it made Liam’s soul vacate his body every single time. Constantine took this with a grain of salt; at least on those two days a year, Liam could expect nothing but chaos. 

With utmost caution, Liam sat up. He patted around the mattress to ensure there wasn’t something hidden in his sheets, but there wasn’t. He got up and made his way to the bathroom to relieve himself, and while he did, a brief flicker of relief shot through him; perhaps this year would be different, given the circumstances had changed. Last year Constantine wasn’t sick, but now he didn’t have nearly as much energy. Liam hoped that just this once — that would work to his advantage. 

Liam groggily made his way into the shower. He turned the water on with a yawn and closed his eyes as the soothing heat cascaded down his chest and legs. He submerged his head and ran his palms through his hair; when he opened his eyes to reach for his shampoo, he realized the water was — red. 

“WHAT THE FUCK?!” Liam shouted as he stumbled backward. His back slammed against the wall as he tried to get away. He scrambled out of the shower, leaving the water running behind him. 

When he made it out, Liam was in such a frenzy that he slipped; in a moment of desperation, he grabbed onto a shelf but ended up taking that tumbling down with him. 

A moment later, a frantic knock sounded on the bathroom door. “Sir? Are you alright?” Bastien hollered. 

Liam quickly reached for a towel to cover himself and answered, “NO! Get in here!” 

Bastien came barreling inside; his eyes widened as he saw Liam lying on the floor, surrounded by a pool of crimson liquid. He immediately rushed over and crouched beside him. “What happened? Was someone in here?”

“The shower!” 

“... Pardon?” 

Liam narrowed his eyes. “The fucking shower, Bastien!”

Bastien cautiously approached the glass door with one hand on his holstered weapon. He glanced inside and noticed the colored water coating the floor, but also noted the discoloration of the tub; Bastien knew immediately this substance was not blood. 

He reached in and turned the knobs off; as he did, a sweet aroma filled his senses — fruit punch. Bastien took a wild guess regarding what happened, and as he detached the shower head and popped it open, he realized he was correct. 

Bastien exited the shower, laughing to himself. Liam paced the area but grew irritated at Bastien’s lack of panic. “What did you find? Should we call an exorcist?”

Bastien chuckled. “No, sir. It’s not blood, I assure you.” He held the opened shower head to show Liam the inside. “It would appear as if someone packed this full of a red powder; if I had to take a guess, I would say it’s Kool-Aid.” 

“Kool-Aid?” Liam mimicked in disbelief. “... You’re joking.” 

Bastien nodded, trying to keep his composure as he scanned Liam’s appearance. “I’m afraid not, sir. And unfortunately — it stains.” He motioned to the mirror behind Liam. 

Liam turned around with furrowed brows, but his mouth fell open as he took in his appearance; his face and chest had a noticeable red tint, and his hair a pink hue. “Oh dear God…” 

“It’s not that bad, sir…” 

“What do you mean not that bad?” Liam mocked. “I look like a sick crab! What the hell am I going to do?! I’m supposed to be in a meeting in less than an hour!”

“Perhaps you could tell them it’s a sunburn?” 

Liam narrowed his eyes and let out a huff of air; judging from how his morning started, it was going to be a long day, indeed. 

Further in the afternoon, Constantine and Kyla were finishing the last touches on their concluding prank. Knowing that everything they did throughout the day was constructed for Liam, Kyla felt a sense of guilt. However, she didn’t have the heart to tell Constantine no; when his eyes lit up, she found it hard to resist his child-like elation. She only hoped Liam would forgive her, and appreciate that she kept things much more minimal than Constantine originally intended.

Constantine encouraged Kyla to dress up; the only requirement was that she couldn’t wear scrubs. She looked online and came across a cute Santa outfit and decided that would be her selection; complete with festive tights and black ankle boots, she was the holliest, jolliest person in Cordonia. 

Constantine opted for something more — unconventional for a former monarch. Since the opportunity presented itself, he wanted to be a cowboy; he wore jeans, a flannel shirt, the wide-brimmed hat, and carried a lasso. He’d never dressed up before, but considering this would be his last Halloween, he wanted to experience the full effect. 

“Perfect! Now, stay there and wait, boy,” Constantine ordered Trent. 

Trent gave Constantine an unsure expression. “Are you sure about this?”

