Swallowing Darkness   ::   Гамильтон Лорел

In the interest of getting good press, and in some cases getting more money into the house, I've taken some interviews. Because we had the soldiers there at the end, they've talked to the press. They saw wonders, and they said so. I don't blame them. We even get visits from Dawson, Orlando, Hayes, Brennan, and some of the others.

There's one television interview that got a lot of showing, and once it hit the Internet, well, it seems everyone downloaded it. It's me, sitting between Doyle and Frost, them in their tailored suits, and me in the designer coat, still not showing yet. Frost's hand is in mine. Doyle sits beside me, more at ease than our Frost, who hasn't completely shaken his phobia of public speaking.

The interviewer asked, "So, Captain Doyle, is it really true that you gave up a chance to be king of the Unseelie Court to save Lt. Frost's life?"

Doyle didn't even glance around, but just nodded and said, "It is."

"You gave up a kingdom to save your friend."

"Yes."

"That's quite a friendship," the interviewer said.

"He has been my right hand for more than a thousand years."

"Some people are saying that perhaps he's more than just a friend to you, Captain."

"A thousand years makes for a very close friendship."

You'd think that the interviewer might ask about the whole thousand years thing, but she didn't. She chased something else. "Some people are saying that you gave up the throne because you love Frost."

This was the moment when Doyle didn't catch the double entendre. He answered honestly. "Of course I love Frost. He's my friend."

She turned to me then, and said, "Meredith, how do you feel knowing that Doyle loves Frost too?"

I reached over and took Doyle's hand so that I was holding both their hands at once. "It makes it easier for all of us to sleep together."

Which was a little too bold for that particular interviewer, but she recovered. "Frost, how do you feel knowing that your lovers gave up being king and queen to save you?"

The camera went in for a close-up that showed the closed arrogance that he used to hide his nerves behind. But nothing the camera could do made him any less than amazing to look at. "I would have told them not to save me."

"You'd have rather died?"

"I thought Meredith wanted to be queen, and I knew that Doyle would make the best of kings."

"It's been a few weeks. How do you feel now? Are you glad they made the sacrifice?"

He turned and looked at us both as the camera drew back so that it showed us looking at him. Our faces softened, and there were smiles, even from the men. "Yes, I am.