Motto pulled away from Lady Setaphina’s lips confused and ashamed of himself.  He had kissed that maiden!  How had he done such foul thing?  Motto swayed a little and reached out to touch a wall to support himself except he wasn’t close enough and his hand dropped in a strange way.  Out of the corner of his eye, Motto noticed the skirts of Lady Genevieve disappearing around a corner.<br/><br/><span style="color: #00BF40">“Genevieve!” </span>A hundred feelings crashed in at once and Motto started after the Princess.  He felt the sudden hands of Lady Setaphina take him by shirt; her hold was by no means strong enough to prevent the King from leaving.  “My King!  Please!”  She moved closer to have her bodice come into contact with his bare chest but gasped at the rough way she was removed.  This time Motto hadn’t torn himself away rather he had deliberately taken her hands and pushed Lady Setaphina aside.  Bristling, she watched him hurry after Lady Genevieve and made a quick decision.<br/><br/>“Хватай его.”<br/><br/>The two guards that stood in the corridor shot Lady Setaphina startled looks as Motto stood frowning down at the shattered vase.  He had nearly dashed past it only to stop short and confirm that it was indeed blood on the broken glass.  Had Genevieve cut herself on it?<br/><br/>“Я приказываю это”  Her tone was dark.<br/><br/>Motto glanced up in astonishment only to have his head meet with a sudden blow.  He was unconscious before he hit the floor.<br/><br/>“Fetch the physician.  Our dear King has fallen ill.”<br/><br/>“Yes my Empress..”<br/><br/>Setaphina walked to stand over the crumbled King and lowered herself to kneel by his face.  In her palm she had a bit of white powder.  She studied him for a moment before blowing the fine dust into his face.<br/><br/>----------------------------------------<br/><br/>Meanwhile Eleanor had hurried to tend to her Ladyship at the sound of Genevieve’s chamber door shutting the second time.  The sight of blood on the carpet made the old servant stop and cover her mouth.  Something was amiss!  What looked like the King’s robe was laying in a heap just outside Lady Genevieve's door.  What had happened?  Heedless of any possible intimate scene that might await her, Eleanor entered the Princess’s room.<br/><br/>“My Lady!  What has happened?”  The servant would discover Genevieve’s injury after asking about the blood and insisting on seeking it out herself.  There was a collective gasp when the Princess’s wound was exposed and Eleanor became strangely calm.  She pulled a stool up and seated herself at the edge of the bed and held Genevieve’s heel tenderly.  She instructed the ladies in waiting to fetch warm water and towels as well as the physician.  Once they had left to carry out those tasks, the older woman asked without looking up.<br/>“What happened, My Lady?”  Her tone was serious.  It was unsettling to find Her Ladyship isolating herself with an injury such as this rather than seeking out help.<br/><br/>Both the guards and maids reached the physician’s door at the same time.  After a few questions he determined that Lady Genevieve’s situation required his immediate attention moreso, but he made it known that Hector was to tend to the King.  Hector had been seeing to preparations when he was summoned, and he arrived in Motto’s chambers to see a pale King laying motionless upon his bed with anxious looking servants hovering over him.  He frowned at hearing the physician was caring for the Princess instead.  Strange indeed was this circumstance.  Hector undressed Motto and draped sheets over him before pulling chair close and holding the other’s hand.  No one seemed to know the cause or what had happened.<br/><br/>Motto woke groggily the next day and found Hector by his bedside.<br/><br/>“Sire.  How do you feel?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #00BF40">“I...what happened?  What day is it?  Lady ...Setaphina,,”  M</span>otto gripped the sheets and pulled them closer to himself.<span style="color: #00BF40">“...Have her escorted from the castle.  Immediately.  I care not where.  Just.. anywhere but here.”</span>