“Is it your job to do as you’re told?” 

“Yes, but–” 

“No more malarky; you’re already in costume, and you will not waste all of Kyla’s hard work. Wait until Liam comes, then—” Constantine paused for dramatic effect. “—you know what to do.”

Trent gave a weak salute, nearly knocking his hat off. Constantine slowly drove his scooter away, Kyla strolling beside him.  “You did a marvelous job today, dear. I have to tell you, this stuff is much easier with you around.”

Kyla dipped into an exaggerated curtsy. “It’s my pleasure to serve.” 

Constantine howled with laughter. “I suppose we should give Liam his treat.” 

Kyla shuddered. “You’re seriously doing this?” 

“What? It’s not poison; he’ll be fine.” Constantine waved her off. “It’s funny, and if I can figure out how to work the camcorder on my cellular device, I intend to videotape everything to show Leo; maybe I’ll upload it on that clock webpage the kids use.” 

Kyla furrowed her brows. “... You mean — Tik-Tok?” 

“Yes! That’s the one! Come along, now; it’s time to begin our last operation of the day.” Given that this would likely be his last Halloween, Constantine wanted to go out with a bang. The dynamic duo concocted the perfect scheme to scare Liam’s socks off. Constantine handled the set-up, Kyla advising the punch-line; together they produced a glorious mix of pandemonium and humor — for Constantine, anyway. 

Constantine and Kyla made their way to Liam’s office with their — treat. Constantine knocked on the door with a smirk; as he did, he handed Kyla the box and whispered, “You should probably be the one to give him these. Tell him you made them yourself and make it believable.” 

Kyla’s eyes widened. “What?! Why me?!“ 

“He will know if it comes from me; you need to do it. Don’t worry! It’s Halloween — we’re exempt from punishment today.” 

“I don’t think that’s how that works–” Kyla was cut off as the door crept open. As it did, neither she nor Constantine could control the shrieks of laughter that escaped them at Liam’s appearance; the evidence of their opening prank shined brightly, contrasted to the natural hue of his skin they were used to. 

“Yeah, yeah,” Liam grumbled. “Laugh it up. Thanks to you, I’ve had three meetings looking like this today.” He spoke to his father. 

“I don’t know what you mean, son.” Constantine feigned innocence. 

Liam grasped Constantine’s hand, flipping it over to look at his palm and noted the tinges of discoloration. “So… you running around red-handed is just a coincidence?” 

Constantine pulled his hand away. “No, it’s a part of the costume; cow people work hard — these are farming hands.” 

“What about the fake mice in my fridge? Or the trash bag stuffed to look like a body? The clown stickers on my mirrors? Or the air horn under my chair?” Liam walked behind his desk and pushed down, a loud honk thundering through the room. 

“Okay, you caught me. But it’s Halloween, Liam.” Constantine gave Liam sad, pleading eyes. 

“You know the expression is trick or treat, not trick or trick–“ 

“I’m aware, William.” Constantine subtly slid his eyes over to Kyla. “If only someone had a treat for you…” 

Kyla realized that was her cue; she presented the box to Liam with the warmest smile she could force, praying he didn’t see her trembling hands. “Actually, I have something for you…” 

“You do?” Liam sought with an arched brow. 

“Yeah,” Kyla returned as she opened the container. “It’s chocolate — balls… I made them myself and even used white chocolate since you prefer vanilla…” 

Liam alternated his gaze between the offered delicacy and Kyla; he couldn’t decide if he could trust her or not at that moment. Any other day he would, hands down; today was different and as much as it pained him to admit, he knew Constantine couldn’t have pulled the day’s shenanigans off on his own. 

He slowly reached into the box and grasped a treat; he experimentally sniffed it first, noting the heavenly aroma invading his nostrils. As he took in Kyla’s innocent smile, Liam shrugged and popped it into his mouth; when he bit down, what he tasted was not sweet as expected, but disgusting. 

“Ugh,” Liam shuddered with a scrunched face. “Wha tha hec is tha?“ He got out as he tried his hardest not to jostle — whatever it was inside his mouth.  

Kyla gave him an apologetic expression. “It’s, uh…” 

“Chocolate-covered brussel sprouts!” Constantine proudly exclaimed as he held up his phone, centered on Liam. “I know how much you’ve always loved your veggies. Oh, and say hello to Leo, son.” 

