(no subject)

[palace-anna.livejournal.com]

Occurs immediately after Harry leaves Travis.

Harry nodded and left the room, closing the door quietly behind him. He started down the hall that would take him back to the royal suites when his com sounded. Please let it be Anna!

"Sin, it's me. Tell me where we can meet and I'll be there. You're right; you deserve to know more, especially after what happened to you. Have you seen my boys? I meant to check up on them. Are they alright?"

"Anna. I just left Travis's room, and I'd like to speak to you soon- now if possible. Have you moved to another room yet?"

"No, I’m still in the one you showed me. You best come now. Did you leave Travis alone or was Mark there?"

"Mark is there. I wouldn't leave Travis alone. He tried to send me away, but it didn't work. And I'm on my way now."

"I'll be waiting. Talk to you when you get here." Anna turned off her com, her hand coming up to her forehead. This time she was going to need a little help. She dug thru her bags til she found the small bottle. Finding two glasses, somewhere, she set them on the table and waited.

Harry walked through the hallway with purpose, making his way to Anna's room. He knocked on the door.

Anna walked to the door, opening it. "Come in." She closed the door behind Harry, then without a word poured the drinks out and handed one to him. She took a drink as she sat back down. "What do you want to know first?"

"Well, what am I drinking would be a good start. Then I'd like to know why I didn't get any details from you about Jake other than him not liking Orlando much. He's gunning for me right now, Anna, and since he can't hurt me, he's going to be gunning for Orlando. I need to know what I'm dealing with, or I can't protect him. Not that I even know what I need to protect him from." Harry hasn't been able to let any of this out yet- he was thrown out of thinking about this by Christian and the auction, and he couldn't take this out on Travis. He was tired, scared, and ready for answers.

"The easy question is you're drinking a whiskey made for only members of the Guard. I was still holding out some hope that Jake wouldn't come here. He's one for big entrances so I thought we would hear him before we saw him. As for what you're dealing with..." Anna took another drink. "The protecting can be easy. You have to keep Jake from touching Orli. Cause if he does, then he'll suck all the joy and happiness out of him. He could make it slow, but knowing him he'll doing it fast and make it hurt. The effects fade after awhile, but you never really get over them. Not totally."

"Good." Harry tossed the whiskey back and handed Anna the glass. "And I think his big entrance got delayed when he figured out who I was and he couldn't resist trying to hurt me. Called me a 'sick pedophiliac fuck' just to let you know how ugly it got." Harry stopped, thinking over what Anna said about Jake's talent. "He's going to go after Orlando now isn't he. He was really pissed when it didn't work on me."

"He's going to go after all of them. You might have given him an extra reason for Orli, but it won't be just about you. But he'll take his failure out on someone. Just a question of whom." Anna refilled the glass and handed it back to him. "He was always upset about any attention Orli got. He probably thought you were some gold digger, trying to get into the family and keeping him from his throne."

Harry snorted. "Yeah, I slammed the door on that one pretty damned fast. Guess I don't exactly look like the wealthiest freeman in the building." Harry waved at his faded jeans and t-shirt. "Anna, honey have you talked to Marton? I didn't copy that email to him- I can't just tell the king that one of his kids threatened me in the lift. It has to come from someone else."

Anna frowned. "Not yet. Craig sent Father and Christian an email but..." She sighed. "You have to understand, Sin. He wasn't always like this. He used to be the sweetest kid. He'd take me for piggyback rides when I was little." The pain of the memory was evident on her face. "Then he changed. The family keeps hoping he'll somehow go back to how he used to be. They all remember that kid, and can't make themselves see how he is now. They don't really want to and he's always been a good actor. But he's done too much for me to think we can get him back. He's hurt too many people and enjoyed it. Made them do things..." She finished her drink and poured out another one.

Harry threw back his second drink, sensing that he's going to need it. "Anna... can you protect yourself? Who do I need to be most worried about?"

A sad smile crossed her face. "Jake is...wary of me now. Last time he tried to touch me, my Talent went wild and nearly burned him. That's when he started in on Travis and Mark. Well, more than he had been already. He gets to me thru them. Waiting til I'm not there to hurt them. Who do you need to worry about? My Father and my brothers and anyone any of us care about."

Harry sat down and put his head in his hands. There was no way he could be everywhere at once, no way he can protect them all. "What the fuck am I going to do, Anna? I'm safe, but I can't save the whole world."

