Augustus’s actions were the only ones he could control. Whatever the queen and the king had planned there was currently only one way: forward. Amid the chaos, the kingdom needed running, and with the queen sick, Augustus was going to pick up the mantle. Take matters into his own hands. So, he was taking things one matter at a time: and the next was the matter of Remiel Allemeade. He, ostensibly, and been married to the woman who’d attacked the witch in the room with the other gifted. His association had been enough for them to act with caution, but Remiel Allemeade had acted admirably at the queen’s speech. He’d saved lives, no doubt. Things just…didn’t add up. With an open mind, Augustus intended to get to the bottom of it.

He came into the prison to see Remiel’s wrists and ankles shackled. The prince’s brow furrowed in frustration as he barked to the guards, “Unshackle this man. He’s been convicted of no crime. For goodness sake…” The guards hurried to do his bidding. Without his gift, Remiel was just a man. The shackles seemed like overkill.

“Marquis Allemeade,” Augustus addressed him with a neutral, somewhat friendly expression, “If you’d come with me.” The guards would follow the prince to a side room with a table, where a pitcher of water and some food had been set. Augustus would sit across form it and indicate for Remiel to do the same. The guards would stay in the room, standing along the wall.

Even with the shackles removed Remiel felt the weight except this weight was weighing down his entire body, mind, and soul. He nodded at the Duke's request for Remiel to follow, "Of course your Highness," his hands still laced in front of him as he sat, he didn't look at the food or water his nerves and the lead ball in his belly made for a lack of hunger.

Remiel pushed his slightly longer blonde hair back over his head and remained quiet letting his hands fall into his lap waiting to see if this was going to be an interrogation or a sentencing.

Augustus seemed relaxed. The prince did have a way about him that put others at ease, but given Remiel’s current predicament the manner was a little out of place. He smiled at Remiel, indicating to the food.

“You can eat if you like—don’t hold off on my account.” Whether Remiel did or not, Augustus would lean forward, with a serious but open expression.

“First, I’d like to thank you for your service in intervening during the chaos at the queen’s speech. I have no doubt you saved many a life, and for that, you have my immense gratitude.”

Remiel would pour himself a cup of water, "I'll take some water, thank you," after a small sip he sat the cup down and played with the fabric of his pants, "It was nothing and you're welcome, I've always came to the defense of both the subjects of the Crown and the people of her kingdom...contrary to what's said or thought I'm not a monster your Highness," he relaxed just a little the first time since the speech and Oriana's attack, "Was anyone hurt? Did anyone get hurt because of her?" his eyesight still hadn't come back and the heat burns from whatever source the source of the blast came from were still lightly red but healing.

Augustus smiled. It would be clear enough his gratitude was genuine. The prince, however shrewd he could be, was wont to wear his heart on his sleeve—which he would say was an asset, not a liability.

“I do not think you to be,” Augustus said, “It is my greatest frustration that it is our roles and the society we live in that dictate our realities more than our hearts. I believe part of my place is to reset the balance where I can. As for…Miss Dumont.” Augustus grew severe. “To say who is responsible for which ailments would be premature. But the witch—the huntsman, I believe he calls her—is quite poorly off. She will survive, but in what state…it’s difficult to say.” Augustus tilted his head.

“And what of your own state, Marquis? Or can I call you Remiel?”

Remiel didn't know it at first but he touched his face where the bandage around his eye was, "The healers said all we can do is wait, could be temporary blindness," this hand dropped back into his lap, ashamed, "Could be permanent...but I'll be fine your Highness, farmers don't need two eyes to grow food," he shifted, tense again, "What's to happen to me?"

The prince tried his best not to look too long at Remiel's bandaged eye. It did draw forth the need to discover just who was responsible. The gifts of those in the room where known, so the witch seemed the obvious source. Perhaps there was more the Nevermerean witchcraft than the king had been letting on, a prospect that was as frightening as it was frustrating...