Liam gagged; he lunged for the trash can and opened his mouth, the mangled ball rolling out with ease. He smacked his lips together, trying to rid himself of the awful taste, but it wouldn’t vacate. When he stood, he used his hands to scrape at his tongue, but that didn’t help either. In a moment of desperation he bolted to the bar cart, only to find it empty. He groaned, but by doing so elevated the horrible sensation. 

Liam rushed out of the room, intent on reaching a bathroom or somewhere with some water. As his thunderous steps made it around the corner, a presence suddenly jumped out at him. It cackled and grasped his arms, sending Liam into an instant state of panic; he only saw their green flesh, the large nose, and glowing red eyes. 

Liam leaned on his body’s natural reaction; with a high-pitched wail, his fist connected with the attacker’s throat, sending them tumbling backward. As the person hit the ground Liam stood over them glaring down, prepared to strike again; they waved one hand, the other cradling the spot of impact. 

“S-sir… Please–” Trent spat out through wheezes. 

“Trent?!” Liam gasped with wide eyes. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t—” The sound of Constantine’s laughter interrupted him. “Dad, this is not funny!”

“Oh, calm down. It’s just Trent; the boy could use some roughing up, anyway.” Constantine answered from behind his phone. 

“Put that down!” 

Constantine rolled his eyes but complied. “Fine; I suppose the good part is over, anyway.” 

Liam released a deep, steadying breath to keep his composure. It’s nearly over, he thought to himself. “Trent, go visit the physician and take the rest of the day off… And tomorrow.” He softly spoke as he helped him stand. Trent nodded, still cradling his jugular, but made his leave. 

An extended period of silence passed, but Constantine finally broke it. “Trick or treat?” Liam growled and opened his mouth to retort, but Constantine quickly added, “Not to put a fine point on it, but this will most likely be my last Halloween…” 

Liam sighed and his eyes softened; all day, he’d fixated on his worries for what was to come, but Constantine was right. He felt guilty for not embracing the day as he should have, instead of wishing the time away. 

Constantine noticed Liam’s expression shift and felt instant remorse. “I apologize, Liam, I didn’t mean to–” 

“I know what you were trying to do, but — you’re right. I hadn’t thought about it like that, and now I feel terrible for not spending the day with you.”

“But if you were with me, who would the target be?” Constantine expressed, earning him a playful eye roll from Liam. “Listen, life must continue. I’m dying; technically, so are you. Every breath you take is one step closer to the grave. Just because I don’t have as far to go changes nothing. I refuse to spend my time fixated on what’s coming, and I surely don’t want you to, either.”

Liam sharply sniffed and nonchalantly cleared his throat. “Right…” 

“But — given that it’s a holiday, perhaps you could end your day early; hang out with Kyla and me until the candy gifting begins.” 

“Does that mean the pranks will stop?”

“Against you, maybe.” 

Liam smiled. “I’d like that.” 

“But you must be in costume to be seen with us; sorry, it’s a rule.” 

Liam furrowed his brow. “You realize I’m the King now, right?”

“You sure like to remind me of that, son.” Constantine laughed. “I’ll go to the boutique and pick out an outfit for you.” 

“The chances of me wearing whatever you’re thinking are–” 

“Aaaand he’s gone,” Kyla spoke as Constantine sped away on his scooter. 

Liam shook his head. “I’m almost afraid to even think about what he’s going to find.” 

“Should’ve come prepared like the rest of us.” Kyla playfully elbowed his side. 

“Trueché…“ The pair shared a laugh, but as it died down Liam added, "You look cute." 

Kyla brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and ducked her head, trying to hide her flushed cheeks. "Thank you." 

"You're welcome." He smiled at her. “I need to thank you…” 

“For?”

“Making my father's time special. I’m figuring out he didn’t act alone today, but I’m glad he’s got someone to be the Thelma to his Louise.” 

“I’m happy to do it; I love it when he gets excited.” 

“I do too.” 

“He’s taught me a lot about how to relax and enjoy the little things; to make every second count.” 

Liam stared at Kyla with a grin, warmth blossoming in his chest. “Me too.” 

They locked eyes but Constantine quickly re-appeared. "Oh, Li-am…"

"I don't like that tone… or that face you're making…"

"I found you a costume." Constantine answered as he held a garment up. 

