Marcus is told to free his Mother

"In the next cell along, there's a false brick just inside the bars, the tenth up from the floor." The Queen explained hurriedly. Still reeling from what he'd just told him, Marcus struggled to follow along. In his head, he just kept hearing those words, how she wanted and desired him. It made his cheeks burn and his heart beat faster in his chest. "You can reach though and slide it out of the wall. Inside there should be a key that opens every cell in this dungeon. It's a secret failsafe meant in case one of the royal family was ever imprisoned here, one your father only told me about. Genevieve got lucky and put me in the wrong cell, so I can't quite get my arm around to reach it. That's where you come in, Marcus. I need you to get that key and give it to me so we can both get out of here."

"You want me to let you free?" The young prince gasped in shock. But...Jenny would be absolutely furious! And the castle was still controlled by her men, wasn't it?

"Yes, Marcus." His Mother replied. "Normally I wouldn't ask this of you. I know how frightened and anxious you get and the last thing I want is to risk your safety." Marcus wondered how pulling out a brick was going to frighten him or risk his safety, but the Queen sounded so certain he wasn't sure he could disagree with her now, even in his own head. "But this is my best chance to fix everything! Now that I know you're safe with me, I can move to have Genevieve imprisoned instead and there's no chance you'll get yourself caught up in the fighting." Her eyes narrowed coldly. "The little bitch has overplayed entirely. She has no idea how **** she is."

"But Mother..." Marcus whimpered softly, before she fixed him with one of those stares that just made his lips snap shut. Kneeling up with her back straight, she was quite a bit taller than he was, and even dressed in that ragged robe with most of her boobs bare, she looked every inch the commanding Queen again. It made him tremble just looking at her.

"Marcus, don't be silly now." She snapped. "All you have to do is fetch that key. It's one simple thing. Even you can do that, can't you? I'll handle everything else." Just from how she looked at him, staring down her nose as he shivered in front of her, it was really hard not to to give up and do what she said, like he always had his entire life. But he was still so confused. Jenny was trusting him to just stay here safely...if he freed the Queen instead she'd be so mad! She'd think he was choosing his Mother over her and probably go on a rampage! But the Queen needed him too! He couldn't just leave his own Mother in this horrible dungeon, could he?

"I don't understand!" He sniffled, so confused and lost he suddenly wanted to just cry. And his Mother was still glaring at him. He could hardly think with her looking down at him like this! "Please Mother...if you're free, Jenny's going to be so mad! She'll hurt you this time!" The Queen paused a moment, then her face softened at last. The hand holding his gently stroked his trembling fingers, her skin warm against his own. Meanwhile, the other one reached through the bars and touched him gently on the cheek. Marcus froze as her fingers brushed over his skin so gently. It had been a long time since she'd touched him like this, but even still it felt achingly familiar and so very right. Even if she wanted him...like a Mother shouldn't.

"Oh, my baby boy, you're so afraid, aren't you?" She cooed, her voice sweet and soothing now, like when he was young and had a bad nightmare, and she used to take him in her bed by the hand and cuddle him to sleep. "You're so scared for your Mother. But you don't have to worry about anything. Just be a good boy, the good boy I know you are, and do what Mommy asks. I have a plan, you see. All these horrible people Genevieve has brought into our home. They're scum, scoundrels and mercenaries, and they're nowhere near as loyal as she thinks they are. While she struts around pretending to be Queen and hurting you with her wicked, unnatural lusts, my poor baby, I've been meeting in secret with the most loyal of my servants, those I could trust the most. They've made contact with her commanders and most of them are willing to switch sides if they're well-compensated for it. All I needed to do was make sure you were safe, and then get out of this cell so I can rally them to our side. I was hoping to have my servants arrange that, but we'll never have a better chance than this. I can take her entirely by surprise, make her surrender without risking any more lives. Knowing you chose me instead of her should make her give up very quickly."

Marcus nodded as his Mother explained her plan, her words like sweet honey pouring into his ear while her fingers stroking his cheek made it so easy to listen. She sounded so calm and sure, and part of him felt like if just obeyed her now everything was going to work out okay. He'd always listened to her, his entire life, and she'd kept him safe, hadn't she? Why not now? Only the last thing she said gave him pause. She was right, of course. Jenny would see this as him choosing the Queen over her, how else could she see it? She'd be hurt by that, badly. And he couldn't help but worry what their Mother would do to her afterward. Even though they were family, they talked like they hated each other! Would the Queen try and take ****?

