She wants him humbled.

About five minutes later, so fast his head was still spinning, Marcus found himself standing naked at the foot of his bed, shivering and sobbing while this scary woman rooted through his cupboards. She'd waved a knife at him and made him take off his sleeping shift, not even caring how embarrassing and scary it was. Worse still, she'd called two others into his room, this big, brawny guy wearing a few scraps of steel armor, a loincloth and little else, and then another woman, slender and red-haired, who hadn't said a word so far, just stared at the young prince from across the room with hooded eyes.

Marcus hadn't been seen naked by anyone since he was a little boy. He'd always been far too embarrassed by his rather girly body to even dare risking it. His butt and thighs were way too round and plump, filling out all his clothes, and then his shoulders and chest were slender and smooth. He knew if anyone saw him like this they'd think he was even less manly then they already did! Now all he could do was cover his dick with one arm and his nipples with the other while these awful, scary people gave him lingering looks that made his stomach turn and his heart hammer in his chest. He swam between embarrassment and terror, his cheeks blazing with a fierce blush one minute, then grey and cold the next. Little shivers ran down his body and he was crying hot, painful tears that dribbled down onto his bare chest.

"Wow, this is just beautiful." The scarred woman whistled. She was holding up the coronet Marcus' mother had given him for his last birthday. For formal occasions only the Queen had said, but it was so gorgeous he'd sometimes put it on anyway and posed in the mirror wearing his prettier outfits. "Sapphires in silver, right? How much do you reckon it's worth, Jack?" With a flick of her wrist the woman tossed it to the brutish guy, who caught it deftly out the air. He held it up in his big, hairy hands, turning the piece of jewelry over.

"Hard to say with these custom jobs." He grunted. "Five thousand crowns, at least, Lyra."

"Fucking hell." The scary woman, Lyra, breathed, her one good eye widening in shock. She whirled on Marcus, her lips curling into a snarl. "Do you even know how many people that kind of money could feed, boy?" She growled.

"No." Marcus sobbed, already knowing she wouldn't like that answer. Sure enough, she scowled fiercely at him, her lips drawn tight.

"How dare you!" She snarled, her voice shaking with sheer rage. "The people of this kingdom starve and scrape and suffer and this is what you parasites spend our money on! How many children died so you could prance about in that little crown?"

"Please...I didn't know!" Marcus stammered helplessly. She darted forward, and for a terrifying moment he was sure she was going to hit him. He fell to his knees with a helpless scream, landing in a naked heap on the floor at her feet. Lyra paused, standing over him with her hands clenched tight into fierce fists. She took a deep breath in and some of that white-hot anger faded from her one good eye.

"Ignorance is no excuse, boy, not for your crimes." She sneered, staring furiously down at his face. "You're lucky I don't want to mess up those pretty looks before the show. The whole city's going to be watching your punishment soon enough, and I want them entertained." She glanced over her shoulder at the brawny guy who was still handling Marcus' coronet. "That one will do. We'll melt it down afterward. Put it on him, Jack."

"Sure thing, boss." The big man, Jack, nodded, then he stepped forward, looming over the sobbing Marcus like a mountain. His muscles rippled between the steel plates of his armor, and he looked like he could snap the young prince in half with one hand. "Alright, pretty boy, head up, there's a good lad." He ordered. At least he didn't seem as angry and scary as Lyra, Marcus thought distantly, as he felt the guy gently place the crown on top of his silver hair.

Now he was naked except for the coronet and he couldn't help but notice the way Jack was staring hotly at his bare thighs. Even the furious Lyra kept giving him these fierce stares, her good eye darting over his smooth, snow-white chest and pink nipples with a mixture of that terrifying anger and something dark and hungry that felt even scarier.