"No, you can't. So you have to pick. I'm watching over Mark and Travis the best I can. I've told Brad if he's with Travis and Jake shows up to just leave and then call me. You have to protect Orli. I know David will watch Craig the best he can. Christian can hold up to him longer, so he has a chance. And Father....Father's safe so long as he believes the lies he wants to hear."

"Who is it hardest on? People with receiving talents, like telepaths and empaths?" Harry wanted to try and nail down the specifics as much as possible.

"That I'm not sure. Mark, me, Mother and Gwyn don't have receiving talents, but it still affects us. It always hits Travis hard, but I'm not sure if that's because of his Gift or just how he is. It's not something that's being picked up; it's something that's being forced on you."

"But I can block him. And he said something about Christian not being able to block him all the time. Anna, what does he want? Why is he doing this? I can understand him being pissed about me being with Orlando, he wouldn't be the first person to have a problem with that, but this is so much deeper than that."

"He wants the crown. He does it cause he can. Those are the only two things you need to know about my brother. And it wasn't against you, not specifically. Any loves of my brothers are more obstacles to the throne and have to be dealt with. You've become part of the family and he hates the family."

Harry's eyes narrowed as Anna described Jake's motives. The crown he can understand, but to hurt people just because he can? And the idea of him being an obstacle to the throne is totally absurd. Harry registered the last part of Anna's sentence and blushed. "I'm not- I mean, sure, David as part of the family I can see. He just thinks I'm some old pervert who's taking advantage of his brother. I'm hardly family."

Anna looked down at her drink. "I haven't seen you with Orli. I just know what he's told me." She leaned forward in her seat, staring intently at Harry. "I asked him, if it was love. The real love we used to talk about finding when we were younger. The kind of love that wraps itself around you and doesn't let go. Do you wanna guess what he answered? And if you think Orli is biased, think about what Travis said. He said you were Orli's. Not Orli's lover, but Orli's. Travis has been a libertine long enough, Harry. He knows the difference between being someone's lover and being theirs."

Harry went to speak and couldn't. Couldn't get any words out, not at all. He looked at the drink in his hand, and then put it down on a nearby table as his hands started to shake. Struggling to compose himself, he looked at Anna. "I never knew I could love anyone like that. I loved one person before him, just one, and I couldn't give him what he needed and still have what I wanted. With Orlando, I feel like we want and need the same things- we balance, even though it doesn't look like it from the outside looking in. I'd fight for him, bleed for him, die for him. If I had to, I'd fucking kill for him." Harry said the last part of that sentence quietly, more for himself than for Anna.

Anna got up and knelt in front of Harry's chair. "Sin, to hell with the outside looking in. You love my brother and he loves you. Nothing else matters. Nothing. Not what Jake or anyone else thinks. Just the love between the two of you. And I know Orli feels the same about you." She laid her hand on his cheek and smiled. "And another reason I know? When you mention Orli, you look the same way Travis does when he talks about Brad."

Harry leaned his cheek into Anna's hand and blinked, chasing away the tears that have gathered. "You're a special lady, Firecracker. And thank you, so much. I've been driving Orlando a little buggy lately being insecure. I know I'm a little old for it, but this is the first time I've put everything into a relationship- held nothing back. And that's a scary thing for anyone I'm guessing, but it's been fucking terrifying for me. I won't allow him to be hurt, and I won't lose him, or let Jake take anything away from him. Not if there's anything I can do to prevent it."

"That's all I can ask of you, Sin." Anna leaned up and hugged him. "Just keep holding him tight and don't let go. And keep Jake as far away from him as you can. No matter what my Father or brothers tell you. They don't know. Just promise me that and I'll be happy."

Harry hugged Anna back, squeezing her tightly. "I don't want any of you to get hurt. And I've seen Jake's true face- he's not going to be able to convince me that any of the things he said were a joke. I've never seen that amount of rage on someone's face before. Granted, he pushed and I pushed back- hard, but even still, it was pretty over the top. And someone has to talk to Marton. I'll tell him what happened if I need to, but he needs to know Jake is around."

"I don't know if he got the email, I haven't seen him yet. If Jake hasn't seen him yet, he will as soon as he's figured what he's going to do. But Father of all of them is going to want to believe that Jake has changed. I'm not sure you'll be able to tell him anything. Craig still wants to believe even after I told him about..." She took a deep breath. "It's going to be a hard sell, Sin. You sure you're up for it?"