"Mother..." He whimpered. "What will happen to Jenny?" She stiffened up a moment, her hand gripping his tight. Then she seemed to relax again.

"Don't worry about Genevieve, baby boy." She smiled gently down at him, that moment of irritation vanishing like a bad dream. "I'll make sure she isn't hurt. We just need to lock her away for a little while, until she realizes how wrong she was to do these horrible things to you. This will be just the good, sharp shock she needs, and with enough time, I'm sure I can make her understand that it's not her you belong to. So just fetch that key for Mommy, okay? And everything will be fine, I promise."

"Yes Mother." Marcus nodded, staring at her gorgeous face. This was what he wanted, wasn't it? He'd planned for his Mother to make Jenny understand they couldn't get married or anything, and maybe this was the only way to make sure of that. Otherwise, he was sure his sister was going to keep on the same way, and one day soon he'd find himself on his own wedding night in her bed, getting his clothes ripped off before she jumped on his naked body to make him her husband in truth. He blushed at the thought, but he couldn't deny the tingling anticipation he felt as well, like it was some naughty fantasy he'd secretly enjoy. It didn't matter, marrying his sister was impossible anyway.

The Queen let him go at last, and Marcus felt a sharp pang as his hand slipped from her warm, soft one. He rose awkwardly to his feet, staring down at his beautiful Mother with anxious eyes. He wasn't sure of any of this, but she'd made it sound so right. Just listen to her like always, he told himself, shivering under his thin little robe.

"Go on, baby." The Queen gave him another gentle smile. The young prince nodded and turned to shuffle over to the next cell. He stared inside, at the wall just where his arms could touch, counting the bricks until he found the fourth one. His hand was shaking as he reached through the bars and scrabbled with his fingers until he grabbed it. Just like his Mother had told him, the brick slid out in his grip. There, in the small space beyond, a brass key lay on the dirty stone, glinting faintly in the torchlight. The young prince stared at it, biting his lip. He just had to do as the Queen said, right? It was such a simple thing and then she'd be free. And his Father, she'd free the King as well, wouldn't she? They'd be a family again, with Jenny too as soon as she got better and forgave him for doing this.

Only...his heart trembled, and without his Mother staring at him with her pretty blue eyes, he found himself confused and lost again, all the certainty the Queen's words had given him vanishing like sand through his fingers. Jenny...could he really do this to her? He'd told her he loved her...told her she was the the only one for him, even lain with her in bed just last night, without her having to **** him this time. His heart ached and trembled as he remembered how warm and safe he'd felt in her arms, how they'd teased and kissed and played with each other, with him as a willing partner to his loving sister.

In her heart, Jenny thought he would never betray her, not like this at least. That was why she'd left him here alone, trusted him, even though she'd known all along the Queen would try something like this. She'd worried about it and warned him, and now he was going to do it anyway. How could he do that to his dear older sister? The girl he'd missed so much after she was exiled, who he'd cried and cried about in his pillow for months, wishing she'd return. Now she'd finally come back and he was going to turn against her already? At least his Mother might be strong enough to take such a blow. Jenny was already so angry and afraid of losing him. If he betrayed her trust and love like this, would she break entirely?

Marcus reached out his hand towards the key, his fingers shaking. His throat was already aching and sore, and he could feel tears stinging in his eyes as he agonized over this impossible choice. Did he take it, free his Mother and hope things could just go back to the way they should be? Even though Jenny would be hurt so terribly, even though he now knew the Queen desired him the same way his sister did. Or did he just run away and hide before his Mother could talk him into doing this, cower in a corner until Jenny came back and hugged him tight, taking him in her strong arms and telling him he was hers. Then nothing would change, and she'd be even more convinced that he felt the same way she did.

His fingers touched the key at last, brushing uncertainly over the cold metal. It should have been so easy just to pick it up, but his hand was shaking so much. He was sniffling too now, the first hot tears dribbling down his cheeks while the tight aching of his throat threatened floods more no matter what choice he made. What was he supposed to do? Who was he supposed to help? His Mother or his Sister?