Liam stared into his basket and saw the remaining pieces of the getup and shook his head. "I'm not wearing that." 

"Oh, come on! A cowboy needs a steed to wrangle, son! Have you not seen a western film?"

"But I don't want to be your horse!" Liam protested. "What if I wanted to be a superhero or something?" 

Constantine pursed his lip with pleading eyes. "Liam…" 

Liam held his stare for merely a moment before he rolled his eyes. "Fine." 

Constantine's face lit like a Christmas tree but he was quick to shove the garments at Liam, insisting he go get dressed. As Liam disappeared, Constantine gave Kyla a knowing look. "... What did I tell you?"

"I can not believe that worked." 

Constantine snickered. "I never planned on being a horseless cowboy."

"He probably would've done it anyway if you asked him…"

Constantine snorted. "Where's the fun in that?"

Constantine Rys was once a hard man; born and bred for royalty, he never got to enjoy and experience the little things in life. It never bothered him before, considering he was the reigning monarch of an entire nation with the world at his fingertips. However, since his retirement he found himself longing to experience all the things he missed out on. Today specifically, he wanted to learn how to bake; not just anything, a very specific recipe. 

His first wife was clueless in the kitchen and Regina knew very little, but Eleanor spoiled him with various baked goods consistently while she was alive. When she found the time for it Constantine never understood, but she always had warm cookies for him and the children to enjoy. He'll never forget the memories of retiring to his quarters after a long day and opening the door to hear the boys and Eleanor’s laughter, accompanied by the sweet, heavenly smell of whatever she prepared for them that day. 

Now, especially since his time left on earth was limited, he wanted to learn all these things he never had the opportunity to experience before. He found an instructor and Bastien vetted the person before scheduling a private lesson right in his quarters. His intention was to set everything up so Kyla could join him, but the teacher was only available on a specific day and Kyla was off. He knew she would still come if he asked, but he didn't want to impose on her personal time. Regina was his backup, but unfortunately, that day was a no from her as well. 

Even so, Constantine was still excited about his lesson. It may only be a class of one, but he was looking forward to putting his new skill to use. 

A knock sounded on his door and he quickly scurried over to answer it. On the other side stood Bastien, a woman who he assumed to be his 'teacher', and Liam, who Constantine hadn't told. It wasn't that he was trying to hide anything or keep secrets; he initially wanted to recruit Liam for this venture to begin with. However, he knew all too well how busy a Friday afternoon was as a solo monarch and figured it would be of no use to ask. However, his unexpected presence made Constantine hopeful that perhaps they would get to share this experience after all.  

"Son! What're you doing here?"

"I just so happened to be taking my lunch when I saw Bastien with Mrs. Finch." Liam motioned to the woman with a polite smile. "Care to explain to me why you're having bakers come to your quarters?"

"She's going to teach me."

"You want to bake?" Liam asked with an arched brow. 

"Precisely." 

"Why?"

"Do you remember those cookies your mother would make? The molasses ones?"

Liam's mouth involuntarily started watering. "I do… That's what you want to make?"

"Eventually I'd like to try other things, but that's where I’ll start. I haven't had them in years and the staff just can't make them the way she did, anyway. I was hoping if I took some lessons, perhaps I could give it a go." Constantine stopped talking as he took in Liam's nostalgic expression. "Care to join us?"

"I don't bake, or – haven't in quite a while."

"Then this is the ideal time to perfect your skills!" Constantine hopefully suggested.

Liam's face instantly fell at seeing him so excited. "I really wish I could, but I have a meeting soon." 

Constantine was trying his hardest to smile, but on a few occurrences he realized Liam was doing what he'd done to him and Leo for years; putting the crown first. He never realized how much it truly hurts to be left alone when the person you're longing to spend time with is occupied. Of course, he understood Cordonia does ultimately have to come first, but perhaps since his time was limited he was beginning to develop a love-hate relationship with the word duty. 

"Ah, I see... No worries, son." Constantine sadly smiled and motioned for the woman to come in. "If everything goes right, perhaps I can bring you some." 

