Merry pulled up off the couch and raised herself to
her fullest height, her headache all but forgotten. 
"I should have known one of Cel's own just couldn't
pass up the chance to harass the princess for six
months now that she's surfaced again.  You're probably
the one responsible for the little scene I witnessed
this morning. Hail Mary indeed! You're as twisted a
bastard as Cel is, Rory!" She snapped her fingers and
Rhys pounced on Rory, disarming him instantly and
slamming him face first up against wall. Galen wasn't
far behind, frisking him for other weapons rather
brutally. Merry continued, "You DO realize that Cel
will die for your indiscretion, Rory. That was the
deal.  If anyone came to harm me the entire six months
he was incarcerated with the tears, then he would be
executed." Her words were venom from her anger born of
stress.  

"Fraid not, Princess," Rory retorted, his voice
somewhat muffled against the wall. "Cel was released
from his sentence by the Queen barely a week ago." The
room fell so silent, you could hear a pin drop.
"That's a lie," Merry finally breathed out what they
were all thinking. "You're just trying to cover for
him again. Like you always do. God forbid the crown
prince should ever get his lily-white hands dirty."

Rory snorted in response, his sunset colored hair
swaying from the strain the other two men were forcing
on his body to hold him in place. "Not this time,"
Rory said more quietly. "The prince WAS released a
week ago...but he AND the
queen....they're....different." he struggled to find
the words to describe what he had witnessed in his
lifelong friend and the Queen recently. Rory knew
Meredith had NO reason to trust him. Shouldn't trust
him. But for once, they were in the same boat. "How do
you mean 'different'?" Frost interrogated coldly. 

Rory shook his head slightly and a part of his shirt
that had been ripped exposed a glimpse of his back
which caused Merry's eyebrows to furrow. "I'm not sure
how to describe it.  They're the same as they always
were....but different too. More reckless.  It's almost
like they're amplified caricatures of themselves...like
they're puppets controlled by someone else....ever
since that Seelie," he spit the word like a curse,
"came to the court. Things have changed."

Merry and Frost glanced suspicious looks at one
another before Merry walked forward and tore the rest
of Rory's shirt from his shoulder exposing his bare
back. What they saw caused the room as a collective to
suck in their breath.  His back, once beautiful, was
marred extensively from a severe beating.  It looked
to be the work of a whip. What was most concerning
however was that the wounds had not healed. Rory
should have healed by now. At least closed over the
wounds just in the time it took him to reach Merry
even if he'd been beaten just before he left. Yet
these wounds seemed to fester and leak around some
greenish-looking material. "Goddess, have mercy,"
Galen breathed releasing Rory's arm as he backed away.

Rory turned and faced Merry, rubbing his wrist and
lowering his eyes, somewhat self-conscious of his
blistered back. "I know you and your cousin have never
seen eye to eye on things, Merry" he began, choosing
his words carefully.  It was obvious he was still
loyal to Cel, but something about that troubled him.
"But something is seriously wrong and I think that
maybe being part Seelie yourself, you maybe the only
one who knows how to help them....before its too
late." he finished with a huge swallow like it was his
pride traveling down his throat.

Merry studied his eyes very carefully for a few
moments.  Then without warning, she slammed her full
body weight into his crashing his injured back against
the wall until he screamed in agony.  Her eyes flashed
angrily, "And how do I believe anything you say, Rory.
For all I know, Cel did this to your back on purpose
to play on my mercy and get you into my graces so you
could kill me. I wouldn't put it past the two of you.
Well forget it! I'm not that stupid. I will NOT share
any bed with you or take even one eye off of you."

Just then, from the hallway came a very quiet clearing
of a throat. Everyone turned to find Kitto's nervous
body twitching under their gaze. "Merry?" he started
tentatively. Merry took a moment to get her anger
under control and lowered her voice to a gentle caress
so as not to further frighten the little goblin. "Yes
Kitto, what is it?"  Kitto dug his toe into the
carpet, obviously intimidated by the whole scene
still. "Um, Doyle is in the mirror and wants to speak
with you." he offered quietly.

Merry looked around the room at her three guards,
finally resting on Frost, looking for an answer on
what to do. He nodded his head slightly, "Very well,
Kitto.  I'll be right there." She turned back and
hardened her voice as she spoke to Rhys and Galen.
"Bring him," she said before turning to follow the
frightened goblin down the hallway to her bedroom.