"Your attitude is better than most, and dare I say more than the situation deserves. But it is commendable, nonetheless. As for your fate..." Augustus sighed, "As you can imagine this is a complicated situation, but I want to help you through it." He leaned forward, hands folded on the table.

"What can you tell me about Miss Dumont?" They were holding her prisoner, of course, and had done some questioning of their own...though it was far less civilized than this exchange.

Remiel sat silent for a bit sighing finally, "I've known Oriana for a while, we met through her work as a seamstress," of course there had been a bit about her he didn't know until recently and he told the Duke as much, "I didn't even know she was Gifted until recently, just before I asked her to marry me, there was a lot she hadn't told me about her past...about who she really was, not just a commoner, she was a noble and my conditions for her were the same as any Gifted I bring to the farm, register and she did," Remiel was hurting and his good eye was wet from that ache in his heart, "She's headstrong and is someone who could make it on her own but this...this I didn't think she'd be capable of what she did, I never saw her angry or bitter...I..I don't think I knew her at all," he was looking at Augustas now shaking his head, "I just wanted to be happy your Highness...I just wanted to settle down and have a family finally, because I'm tired, very tired your Highness."

Augustus listened. The prince was prone to empathy, and his empathy for Remiel would be clear. Right or wrong, the prince liked to think of himself as a good judge of character. Perhaps there was a time when Remiel Allemeade was a danger, and doubtless, his gift certainly made him one. But the man he saw now was beaten. Defeated. And to leave him collared when there was no clear crime committed…

“I’ve decided that your actions during Elena Eloduir’s attack speak to your character. You will not suffer for Oriana’s crimes, though if she comes to trial, I will expect you to testify against her. To maintain that you had nothing to do with her treachery.” Augustus sat back. “In the meantime, I’d like for you to continue to send me regular reports of the goings on at Allemeade Keep. Now is the time for cooperation and communication. So that we all might weather this storm together.” The prince titled his head just a hair. “Do you accept these terms?”

"Of course your Highness whatever the kingdom needs of me," he replied without much thought at all, he'd come to the trial and defend his actions but he didn't truly believe in the cause anymore. There was no equality or togetherness between his kind and the man's in front of him, it was a battle with no winner.

”That’s settled, then,” Augustus said with a kind smile, “The guards will see you to the gate where this…contraption will be removed.” Augustus said waved his hand, as if he shared equal disdain for the device that’d been put around Remiel’s neck. “I will expect to hear from you in three days time to make sure you’re settled. I’d also like to arrange a visit to Allemeade Keep, if you’d be so gracious as to host me.” Augustus smiled. “I’ve heard so much of it, I’d like to lay eyes on it myself.”

The finality in the prince’s tone indicated this was an order, not a request.

Some weight left him and he rubbed his good eye with the back of his hand, his eyes were so heavy and he felt like perhaps he could sleep the next three days but he'd sleep at least a day and...then he found himself asking if he cared anymore?

"I'll see to it your Highness, and the Keep has always been open to you, the Queen no one's ever bothered to come see my work what I had envisioned," had, right now after the betrayal of Oriana and how he felt about the anti-Gifted his heart wasn't in it, "Want to schedule that visit in three days with a tour your Highness?"

He was eager to leave, to go home and sleep. To have this cursed collar off his neck, he hadn't realized how cut off from his Gift he felt until now a silver lining for the situation was he wasn't quite as numb as he had been.

“Well then we shall have to change that,” Augustus said with enthusiasm as if Remiel was a dear friend whose new home he was eager to see, “Perhaps. With things still in flux, I’m afraid the timing might have to be in question for now, but I will send word soon and be sure to give you time to prepare.”

He stood, which would invite Remiel to do the same. “This is a time of great uncertainty, of which sacrifice will be a necessary part,” Augustus said, with a touch of cryptic riddle in his tone, “But it is my hope we will all appreciate that it is ultimately for the greater good.”