Harry reached out to Anna and stroked her hair. "I've got your back, Firecracker. And I'm not going to leave you holding the bag on this one- I'm with you all the way. He threatened me- I don't care about that. I almost hope he tries. He threatened my family- that's a whole different story."

Anna smiled. "Thank you, Sin. That means a lot to me." She gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I feel better knowing you're there for me and my boys. But you look after Orli first, okay? Keep him safe." She sat back in her chair. "I'm glad Travis introduced us. Now I got another reason to visit Palace."

Harry grinned, his first smile in quite some time, and then composed himself, putting on a serious look. "And you just know how Orlando's going to react if he finds out we think he can't protect himself. I'm gonna stand behind you and you can put up a nice big wall-o-flame to keep him from getting to us." Harry gave Anna a serious look. "I'm sure you know what a hair-puller he is." Harry held the solemn look as long as he can, but he knew it was going to crack eventually. There has been so much tension around this whole incident; they're pretty much dying to have a giggle.

"Don't forget to watch out for your shins, he's a kicker too." Anna could feel one corner of her mouth curl up. "But if you threaten to hide his favorite shampoo from him, he'll behave." She winked at him, still trying not to laugh.

Harry snorted, caving in. "Oh, god, you aren't kidding- I dropped the bottle once and it split open and spilled down the drain. He threw an honest to goodness tantrum!"

Anna laughed. "I held the bottle hostage one time til he told me what I was getting for my 14th birthday. He didn't talk to me for a month." She just managed to put her glass on the table without spilling it. "And I'm assuming you know where and how ticklish he is. Always good when you need to make a getaway. And then there are the little things you find out to use against him." She wondered if Harry knows about Orli's favorite stores and his 'toys'.

Harry looked at Anna with newfound respect. "You ARE evil, aren't you? And the ticklish areas have been identified, believe me. I'm still working on ammunition to use against him, because I can get pretty much whatever I want by promising or delivering sex, especially is I'm wearing the leather pants he got me." Harry paused and looked a little horrified. "I really just said that, didn't I?" He covered his face with his hands, but not fast enough to hide a huge grin.

"Sin! Leather pants?!" Anna howled with laughter. "Oh, those I have to see. And with what Craig told me. Hey Sin, can I have your back as well? Cause I hear the view is amazing. And to maybe get the hands-on. IN the leather pants. Come on, Sin. What can I tell you about your precious Orli that'll get me that chance?"

Harry blushed and made a face at Anna. "I should have KNOWN Princess would talk behind my back. There will be no grabbing of the ass- that was about correcting a misconception on Craig's part and teaching him a lesson. And if you're very good maybe someday I'll leave the room in the leathers and you can have a peek. But that's as far as I'm willing to go here, young lady! No blackmail material on Orlando is going to get you any further!" Harry pretended to scold Anna at the end, the effect spoiled by the glint in Harry's eyes.

"You sure about that Sin?" Anna smirked at him. "Give me some time; I'll come up with something. Don't underestimate us youngest kids. We've had to deal with a lot to make it thru. Don't get me started about Gwyn." She mock shuddered. "I'll get you yet, Sin."

"Oh, I've learned never to underestimate Orlando already- don't think I'll be making that mistake with you. Either way- hands off, Firecracker. I'm well past my quota at this point." Harry gave her a tap on the nose, and got up out of the chair. "And you should check on Travis at some point. He's asleep, and Mark's with him, but he was pretty upset when I spoke to him this morning."

Anna's smile faded. "Yeah, I thought he would be when he found out about Jake. Did he...how upset was he? Just a little scared or a lot scared?" She drained her glass. "He's the one I'm worried about."

Princess or no, Harry wasn't going to break confidence about what Travis told him. His emotional state was a different story. "He's a lot scared and pretty upset, and more worried about the people he loves being hurt than he is about protecting himself. He cried himself to sleep in my arms, then I fell asleep too while waiting for him to wake. Mark coming in the door woke me up, and Mark took care of him from there. I think I might have won over Mark though. I didn't recognize him when he woke up, and I think I might have growled at him."

"That would win Mark over. He's very protective of Travis. Always has been." Anna frowned. "Gods I wish Jake had just left them alone. They didn't deserve what happened to them. I wanted to send Mark with Travis here, but he wouldn't go. I was just able to get Travis out by saying how much you needed him and getting Mother to help me. I better go see him, be there when he wakes up."