"Thanks…" 

The woman stepped inside and disappeared with Constantine. Liam remained outside the door, suddenly feeling guilty for leaving. His whole life all he wanted was a genuine relationship with his father, and now that he'd been blessed with it he often had to put the crown first. However, now that his father's time left was dwindling, he found it was practically impossible to walk away.  

"Bastien," Liam started, "Clear my schedule for the day – no, the weekend. I'm unavailable unless it's an emergency." 

Bastien smiled and bowed. "Of course, sir." 

Liam made his way inside his father's quarters to the in-suite kitchen and couldn't help but laugh as he saw his father wearing a white, puffy chef's hat. When Constantine looked up and saw Liam enter, the pure excitement radiating off of him was enough to fill Liam’s heart so full he was sure it would burst any moment. 

"Liam! What're you doing here?" 

"As it turns out, I had a cancellation." Liam winked. 

"Get in here, then! You need a toque as well." 

"I don't think–" 

"We are pastry chefs right now; it's absolutely necessary." Constantine held out a hat to him. 

Liam stared at it for a long moment before he took it and reluctantly put it on. "Happy?"

"Elated. Now, Mrs. Finch, what are we doing?" 

"First we'll start by creaming the sugars and butter together." She showed the pair her measurements, as well as how to soften the butter. Using a hand-held mixer, she swirled the bowl until the task was completed before continuing, "Now, the eggs. The biggest thing to remember is don't over mix, or your cookies won't turn out properly."

Constantine nodded and picked up an egg from the supplies laid before him. “I’ve never done this before…” He held it up with furrowed brows as he intently studied it. "How do we get – inside?" 

Mrs. Finch laughed. "We have to break it, sir. See? Like this." She gently cracked an egg on the counter and emptied it into the bowl. Liam silently chuckled at Constantine's flabbergasted expression; something so simple was blowing his mind, and his elation was incredibly contagious. "It's easy, you just need a hard surface. You try."

Constantine nodded and tried to mimic her by using the counter, but that resulted in multiple yolks in his palm after a number of failed attempts. Finally, he looked around the area searching for a different surface to try when he got the perfect idea. He took the egg and although he intended to lightly tap it, he ended up smashing it against Liam's forehead; the egg splattered but thankfully most of his hair was shielded by his new accessory. However, the yolk and slimy membrane started dripping down his face, accompanied by the remaining shells. 

Liam squeezed his eyes closed as the goo slipped over them and his mouth fell open in shock, but he quickly closed it to not ingest anything. He felt something soft on his forearm and blindly reached out to accept a towel someone offered him. 

After cleaning his face, Liam turned to Constantine with narrowed eyes. "Seriously?!" 

"I guess I do still have some strength left." Constantine nervously chuckled before he added, "I apologize, son, I had no intentions of being so… brute."

"Why my head, though?!"

"She said a hard surface…" 

"Ha. Ha." Liam grabbed an egg and without breaking eye contact used one hand and cracked it perfectly against the side of the bowl. "Gently, grasshopper – and it goes inside the bowl." 

Constantine’s mouth fell open. "You may be upset, but you will not refer to me as a bug–" 

"It's – Nevermind… Mrs. Finch, please continue." 

She did as instructed and walked them through the various steps to make the cookies, plus gave them tips and tricks along the way to help make sure the recipe turned out correctly. They sifted their dry ingredients together in a separate bowl and were preparing to combine everything together, but Constantine insisted he wanted to be the one to use the hand mixer this time. Liam was absolutely reluctant, but ultimately caved after a five-minute debacle. 

Liam stood beside him watching Constantine's every move; so far, he was doing incredibly well with this specific job. Mrs. Finch was slowly adding their dry ingredients and Liam started to relax, thinking that things were smooth sailing from here on out. 

His phone rang and he stepped away to answer it but remained in Constantine's line of sight. Liam spoke with furrowed brows, his face red, and Constantine could tell he was speaking sternly; it instantly piqued his interest. 

The conversation was short and Liam reappeared a moment later completely unfazed. "Who was that?" Constantine practically shouted over the mixer still whirring in his hand. Liam answered, but Constantine couldn't hear him. "What?!" Again, Liam said something, but Constantine couldn't make it out. 

There was text beside each button on the machine, but they were so small Constantine couldn't see which one was labeled power. He ended up increasing the speed to the maximum setting, causing the mixer to shake and vibrate in his hand. Liam walked back beside him and spoke again, but Constantine paid him no attention as he was trying to read the tiny prints. Instead of leaning over to try and find the correct one, he decided to bring the mixer to eye level. 

