It was a typical Monday morning at the
Royal Hunting Estate. The family were getting ready to depart back to the capital after a weekend of relaxation. King Siôn IV had spent the weekend hunting in the forest, him and a few of his noble chums had managed to bag a brace or three of pheasant and then last night had consumed more wine than was sensible. Siôn had got so drunk that he'd even fallen down the staircase twice. Several of the security who protected the royal family had even had to help him get to bed. Peter, the commander of the King's Security detail had made the decision to put him in one of the large guest bedrooms to prevent Queen Glenice from being woken up. Now though the birds were beginning to chirp and the sun was raising over the hillside and beginning to glisten of the nearby lake. Prince Meredydd was up early as usual. The 14 year old had a save of Football Manager to deal with and figured that he could complete that big money transfer before they set off for Deiniolen. He'd set himself up in the large open plan kitchen, his laptop open and a notebook next to it. "How are the lads doing?" Peter asked as he came to say good morning. He and the Prince shared a love of Deiniolen AFC and despite Peter knowing very little about video games it was something they could converse about.
"Seasons not started yet, just trying to get that goalkeeper in." Meredydd replied before thanking Peter for the orange juice he'd poured for him. Upstairs there was a loud bang as a door slammed somewhere and Peter left the Prince to his game and headed off to investigate.
"The Kings awake" a voice came on the radio.
"Roger that" Peter replied surprised that the King was even capable of being awake.
"He's acting weird" It was Robert, one of the other security agents. Suddenly Peter felt his pace pick up as he took the steps two by two.
"Shit" The words came across the airwaves as the sound of a single gunshot echoed down the long upstairs corridor. Peter pulled his pistol and reached the top of the stairs.
"What was that?" Peter asked as he carefully peered around the corner of the corridor. There was no immediate answer.
"He shot me!" a feeble answer came back, "He's a shotgun" the voice croaked before the line went dead.
"WHERE IS THE WHORE!!" The sound of the King's voice boomed down the hallway. Peter took another cautionary glance and immediately ducked back as he saw the King level a hunting shotgun his way and pull the trigger. Thankfully for Peter he was too far away for the shot to be effective in the hands of a hungover amateur. Peter could hear the sound of other agents making their way up the stairs but it was the sound of a door ahead opening followed almost immediately by a BOOM! and a scream as the sound of splintered wood filled the air immediately replaced with more screams. Peter looked down the hallway again, they'd now heard two shots and from his earlier glance he knew the weapon had only two rounds. He darted round the corner and made his way toward the King who was now reloading. Peter knew he was unlikely to make the distance and so as the King snapped shut the weapon he threw his entire weight at a nearby crashing through into an empty bedroom. "GLENICE YOU BITCH SHOW YOURSELF!!!" Peter heard doors fling open as the King was clearly looking for someone. Various conversations over the radio were taking place.
"Your Majesty put the gun down!" Peter called out from his hiding place.
"I command you bring that slut to me now." The King yelled back. Peter was wondering just exactly what had been going off, Queen Glenice was always escorted by a member of the security detail, quiet often him. There was no chance that she was doing any of the things that the King was now screaming about clearly seeking some kind of vengeance. Across the corridor another door opened.
"Whats happening?" Queen Glenice was still half asleep and didn't even have time to register the gun levelled at her, the first her conscience knew about what was happening was as a pain ripped through her torso as from across the hall way a grey clad figure rugby tackled her back into the room. Peter had been too slow and now he was faced with having to try and stem the flow of blood from various holes in the Queens stomach and chest. She was trying to speak and Peter was grabbing bedsheets to try and plug holes. There was more shouting in the corridor as he could hear his agents trying to calm the King down meanwhile over the radio other agents were removing Prince Meredydd from the situation. Thankfully the King's other child, Princess Esyllt was away on a school residential but he'd even heard on his 2nd channel the team there taking her into protection. As far as procedures went Peter was happy with his teams, the problem was they were not dealing with an external threat, the King had seemingly gone mad. There was now a stand off outside as Peter's glance switched between the open door and the Queens wounds. He made a decision to shut and lock the door, it wouldn't stop gunfire but it would buy him time. He next flipped the heavy double bed over and wedged it against the door which he hoped would make it bullet proof. He now had the ability to deal with the Queen but didn't fancy his chances unless the situation was resolved very quickly. They were now in stand-off, the King screaming about his guards being traitors and his wife having affairs, even going so far as to yell that he suspected Peter and the Queen were currently "rutting".
Through the bedroom window Peter could hear the vehicles of The Royal Household Regiment who provided a wider security for the estate rushing in. He assessed the situation outside and seeing his friend Major Alun Merrick yelled down. "The Kings shot the Queen, he's acting nuts. I need a medipac." Immediately Merrick barked at his unit and a series of men dashed into the house while two more worked out how to get into the bedroom window. Soon Peter was joined by a combat medic and two rifleman who busied themselves looking after the quickly fading Glenice.
"STAND DOWN" A yell from the corridor boomed over the Kings mad rantings. It was Sergeant Maurice Jones of the Household Regiment.
"I AM YOUR KING" Peter heard before the sound of the booming shotgun followed by three rapid cracks of what he knew was a pistol.
"Bloody hell" Peter cursed as he pushed the bed out the way.
"Kings down" one of his agents said frantically over the radio. Peter finally got the door open and before he could make his way outside the medic had pushed past him and seeing the King lying flat on his back, blood across his chest began trying to work. Sergeant Jones kept his pistol trained at the King. Peter was in a state of shock the various confused conversations on the radio fading into the background for him as he stood watching the medic pour a powder onto the King's now exposed bare chest.
"Why?" Peter said looking almost vacantly at the Sergeant.
"He doesn't get to kill people just because he's a King" Jones holstered his pistol. There were now a large group of soldiers from the Household Regiment gathering at the top of the steps. "Its our house now." He added and before Peter could protest Major Merrick arrived took one look at the King and then picked up his mobile phone. There was a tense moment as around 20 members of the Army stood around looking like they were on edge.
"Yes sir" Merrick responded. "Lads, tidy up. White Knight project" He walked past Peter put his head round the door and repeated the instruction. Peter never found out what the White Knight Project was as Merrick put a bullet into the back of his head, he also never heard the rapid gunfire of the men in the hallway executing the other agents as the medic shot the Queen. In the barn where they'd secured the Prince there was more gunfire as first his two security agents and then the Prince himself were finished off. Twenty minutes later everything had been completed as in Deiniolen a team of troops in the Cyber Warfare Unit went about their business as their part of the White Knight Project. Ten minutes after they'd contacted Colonel Carwyn Rice, the commander of the Household Regiment, a fire broke out at the estate and twenty minutes after that live TV stopped across the Kingdom.
I come before you with the sad news that moments ago a terrorist attack at the Kings countryside retreat has taken place. After traitorous actions by two members of the royal families protection detail I am sad to say that the King, the Queen and Prince Meredydd have been killed along with 8 members of the Security detail who bravely died trying to protect the King. Responding immediately the Royal Household Regiment were able to eliminate the terrorists and lost two of their numbers as they attempted to brave a building fire to rescue the King. The attack came following a huge cyber security breach that took down, momentarily, our nations air defence system and military communications. We are facing a seriously dangerous situation with an as of yet unknown force seeking to damage our nation beyond repair. I ask that at this time we all remain calm and offer our thoughts and prayers to those who have lost their lives in this attack. We especially should keep Princess......now Queen Esyllt in our thoughts. I shall be meeting with relevant members of our government to put in place an action plan to secure our nation. There shall be a press conference this evening at 8pm."