"That's probably a good idea." Harry headed towards the door. "Anna- promise me that you'll be honest with me about Jake, even if it hurts. I'm the last line of defense here- and sooner or later I'm going to be the only thing between him and someone I love. I need to know who I'm dealing with. So promise, okay?" Harry looked Anna in the eyes.

"Everything dealing with Jake hurts, Sin. And I have been..." Anna stopped. She hadn't talked about the last time Jake had her boys. But he wouldn't try that with anyone else, would he? That was her special punishment. She thought about it, Harry forgotten for the moment.

"Anna..." Harry saw her drop away into her own thoughts. "Something I need to know?" Harry's voice was gentle, with a hint of steel behind it.

"I don't...I don't think he'd do that again. Not to anyone else. Or at least I didn't. Now I'm not sure." Anna closed her eyes. "But there is David, isn't there? He might...Fuck."

Harry reached out and took Anna's chin in his hand, lifting her face up. "Anna. Please."

Anna opened her eyes. "My boys. The last he..." Shit, was this ever going to get easier to tell. "I don't know what he did that time, but it wasn't the same as before. He waited til I was gone and..." She blinked back the tears. "He made them want to jump off the roof. Off opposite sides so I would have to choose which one to save. That's why Travis is scared. Mark made him not remember it, but he's got the fear of Jake from those other times, and knows that something was bad enough for him to ask to forget."

"Oh, Anna." Harry pulled her into his arms. "I could ask why, but there isn't anything that's going to explain that, is there. Is that why Travis came here? The real reason?"

Anna nodded. "I can't figure out how to keep them away from him. Travis just knows it's to give Jake one less target. It took forever to talk him down. And it haunted him. However Jake made him need to jump, he couldn't get rid of it. So he asked Mark. I haven't been able to get Mark to tell me what happened. I can just guess they watched it happened to each other. I was going to have Travis spend the rest of his service here. Mark I could take with me if I had to, but a libertine can't go everywhere a bodyguard can. It was the best I could do and now it's useless."

"It's not useless- you and Mark aren't alone in this anymore. You've got people who love you and who will believe you here to support you. I'm here, and Christian's here. Hell, I'd think twice just about going up against just Christian, let alone me. Stop trying to do this all yourself and let people help." Harry stroked Anna's hair with one hand, holding her close with the other. Seeing someone as strong as Anna look this defeated was cutting Harry to the quick.

"I could kill him, Harry. For what he's done to them. Some days I get so close. But then I don't. And I'm not even sure why. If he hates us, fine. But they shouldn't be suffering because of it. Not my boys. And I probably don't have to be dealing with this by myself. Just seems like I am. They're my responsibility. Getting hurt cause of me. I can't push that off on someone else."

Harry spoke bitterly. "They aren't the only ones he's hurt though, are they. You, Craig, Orlando... it hasn't gone as far as it did for Mark and Travis, but he's hurt you all... hasn't he? None of you deserve it, but it happened anyway. No one's asking you not to try and stand up for your boys. Just let me help. Please."

Anna opened her mouth to protest, than just nodded her head. "Okay. Thank you." She gave him a hard squeeze. "Orli's lucky to have you, Sin."

Harry knew this was as far as Anna could go right now, and he'd take it. "We're both lucky, Firecracker. So damned lucky. Now why don't you go see your boys, and I'll see if I can find mine. That sound okay?"

"Yeah, sounds more than okay." Anna pulled away, wiping at her face. "David offered me the rooms across from Orli's. Am I going to have to make sure they're soundproof?" She smiled, trying to get that good mood from before. "Or should we work out times for us not to be there?" She grabbed her com and opened the door, waiting for Harry.

Harry's look was thoughtful. "No complaints so far, love! I think you'll be safe enough without us having to work out a schedule- the soundproofing seems to be well intact. And thank god for that- your brother has one hell of a set of lungs." pause "Oh fucking hell, did I just say that out loud!"

Anna laughed, a real laugh. "Yeah you did, but I won't tell anyone. Promise" She started down the hall, anxious to see her boys. "Tell Orli hi from me. If you do any talking, that is." She winked at him.

Shaking his head at himself, Harry cut Anna a wink of his own. "No promises, Firecracker! Kiss Travis for me." And Harry turned and walked down the hall, giving his ass a little shimmy, just in case Anna was still watching.

"I will." Anna turned just in time to see him. She whistled, clapping her hands. "Lucky man my brother is."

A final shake of his hips, and Harry disappeared around the corner and out of sight.