It happened in slow motion; everything was fine one second, and the next their still very thin batter was flying all over the front of Liam’s suit. Constantine naturally turned his direction to Liam instantaneously as he held the mixer at arm's length, away from his own body. The machine continued to forcefully whirl until the beaters were clean, all its contents now covering the front of Liam’s face, body, and a little of the surrounding area. Liam could only stand there in shock; mouth agape, arms raised, completely flabbergasted. 

Constantine finally pushed the correct button and the mixer slowly stopped. He had a sheepish smile as he lowered it back into the bowl before speaking in a soft, timid voice. "The good news is there's still plenty left…" 

Liam only stared at Constantine with narrowed eyes. Constantine nervously chuckled and swiped his finger across Liam’s cheek before licking the contents. "Mmm – delicious indeed." Liam opened his mouth to speak, but Constantine quickly added, "Don't be mad, son… It was simply a mistake…" 

Liam took a deep breath and slowly let it out to keep his composure. "I'm not upset," A vengeful, mischievous idea struck him. He smirked and said, "matter of fact, perhaps we should hug this out." 

"I don't think that's–" Constantine tried to protest, but soon found himself engulfed in Liam’s strong arms. He looked down and saw Liam rubbing his face on his shirt, thoroughly cleaning it, and couldn't help but chuckle. "I suppose I deserved that." 

Mrs. Finch was quick to take over and simply talked them through the rest of the process to avoid any more mishaps, although they did help form the cookies. The sweet, heavenly aroma that filled the air as their delicacies baked brought back memories for both. Their goods came out of the oven and Mrs. Finch was dismissed, paid very well for her services, and Constantine even insisted she take some with her. 

Now, they were simply relaxing on the couch, enjoying the product of their work, and reminiscing with a cup of hot tea. Although they were missing Leo and Regina, it was nice for just the two of them to relive moments they’d shared while creating new memories at the same time. Constantine expected his ‘class’ to be rather boring but informative; never did he think it would turn into a chaotic, beautiful memory for him to relive for the rest of his limited days.

"Liam," Constantine started as he sat forward and grabbed another cookie. "Thank you for joining me today. I know things didn’t go quite as smoothly as they could have, but I'm thankful you were here… I had fun." 

Liam smiled. "I’m glad… There were definitely some mishaps–” He stopped to rub his forehead. “–but I had fun too. And, these cookies turned out amazing." 

"I concur. Mrs. Finch did an excellent job and I have to say, they are quite close in comparison to your mother's." 

"Here, here," Liam agreed whilst holding his cookie up to Constantine, which he returned before they both took a large bite. Liam swallowed and spoke again, "Listen… I know I'm busy, but I'll always try to make time for stuff like this – especially now…" He trailed off with a sad expression. 

Constantine signed and patted Liam on the knee. "I know. But I'm also aware of how demanding the Crown is. I don't want you canceling obligations on my account – again." He gave Liam a knowing look. 

Liam held his free hand up in surrender. "It wasn't that important! Neville comes here and bitches consistently, I'm sure he'll be back in a few days." 

Constantine couldn't help but chuckle. "Perhaps I could give you a warning next time, then… So you can try to pencil your old man in." He playfully grinned. 

Now, it was Liam’s turn to laugh. "You don't need 'penciled in', but a notice would be appreciated." 

"Done," Constantine suddenly stood and extended his hand. Liam shoved his last bite into his mouth and took it, confused, but Constantine was quick to pull him into a tight hug as Liam rose. "I love you, son." 

"I love you too." 

Their moment hung for a few seconds before Constantine stepped away with a bright smile. "Let's plan our next endeavor! It'll need to be during Kyla's work time, which proves beneficial to the both of us…" He stopped talking to wiggle his eyebrows. "Actually... What would you like to do? Perhaps something to woo her? We could go to a massage–" 

"Why are you being so weird?” Liam interjected. "You decide what you want to do and we'll figure everything out from there." 

"Hmmm…" Constantine trailed off, deep in thought. He snapped his finger a moment later. "We enlist Duchess Olivia and–" 

"I'm going to stop you right there; anything pertaining to Olivia means weapons and that's an automatic no." Constantine tried to retort, but Liam held a hand up. "Do I really have to pull the King card again? Think of something else, and we'll talk." 

