All Hail | GN'R

3

William Rose's partner did indeed have a name and that name was "Jeffrey".

It wasn't rare for people during this time to go by different names, for example, William went by "Axl" behind closed doors, Saul commonly went by "Slash", and Jeffrey went by "Izzy." but whether it was behind closed doors or not, no one addressed ever addressed Izzy by either name (aside from William and Saul), he was always just "William's partner."

It was a title he had learnt to just accept. However, over time he became frustrated, he had bundles upon bundles of suppressed rage and sadness that he contained within himself. He wouldn't dare expose any of his thoughts out loud, he wouldn't dare allow himself to be classed as weak among the others.

'These creatures met me on the battlefield, and I have since learned that they have supernatural knowledge. When I tried desperately to question them further, they vanished! While I stood spellbound, Ross and Angus arrived and greeted me as the Thane of Cawdor, which is precisely how the witches had saluted me before calling me 'the future king!' I thought I should tell you this news, my dearest partner in greatness so that you could rejoice along with me about the greatness that is promised to us. Keep it secret, and farewell.'

It seemed that there was going to be someone under him sooner rather than later.

He huffed, blowing his overly long, dark hair to one side so he could clearly see what William had written to him. "Thane of Glamis and Cawdor? Now King too? But I worry about whether or not he has what it takes to seize the crown. Axl is too full of human kindness to strike at his first opportunity. You want to be powerful, and you don't lack ambition, but you're afraid to do what you need to do to get it. You want it to be done for you. Let me help persuade you."

The sound of the door opening caused the young man to quickly throw his cigarette out of the window with a silent curse, he was running low on them, and fast. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything." One of his and William's many servants spoke. "But the King is to come here tonight."

Tonight? As far as Izzy could remember from his most recent letter there wasn't anything insinuating that the King would be visiting. "But he would've written me." His grip tightened on the ink covered parchment, Izzy felt it weakly crumple in his hands. Oh great, here come the insecurity issues.

"I'm sorry, but it's the truth. Rose is coming, Hudson too. He sent a messenger ahead of him who arrived here so out of breath that he could barely speak his message."

At least Steven would be pleased to see his father, the war had gone on longer than anyone had anticipated it to; reunions were bound to be bittersweet. "Take good care of him. He brings great news." The servant nodded before exiting the room, unnecessarily slamming the door behind him. Shithead.

"The raven himself is hoarse as he announces Duncan's entrance into my fortress, where he will die. Come, you spirits that assist murderous thoughts, fill me from head to toe with deadly cruelty! Choke up the passage to remorse."

Izzy paced along the creaky wooden floor, thought upon thought filling up his head and all he could do was release them. Words, phrases, ideas escaping him as he got more and more wound up; his head felt like it was going to explode. He was going to make sure that William was king, no matter who or what would be in the way.

"You murdering demons, wherever you hide, invisible and waiting to do evil! Come, thick night, and cover the world in the darkest smoke of hell, so that my blade can't see the wound it makes, and so heaven can't peep through the darkness and cry, hold-"

The door flew open again but this time it was someone more familiar, the monologing had to be put on hold for a minute. "Great Thane of Glamis! Worthy Thane of Cawdor! You'll soon be greater than both those titles, once you become king."

Izzy gushed, if the witches speak the truth the possibilities that it could mean for him and William as well, but it mean the world to Izzy to be seen as something for than a pathetic standby. "Your letter has transported me from the present moment, when who knows what will happen, and has made me feel like the future is already here."

"My dearest, Clarke is coming here tonight. He plans to go tomorrow." William seemed more than happy to be the bearer of good news even if he was a moment or so too late.

"Then that day will never come. Your face betrays strange feelings, my lord, and people will be able to read it like a book. In order to deceive them, you must appear the way they expect you to look. Look like an innocent flower, but be like the serpent under it. The king is coming, and he's got to be taken care of. I will handle the preparations because tonight will change every day for the rest of our lives."

"Jeffrey," William warned as he was not about to be told what to do. After all, it was his decision to make or perhaps it wasn't even his, the witches hadn't left his mind since the heath. They had planted a seed in his mind that was blossoming and blooming into something more sinister than a mere flower. "We will speak about this further."

Izzy let out a curt laugh, "To look dismayed is to cause presentiment."

- unedited