Constantine opened and closed his mouth a few times before shaking his head and mumbling something as he sat. "What was that?" Liam asked with an amused grin. 

"I said you can be a bit of a hard ass sometimes." 

Liam smirked and confidently replied, "I learned from the best."

HCTS Tags (If you'd like added or removed, please let me know):

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty,” the white-coated doctor stood with his hands in his pockets as he delivered the news, “We did everything we could. Heroic measures were employed but the injuries from the gunshot wounds were too grievous, and we were unable to save him.”

Constantine’s body shook with sobs. He let himself be led to a chair. He sank into it and dropped his head into his hands. He gathered his emotions as best he could and lifted his head, “And her?”

“I’m sorry, sir, again, the extent of the injuries-“

“So I’ve lost them both?”

“I’m very sorry for your loss. Would you like to see your wife now?”

“Connie, why are you watching this?” Eleanor took the remote from his hand and clicked the TV off just as the footage of his remarks from the south lawn of the palace earlier in the day began to play.

He turned to her with tears in his eyes, “It was the day I lost both my parents. The day I almost lost you. I don’t know how Leo and Liam would have-“

“Hey, we don’t have to worry about that. I’m here. I made it and so did you.”

“Thanks to Jack.”

“Yes,” she agreed, “Thanks to Jack. Speaking of him…don’t you have somewhere to be?”

He glanced at the clock on the wall and jumped to his feet, “Shit! Yes! I have to go!”

“It’s fine, go!” She shooed him out of their private living room, one hand at the small of her back and the other resting on her burgeoning stomach as she felt the baby kick. “Settle down, Lena. You have a month left in there.”

She missed her in-laws, but she was grateful that both she and her husband had been spared. The bullet had hit her in the side. There had been a lot of blood, but no major organs had been damaged.

She would have joined the king, but she was on partial bedrest for the duration of the pregnancy. She had told Constantine to give her love to the Walker family. She would be forever grateful for the sacrifices made that day.

Constantine stepped out of the limo and approached the group gathered around the gravesite. He made his way to Bianca and swept her into a hug before doing the same with Drake and Savannah in turn.

He stepped forward and touched the cold marble of the marker, his fingers tracing the etching. His throat constricted as he croaked out, “He died a hero.”

“That he did. He stepped right in front of that bullet.”

Constantine turned toward the voice with a solemn expression, “So did you.”

“Damned straight I did! And I’d do it again!”

The king pulled the other man into a tight embrace as he fought back the emotions that threatened to overwhelm him, “Don’t joke about that, Jack, I almost lost you that day!”

It had been touch and go for two weeks. Constantine had never left his side.

“I’m not joking,” Jackson hugged him back.

Constantine had tried to get him to transfer to a less dangerous position, but Jackson had refused. There was no one else he trusted to safeguard the man he loved.

“Eleanor sends her love to all of you,” Constantine pushed out of Jackson’s arms and turned back to the monument, “We know how much Bastien meant to you.”

“He was like family,” Bianca agreed.

“He didn’t hesitate to take that bullet for her,” Jackson removed a flask of whiskey from his jacket pocket and held it up to the monument in salute, “Here’s to the best junior officer I ever had the privilege of training.”

“To Bastien!” the little group chorused.

When the gathering was over, Constantine and Jackson walked back to the limo together, hand in hand.

The perpetrators of the attack had all been brought to justice and The Liberation Core dismantled. There was some amount of closure in that.

Eleanor had taken the news of his relationship with Jackson in stride.

“I suspected, Connie. But it doesn’t change anything for me. I love you, and I love our boys.”

The only thing she had asked him for was another child. A chance for a girl and he’d given it to her.

In return, she’d given him complete acceptance of his relationship with Jackson.

He was as happy as he could be while still grieving his parents. He would always miss them, but he had a baby on the way, a queen who understood him, and the love of his life by his side.

Next year for his birthday, Jackson was getting that white water rafting trip. Constantine had already booked it. Just the two of them…give or take a few dozen guardsmen.

He glanced at the man next to him with happiness in his heart. He was healing, Cordonia was healing, and the future looked bright.